Triage in education
EDUCATION SECRETARY Paul Reville is loath to turn his back on the major initiatives in the state's Readiness Project - a 10-year plan to create a public education system capable of sustaining middle-class aspirations into the 21st century. But plunging tax revenues argue against Reville's strategy of establishing several "beachheads" along the road from preschool to college.
In June, the Patrick administration released dozens of recommendations from his Readiness Project, including the expansion of preschool, full-day kindergarten, longer school days, the creation of semi-autonomous Readiness schools, and free tuition at community colleges. The costs of such projects won't be known for at least another month. But the need for Governor Patrick to make hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency budget cuts in October suggests that immediate new funding for education will be sparse.
The best strategy right now would be to focus on plans to lengthen the school day in poorer cities and towns where students lag their statewide counterparts. A pilot program to extend the traditional 6.5-hour school day by at least 25 percent is underway in 26 schools in a dozen mostly urban school districts. Early reports show significant improvements on MCAS scores across all grade levels. Equally important, many of the extended-day schools use the extra time not only to improve scores but to provide the enrichment courses, including art and music, that bring joy to the school day.
Massachusetts could put most of its efforts into early education. But education officials would first have to solve the shortage of well-trained preschool teachers. Free community college might be a draw. But community college students have access to several state and federal grant programs for courses that are already affordable. And charter schools already achieve the curriculum and work-rule flexibility that Readiness Schools are only proposing.
The benefits of more time in school, however, are immediate, especially if Reville is right when he says that most of the state's teachers are talented and looking for a better teaching environment. Many teachers would also welcome the additional pay, as evidenced by the 30 schools now looking for longer school day grants.
Reville remains hopeful that the state will find new funds for education, by improving Medicaid reimbursement rates for student health services, for example, or by encouraging more college students to seek federal rather than state grants. But he needs a fall-back plan. Such a plan will require more time - in school. 