Education and the Presidential Candidates

[James Robert Crow <jr1crow@mindspring.com>]

Hello Group:

I want to take exception to Harry Neimon' idea that a little competition
will fix our educational system.  If only life were that simple.
Government is not the only organization that must use all of its budget
each year.  This extends into private industry also.

In the state of Georgia we are moving to a pay for performance system in
which the teachers will receive increases based on the ability of their
students to take tests.  School districts will be evaluated based on the
tests scores and are at risk of losing funds if scores drop.  In effect the
various school systems are in competition with each other for state funding
because there is only so much money available.  This is a simular system
that George Bush has instituted in Texas and that Bush points out that they
have siginficantly raised test scores, but at what cost.  Are the students
truly better educated or are they simply better at taking multi choice tests.

The Board of Regents for the state of Texas recently reported that the
students coming out of the system can't do anything.  They can't write,
they can't do math, they have difficulty with college level work.

The final test is give to tenth graders.  If it is believed that a student
will do poorly on the test that person is retained in the ninth grade.  A
high percentage of these students drop out.  What does this cost society in
the long term.  In the short term the school system is able to increase
their scores, and get more money.

This testing process starts in the third grade.  A couple of weeks ago 60
Minutes did a segment on this and they interviewed a third grader.  The
little boy was terrified of having to take the test the next day.  He did't
want to cry, after all in the US big boys don't cry, but he couldn't help
it he was so upset because of having to take the test the next day.  This
is a lot of pressure to put on a third grader.

If anything there is too much competition and not enough emphasis on the
educational system as a system.  And by system I mean Deming's system of
interdependent components that trys to work together to achieve the aim of
the system.

There is no aim.  Rather that fostering a cooperative internal environment
that enables schools, parents and teachers to work together to continually
improve the educational process they are forced to compete for funding,
resources, and pay.  This is not going to result in a better educated
student, only one that is good at taking multipli choice tests.

I am also against vouchers, but not for the same reason as Harry.  I am
against vouchers because they will undermind the public school system in
the US.  About 30 years ago the governor of Georgia was apalled at what
went on in prisons.  His proposed solution was to get a higher class of
prisoner.

In the US we are constantly made aware that private schools do a better job
than the public schools at educating children, and they have the SAT scores
to prove it.  The single biggest predictor of how well a student will do in
school is the size of the parents house.  Afulent parents want the best for
their children and they tend to put them in private schools.  Do private
schools do a better job or do they simply have better material to work with
in the beginning, or is it that the parents are motivated to get the best
for their children.

The county I live in (Fayette County, Georgia, USA) is one of the more
affuent in the state.  Guess what the county consistently has the highest
SAT scores in the state, and when they recently did a trial run on the
states new testing program the school system performed well above the state
average.  Is this the product of a superior system, superios students, or
involved and motivated parents?  I would vote for the partents.

This school system doesn't have to cope with many of the problems that
surrounding systems have to cope with, is well funded and supported by the
community and has a long history of success.  My son went through the
system and could have gone to college anywhere he wanted.

But, I am concerned that with the governor's new system of pay for
performance this will cease to be a system as schools are pitted against
each other in the persuit of test scores.  Competition is not the answer,
but fostering a nuturing, learning environment that enables everyone,
students, teachers, parents, administrators work together for their mutual
benefit could be a beginning.

A long winded reply.  My apoligies to the group.