Albert Shanker‘s Correspondence to Ray Budde

This document is a series of letters exchanged between Ray Budde, an originator of the charter school concept, and Albert Shanker, then-president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), dated between June and August 1993.

Their correspondence centers on the theory and practical implications of chartering all schools in a district—a radical form of decentralization aimed at reforming public education. Shanker voices skepticism about the effectiveness of current charter school efforts, emphasizing the need for curriculum standards and accountability. Budde, in turn, articulates the potential of chartering as a structural reorganization strategy to increase local control, flexibility, and teacher innovation, aligning with broader movements in organizational decentralization.

The letters reflect evolving ideas about education policy, union involvement, decentralization, and structural reform, with references to the Hammond, Indiana experiment, Deming’s TQM, and the idea of schools becoming semi-autonomous units within a district framework.

Budde proposes using chartering as a policy mechanism to reframe district governance and empower educators, expressing optimism about the convergence of ideas in the early ’90s that could bring his decades-long vision to life.

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Outline

I. Introduction & Correspondence Overview

• Participants: Ray Budde and Albert Shanker
• Timeframe: June 15 – August 27, 1993
• Context: Charter schools and educational reform debates

II. Shanker’s Initial Letter (June 15, 1993)

• Critique of the charter movement as a “quick and dirty” reform
• Preference for structural reform rooted in common standards and performance-based accountability
• Cautious support for service-oriented district models and bi-level bargaining
• Reference to experience in Hammond, Indiana

III. Budde’s Response (June 23, 1993)

• Acknowledgment of broader acceptance of chartering post-1988
• Reflection on the decentralized organization trend in the private sector
• Support for decentralization as “decentralizing a school district by chartering all schools”
• Description of drafting a theoretical model for planning decentralization
• Plans for presenting work to Shanker and AFT

IV. Follow-Up from Budde (August 27, 1993)

• Update on progress: completion of second planning chapter
• Focus on practical questions:
  • How to redesign central district offices for service orientation
  • How to decentralize governance through policy rather than law
• Emerging takeaways:
  • Chartering can formalize decentralization
  • Change does not require charismatic leaders but can emerge through policy