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Newswire Turns Ten - April 29, 2008

Vol. 10, No. 17 

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Newswire turns 10 years old today! And YOU forgot to send a card!

While Emily Post politely reminds us that the traditional 10th anniversary gift is tin, when it comes to education reform, the only tin in sight is the tin ear of the BLOB, (or the education establishment for you neophytes), especially when it comes to tried-and-true ideas. So (sorry, Emily) instead of tin, we've dug up 10 ideas as our gift to you, ideas that, if implemented across the country, would 'make schools work better for all children,' as we like to say, and would earn the school reform movement a perfect 10. These are not new, as you will see. In fact, these ideas themselves are at least ten years old, and yet they are still current ... and right.

1. System-wide academic standards. No Child Left Behind put us on the right path - it's now time to accept such accountability in order to thrive under an ever-improving system with sunlight and vigilance.
    
2. The power of choice. It's what democracy is based on, and it's what makes for accountable superintendents, accountable teachers, accountable parents and accountable students. We must have school choice for every family - rich or poor, black or white, urban or rural.
    
3. Strong charter laws. No more letting school districts make decisions for the competition. Multiple authorizers, liberal (or, better yet, no) caps and a system of accountable standards that applies to both conventional public schools and charters.
    
4. Good schools. Of course, having a choice is one thing - but there must be something of quality to choose. We need well-operated schools in every sector, with innovative faculty to teach our nation's next generation of political leaders, business leaders, entrepreneurs and workers. Whether conventional public or charter, those which fail to demonstrate value need to close.
    
5. Proven and workable curricula. No more programs mandated from the ivory tower with little basis for what works. No more inch-deep history, inventive spelling and fuzzy math!
    
6. Well-educated teachers. Teachers should know the subjects they teach. They shouldn't be placed in a classroom solely because they passed Praxis or have a credential, or because there are too many students in a subject area or too few in their specialty area, but because they know what they teach.
    
7. Alternative certification for teachers. Good teachers come in all shapes and sizes - including some who choose teaching after specializing in some other area who don't have a traditional teaching certificate. It's time their experience and expertise allow them to be classified as qualified to teach.
    
8. Teacher pay for skills and performance. Teachers who are good and have an impact get rewarded and advance. Teachers who aren't and don't - don't. Good teachers are rewarded, and even more importantly, their students are rewarded - with knowledgeable, innovative instructors.
    
9. More money to classrooms. The purpose of our schools should be to educate students, not to perpetuate bureaucracy. More money should be funneled directly to the classrooms, and away from school districts which defend the status quo.
    
10. Parent engagement. The parents are the backbone of education. They are more than fundraisers and classroom helpers; they should be asked their opinions, given a say in school policy, and provided concrete feedback. Parents can truly make the difference in every student's life. They went to great pains to bring their children in this world and should be able to share in the struggles - and the joys - of educating them!

As we told you, these ideas are not new. In fact, while refined slightly, they largely come from CER's 1998 collaborative event A Nation Still at Risk, which was itself a follow up to the landmark 1983 study "A Nation at Risk" from the Reagan administration. The good news is that we're making progress. But, of course, much work remains. We'll keep working hard as advocates, and we hope you'll keep reading Newswire and engaging us as observers, supporters and activists for another 10 years.

Pass the cake.