President Bush on Education

During last night's State of the Union address President Bush sent a contradictory message on America's public schools.

He said,

"Six years ago, we came together to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and today no one can deny its results. Last year, fourth and eighth graders achieved the highest math scores on record. Reading scores are on the rise. African American and Hispanic students posted all-time highs."

He called on Americans to work together to provide extra help for struggling schools.

About a minute later, he abandoned them. Rather than fixing the non-performers, Bush called for a $300 million initiative that would provide federal tax dollars to encourage students to flee struggling inner-city schools.

And where would these students go?

White House counselor Ed Gillespie told Education Week that President Bush "has some concerns about the declining number of faith-based and parochial schools in inner cities around the country and low-income neighborhoods." Because of this, Gillespie said, Bush was ready to "urge Congress to enact a program he calls 'Pell Grants for Kids.' "

"Thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships you approved, more than 2,600 of the poorest children in our Nation's Capital have found new hope at a faith-based or other non-public school. Sadly, these schools are disappearing at an alarming rate in many of America's inner cities. So I will convene a White House summit aimed at strengthening these lifelines of learning," Bush said.

Is President Bush inferring that the law is incapable of improving such schools? It sounds like it. But if a heavy-handed federal law is incapable of providing progress for all American students - granted, on an inadequate budget - then why is the federal government muscling in on a state's right issue.

And there is little evidence private businesses would do any better. Some charter schools have done well, on hard work. Others, not so much. But it sure sounds like the charter schools have really been struggling in DC.

Whatever Kentucky schools exist, they need to be adequately funded to deliver the services their students need - or they will never reach their goals.

The DC Opportunity Scholarships program Bush referred to is far from universally loved.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals said,

"While NASSP strives to improve education for all students, there is no conclusive evidence that alternative schools do a better job of educating students than traditional public schools.

In fact, a report released by the Department of Education in June 2007 found “no evidence of a statistically significant difference in test scores” between students participating in the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program and students who did not participate in the voucher program.

Choice for choice’s sake is no reason to divert much-needed funds away from America’s public schools – especially when the schools affected are often the ones in greatest need."

Then there was this from the Cincinnati Black Blog:

The president called upon the members of Congress to renew NCLB.

"The No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan achievement. It is succeeding. And we owe it to America's children, their parents, and their teachers to strengthen this good law."

His remarks on education were interrupted by applause three times. And indications are that Congress will clap again - when they dismantle No Child Left Behind.