Education Ground Shifting — Will It Be Rescue & Salvage OR INNOVATE? *** √ ***
The big shift as I see it is towards consumer-driven developments in education. AWAY from system needs, priorities, rent-seeking, elite capture, behind closed doors collective bargaining, language changes, subversive behaviors, etc., etc. Flipping the system to favor teacher driven agendas is not going to work in mass education systems. —
School-based management doesn’t have much interest now. Educator career ladders will only work in a tightly managed mass-production government civil service system. —
AND, ironic for me to say, these developments toward customer satisfaction have little to do with any real pent-up demand from the consumer (families) NOR any parent movements. I, having worked steadfastly for the parent voice in education decision-making for the last 45 years, can say it’s not due to any of my efforts or that of like-minded advocates. Except, my involvement in home education movement, little else has stuck. (PS: HE, another essay to come, has had significant effect on these new shifts of mind and behavior.) —
NO, it’s raw economics that’s driving new ideas and new ventures. Not the least of the reasons for Nevada’s near-universal Education Savings Account plan was its state budget problems. To fulfill the constitutional mandate to educate the young the state would have had to build tons more schools and hire many more teachers. Instead, they decide to release state funds (note: federal funds excluded) to parents to seek education where they can find it, and upon satisfactory quarterly reports, will continue to access their accounts.
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Kansas has just signed a waiver bill to keep its public schools running in dire teacher-shortage, but by loosening the teacher credentialing procedures. Non-licensed personnel will be able to operate in areas belonging to the Coalition of Innovative Districts. This is to provide for flexibility in hiring and meeting the needs of students. http://cjonline.com/…/state-board-passes-controversial-lice… —
The BIG SHIFT is that governments are seeing that constitutionally — they are obliged to ensure education of the young — but that they don’t have to PROVIDE it. —
To provide, produce,coerce the actual education (schooling) can be seen in TWO elementary radical ways: 1) it’s government indoctrination; or 2) it’s welfare assistance with government workers doing the work.