There is a movement afoot to have a multi-state K-12 set of educational standards. The good news, 47 of the 50 states have agreed that it’s a good idea. The bad news, none of them have signed on to adopt such standards yet. I have supported such an idea in the past, and I cautiously support it now.
I say cautiously and I do mean it. There is a huge risk that one of several bad things could happen. The standards could be hijacked by special interest groups (including political groups and education “experts”). The standards could be so stupid — either stupidly complicated, stupidly hard, or stupidly simple — that no state in their right mind would adopt them. The process of writing the standards could get bogged down in educational theory that has little to do with “what does a high school graduate really need to know”. They could be derailed by people who want to water down the standard under the misguided belief that “everybody” should have a high school diploma, regardless of knowing or learning anything. And finally, the standards could be used as a stick to waste the time and money of schools, much like No Child Left Behind.
But, if this nation is seriously ready to commit to the idea that everybody who gets a high school diploma should meet certain standards, that every parent should be able to quickly figure out what their kids in each grade should know, then I am ready to do everything I can do to help.
In Closing: Anti-Abortion Terrorism is fine with some people; this year’s Lunch with Buffett for Charity went for $1,680,000; the best education money can buy; Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security at odds over border patrolling; 4 generations in the workplace; fewer people in restaurants for the 21st consecutive month; Iraqis delighted about departing American troops; when Wal-Mart backs employer mandated health insurance you know it must be a screw-job; we can finally say Senator Franken and mean it; on a possible Health Insurance Exchange and the problems therewith; let’s continue to pressure Congress for a public health plan option; and Hoekstroika.