Making schools accountable
Todd Gardenhire is onto something.
Chattanooga's Republican state senator has introduced Senate Bill 526, which would require Tennessee public school districts to reimburse the costs of recent high school graduates who have to take a remedial course.
Seventy percent of students need remedial help, according to state estimates, and the cost of that remedial work to help those recent graduates become ready for college-level studies is an estimated $18.5 million.
Gardenhire cited the bill in a Times Free Press interview about the ongoing uproar over Tennessee's Common Core standards and legislative efforts to come up with new standards for math and language arts to replace the controversial standards.
"I have no problem with higher standards for our kids," Gardenhire said, then mentioned his own bill. "If the child comes out of our high school and they have to have remedial courses, the [local school districts] have to pick up the tab for that remedial course."
Even though he is absolutely right in his premise, none of us should hold our breath waiting for this bill to become law. Just look at the detractors already lining up.
"That legislation, at first glance, appears punitive, and we prefer to work in cooperative fashion with our higher ed partners," said Robert Sharpe, assistant superintendent of the Hamilton County Department of Education.
Really? Wouldn't "cooperative fashion" be more like appropriately and adequately preparing students?
Also being dismissive is the Tennessee School Boards Association, which represents local school boards across the state.
"[Tennessee] has some of the highest standards in the country and we demand much from our students. A student could be required to take remedial courses for any number of reasons. ... This bill fails to take the individual student into account, and attempts to hold [local education agencies] responsible for situations that are more than likely well outside of their control," the group said in a statement.
Oh, yeah. It's always the students' and parents' failure, never even remotely a big fat F for the schools charged with educating those students.
Remedial education is college coursework offered to students who are below college-level. Students and their parents pay tuition for the courses and can use financial aid, but the students don't earn college credits. According to national estimates, only 25 percent of students who start their college career with remedial classes wind up making it through college.
Gardenhire is offering a gutsy and long-overdue bill. Especially now, in light of the Tennessee General Assembly's struggle with Common Core, a set of education standards initiated by the National Governors Association and other state associations to improve student learning and create better state-to-state school achievement comparisons.
Gardenhire might have struck out on Insure Tennessee when he helped block Tennessee's acceptance of the federal money under the Affordable Care Act, but on this bill, he's loading the bases.
Cold and more cold
Tennessee has had a brutal February: At least 22 people have lost their lives in the Volunteer State as a result of weather-related circumstances.
It's true that many parts of the country have had much colder, snowier, icier days. But the Southeast is normally thought of as a more moderate climate. In short, we're not used to this cold, wet, slick weather.
In the past week, a World War and Korean War veteran froze to death between two electric blankets in his Dunlap trailer, and in Chattanooga a homeless man died of hypothermia as he sat outside surrounded by beer cans.
February isn't over, nor is cold, snowy weather.
Please think about your neighbors and check on them. And don't forget the help groups such as the Community Kitchen, Chattanooga Rescue Mission and Salvation Army, among others, that offer shelter and heaters and warm meals to those who don't have their own.