Common Core

I've commented several times in the past about my dislike for Common Core. My complaints are founded on my understanding of the content, especially the math, and how it would affect the type of students I typically had when I was at the high school. The internet is full of unflattering comments on Common Core because folks think it will lead to a national curriculum controlled by the feds, and we all know what happens when they get put in charge. Obviously from that statement you can see that I'm inclined to agree with a lot of what's being said but since many of the comments are from people without any education credentials (which may actually be a good thing), I've refrained from commenting on what could easily become a one size fits all but none well education system here in America. However, since George Will is a pretty smart cookie, you might want to take a couple of minutes and check out the video to get his take on the subject. He sums it all up rather well, I think.

I quoted an article from the Hillsdale College Imprimus a couple years ago:

 "The Department of Education spends about $200 million a year on research intended to improve educational practice. No evidence exists that these expenditures have done any significant good."

Probably not much chance of things improving any with Common Core either as long as the feds are in charge.

In other education news, the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed piece Monday on Mayor De Blasio of New York City signing off on a new contract with the teacher's union. The "deal includes an 8% retroactive raise plus a 10% cumulative bump through 2018". Starting pay will now be $54,411 and maximum will top out at $119,565 plus $1,000 signing bonus for approving the contract. The contract also includes provisions for extra money for teachers at 'hard-to-staff' schools and mentoring teachers. Additionally, the teachers don't have to give any of the money back to pay for health insurance premiums.

When I retired I was at the top of the scale, both with years of service and education. I was making roughly half what the top teachers in NYC will be making in 2018. In the next county over, the maximum pay is pretty close to what will be the starting pay for NYC teachers in 2018.

When New York once again goes broke, the teachers and public employees will be called upon to shoulder the blame. Before that happens, I would like to point out that the union was just doing its job and the politicians were not. I wish my union could have gotten me a similar contract. Maybe with Common Core will come Common Contracts and all teachers will be making $100K every year. Since that's not likely to happen, maybe, just maybe, it's time for the feds to just back away from public education completely. Close down the DOE, send Arne Duncan home and give the states block grants to spend on educating their citizens the way they seem fit. That's not likely to happen either but as long as the President is concerned about income equality, might as well start by throwing a bone to the teachers out in the small communities of America. Judging from NYC, the teachers in most of the big cities seem to be doing alright on their own.