Reforming the Public Schools

Every year the Max Rosenn Endowment brings a distinguished and successful individual to Wilkes University to lecture, and to explain what they have accomplished and how they did it. These lectures are extremely valuable to individuals who want to improve the quality of life in America.

This year the former Chancellor of the Washington, D.C. Public Schools, Michelle Rhee was the guest speaker. According to Time Magazine, she is one of the most influential individuals in the country. She is one of the most brilliant individuals I have ever met and definitely the finest educator. Following is a summary of her major ideas which citizens across the country and across the globe can use to improve their educational systems.

Make Education a Priority

Fixing our public schools is an urgent priority. There are numerous and serious problems in the public schools and we need to make education a national priority. Public education is the great equalizer in American Society that makes it possible for everyone to be successful. The problem is that some schools are in such bad shape that their students will never get ahead.

Every Student Can Succeed

Every student can learn and poverty is not a disability. She was told that students in Washington D.C. were doing poorly because they were living in poverty. So she compared students in Washington with students in New York City (NYC). In kindergarten students in DC looked just like students in any urban area. By second grade, they were behind their counterparts in NYC. By the third grade they were very far behind their counterparts in NYC. The students were almost better off if they just stayed home.

Stewardship

Education dollars must be spent wisely. It is not how much we spend, but how wisely we spend our money that counts. When she took over the DC public schools they were spending more money than any other school district in the country and not getting any results.

We must keep track of where the money is going. As the chancellor of the public schools in DC, she closed 23 schools as they were half empty and not cost effective. Another problem was that the district was spending 80 million dollars a year to transport special needs students. The program was under a court decree and had a director who spent money whatever way he wanted to. She took action to help bring control of the program under the DC public school system.

Good Public Policy

Opening and closing schools are extremely important decisions and they soon become political footballs. These decisions should be based on what is in the best interests of the educational system and not political considerations. When she closed schools in DC all the city council members supported her, but they did not want schools closed in their areas.

Regain Sense of Competitiveness

We have become too soft and are too busy making students feel good about themselves. We have developed a culture that celebrates mediocrity. We are first in self confidence but 31st in math. We must regain the competitive spirit of America by taking a tough stance on the issues and ensuring that the students get a great education.

Accountability

Teachers and administrators must be professional, competent, and dedicated to their students. They must be evaluated every year and meet or exceed their job standards. When she was the chancellor in DC she had to make a lot of tough decisions and fire a lot of teachers and administrators who were not doing their jobs.

People Make the Difference

Ultimately, the parents, students, and teachers determine the effectiveness of the school system. Parents should put aside their differences and work together for the good of the school.

Rhee believes in the power of teachers. Although teaching is an incredibly difficult job, it is also one of the most important jobs in the world. Teachers have an enormous impact on the lives of their students, and they play a great role in leading young people to successful and productive lives. They probably have more of an impact on society than any other profession.

Students are also very important, and they make a great difference. Dedicated students who want to learn are the foundation of a successful school district. At the same time, rebellious students with no interest in learning who just fool around in school can have a devastating impact on a school district.

Source: Michelle Rhee's Lecture at Wilkes University, May 1, 2011.
2. Wilkes University Brochure, 30 years of the Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities, May 1 2011.