Comments on: Free market competition improves public education, too

By: Dmonson

Dmonson — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:28:00 +0000

In my opinion, the fact that school districts are starting to move outside the status quo – in response to SB 65 – by setting up online schools is a good thing for public education. One thing the data does show is that our public school system is failing to serve a significant proportion of children in the state. Yet, the public education system remains more or less the same from one year to the next. Just getting the public school system off that path of inertia is, in my view, and improvement over what we have had.

Now, are the specific online schools being created good ones? I don’t know…as you point out, we need more time and information to determine that. But that doesn’t mean we can’t say with some level of confidence that it is good to see school districts trying to change and adapt to a 21st Century world by doing something different. I think we have all of the data we need to say that is progress and a good sign…in other words, an improvement.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:42:00 +0000

Your points regarding innovation and competition are well taken. The title of your post though, is “Free market competition improves public education too.” I’m just saying that in the particular instance you site, we don’t know that yet. Some people are fond of saying Change Is Good. What they really need to say is that GOOD Change Is Good. We have to realize that BAD Change is just that…BAD.

By: Dmonson

Dmonson — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:31:00 +0000

When I say free market competition is working, I’m saying that it is forcing school districts to get innovative in how they deliver public education, and do something other than the status quo (which we know does not work for a large number of children). That we don’t need more data for…the fact that school districts are forming online schools where formerly none existed is proof enough.

But as with any innovative, free market setting, it will take time to produce better educational outcomes. It will also likely take some failures…someone will always end up producing an Edsel. But if you aren’t willing to take some risks, you won’ t likely reap many significant rewards.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Whoa…. hold on there a minute Derek. Before you say that “it is working” we need some more data. We need to wait to see if these hastily thrown together online programs actually help students or hurt them. For many years online classes had shown very poor levels of efficiency i.e., far fewer students actually earned credit in them. I realize that things have improved and I agree that innovation CAN be great but the jury is still out in terms of whether or not this scrambling to keep money will benefit students. What will we all do if this rush to online offerings cause a drop in graduation rates? Just saying.