Issues / Raising the Bar on Education

Belief: Competition in Educational opportunities (charter schools, school vouchers) makes traditional public schools better.

Best Objective Criteria for Measuring the Strength of This Belief:

1. Student Academic Achievement

• Description: Improvement in student test scores, graduation rates, and college admission rates.
• Importance Score: High. A broad consensus exists that student outcomes are a primary measure of educational effectiveness.
• Rationale: Direct measures of student learning and achievement are critical for assessing whether competition leads to improvements in education.

2. Equity in Education

• Description: Access to quality education for all students, regardless of socio-economic background.
• Importance Score: High. Equity is a central concern in education policy, with widespread agreement on its importance.
• Rationale: Competition should not exacerbate existing inequities in education but rather aim to uplift all students, making this a key criterion for evaluation.
• It's crucial to consider how this principle interacts with other goals, such as fostering individual initiative and providing opportunities for students to excel. 

3. Innovation and Pedagogical Practices

• Description: Adoption of innovative teaching methods and curricula.
• Importance Score: Medium. There is agreement on the value of innovation, though opinions may vary on its importance relative to other factors.
• Rationale: Competition can be a driver for innovation, making the evaluation of new and effective educational practices a relevant benchmark.

4. Resource Allocation and Financial Efficiency

• Description: Efficient use of educational resources and funding.
• Importance Score: Medium. There is recognition of the importance of financial efficiency, but perspectives differ on how it should be weighed against educational outcomes.
• Rationale: The argument for competition often includes claims of improved efficiency; thus, assessing how resources are managed is a crucial criterion.

5. Parental and Student Satisfaction

• Description: Levels of satisfaction among students and parents with their educational experience.
• Importance Score: Medium. Satisfaction is an important factor, though its subjective nature might lead to varying degrees of emphasis.
• Rationale: Satisfaction can indicate the perceived quality and relevance of education, reflecting broader acceptance of competitive initiatives.

6. Community and School Cohesion

• Description: The impact on school and community cohesion.
• Importance Score: Medium-Low. While important, the direct link between competition and cohesion might be less universally agreed upon.
• Rationale: Concerns that competition might fragment communities or undermine the social role of schools warrant examination.

7. Long-Term Outcomes for Students

• Description: Impact on students' long-term success, including higher education, career readiness, and life skills.
• Importance Score: High. There is a strong consensus on the importance of preparing students for long-term success.
• Rationale: Education should be evaluated not just by immediate outcomes but by how well it equips students for future challenges.

Unstated Motivations of Those Who Agree:

1. Belief in the power of free-market principles to drive innovation and improvement
2. Frustration with the perceived inefficiencies and rigidities of traditional public school systems
3. Desire for greater parental choice and control over their children's education
4. Concern that the current system is failing to adequately prepare students for future success

Unstated Motivations of Those Who Disagree:

1. Fear that competition will lead to the privatization and commodification of education
2. Concern that competition will divert resources and attention away from efforts to improve all public schools
3. Belief that education is a public good that should be controlled by democratically accountable institutions
4. Worry that competition will lead to greater segregation and inequality in educational opportunities

Potential Solutions:

1. Targeted charter schools in densely populated areas:
• As you mentioned, allowing charter schools only in densely populated areas with sufficient demand could help address concerns about the impact on traditional public schools.
• These charter schools could be required to pay teachers competitively and maintain positive relationships with teachers' unions.
• Focusing on charter schools with a proven track record of improving student performance could help ensure that the competition is driving meaningful improvements.
2. Increased funding and support for all public schools:
• To address concerns about competition diverting resources away from traditional public schools, policymakers could pair the introduction of charter schools with increased funding and support for all public schools.
• This could include investments in teacher training, curriculum development, and school infrastructure improvements.
• By ensuring that all schools have the resources they need to succeed, the perceived threat of competition may be reduced.
3. Collaborative partnerships between charter and traditional public schools:
• Encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing between charter and traditional public schools could help foster a sense of shared purpose and mutual benefit.
• This could include joint professional development opportunities, shared curriculum resources, and partnerships on community outreach and student support services.
• By emphasizing collaboration over competition, the divisive effects of educational competition may be mitigated.
4. Rigorous oversight and accountability measures for charter schools:
• To address concerns about the privatization and commodification of education, charter schools could be subject to rigorous oversight and accountability measures.
• This could include regular performance evaluations, financial audits, and requirements for transparent reporting on student outcomes and school operations.
• By ensuring that charter schools are held to high standards and are accountable to the public, fears about the negative effects of competition may be reduced.
5. Inclusive and equitable enrollment policies:
• Charter schools could be required to have inclusive and equitable enrollment policies to prevent segregation and ensure equal access for all students.
• This could include weighted lotteries that prioritize disadvantaged students, outreach efforts to diverse communities, and support services for students with special needs.
• By promoting diversity and inclusion, charter schools can help address concerns about competition exacerbating educational inequalities.

