"I think the main thing about Bush's education reforms is that they improved scores for those at the bottom"
Well, most of the reforms that he is taking credit for were instituted as a result of a commission headed by Ross Perot in the early '80's, with the reforms being passed in the mid to late '80's. I am talking specifically about the no pass, no play rule (high school coaches hate this one), the mandatory seat time (this is stupid), the mandatory testing, the emphasis on math and science and the de-emphasis on things like "consumer math" and the testing of teachers. Oh yeah, they made it a lot easier for highschoolers to take college courses, something we avail ourselves of. The homeschooling laws, which we also take advantage of, were passed in the late '80s. Now Dubya did try to get some pay raises pushed through for teachers and get reduction of administrative paperwork, but that failed horribly the first time around, a pay raise did go through late, much reduced. He did manage to get a bill allowing for charter schools to get through, but I am dubious about that.
Note: when I say he got pushed through, I mean he promoted, stumped for, buttoned-holed member of the 'Ledge and didn't veto at the end.
Hmm, that is all that I can think of as far as the Shrub and education, things he took credit for and/or actually did. I can't come up with anything that had the effect you named, can you fill me in? |
