Political Philosophy for Ken Mettler

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Rosedale Union School District

My overall political philosophy regarding education closely mirrors the recommendations of the Council on California Competitiveness commissioned by Governor Pete Wilson with Peter Ueberroth, chairman.

We do not need more money, but we do need: more accountability for results, more choice, more intelligent use of resources, and more total schooling.

Problem: Accountability

The system exacts absolutely no penalty for poor educational performance. The measurements for funding and resources relate only to inputs- average daily attendance, number of buildings, number of teachers—not outputs. Teachers are not paid on the basis of accomplishments, and schools are not funded on that basis. The result is the same result as in every other place where accomplishment is ignored—not enough is accomplished.

Solution:

Reward schools that show improvements in test results as well as improvements in other important issues such as school violence and drug use. By focusing on improvements, the rewards will not benefit just the schools with the fewest problems. Measuring the results of testing will allow parents to shop for the best public schools and force the schools to work for their state funding by improving the education they provide.

Problem: Choice

Our society has two tiers of consumers of educational services: the affluent, who can choose among schools, public or private, and the rest of us, who must take what the public (government) school monopoly offers. This is unfair, and its natural result is an unresponsive public system. The market mechanism that drives our whole society is left at the schoolhouse door.

Solution:

Implement freedom of school choice for parents throughout each public school district. Control the quality of the work these schools by the use of standardized tests(SAT/9). Publish the results and surveys of school violence and drug use to help parents choose schools.

Problem: Intelligent Use of Resources

Any school construction proposal must cross a regulatory swamp. At the state level alone, approvals are needed from the Office of Local Assistance, the Office of the State Architect, the Department of Education, and the state Fire Marshal. The approval of the Office of the State Architect can take one year after funding is approved and allocated.

Solution:

Streamline the approval process.

Problem: Total Schooling:

US students spend less time in school and on schoolwork than students in other countries. The US school year of 180 days is considerably below the world-class average of 201 days.

Solution:

Evaluate the use of time to effect the most education time possible. Besides, possibly lengthening the school year, look at other ideas to gain time. For example, in Japan the teachers not the students change classrooms. Further, less time is spent on disruption, in fact,when a teacher enters a classroom, an elected student leader leads the class in standing and bowing to the teacher.