Opposing Interests and Values:

1. "Ensuring that competition doesn't widen educational gaps" vs "helping everyone achieve what they want and are willing to work for." 

• Ensuring that competition doesn't widen educational gaps:
• Supporting evidence: Studies showing that poorly designed competition can exacerbate inequities, research on the importance of equal educational opportunities for social mobility and overall societal well-being.
• Weakening evidence: Examples of competition driving innovation and improvement in underperforming schools, arguments that focusing too much on gaps can hold back high-achieving students.
• Helping everyone achieve what they want and are willing to work for:
• Supporting evidence: Research on the role of motivation and personal effort in academic success, case studies of competition driving student engagement and achievement, philosophical arguments for the value of personal autonomy and self-determination.
• Weakening evidence: Studies highlighting the impact of systemic barriers and inequities on student outcomes, regardless of individual effort; critiques of meritocracy as ignoring structural disadvantages.

Shared Interests and Values:

1. Commitment to student success and well-being
2. Desire for high-quality, effective education
3. Belief in the importance of equal opportunities

Interests of Those Who Agree

1. Excellence over equality
2. Wanting at least the motivated kids to escape broken schools. 
3. Competition between schools, for kids, as a driver of excellence.  

Interests of Those Who Disagree

1. Equality over potential Excellence. 
2. Not wanting all the motivated kids to go to the charter schools, leaving less motivated kids behind. 
3. Lack of competition as a reason they went into education. 

Belief: Competition in Educational opportunities (charter schools, school vouchers) makes traditional public schools better.

Reasons to agree:

1. Monopolies Limit Progress: In any industry, monopolies can stifle innovation and efficiency. Allowing competition in the educational sector encourages traditional public schools to improve and adapt to meet students' needs more effectively.
2. When parents and kids are free to choose their school everyone benefits. +17
3. It is best to trust individuals to make decisions for their own lives. +3
4. Choice is good. +1
5. School choice is good. +13
6. Positive External Pressures: Just as competition from UPS and FedEx led to improvements in the USPS, educational competition encourages all institutions to elevate their standards. Airbus makes Boeing better. Toyota made Ford build more fuel-efficient cars.
7. Motivation Through Rivalry: The dynamics of competition, as seen in sports teams and industries like automotive and aerospace, drive entities to excel and innovate, benefiting consumers and stakeholders alike.

Reasons to disagree:

1. Competition Breeds Division: Introducing competition into education can foster an adversarial 'us vs. them' mentality, emphasizing winning over cooperative learning and community building.
2. Potential for Increased Enmity: The competitive framework might not only divide communities but also lead to heightened tensions and conflicts, detracting from the educational experience and objectives.

Movies that agree:

1.  "Waiting for 'Superman'" (2010): This documentary agrees with the notion that competition in educational opportunities can benefit traditional public schools. It critically examines the failures of the American public education system and suggests that charter schools offer a hopeful alternative for students in failing schools, arguably pushing public schools to improve.
2. "Stand and Deliver" (1988): While not directly about school choice or competition, this film highlights the potential of students in underperforming schools when motivated by dedicated teachers, suggesting that change and improvement within the existing system are possible. It indirectly supports the idea that introducing elements of competition and choice could motivate further improvements.

