OBJECTIVE

Participants will see connection of societal and

educational issues with sense of urgency for school

redesign

Transforming Our SchoolsOur education system was never

designed to deliver the kind of results we now need to equip students for

today’s world.

History of the Factory Model School

Results of the Factory Model School

Sense of Urgency

To respond appropriately, we need to rethink and redesign.

ReportA Nation at Risk, 1983

Proclaimed a “crisis” in American public education

It described a “rising tide of mediocrity” in our country’s public schools.

America’s economic security was threatened by a low-skill labor force that was no longer competitive in the global marketplace

Bipartisan “Reform” Declarations

A bipartisan national consensus on the importance of ensuring that all students have access to quality schools and a rigorous academic program began to emerge.

In the 1990’s “education reform” had become the top priority for state governments.

In 2001, with the NCLB legislation, the federal government assumed unprecedented authority over our nation’s public schools.

Results

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests suggest some progress in raising students’ math scores at all grade levels in the last dozen years.

However, the average reading scores of both elementary and secondary school age students shows virtually no change since 1980.

(The Nation’s Report Card-2003, Donahue, Daane)

Results

Writing scores increased slightly for fourth and eighth graders

Twelfth graders who scored “below basic,” increased from 22 to 26 percent!

(The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2002, Persky, Danne, Jin)

More Disturbing Data Around

The percentage of students who graduate from high school

The percentage of those who graduate “college-ready”

The persistent gaps in achievement among different ethnic groups

National Data Says…

Whites and Asians (79%)

Percent of Students Who Graduate From High School

Whites (72%)

African American and Hispanic (50%)

Source: Greene and Forster, “Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the US,” Manhattan Institute for Poilicy Research, 2003http://www.manhattan-institute .org/ewp_03.pdf

National Data Says…

Whites and Asians (37%)

Students Who Graduate “College Ready”

African Americans (20%)

Hispanics (16%)

Source: Greene and Forster, “Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the US,” Manhattan Institute for Poilicy Research, 2003http://www.manhattan-institute .org/ewp_03.pdf

Employers and Professors Agree

Students lack:Basic math skillsWriting skillsWork HabitsMotivationCuriosityRespect

Percentage of Employers and Professors Saying High School Graduates are Unprepared

73%75%

69%74% 72%

58%63%

65%

53% 51% 49%

37%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Writing WorkHabits

Motivation Basic MathSkills

Curiosity Respect

Employers Professors

“The formulation of the problem is often more essential than the solution” -Einstein

What’s the “PROBLEM?”

What is the crisis in American Public Education all about?

If it ain’t broke,Don’t fix it!

Their schools are the problem,

Not ours!School reform is just another fad!

Incremental change

is the only way to go!

“No Shame, No Blame, No Excuses”

Reframing the “problem”

Schools (teachers and parents) are not failing… The system is obsolete.

Reforming our present system isn’t the solution… We need to reinvent it.

21st Century “Basics”

The New Demand of a Knowledge Economy Goes Far Beyond “the

Basics.”

Definitions Have Changed

The competencies that academics and business leaders

now demand are not just the “basics” - the 3 Rs.

Transforming Our SchoolsOur education system was never

designed to deliver the kind of results we now need to equip students for

today’s world.

21st Century “Basic” Reading and Writing Skills MeanAbility to reasonAnalyze and hypothesizeFind, assess and apply relevant

information to new situationsWrite and speak clearly and conciselyUse a range of information and

communication technologies

21st Century “Basic” Math Skills Include

A working knowledge of statistics, probability, graphing and

spreadsheets

Expectations of Having the “Basics” Include

Students knowing how To organize themselves To motivate themselves To learn independently To do quality work To team with others

The Perception Gap

There is a perception gap between teachers and parents and employers and professors about whether public high school graduates have the skills needed to succeed in the work world.

The “Basics” Perception Gap

77% 74%66%

39%33%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Students Teachers Parents Employers Professors

Percent saying a high school diploma means students have learned the basics (PAF Reality CHECK, 2000)

Definitions Have Changed

The competencies that academics and business leaders now demand are not just

“the basics-the 3 Rs.”

Academic Competencies of the New Economy

Basic Skills: Reading, Writing and Mathematics

Foundation Skills: Knowing How to LearnCommunication Skills: Listening and Oral

CommunicationApplied Skills: Occupational and

Professional Competencies

New Reality

The realities of today’s economy demand not only a new set of skills but also that they be acquired by all students.

An eighteen-year old who is not college-ready today has effectively been sentenced to a lifetime of marginal employment and second-class citizenship

Sense of Urgency

This finding suggests that the first task in a successful systemic change process is to generate a greater understanding and urgency for change.

