Big Ideas
Giving teachers pay hikes of at least $20,000 and turning schools over to private contractors were two of the recommendations put forward this week by the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, an independent group of high-level government and business leaders (including, for example, Michael Bloomberg and Rod Paige). Tasked with creating a plan to make U.S. schools more competitive, the commission also proposed switching teachers' retirement benefits from pensions to 401k plans and allowing students in vocational programs to enroll in trade schools or community colleges after 10th grade. The plan would take an estimated 15 years to implement and cost approximately $60 billion.
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Comments
Sounds like a lot of money, but actually, getting private contractors involved would probably save money in the long run. Besides, can you think of a better way to spend 60 million?
Posted by: Doug Arnold | December 15, 2006 3:23 PM
Yes--private contractors! Maybe Halliburton will be able to tackle the job. Private contractors have done such a wonderful job in Iraq . . .
Posted by: Chris | December 15, 2006 8:33 PM
First, Arnold: it is not million but billion. Second, Chris: generalizing is a very limited way of thinking.
Posted by: Garcia | December 16, 2006 9:37 AM
Yes Garcia, it said "billion." I didn't misread it; only mistyped it.
Posted by: Doug Arnold | December 16, 2006 9:44 PM
I am all for more efficiency and reducing costs, but this may be a bad idea because pension and medical benefits would be reduced. Why don't they make the school and district administrators take a pay cut. That would surely help...
Posted by: James | December 19, 2006 7:08 AM