Changing the National Definition of Reforming Public Education

I continually read in periodicals and maganzines that public education requires reforming if we are to improve student achievement in this country. We are hearing similar comments at the federal level from Arne Duncan and President Obama. We are hearing the same reform talk in California state government from the governor and from big city local mayors. I have heard similar comments from higher education leaders as well.

I have not added to my Secondary Educators Blog for some time. There are many reasons for this. However, after lots of coaxing by friends and from some people I do not even know, I am going to resume adding to my discussion on improving secondary education. This topic of "school reform" and how it is defined is frequently on my mind. I hope that all of you form your own opinions on this topic and respond to what I have to share in this blog entry.

So, what do I keep hearing about public school reform? I hear that merit pay is necessary. I hear that a longer school year is necessary. I hear that tenure must be ended. I hear that more money is needed to support public education.

I agree that all of these things to some degree can help to improve public education. However, I would not call this school reform. In my mind the only reforms that matter are the reforms that bring about change in practice by adults and influence the learning opportunities for students; and the encouragement that schools provide to parents so that they become partners in their children's educational experience.

From my observations, as a nation our leaders are focusing on the wrong "reform" issues. If changes in adult thinking and actions do not lead to changes in classroom practice, then increased student achievement will not occur. I believe this is why we read so many reports of charter schools, small schools, and small learning communities that are both successful and unsuccessful. Improving instructional practice, connecting kids to caring adults, and connecting kids to the content that they are expected to learn are the reform issues that really matter. The school structures, the pay schedule of teachers, the number of days of instruction are all secondary issues.

I feel badly that foundations that can have so much influence, like the Gates Foundation, have moved away from creating culture shifts in our most underperforming schools. I know that they did not see sufficient constructive change in student learning data to allow them to continue putting their funds into school culture change, so they have moved to other arenas of public education to explore and influence change. the Gates Foundation and other educational leaders in this country can have tremendous impact on the public education. I believe that what we are hearing from Arne Duncan, President Obama, Governor Arnold, and mayors of large cities are being influenced by entities like the Gates Foundation, the Broad Foundation, and many universities. I am glad that these entities keep the public conversation around improvement of student achievement active, but why not listen to less powerful educators who are working in the field and hear them share what I am sharing. The differences in student learning will come only when we improve our practices in the classrooms of America through a systemic review of our public education system.

We need to help our leaders and politicians to focus educators and the public on the right reform issues. We need to find the best practices that make sense; we need to help adults connect to students; and we must win the trust of the parents so that they are partners in our school work. I am sure that merit pay will work somewhere for some teachers to help students achievel. I am sure that if we extend the school year we will help many students to learn more. I am sure that we make tenure more difficult to earn, or do away with it, some students will have better educators teaching them. But if we wish to help all students by supporting educators and parents, then we have to focus on the "right reforms" and those have to do with the behaviors and practices in every classroom, no matter what kind of school is created, and no matter what the adults are paid, and no matter how many days those teachers meet with their students.

We all need to reach out to the leaders of our nation and share a common theme and that theme is real reform must occur in the classrooms and households of America by helping adults to change their mindset about how public education can best support our kids.