The 7% soultion

The following article is another example of how government funding can corrupt society. The Chicago Public Schools are under constant condemnation for their high dropout rate and poor student test scores. The solution chosen by CPS officials is to falsify the attendance records:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0627edit1jun27,0,478588.story

These 2 paragraphs explain the motivation for committing fraud:

• There's plenty of motivation to cook the attendance books. Attendance determines the amount of state and federal money schools receive: Depressed attendance caused by dropouts and truants costs CPS as much as $20 million a year in state funding. Attendance determines staffing levels too. As enrollment dips, jobs are threatened.
• This type of low-grade obfuscation may keep extra dollars flowing to Bowen, but it does nothing to stem the school's tide of underachievement. Only 7 percent of Bowen Environmental students passed the state assessment tests in 2008.

You read that correctly, only 7 percent of this school’s students passed the assessment tests. And keep in mind that the State’s assessment tests are designed to pass the greatest number of students as possible.

It is incredible that a service provider can stay in business with a 93% failure rate. Could you imagine a hospital staying in business if 93% of its patients died? Would you hire an attorney who has a record of 93% of clients being convicted? What about an accountant who had 93% of his clients audited? How about dining at a restaurant where 93% of customers get food poisoning?

For more information about public education and school choice see the following website:

http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/Welcome.do