Bowles: State needs to fix K-12 education

Durham, N.C. — University of North Carolina President Erskine Bowles said Wednesday that improving public education in the state must start with fixing the state's elementary, middle and high schools.

"Our standards are too low," Bowles said, citing statistics that show 60 percent of graduating high school students who can't read at grade level.

The comments came at the end of a meeting of the North Carolina Education Cabinet, which also includes state schools Superintendent June Atkinson, State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison and Scott Ralls, president of the N.C. Community College System.

Perdue has tried to revive the Education Cabinet, designed to provide better cooperation throughout public education.

"If we get everyone working on the same page and we raise our standards and we do the assessment piece and we align these courses, that to me will certainly put us in a different league," said Howard Lee, executive director of the Education Cabinet and former Board of Education chairman.

Education officials said the entire system must have consistent standards, goals and technology, from pre-kindergarten through graduate school. Bowles said he plans to take immediate action at the university level.

"No. 1 (priority) is going to be to produce not just more teachers but better teachers," he said. "You'll also see us strengthen our master's in school administration program so we produce better principals."

The meeting was the first for the cabinet with Gov. Beverly Perdue since a state budget passed that required painful cuts to education spending.

The General Assembly approved a budget signed by Perdue last month that required local school districts and UNC to find about $300 million in spending reductions this fiscal year. Less money means layoffs on some campuses and larger class sizes elsewhere.

Perdue said she was disappointed with late budget moves that cut support for classroom technology.

"It's inexcusable in the 21st century (that) we went backwards on technology, and I won't let that happen again," she said.

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Public education is not about educating the public it is about controlling the public. If you want to revamp the education process then FAIL students until they get the basics. Once they heve mastered the reading, writing and mathmatical skills for their grade level then pass them to the next grade. Don't pass them just because it might not be "politicaly correct" for them to fail. -carolina cup

Yes, Yes, Yes!! As a middle school teacher myself I totally agree! At the end of every year, teachers are looked down upon if they request several students be retained in their current grade. The principal even suggests that we consider: have they already failed one grade?, are they too old?, and would it be a bigger burden than just to pass them on?. So, what happens is most are passed on to the next grade w/out being held accountable! They then realize it's not important to succeed in school b/c you'll just be passed on anyway. It is soooo messed up! The general public have no idea!

ncmidteacher
September 17, 2009 7:08 p.m.

Bravo, Killian. I mailed TinkyTink's comment and your followup to several friends who teach. They deserve a good laugh after a stressful day at one of the world's toughest jobs.

OakRapp
September 17, 2009 2:16 p.m.

Why hasn't Erskine bowls been fired or resigned. He obviously can't run the UNC system efficiently and wants to talk about K-12. Bev - you are our current problem...you stole from the LOTTERY EDUCATION FUND and you gave all the teachers and faculty that listened to their union and voted for you a KNIFE IN THE BACK! GO AWAY! Our education system is run as a political machine as opposed to a learning institution. Teachers dont get to teach anymore..no creativity on their part...not because they dont want to but teaching the EOG is their only priority because that is what they have been told..DISCIPLINE is non-existent. Again, not because they dont want to but they hands are tied. Parents are told they want input from the school system but they dont really...I have a child that does well all year - 93 average last year - but cannot make a 3 or 4 on that stupid test. Oh, and its' not a pass/fail test - only measures improvement and used as a bonus programs for admin etc.. VOUCHERS!

HanginTough
September 17, 2009 11:57 a.m.

Sadly, there are no easy answers to what amounts to a huge amount of simple problems.. Lots of parents flat out do a lousy job at parenting, leading to discipline problems.. Teachers can't disciple the trouble-makers and rarely are they expelled.. The needs (and "rights") of the one outweigh the needs of the many (I'm channeling some Bizzaro Spock, thanks).. Teacher's aren't paid a decent wage making it an unattractive career path.. the people who ARE teachers face ridiculous work loads and out of pocket expenses.. it also doesn't help that teacher salaries and raises are "fixed" providing no reward for good performance or penalty for poor. And of course, our local government blows through money on idiotic trips and over inflated salaries in support of nepotistic agendas like it was going out of style.. which will never be the case.. Waste is always in vogue in government..

Monet
September 17, 2009 11:18 a.m.

Public education will never get any better as long as money and effort are wasted trying to educate students that don't want to learn in the first place. They come to school because they get fed and someone will sell them drugs and give them sex.

WHEEL
September 17, 2009 10:54 a.m.