4 ms·

Dear god no. The proposed cap is on 10k students, which is roughly the size of one high school with its feeder schools (we're talking about breaking up large sc

Dear god no. The proposed cap is on 10k students, which is roughly the size of one high school with its feeder schools (we're talking about breaking up large school districts, so individual schools are going to be on the larger side). That's not something on the level of "this is going to create inefficiencies" so much as "this is going to utterly destroy things." The problem with hyperlocalism is that, since the number of constituents is so small, one angry person with a megaphone can throw a race, letting them act as a petty dictator. There's already too many petty wannabe dictators running around school board meetings right now, and encouraging more isn't going to help things. Of course, I assume this is entirely the point, which makes me wonder what the author's failed crusade against his large school district was about. Transgender bathrooms? Critical race theory? Litter boxes? Teaching evolution? (Also, I take issue with the characterization that the largest school districts tend to be the lowest-performing--my experience, looking at the list of largest school districts, is that they tend to be, well, average.)

JustSomeNobody 4y ago
> so much as "this is going to utterly destroy things." There are people actively trying to destroy public education. So, you are spot on.
ticviking 4y ago
Perhaps the problem is more our lack of engagement in civil society and local government such that those single loud voices are so powerful?
supertrope 4y ago
New Jersey has a zillion small townships. Each jurisdiction needs their own bureaucracy and politicians and sometimes own police department. This is a big part of why property taxes are usually >$10,000/yr over there. What local government is going to vote to dissolve themselves and merge to deliver more efficient shared services?
- RhysU 4y ago
  Being able to deal mostly with first-line managers because a township is small is worth a premium. I can call my mayor-- he met with our cub scout den last fall. I can find the police chief if I want. I can speak to the deciders on the school board or in the administration. Yes, it's expensive but there's delightful responsiveness and accountability in exchange for the sticker price.
lxm 4y ago
If not 10k, what is the magic number? Do larger school districts produce impressively better graduates through economy of scale of some sort?
wink 4y ago
Wait, there are actually highschools with 10k students at the same time? -- confused European who thought 1500-2000 is huge
- palmtree3000 4y ago
  High school is a bit under a third of school years in the US, so that's a high school of about 3000 (which is how big my high school was, for example).

JustSomeNobody 4y ago

> so much as "this is going to utterly destroy things." There are people actively trying to destroy public education. So, you are spot on.

ticviking 4y ago

Perhaps the problem is more our lack of engagement in civil society and local government such that those single loud voices are so powerful?

supertrope 4y ago

New Jersey has a zillion small townships. Each jurisdiction needs their own bureaucracy and politicians and sometimes own police department. This is a big part of why property taxes are usually >$10,000/yr over there. What local government is going to vote to dissolve themselves and merge to deliver more efficient shared services?

RhysU 4y ago
Being able to deal mostly with first-line managers because a township is small is worth a premium. I can call my mayor-- he met with our cub scout den last fall. I can find the police chief if I want. I can speak to the deciders on the school board or in the administration. Yes, it's expensive but there's delightful responsiveness and accountability in exchange for the sticker price.

lxm 4y ago

If not 10k, what is the magic number? Do larger school districts produce impressively better graduates through economy of scale of some sort?

wink 4y ago

Wait, there are actually highschools with 10k students at the same time? -- confused European who thought 1500-2000 is huge

palmtree3000 4y ago
High school is a bit under a third of school years in the US, so that's a high school of about 3000 (which is how big my high school was, for example).