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Ed Reform Plan Reaction Mixed By Monica Brady-Myerov  Listen to story (Real Audio)
BOSTON - June 26, 2008 - Text of Story HOST INTRO: Now that Governor Deval Patrick's sweeping education reform plan is on the table, reaction is mixed. The Readiness Project is meant to build on education reform of the 1990s and educate citizens in a fast-paced, technologically driven world economy. But the reforms touch some political minefields. WBUR's Monica Brady-Myerov reports. BRADY-MYEROV: The Readiness Action Plan lays out a reform strategy for the next decade. The four main goals are raising achievement of all students, elevating the teaching profession, preparing every student for college, and changing the way public schools are funded. To meet these goals, the plan recommends everything from lengthening the school day to paying teachers more to teach in underprivileged schools. Governor Patrick says the plan moves the education system from the 19th century to the 21st century. DEVAL PATRICK: If we are going to prepare to compete on the playing field where everybody competes right now, then we have to step up our game. BRADY-MYEROV: The sweeping vision of reform reflects the governor?s style. But it's also drawn critics, who say it left out some key elements of education reform that are working, is overreaching, and could be impossible to fund. Patrick is already getting pushback from the business community, a vital constituency in supporting education reform. Some business leaders are disappointed the governor didn't mention expanding charter schools. Marc Kenan, of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, says the governor is leaving behind a key part of education reform. MARC KENAN: Charter schools have been one of the most important innovations in Massachusetts public education and most successful so we?re baffled and very disappointed that the governor is choosing not to support the expansion of these very successful schools. BRADY-MYEROV: Another criticism is the size of the agenda. Jim Sturgis of the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research says the governor should have shown more leadership by creating a sharper focus. JIM STURGIS: If there were 3 things that the governor wanted to do here, given the difficulty of changing the educational system, he could achieve that. But there are probably are 50 different elements to this plan all moving difference pieces of state bureaucracy and that takes a lot of work. BRADY-MYEROV: The plan raises some of the most contentious issues in education -- such as creating a statewide union contract with teachers, allowing undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges, and merging some school districts. Sturgis, of the Pioneer Institute, says while there are good elements, these big ideas will be gathering big opposition. JIM STURGIS: There is no financing plan for this set of proposals we will not have it for 5 or 6 months. Anybody who's been in state government knows when you have a big initiative in the table, as soon as you announce it you are implementing because the first 6 months will either make that initiative thrive or die. BRADY-MYEROV: Legislators predict most of the proposal won?t even be considered until 2009 because of the current agenda and because it?s unclear how much it will cost. Former Senate President Thomas Birmingham, who was an architect of ed reform in the 1990's, called Governor Patrick's plan enormously ambitious, but he faults it for not having the numbers in place now. THOMAS BIRMINGHAM: In all candor the lack of a financing plan as we speak is the absent center for the whole proposal because just as the plan is ambitious, it is expensive. Talk is about education is cheap but great education is unfortunately not cheap. BRADY-MYEROV: Patrick consulted primarily with education experts but included the chairs of the Joint Committee on Education on his leadership council. Robert Antonioni is the Senate chair. ROBERT ANTONIONI: I give the governor credit for coming forward with this, there are some controversial elements to the plan and the cost will be controversial but the reality is before you being the journey you?ve got to have a discussion. BRADY-MYEROV: Governor Patrick says he's ready for the hard questions that will come with such a long range ambitious education reform plan.
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