We need to change the classroom setup that groups kids by age instead of ability, to one that groups kids in each subject area by their level of achievement. Simple to comprehend, but difficult to implement because of things like bureaucracy, inertia, and political correctness.

If a student is in 6th grade and working at the 10th grade level in math, the 8th grade level in science, and the 6th grade level in history, then he or she should be in a classroom that teaches them at their level of achievement. Traditionally schools have allowed kids who excel in one area, say math, to move ahead a year in that subject. That is not enough. Kids need to be able to progress at whatever rate they can and not be held back just because they are an 11 year old who is ready for algebra or calculus. And more 11 and 12 year olds than you might imagine could be working at this level if they were allowed to move along at their own speed right from the start.

Unfortunately the tide is turning in the wrong direction. AP and honors classes used to be very common in high school. Thanks to big money donors like the Gates Foundation that give money to certain schools and then demand a say in the curriculum of those schools, these advanced classes are disappearing.

Our local school district has received a huge amount of money from the gates foundation to implement the Gates Small School Initiative. Part of this is to stop removing the top students from the regular classrooms. Instead of allowing those students to take honors and AP classes they are kept in the normal classes with the idea that “having them there will raise the level of all the students in the class”. Read: the smart and motivated students are needed in the regular classrooms to help teach the slower students. This is the BIG thing in public education right now and will do our highly motivated and high achieving students a great disservice.

Many parents immediately complained about this change to our school district administrators. Initially we were told that we were “elitists” and ignored. When the clamor continued, the school district brought back “honors” classes, but with one change. Any student, regardless of motivation or achievement can be in these classes. Sometimes the only class offered is labeled and “honors” class. It has become a sad joke among parents that their kids are in honors classes. Sad and discouraging for those parents that want their kids to get the best education possible.

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People who make connections between education/schools and businesses really get my goat. Could be a republican or somesuch. But just for fun, creative aspect of answer i going to guess Kucinich? But i think he would never allow “NCLB” to stay intact AT ALL.

I can’t get started on education… my original career choice which was quickly abandoned, for now, because of my extremely passionate, and extremely progressive, views on the subject.

Cutting myself off from any further comment.

I grew up in a rural area in South Florida and the school system was a small fiefdom of local demagogues who ran it the way they wanted. It was only the state and federal guidelines that kept them remotely in line. I think people in wealthy areas, suburbs and such, who have great schools would benefit from putting control in state and local hands, but inner cities and rural areas would suffer.

As far as the quote in the post, I find it interesting that he mentions all these ideas he has for improving education, and creating a workforce with the creativity to meet future labor force demands and then at the end claiming he supports getting the federal government out of the way of the states running education the way they want.