How-to-Study Blog

Under No Child Left Behind, 6,000 failing schools have been identified. Yet, in the vast majority of cases, state and local authorities have done nothing about them.  In steps Arne Duncan, the new education secretary.  Duncan hopes to get to a point where 1,000 failing schools are “turned around” each year. In a turn around, all teachers and staff at a school are dismissed, replacements are hired (dismissed teachers can reapply), and there is in effect, a newly constituted start.  Because the federal government lacks the authority to do this, it is up to the states and local districts to do so.

Duncan’s own experience when head of Chicago’s public schools showed that turnarounds angered teachers, administrators, parents, and well as local politicians of course. There were also problems regarding teachers’ and staffs’ union contracts. Clearly, something has to be done about failing schools. Is Duncan’s approach the right approach?  What do you think? Any suggestions?