The Education Reform Oligarchy & Stiff Accountability
Who convinced a nation that we should put “stiff accountability” in place without first ensuring that all schools and children had the necessary resources to achieve the excellence in education we demand of them? It was “them,” the rulers; not we, the People.
The education reform oligarchy marketed “accountability,” tied their sales pitch to freedom of choice, used statistics to the point of outright trickery, and suppressed the truth.
They set a game plan and methodically stuck to it.
They shifted our focus from what was set by the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) — better educating teachers and counselors, providing sufficient instructional materials, ensuring students are supported, and engaging parents and the community —to— stiff accountability for student outcomes as judged by standardized test scores. And they took aim at teachers…from the start.
Hired to do public opinion polling by the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy under the direction of Marc Tucker, Mr. Lou Harris explained his findings at the 1986National Governor’s Association (NGA) meeting.
“…people are convinced the heart of the matter lies in what is done about teachers.…Of course, this means, in turn, new ground rules for teachers…such as, paying teachers by a new bottom line, …and finally, finally, at last, paying teachers competitive salaries on a level, for example, with accountants.But then with these upside inducements must also go stiff, stiff accountability, such as annual reporting of school-wide studentThe Education Reform Oligarchy & Stiff Accountability - The Crucial VoiceThe Crucial Voice:
