That looks like the perfect formula for success - get the bureaucrats out of the way and let the teachers teach! I've also heard of some schools that spend some of the smallest per child amounts and have the highest success rates. It's not about $/student as the adminisrators and union leaders will try to tell you. they're in it for themselves -
your buddy has his heart in the right place -- Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D) www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net Weber Carb Info http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:16 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT:Education >A buddy of mine works in a "corporate" capacity for an extremely > successful charter school (operated under the public school system) > operator that takes children who come from the lowest performing public > schools in the worst neighborhoods -- they are not skimming high > achievers or privileged kids, quite the opposite. He says there is no > mystery to their success (>90% graduation, a large fraction of that goes > on to college), they just execute well against their well-publicized > plan and objectives . One of the main points he made was that if their > teachers are not performing (against well-known criteria that they > commit to when they sign on) they get 2 counseling sessions then they > are gone if they need a 3rd. No teachers union BS. It works extremely > well -- the teachers they have are high-performing, love their jobs, and > are 110% committed to their children. He points that out as one of the > key differences between their org and the public school organization. > (Their "overhead" is also minimal, and it is run like a good lean > corporation with excellent committed people.) There are some > children/families who cannot succeed no matter what, these are the > unfortunate few that they have to let go despite their best efforts to > help them succeed. > > There is no mystery to educating children, either in the public or > private sector, if educating children is the main objective. He can > tell some amazing stories about having to deal with the school district > admin org (huge and dysfunctional with VERY highly-paid people, many of > whom are at best marginally competent) when trying to spend money well > (they get a fixed per-student payment, same as the public schools, their > allocations are different). They also have significant expansion plans, > but as you can imagine run up against strong entrenched interests that > impedes their planned future successes. He quit a successful career in > the tech sector to go back to school for a grad education degree (at a > very prestigiou$ university), after an MBA some years ago, paid his own > freight, and took a large pay cut to "give back" to society. He is > quite conservative, but also extremely progressive! > > --R > > LarryT wrote: >> The teachers union in NY is very strong. Of the tens of thousands of >> teachers only 2 have ever been fired --also there are many teachers who >> are >> unable to pass 8th grade english tests or similar math tests. The union >> controls the state legislature - >> >> T >> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.0/1216 - Release Date: 1/9/2008 > 10:16 AM > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
