Branstad’s Education Plan: The Lipstick on the Pig

Governor Terry Branstad’s proposed education reform bill SSB 3009 is online, and I need to walk a couple of things back from yesterday’s post.

1.  Online education is to be expanded to non-public entities, I said it didn’t, (pg. 11).

2.  Alternative pathways for teacher licensure is in the bill, (pg. 23).  This was one of the items that Eric Goranson, Bill Gustoff and I lauded when we graded the Governor’s education blueprint, but I was under the mistaken impression that it had been dropped.

So those are two items within the bill that should be kept in.  A couple other noteworthy things within the bill that I hope will be enacted.

• The five year probationary period for new teachers, excellent idea… keep it.
• Ending social promotion, the practice needs to stop.  It ultimately hurts, not helps, kids.

I agree with State Senator Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) who said in his newsletter yesterday, “Although these reforms do not go far enough, in my opinion, it is a starting point for continued conversations. Minimally we need to get back to more local control.”

I appreciate the conversation.  While there are things within the details of the education bill that I like; collectively it does little to enact reform and will take far too long to achieve minimal results.

Tags: alternative teacher licensure, Brad Zaun, Branstad's Proposed Education Reform Bill, online education, social promotions, SSB 3009, teacher probationary period, Terry Branstad

Category: Branstad Administration, Education Espresso