Good News from the Education Quagmire

Here's the sort of education story we like to see -- Matt Rosenberg's profile of Charlie Hoff, School Board vice president in Federal Way, WA. Hoff is a rare school official who can both speak honestly about the problems facing public education and also offer effective solutions:

[Hoff] says that nationally, it's going to be "hell" meeting tough new federal and state achievement-testing standards because junior-high schools and high schools have become "juvenile social halls," and most educators — while well-intentioned — have given up.

Too much of the school day is wasted, says Hoff. He's right.

Beyond the frequent interruptions of bells, loudspeakers and messengers, there's the sacred cow of high-school athletics, which steals additional time and warps priorities. Worse, many schools downplay the basics to teach about diversity, character, drugs, sex, fitness and diet. All are important. Yet why can't parents provide these lessons at home?

But Hoff has a response

The charter-like Federal Way Public Academy is part of the blueprint for success, Hoff says. This junior high follows a rigorous college-prep model. Forty percent of the 280 students are non-white; entrance is by lottery. Core subjects are limited to English, math, science and social studies. Then come computers and foreign language. Athletics are non-existent.

And the school is showing good results. Read the whole thing.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at February 27, 2004 07:00 AM