Explore the conservative perspective on education reform with authors of 'Getting Education Right'. Discuss parental involvement, bureaucratic bloat, staffing surge in K-12 education, school choice advocacy, and the cultural wars in education. Delve into rethinking higher education and the debate over abolishing the Department of Education.
Conservative principles focus on family involvement and quality institutions for early childhood, K-12, and higher education.
Teacher compensation should be based on subject expertise and effectiveness, challenging traditional tenure-based models.
Reforming education requires constructive efforts in addressing student lending, federal funding criteria, and bias while avoiding symbolic gestures like abolishing the Department of Education.
Deep dives
Education Policy and Principles
The podcast delves into conservative principles for education policy, focusing on the importance of family and quality education institutions. Authors emphasize guiding principles for improving education in early childhood, K-12, and higher education segments. The discussion extends to the challenges in education, highlighting the need for conservative approaches beyond just school choice.
Early Education and Family Engagement
The discussion addresses the conservative agenda for early education, emphasizing proximity to workplace, flexible schedules, and intimate settings. It advocates for employer incentives and fewer bureaucratic barriers to enhance early childhood care services. The importance of family engagement in education is underscored, highlighting the essential partnership between families, schools, and educators.
Teacher Compensation and Quality Assessment
Insights are shared on teacher compensation, suggesting differentiation based on subject expertise and effectiveness rather than tenure or degrees. The challenges of evaluating teacher quality are explored, revealing complexities in measuring and rewarding effective teaching. The podcast critiques current systems of compensating teachers and calls for promoting impactful and quality-driven teaching practices.
Impact of Political Beliefs on Education
Political beliefs play a significant role in shaping views on education. The speaker discusses how the left often takes pride in progressive values and civil rights achievements while sometimes opposing certain educational initiatives. There is a caution against alienating parents who may identify as Democrats but have reservations about specific educational content for their children, emphasizing the need for inclusive language and dialogue.
Challenges in Higher Education Reform
The discussion delves into the complexities of reforming higher education, highlighting the challenges of abolishing the Department of Education. Abolishing the department is seen as a symbolic move with minimal impact due to the continuation of existing programs. Instead, the focus shifts towards addressing student lending issues, reevaluating federal funding criteria, and ensuring schools maintain safety and address biases effectively. The conversation underscores the importance of constructive efforts over symbolic gestures in education reform endeavors.
If the American Enterprise Institute were a prison, education policy scholars Rick Hess and Michael McShane would be the leaders of its most feared inmate gang. Today, they join Jonah not simply to pressure him into swearing loyalty, but to discuss their new book, Getting Education Right: A Conservative Vision for Improving Early Childhood, K-12, and College. It’s no secret that America’s education system is struggling, but what can actually be done to reform it? What does it mean to be a conservative in education? Are teachers paid enough? And does the Department of Education have any reason to exist?
