This week, I became a more active tweeter (@CoryBooker)! I was encouraged by the dialogue that came from one of my tweets regarding education reform. There is no doubt that America faces severe educational challenges.
We are a nation that proclaims unalienable rights and "that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." These are not some ethereal principles -- they are tangible and worthy ideals for which to struggle. Our children call to us daily from schools across the nation that we are "one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all." Justice, liberty, life, happiness -- critical to all of these ideals are wide universally accessible avenues for our youth to obtain a high quality education.
Few can argue with this and few would argue that the long-term success of our nation, in an increasingly competitive global knowledge-based economy, relies squarely on what is happening in American classrooms every day. In the United States, a highly educated populace would result in a GDP trillions of dollars higher than our present GDP -- more jobs and more opportunities for so many Americans.
As other nations continue to outpace us in K-12 education, our country must seriously grapple with the consequences of lack of progress in school improvement. Further, American demographic shifts should sober all of us as to the work that must be done in America. Every year, minorities comprise a greater percentage of our total workforce, yet the racial achievement gap (and socioeconomic achievement gap) in American education remains unacceptably large. We cannot be two nations -- one with access to high quality schools and another with failing schools and limited options.
There is, however, tremendous hope in America for change. David Brooks' opinion piece in last Thursday's New York Times clearly articulates the potential of education reform. Schools in Harlem, Newark and numerous other cities are succeeding in replicating models that are erasing the education gap evident along both racial and socioeconomic lines. In fact, the highest performing public school in all of Essex County, New Jersey -- a county that has both pockets of poverty and great affluence -- is a Newark charter school with a student population that is nearly entirely minority and with a significant percentage near or below the poverty line.
In America now, I can confidently say that it is no longer a question of CAN we educate all of our children at equal and high levels -- it is a question of WILL we.
This is not a philosophical debate. I have no loyalty to charter schools, traditional public schools, magnet schools, small school models, publicly funded scholarships (vouchers) or private schools. I have loyalty to results. The important question should not be one of philosophy or political perspective, it should be: What is working to empower poor and minority children to have the same educational opportunities in America as those who are more affluent? We should embrace those successful school models, learn from them, infuse that understanding into all of our reform efforts and no longer tolerate any institution that fails to live up to our common community standards of excellence.
In Newark, there are many models of success and we are aggressively working to replicate and expand them. Last year, Newark was selected as one of three cities for a huge investment in our charter schools. The goal is to make our entire charter school sector in Newark high quality in accordance with the highest and most uncompromising standards and outcomes and work to expand those schools so more Newark youth can have high quality choice.
We have recently begun a small school initiative for our high school students who are at risk of dropping out. Further, among other things, our new superintendent is looking to expand our magnet schools of excellence which have long waiting lists and completely reorganize our persistently failing schools.
Here in Newark, there is much work to do and we face many challenges. As Mayor of this great city, I want everyone to understand that, beyond continuing the dramatic reduction in violent crime, the fight to realize our educational dreams for our children is the most important work of Newark.
More than this, the most important work in our nation is the fight in cities all across America to establish a United States education system of the highest standards and achievement to finally secure our nation's ambitions. K-12 education is the front line of the fight for the American dream -- our elected officials, policy makers, educators, administrators, parents and students are engaged in the last great struggle to help our nation achieve herself - we all must join in this struggle for the outcome of this fight will determine our common destiny. If we fail, America fails.
Let us take up the cause of America again, like those who signed our original declaration, and the many more unnamed heroes who bled to push, pull, drag and lift our nation closer to its sacred ideals. Let us all take up the cause of educational justice -- it is the cause of American justice.
As our Declaration of Independence concludes, "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
What makes charter school students outperform their public school counterparts?
There are many factors and it is important to not "cherry-pick" results. Bureaucracy, teachers unions, and overall lack of leadership have all been accredited to the under-performances of many public schools. And while many public schools do need educational reform to reevaluate school missions and staff accountability, there are also organic factors that can be attributed to the success -- charter school students have involved parents.
Some opponents argue that charter schools are allowed to pool the highest achieving students from myriad public school districts and enjoy the luxury of generous funding. By law, charter schools cannot select their students. Every student is accepted by a random lottery held each year in March. Academic performance is never considered as part of the admissions process.
Administratively lean, North Star stretched shorter dollars -- 69% of the per pupil public funds attributable to students at traditional Newark public schools to produce a longer program (11 months and extended school day). Dedicated teachers, high expectations, supportive administration, and parental involvement make Newark Charter Schools and their students successful.
Moving forward, how can we tap into the Charter School formula to make all schools successful?
As an unschooler, I believe that the inherent talent of all children is to be who they are, follow their own heart and interests, develop their own challenges, and truly be prepared for their adult life. Not a teacher's version of that life, or a governments', or the even the parents'. Teaching to the test is no longer an option, as Leave No Chid Behind is seen as a spectacular failure by almost everyone. At least it is a demonstrative example of what not to do (like almost every Bush admin. policy!! lol)
It may be that you can get a free education in this country, money wise, but until we free the children to learn, we will not succeed in this wonderful experiment we call a democratic republic.
