Part the First

Guest Liberal,

How do all the special programs for kids with learning disabilities drag down the other kids? There are programs for gifted kids to. And special programs: Lyceum, Magnet Schools, International Baccalaureate. Their scores are at or better than those in private schools and in comparison to other countries. Sandia Labs did a study in the early 90's (1991 I think) looking at the "decline" in SAT scores. Once they did an "apples to apples" comparison (looking at 20 or 25 years of scores), the 'decline' wasn't. Strangely (or not) both the Federal Government (as in Congress) and the NEA held up release of the report for almost four years as it didn't fit the agenda.

The money thrown at (or away on) the current system is criminal. Lots of us share the blame. Those who demanded and get driver's ed, sports programs, before and after school programs, school breakfasts and school lunches (which are student ability neutral programs). Educators (as opposed to teachers) who foisted specious "learning programs" on schools all over the country. And because schools are about children, when teen pregnancy soared, or kids came to school hungry, battered, scared or talking about suicide, the schools developed programs to help.

Pulling "the able" out of the system, and reducing per student cost to tax payers seems logical. $8,000 to $10,000 a year per student versus $1500 - $4500. Of course, some of the bureaucracy will remain, to monitor standards and run the voucher program. And there will still have to be public schools for all those less able kids. Their programs are expensive. At least some of the infrastructure has to stay. And be paid for. Right now, the cost is averaged across the diverse population. I've seen estimates run as high as $25,000 a year/student for special ed programs.

And while I don't think private schools are the answer, they may offer some valid ideas on how to solve the problem. Smaller classes, controlling (or transferring out) discipline problems. Demanding that core subjects be fully funded. (Up- to-date facilities and text-books) before the extras are added in. Getting parents involved. Most of the stuff I've read show that class size and removing chronic discipline problems from the class materially affect student learning, without creating a stigmatized class of students. Surely we already have enough divisiveness in our society without actively finding ways to create more. And whether done for in the name of better education or not, institutionalizing labeling and following it up with mandatory segregation isn't a legitimate function of government. If you want to do it, that's between you and your conscience.

Regards,

John