Chartering the right course in D.C. Schools Larry Parker I was delighted to read the comments of Mayor Anthony Williams in his State of the District address about his priorities for city schools ("Williams vows it's 'back to the basics' for city services," March 2), particularly when he said that "the right way to achieve education reform is giving parents more choices among public schools, including charter school." Already, more than 10,000 students, or more than 10 percent of the public school system's pupils, are enrolled in D.C. charter schools. Increasing support for this option will help not only parents but also the students and teachers in the city's remaining public schools. A survey by the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution in 1997 found that more than half of D.C. teachers cited the high cost and complexity of school administration as the main cause of the District's public education woes. By allowing the system to decide which schools are capable, this will not only weed out the bad but, ultimately, reward the good. More charter schools, more scholarships and, yes, vouchers will force the District to reverse its historic trend of spending less than half of its school budget on classroom instruction -- and improve the quality of education for all of its children, in public and charter schools. Larry Parker Senior Reporter Alexis de Tocqueville Institution |