Movies that disagree:

1. "The Lottery" (2010): Another documentary focused on the American education system, specifically looking at the charter school lottery system in New York City. While it might seem to support charter schools, the film also underscores the desperation of families for quality education options and could be seen as a critique of a system that forces families into a lottery for a decent education, suggesting that the solution should be improving all schools for all students.
2. "Won’t Back Down" (2012): This film tells the story of two mothers determined to transform their children's failing inner-city school. While the movie advocates for parental involvement and taking action for change, one could argue it shows a system in which competition is not enough to ensure quality education for all, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms over competitive alternatives.

Interest of those who agree

1. Improving Educational Quality: Supporters often believe that competition drives schools to improve teaching methodologies, curricula, and student services to attract and retain students.
2. Enhancing Individual Choice: They value the freedom for parents and students to choose schools that best meet their educational needs and preferences, rather than being confined to schools based on geographical location.
3. Fostering Innovation: Proponents may be interested in introducing and spreading innovative educational practices and technologies that can be more readily adopted in competitive environments.
4. Accountability and Efficiency: Those in favor may seek greater accountability from schools for student outcomes and believe that competition can make educational institutions more efficient and responsive to community needs.

Interest of those who disagree

1. Equity and Access:

• Specific Concern: The allocation of funds to charter schools and voucher programs can result in decreased financial resources for public schools, which disproportionately affects schools in low-income areas. Critics argue that this leads to a widening gap in educational quality between affluent and disadvantaged communities.
• Data Point: Research has shown that in areas where charter schools and vouchers are prevalent, public schools often experience a decrease in funding, impacting their ability to provide quality education and maintain infrastructure.

2. Community and Social Cohesion:

• Specific Concern: Public schools often serve as community hubs, offering a space where students from diverse backgrounds interact and learn together. The fear is that school choice could segregate students by socioeconomic status, race, or religion, weakening the fabric of community cohesion.
• Data Point: Studies have indicated that increased school choice can lead to higher levels of segregation in schools, reducing the opportunity for students to engage with peers from different backgrounds.

3. Public Investment and Accountability:

• Specific Concern: There is a concern that public investment could shift towards private entities with less accountability, potentially eroding the quality of public education. Opponents worry that taxpayer money could be funneled into schools that lack transparent accountability mechanisms.
• Data Point: Investigations and reports have occasionally revealed instances where charter schools and private schools receiving voucher funds operate with significantly less oversight compared to traditional public schools, raising questions about the responsible use of public funds.

4. Comprehensive Support Services:

• Specific Concern: Public schools are mandated to provide comprehensive services such as special education, free or reduced-price meals, and psychological counseling. There's an apprehension that a competitive educational landscape might not ensure these essential services are uniformly available to all students, especially those with special needs.
• Data Point: Evidence suggests that some charter schools and private institutions may not offer the same breadth of support services as public schools, potentially leaving the most vulnerable students without necessary resources. 

Books that agree 

• "The Education Gap: Vouchers and Urban Schools" by William G. Howell and Paul E. Peterson

• Presents evidence from empirical studies showing that school vouchers lead to improvements in public schools due to the competitive pressure.

• "Charter Schools and Their Enemies" by Thomas Sowell

• Argues that charter schools provide much-needed competition to public schools, leading to overall improvements in educational outcomes.

Books that agree

• "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education" by Diane Ravitch

• Critiques the impact of school choice and competition on public education, arguing that it undermines public schools and exacerbates inequalities.

• "Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools" by Diane Ravitch

• Explores how the push for privatization, including charter schools and vouchers, detracts from the mission of public education and harms traditional public schools.

Web pages that agree

1.   Education Next (Website: https://www.educationnext.org/)Frequently
1. publishes articles and research findings supporting the idea that competition from charter schools and school vouchers can lead to improvements in public schools.

Web pages that disagree

1. The Network for Public Education (Website: https://networkforpubliceducation.org/)
1.  Offers articles, reports, and opinion pieces critical of charter schools and school vouchers, arguing that they divert necessary resources from public schools and fail to improve education equity.