In the shadow of the partisan splits on the budget is an interesting bipartisan campaign to go after federal education dollars. The Obama Administration has set aside $4.3 billion to distribute to states that adopt most of its recommended reforms. The California State Senate has already passed a reform bill that would constitute California’s application and the Assembly is scheduled to meet in special session (hard to remember there ever was a regular session) in December to consider the Senate bill.
I say "consider the Senate bill" because, while the money has been the focus of the headlines, it is the reforms that should have a greater impact on education in California. First, note the politics: the bill is jointly authored by Democrat Senators Gloria Romero and Elaine Alquist, as well as Republican Senators Bob Huff and Mark Wyland. Their collaboration is a testament that politicians can work together. The bill proposes several major changes in education. One of the most controversial is that the bill would permit, for the first time, student test data to be used in helping to evaluate the job performance of teachers and administrators. It is long overdue to reward and honor teachers and principals who rise above the average.
The bill would also delete the silly limit on the number of charter schools that can be established. Charter schools are a valued public school option where teachers, students and students’ parents can work to establish a local school under a charter that can waive many oppressive state regulations.
While we have a state funded and regulated school system we also have very strict school district boundaries that students cannot cross. Until now. This bill would set up a system of open enrollment where parents could apply to enroll their children in any school district in the state. While this is not the voucher or tuition tax credit that I would like to see, it goes a long way to empowering parents to research and choose the best school for their kids.
The bill goes further than current law in identifying the 5% of the lowest performing schools and brings new focus to their lack of achievement. It also requires that parents of children attending those schools be given formal notice of the school’s lack of performance, thus empowering them to act to do something about it.
A hat tip to the authors for this comprehensive bill, to the Governor for his support, and to the Senate for a timely passage of such an important bill. Now it is up to the Assembly to ignore the critics and take final action.