Here is a link to a  recent editorial written BY the Lancaster papers (it is important that it was written by the editorial staff because it shows a changing opinion inside the paper). It points out what we should all know: that public school unions are more and more about protecting money and less and less about anything that smells anything like educational reform or excellence. This year $4.2 million is being paid out to politicians by the PSEA (Pennsylvanian State Educational Association). This is mainly being done to support or elect people that will keep the river (increasing river) of tax dollars flowing into the coffers of the, you guessed it, PSEA. The unholy alliance of government and public education is going to be broken. It has stopped making any sense. It is built on economic dishonesties—i.e., we have made promises that we cannot keep. The real question now is not whether public education is going to break. It is whether our state governments will be broken by it before they tell the truth. Here is the article.

There have been a couple of articles recently about a really good idea that is being pursued by three local school districts in Lancaster County. They are making their campuses more open by sharing teachers, having before hours, and after hours classes, and using technology to enhance (rather than provide) their teaching.

As we work on our strategic plan, we have been considering some of the same things. This sort of innovation and cooperation speaks well of the leadership at the three districts—especially Penn Manor who came up with the idea. As budgetary realities start slamming us in the noggin, this sort of creativity is going to be critical. It will, no doubt, become more of the norm, but the people that come up with the ideas first should get some credit. So kudos!

Astute observers of education should recognize that the locus of control over education is shifting. Monolithic public school districts are breaking down. This is both necessary and good. The system is going to (has to) change. We can hope that more power and control over the process is restored to the parents and to the locals. (See the article that I posted recently from First Things on why this is good.)

Here are the articles:

3 school districts will merge teaching efforts article

PM supports open campus plan

Note, however, in an article published today (which people have not yet tied together) that the other shoe is poised to fall. Hempfield, one of the districts involved in the open campus idea, is facing a $4.4 million budget shortfall next year. Sharing teachers means needing fewer teachers. Open campus is, no doubt, a prelude to fewer teachers. This is a necessary correction, but no one seems to see it coming yet, so you heard it first here. Here is the article:

Hempfield facing budget short fall