Strains on Public Education

 The strains today on public education come from many sides.   We're all sadly too familar with the issues caused by the pandemic, grumbling from some quarters of the public, and the seemingly endless stream of reformers.

But there's far more to the hit that public education has taken over a period of time that many other delivery systems of education are less likely to have to deal with.    In fact, on some issues they don't have to deal with them particularly when it comes to various state mandates (I'm not by the way suggesting all the mandates are helpful).

I'd be interested to know how many charter schools, private and selective ones take on the load of Education Services students compared to the neighborhood public school.   And if they enroll Education Services students do they provide top flight services?   Do those schools, as a group, have to live up to the expectations of the neighborhood schools when it comes to disclosing finances and their manner of operation.

And then (perhaps an elephant in the room) do some of the selective and private for-profit schools entertain enrolling those from poverty striken backgrounds or those who have 'low' test scores?

My point is this...the traditional neighborhood public school and their respective staffs have plenty thrown at them that other education delivery systems can and do avoid.   So, let's not be quite so quick to be critical of our neighborhood schools.   We might just want to be a bit more supportive!

Thanks and have a good weekend,

Dick