Schools Report Recommends Changes

The preocupation with Iraq seems to have drowned out other issues. One issue that is just as important are the schools. In particular, how do we make public schools work when they seem to be failing our future generations. Its clear that this President's No Child Left Behind plan is not working. A report from an independent commission makes some proposals that at least might stir up debate where there is none:

An independent commission yesterday proposed dramatic changes that would shake up American public education in an effort to make the nation more competitive globally. The recommendations include authorizing school districts to pay companies to run all their schools; enrolling many students in college after the 10th grade; and paying teachers about $100,000 annually.

And why do we need all these changes?:

"We're calling for a complete shake-up from top to bottom," Charles Knapp, chairman of the commission, said at a news conference.

"The United States has one of the highest costs of education but produces mediocre results," added Knapp, former president of the University of Georgia. "The recommendations are absolutely necessary if we want America to maintain its standard of living."

The consequences of not taking action:

The commissioners warned that unless improvements are made in the nation's public schools and colleges by 2021, a large number of jobs would be lost to countries including India and China, where workers are better educated and paid much less than their U.S. counterparts.