Monthly Archives: November 2012

Education Reform Issues Across the Nation I'm Watching This Election Day

Apparently, today is some kind of big day, with a lot of big people here in Colorado and in other states making some important decision about the future of the country or something. It sounds like some sort of big deal. But as elections go, I’m more tuned in to some key education reform races around the country — compliments of Mike Petrilli at Education Next. (In addition to the local education tax issues on the ballot in many Colorado school districts.) I’m watching a few of them, too. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett has been one of the nation’s boldest education reform leaders. Choice? Accountability? Labor reforms? Check marks on all three. How will he fare seeking re-election? That’s for Hoosiers to decide. Even more interesting to me is a trio of Idaho ballot initiatives the teachers union is backing in an attempt to toss out some yummy tater tot reforms. Petrilli points out that New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg of all people has thrown some tangible support behind the reforms and against the union. Why can I almost imagine some bemused Pocatello denizen proclaiming: “New York City?”

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It's Worth Stepping Back Even Further for a Full Picture of Education Funding

Tomorrow is decision day for a lot of big people in Colorado, voting to decide on several local school tax issues. Those who think more money is needed to bolster an inefficient K-12 system marshal incomplete funding figures, but thankfully my Education Policy Center friend was there to provide 9News viewers with a full picture of Colorado K-12 tax revenues. Supporters of tax hikes tout selective rankings that make Colorado look as poor as possible compared to other states in education funding. We know Colorado isn’t 49th? But where are we really: 29th or 40th? But what if most states’ systems are inefficient? After all, while Colorado could be doing better, our student outcomes remain above the national average.

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Chubb's Bold Teacher Reform Proposals Sound Like Music in My Ears

My parents are convinced — well, maybe just one of them — that I’m going to be some kind of musical virtuoso. They signed me up for piano lessons. I’m not even ready to start working on “Mary Had a Little Lamb” yet, but don’t tell my mom a prodigy isn’t in the making. The reason I bring this up is because of the catchy title of a provocative Education Next posting by Dr. John Chubb: “Do Piano Teachers Need to Know How to Play the Piano?” I’d like to ask that of my piano teacher, but I’m pretty sure she’d just shake her head and laugh. But Chubb is making a point about the deep-seated systemic flaws in our nation’s K-12 teacher policies:

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Don't Ask to "Show Me" Why K-12 Education Needs Differential Teacher Pay

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you probably are well aware of the numerous flaws in the way our K-12 education system pays teachers. Most of the flaws emanate from the single salary schedule, which the vast majority of school districts use. Pay is differentiated almost exclusively by seniority and academic credentials, factors that have very little or no impact on meeting student learning needs. Why can’t we differentiate pay based on instructional specialty, how hard it is to find someone qualified to teach in a particular area? A new report by James Shuls of the Show-Me Institute sheds some interesting light on the need for that commonsense approach. Missouri has far more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) jobs available than non-STEM jobs, so shouldn’t there be a premium for people who are qualified in those areas?

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