In public vs. voucher debate, focus on individual schools
Five years and three dozen reports later, here's the biggest thing I have learned when it comes to comparing how kids are doing in Milwaukee Public Schools and in the publicly funded voucher program for private schools:
We've got some schools that are getting very good results. But we've got a lot of problems, and that's true across the board. You'll find schools where weak outcomes are the dominant reality in MPS, in the voucher program and among the independent charter schools. Three major streams of schools in Milwaukee and not much reason to cheer for any of them, in and of themselves.
What's there to cheer for? Specific high performing schools - voucher, charter and MPS. Specific school leaders, teachers, supporters and kids. Specific people who are pushing to improve the status quo. Specific people who are willing to work together, including across ideological lines, to build up what works and tear down what doesn't.
What's there to cheer for? People who are serious participants in the pursuit of quality and results, regardless of the overarching governing and financial structure of their schools.
Five years and three dozen reports later, we know a lot about comparing the streams of Milwaukee education - and, it seems to me, it's time to move past that. It's time to focus on success school by