Deval Patrick on Education Democratic Governor (MA) and presidential contender

A year of college fees for a year of service

PATRICK: I think the fact that we are divided is one thing. The fact that it's so easy to divide us is another deeply concerning thing. It's one of the reasons why, in something we call our democracy agenda we have proposed essentially universal national service, either civilian or military, as a way to bring people from different parts of the country together to work alongside each other in service of an unmet national need for a year or two or three. Indeed, for every year of service, we provide a year of college tuition and fees, as well.

Invest in education, innovation, infrastructure

We invest in education, in innovation, and in infrastructure.
• We invest in education because well-prepared young minds and mid-career talent is our global calling card and our economic edge.
• We invest in innovation because, with a workforce like ours, enabling and encouraging new ideas is the best way to take advantage of the knowledge explosion happening in the world economy today.
• We invest in infrastructure because rebuilding our roads, rails, bridges, expanding broadband to every community, building new classrooms and labs and more affordable housing gives private initiative and personal ambition the platform for growth.

Favors MCAS, but not as only measure of education reform

PATRICK: I’m in favor of the MCAS. The problem is that we take the MCAS and we slap it on top of school systems that are already under strain. We need to make the MCAS better; we need remedial programs; we need additional measures of how a student is developing academically so that we are educating the whole child. I think it’s a mistake for us to think that all there is to education reform is one high-stakes test.

Incentives & merit pay on school-wide basis only

PATRICK: I agree with one of the Lt. Governor’s ideas, about incentives to encourage teachers to come to underperforming schools. That’s a great idea. I will also say that I support merit pay but I think there’s a right way & a wrong way to do it. I think we do differ on this. The right way to do it is in a way that encourages collaboration. So I’m looking at merit pay by team or by school. How do we lift the whole school, ought to be our approach.

Veto moratorium, but cap charters until funding is reformed

PATRICK: Chris, you’re wrong that I don’t support charter schools. As important as charter schools are and as helpful as they are, we need to come up with a different and better funding mechanism before we raise the cap.

REILLY: Deval, if there was a moratorium proposed by the legislature, to curb any growth in charter schools, would you sign that legislation? I wouldn’t. I think Chris would veto it.

GABRIELI: I would veto it.

REILLY: Would you veto it?

PATRICK: Yes, but listen, we’ve got to be serious about funding. The formula works in theory, but in real life, there are real tensions between real families and that is not community building and that is not advancing ed reform.

REILLY: It’s a matter of giving parents choice, give them a choice.

Supports unionized Horace Mann charter over regular charters

Supports MCAS but would add a science test and other tests

Cap charter schools until funding formulas improved

On merit pay, Patrick shifted from his support for rewards for individual teachers to saying he favors a system that would encourage collaboration within schools or teams of teachers by awarding bonuses more broadly based on a school’s overall improvement. The evaluation would not be based on MCAS test results, he said.

On quasi-public charter schools, Patrick said school districts must begin to incorporate those innovations that are proven to work into traditional public schools. He also said he favors a cap on the number of public schools until new funding formulas for charter schools are devised “that don’t drain” district school funding.

Expand early education opportunities

Extend the school day, and explore extending the school year

Reduce class sizes; offer more after-school programs

We must pursue strategies to take better advantage of the many excellent after-school programs in Massachusetts today, so that students have access to a seamless extension of the academic curriculum.

Supports charter schools

Improve assessment tools including MCAS and beyond

Reinvest in public higher education