The Power of the Purse
I'm hearing concerns that too much power over schools is passing into the hands of people who have not been elected by the public to serve the public interest. What a thorny issue.
An article in yesterday's Washington Post offers a case in point. A group of foundations warned that they might not keep the money flowing into Washington DC's school reform efforts if the district's leadership changes. In other words, the funds may dry up if a new mayor takes the reins. Not surprisingly, this warning has caused an outcry over the influence of foundations on the mayoral race.
A new commentary in Edweek raises similar concerns about the concentration of power. Russ Whitehurst, the founding director of IES, writes that Race to the Top (RTTT) was an end-run around Congress. "Based on the ARRA itself, he writes, "I don’t think Congress intended to give Secretary Duncan the carte blanche he took."
The legislative process is messy, but we are better served in the long term by allowing our elected representatives to decide on the education policies we are to pursue as a nation, rather than having them dictated to us by the executive branch under the guise of a grant program to reward reform and innovation.
Duncan and the foundations may well counter that they can't very well dole out money without strings attached. But growing suspicion of government and wealthy elites can derail even the best-laid plans for reform.
Alexander Russo believes Congress will won't give Duncan the same carte blanche when it comes to ESEA. "The big challenge for [the US Department of Education," he writes, "is to figure out how to back up the RTTT truck to get back to something that could make it through reauthorization without undercutting themselves and the states that have already moved forward on RTTT."
As the frenzy over big government grows, the people holding the purse strings may have to tread very lightly, indeed.
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This is the biggest federal
This is the biggest federal "land grab" on schools we've ever seen. We didn't elect the plutocrats to take over our schools, and we didn't elect Mr. Duncan to give those plutocrats free reign over education reform. It's telling that a policy to privatize schools would be sponsored and carried out by people who have little or no public accountability. Why respect democracy if you want to turn everything over to the marketplace?
I predict Congress will break the plutocrats' momentum whether or not the Republicans take over.
If ARRA/RTTT et al represent
If ARRA/RTTT et al represent a "land grab," they are only following the path carved by the mother of all land grabs, NCLB. Russ Whitehurst, part of the team that presided over that incredible shift of power and purpose, seems more than a little disingenuous in his concern over which branch of government should control an issue that for many years was solidly in the hands of states and local districts.
As for districts that have shaped all their reform plans around funding and ideas from what Diane Ravitch calls the Billionaire Boys' Club--well, reform efforts in big city schools are always politically greased and often have little to do with actual kids, teachers and parents, who keep slogging along trying to do the right thing.
The unions are often accused of making decisions for adults rather than kids--but what's described in your blog is a much better example of that very syndrome.
I would love to be happy Ms.
I would love to be happy Ms. Ravitch supports this now, but she did have a big hand in getting us where we are now?
I am sorry is a hard pill to swallow now!
Yes and I am still trying to
Yes and I am still trying to figure out how the government has managed to gain such local control in schools. I think all this federal action like NCLB, ESEA and Core Standards is against the law, but know one I ask seems to know.
Anyone?
And if it isn't when are the Feds going to cough up the money to support these programs!
Yes, this is a huge threat to
Yes, this is a huge threat to our democracy and I hope citizens have the sense to see it for what it is.
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