Reply #8: The good news is that Chimpy [View All]

[Shopaholic]

has proposed this school voucher shit every year since he took office, and even with a Republican majority, he hasn't been able to get it pushed through, except for a small "Demonstration" program in DC (which made news yesterday for having serious problems). I've been researching his proposals for work this week, and this is what I've gathered he wants to do:

1) Give priority funding consideration to early childhood programs in states that have a coordinated early childhood plan involving Head Start, pre-K and other childcare services programs.

Translation: This is where I think the "faith-based" bullshit comes in at. It's also another way to underfund Head Start.

2) He's proposing a $200 million program for struggling readers in middle & high school called "Striving Readers". This will be a federal grants program similar to Reading First but administered by the Feds.

Translation: Can't really see any downside to this one.

3) Establish a $200 million fund for states to encourage schools to develpo performance plans for entering high school students.

Translation: A get-rick quick scheme for *'s buddies who own computer technology and software companies--the idea is that teachers would test students using computer software which would then given them "prescriptions" on the student's learning problems/trouble areas and recommend strategies to improve these problem areas.

Translation: Uhm---isn't this what teachers have always been supposed to do--test and find out what students aren't getting and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly?????

4) Create an ELearning Clearinghouse of online courses available to students and adults.

Translation: I think (and I could be wrong) that this will make it easier for "home schoolers" to find course content available via the internet.