One Size Fits All Does Not Work In Education

As discussions about education reform in Los Angeles heat up budget cuts and underfunded schools remain a primary concern. It seems obvious that without a steady flow of financial resources teacher qualification and student motivation matter little because schools inevitably end up suffering from teacher layoffs, larger and less efficient classes, a shortage of materials and in many cases permanent closings. Why then, if the consequences are so clear, are so many public school in LA still neglected?

A vicious cycle plays out as underperforming schools lose funding causing their already struggling students to move to yet another overcrowded underfunded school where the process begins again. This punitive accountability strategy brought in by the Bush administration with No Child Left Behind was meant to scare teachers into working harder. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, this strategy does not work and it is not fair to the teachers.

As well intentioned as policy makers may be they are not well equipped to design effective educational reform policies. They cannot treat education reform the same as they would the economy. When it comes to a child’s education one size does not fit all. Looking for a federal policy, or even a statewide policy, to govern all schools by will not bring about the changed needed.

Instead more effective results will emerge when local governments create policies based on what their school districts need. In low-income areas there is a higher need for quality early childhood education. Some areas need to focus on ESL programs and some need to focus on improving the quality of their teachers and teacher’s assistants. Others still need to focus more on creating safe environments for their students to learn in or on the physical health of their students.    

Federal intervention in funding is useful when local governments and school boards decide where the money should be directed. There are simply too many unique issues to address with a couple policies from above.