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Former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee discusses how the state can improve its education system.
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Thank you let's move on a California.
The governor Jerry Brown is proposing major cuts to the State's education system if voters do not approve his tax increase plan.
He may cut the school via by a full month in some districts students first founder Michel -- is here.
Now let me get this right is that you propose it to just caught an entire month out of the school year if he doesn't get a tax increases.
An accurate.
Well it's unclear exactly how many days could potentially be cut but there there are some proposals on the table that school districts could be in session for fewer days.
If the tax proposal so Oprah.
-- the -- will be in school a whole lot less we don't know exactly how many days and a whole lot less.
If he doesn't get the tax increase.
That is one of -- -- that's on the table what do you think -- -- I think it's terrible idea.
-- -- at the end of the day if you look at what has happened in California over the last few decades those statements on from first to -- in used to have one of the best public education systems.
In the nation and now it really is bringing up the -- on lots of different fronts.
And one of the reasons is because of poor policy making.
Like this I was money isn't it mean if if you don't want these schools to close down X number of days the yeah.
Where does the money come from to keep them open.
Well nothing is that we have to we have to we have to get over those sort of age old belief that what we need in order to fix the system is just more money more money more money.
We what we've shown over the last.
While in in the US is that we have increased the amount of spending on public education.
More than two threefold.
But the results haven't gotten any better and so we can't continue to.
Throw more money into a broken system we have to change the fundamentals of the isn't that the unions the -- -- exactly exactly is that is that the real issue would counselors and look I I will be the first to say that there are some issues that that our union related but this one really you know -- to do with the government doing a better job.
Of creating the right policies for example.
Because of all these budget cuts that are going on right now in California.
There are thousands of of jobs that are at risk there there layoff notices but what do we do what -- better -- So here's here's the thing.
We know of that in California the way -- the layoffs are being done is by last in first out the but the outlook flat if you're in the last hired in the third actually.
It is in state statute.
The state legislators have the ability to change the law.
And if they do so then it will impact every single district across country why aren't they making moves like that because the unions won't let them.
But that the unions and and certainly do have their influence but the the politicians and -- legislators have an obligation to their constituents.
To the children of the state to the taxpayers.
And in California are up more than 70%.
Of Californians believe that last in first out policies need to be changed the the politicians.
Cannot just be dictated by what the unions want they have to be able.
That to serve them -- -- but they had to be reelected as well they do.
Now that you're unit in California that's where you'll based account real fast I'm told that in some school districts is forty even fifty kids in elementary school to a class -- accurate.
I have not heard any stories about forty or fifty kids none of it -- now class sizes are all.
Because teaches there's not many teachers around -- I think that that the you know there are several different things that strategies that school districts are trying to utilized to deal with the budget cuts that are going -- You know rising class sizes may be one of them.
Okay Michelle -- I'm sorry we're out of time because we enjoy your company -- this is a crisis in Califano -- -- in the middle of it we appreciate you being here thanks for.
