Showdown in Chi-Town
Just because it is summer doesn't mean that things aren't happening in local school districts. In Chicago, for instance, teachers and their elected officials are headed for a showdown. Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushes to extend the school day and school year, while stepping away from previous promises of a pay boost. The Chicago Federation of Teachers responds in kind with the authorization for a city-wide strike.
The debate has been an interesting one to watch, and in many ways serves as a microcosm for some of the larger discussions of education reform and school improvement across the country.
George Will offers up a strong commentary on the Chicago experience, with some keen insights, including:
Teachers unions, however, have painted themselves into a corner by insisting that spending is the best predictor of educational performance — increase financial inputs and cognitive outputs will rise. In the past 50 years, real per pupil