Editorial: State must convert latest ‘opportunity’ into real ed reform Page 1 of 1 aily Times ses. Editorial: State must convert latest ‘opportunity’ into real ed reform ‘The new education reform bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Gav. Deval Patrick ast week offers ome hope fr real improvement in public schools in Gloucester and around the state. But hope i, ofcourse, nt the same as reality. It wil tke atleast three year, maybe more, o see if the goals ‘xpresed in the legislation do more than spend more money — the state Fopes to get $250 millon from the federal goverment under President Obama's "Race tothe Top” initiative, ‘The money will be welcome, ofcourse. School distrets aross the state ircluding Gloucester, have been complaining for much ofthe past decade they anne provide adequate edecational services without more help ‘Fom te sare — which has i own diets to deal With, ‘To qualify fora portion of the $4.35 billion in Race tothe Top funds, states must commit themselves to expand hare schools, and also putin place a system that would allow state officals to intervene in failing Schools, in the most extreme cases tothe point of aking them over and even voiding union contract. Sate Sen, Bruce Tar, R-Glouceser, the lone Republican senator onthe cemmites that merged elements of the Lis passed by the House and Senat, seems optimist "3 an opportunity forthe state to say to some of our underperforming school districts tha, if you have persistent problems, something i going to change,” ‘That's wel put. Its, ashe sud, "an opportunity.” Unfortunately, the state has history of creating any number ‘of “opportunities” to reform government or education, but somehow those opportunities rarely turn into reality ‘This bill gives the state education commissioner the authority to order a school superintendent in the bottom 20 cent ofthe state to implement a three-year turnaround plan, which can include hiring an outside receiver to ‘un the district. Ifthe plan doesn't wor, the commissioner ean take over the district and supersede union ‘But the authority todo something doesnt mean twill happen, especially given the political implications of| alienating powerful unions, especially in a gubernatorial election yest ‘Tere is, however, one reform inthe bill hat should eliminate the kind of debacle that has plagued Gloucester fer the past year. An amendment introduced by Tarr now roquires all the materials evaluating» charter school ‘application tobe presented to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, In Gloucester’ case the negative recommendation by the Charter School Oi never made it to that bosrd ‘Overall the intention i to make Massachusets’ schools better. That is Iatdable goal, But now is when the ‘urd work begins —it wl ake that and considerable political spine to reach that go Copyright © 1999-2010 en, ine. “htpivwwgloucestertimes.com/puopinionlocal_story 019225046 htmnUresourcee_printt... 1/22/2010