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July 25, 2007
Jumping shipThe school choice debate continues to heat up with two editorials in USA Today. The first, the paper's view, suggests that letting students "transfer out" of "failing schools" in their own district to other school districts is the magic wand solution everyone's been waiting for. NSBA President Norm D. Wooten offers a differing opinion, pointing out that, "Currently, less than 1% of eligible students transfer because parents want their children to remain in their local school. Moreover, the few students who do transfer tend to be higher achieving —not those students for whom the transfer option was intended."
USA Today echoes the recent opinions expressed by education advocate extraordinaire, Jonathan Kozol in the New York Times, by recommending that states "come up with a package of carrots, sticks and financial aid to make it happen. In the end, every city would have modest transfer programs handling a few hundred, or a few thousand, students who opted out of their failing school." It's still not exactly clear where USA Today would have these "carrots" coming from--already thinly stretched state education budgets, perhaps?
Conversely, Wooten points out, "struggling schools can worsen because not only are they losing their best students, but their districts also have to divert very scarce federal funds to transport them to other schools rather than drive all the dollars toward improving the academic performance of struggling students."
While there is no magic wand, Wooten notes
Given all we know about improving schools and educating diverse students, the law should focus on interventions and incentives that build the capacity of schools wherever they are located, rather than mandating transfers across district lines.Let's improve all public schools, not push policies that don't make sense for kids, their parents, or schools.
As evidenced by communities in Missouri, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, school districts, in conjunction with neighboring districts, can and do establish transfer programs that can make sense for students. What is not needed is a federal decree wrapped up in an already flawed No Child Left Behind law that forces districts and communities into one-size-fits-all policies.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment and tell us what you think.
Posted July 25, 2007 11:55 AM | Privatization & Choice
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