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DEL.ICIO.USHow much freedom should districts get?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Decatur and Marietta school officials hope to be among the first school districts in Georgia practically free of state control.
Charter districts are similar to charter schools. You’re exempt from many rules others must follow and in exchange you promise to use innovative programs and to improve student learning.
How innovative will these districts be? Decatur plans to find a way to give students credit for the knowledge they know, not just the classes they take.
Charter status deals with more than instruction. Charter districts can be creative with their budgeting and give principals and teachers more say in how to spend the money.
Should more districts apply for charter status? Do you think school systems can be innovative enough to become charters?
Comments
By happy2teach
June 12, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Districts should get as much freedom as they earn. Trying new techniques, especially ones that promote improving teacher quality and adapting the curriculum to the demands of the modern world can’t help but be good things. At this point, we don’t have much to lose and introducing competition and innovation to education is long overdue.
I’m not even that big a fan of capitalism, but I can recognize that competition improves things (at least in the short to midterm run.)
Our state school board is autonomous enough (thank goodness) to be selective about who earns charter status.
By catlady
June 12, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Good for them. We’ll be watching how much “freedom” they really have.
By catlady
June 12, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
Good for them. We’ll be watching how much “freedom” they really have.
By MathTeacher
June 12, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
This is an interesting question, specially in connection to the previous question about the school board.
I tend to favor giving more flexibility to schools, but I wonder if it is wise to give such flexibility to a whole district, which in turn is managed by a school board. A charter school has its own board, but they aren’t quite as political (in the sense of politics of local/state/federal government). A charter school can hire only those teachers who are in agreement with, and have special skills/abilities to contribute to, its charter. Will it be possible to accomplish the same with an entire district? Would the charter(s) be watered down too much when you try to serve so many all at once?
I am really curious how this experiment will turn out.
By Tony
June 12, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
My usual question regarding Charter applications: If there are rules and regulations that impede a school’s (system’s) ability to provide an adequate education, why do we have those rules?
By TheBlogger
June 12, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
Tony, The reason most rules are in place is because of the few ‘rotten apples.’ If everyone acted in the best interest, then there would be no rotten apples and rules would not be needed.
This applies to education and society in general. If no one attempted armed robbery, there would be no need for a law against it, right?
As we have seen in Clayton County, the general public elects some crazy representatives. These crazy representatives do not make the best decisions for education. Thus, laws are passed.
There are principals that make crazy decisions that are not in the best interest of education. Thus, laws and rules are passed.
Yes, there is a correlation that the more laws and rules that exist will decrease the freedom to make creative decisions. But, until you (or someone) can come up with a better way to prevent these decisions that aren’t in the best interest of education, that’s all we got!
By jim d
June 13, 2008 6:53 AM | Link to this
how much freedom should they get?
Hmm, let’s allow them the same freedoms they allow their customers. Whatta think?
The systems want the freedom to make choices, should they not then be willing to allow choice by the consumer? NAW!! can’t have that!
By jim d
June 13, 2008 7:34 AM | Link to this
“Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.”
—Communist dictator, Joseph Stalin (1934)