'Parent trigger' rules adopted for low-performing schools

[The Straight Story]

'Parent trigger' rules adopted for low-performing schools

The California Board of Education has approved a new set of regulations that will give parents more control to force changes to low-performing public schools.

The "parent trigger" rules will allow a majority of parents at low-performing schools to petition school districts for major changes that include adding intervention programs, removing the principal, replacing staff, converting the campus to a charter, or closing the school altogether.

California is the first state in the nation to allow such authority to parents to reform schools.
"We want not just parental involvement, we want true power to help guide the education of children," former state Sen. Gloria Romero, the co-author of the legislation that led to the rules, told the Associated Press.

Once a simple majority of parents agree on the need for reform, the action will be put out for public comment for 15 days and could be challenged. If no new substantive issues arise, the regulations would take effect, providing a set of guidelines for parents who want to force changes at their school.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/parents-308305-school-parent.html

[roody]

1. If the parents were involved,

engaging their kids in meaningful conversation, reading to them daily, and making sure they did their homework, the kids would get higher test scores. Not that I agree test scores indicate performance; I believe otherwise. Many parents do not know how to do this. Their parents did not do it either.

[femmocrat]

2. Oh, good lord.

I can see a mass-hysteria scenario with parents getting all hot and bothered over some rumor started by a kid who was "unjustly" punished.... or whatever. Removing the principal and replacing staff? That is giving way too much power to parents.

BAD idea, IMO.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Is this coming from a different group than ALEC? I know that the Teabaggers want to end public

education. We're watching the country being dismantled.

[LoZoccolo]

4. I think I agree with most of this. n/t