No backsliding on education reform
Published 03/23/2012 12:00 AM
Updated 03/22/2012 06:04 PM
COMMENTS (2)
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposed education reform package is not without its problems. The legislation calls for more aggressive intervention by the state in turning around troubled school systems, but the details of exactly how that would work remain a bit murky. And many of the proposals are underfunded, the result of a lack of political will to set priorities and sacrifice other budgetary sacred cows to invest in education.
But on balance, the administration has it right. These reform proposals go well beyond any attempt by prior administrations. They would mean a fundamental change in direction, setting the foundation for more change to come.
Conversely, if the legislature surrenders to political pressure by watering down these reforms and refusing to tie teacher performance to tenure and compensation, it will be a major setback. We don't think Michelle Rhee, director of the national student