Hancock gets bold on Ed Reform

16 Comments

by: TheAngryHippie

All of the candidates for Mayor have been talking a lot about reforming the broken public education system at DPS. You’d think Romer would have taken the lead on the issue with his background as the former President of KIPP or Mejia as the former President of the preschool program but Hancock is the first to make clear he’ll bring real change and reform.

I had heard Hancock talk before in small groups about putting the schools under the mayor’s office and according to large daily paper here last night at a forum Hancock confirmed his commitment to a bold plan for reforming our education system. According to the report (and confirmed by a friend who was there with him) Hancock said “We have to let go of the concept that the mayor doesn’t run the schools.” Nobody in the race knows better what it’s like to live in and represent an area where the schools are failing the students. Hancock’s district would be the 6th largest school district in the country if it were its own district. Even though the city council doesn’t have direct oversight of DPS, last year Hancock stepped up to the plate to champion the reform of Montbello. Exciting to see that now he’s ready to bring that same commitment to overhauling our schools to all of DPS. The unions have stood in the way of teacher accountability for too long! Look at what Michelle Rhee did in DC and Bloomberg did in New York City and there is hope for DPS if we get serious.

16 thoughts on “Hancock gets bold on Ed Reform”

EDat5284 says:

January 19, 2011 at 8:21 pm

Is Hancock really proposing mayoral control? If not, what does he believe the Mayor’s current control is?

I’m looking forward to hearing specifics about how he plans to improve our schools… not just lofty statements about inequality.

Supporting “transformative” initiatives is important, but what ideas does he have to ensure the Montbello turn-around is executed effectively?

Log in to Reply
MADCO says:

January 19, 2011 at 8:29 pm

Flowery campaign speeches don’t change reality: the Denver Mayor doesn’t run the Denver Public Schools.

Perhaps Romer and Mejia understand that.

What exaclty did Hancock’s “stepped up to the plate to champion the reform of Montbello.” look like or accomplish?

“The unions have stood in the way of teacher accountability for too long! ”

How do they do that exactly? And what do you or your candidate suggest be done differently? And, of course, what does this have to do with the Mayoral election? Seems like your guy is running for school board. Which might be a good idea.

Log in to Reply
Wrong Way Corrigan says:

January 19, 2011 at 9:22 pm

The role of the Mayor in education is an interesting, but complex one.

Yes, a takeover of the schools by the Mayor’s office is a possibility. That has worked well in some cities, and had anywhere between no effect and disasters results in others. I am not necessarily opposed to the Mayor taking over the schools, but I want to hear a detailed plan, because this gets more complex.

The other role a Mayor can take is as, for lack of a better term, spiritual leader of the schools. (Yes, I need to come up with a better term.) He (or she) could talk about the city’s education system in the State of the City speech, set parameters and goals, lay out a clear vision, and then work with DPS to achieve the vision.

Also, there are a myriad of non-profits dedicated to helping DPS succeed, yet their is little to no coordination between them. (I happen to know two people who run separate non-profits with almost identical missions supporting DPS, until I introduced them to each other, they had no idea the other existed.) A Mayor could use his office as spiritual leader (help me out with a better term here people!!) to help coordinate these groups.

Finally, there is little communication (or so I am told) between the community colleges and DPS. Again, a Mayor can help facilitate these conversations. (Typically, if the Mayor invites you to a meeting, people show up.)

So I think it is good that Mayoral candidates are talking about education. Yes, we desperately need to go beyond the platitudes and hear some real ideas. Does Hancock support a Mayoral takeover of the schools. Cool. And interesting. But I do not think that is a panacea to DPS’ problems.

Personally, I don’t think DPS needs a Mayoral takeover yet, although I don’t fault Hancock for suggesting it. I just think we are still at the phase where we can catch more flies with honey so to speak, and that someone with a clear and public vision, who is willing to facilitate come conversations can have a bigger impact.

But then again, Wrong Way Corrigan is often accused of going the wrong way!

Log in to Reply
1. Meiner49er says:
  
  January 20, 2011 at 7:07 am
  
  A mayoral takeover would be a foolish stunt, not much more. NY and DC are examples to an extent. Replacing state legislative fiat with executive fiat generated a lot of buzz,but only mixed results.
  
  Gary Hart’s much better on this in “Restoring the Republic” (and no, I’m not shilling for Gary for anything!). Ultimately, school reform is a question of broad local community engagement.
  
  IF the community, including politicos, unions, businesses and neighbors are on board, schools can turn around.
  
  If it’s just a question of picking a faction to force the issue, the only thing that turns ’round are the factions. As they jockey for resources to implement their preferred reforms, students suffer.
  
  Log in to Reply
raymond1 says:

January 19, 2011 at 9:49 pm

…but your post tells me zero about how it is that Hancock is “getting bold.” “Bold” usually implies that you’re actually saying something you’d do, other than “I want more power to do [insert unspecified plan.”

Log in to Reply
coloradowahine says:

January 20, 2011 at 1:37 am

Please cite the law and instances where a mayor has taken over a public school district in Colorado. DPS has an elected board. What, the mayor can just toss them out?

First a Romer shill-post, now a Hancock one. Tells you something about the candidate.

Log in to Reply
1. c rork says:
  
  January 20, 2011 at 4:27 am
  
  on pols was a time-honored tradition!
  
  Log in to Reply
  1. redstateblues says:
    
    January 20, 2011 at 5:55 am
    
    The Wave is a time honored tradition at Rockies games.
    
    Log in to Reply
    1. c rork says:
      
      January 20, 2011 at 9:31 am
      
      For their shill-related reading?
      
      Log in to Reply
      1. RedGreen says:
        
        January 20, 2011 at 11:00 am
        
        have Facebook pages? That’d be a place to start!
        
        Log in to Reply
DavidThi808 says:

January 20, 2011 at 7:24 am

It’s well thought out, it’s been passed, they’re working on the implementation. If Hancock is serious about education, then instead of spouting of generic platitudes, how about his speaking about what he will do specifically to help SB-191 be a success?

Log in to Reply
1. c rork says:
  
  January 20, 2011 at 9:35 am
  
  My generic platitudes would be about the proper implementation of all the heavy legislation we’ve passed. “We’ve got to get this right” and so on.
  
  Log in to Reply
Diogenesdemar says:

January 20, 2011 at 7:36 am

Did I miss the announcement for “Enroll-a-Shill” week here on Pols?

TheAngryHippie on June 11th . . .

Romer uber-shill, FrontRangeRiffRaff on June 12th . . .

Both posting their first diaries and comments ever in the past 10 days . . . ???

Is that the odor of coincidence I smell, or a couple of skunks???

Log in to Reply
sufimarie says:

January 21, 2011 at 2:53 am

Fuck Hancock. I’d considered him but yours and his obvious sell-outery has me behind someone else now, jaggoff.

Log in to Reply
1. droll says:
  
  January 21, 2011 at 3:46 am
  
  presumable shills, you’ll be sitting this one out. I’d put money on it.
  
  Log in to Reply
  1. sufimarie says:
    
    January 23, 2011 at 4:25 am
    
    Or I’ll choose between the lesser of two shills.
    
    Log in to Reply