The Education Wars: Detroit "Reform"

Robert Bobb, a 2005 Eli Broad Academy "graduate," proposes some truly harebrained ideas for "reforming" the Detroit Public Schools, including having reading "tutors" for pre-K students (four-year-olds).

Absolutely unbelievable:

The Detroit Public Schools turnaround team is developing a top-to-bottom academic reform plan aimed at bringing the troubled district on par with national average ACT, graduation and dropout rates by 2015.

The district, which has the lowest graduation rate among big cities, would require every high school student to take a college-level course, mandate pre-algebra for sixth-graders and pair pre-kindergarten students with reading tutors as part of an estimated $80 million dollar plan.

The ambitious plan comes as Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb is embroiled in a lawsuit with the school board over who has authority over academics.


Infighting, trips to Lansing and court battles accomplish nothing, said Anthony Adams, vice chairman of the school board, who hasn't seen Bobb's plan.


link

And "pre-algebra" for sixth graders? What in the HELL is Bobb smoking? Kids are already being shoved algebra and pre-algebra WAY too early as it is; it should NOT be taught in middle school at all, but it is all over the country. And of course we have millions of kids labeled "learning disabled" and are forced into special education because of inappropriate curriculum being taught too soon.

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