Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Clarion Call for School Reform

I've seen firsthand how news titles don't necessarily match the article content. This piece is a case in point. "Education Reform" is all the rage, and to frame an article as part of that amorphous category makes the content of this particular discussion more important.

Does anybody seriously think that Billy's and Susie's (or any other child's) education is going to be tangibly affected by either the changes the governor proposes or the superintendent's demands for continuity?

The governor wants 'accountability' and claims her reorganization will save money. Organization charts don't reflect everything, but her reorganized structure seems to have a lot more boxes (for people and offices) than the current chart. That doesn't look promising for money saving or accountability.

The superintendent, all too predictably, wants to protect funding for his constituency.

This may be reform, but by the time its effects trickle down to the class room, it has much less of the impact the high bureaucrats had hoped for.

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