Turning Dallas Around: It's the Schools, Stupid

Dallas Blog | Scott Bennett:

“I have a theory: If Santiago Calatrava designed every bridge in Dallas, if all our streets were paved with gold, and if both the crime and tax rates plummeted to zero, the middle class with kids would still be fleeing to the suburbs. Why? Dallas schools would still be awful. ... So is there a secret sauce? Yes: Charter schools. ... What I am suggesting is that the City of Dallas create its own system of charter schools in partnership with a private foundation, and very likely with DISD itself.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Intriguing idea. The downside is the fact that Dallas city government is maybe even more dysfunctional than the DISD. Let them figure out how to get the potholes filled before we turn over to them responsibility for running our schools. Especially if the suggestion is prompted not by a goal to improve education, but to revitalize downtown.

Before expanding the use of charter schools, we need to find an answer to the accountability gaps. Charter schools need to be accountable on both financial and educational attainment measures. They should be free to experiment with innovative methods of teaching, but they should be held to the same standards for results as all other public schools.

Also, we ought to study the efficiency of creating a parallel system of public "charter" schools. The courts are applying pressure on the legislature to consolidate school districts in the name of efficiency. Will the efficiencies resulting from competition of two parallel Dallas systems exceed the inefficiencies resulting from duplication of functions? I'd like to think so, but I fear it's only wishful thinking. It's an intriguing idea, but it most likely won't work.