Another look at Corbett education plan

Friday, 21 October 2011 16:57

Another look at Corbett education plan

Written by Scott LaMar, Director of Radio Smart Talk

Radio Smart Talk for Monday, October 24:

Grades are still coming in on the education reform package proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett earlier this month. The plan would make tuition vouchers available to low income students who attend the worst performing schools in order to move to another public or private school, implement tougher evaluations of teachers, and includes charter school reform and more business-funded scholarships.

Last week on Radio Smart Talk, we heard the Administration spell out the proposal. On Monday's program, we'll hear from two organizations whose members will be directly impacted by any changes. From what we've heard so far, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania State Education Association are not entirely on board with the plan. We'll hear what they like and don't like on Monday's show.

Listen to the program:

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# Debbie Mabry 2011-10-24 08:28

The enrollment at private and parochial schools is down; schools are consolidating or closing. There are fewer students and the economy prevents many families from paying the tuition. However, the private schools CHOOSE whether or not to administer PSSA tests to their students even though there is no cost. Why not?
IF Governor Corbett wants to provide a tuition voucher plan, I would like to see a plan that provides a voucher ONLY to private schools who have PSSA scores available for public view. Private schools SAY that they provide a "better" education. Let them prove it. Comparing "apples to apples" would make me feel a lot better when it will be my tax dollars funding a program for students to go to a private school. Thank you.

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# Robert Colgan 2011-10-24 09:12

Corbett's plan's hidden strategy is union busting-------------he and his party, and some of the Dems want to undo the teachers' union in PA.

His proposals are "to expand possibilities for parents" . . . .NO, they're really to get rid of the power that the teachers have in PA so that privatization of education can become a free-for-all.

Everyone knows that NCLB is complete and utter crap----if Corbett had any cojones he'd challenge the Federal guidelines so that PA could teach to the students, not to the tests.

Instead of improving it, he is attacking public education.

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# Dwayne Sudduth 2011-10-24 09:22

My concern with 'school choice' is that Schools will 'pick and choose' among kids, and like colleges and universities; they will chase the better athletes, and leave non-athelete students out in the proverbial cold. Under performing schools need to brought up to a standard. Standardized tests are not the solution--my son for example, early on, did poorly on 'standardized testing' but does well on practical testing. Thank goodness his teachers recognize that and treat him accordingly.

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# Lynne Smith 2011-10-24 09:46

One concern with the governor's plan is that they intend to evaluate teachers by student test scores. If teachers are rated in that way, our schools will not be able to find special education teachers. No teacher will be able to keep a job in that area. There is also the concern that if students don't care about the test, if they cannot concentrate on the test due to a number of issues in their homes and communities, or any number of other factors that affect test scores, how can teachers make a difference in that?

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# Brenda 2011-10-24 23:32

The use of standardizedtes tscores(STS) in the school system as the sole determinant of student learning, teacher effectiveness, and school district funding is inappropriate. Additionally tying teacher salary, tenure, merit pay, promotion, or even employment to STS is not only wrong, it is downright unethical.The model that STS equals teacher effectiveness implies that y depends directly on x; where x(input) equals teacher instruction and y(output) is student STS. The model is flawed. It does not take into account the hidden variables, which also act on the output(y):stude nt motivation; student feelings(angry, sad, anxious, distracted, hungry, sleepy, ill); classroom conditions(hot, cold, stuffy, dimly lit, crowded, noises); time of day, weather conditions, exam explanation, IEP, ESL, or gifted students,etc. To use STS as a measurement of student knowledge, of teacher effectiveness, and of the quality of education received is insufficient and ultimately leads to a misinformed populace.

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# William A. Morgan 2011-10-25 08:41

There are a couple of dirty little secrets about vouchers besides those mentioned in other comments: 1)the possibility of skimming students thus avoiding the troubled students, converting the public schools into the kind of bare minimum education so prevalent in underdeveloped countries; 2) vouchers are largely an urban phenomenon. Because of transportation problems and lack of density of population, it is highly unlikely there will be many voucher possibilities even that of sending pupils to the next school district which might be 20 or more miles away. Small Christian schools do exist but there seem to be constitutional problems there that Corbett seems incapable of seeing.

Unfortunately, the Corbett plan is not reform, simply another governor incapable of thinking on his own and instead singing from the same Koch Brothers hymnal of his fellow Republican governors.

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