Education

A guy who wrote like he new what he was talking about, namely comparisons of the academic achievements in various states, suggested in the weekend's paper that all of the students in Michigan take the same tests as those in Detroit. I don't think he was trying to make Detroit students or their scores look any less anemic, hardly; there's no way to sugar coat those. They were pathetic, at best.

I think he was suggesting others in the state, other school districts, compared to the rest of the country are doing abysmally, too. I don't know, maybe. But it would be interesting. Consider recent reports that Michigan students on the ACT ranked no better than 41st on any of the four tests rated. On one, they were 49th and another 45th. That's not good, is it?

In the same paper, a former state super was calling for reform or, more precisely, taking state politicians, local school districts, and the MEA to task for standing in the way of reform. The former super had no real ideas about reform, other than generalities such as "getting more dollars in the classroom." What does that mean? Even more computers? More videos? I don't know--nobody ever says. I think a good argument can be made that there are enough computers and too many videos, but that's not the point here and now.

Like almost all so-called calls for reform, this one never talked about quality teachers and administrators, that is, those with real degrees, with the integrity and courage to set high standards (not just blab about setting high standards and then caving in on them), who have experienced quality education. They should know how to read and write, I mean really know how to read and write--and do math. They should have been through quality education at schools whose degrees demanded rigorous effort, study, and work. Obviously, not all can have this background. But the leadership, both administrators and teachers, should have these. But, I don't recall many, if any, so-called "reformers" who espouse this. They seem to just accept that administrators and teachers are "the best and brightest" or, at least, competent.

I don't know....