1889 Institute: Opportunity for teachers and education improvement proposed

OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS AND EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT PROPOSED

Free teachers to act as true education practitioners.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (October 21, 2020) – The 1889 Institute has published “Professional Teacher Charter Schools: Proposal with Model Legislation,” which explains an entirely new vision for the critical role teachers play in public education, putting those who are willing to take the wheel firmly in the driver’s seat within schools. Teachers would act as fully authoritative practitioners, essentially owning their own education practices, just as doctors, lawyers, CPAs, and other professionals always have. With clear lines of authority and administration that serves practitioners instead of the other way around, the authors argue that the education system can be improved.

“We are extremely excited about how this idea could serve to improve options for school children and their parents as well as for teachers,” said Mike Davis, 1889’s Research Fellow and coauthor of the report.

“When you really think about it, the incentives in our socialized education system are so poor that it’s obvious it works as well as it does mostly because of the goodwill and hard work of teachers,” said Byron Schlomach, 1889’s Director and coauthor of the report. “This proposal would create a system for better harnessing the goodwill and work ethic of teachers, recognizing them as being every bit as capable as doctors, lawyers, and plumbers of owning their own practices,” he said.

In short, the proposal would allow any teacher with five years of experience and in good standing to open an independent school as long as a bond is posted to indemnify the state and local districts should the school close during a school year. Students would be tested yearly using nationally norm-referenced achievement tests, with results reported to parents and aggregate results reported to the public and the state. Each school would be funded in the same way as authorized by the state’s charter school law.

“Just as other professionals have the widest possible latitude in owning, running, and competing through their enterprises, teachers would have the same privileges, rights, responsibilities, and risks under this proposal,” said Schlomach.

Mike Davis went on to point out that, “Teachers crave professionalism, having control over their own classrooms, discipline, and curricula. This proposal gives it to them, and when they take it, kids will definitely benefit, and the quality of education will increase when it is de-politicized.”

About the 1889 Institute
The 1889 Institute is an Oklahoma think tank committed to independent, principled state policy fostering limited and responsible government, free enterprise and a robust civil society. The publication, “Professional Teacher Charter Schools: Proposal with Model Legislation” and other reports can be found on the nonprofit’s website at www.1889institute.org.