African- Americans don't need the do-nothing don't make racial wave poltics of Booker nor we do need the slick condesending outreach of school vouchers by white conservatives who really want to destroy public education not educate minority students, nor do we want another high-stakes testing BS that only gives scientific racist people like Charles Murray . My opinion is that it's time for African- Americans as a mature people to accept though we have a biracial President African- Americans will have to educate our children and stop letting our sworn enemies educate our children with minimal results.
I am a 1970 graduate of a segregated high school. I refused to intergrate the white school because of the factors you stated. But don't forget what the impetus was- access. A major problem was and still is resources. I lived it, the used textbooks from the white high schools, walking 5 miles to football practice as the white boys rolled past on the school bus. etc. I'm still bitter that Newport News, Va. killed that black high schools and kept the white ones.
But here's the thing. What really screwed us was the disintergration of our community. Though our bricks and mortar were inferior, the adult committment and support was first class because they realized that we were in a war for our survival. If a kid got out of line or off point the adults closed ranks and the kid received a "corrective interview/consultation" (Kinda like enhanced interrogation techniques)
I've taught in Urban Schools and I know they get screwed economically, but what's worse is they get screwed worse by parents who haven't got a clue. A teacher gets a good sense of who's really at risk during PTA meetings, and report card issue dispursements! A kid has got to have some adult that they look up to fighting for them!
My brother we have met the enemy and he is us. We've always known about them.
Include the TA's in the mix of the educational professionals and parents that you included in your post. A well-trained teacher's assistant is an invaluable aid (in the literal and figurative sense of the word) in a classroom. I know. I had some outstanding TAs that only enhanced the education of my students. Don't dismiss or undercut their importance to the American educational system.
The high school my kids attended allowed violent criminals to assault other students and STILL they were not removed from campus.
So I removed my kids and homeschooled them. But not everyone has this luxury.
Eliminate the credential requirement and replace it with at least a BS or BA IN THE SUBJECT TAUGHT, and we eliminate this self-selection of teachers who do not value objective achievement and individual excellence.
Although my kids will never see the benefits, the time has come to put schools back in the community rather than busing kids across town for equality and opportunity. As a nation, I believe we are past that. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. Let each village be where the child is rather than each kid riding miles to get to their village, only to be ignored and sent back home at the end of the day.
Making the "result" of an increased GDP the goal for improvements in education seeks to force education into a mindset where the only measure involves money - where a shyster banker is more important than a concerned, informed, and involved citizen. It also lends structural support for the perspective of narrow minded "lower the taxes" people who turn down any tax millage (and then complain about miserable government services.)
Raising the polemic of "if we fail, America fails" is outrageous B.S. America's mosaic educational system isn't failing - although I'm sure we all feel it could do better, in so many ways.
An educational system that seeks to educate individuals, where school administration exists to support the teachers is one that create well informed, involved, and innovative citizens. A system where teachers toe the line to the administration, where the administration toes the line to a set of tests is sure to fail to produce citizens. People are not manufactured, identical, interchangeable parts - and the only way you can produce uniformity in people is by cutting away everything that isn't uniform - producing mindless automata.
The whole point is to begin funding schools equally. Not picking one school to fund extra and neglecting the rest.
In NYC anyway, charters take less than their proportional share of ELL and Spec Ed kids.
It is important to know who is writing the definition of success in education. It is vital to know who is writing the test, because the test will drive the curriculum, and the successful student will come out looking like the test.
Testing drives curriculum. The test will drive some things out of the curriculum - those that are not tested - and will drive other things into the curriculum.
Testing does not, however, drive teaching. A good test will not drive out poor teachers. A laughable test will not drive out good teachers.
If quality teaching is what you want, you cannot measure it by standardized test scores. You must find a way to evaluate teachers.
But there is the rub. No one has yet devised an acceptable standard measurement of the human heart, or a yardstick of the soul. There is no test that can reveal the depth of caring, nor the quality of a person's understanding.
So administrators fiddle with tests and curriculum, stir it up and throw into the fire a few loud mouths, then hire a few well-socialized youngsters to replace them in the classroom. When that's done, they stick a feather in their cap and call it macaroni. (I mean, their contract is expired so they move to the next job - superintendent somewhere else.)
Can we devise a system of education for this country? First ask, Who are we, and what do we want our Frankenstein monsters to look like?
Want proof? Take a look at where the most talented doctors and lawyers end up (clue: it's not in rural/poor areas). oldteacher1973 has the point exactly right: standardized tests are the second worst way we've found to measure teacher performance. The only methods that are worse are all the rest.
Applying mass-production methodologies to education worked when our society needed the human equivalents of interchangeable mahine parts. Now that we're no longer a manufacturing-based economy, we need a new educational paradigm. Trouble is, nobody's found anything new that comes close to the simplicity of the "manufacturing paradigm".
The good / bad news with the way we treat teachers is that it's tough to fire one. This benefits some really good teachers who are freer to be creative in their methods than if they were constantly worried about unemployment if they didn't do things "right". OTOH, the system has protected a lot of teachers who do little more than babysit. Once again, this is the second worst way of approaching things.
The *best* solution that I've seen is to really try to get parents involved in their childrens' schools. This is difficult in the best of situations, but IMHO it has the best chance of producing real and lasting results.