Newly Unveiled Texas School 'Reform' Proposals In Step With Right-Wing Agenda

[Judi Lynn]

Published on Wednesday, March 04, 2015
by Common Dreams

Newly Unveiled Texas School 'Reform' Proposals In Step With Right-Wing Agenda

The conservative education package proposed this week 'is a grab-bag of failed ideas cribbed from the ALEC playbook,' says Diane Ravitch

by Deirdre Fulton, staff writer

Following a national trend, Texas Senate leaders this week announced an ambitious and ideologically driven education-reform agenda, which critics say is aimed at undermining public schools and advancing privatization.

Among the provisions laid out on Tuesday, according to Austin's American-Statesman:

Giving letter grades (A-F) to public school campuses each year based on their performance to put "pressure" on districts and parents to improve low performers.

A stronger "parent empowerment" or "trigger law" that would allow parents to petition for new management at school districts that have been failing for two years, rather than five.

Creating an "opportunity" or "achievement" school district, which could be run by a private entity, that would manage the state's low-performing schools.

Easing limits on full-time virtual schools and online courses.

Tying teacher compensation to performance, rather than just years of service, and other changes to the evaluation system.

More:
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/04/newly-unveiled-texas-school-reform-proposals-step-right-wing-agenda-0

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

1. This is why I retired after 33 years in Houston's schools.

Teaching became impossible.

[czarjak]

2. Mission accomplished?

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

3. Yeah. I guess so. But they do have to pay my pension.

I don't know how the young teachers are going to last through the abuse now piled on them. The plan is to burn them out young while they're still cheap and so never have to pay their pensions. I had to leave. It was affecting my health and I wasn't really teaching anymore. I opened a tiny preschool at my house. I am in heaven. In the sixties, there was a poster that said "War is not healthy for children and other living things." I'd like to print a new poster and change "war" to "school."