AI: Kill DOEd or Reform DOEd?

An extraordinarily important decision

There are those who want to kill the federal Department of Education (DOEd) and leave our poorly performing public school system in the hands of fifty (50) states. Considering the dire situation K-12 public education is in, we simply can not afford to make the wrong choice here.

As I’ve spelled out here, dissolving DOEd would be a monumental mistake!

Since asking AI is all the rage, I posed a question to it. (Note, this was NOT about helping me take a position, as I had already clearly posted my position awhile ago. Rather it was about seeing if AI had some additional ideas that would strenghten my position — which it did.) My question to AI was:

Would it be better to: a) substantially reform DOEd and use the leverage of the federal government (e.g., discretionary federal funding) to encourage states to get their K-12 act together (e.g., by properly teaching Critical Thinking), or b) kill DOEd and let fifty States each figure out how to fix their K-12 education system and proceed at their own pace?

The AI answer was…

It would likely be more effective to make significant reforms to DOEd and then use the federal government’s influence to push for national K-12 education improvements (such as promoting critical thinking), rather than leave that responsibility entirely to 50 different states. Here’s why:

1. Consistency and Uniformity:

By tying federal funds to critical thinking initiatives, a reformed DOEd can assist with creating National Standards for teaching these skills. This would reduce K-12 education disparities between wealthier and poorer states, which would be especially important for subjects like critical thinking, which are essential for creating informed, analytical citizens.

2. Faster Implementation:

If each state is left to independently prioritize and develop things like critical thinking curricula, progress would be slow and uneven. Some states may embrace it, while others may not prioritize it at all. A reformed DOEd effectively leveraging discretionary funding would accelerate adoption nationwide, pushing states to act more quickly.

3. Avoiding Patchwork Solutions:

Delegating responsibility to 50 different states would likely lead to inconsistent outcomes. Some states might excel, while others lag behind due to differences in resources, priorities, or political will. Utilizing federal incentives ensures a more cohesive strategy, helping avoid a patchwork of varying quality and commitment.

4. Resource and Expertise Support:

DOEd can provide resources, training, and guidance to help states effectively implement K-12 education improvements, like critical thinking programs. Federal funding and federal policies can help states collaborate and pool resources, making it easier to implement large-scale reforms, such as teacher training or new curricula. States may struggle to do this alone, but with federal backing, they’ll have access to proven methods and expert support to make the transition smoother.

5. Accountability Mechanism:

By connecting DOEd discretionary federal funding to clear accountability measures, like improved student outcomes in critical thinking, the federal government can ensure that states follow through on their obligations. Without this, there’s a risk that some states may not prioritize these skills, or fail to implement effective programs.

6. Equity:

Federal involvement ensures that during the K-12 education rebuild, that historically marginalized groups, such as students from low-income communities, students of color, or students with disabilities, will be guaranteed certain protections and resources across all states.

In short, using the reformed DOEd approach would likely lead to more consistent, efficient, and measurable results across the country, rather than leaving each state to navigate this critical change independently.

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Although some of AI’s reasons are a bit different than what I wrote here, the bottom line is that AI and I are on the same page:

Fix DOEd and do NOT turn over K-12 education reform to fifty states!

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