I have never been a fan of “no child left behind” because it is the top down, Soviet style directive from the politburo of the incompetent Department of Education and doesn’t really address the real issues why public education is failing. While its goals are laudable, it doesn’t really create change that is truly needed because it doesn’t really increase the one thing that can really make a positive impact on public education: competition.

The scores came out today for Oregon’s schools and it shows that one third of our schools are failing in reading and math skills. This means that two thirds of schools are passing the 60% requirement of all students to meet those goals. So, a question comes to mind: if 2/3rds can meet the standard, then why not the 1/3? Is leadership the problem? Are demographics to blame? Are some schools just more motivated than others to achieve greater results?

No matter what the excuse for failing schools, competition can cure that problem. You see, in the free market the customer chooses amongst various competitors the best value of service or goods. It works in education also in the online public charter school business as I know well. Our school (I am board chairman) OregonConnectionsAcademy now has competition from several other public online virtual charter schools. We will work harder than ever to do a better job so we can continue to be successful.

The same thing ought to happen in regular bricks and mortar public schools. You see, if schools had to really compete against each other the way colleges do, then our teachers would do a better job, administrators would be more competent and most importantly, our students would learn to a much higher level to compete in the world marketplace.

I also find it sad that we have accepted the notion that 60% of our students passing reading and math tests are ok. Irrespective of why this has happened, we should push kids to learn more, work harder and hold them to a higher standard. They can handle it and it will better prepare them for the real world later on in life.

Competition cures what ails the public school system. No Child Left Behind does not.

-- Jeff Kropf