October 9, 1985

Education Week recently printed a letter that was critical of programs permitting parents to choose from among public schools ("Oklahoma Editor Says Correction Unnecessary on Shanker Statement," Education Week, Aug. 21, 1985). The writer suggested that such programs--including the one proposed by Gov. Rudy Perpich of Minnesota--would increase racial segregation and hurt small towns.

We think it is important for your readers to know that Governor Perpich took such concerns into account in preparing our "Access to Excellence" proposal; the result was strong, statewide support for the plan. Organizations that endorsed the final form of the plan included the Minnesota Parent Teacher Association, the state chapter of the League of Women Voters, the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals, and a number of civic groups and individual educators.

As a native Arkansan, former teacher educator, and present superintendent of an Oregon school district, I read with great interest Peggy Maddox's recent Commentary, "Testing Arkansas Teachers: The 'Quick-Fix' Politics of Reform". In my opinion, Ms. Maddox is definitely marching to the beat of the wrong drummer.

The Chicago Board of Education's recent decision to drop Chicago Mastery Learning Reading as a required program may have appeared to be a political move, not one based on the merits of the program.