Closing schools not the Answer nor Solution

Closing failing schools does not fix failing students. The state's misdirected law that essentially requires the Texas education commissioner to shut down schools that flunk state standards five years in a row. I certainly agree with this editorial, and do believe that its not just school who is responsible for bad records and grades, its an individual students too. You can do all the transferring that you want and it still will not make a failing student into a high performing one. Send him/her to private school and the only difference will be is that they will be failing in private instead of public school. You have to address the reasons that they are not passing. Some are working full time jobs after school to help the family survive. Some have been caught up in the system and now feel there is no use to try hard. but most of all it comes down to having the family structure that will not accept nothing less the their best. I did not come from a rich home but my parents would have a belt waiting if I brought home an "F". Then I would be made to go to summer school. This attitude is lacking today. Closing isn't the right answer, but it's easy, cheap, and putative, which is what large governmental bodies seem to lean towards. I also believe even if the school stayed open, that would mean some students would still be stuck at a failing school. No matter what happens to the school, the solution is to put the focus on the students. That is, let the money follow the student, and let the parents send the student whenever they choose. This would force the public school system to do what is best for the student in order to retain them. Currently the school system does what is best to protect itself, which often not what's best for the student. Closing buildings is not the answer — fixing problems is. That starts with strong principals and quality teachers. But schools also need the time and tools to fix problems. The revisions that give failing schools more time to improve and a way to rebuild without starting over are good steps.