Author's Note: This post is an excerpt of a college paper that I wrote in 2006 to support the idea of school vouchers. It is important to remember that I was still a public school teacher at the time of writing this paper. This opinion is not based on what would benefit me personally, rather it is a reflection of my philosophical belief that all children deserve to be educated in the least restrictive environment of their choice. I believe for there to be any true growth in our educational system, systemic changes must be adopted in order to bring competition into the educational landscape. With that in mind please enjoy my proposal for educational vouchers in Kansas.
Reflective Thinking Report (Week 3)
Foundations of Educational Administration- Summer 1
Jason Soule
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
In 1983, President Reagan commissioned an examination of America’s public schools. The report that was produced was called “a Nation At Risk” and opened many people’s eyes to the ineffectiveness of our public education system. In the twenty years hence, the issue of education has been an anvil of idealism for local, state and federal politicians nationwide. But in spite of the posturing and promises and in spite of applying the Band-Aid of budgetary increases, the system has made little upward movement. The truth is that true reform in education is weighed down by the lack of priority. Educators understand the need for changes but resist them at the same time.
If you were to take the time to ask one hundred people on the street what is necessary to fix public education, it is likely that you would get one hundred different answers. So with this diversity in mind, I would like to offer my suggestion for reforming local education.
I believe that the God given responsibility for raising and educating a child is placed on the family of that child. In many cases, however, education is delegated to public schools. In and of itself, that is not a bad thing, but unfortunately many parents have the idea that their accountability for the education of that child ends when they drop him or her off at the flagpole. Others that take an interest or an active roll in the education of their child are deemed within the education profession as intrusive or meddlesome.
It is my opinion that we as a society need to give the power of education back to the family. Allowing parents to choose the ideal educational atmosphere for their children can do this. In our current system, educational choice is reserved for the upper middle class and wealthy members of society. Many low to middle class parents do not have educational options available to them because of economic reasons. This circumstance leaves no options for families that do not feel the local public school is adequately meeting the needs of their child. I believe that there is a way to offer school choice through vouchers without endangering public education. At the same time, the increase of competition will give public educators a personal reason to adopt true educational reform.
For the 2005-2006 school year, the state allocated $4257 as the base state aid per pupil. Enrollment in public schools in 2004-2005 was 466,037 students. The number of students enrolled in non-public (private and home) schools in the same time period was 30,742 students. These students amount to 6.6% of the enrolled students in Kansas. It is my proposition that each family should be offered a $2000 voucher that can be used toward payment of the school of their choice. This would allow families from all socioeconomic backgrounds to choose the education that best meets their own needs.
Many would argue that a system like this would severely endanger the funding of public education, but I disagree. My plan also includes raising the base state aid per pupil to $4600 in public schools. This increase would help to offset the loss of pupils. One scenario would look like this assuming that the number of non public school students would immediately double.
Public Schools (Pre Voucher)
Base State Aid Per Pupil (pre voucher)
$4257
Number of Pupils (pre voucher)
466,000
Total
$1.98 billion
Public Schools (Post Voucher)
Base State Aid Per Pupil (post voucher)
$4600 (9.25% increase)
Number of Pupils (post voucher)
404,000 (13% decrease)
Total
$1.86 billion (6% decrease)
Non-Public Schools
Base State Aid Per Pupil (post voucher)
$2000
Number of Pupils (post voucher)
62,000
Total
$124 million
Another aspect to consider is that in Wichita, only 55% of public education monies come from state sources. When averaged out, this would amount in 3.3% budget drop while serving 13% fewer students state wide. The monies per student would increase by just under 10%.
I understand that change can be hard to accept for many people. But true reform has been put off long enough. It is time to take significant action to reform education and give equitable opportunities to everyone regardless of social status. This is a system that will offer choices to the ones that are truly accountable for children and strengthen education for the benefit of all students.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Trustworthy Education
In today's educational landscape it is difficult to measure the overall impact a school may have on your child, whether it be positive or negative. My own mom, upon hearing stories recounted from my childhood, often responds by saying "Oh, I wish I would have known that." A child is molded by their surroundings. Hundreds of responses, interactions, choices, consequences and promptings influence the formative mind of a child every day. With this in mind it is impossible to imagine a value free educational environment. The truth is that any school whether intending to or not will shape the values of a child. With this in mind, it is important for us as parents to choose carefully the educational environment for our children.
