Arizona enacted a new law earlier this month that got little attention but could make a big impact on school performance.
Rep. J.D. Mesnard introduced the measure, which allows school districts that receive an “A” for three years on their district report card to request exemption from specific state regulations or statutes. Districts can be free from regulations that direct efforts and resources away from schools’ primary task of educating students. Georgia lawmakers have enacted a similar provision.
The new law will let top districts do more to help their students. Although modest in scope, with limited eligibility and areas for exemption, the law is an example of how lawmakers can encourage school innovation through less regulation.
The concept of exempting schools from regulations would serve charter schools well, too. But they were not included in the bill. Charter schools are already supposed to be exempt from most state regulations, but with every new rule passed for traditional schools, charter schools are often automatically included (examples include the Common Core Standards and new teacher evaluation rules). Charter schools are designed to be free to develop better ways to educate children, so their leaders should be able to request exemption from new requirements too.
The exemptions that will be requested will likely be different from district to district and school to school, which is one of this law’s best features. Every student is different, which makes every classroom and every school different. We should create more models that provide customized learning experiences for every child, and schools must be vigilant in identifying laws that get in the way. Whether that vision includes more online courses or a hybrid approach of online and in-classroom learning, state rules shouldn’t interfere.
This new law is a modest step toward less regulation of our schools that have proven they can get the job done, but the principle behind the measure will enhance school freedom and promote new approaches to education. Now that’s innovation.
Jonathan Butcher is education director for the Goldwater Institute.
Arizona Willie posted at 12:07 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
Districts that received an " A " for 3 straight years have ALREADY figured out how to do a good job educating the kids WITHOUT EXEMPTIONS FROM THE RULES.
If any District needs exemptions--- it MIGHT be the ones who aren't getting the job done now.
Why would successful districts NEED exemptions?
The concept of exemptions exists for situations where the rules AREN'T working.
Since the Districts in question are already getting A's they obviously don't NEED exemptions.
chuckles3 posted at 3:52 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
AZ Willie: I will try to use small words for you.
If the successful districts all asked for exemptions from the same regulation, maybe the genius' in charge might consider it a stupid or overreaching regulation and get rid of it? Thereby releasing ALL schools from a stupid regulation and helping ALL schools succeed just a little bit more?
I guess in your mind anyone or anything not doing well needs more regulation. Great mindset.
Arizona Willie posted at 4:34 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
chuckles ... you may have learned to read but try taking a course in comprehension.
You have what I said exactly backwards.
I .... said .... EXCEPTIONS .... to .... regulations .... are ... for .... situations .... where .... the .... rules .... aren't .... working.
How .... does .... that ... translate ... into .... needing .... more ..... regulation?
I say that districts that are getting " A " grades are doing well and the regulations obviously don't prevent them from doing well. Therefore they don't need exemptions.
Districts that are not doing well might benefit from an exemption if they believe it is hindering them.
At no point did I say to put more regulation on those not doing well.
Your name is incomplete.
It should be chucklestheclown3.
samkat posted at 8:30 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
Better yet, why not placing some rules on the charter schools? They are totally unregulated and unaccountable. I have no doubt that a number of our less than of sterling character conservative legislators are financially benefiting from the charter schools at our expense. Our public schools might just do better if there was an equal footing between them and the charter schools but forbid that should happen since their goal is to kill the public school system. After all, we do have the best government that special interest money can buy.
samkat posted at 8:31 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
PS: It is time that the Goldwater Institute is required to register as a lobbyist and by the way where does their money come from?
DemocraticDad posted at 10:47 pm on Wed, May 30, 2012.
I agree samkat...It IS time that the Goldwater Institute is required to register as a lobbyist and I also wonder where their money comes from.
Also, WHY is Jonathan Butcher their education director? According to the Goldwater website he does not have a bachelors, masters or doctorate in education. There is also NO mention of him EVER being a teacher in the classroom or working in a school to educate children.
