Editorial: Consistency is the key

Monday, March 1, 2004 | 8:43 a.m.

In 2001 the Clark County School District approved a five-year contract for Edison Schools to take over six elementary schools and one middle school whose academic achievements had perennially been dismal.

In its first two years Edison weathered harsh criticisms, as test scores did not improve and the company experienced financial problems nationally. Although we had originally opposed any privatization of the public schools, we nevertheless at that point urged patience, sensing that perhaps a couple of years were needed to make an impression. The latest standardized test scores from the six elementary schools, compared with district schools having the same demographic makeup, show that we may have been right. The schools were on par with district schools in reading, language and science -- an achievement in itself. But in math the scores were considerably higher.

Based on these results, we think the contract should continue into its fourth year. For the contract to continue beyond that, however, Edison will have to show consistent improvement, not just a one-year surge.