There are no perfect schools. At some time, even the best schools will offer challenges that require patience, communication and understanding. But during these times of doubt it is important to remember your ultimate goal for choosing a school. Your choice of school should be one that is trustworthy to embrace the cultural and spiritual values that you hold most dear as a family. I often hear stories of parents that chose to put their children in the hands of secular society with the promise of a value free environment, only to find out that it is impossible for a child to marinade in a worldly atmosphere and not adhere to some of those principles.
I have used the phrase "Trustworthy Education" to describe the environment we create at Bethel. I consider our school to be trustworthy, not because we customize our value system to each family (that would be impossible), but because our purpose is clear. We strive daily to help each child grow to their highest potential physically, intellectually, and spiritually. This guiding principle is present in all that we do. We don't claim to be something that we are not, and we embrace our Godly heritage. I have repeatedly said that if all we do as a school is give a child knowledge, we have missed our purpose. We believe that it is equally important for a child to grow in the love, fear and admonition of the Lord. The Bible says that this is the beginning of wisdom and we agree. If you have experienced the sting of secularism on your family I invite you to come and see what it means to receive a "Trustworthy Education".
There are no perfect schools. At some time, even the best schools will offer challenges that require patience, communication and understanding. But during these times of doubt it is important to remember your ultimate goal for choosing a school. Your choice of school should be one that is trustworthy to embrace the cultural and spiritual values that you hold most dear as a family. I often hear stories of parents that chose to put their children in the hands of secular society with the promise of a value free environment, only to find out that it is impossible for a child to marinade in a worldly atmosphere and not adhere to some of those principles.
I have used the phrase "Trustworthy Education" to describe the environment we create at Bethel. I consider our school to be trustworthy, not because we customize our value system to each family (that would be impossible), but because our purpose is clear. We strive daily to help each child grow to their highest potential physically, intellectually, and spiritually. This guiding principle is present in all that we do. We don't claim to be something that we are not, and we embrace our Godly heritage. I have repeatedly said that if all we do as a school is give a child knowledge, we have missed our purpose. We believe that it is equally important for a child to grow in the love, fear and admonition of the Lord. The Bible says that this is the beginning of wisdom and we agree. If you have experienced the sting of secularism on your family I invite you to come and see what it means to receive a "Trustworthy Education".
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Who's Accountable For Your Child?
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. -Ephesians 6:4
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. -Deuteronomy 11:18-21
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6
The primary buzzword in today's educational landscape is accountability. The federal government speaks of holding schools accountable for student achievement. School districts hold building administration accountable for measurable results, and school Principal's in turn pressure classroom teachers to work harder and longer to increase student assessment scores. But somewhere in the struggle for accountability in education the truth of God's word has been lost.
It seems to be self evident when you read scripture as to God's intentions for the education of a child however for some reason, in today's society, those intentions have either been forgotten or intentionally ignored.
No matter what the public education bureaucracy will tell you, the inherent accountability in the education of a child lies with the parents of that child, not the state. Consider this: A student, entering second grade and will spend approximately 1116 hours during an average school year in the custodial care of a school. Over 13 educational years, the child will have spent 14,508 hours in a school setting as a minimum requirement. When that child leaves the classroom for the last time most, if not all, teachers will fail to remember the child's name.
Conversely, the lack of a quality education or consequences of negative social indoctrination can effect a parent child relationship for the rest of their lives. After all, it will be the child that will make the decisions for an elderly parent when they can no longer make decisions for themselves. If that is not inherent accountablility, I don't know a better example.
The truth is that I am not against public education. What I am against is parents that will blindly give away the responsability of their child's education to an institution that does not promote their family values. It is appauling to think that parents are satisfied to drop their children off every morning at the doors of a school (any school) and then be satisfied with a brief conference twice a year. For the benefit of the long term viability of our country and society parents need to take back the accountablility of educating their children. They need to regularily ask questions of their school and check for regular progress. It is fool hardy to think that a public institution with a history of forwarding a humanist agenda will offer trustworthy values. And least we think that schools are only educational environments devoid of social steering, my experience shows me that such a school does not exist. So the question must be asked by an accountable parent, "What social philosophies are my children learning." When you find the answer to this question you will be able to make an informed desision as to your child's educational needs.
