State Reforms Education: At What Cost?

After working in the State Legislature this past summer and doing some research on recent education reform proposals in Lansing, I am impressed. Unfortunately, it's not because of the vast array of ideas that our legislators have. Nor is it because of their understanding of our educational system. Rather, I have been impressed with the way our state government has done almost everything they can to diminish the power of local school districts.

As the party of small government, my expectation was that the Republican majority and Governor Snyder would make a concerted effort to give local governments more control. After all, some of the Presidential candidates from the same party have proposed complete elimination of the federal Department of Education. Furthermore, it was Ronald Reagan, a Republican icon, who stated that “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.”

Yet, there has not been a time in recent history when public education mandates from Lansing have been handed down so quickly and in such large quantities. In this session, bills (and often mandates) regarding funding cuts, increased charter schools and cyber schools, teacher tenure reform, limitation of collective bargaining rights, increased MEAP standards, and even regulation of who can run for district school boards have all either been proposed or have already been passed.

I congratulate legislative Republicans for their efficiency. After all, it does represent a shift from the sluggish pace at which legislative Democrats brought about change. But there is something to be said for the sentiment of Thomas Jefferson who once made the point that, “Delay is preferable to error.”

If our legislators are interested in simply pursuing their personal and political agendas, then they have been doing a great job. But if our legislators truly want to have a positive impact on education and on the future of this state, it's time to take a step back. It's time to ask what has been done so far and what the impact has been on public education throughout Michigan. Maybe it's time to leave the task of reforming education up to the school boards that were elected to do it.