Labor Competencies of the New Economy

Adaptability: Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

Group Effectiveness: Interpersonal skills, Negotiation and Teamwork

Influence: Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership

Personal Management: Self-Esteem and Motivation/Goal Setting

Attitude: Positive Cognitive Style

The Problem Extends Beyond

“all students, new skills challenge”

ACTIVITY

In groups, list five reasons that teachersmight give for why academicgain at the secondary level isn’t as rapid as seen at the

elementary level

Teachers Polled Said…

Students are less motivated to learn traditional academic content

Students lack family support for learningParents fail to set limits and create

structure at homeParents refuse to hold their kids

accountable for their behavior and academic performance

(Johnson and others, Where We Are Now)

ACTIVITY

In groups, list five reasons that parents might give for why academicgain at the secondary level isn’t as rapid as seen at the

elementary level

Parents Polled Said…

Supporting their children’s learning is a significant challenge

They don’t know how to motivate their own children

Raising children today, is a lot harder, compared to when they were growing up.

(Farkas, Johnson, Duffet, Wilson, Vine, A Lot Easier Said Than Done)

Parents Agree…

Children today are overindulged and lacking in self-control and self-discipline

Young people show less deference toward authority.

Lack of respect for adults is a significant problem

High School Students Said…

They are often bored in classThey want to attend collegeThey need more opportunities for

hands-on learningThey need closer relationships with

teachers who can serve as coaches and advisors

Motivation

This question of how to motivate all students to want to learn new skills is rarely raised in the national debate about educational reform.

Overlooking this critical ingredient, motivating all students to reform education, is a serious omission

Creating Coherent SLCs

Personalization

Structure

Curriculum,Instruction,& Assessment

IMPROVED STUDENT

ACHIEVEMENT

More Pieces to the Puzzle

Economic transformation to a knowledge economy has been accompanied by deep-seated and less visible social changes that are having significant effects on students and families.

More Pieces to the Puzzle

These changes must be taken into consideration as we try to better understand the education challenge facing us.

No One is to Blame

All of us who are concerned with education today need to work together to understand the new challenges for teaching, learning and parenting in the twenty-first century.

Unprecedented Demands

The need for a dramatically more skilled and highly educated workforce in a global economy-combined with profound changes in students’ and families’ life circumstances-have created unprecedented demands on education leaders.

A Theory of Change

Student achievement will not improve unless and until teaching improves. Higher standards, more testing and small learning communities do not by themselves, improve teaching

Teachers, working alone, with little or no feedback on their instruction, will not be able to improve significantly- no matter how much professional development they receive

The challenge of change leadership is to create a “system” for continuous improvement of instruction, supervision, and instructional leadership.

Seven LAUSD Attributes of Successful Schools

Personalization

Unifying Vision/Identity

Equity and Access

Rigorous Standards-Based Curriculum,Instruction & Assessment

Accountability & Distributed Leadership

Professional Development

Collaboration/Parent and Community Engagement

Structure

Personalization

Curriculum,Instruction,& Assessment

IMPROVED STUDENT

ACHIEVEMENT

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Personalization

Structure

Culturally Relevant & Responsive

Pedagogy

School-wideInstructional

Practices

District Initiatives (Special Ed.,

Gate, ELL)

Instructional Intervention

Accountability and Assessment

Focus on Standards(Rigor with

High Expectations) Curriculum,Instruction& Assessment

STUDENTACHIEVEMENT

Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

Focus on Standards (Rigor

with HighExpectations) Vertical Organization

(Minimize Transition Points)Flexible Scheduling

Family Support/

Community Engagement

Teacher Time for Collaboration and

Professional Development

School-

“Outside the Box”

Personalization

Structure

Curriculum,Structure, & Assessment

Student Connectedness

Teacher Collaboration

Internships Matching Student Interests

School to Home &Home to SchoolCommunication

Teacher Ownership of Student Outcomes

Advisory ProgramAnd FamilyAdvocacy

Personalization

STUDENTACHIEVEMENT

Personalization

Student Connectedness Teacher CollaborationTeacher Ownership of

Student Outcomes

School to Home/Home to School Communication

Advisory Program/

Family Advocacy

Internship Matching

Student Interests

Structures that SupportInstruction & Personalization

Curriculum,Structure, & Assessment

Personalization

Small Numbers with Contiguous

Space

Teacher Time for Collaboration and Prof. Dev.

School -“Outside the Box”

Flexible Scheduling

Family Support & Community Engagement

Vertical Organization(Minimize

Transition Points)Structure

STUDENTACHIEVEMENT

Structure

Small Numbers with Contiguous Space

Vertical Organization

(Minimize Transition Points)Flexible Scheduling

Family Support/

Community Engagement

Teacher Time for Collaboration and

Professional Development

School-

“Outside the Box”

Barriers

NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW,

UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE