Comments on: Des Moines eyes 'fast-track' diploma http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/des-moines-eyes-fast-track-diploma/ Thinking and Linking by Joanne Jacobs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:51:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: allen http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/des-moines-eyes-fast-track-diploma/#comment-51821 allen Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:29:26 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11751#comment-51821 Sorry Malcolm, but “A year of Algebra I” makes perfect sense within the context of the current system wherein the convenience and/or conceits of the professionals and elective officials are vastly more important then any considerations of education. I'm not sure about your "hiring parents to be parents" idea but it certainly would end the problem of indifferent parents with a crash. Sorry Malcolm, but “A year of Algebra I” makes perfect sense within the context of the current system wherein the convenience and/or conceits of the professionals and elective officials are vastly more important then any considerations of education.

I’m not sure about your “hiring parents to be parents” idea but it certainly would end the problem of indifferent parents with a crash.

]]> By: Malcolm Kirkpatrick http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/des-moines-eyes-fast-track-diploma/#comment-51820 Malcolm Kirkpatrick Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:33:51 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11751#comment-51820 It does not take 12 years at $12,000 per pupil-year to teach a normal child to read and compute. "A year of Algebra I" makes as much sense as "a pound of friendship" or "a square meter of salinity". That school districts measure education in years demonstrates that the government schools of the US are little more than employment programs for dues-paying members of the NEA/AFT/AFSCME cartel. How to reduce fraud? "I cut; you choose." Let your legislature mandate that schools <i>must</i> hire parents on personal service contracts for, say, 2/3 of the regular-ed per-pupil budget, to provide for their own children's education. Make payment contingent on performance at or above age-level expectations on standardized tests or Reading (any language) and Math. Allow students to take an exit exam (the GED will do) at any age and apply the taxpayers' age6-18 education subsidy toward post-secondary tuition at any VA-approved post-secondary institution or toward a wage subsidy at any qualified (say, has filed W-2 forms on at least 3 adult employees for at least the previous four years) private-sector employer. It does not take 12 years at $12,000 per pupil-year to teach a normal child to read and compute. “A year of Algebra I” makes as much sense as “a pound of friendship” or “a square meter of salinity”. That school districts measure education in years demonstrates that the government schools of the US are little more than employment programs for dues-paying members of the NEA/AFT/AFSCME cartel.

How to reduce fraud? “I cut; you choose.” Let your legislature mandate that schools must hire parents on personal service contracts for, say, 2/3 of the regular-ed per-pupil budget, to provide for their own children’s education. Make payment contingent on performance at or above age-level expectations on standardized tests or Reading (any language) and Math. Allow students to take an exit exam (the GED will do) at any age and apply the taxpayers’ age6-18 education subsidy toward post-secondary tuition at any VA-approved post-secondary institution or toward a wage subsidy at any qualified (say, has filed W-2 forms on at least 3 adult employees for at least the previous four years) private-sector employer.

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