Budgeting for educational outcomes: move on!

Today (3/21/11), in the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee, Nancy Golden, Duncan Wyse, and Bev Stein continued a discussion with the members of the subcommittee on “budgeting for outcomes.” I listened to the hearing online.

First, none of the subcommittee members asked the question I submitted to them (here) to ask. Too bad!

Second, budgeting for outcomes is a good process. We should be doing it now. This is not a new concept. It’s what both the budget department of the Executive Department and Legislative Fiscal are set up to do. Just let them do it.

Third, several subcommittee member asked what would happen to a school district that received funding for an outcome and then failed to meet that outcome. How would they be held accountable? We are nowhere near a consensus on how to discipline school districts (because the students usually end up suffering) even without the political pressures that would come from underperforming schools.  So, of what management use are the outcomes?

Fourth, politics gets in the way. There are strong special interest groups that can shape the outcomes and deter consequences when agreed outcomes are not met. They are a big part of why we do not have a clear outcome based educational budgeting system. They are not going to change.

Fifth, the outcomes suggested to the subcommittee were far too general for me to support. More transformative outcomes are needed (again, like I submitted to the subcommittee with my questions). 

So, I am not opposed to “budgeting for outcome,” but I would prefer that they do it quietly. To the extent that it sucks up energy for reform, it is a mistake. Better, IMHO, to focus the reform agenda on two big transformations which are reshaping the world: digitalization and internationalization (or globalization). In education, digitalization means using software, new communication devices, and online education much more, and “internationalization” means stronger foreign language programs (more immersion opportunities) and creating high school (and higher ed) study abroad opportunities. These are what the Redesign Teams should be focused on now, not rearranging the budgeting process.

Please move on now!

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