It's Time for Commonwealth Schools

Tim Kaine is one of the smartest, best-motivated Virginians to serve as governor in recent history. He’s a serious man whose family traditions, religious convictions, and career experiences have prepared him for leadership in the tradition of progressive statesmen like the Roosevelts and Kennedys. Moreover, unlike his three immediate predecessors, he seems more interested in his present job than in seeking – shall we say – a promotion.

Which makes it particularly unfortunate that Kaine finds himself saddled with a House of Delegates dominated by radical anti-tax Republicans.

Thus far, the Governor’s agenda has emphasized two big-budget items – an ambitious upgrade of Virginia’s transportation network and a proposal for universal pre-kindergarten. As the 2007 legislative session opens, it’s clear that neither of these proposals is apt to receive serious consideration from the House – unless it can be financed without raising new revenues.

Thus, Kaine seems likely to spend 2007 looking forward to November – and hoping for a Democratic sweep as dramatic as those in last year’s Congressional elections. Which is a rather big gamble – and the waste of a perfectly good legislative session.

If Governor Kaine asked my advice, I’d suggest that he accept the futility of pushing big-budget items – at least for this year – and expand his agenda to include imaginative proposals that could accomplish big things without costing big bucks.

The first item on this new agenda would be jump-starting the creation of regional public service academies, sometimes called “commonwealth schools”.

What is a Commonwealth school?

Essentially, a cross between a Governor’s school and VMI – a small, regional, public high school for young men and women considering careers as police officers, firefighters, EMTs, National Guardsmen, etc.

Commonwealth schools were authorized by legislation passed in 2003 and championed by the improbable team of Senator John Edwards, a progressive Democrat, and Delegate Lee Ware, a staunchly conservative Republican. While detailed plans have yet to be developed, I have been personally involved in early discussions of how a Commonwealth school might work. Here’s a brief outline.

To begin with, a Commonwealth school would be small – serving between 400 and 500 cadets in grades 8 - 12. Cadets would be drawn from several adjacent localities. Admission would be competitive, based on solid academics, a capacity for teamwork, an orientation toward public service, and physical fitness appropriate to the demanding careers for which cadets would train.

A Commonwealth school would offer the standard high school core curriculum, taught at a college-prep level – with subtle modifications. For example, foreign language instruction would emphasize spoken fluency in a language commonly encountered on the street in the region served by the school. American History would be expanded to two years, in order to inculcate a stronger sense of the values and traditions cadets would be training to uphold. Physical education would be replaced by four years of intensive PT – including martial arts, climbing, and ropes courses.

A strong internship program would introduce cadets to professional reality. Electives would mainly be professional courses in life-saving, fire-fighting and law enforcement. But the real “elective” would be the unique atmosphere of the Commonwealth school itself.

A Commonwealth School would differ drastically from conventional high schools in its disciplinary expectations. Cadets would observe strict standards of dress and personal grooming. Though no cadet would be under the authority of a fellow cadet, all would be expected to respond to faculty members with respect and unquestioning obedience. Cadets unable to comply with the disciplinary system – or the school’s honor code – would be dismissed to their home schools.

A key element of cadet life would be the division of each grade into teams of twelve. Teams would study together, as well as competing in an intensive program of intramural sports. The highest honors at a Commonwealth school would be team – rather than individual – honors.

The bottom line? Graduates of a Commonwealth school would be prepared for college – immediately or after an initial period of professional or military service. They would be exceptionally fit, disciplined, skilled at teamwork, and possessed of a clear understanding of the words “Duty, Honor, Country”.

Commonwealth schools represent an educational initiative as ambitious as anything Governor Kaine envisions for pre-schoolers – at a fraction of the cost. Since Commonwealth schools would serve only young men and women who would otherwise be attending conventional high schools, the only added costs would be those associated with small schools – costs usually offset by the greater effectiveness of small, focused schools.

Should the Governor put his weight behind this initiative, three or more Commonwealth schools could be open for business before he left office – the vanguard of a network of regional schools providing Virginia with future generations of public-spirited heroes.

If Governor Kaine seeks a legacy, what could be finer than being father to a statewide network of Commonwealth schools?