During the Obama years, the Center for American Progress reliably cheered on the administration’s education policies. As one after another failed, CAP never backed down. Charter schools good. Closing schools good. Common Core great. Despite the convergence of evidence that these policies did not work, that they destabilized fragile urban neighborhoods, that they demoralized teachers and created shortages, CAP never wavered.
As Peter Greene shows in this post, the CAP has learned nothing from the past 15 years of failed reforms. They are still pushing policy ideas cribbed from the GOP.
They still are pushing state takeovers and turnarounds.
He writes:
”And what example do folks who support takeovers and turnarounds like to cite? Of course, it’s New Orleans. Do we really have to get into all the ways that the privatization of the New Orleans school system is less than a resounding success? Or let’s discus the Tennessee experiment in a recovery school district, in which the state promised to turn the bottom five percent into the top schools in the state, and they utterly failed. As in, the guy charged with making it happened gave up and admitted that it was way harder than he thought it would be, failed.
“The whole premise of a state takeover is that somebody in the state capital somehow knows more about how to make a school work than the people who work there (or, in most cases, can hire some guy who knows because he graduated from an ivy league school and spent two years in a classroom once). The takeover model still holds onto a premise that many reformsters, to their credit, have moved past: that trained professional educators who have devoted their adult lives to working in schools– those people are the whole problem. It’s insulting, it’s stupid, and it’s a great way to let some folks off the hook, like, say, the policy makers who consistently underfund some schools.
“Most importantly, at this point, there isn’t a lick of evidence that it works.
“We have the results of the School Improvement Grants used by the Obama administration to “fix” schools, and the results were that SIG didn’t accomplish anything (other than, I suppose, keeping a bunch of consultants well-paid). SIG also did damage because it allowed the current administration and their ilk to say, “See? Throwing money at schools doesn’t help.” But the real lesson of SIG, which came with very specific Fix Your School instructions attached, was that when the state or federal government try to tell a local school district exactly how things should be fixed, instead of listening to the people who live and work there, nothing gets better. That same fundamental flaw is part of the DNA of the takeover/turnaround approach.
“But CAP is excited about ESSA because some states have included this model in their plan. So, yay.”
Worst of all, CAP ends it’s paean to ESSA by linking to a paper produced by a Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change.
If proof is needed of a mind meld between “centrist” Democrats and free-market, DeVos-style Republicans, This is it.
Here are some of the culprits forwarding this long history of failed policies. They are members of the Board of Directors of CAP.
Sen. Tom Daschle, Chair
Neera Tanden, President
Glenn Hutchins
Jonathan Lavine
John Podesta
Susan Sandler
Tom Steyer
Donald Sussman
Hansjörg Wyss
Question for Tom Steyer: You are spending millions to increase pressure for the impeachment of our Dear Leader. Why, then, do your actions unconditionally support his education policies?
Just what the Democratic Party needs: another hedge fund billionaire…
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
If some folks persist in advocating for charter schools (and some for vouchers) in the face of evidence that on average they do not improve either quality or equity, we must conclude that they have different goals. Since it is quite apparent that their existence and expansion undermine democratically governed public education, exacerbate racial and socioeconomic segregation, and at best provide an opportunity for escape for a selected few, we must conclude that these are their true goals.
Well said.
Ed-reform has always seemed to me a political football passed from one agenda-promoter to another.
The Bush-Kennedy-promoted NCLB started from a premise of accountability as means to highlight underperforming schools in poor nbhds – Kennedy [Dems – heavily supported by NAACP – the racial agenda] assuming increased fed funds to those schools – but Bush [Reps] agenda was to close underperforming pubschs while opening path to privatization of pub funds — supported by the globalist agenda [neolibs & Reps] to cut US overhead (domestic progms) to the bone so as to compete w/developing countries. Since NCLB was an unfunded mandate, implementation leaned toward the Rep/ neolib/ globalist agenda.
Meanwhile Gates-funded Achieve had computer-testable stds/assessments in the works handy for NCLB, then RTTT implementation [the corporate agenda, supported by neoliberal Obama admin]. ALEC was promoting model state charter legislation (w/DFER support) throughout this period [the libertarian/ Friedmanesque agenda], and evangelists hopped onboard early, seeing there would be a future for vouchers [the ‘Christian’ agenda] – supported by the ultra-conservative ‘small-govt’ folks whose agenda has always been to elim govtl intrusion on their lives.
“The Democratic Mindmelt”
If Demos were Spock
Then logic would rule
But Demos just mock
The reason for school
For reason is out
And credo is in
A Mindmelt, no doubt
That Spock couldn’t win
Indeed.
And if I may, moving from star TREK to star WARS—
MAY THE FARCE BE WITH THEM!
😎
You are mixing your meldaforce
SDP: “meldaforce” indeed! You have eclipsed your old record. That is the best one this millennium, falcon.
Spock’s mind might melt but before it did Captain Kirk would come to rescue him and win the day.
Who will that Captian Kirk be?
Why Oligarchs don’t work: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/deadly-rule-oligarchs/
Thanks for the link, Yvonne!
