Kentucky education is in deep trouble due to the machinations and scheming of its newly elected Governor Matt Bevin. Bevin pushed through a charter bill but the Republican dominated legislature didn’t fund it. Then he engineered the ouster of the respected state superintendent Stephen Pruitt and installed a like-minded devotee of privatization.
Now, his goal is a state takeover of the state’s largest district, Jefferson County, which includes Louisville. The school board is determined to resist the takeover, knowing that it is a cynical political ploy that will destroy local control and leads to damaging changes.
State takeovers historically have failed. The State Education Department is not stocked with experienced educators but with experienced clerks and administrators of government programs.
Parents, teachers, and local school boards have figured out that Governor Bevin means to do harm to the children and public schools of Kentucky.
Here’s wishing them success in repelling Bevin’s assault on Kentucky public schools.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
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This is how all irrational bullies go about getting their way. Come, in the first chapters of his book is keen on describing bullies and liars. It seems that way too many people now like their style.
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I was born in Louisville, and educated at Kentucky public schools. This is going to be interesting. If the Jefferson county school board cannot cut the mustard, then the state is going to be compelled to step in and take over. I hope that the issue can be settled without a state takeover.
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Charles,
That is ridiculous. The state has zero capacity to run the school district. It’s like having the Boy Scouts take over the Pentagon because you idiots screwed up in Iraq.
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Actually, Diane, the Boy Scouts could probably do a hella better job than either the Pentagon or the State of Kentucky.
The Girl Scouts, now, that would be rockin’….
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I said I hope the problems can be solved without a state takeover. The preliminary results of the audit are revealing some serious problems in the Jefferson county system. see
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/education/2018/04/18/jcps-state-takeover-kentucky-board-education-recommendation-matt-bevin/528910002/
There are some concerns about school safety.
If the local school board, elected by the citizens can solve the problems, without a state takeover, that would be great.
Why do you maintain that the state does not have the “capacity” to run the system? Kentucky state law provides for just such an action, when it is warranted.
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No state education department has ever successfully run a school district. Those who work in the state education department are clerks and administrators, not educators.
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The past history of states (education departments) taking over control of individual school districts has an interesting past. see
http://www.theedadvocate.org/states-takeover-school-districts-disaster-usually-ensues/
One thing that article states, is that when districts have been taken over by state authorities, is the the districts have usually had years to get their act together.
Why do you maintain that Q Those who work in the state education department are clerks and administrators, not educators. ENDQ ?
How can you know that the Kentucky department of education, does not have any educators on their staff, who are capable of running the Jefferson county district, in case of a takeover? I would tend to believe that the state education department would have at least some educators on the payroll, and at least some educators with administrative experience, adequate to handle the tasks. Furthermore, it is natural to assume, that the state department of education would be able to bring in experienced people on a temporary/contract basis, to assist in the tasks.
Again, I hope that the problems which the audit is bringing to light, can be solved by local people, without overt direction from state bureaucrats.
“If all men were angels, there would be no need for government” – James Madison 1787.
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Charles,
Thanks for the link. Did you read the article? The title is, “when state takeovers occur, disaster usually occurs.” State education departments are not staffed by educators. They are staffed by program admintrators. You work in the Pentgon. Are you equipped to fly a jet?
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Yes, I did read the article. The article asserts that when state education departments take over districts, that disaster follows. I tend to agree, at least in principle. Local problems are almost always addressed more efficiently by local people, instead of state bureaucrats.
Since state education departments normally do not operate individual school districts, it follows that these departments are not staffed by professionals with the experience and credentials to operate individual school districts.
Nevertheless, it is natural to assume that at least some state education departments would have at least some professionals on staff, with education experience. Furthermore, education departments should be able to bring in professionals on a temporary or contingency basis, to provide support in an emergency. I believe that the serious problems facing the largest school district in the state of Kentucky, qualifies as an emergency.
I am a systems engineer, not a pilot. I evaluate communications and unclassified computer systems. If I need expertise on a project, that is out of my skill set, there is a budget to bring in outside expertise and staff on a contingency basis.
