The Education Reform Act of 2009 is being pushed along quickly. If we're going to stop this, we've got to get to Massachusetts legislators TODAY, as it could go to the floor on Beacon Hill on Monday.
Here are a few key points to consider (and pass along):
1. It is percentage-based system that can lead to significantly expanded privatization of a key public resource, our schools. The 20% of lowest-scoring schools and 5% percent of districts are "eligible" to be declared "underperforming" based on MCAS reading and math scores. By one estimate I've read, an estimated 70% or more schools in MA will not make that threshold by 2014.
The steps from "underperforming" to "chronically underperforming" are subjective...and once a school is there, it can be privatized.
And remember: there is always a bottom 20%.
2. The new RTTT rules count lifting the charter cap as only 40 out of a possible 500 points in an application. Even if we (the state of Massachusetts) want to apply from RTTT funds (something which I'd like to see more debate on, frankly), we don't have to lift the charter cap to do it.
And this bill doesn't do enough, still, to ensure that charters are quality institutions, that only good charters are granted (the administration has a questionable history on this), that charters truly serve all in the community, etc.
3. It centralizes authority, moving authority to bargain with unions, close schools, and make declarations the sole province of the superintendent as overseen by the MA Commissioner. It moves us away from the classic Massachusetts model of local control (answering to the local community) of local schools. This is the centralized model that has, for example, just been declared a failure in Chicago. We do not want to go there.
4. Did I mention it would cost Worcester $5 million next year?
You can get your reps info here:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/
And if you're in Worcester: contact the whole Worcester delegation!
4 comments:
This may be a dumb question, but you're talking about State (Mass.) legislation, not Federal legislation, correct?
Yes, I am. I should have made that clearer.
The privatization of the schools has been an unstated goal for a long time. There's the potential for a great deal of profit on a corporate level if it were to happen. This has been a big push by the Republican Party mainly for the purposes of destroying the teacher's unions which always support Democrats. From a Massachusetts perspective I haven't figured out what the Democratic lead Legislature gets out of it. I know they have a habit of co-opting Republican policies to keep the Republicans from building a following. The only thing I can see that Democratic politicians will get out of this is kickbacks from the corporate interests in the form of campaign contributions. Just like politicians at the national level is selling out the public for personal gain. I lost my respect for Republicans several years ago, the remaining respect I have for Democrats is rapidly disappearing.
I think they're all running screaming after the federal money, Jim, and they fear that they can't toe the Duncan/Obama education line enough to get RTTT funds. That's all I can figure.
And I share your disappointment. I'd really hoped for an improvement at the federal level, and this, I dare say, is worse.
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