School Choice, `Bright Models'

The editorial "More Choices Than `Choice'," Oct. 30, on the Carnegie Foundation report and its reservations on school choice is excellent.

Having worked with the local Southern Berkshire Regional District for years, I take exception to the last paragraph. Carnegie has not ignored the "choice dynamic" nor should choice take credit for creating "bright models." Surely, we would not give credit to a war dynamic for creating bright models for peace.

Long before the simplistic "parental choice" raised its head, Carnegie grant schools had been created in Massachusetts. These schools advocated school-based management and encouraged bright new ideas to improve schools. The belief that schools weren't improving prior to choice is as much a myth as the claims for choice benefits.

It is presumptuous to fault Carnegie. It has been at the forefront of improving schools for years and has ignored nothing in its voluminous research. Leonard H. Lempert, North Egremont, Mass. Director, Statistical Indicator Associates

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