Subscribe to our Blog
A banner year for education reform
I’ve written about this before, but the tectonic plate shifts in American education policy are so remarkable that I’ll risk boring you with yet another posting on what is happening south of the border. The changes are nothing short of revolutionary, as summed up in this article in the “Education Gadfly Weekly”.
Charter Schools: More than one million students are now enrolled in charter schools in 40 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In New Orleans, almost three-quarters of students are enrolled in charter schools.
Collective Bargaining: Over 700 bills reducing teachers’ collective bargaining rights have been introduced in state legislatures so far this year. The vast majority of them have either already passed or seem likely to pass.
School Choice: At least 51 pieces of school choice legislation have been introduced so far this year, spanning 35 states and the District of Columbia. Every passing week brings news of at least one new victory for school choice proponents.
Teacher Evaluation: Many states have already tied teacher evaluation to student performance, and a few are flirting with merit pay.
Public Opinion: Recent polls show a stunning shift in public opinion towards support for all of these initiatives, especially school choice. It appears that, once the public gets a taste of educational freedom, it likes it.