It seems all we hear nowadays is"we need more money" when it comes to education It's time we examine the education establishment's "more-money-better-education" scream.

You probably will be surprised to hear that a school board trustee in Michigan disagrees that we are short changed when comes to funding education. Don't get me wrong...if there's a bigger piece of the pie available...I want my share, however, be rest assured, the state isn't going to see a cash wind fall anytime soon.

It seems all we hear nowadays is"we need more money" when it comes to education It's time we examine the education establishment's "more-money-better-education" scream.

You probably will be surprised to hear that a school board trustee in Michigan disagrees that we are short changed when comes to funding education. Don't get me wrong...if there's a bigger piece of the pie available...I want my share, however, be rest assured, the state isn't going to see a cash wind fall anytime soon.

It was last year when I was interviewing(with my school radio club) State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael P. Flanagan, who said to me "John, if I gave you $55,000,00 million dollars to run the schools yourself AND you could start from scratch, how would your district look?"

I came to one conclusion that day, I realized it's not about always getting more money. It's about how we do things differently. Certainly there are things out the school boards control, retirement, health care, etc…..and we need our legislators to address this immediately, However, there are many things we can look at when decide to re-design public instruction as we know it. And that is exactly what needs to be done, redesigned, re-tooled, re-done, use whatever term you like…but things have got to change.

I personally believe technology and consolidation are the tools in our grasp to re-shape how our schools will look over the next 10 years . This is the solution and opportunity to offering more while bringing in equal or less money. Solutions to our state of education lie in changing the way education is delivered

Working in the context of a digital society, with ever-present access to the Web, cell phones with photo- image capability, digital streaming, wireless connectivity, and plasma TVs -- requires breakthrough thinking

I am fortunate my district has allowed the board to push them in that direction, albeit slow, they have been open to technology in the classroom and consolidation of services. Between courses online, web conferencing in the classroom and or our summer academy, our district is leading the way in how future schools need to look.

As for consolidation…we have waited to long. Its time our districts take consolidation seriously. And let me be clear….its not about privatization, or merging districts, its consolidating SERVICES. In the county I live we have 5 school districts, why do we need a head supervisor making $50,000-80,000 ? , when one top guy could run the show? Are other districts sharing payroll services? There is so much opportunity here which wouldn't hurt the classroom.

This current model we use for schools, which has been around since World War II has got to change and we need that change now! This "Flat World" we live in will not sit around and wait for us to get it right.
It's time for change…and I don't mean in coin!