Creating a New Reality for Public Education

In 1978, Ron Edmonds in his Some Schools Work and More Can speech, said, "We can whenever, and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need, in order to do this. Whether we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far."

As a public educator for the past twenty years I am dismayed at how much time and energy goes into the "blame game" about why are schools are not yet meeting the needs of all kids. What a waste of time, energy and resources.

Everyone has a finger to point at someone else....Consider the comments that I've heard or read in the last two weeks:

• Those dang parents-if they would just do their part
• That teacher-if they would just teach! We need a new evaluation system to run them out.
• Principals-why don't they lead with courage? Let's evaluate them out too.
• We need a new superintendent...one who really understands the complexities of our district.
• School Districts operate in fear of the teacher's association-why don't they fix things?
• What's wrong with the State department? They are just tinkering around the edges!
• What is wrong with kids today? If they just wanted to learn.
• The educational researchers...they are always out to get us!
• President Obama and Arne Duncan...what are they up to?
• Let's spend more money!
• We need to cut the entire education budget and go back to basics!

My take on the dilemma-

We need to create a whole new reality for public schools in the United States and my home state of Washington. We know what needs to be done and should focus our energy on doing it...let's move away from the "blame game" and focus on getting the results our kids deserve. Let's quit trying to survive...and start to thrive.

What is the fix? I'm glad you asked.

1. As a State, we need to become transformational agents of support. All entities (state department, district offices, professional associations, researchers, consultants) that work with, in, and support schools must view themselves as "deal changers" to support the folks in the trenches doing the work. (teachers and principals) To me this means that we must move away from a compliance/watch-dog approach and dig deep, to collaboratively support and engage those closest to the work. 
2. Build a new floor and take the ceiling off. As mentioned in the Edmonds quote, "Whether we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far." As a father of six public school students in Washington and public educator our work should be to raise the floor for all kids. Raise the minimum level of expectation to ensure that every student graduates from high school college and career ready. We have talked about this for generations. However there are relatively simple solutions that, if embraced could ensure all students achieve at higher levels. Do our neediest schools get the very best teachers and principals? Do ALL kids have access to rigorous coursework that prepares them for life after high school? Do we meet kids where they are and really believe in word and deed that they each can make it? Do we embrace the idea that demography doesn't have to determine destiny? We're still "tinkering" because we haven't come together as a unified state and national community to really embrace every child. We as a national community have not been brought together around a common vision for ALL kids so long as our child is OK. This simply is not sufficient. We need a unified vision and mission that moves us to action, on behalf of every child. The floor must be raised! At the same time raising the floor doesn't mean limiting the kids who are already achieving. Creating a whole new reality also means taking the ceiling off the limitations we've previously defined for our schools, educators and families. Our kids at the top...need to push through the roof! What new heights could our kids achieve if we were open to eliminating the forces that hold them back. Could we as an educational system find a way to truly value innovation? I know we can.
3. Support teachers and principals-I'm concerned about the national flavor about punishing people into excellence or reward as the only motivation for performance. We all approach the cycle of learning from a unique perspective. I happen to believe that most teachers teach because they love kids and want to be the best teacher they can be. I also believe that most principals became principals because they wanted to have the largest, most positive impact on students they could have. This is NOT an anti-accountability statement in any way. I believe we need clear definable standards and ways to measure progress and growth over time. That said, if our focus as a state and nation creates too punitive a climate, our best and brightest will leave the field, not work harder. We need to create and empower schools to be learning communities that value innovation, creativity, technology integration, differentiation AND have high expectations for ALL kids. Raise the bar, clarify the work, be clear about evaluation and expectations for teachers and principals but don't demoralize the foot soldiers that are marching into classrooms each and every day...they care about the battle we're all fighting. The battle for equity, social justice, increased achievement, access, college and career readiness CANNOT be won or even waged if we destabilize our schools, districts and communities to the point they cling for survival as opposed to engaging for continual improvement.
4. Get clear about the metrics-What is it that we want every child to know and be able to do? What did the kids learn? How do we know? Does this match our goals and objectives? If not, what will be different tomorrow? These are common sense questions that many are still debating. Someone has to have the courage to ask the question and drive the stick in the sand. We know that algebra and geometry are gateway courses for college and life. Yet we still debate about when to teach it, who gets access, and what it looks like. We know early literacy is essential. Yet we get caught on the hamster wheel of indecision about how to get kids there and what to measure. Instead of investing in creative ways to ensure success we focus on different ways to test. I believe there are multiple ways kids can show what they know and are able to do. I also believe kids need multiple opportunities with graduated intervention and support to get there. The WHAT is the most important thing. Let's get clear about the metrics and invite the professionals to get creative about the HOW. 
5. Engage parents and community as partners-Having endured the fiscal chaos of the past six years as a working adult it has become increasingly clear to me that education is our best hope for a stable, thriving and growing economy. Our kids must be able to compete on the world stage. Not just a few kids. Not just the ones with well-educated, middle class parents...but ALL kids. All parents and communities  in the end want this same thing. Parents want their kids to have more opportunities than they had. Communities need great role models, contributors, and thinkers to grow, come back and share, and take their expertise abroad. To this end, we all want the same thing even though we may articulate this expectation in very different ways. We must be on the same team with a common and articulated vision. This requires all of us to be open to the belief systems and background experiences of everyone in our community whether or not they look like me, talk like me, etc. Public education can become the glue that figures this kind of engagement out and takes it to scale. Part of our work is to engage parents and community partners at the table to ensure that all futures are bright. This targeted investment, though not measured in test scores, is just as vital to our turn around work.

I'm not sure I like the term "turn around" school. Turn around implies that, previously to the turn, nothing good was happening. Turn around creates a demoralizing aura that implies no one was trying and opens the door to the "blame game" and finger pointing in various directions. 

We need to create a whole new reality. We need a vision for ALL that includes ALL. I absolutely believe we can do this work. We already know more than we need to do it. The remaining question is how we feel about the fact that we haven't created this new reality yet.

I invite you to abstain from the blame game and to put the fingers down. Dig deep within our local, state and national community to ensure that progress is made.

Do my actions today match my goals and objectives?

No...

What will be different tomorrow?