[Speed Gibson,
Sunday January 21, 2007 at 11:11am]
Early Childhood Education
On Almanac this week, one segment took up Early Childhood Education (ECE) and all-day Kindergarten. These are the extensions that turn K-12 education into E-12 education, as the Governor and others call it. This segment was with proponent Legislator Mindy Greiling (D-54A, Roseville), along with Education Commissioner Alice Seagren. Later on the political panel couch, former Legislators Ember Reichgott-Junge and Mary Jo McGuire took up the cause.
I've been questioning my senses lately. Why do I watch American Idol? Why don't I watch 24? And why can't I take E-12 seriously?
What I saw was babbling, not discourse. Sure, there are studies that support such programs but don't otherwise cause me to suspend common sense.
Common sense tells us such programs are not the least bit essential. There are at least 100 million adults past and present in America that somehow get along just fine without it. How did we ever land a man on the moon? Or conquer polio?
Common sense tells us there are more important education problems to solve. Thirty percent of Minnesota high school graduates need remedial course work in English or Mathematics when entering Minnesota colleges. Minnesota has some of the nation's widest minority achievement gaps. And even without the ECE extensions, costs are rising far beyond inflation, seemingly out of control.
Common sense also says follow the money. Who stands to gain from this program? Why, those would be supplying the extra personnel, no doubt future members of Education Minnesota. As a corollary, I would also suggest that this is a way of gaining control of the inner city prospects. The "capture ratio" - the percentage of five year olds that enter the Minneapolis Public Schools - is reportedly around 50 percent. Maybe if ECE becomes required and the public schools are the only free offering, the die is cast for Kindergarten and beyond.
Common sense asks: why trust the same people that have made such a mess of K-12 education to do still more? And what will be their response if the these new programs are equally disappointing? As this ECE proposal further demonstrates, rather than address or even admit there's a problem, they will propose still more expansions of their empire.
I've been questioning my senses lately. Why do I watch American Idol? Why don't I watch 24? And why can't I take E-12 seriously?
What I saw was babbling, not discourse. Sure, there are studies that support such programs but don't otherwise cause me to suspend common sense.
Common sense tells us such programs are not the least bit essential. There are at least 100 million adults past and present in America that somehow get along just fine without it. How did we ever land a man on the moon? Or conquer polio?
Common sense tells us there are more important education problems to solve. Thirty percent of Minnesota high school graduates need remedial course work in English or Mathematics when entering Minnesota colleges. Minnesota has some of the nation's widest minority achievement gaps. And even without the ECE extensions, costs are rising far beyond inflation, seemingly out of control.
Common sense also says follow the money. Who stands to gain from this program? Why, those would be supplying the extra personnel, no doubt future members of Education Minnesota. As a corollary, I would also suggest that this is a way of gaining control of the inner city prospects. The "capture ratio" - the percentage of five year olds that enter the Minneapolis Public Schools - is reportedly around 50 percent. Maybe if ECE becomes required and the public schools are the only free offering, the die is cast for Kindergarten and beyond.
Common sense asks: why trust the same people that have made such a mess of K-12 education to do still more? And what will be their response if the these new programs are equally disappointing? As this ECE proposal further demonstrates, rather than address or even admit there's a problem, they will propose still more expansions of their empire.