I have been an educator (teacher and administrator) for over 40 years and having Jonathan Butcher write about education reform is like having me write about the best surgical procedures for doctors to use in the operating room! Who made him an EXPERT?
sockratties posted at 7:28 am on Thu, May 31, 2012.
Mr. Butcher’s letter is another nudge along the path to totally commercialize the AZ school system. In addition to being the “Education Director for the Goldwater Institute, he didn’t explain that he is also:
Director of Accountability at South Carolina Public Charter School District
Research Associate at Univ. of Arkansas, Department of Education Reform
Research Assistant, Domestic Policy at The Heritage Foundation
I expect Butcher’s agenda to be one of further gutting the public school system while attempting to strengthen the position of charter schools. It’s happening to public transportation, emergency services, they’re working on toll roads, the prison system and yes, we hocked our public buildings, too. Schools easily fall into the same arena of exploitation of public systems at the expense of the taxpayer, especially during economic downturns. This is the epitome of special interests corrupting the system.
If private enterprise wants to build schools to compete with the public system, private enterprise should pay the cost and meet the public criteria. Public money should not go to private schools.
VofReason posted at 11:59 am on Thu, May 31, 2012.
Good show DD. Yes the fact that he doesn't have a degree in education is like having an educator discussing how to follow a rational budget. I mean the education system works so well, churns out smarter students and finds new efficiency every year- no? And ironically named Sockratties, how about those who choose to send their kids to private schools, can they also opt out of paying any taxes for public schools as their kids won't be attending? How would that go? Oh and why is it cheaper to send a kid to an average private school then the combined funding per student in public education. Thought economy of scale would make that impossibile?
sockratties posted at 8:27 pm on Thu, May 31, 2012.
VoR – Do you get to opt out of paying for roads if you don’t drive on or first responders if you don’t plan to have an emergency. No. You pay for availability and may use the public infrastructure if you so desire. Public services including education, transportation, emergency services, et al, are available like a lifetime membership to a health club. If you decide to use another club at the same time, that’s up to you but you don’t get a discount on your membership. You’re paying for it to be there. How much you use it is up to you.
geekette posted at 9:28 am on Fri, Jun 1, 2012.
VofR: Private schools receive funding from the state based on attendance. They also don't have to make any provision for disabled students. If a student needs help with reading or has a learning disability, they send the kid to the local district for tutoring. At least that was the case at my kid's private school. If private schools had to take on the entire cost of education and had to take all comers rather than choosing their students, then tuition would skyrocket. And though I sent my kid to a parochial school, I don't mind paying taxes for public schools. Good neighborhood public schools raise the value of my house. They make the state more attractive to companies with high-paying jobs. Everyone benefits.
fae4now posted at 2:14 pm on Sat, Jun 2, 2012.
Many valid points here.
Chuckles, just curious, specifically what regulations on schools do you find " stupid"?
The writer states ".....limited eligibility and areas for exemption...."
I would be interested to know what regulations under the bill are eligible for exemption. Seems to me we read here a couple months back that some schools were seeking exemption from a requirement to provide free lunches to poor kids in hopes that the poor kids would leave and go elsewhere.
Geekette, I appreciate your comments regarding the value of contribution to the general public good (paying taxes) and the indirect return on that investment (property values, stronger community, higher quality workforce, better jobs, etc.) and have raised those same points here before.
Some are very resistant to understand that zero taxes = zero services = go live in a landfill!
You get what you pay for and education is always a good investment.
sockratties posted at 7:20 pm on Sat, Jun 2, 2012.
F4N – You should get what you pay for and education should be a good investment but in AZ that’s not always the case. When AZ voters approved the lottery it was supposed to go to improvement of our schools. Then Governor Symington reduced the amount paid by the state for education by the amount received by the lottery, effectively high-jacking those funds. State legislators have continued to find ways to undermine public education. Charter schools is another way to benefit special interests at the expense of public education. We should get what we pay for and we do… the most self serving state government in the country.