Education Reform? Probably Not

"When a subject becomes totally obsolete we make it a required course." - Peter Drucker

About the only thing I think I'm going to accomplish with this blog is aggravating a lot of people while allowing myself to vent.  But sometimes, that's enough...

Education continues to be one of the consistent issues people are concerned about.  In fact, SoonerPoll recently asked a question to 500 likely voters about consolidating school districts in the state.  SoonerPoll asked if voters believed there were too many school districts in Oklahoma.  It then followed that question by asking respondents if they would support the creation of a "committee of experts to oversee a process to consolidate Oklahoma's" school districts. 

Interestingly enough, while only 51% responded the state had too many school districts, nearly 57% said they would support creation of a committee to consolidate districts.  Apparently some who don't believe we have too many districts would nonetheless support consolidating them anyway.

And while my conservative friends hail school district consolidation as a major step in education reform, the fact is, this is just one of the many band-aid approaches to real change in our education system.

We see these ancillary issues continue to be the focus of reformers on the left and right- classroom size, teacher pay, school choice, consolidation, and more.  But these reforms are akin to placing a band aid on a severed artery -   not really all that meaningful.

When the framers of the U.S. Constitution came together in May of 1787 they were officially charged with revising the Articles of Confederation.  This was a group of laws so dysfunctional that several states were teetering on the brink of war with one another.  Many knew, and most quickly came to realize, that there was no point in trying to revise them.  The system was broken beyond repair.  So a completely new Constitution was created and submitted to the people for approval.

In 2011, there are a few who realize the current education system in Oklahoma has reached the point of no return.  We can apply all the band aids we want, but this patient will continue to bleed out.  It's time to admit this, and begin thinking about what a truly effective education system built to meet the needs of our students would look like.  We should be asking ourselves, as the framers of the U.S. Constitution did, what should be the guiding principles of this new system?

I'll offer four here:

• The "Age of the Entrepreneur" has arrived.  Our education system should be built to help students succeed in it.  It's not 1907 anymore, and we don't need large scale institutions creating mass employees for large scale industries. 
• Focus on the Individual.  If we believe education is a fundamental right, then let's design a system that allows each individual to maximize their skills and abilities and take full advantage of their learning style. 
• Redefining "Public Education."  Even as we reaffirm the notion of public funding of education (i.e., tax dollars), we should design a system that takes advantage of Oklahoma's vast diversity of educational alternatives (public, charter, private, parochial, and home schools).  The system should be designed to allow families the most options in selecting the educational delivery system best for their family's needs.
• Tax relief for families with school age children.  Here are some simple tax code adjustments that would prove our legislature truly supports education:  1) A dollar-for-dollar tax credit for all education related expenses; 2) Cease using property taxes as a funding mechanism for schools; 3) Until #2 is accomplished, offer a tax rebate to all families not using a "public school" to educate their children.

Reform of our education system is long overdue.  Oklahoma has some unique advantages that will allow us to create an education system that serves as an example for others to follow.  But we must first admit that the current system can no longer be repaired.  Instead of commissioning a committee of experts to create more band aids, let's commission it to create a whole new system that will meet the needs of students and families in our state.