Until they openly refute this line of “reasoning,” the CAP should be equated with the Heritage Foundation. We don’t stand for the nonsense spewed by Heritage, we shouldn’t for the CAP. Whenever they come out with a policy statement, the public reaction should be to the effect of, “You make some good points on issue xyz, but we’re unwilling to listen while you continue to support policies that destroy the our public education institutions.” They must be delegitimized on all issues as long as they continue to attach and undermine public schools.
The problem with so-called “think tanks” is that they are lobbying groups pretending to be a legitimate non-profit civic minded groups. These groups really are “think tanks” so they can remain non-profit, and they are not required to disclose donors, according to a report in ‘The Nation,’ Thus, they represent the interests of dark money, and this dubious relationship undermines any real sense of legitimacy.
“Nowadays, many Washington think tanks effectively serve as unregistered lobbyists for corporate donors, and companies strategically contribute to them just as they hire a PR or lobby shop or make campaign donations. And unlike lobbyists and elected officials, think tanks are not subject to financial disclosure requirements, so they reveal their donors only if they choose to. That makes it impossible for the public and lawmakers to know if a think tank is putting out an impartial study or one that’s been shaped by a donor’s political agenda.”
Based on the fact that CAP does not reveal its donors, it is likely their support comes from Silicon Valley, Wall St, and other billionaires like Broad, CAP represents the will of the 1% that continues to move our schools toward privatization, despite overwhelming evidence that this shift of public resources is unwarranted. https://www.thenation.com/article/secret-donors-behind-center-american-progress-and-other-think-tanks-updated-524/
Well said, retired teacher. Think-tanks are just part-&-parcel w/the revolving-door mechanics of donor-campaign-stuffer private interests pushing politicians thro elections — where the ‘representatives’ do their tour of duty in govt promoting the policies dictated by their donors [not their constituents], then retire as cushy consultants & think-tank members.
This is what dereg policies since Reagan – bought into & supported by neolib Dems – culminating in the Cit-United decision as yet unchanged by congressional legislation – has brought us to: the foxes have been in the henhouse for at least 25 yrs. Grass-roots activism needs to be focused on campaign reform.
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
Education reform has nothing to do with improving the education of our children. It has everything to do with weakening the public sector, strengthening extreme fundamentalist Christianity and/or stealing public dollars to add wealth to the already Alt-Right wealthy.
They’re awful.
When people complain that the Democratic Party is full of out of touch snobs who are completely irrelevant to ordinary people, they could point to any Center for American Progress piece for proof.
Democrats will keep losing as long as people like this in are in charge, which is a shame, because Republicans are worse.
Democrats should start over. Decide what is they stand for and then come up with some actual ideas, instead of tweaking Jeb Bush’s ideas and selling it as “progressive”
They’re out of power anyway. They could use the time to become something real again.
I agree, but it’s hard when even Bernie Sanders is endorsing the DFER Democrat over one of the few that really supports public education.
I think the bigger question is why the progressives haven’t spoken up on this issue the way they have on other issues.
This isn’t just the Democrats because there are some Democrats who do support public schools. This is about the leaders of left who have decided that public education isn’t worth fighting for.
At least I can name a few Democrats to support. Tim Kaine. Bill de Blasio.
Can anyone name some “progressives” — especially those with a bully pulpit whose loud support could make a difference — who are embracing public schools? Why has most of the left abandoned this issue as well?
Jill Stein and the Green Party.
There are some positions that Jill Stein takes that I really admire. She does seem to have the right position on public education.
However, I can never support someone who does not recognize the Russian meddling in the election and wants to pretend it never happened. And how Green can you be and try to defeat Al Gore over Oil and Gas Men Bush/Cheney?
Maybe I am cynical and too limited in my views in my “old age”, but there is something about people who claim they have all the solutions that rubs me the wrong way, whether from the far right or far left.
I think the Democrats can be saved if we support the Dems who believe in public education and fight to get rid of the ones who don’t.
Don’t forget Northam among your pro-public school “progressives”: https://theintercept.com/2018/02/12/dominion-virginia-legislature-energy/
dienne77,
Thank for the link. It was an interesting read.
“Democrats nearly shifted the balance of power in the House of Delegates last November, picking up 15 seats. Some of those new freshmen refused Dominion donations during their campaigns. ”
Apparently some Democrats refused Dominion donations. Those are the democrats you fight to elect.
By the way, sometimes you need to decide whether you are supporting the candidate who supports public education versus a candidate who might have a stance you feel is more progressive on energy — where both are willing to sell out the other issue. That happened in the Virginia Governor’s Democratic primary.
It is a voter’s choice to choose one or the other and decide what is more important to them. Everyone “sells out” something. Except it isn’t always “selling out” or “evil” or “corrupt” to have a different opinion on an issue, just like Bernie did on some gun control issues or that his chosen “progressive” candidate for Virginia Gov. had by being very charter friendly and a DFER favorite.
Right now, my big issue is public education. But truly, if I was fine with privatizing public education and cared about a different progressive issue more, I would probably have voted for the supposedly more “progressive” Democrat and let Virginia be owned by the same billionaire school reformers as New York state has done. But I have seen what has happened in New York and right now I prefer not to have a progressive who is “pro reform” letting the reform movement have their way in one of the last pro-public education states left.
