Making Education Great Again.

A roadmap to fixing our FAILING Public education system

Imagine if the resources spent on the Federal Department of Education was instead sent to the states?

Michigan has more School districts than counties, has had to (as a state) take over whole systems that cannot manage the resources given them by taxpayers, and is delivering CRAP insofar as outcomes.

Let me state this comparison as clearly as I can .. If you had a roofer fix your leaky roof, and the first time you had a light sprinkle you find yourself putting buckets around the house, what would you do?  You might have them try to repair, but most folks are going to get someone new.

Let me remind you that our kids can’t read.  Not like they should anyhow.   I drafted the below roadmap last night.  It is a response to my own personal assessment of what doesn’t currently work in our public education system.  It was inspired to this point as I spoke with a couple of retired legislators who may or may not agree with the entire premise.

I believe if we could follow this road map, we would clean up and set new and higher performance standards going forward.

Step-by-Step Roadmap

1. Legislative Framework

  • Action: Draft and pass enabling legislation that:
    • Retains elected school boards but redefines their role as authorizers and overseers of charter schools.
    • Mandates all school districts to align with county borders.
    • Introduces pilot programs in select counties to test the feasibility and efficacy of the model.
  • Challenges: Opposition from unions and stakeholders resistant to change; requires robust advocacy and public education campaigns.
  • Benefits: Sets the legal and operational foundation for the new system.

2. Transition to County-Based School Districts

  • Action: Consolidate the existing districts into 83 county-based units.
    • Develop a transition plan for merging administrative offices and redistributing resources.
  • Challenges: Logistics of merging districts; potential loss of jobs in administrative roles.
  • Benefits: Streamlined governance reduces redundancy, leading to cost savings.

3. Charter School Authorization

  • Action: Empower county school boards to authorize multiple charter schools based on local needs and preferences.
    • Establish minimum standards and performance metrics for charters.
    • Encourage diversity in teaching models (e.g., STEM-focused, arts-integrated, vocational tracks).
  • Challenges: Balancing variety with equity; preventing favoritism in charter approvals.
  • Benefits: Increased competition and innovation, tailored to community needs.

4. Performance Monitoring and Accountability

  • Action: Implement regular evaluations of charter schools by independent agencies.
    • Criteria include student performance, graduation rates, financial health, and stakeholder satisfaction.
    • Mandate corrective actions or revocation of charters for underperforming schools.
  • Challenges: Ensuring impartial evaluations; addressing closures without disrupting students.
  • Benefits: Maintains high educational standards and accountability.

5. Liquidating Assets to Meet Obligations

  • Action: Direct districts to sell unused or redundant properties and assets.
    • Use proceeds to fulfill obligations like pensions and legacy contracts.
  • Challenges: Resistance to selling assets with sentimental value; managing market fluctuations.
  • Benefits: Reduces long-term liabilities, freeing up funds for education.

6. Collaborative Extracurricular Efforts

  • Action: Encourage charters to collaborate on extracurriculars, pooling resources for sports, arts, and special interest programs.
  • Challenges: Coordination between charters; ensuring equal access for students.
  • Benefits: Expands opportunities for students without burdening individual charters.

7. Eliminating Millage Dependency

  • Action: Transition funding to a state-wide education budget derived from general taxes and other revenue streams.
  • Challenges: Designing a fair funding formula; addressing concerns over state control.
  • Benefits: Relieves taxpayers from repeated millage campaigns and stabilizes funding.

8. Trial Programs in Select Counties

  • Action: Select counties to pilot the new system with:
    • A diverse range of charter schools.
    • Independent evaluation metrics.
    • Transparent reporting to stakeholders.
  • Challenges: Identifying suitable counties; managing public expectations.
  • Benefits: Provides data and insights for scaling the system state-wide.

Potential Pitfalls

  • Resistance to Change: Strong pushback from unions, educators, and communities attached to the existing system.
    • Solution: Engage stakeholders early with clear communication and emphasize long-term benefits.
  • Equity Concerns: Risk of unequal access to quality education if charters cluster in affluent areas.
    • Solution: Mandate equitable distribution of charter schools and prioritize underserved regions.
  • Administrative Challenges: Complexity in merging districts and managing transitions.
    • Solution: Hire experienced project managers and allocate transition funding.

Key Benefits

  1. Cost Savings: Reducing districts and streamlining administration lower operational costs.
  2. Improved Outcomes: Charter competition incentivizes better performance.
  3. Taxpayer Relief: Eliminating millages removes financial uncertainty for homeowners.
  4. Local Control: Elected boards ensure community oversight remains intact.
  5. Flexibility and Innovation: Diverse charter models allow for tailored educational experiences.

Conclusion

This roadmap outlines a vision for a more efficient, accountable, and innovative educational system in Michigan. By combining the strengths of local governance with the flexibility of charter schools, taxpayers and students alike stand to benefit. The trial program ensures a cautious, data-driven approach to implementation, minimizing risks and maximizing potential gains.

You Betcha! (6)Nuh Uh.(0)

  6 comments for “Making Education Great Again.

  1. Tom Stillings
    November 22, 2024 at 10:11 pm

    In step 4 you impose standards on Charter Schools, but not TraditionalPublic Schools. You shut down failing Charters, but not Traditional Public Schools that fail to educate students. Why not one standard for all?
    Also most school boards are anti-charter. Putting them in supervisory position is like hiring the fox to gyard the hen house. The rest seems worth trying.

    You Betcha! (2)Nuh Uh.(0)
    • Jason
      November 22, 2024 at 10:22 pm

      If their mandate is to charter Schools, they still have a role and responsibilities.

      You know as well as I that traditional public schools cannot be fixed by doing the same things. THUS the reason for this roadmap and a vision of eventually seeing ALL school districts managing institutions that are easier to shed if they fail.

      You Betcha! (3)Nuh Uh.(0)
  2. barbwilling
    November 25, 2024 at 10:56 am

    Department of ED needs to be abolished immediately. Severing the strings is the first step in severing the department. Clearly an issue for the states. Always was.

    You Betcha! (2)Nuh Uh.(0)
  3. Tom Stillings
    November 25, 2024 at 11:51 am

    Jason, I think you miss my point. Two points, actually.
    1. Why not close non-performing traditional schools as well as non-performing charters? A two tiered system just protects mon-performing teachers and administrators

    2. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that most school boards are hostile to charters and protective of even non-performing traditional schools. It would appear in many cases that there is possible union collusion afoot. Forcing equal treatment just might help in removing the built-in disadvantages that charters face.

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    • Jason
      November 25, 2024 at 12:38 pm

      Because those bandage fixes don't work. The TUB, the BABY, and all.. needs to be thrown out. The whole point of this is recognizing that the way it is right now will NOT support what you suggest.

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      • Tom Stillings
        November 25, 2024 at 12:50 pm

        It sounds like we are in agreement. Basically, what I have been saying is “get rid of ALL non-functioning entities”.

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