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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JohnM who wrote (3612)	7/22/2003 1:02:25 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793559

A formula for a disaster. I knew you would love it. No worry about it being passed in the near future. The schools have got to get a lot worse before it is. But nothing will happen until we wake up and break the Teacher's Unions. I was reading this morning that someone at IBM leaked a conference call about them moving more programmer jobs overseas. It isn't all salary. Our schools suck at turning out technical types a mid-level. Makes it great for my oldest son, who does on-line phone systems. You can't export them.

To: JohnM who wrote (3612)	7/22/2003 1:52:23 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793559

Feinstein comes out for vouchers in DC. Major break, John. The California Teachers Association will take her name off their list of candidates to replace Gray Davis. Let D.C. Try Vouchers By Dianne Feinstein - Op Ed, Washington Post Tuesday, July 22, 2003; Page A17 Mayor Anthony Williams has proposed a five-year pilot program that would offer low-income parents a choice in where they send their children to school in the District. This proposal has the support of the president of the school board and thousands of District parents. But because of the unique relationship between the District and the federal government, members of Congress also have a say in whether such a pilot program will be funded and implemented. As a former mayor and a current member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am inclined to support Williams's effort to experiment with this program. I believe that education is a local issue and that if the mayor wants this program, it should be given the chance to work. The program would provide scholarships up to $7,500 to pay for tuition, fees and transportation to any private school in the District. These scholarships would go to children whose parents earn less than 185 percent of the poverty level ($34,040 for a family of four), and priority would be given to students in the worst schools. My understanding is that a lottery would determine admission when there are more youngsters applying to a school than spaces available. This program is part of a larger effort to dramatically improve the District's education system, including a $13 million effort to improve student achievement and teaching at public schools and a $13 million grant program to renovate the District's charter school program. Before I vote to fund these efforts, however, I want to be clear that the proposal passes constitutional muster, particularly as it relates to the separation of church and state. I also want to know that the District will have in place a fair method of acceptance for students and that there is full accountability and sufficient oversight. I have also asked the mayor to provide me in writing his plans for administering this program. I have never before supported a voucher program. For 30 years, I have advocated strongly for our public schools, because I believe that they are the cornerstone of our education system. In my view, we must continue to do everything we can to strengthen and improve our nation's public schools. But as a former mayor, I also believe that local leaders should have the opportunity to experiment with programs that they believe are right for their area. This is the case in San Francisco. This is the case in Wichita. And I believe it should be the case in the District as well. We all know D.C. public schools need improvement. According to the most recent census, the District spends $10,852 per student annually -- the third highest level of per-pupil spending in the nation -- yet test scores lag far behind. In the most recent math and reading assessments administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress: ? Seventy-six percent of D.C. fourth-graders performed below grade level in math, and only 10 percent read proficiently. ? Seventy-seven percent of eighth-graders performed below grade level in math, and only 12 percent were proficient in reading. Based on the substantial amount of money pumped into the schools and the resultant test scores, I do not believe that money alone is going to solve the problem. This is why I believe the District should be allowed to try this pilot -- particularly for the sake of its low-income students. Ultimately this issue is not about ideology or political correctness. It is about providing a new opportunity for good education, which is the key to success. Unless a youngster has learned the fundamentals of education, he or she will find it extremely difficult when older to find work in the competitive marketplace. If supporting the mayor's proposal will help us to better understand what works and what doesn't in terms of educating our youth, then I believe Williams should be allowed to undertake this experiment. washingtonpost.com