Yesterday we examined the MEA’s opposition to education budget cuts. Unfortunately, if the ME has their way, Maine will be missing out in a possible short-term solution.
The federal Race to the Top program is another part of the recovery stimulus. States will be awarded funding based on a set of reform guidelines. Depending on how closely a state follows the U.S. Education department’s point system, state’s can receive some much needed cash. Though the jury is out on whether or not RttT will lead to any true innovations, there is a lot of money at stake. $4 billion is available to states who implement education reforms following the US Department of Education guidelines, with as much as $75 million available for Maine.
The MEA has been dead set against charter schools, despite the fact that the previous law would have allowed unions in Maine charters. Though only worth 40 points in the RttT system (PDF warning), President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have been clear they consider charter schools to be an essential part of reform. Despite the lack of emphasis Governor Baldacci, Ed Commissioner Gendron, and the MEA place on charter schools, they can’t ignore what has been said. As good an idea as Bldacci’s “innovative schools” may prove to be, they just don’t count as charters.
Another Race to the Top guideline that the MEA rejects is the linking of student performance data with teacher pay. There are 58 points up for grabs here. On top of that, a recent study has shown that Maine is severely lacking in many areas of innovation. Maine’s data systems were given a “D”. The Race to the Top allocates 47 points to data systems. If you’re keeping track, that’s 145 points out of 500 for which Maine will be ineligible. Once US officials have examined other criteria, I fear they will find Maine lacking in those as well. The MEA has been supportive of Baldacci’s innovative schools, despite its lack of power in garnering RttT funding. The MEA website shows a post on teacher effectiveness is coming (as of 6:20pm 12/18/09), another concern for RttT.
I am less concerned with reforms the MEA does or does not support than their leadership’s seeming belief that more money equates a better educational system. This is a dangerous attitude. While education certainly needs an equitable amount of money to run the system, and pay for ever growing teacher retirement, greater funding is no more a panacea than any other one reform the MEA rejects. Over the past 30 plus years, per-pupil spending has nearly doubled in real terms, while reading scores on national standardized tests have barely budged. The truth is that money does not make a good education or turn an under achieving student’s life around. Educators know how to turn around schools already and not one of the steps involves an influx of funding.
There is no doubt that school districts may be facing some tough decisions. Some will have difficulties. Others will think outside the box and turn possible disasters into victories. If we are going to have an informed budget discussion someone should inform the MEA that funding is not the end all be all of education. Creative minds will turn these hardships into learning opportunities. Real innovation does not come from the dollar, but from the brain.
Most people from my generation weren’t around to witness all the good that unions did for this country. Haymarket, the coal workers struggles, child labor laws, and unions work in the 1960′s are all just some vague memory in a textbook, if people even learn about them at all. My union knowledge all comes from college courses – not required ones, either. All people from my generation see is ridiculous things like those the MEA leadership seem adept at spouting. My hope is that they can reform before anti-unionists drive them down for good, which is why I am so hard on them.
