One of the reasons why it is so hard to improve public schools

In a word: politics.

Joanne Jacobs has two recent posts about how politics messes up any improvement process for public schools.

In Union vetoes extra pay for AP teachers:

"Washington state has rejected a $13.2 million grant from National Math Science Initiative to train Advanced Placement math and science teachers, fund more classes and reward students who pass AP exams and their teachers."

As pointed out in a comment, it would have been wiser on the part of NMSI if they had found a way to work around the contract, but politics has given great power to teacher unions. Unfortunately the unions haven't learn Peter Parker's lesson that with great power comes great responsibility. Teacher unions often block any effort to improve public education.


Joanne's second post has a similar theme: Young teachers save school, lose jobs:

"Jackson Elementary was a low-performing, low-income, all-minority school in San Diego. New, young teachers hired after a round of retirements in 2002 turned it into a “distinguished” school: In 2002, 8 percent of students were proficient or better in math, 10 percent in English; that rose to 53 percent in math and 50.6 percent in English in 2007. But 24 of 26 teachers have received pink slips. San Diego Unified needs to balance the budget; layoffs are based on seniority, not performance."

I imagine some of the teachers are pretty devastated. A few may never go back to public schools. Again the problem is politics. Politicians have choosen to make stupid agreements with teacher unions.

I know of no viable industry which would fire dozens of great performers while keeping average performers.


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