Grasping At Straws

Illinois is sure to be disappointed if it continues to move forward with a private voucher program (SB 2494) for Chicago Public Schools. Just ask Wisconsin-- and Milwaukee.

Clearly, the Chicago Tribune editorial board ('Liberate the kids'), which is cheering the process on, has not done its homework, not checked its sources, and not looked to its neighbor to the north for guidance. Or it is simply drinking the Kool Aid mixed by Voucher Inc.:

And there's evidence that vouchers improve public schools. A 2009 report by The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice examined 17 studies on the impact of voucher programs. Sixteen studies found that vouchers improved student achievement in public schools; one study found they had no positive or negative impact. In other words, competition works.

There is also plentiful evidence that vouchers do NOT improve public schools, including the on-going evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program -- the longest-standing voucher program in the country, just a short drive up I-94 from Chicago.

To look to the Friedman Foundation for guidance on this issue is akin to turning to Karl Rove's new book as a definitive history of the George W. Bush administration. From a University of Illinois professor, Dr. Christopher Lubienski, here's a critique of the Friedman report cited in the Tribune editorial:

[T]he report, based on a review of 17 studies, selectively reads the evidence in some of those studies, the majority of which were produced by voucher advocacy organizations. Moreover, the report can’t decide whether or not to acknowledge the impact of factors other than vouchers on public schools. It attempts to show that public school gains were caused by the presence of vouchers alone, but then argues that the lack of overall gains for districts with vouchers should be ignored because too many other factors are at play. In truth, existing research provides little reliable information about the competitive effects of vouchers, and this report does little to help answer the question.

Competition does not work. Plus, what evidence exists to suggest that these Chicago-area private schools will do any better a job of educating the students who would be taken out of the public system? I can't wait to see that evidence because I'm fairly certain that it doesn't exist. That raises questions about the Tribune's utter disregard of this issue: "What if student performance doesn't improve in private schools? Simple: Parents will vote with their feet." But if there's no comparable evidence of student performance between public and private schools, how can parents (consumers) make informed judgments about their child's education? In addition, what if there are insufficient openings at private schools for students wanting to go? Will the voucher be sufficient to cover the tuition and associated costs at these schools for low-income students?

What would be preferable to this exercise in grasping at straws would be energy directed toward a more difficult series of conversations about school-based policies like teacher quality, school leadership, teaching and learning conditions and overall school improvement, in addition to community-focused strategies such as early childhood education, after-school programs, quality child care, and school health in the city of Chicago that get to kids' readiness to learn when they come to school.

Vouchers are not the answer, but a major distraction from more efficacious approaches that should be the focus of the Illinois Legislature.

Image courtesy of Laura Lee.

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Clout Goes To College - UPDATE

Here's an update on this blog post ("Clout Goes to College") from last week.


Chicago Tribune (6/10/2009): "University of Illinois shields data on clouted students"

The University of Illinois has refused a request by the Chicago Tribune for test scores and grade-point averages of applicants who appeared on its admissions clout lists, saying the release would violate privacy rights even if the students are not named.

Open records experts scoffed at [the] reason for withholding the information, saying the data do not identify the student and as such cannot be an invasion of privacy.

Experts point to a 2002 decision in which the University of Wisconsin was forced to turn over test scores, grade-point averages and class rankings. In that case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that when a request does not seek personally identifiable information, there is no overriding public-policy interest in keeping records confidential.

Chicago Tribune (6/10/2009): "Gov. Pat Quinn to create panel to probe U. of I. admissions"

Gov. Pat Quinn will appoint a panel Wednesday to investigate University of Illinois' admissions practices, stepping into the controversy nearly two weeks after the Tribune first reported the existence of a clout list for well-connected applicants.

Quinn's seven-member Admissions Review Commission, led by well-respected retired federal Judge Abner Mikva, will have 60 days to complete its work, according to an executive order expected to be signed by the governor.

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Clout Goes To College

Over the last several days, the Chicago Tribune's Stacy St. Clair and Jodi S. Cohen have produced an eye-opening series ("Clout goes to college") on the so-called "clout list" (or "Category I" list) utilized by the University of Illinois, apparently affording the well-connected a leg up in the admissions process at that state's flagship campus. And, yes, even former Governor Rod Blagojevich and influence peddler Tony Resko make guest appearances in this series. It's a good read.

At a time when it's more competitive than ever to get into the University of Illinois, some students with subpar academic records are being admitted after interference from state lawmakers and university trustees, a Tribune investigation has revealed.

Hundreds of applicants received special consideration in the last five years, according to documents obtained by the Tribune under the state's Freedom of Information Act. The records chronicle a shadow admissions system in which some students won spots at the state's most prestigious public university over the protests of admissions officers, while others had their rejections reversed during an unadvertised appeal process.

While UI officials initially downplayed the use of the clout list, they since have suspended its use pending further investigation. "Clout list put on suspension" (6/2/2009)

Is anyone really surprised by the existence of such a list or the fact that well-connected students get preferential treatment? In actuality, is it necessarily any worse than legacies or athletes receiving special consideration? Don't all such exceptions trample upon an assumed merit-based admissions process?

I'm no expert in this area -- but I imagine that this isn't simply an "Illinois is corrupt" issue, but that such practices are rather widespread in college admissions processes. Am I wrong? Or is UI simply a bad apple spoiling the whole bunch?

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Illinois Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges

Let the jokes about politics in Illinois begin...

Here is a lesson about how NOT to go about filling a political vacancy if you are a Governor. (Chicago Tribune: 'Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Arrested on Corruption Charges')

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a "staggering" level of corruption involving pay to play politics in Illinois' top office.

Blagojevich is accused of a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy, including alleged attempts by the governor to try to sell or trade the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama in exchange for financial benefits for the governor and his wife. Blagojevich also is accused of obtaining campaign contributions in exchange for other official actions.

Innocent until proven guilty, of course. Either way, it would be pretty difficult to recover from his 13% approval rating. But, at least, he gets to keep his name on those Illinois Tollway signs, at least for a little while longer.

While in office, Blagojevich has been a decent education governor, providing needed resources to schools, but not tackling any of the truly vexing issues, such as school finance reform. That's all irrelevant in comparison to today's breaking news.

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