Who Controls Our Schools?

In a recent Ed Week article, Daarel Burnette II delves into the critical question of who should oversee our K-12 education system in the United States. However, while his intent is clear, there are some issues with the clarity and depth of his argument.

Burnette opens with a call to “clean up” K-12 governance, a worthy goal but one that lacks specificity. He highlights the problem of overlapping roles and responsibilities in education governance, leading to confusion and diminishing trust in elected officials.

Citing an Education Week survey of teachers, Burnette points out that a mere 1% believe legislators are best suited to oversee K-12 policies, underscoring the disconnect between educators and policymakers.

Burnette also highlights the lack of clarity in the current system, which leads to inconsistent policy implementation and funding allocation. He draws attention to the staggering $700 billion allocated for education, but fails to provide a comprehensive solution to the issues surrounding its distribution.

While Burnette acknowledges the presence of passionate advocates for educational change, he claims their efforts often falter due to a lack of resources, political capital, and insider knowledge. However, he misses a crucial point: effective communication and garnering support are equally critical components of successful advocacy.

Burnette applauds the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for its attempt to return decision-making power to states and local governments. However, this assertion contradicts Heritage.org’s analysis, which argues that ESSA’s accompanying regulations still exert significant federal control over education.

In his conclusion, Burnette urges the need to “decide who does what,” but his proposal remains vague. Rather than merely calling for a decision, he should advocate for concrete actions, such as repealing ESSA regulations and endorsing policies like the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success (A-PLUS) Act. This act would genuinely empower state and local authorities while reducing the regulatory burden on school systems.

In summary, Burnette correctly identifies the need to reform K-12 governance but falls short in offering a specific roadmap for change. To address the governance issue effectively, we must acknowledge that federal control over education persists and advocate for concrete policy changes that genuinely empower states and local governments, ultimately placing decision-making authority closer to the students and parents.