Diane Ravitch does not mince words about privatizing education: privatization will not help us reach our goals. BoardBuzz agrees with this and many of her observations about the consequences of NCLB, the promise and potential pitfalls of common standards and the need for discernment with regard charter schools and other reforms. Further, BoardBuzz supplements Ravitch’s recent interview with Learning Matters with a few observations of its own:
- Charter schools – Reports on the CREDO National Charter School Study frequently overlook a key finding: that states with multiple charter school authorizers (translation: entities outside the public K-12 system) experience significantly lower growth in learning in their students. The reasons aren’t completely clear, but the report suggests that multiple entities could permit charter school operators to “shop around” for an authorizer and recommends ratcheting up accountability and transparency. School districts already are accountable to their communities and remain the logical authorizers for charter schools.
- Common standards – A common set of standards, not mandated by the federal government but supported by it, can lead to raising student achievement. Funding for research and financial assistance to states in developing and implementing standards are appropriate federal roles, but not federal mandates over content or national assessments. Read more here.
What’s the buzz on privatization, charter schools and common standards in your state?
