Michigan Skunk Works tries to create better and cheaper schools…errr….I mean UX restores artwork in underground workshop…
(Guest Post by Matthew Ladner)
Just to take the UX theme a bit further, you can get a pretty good insight into much of what is wrong with our education policy discussion by reading this article from the Detroit News:
Education reform group forges voucher-like plan for Michigan
Proposal would create ‘value schools’ to operate at lesser cost than now
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130419/SCHOOLS/304190361#ixzz2R1FbwpN1
Only in education could having a group of people working to design a more effective and cost-efficient service be viewed as some sort of dark conspiracy. I mean the Trial Urban District Assessment of NAEP reveals that a full 7% of Detroit 8th graders can read at a Proficient level- only 93% to go. Why would anyone want to seek a better return on the annual investment for the almost $20k per student spent in DPS? Perhaps when the people of Michigan evolve from their cheap skate tendencies and spend $40,000 per student per year they will get that proficiency rate up to 14%.
Or perhaps not.
Notice the use of the term “voucher-like” when in fact the Michigan constitution prohibits public funds following a child to a private school rather completely. I guess it is “voucher-like” however in that vouchers clearly deliver superior academic results for less money. Other than that this plan sounds like an interesting combination of digital learning, charter schools and education savings accounts. Sadly the Pascal Monnett types of the Motor City will quickly be trying to find ways to undermine them.
HT: RedefinED twitter feed.
Jay P. Greene's Blog 
A full 7% of Detroit 8th graders can read at a Proficient level- only 93% to go. Why would anyone want to seek a better return on the annual investment for the almost $20k per student spent in DPS?
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!