I'm not sure that what you suggest addresses the enormous cost of federal and state requirements on the public system. ALong with the huge costs of providing physical resources -transportation, special aides, special training, elevators, wheelchair access-, you have services like speech therapy, psychologists, counselors, any number of services beyond basic education-- all under the banner of providing education for everyone.
I don't believe the teachers' unions contribute to that part of the equation. They have their own separate problems.
It would seem to me that we look at what the private schools are doing that is turning out educated kids, and graduating them...compare the costs, and apply those standards to the public schools.
UNless you roll back the clock on the Ed. for Handicapped Children ACt, or IDEA, 33 years of expansion in this area, you can't do it. Unless you turn away problem or low-achieving children from the public school, you can't do it. In other words, private schools' are able to succeed by creating a far more homogenous student body to educate. And in public schools, that would be considered discrimination. |