It is for this social reason that many people have chosen to join the Bethel Life School family. We offer a trustworthy Chritian environment where your children are taught according to a belief system that closely matches your own. Our ministry is not only to your child but to your whole family. That is why you will read so often a reference to family in our promotional literature. We believe that it is only by a strong home and school relationship that we can successfully educate your child. Add to that our strong academic traditions and safer more positive school environment and it easy to see why our assessment scores are amoung the highest in the community.
Yeah I am proud...you should be too.
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. -Deuteronomy 11:18-21
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6
The primary buzzword in today's educational landscape is accountability. The federal government speaks of holding schools accountable for student achievement. School districts hold building administration accountable for measurable results, and school Principal's in turn pressure classroom teachers to work harder and longer to increase student assessment scores. But somewhere in the struggle for accountability in education the truth of God's word has been lost.
It seems to be self evident when you read scripture as to God's intentions for the education of a child however for some reason, in today's society, those intentions have either been forgotten or intentionally ignored.
No matter what the public education bureaucracy will tell you, the inherent accountability in the education of a child lies with the parents of that child, not the state. Consider this: A student, entering second grade and will spend approximately 1116 hours during an average school year in the custodial care of a school. Over 13 educational years, the child will have spent 14,508 hours in a school setting as a minimum requirement. When that child leaves the classroom for the last time most, if not all, teachers will fail to remember the child's name.
Conversely, the lack of a quality education or consequences of negative social indoctrination can effect a parent child relationship for the rest of their lives. After all, it will be the child that will make the decisions for an elderly parent when they can no longer make decisions for themselves. If that is not inherent accountablility, I don't know a better example.
The truth is that I am not against public education. What I am against is parents that will blindly give away the responsability of their child's education to an institution that does not promote their family values. It is appauling to think that parents are satisfied to drop their children off every morning at the doors of a school (any school) and then be satisfied with a brief conference twice a year. For the benefit of the long term viability of our country and society parents need to take back the accountablility of educating their children. They need to regularily ask questions of their school and check for regular progress. It is fool hardy to think that a public institution with a history of forwarding a humanist agenda will offer trustworthy values. And least we think that schools are only educational environments devoid of social steering, my experience shows me that such a school does not exist. So the question must be asked by an accountable parent, "What social philosophies are my children learning." When you find the answer to this question you will be able to make an informed desision as to your child's educational needs.
It is for this social reason that many people have chosen to join the Bethel Life School family. We offer a trustworthy Chritian environment where your children are taught according to a belief system that closely matches your own. Our ministry is not only to your child but to your whole family. That is why you will read so often a reference to family in our promotional literature. We believe that it is only by a strong home and school relationship that we can successfully educate your child. Add to that our strong academic traditions and safer more positive school environment and it easy to see why our assessment scores are amoung the highest in the community.
Yeah I am proud...you should be too.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Progressive Principle
Submission draws from humility,
Humility draws from trust,
Trust is built on respect,
Respect comes from fear,
Fear is the beginning of wisdom,
Wisdom is born out of submission.
Historically speaking I have always considered progress a good thing. I was made principal of BLS for the purpose of growing and moving our school forward. But God has shown me something recently that has made me pause to rethink my definintion of progress. In Psalms God says, "Unless the Lord builds a house its builders labor in vain, unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." God has brought to my attention that unless his will is done at BLS all of our labor is meaningless. We can impliment and move forward with a stratiegic action plan to promote and grow the school but if we are not working for the glory of God, his annointing will not be on our efforts. At this point I am more concerned with submitting to the will of God than accomplishing my own goals. Maybe someday God will bless us with abundance but when that day comes, we will know exactly where the glory belongs.
Humility draws from trust,
Trust is built on respect,
Respect comes from fear,
Fear is the beginning of wisdom,
Wisdom is born out of submission.
Historically speaking I have always considered progress a good thing. I was made principal of BLS for the purpose of growing and moving our school forward. But God has shown me something recently that has made me pause to rethink my definintion of progress. In Psalms God says, "Unless the Lord builds a house its builders labor in vain, unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." God has brought to my attention that unless his will is done at BLS all of our labor is meaningless. We can impliment and move forward with a stratiegic action plan to promote and grow the school but if we are not working for the glory of God, his annointing will not be on our efforts. At this point I am more concerned with submitting to the will of God than accomplishing my own goals. Maybe someday God will bless us with abundance but when that day comes, we will know exactly where the glory belongs.
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