During the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts, the Dept of Defense did not have adequate staff on hand to supervise their unclassified computer and telecommunications projects. The Dept hired professionals on a contingency basis. That is why I served in theater for ten(10) years.
I must state, categorically, that the serious problems which are coming to light in Jefferson county, should best be solved by local people, who are in the trenches every day. Bringing in a group of bureaucrats from the state capital, will most likely delay rather than hasten the solutions.
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Charles, let me try to put this simply: state education departments are staffed by bureaucrats.
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We are in agreement.
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Opposition to the state takeover could and should have been prominent in the walkouts. The KEA was responsible for calling off protests before the legislative session ended. The union forfeited an opportunity to build a more powerful movement, accepting a bad bill about pensions rather than fighting on that and so many issues that adversely affect kids and schools.
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I thought this was perfect to go with my post earlier today.
so I posted it this too at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Report–National-Educatio-in-General_News-Charter-School-Failure_Charter-Schools_Children_Education-180419-315.html#comment697511
Breaking news! Here is how its done, right now –in Kentucky….. how they make the schools fail, and then take over…
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The wrong Pruitt resigned. Can we sneak Steve in to replace Scott? Will Trump notice?
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The US Small Business Administration runs a program called SCORE, The service corps of retired executives. see https://www.score.org/
When a small business needs advice, they can call on a group of retired small business operators, to help.
Why not start a “service corps of retired educators”? When a school district is having problems, and is in danger of a state takeover, why not have a “reserve” of retired educators, who can step in, and provide advice?
The state/federal departments of education could provide administrative and logistical advice, and serve as “matchmakers” to help troubled school districts find retired educators to provide the necessary advice and guidance, to help them through the crisis.
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I feel I must reply to Diane’s and Charles’s discussion. First, I personally know a number of people at the Kentucky Department of Education and those that work directly with teachers and districts are ALL educators, including those that are Associate Commissioners. In fact, that is a requirement of employment. Perhaps there are some “paper pushers”, such as those responsible for finance and legal issues. But to think that educators who chose to take their experience and talents to the next level become bureaucrats is, in my opinion, denigrating those people the way DeVos and company do.
So state takeovers work? I don’t know so I have no comments or opinions on that matter.
As for what has happened in this state, speculation is that Bevin and company want to turn Jefferson County Public Schools into another New Orleans in that every public school becomes a charter. This is what Bevin ran on during his election, this is what he pushed during last year’s legislative session, this is why 10 or the 11 new members do NOT have any educational experience but are charter advocates, and this is why Hal Heiner is now on the board and Wayne Lewis is the “interim” commissioner. If you continue to follow the story that continues to unfold, then you will see that this new board could not find cause to dismiss Dr. Pruitt, that his recommendation to the board was likely to be state assistance, and that this board may have actually broke a number of open meeting laws.
Kentucky’s educational system is now in dire straights. We have a governor who does nothing but put down teachers and call them names–a bully that clearly hates anything that has to do with public service. I do not blame KEA, but the voters of Kentucky who did not turn out to the polls two years ago.
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KYTeacher, glad to know that the Kentucky Department of Education is staffed with experienced teachers and principals, ipunlike most state education departments, which are staffed with program administrators. But that does not change the fact that there is no example of a successful state takeover of any school district.
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I found it hard to believe that the professionals in the Kentucky Department of Education are not professional educators. I am glad to know that at least some of the people who work in the education department are educators.
From what I have turned up in my research, the past experience in places where the state has come in and taken over a local school board, is uneven at best.
I hope that the serious problems in Louisville/Jefferson can be solved quickly and efficiently. If the solutions can be found without a state takeover, so much the better.
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If you find a successful state takeover, please let me know. Even if the Kentucky state Education Department has some educators, that doesn’t mean that any of them have any experience turning around the largest district in the state. This is just an example of Gov. Bevin wreaking damage on political enemies who didn’t vote for him.
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