Schools failing, but don't give students choices

Tribune-Review article highlights chronically failing schools in the Pittsburgh area (see our report on school perfomance for more how schools are doing), and the No Child Left Behind mandate that these schools face restructuring. The headline is "Troubled schools could get more reform options."

So what "options" are given? Well, state government could take control of the school (though that hasn't improved other schools they've taken over) and continue to do things the same way - for students forced to attend the failing school. But even that "option" is deemed too drastic, and "more gradual" reforms are suggested.

Others across the country, including federal policy-makers, are worrying that the law's freedoms just give failing schools a loophole to keep doing what they want without consequences.

You can say that again. In fact, as the Allegheny Institute points out real "options" for students, such as allowing them to attend the school of their choice is off the table.