Challenge West Virginia

By Greg Prudich

Ah, the myth of yet another magic bullet to save education – the charter school.

Envisioned years ago as an alternative to “failing” urban schools, the idea is for a group to operate free of the many rules and regulations that govern traditional public schools. The “charter” establishing such a school is a performance contract detailing the school’s mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. The idea is to provide freedom from rules, in exchange for accountability. In this way, we are told, innovation can thrive and students can excel.

Those who tout charter schools in West Virginia and nationally, including President Obama, suggest freedom to teach will drive the process.

Accountability will protect our children.

Sounds great so far, huh?

My question is this: If freedom to innovate in public schools is such a great idea and rules are so bad, then why do Washington and Charleston dump rule upon rule and regulation upon regulation in every aspect of public school administration and the classroom?

Ever check the number of statutes involving public education? How about the state Department of Education’s policies? Ever check out the federal regulations? If freedom in the classroom is driving charter schools, how about giving public educators a little freedom to innovate?

Are charter schools real or a mirage? The data are all over the place. Like public schools, charter schools range in quality from really great to pretty bad. National data indicate only 17 percent of charter schools outperform comparable public schools, and 37 percent under-perform. Does this make charter schools inherently bad? No. What I do suspect is, like all schools, success rests with the teacher-student-parent triangle. Where each side is doing its best, success will be achieved. It is much harder when one of the sides is loafing.

Many who have strongly supported the charter school movement, including education scholar Diane Ravitch, Albert Shanker and New York state Sen. Bill Perkins, no longer support the movement. They have become disaffected because in most instances, charter schools are simply another version of the same thing. They rise or fall on the quality of the teachers.

As a member of the Mercer County Board of Education, I can tell you that the sheer volume of statutes, rules, policies and regulations governing schools from the federal and state governments are daunting and prevent innovation and stifle best practices. Teachers in public schools find themselves constrained. Then, when things don’t work, they are blamed. They aren’t permitted to cook the meal, but they are blamed when the steak is burnt and the potato is raw.

If innovation is so important, then why not let all schools innovate? Why have just a few schools in each county educating maybe 3 percent of students innovate? Instead, how about an approach that lets all schools discuss, prepare and implement innovation that will serve that particular school? Why not free the professional educators and staff throughout this great state from the shackles of the many “policies” and rules handed down from the top.

Let every school be a charter school.

Too radical? Who do you think really knows the best way to teach an individual child? The teachers of that child. They know what works for their students. Maybe a different kind of school day, or a different delivery method, or a different curriculum. The educator is in the very best position to know.

Too hard to implement? Well, we are either serious about this or not. Hard should have nothing to do with it.

Last year, Mercer County proposed an innovation zone for its Tec-ed school.

The idea is to integrate and imbed core subjects in the technical education program. A technical high school is being born. Hopefully, in a few years, students in Mercer County will go to this new technical high school all day, with the core subjects being taught in a relevant manner related to chosen careers. Is it hard? Yes. Is it scary? Yes. Is it taking lots of work? Yes.

But I have every faith it will succeed. Why? Because the educators see the opportunity to provide a new way for students. A better way. It will succeed because those who teach are the driving force behind it. It is true innovation, and given a chance, it will succeed.

Why, then, can’t we let all schools in every county change they way they provide public education? Not every change need be radical. Not every change need be substantial. Some may choose year-round programs. Some may change the times for school. Some may change the delivery method, or the use of technology, or the use of core teachers in elementary subjects. Then, we would be giving every child the best of what charter schools are supposed to offer.

This can be done, working with teachers. They are not the enemy. They are the solution. We must stop the public recriminations and the attack dogs must be called off. Folks, they are our best hope.

Greg Prudich is president of the Mercer County Board of Education. This opinion piece was published first in the Sunday Gazette-Mail on June 27, 2010.