Chile: The Most Pro-Market School System in the World, Part 1

[duffyduff]

First of a series of three posts. This is where the U.S. is headed on education policy. A snip:

Now, get this: two thirds of the 56% of private voucher (charter) schools are for profit, and they can charge on top of it to parents. Therefore, the richest ones mix their sons with their socioeconomic peers, the middle class with the middle class, and so on down to the poorest which go mostly to free public schools. Subsidiarity by the book. Until now, anyone can set up a for-profit subsidized charter school anywhere, without any quality requirements whatsoever.

Teacher training also became fully unregulated. Today some universities and institutes “sell college degrees” (for a profit) to students who do not understand what they read when they enter to Schools of Education, and generally do not understand what they read when they obtain their college degree. National certification and examination of teachers is, of course, voluntary. Freedom. Freedom. The market will solve everything.

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/12/chile-the-most-pro-market-school-system-in-the-world-part-1/

Make sure to read the comments, especially those about Arne Duncan and Paul Vallas and their schemes in Chicago. Chicago was practically a laboratory to experiment with neoliberal education ideas.

There is no doubt where this country is headed, and it MUST be stopped.

[duffyduff]

1. Part 2

Snip:

In the low income academic ghettos it will be almost impossible to improve results, no matter how much money is poured into them. Even worse, Chilean education has enhanced segregationist and individualistic attitudes in all levels of society. This is steadily undermining social cohesion, to the point that it will be difficult to regain social peace, no matter which the next coalition in power is.

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/08/13/chile-the-most-pro-market-school-system-in-the-world-part-2/