One of the biggest stories in the news today is the
Georgia cheating scandal. Public schools in Atlanta, Georgia have
fallen under pressure as evidence has surfaced showing that school
administrators may have altered standardized test scores to make it appear
students performed better than they actually did.
By altering the test scores, students did not win.
Only the schools and school districts “won” (that is until they got
caught). In fact, Retired district superintendent Beverly Hall was
praised by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan for her work in
turning around these poor and minority schools. She was even named 2009
National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School
Administrators.
According
to Hall’s indictment for racketeering, “Principals and teachers were
frequently told by Beverly Hall and her subordinates that excuses for not
meeting targets would not be tolerated.” To meet these “targets,” teachers
were allegedly asked to gather the students’ test sheets and change incorrect
answers. These formerly failing schools were now outperforming the
wealthier suburban schools, and the school officials were being touted
education reform heroes, showing that a school can be turned around from
within.
“Our schools desperately need to be fixed,” wrote
The Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson in a column about the scandal.
“But creating a situation in which teachers are more likely than students to
cheat cannot be the right path.” I couldn’t agree more. These
Atlanta administrators touted themselves as “education reformers” but as I have
said time after time, no school district has ever reformed itself from
within. Real education reform comes as a result of external pressures
through educational choice.
By providing families with access to educational options,
parents have a choice in their child’s education. Through options such as
tax credits, scholarships, vouchers, charter schools, and traditional schools,
families have a say in their child’s education. As I said this earlier week on PBS
NewsHour, “the only way we are going to fly this plane while we fix it,
is by helping those kids with the immediate needs, and also providing the
impetus for public schools to right-side themselves.”
Our nation’s education system needs to be about providing
the best education to all children. Every option must be on the table to
ensure each and every student in America receives a high-quality education that
will prepare them for tomorrow.
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