Drastic irresponsible changes pushed by Republican Governors in Public Education.

Panic has set in since the Romney defeat, and Republican governors are responding accordingly, with radical statewide agenda’s not possible yet on a national level.

While Wisconsin braces for the worst possible legislation from the Walker Authority on public education, Michigan's governor is already laying out his plan. 

Something to think about as you check out Gov. Snyder's plans and the arguments against them: The worst possible business model is at play here because it allows any bad actor to come in and set up a school. Entire state systems won't improve if the system itself is constantly changing. And what happens to the lost year or two for every student victimized by failed school? 

 Edweek: A sweeping education overhaul bill that has been presented in draft form by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, would seek "removal of a district 'ownership' of a student," performance-based funding for all courses, and a scholarship program for those students who graduate high school early, among other things. In addition, the bill would create a system in which state education funding "will actually follow the student," and also create a statewide system of online courses which any student could participate in. Districts could opt out of the "open enrollment" system in the proposed law, but they aren't allowed to limit a student's online course options. You can read the official summary of the bill and related documents at this site. 

That's the irresponsible outline. Here's what one critic had to say:

John Austin, president of the Michigan Board of Education, had to say in a columnabout the bill: "This legislation creates an unlimited and largely unregulated marketplace of new online schools, for-profit-run schools, schools run by businesses, universities, community organizations, and municipal governments. It would allow new authorizers to create schools in any location, for any reason, with little oversight. Nowhere in the proposed legislation is there a rationale for how this proliferation of new schools will improve overall education quality and outcomes for students in Michigan." 

And this important note:

Does the enrollment district "own" the student in the sense that it will be held responsible for the outcome even though the school does not control all the student's courses?