I read an article and a column recently that may point to what we'll be hearing from conservatives next session when it comes to education: decentralization. Kill the state Department of Ed, and pretty much kill district administrations.
First, kill the DOE:
Rep. Lucy Mason, R-Prescott says she will introduce a bill that will drastically cut the Arizona Department of Education or eliminate it completely.
[snip]
Through this bill, she proposes to keep the superintendent of schools, which is a constitutional office, and eliminate its 352-500 employees. "We'll take him to the executive tower and use his expensive property for something else," she said.
Oh, and if any education supporters are breathing a sigh of relief that schools weren't cut all the way to the bone in the 2010 budget, it's not time to sigh quite yet.
Majority Whip Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, reminded the superintendents and school board members the Legislature is facing a $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion deficit in this year's state budget.
"If you plan on spending the money Gov. (Jan) Brewer put back in education, don't," he said.
After all, they cut funding this January. Why should next Jan be any different?
Then there's columnist Robert Robb on school district administrations. He suggests
. . . a radical decentralization in the management of public schools. In essence, turn every school into a charter school, independently managed but held accountable to state curriculum and testing requirements, with complete freedom of choice about school attendance by parents and students.
[snip]
In fact, district staffs should become largely clerical assistants to school boards, whose role would be largely limited to hiring and firing principals.
Lest you think these ideas sound good -- the DOE and district administrations don't get much praise from any circles -- consider the source of the suggestions. These are from people who aren't fans of the idea of public education. Local control may sound good, but school-level control without adequate oversight is a recipe for disaster.
