Arne Duncan on Milwaukee's chronic woes: 'A national disgrace'
I don't know how anyone can look at the results from last year on how Milwaukee kids are doing in reading and math and not think we need fresh, bold steps aimed at getting better.
As I noted sarcastically last week, the testing itself and then the statewide release of results were chaotic, frustrating and, when it finally came to a release date on Jan. 13, disappointing, simply from the standpoint of public information. The state Department of Public Instruction did not post to its website information on any specific school districts or schools, as it had done every year for a long time.
At my request, Milwaukee Public Schools provided some of the results for the system and for its 150-plus schools. And, in broad strokes, what did the results say?
Nothing you don't know, based on so many years in a row. The percentage of students who can read and do math at levels considered proficient or better is low. The percentage who score at levels considered "below basic," the lowest category, is shockingly high. The racial gaps are large, almost certainly once again among the biggest in the country.
I had a chance a few days ago to get thoughts from Arne Duncan, who just finished seven years as the U.S. secretary of education. What did he think of the Milwaukee results and the low scores year after year?
"A national disgrace," he said.
Achievement gaps and low proficiency in urban school districts are profound issues from coast to coast — a national disgrace overall.
But Duncan was talking specifically about Milwaukee. We would be wise to take this personally.
While there is no city that has licked urban education problems, there are places with similar populations that are doing better than Milwaukee. There are places that are making more progress. And there are places pursuing more united and bolder steps, some of which haven't worked and some of which are showing results.
Consider Washington, D.C. The educational picture was bleak in the mid-2000s. Michelle Rhee was named chancellor in 2007 and became notorious for her no-prisoners approach to big changes. She left in 2010, but her successor, Kaya Henderson, has pursued similar policies, including strong steps to improve the overall quality of teaching (such as paying top teachers top money and ushering out ones who aren't good at the work).
Henderson is far more adept than Rhee at dealing with people. Washington is on its third consecutive mayor who has actively supported improvements. And the business and civic communities have been strong in their support. The result? Things are getting better.
Milwaukee's ugly rut
Meantime, in Milwaukee, we are stuck in an ugly rut and the things we have done — including the rise of private school vouchers and independent charter schools — haven't changed the big picture. New results for most of the charter and all of the voucher schools have not been made available. But I am almost 100% confident they will not contain any exciting news if and when they become public.
I won't dwell here on specific data, except for a few examples. In MPS, 27% of third- through eighth-graders Alan J. Borsuk - Arne Duncan on Milwaukee's chronic woes: 'A national disgrace':