Nothing in our state’s history of child/youth abuse can touch the massive psycho/social abuse rendered by the totally disproved and outmoded policies and practices of our public schools in Delaware. Research is ceiling high that informs us that the unnecessary failing and labeling of students is a major cause of substance abuse, delinquency, time-consuming disruptive behavior, tee-age suicide and other tragedies that have a lifetime negative effect.

Our teachers are victims along with students, parents and taxpayers. Teachers only receive approximately 5% of available best knowledge training in college/university training programs. Then they have three years in a probationary status to prove they will adapt and adjust to archaic policies and practices before given permanent employment.

Any citizen can obtain, without charge, documented information on our Delaware public schools’ ineffectiveness in this decade by phoning Vince Grant at (202-205-4956) in the statistical office at the U.S. Department of Education. Ask for sheets comparing our 50 states and academic achievement (i.e., math,science, english). For example, our local and state governments and taxpayers have kept our annual per student expenditure rate at from 5th to 8th from the top state. You’ll discover that our academic achievement scores have remained the same or declined in this decade. In this important area and in graduating entering ninth g graders , we have been between 35th to 40th from the top state. In 1990, our school systems graduated 70% of 1986 ninth graders; in 1997 (the latest data available) we graduated only 63% of 1993 ninth graders. Through ineffectiveness of non-graduation, flunking and labeling student (totally unnecessary malpractice’s), costly creation of "learning disabled" and "attention deficit disorder" special education students, etc, we waste approximately one-half of the one billion dollar budget for public schools provided by taxpayers at local, state and federal levels.

THE QUALITY DISTRICT MODEL

In our nation’s history, there has been only one proven, thoroughly researched and documented school system reform model. This is the Quality District Model (QDM) which was validated in 1985and revalidated in adopted districts in 1994 by the prestigious national Program Effectiveness Panel, a professional evaluation group affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education. The state of Utah and local school districts of all types throughout our nation have provided documented success data on the program and cost effectiveness of the QDM. In properly implemented QDM districts, student show academic achievement gains from two to four grade levels.

In 1997 and again last year, I sent out ivitations and QDM information to all our legislators, Governor, Lt. Governor and leadership in state and local PTA's, school boards, the University of Delaware, school districts, Business/Education Council, etc. I offered (free of charge) to sit down with them and provide stacks of documented evidence as to what this proven reform model would do for out state's public school students. NO response was received. My role in this decade with the Qaulity District Model includes the following:

  • Editor of the nonprofit Partners for Quality Learning alliance’s professional journal, the Journal of Quality Learning.
  • My Bear office has been the national/international communications headquarters for this movement.
  • Have served as consultant/trainer on this reform model with state departments of education and school district leadership from Hawaii to Maine.
  • Have organized and conducted regional, national and international conferences on this reform model for Partners.

DELAWARE NEEDS A KENTUCKY EDUCATION REFORM ACT

In the late 1980’s , Kentucky citizens sued their ineffective public school systems in their state. They won in both the lower court and the Kentucky Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ordered the state legislature to enact a reform law that incorporated the best knowledge brought into the trials. The Legislature passed the Kentucky Education Reform act of 1990, which went into effect on July 1, 1991. In July 1991, I was one of the first brought in to provide training for all Kentucky superintendents, principals and lead teachers (over 1000). The following are some of the legally mandated components in the Quality District Model;

  • All previous laws, regulations, etc. were eliminated;
  • Three elected teachers, two elected parents and the principal at each building level would make all decisions on hiring, firing, budget, programs, etc;
  • Best knowledge training to be provided to all building level staff and parents and administrative district leaders.... if leaders did not pass tests on best knowledge, they would be fired;
  • A state-of-the -art developmentally appropriate K-3 Primary program, and
  • Family Resource Centers established for every school building.

Kentucky’s public schools have made more documented program and cost effective progress than any other state in the 1990’s.

Author Dr. Floyd J. McDowell, Sr.is the Chairperson, Civic/Political Positions, The Reform Party of Delaware.

1-888-439-0215

Solutions require informed, involved and empowered citizens who vote.

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