Spouting Off on Education

Let me spout off on education.

• Students should be allowed to transfer to any school within the state they reside. If they transfer to a school within their district, the money should follow them and the school system should pay for transportation. If they transfer to a school outside of their school district, they money should follow them, but the parents/guardians have to provide transportation.
• All public school students should be tested upon entering the fourth grade. If they are reading below fourth grade level, they should be given intense educational remediation. The parents/guardians should be required to attend sessions at the school that covers the areas their children are lacking. It should be mandated that the school system give parents/guardians information about tutors, and public and private education remedial programs available in their area.
• The length of the school day should be lengthened to 8 hours a day.
• Physical education should be mandatory from K-12.
• Recess is mandatory for elementary school.
• Kids in high school or beyond a certain age who have an excessive number of days absent from school, triggers the following action:
• Parents/guardians are notified of their children's absence.
• Parents/guardians are given information that may allow them to seek other alternatives for their children.
• The students are tested to determine their educational level.
• Students are placed into an intense vocational program to give them a manual skill. Once the program is finished, the students are "freed" from school.
• Vocational programs are mandatory for all students in middle school/Jr. high, and Sr. high schools.
• Charter schools will be available.
• If charter schools are reviewed for their effectiveness, then the same rules must apply to "regular" public schools.
• Disruptive students are sent to corrective schools.
• Teachers are tested for competency before being allowed to teach in the classroom.
• New teachers are assigned mentors before being allowed to teach in the classroom.
• Accountants are permanently assigned to individual schools to track finances.