I know I’m not going to find a candidate who agrees with me on everything. We all pick what is most important to us. Right now, mine is public education. I don’t expect everyone to feel that way if the pro-charter/pro-reform candidate happens to be more progressive on other issues.
But the truth is that I will trade this energy policy for knowing that public education is safe and supported in the state. Others may feel differently and I respect that.
Nycpp, I am w/you on this. I look first to any candidate’s position on public schools. That tells me how close he/she is with grass-roots issues that directly affect voters. At least where I live, voters’ primary investment – their property taxes – goes to their public schools. It is perhaps the last & closest connection municipal voters have to their voice as voters. So I am willing to listen & engage w/those voters who put their kids thro pubsch decades ago & are beginning to waffle on their commitment to the public good, or those young singles who are only just beginning to think about how their tax return relates to their future family plans. I think of the candidate’s position on public schools as emblematic of his/her commitment to represent voters’ family needs.
Some states freeze the property tax of those on social security to help the elderly remain in the community.
dienne77,
See what DEMOCRATS just did in Virginia
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/virginia-democrats-score-surprising-win-against-utility-monopoly_us_5a8266eae4b0892a0352426d
It is not an exaggeration to say the Democratic Party is identical to Jeb Bush on education. In some ways the Kasich Administration was LESS hostile to public schools than the Obama Administration. Kasich ignores public schools. Obama actively harmed them.
Aren’t they embarrassed? They don’t even have their own education philosophy. Love Bush or hate him, at least he came up with his own plan. Democrats can’t even say THAT.
You can sum up the bipartisan nature of ed reform in one paragraph.
Both Parties want to privatize schools. Democrats want to regulate the privatized contractor systems and Republicans don’t.
That’s the “choice” we get. That’s the extent of the “lively” debate.
So pick one- you can have systems composed of private contractors who are regulated or you can systems composed of private contractors who are unregulated. What you can’t have are public systems because 1500 elites have decided those should be eradicated.
Democrats expect people to actually come out and vote on these ridiculously small distinctions. They won’t.
I think the part that bothers me most is how stupid they think we are:
“Overall, 25 ESSA plans identify or describe how districts or states can change school governance structures ”
Change school governance structures is a lot of words to replace a better and more truthful word, which is “privatization”.
Why do they refuse to speak plainly? Because they know it will be unpopular?
That’s the key — “they know that what they want to do would be unpopular”
so they are using every trick in the book to implement privatization through stealth, dark money, lies, misinformation, bribery (using dark money), bullying, trolling, and secrecy.
The Democrats have formed a pro-public education group in Congress. I would like to see them be more than a token group. When Democrats support public education, they can win as they did in Virginia, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/public-education-caucus_us_5875183ee4b099cdb0ffb0c2
I agree. It does no good to blame “Democrats” as if all Democrats are embracing CAP policies. They aren’t. But when you convince people that all Dems are bad, you end up defeating the Russ Feingolds, too.
What is notable here is that the progressive movement was willing to abandon public schools to defeat the pro-public education Democrat in the primary. Somehow public schools are losing the support of everyone — including progressives.
I see Jared Polis is a member of this group.
That’s a tip off. Polis is a charter owner and loves loves loves them.
This group has probably never met.
Polis agrees with DeVos about charters and choice.
Diane,
So this caucus was actually calling itself “pro-public education” but what they really meant was pro-charter? How slimy can you get?
I guess that’s why the caucus didn’t go anywhere.
It includes both pro-public school and pro-charter Dems.
The charters also claim to be public, except for transparency, accountability, and ability to choose and kick out students.
Democrats would have more credibility if they would just tell people the truth. People do not want to play semantic games; they want to know where they stand on issues.
Welcome to “The Resistance,” or at least those who would hijack it…
Podesta is key here, a collaborator with Jeb Bush to push billionaire-funded privatization of US schools.
Just hypothesizing here: I wonder if there’s any connection between privatization thug Bill Gates building a planned city in Arizona and privatization thug Chucky Koch making Arizona ground zero in his next series of attacks on democracy.
If public schools dazzled, we wouldn’t be losing so much Dem support. I know someone, a liberall, who works for the New Schools Venture Fund. Her kids attend high-scoring public schools, some of the “best” in the Bay Area. The kids are high-achievers, but they dislike school. I blame Common Core and NGSS and the dreary new history frameworks–and our educators’ warm embrace of these flawed curriculum-drivers. We’re not going to win when kids hate their public schools.
I believe that is part of the privatizers’ plan. When the public likes a public good ALOT, the way to get them to change their mind is to undermine and destroy it.
They are working on doing this to social security and medicare.
What angers me most is the teachers’ blindness. They lap up this crap. They preach critical thinking, but there’s hardly one critical thinker among them. Meanwhile Core Knowledge, a joyful curriculum as opposed to Common Core, is making inroads among charter schools. Wake up public school teachers! You’re purveying brain-stunting snake oil dressed up as a miracle cure!