Imagine shopping for a school like you would a car. You check out what it has to offer and then make your purchase. That is nothing new when looking for a good private school but imagine doing this for public schools. Margaret Wente, writer for The Globe and Mail, says that is exactly what is going on. Not only has Edmonton allowed choice but it has also created specialty schools. A few examples are:
- Military academies
- Art schools
- Sports schools
Wente sites Angus McBeath, the recently retired superintendent of Edmonton Schools, as the person behind this movement. McBeath states that three things are necessary for school success:
- Entrepreneurship
- Accountability
- Choice
Edmonton has decentralized it's administration. Instead of a central office dictating everything, each building principal gets to spend money where he or she feels it is needed. It is a "bottom up" philosophy instead of a "top down."
Parent Choice
Parents know where every dollar is being spent in their child's school. And, they love the choice they have. Last year, 57% of Edmonton parents selected a school for their children outside their neighborhood. They had the information available to them to make wise, personal choices.
Drop Out Rates
Drop out rates are still high in spite of this success partially due to a booming economy that pays $35 per hour. Students can drop out and make more money than their teachers.
There are those that think McBeath is a dangerous man. He changed a system. Maybe we need more "danger" in education. Other cities in the U.S. are doing similar dangerous things.
Milwaukee, WI
School vouchers in Milwaukee are also working well but it is difficult to get legislators to actually vote for this successful program. Florida is a good example. Teacher unions are afraid that too many students will leave the public school systems and go to private schools. If private schools or other public schools did not perform better, why would they do that? Why would you not want your children, your prized possessions, to attend the best schools available?
No Child Left Behind
One of the few positive things about No Child Left Behind in the U.S. is that schools now post their academic success or lack of it. Everyone can easily see where the local school falls. However, parents do not have true choice. Right now, even if parents know their child is in a low performance school, they are stuck there. What is missing is choice.
New York City
New York City has decided to divide large schools into several smaller schools. While many areas of the country are consolidating and getting larger, NYC Schools are going smaller. New York City is offering "choice" in their restructuring program.
It is encouraging to see so many educators thinking "out of the box" and trying new things that may work.
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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