My guess is that all of your points are sometimes valid and at least a few
times not valid. However, it is a start of the innovating process and seems
to be the one that is generating the most analysis. There are at least some
valid views that some of the schools are working well and some are not working
so well. There are also some studies showing that some of the public school
systems are getting better(Chicago, for example had a great year based off of
No Child Left Behind). So stirring the pot appears to be delivering some good
results and some bad results. Question is over time is does good out way bad.
I disagree that not understanding how to judge the participants is an excuse
to avoid competition. Competition over time will help create the right
measurement systems as everyone struggles to survive.
Andy
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Davis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 11:12 AM
To: CF-Community
Subject: RE: NYT Op-Ed Piece on Charter Schools Performance
I don't know enough to back either side definitively, but are we sure that
there's really competition here? Or, more specifically, I guess, are we
sure that there's actually competition on quality not just on price? My
understanding is that the process of allocation is left to the states and
has turning into essentially a pure bidding war.
Competition on price plays into most things, but at those times where it's
the only factor the results are usually not better. Next time you need a
new roof just hire the cheapest guy you can find and see if you stay dry in
the rain. ;^)
Basically I'm just not sure how "good" the process is that decides the fates
of these schools and it seems like it may vary dramatically from state to
state. Also I'm not sure, at least as we're beginning this process, if
there are reliable ways to determine the quality of a bidder. In any new
industry it takes some time to determine how to determine quality. Could,
at this early stage, we just be getting the Edsels of the commercial
teaching crop?
If there's no good, agreed upon way to judge the participants then
competition will produce results no better than chance.
Jim Davis
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