The Department of Education makes another case against itself
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that half the states now participate in Ed-Flex, a program allowing states to waive certain federal education requirements without first seeking Washington’s approval.
Obviously, this is a pro-active step for education policy in the states. It’s also a revealing admission.
The Department says educational innovation does not come from top-down mandates and that decisions should be made closer to students.
Many state leaders agree:
“The best education policies don’t create more hoops to jump through. They create more opportunities for students to learn, grow, and succeed. That’s exactly what this flexibility allows us to do,” said Ellen Weaver, South Carolina Superintendent of Education. “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for approving South Carolina’s Ed-Flex application and for its confidence in our state’s ability to responsibly leverage this flexibility to better support districts, empower educators, and keep the focus where it always belongs: on students and their success.”
Last year, I argued that the Department of Education has never justified the extraordinary centralization of education policy in Washington at a conference at Thales College in Wake Forest, North Carolina. More importantly, simply transferring bureaucracy from the federal government to state capitals isn’t enough. Education should ultimately be responsive to parents, schools, and local communities.
We should strive for fidelity to our Tenth Amendment in all public policy. Even more so given that we have crossed the $40 trillion debt threshold.
Ed-Flex moves in that direction, but states still need Washington’s permission to exercise greater freedom from Washington’s own rules.
Ultimately, that’s not really federalism. Better, yes, but still just adding more length to the leash.
If states and communities are better positioned to make these decisions, why should they need a federal permission slip at all?
The Trump administration deserves credit for pushing authority back toward the states. But Ed-Flex strengthens the larger case for eliminating the Department of Education altogether.
Since it’s inception in 1980, it’s extremely difficult to see how education has improved across the country. In fact, the education revolution currently happening in K-12 is a reminder that Washington understands so little about what communities actually want.
—Ray Nothstine
— The Federalism Beat