Blueprint for Reform
Theresa Davidson, Superintendent, Emporia Public Schools
Thursday, February 17, 2011
In his introduction to the Blueprint for Reform, President Obama said, “Today, more than ever, a world-class education is a prerequisite for success. America was once the best educated nation in the world. A generation ago, we led all nations in college completion, but today, 10 countries have passed us. It is not that their students are smarter than ours. It is that these countries are being smarter about how to educate their students. And the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow. We must do better….”
The Blueprint for Reform is designed to replace the No Child Left Behind legislation. The new law calls for: 1) students prepared to be successful in college and in the workplace; 2) great teachers and leaders in every school; 3) equitable opportunities for all students; 4) higher expectations with excellence rewarded; and 5) an environment where innovation and continuous improvement is valued.
These goals do not sound particularly new or startling. Yet, to address them, the Blueprint calls for Common Core Standards across the 50 states, Career Pathways for all students (once offered primarily to non-college bound students), and 21st Century skills (sometimes referred to as “soft skills”).
The Blueprint for Reform, like No Child Left Behind and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act before it, strives to ignite the passion and drive to insure that every student receives a quality education. Certainly, no one would argue that we should leave any child behind. Yet the tenets of each law are very different.
NCLB forced schools to focus on the key knowledge and skills that every student should know and be able to do. The Blueprint incorporates the relevance of Career Pathways to engage students in the rigorous depth and breadth defined in the Common Core Standards. While it is the teacher’s challenge and responsibility to insure that students learn, students must take ownership and responsibility for their own learning.
Indeed, it is not enough for teachers to teach subjects; those subjects must be relevant to careers that students will enter as adults. The successful student of the future also must master 21st Century skills, such as how to use technology responsibly, effectively communicating and working in a team, strategic thinking, problem-solving, high productivity and a strong work ethic.
It has been said that we are preparing young people for jobs that have not yet been created. The “soft skills” may be some of the most important skills students learn during their school career. It is not enough to merely endure the days of class from August to May from one year to the next. Students must be engaged; they must know that they have accomplished the difficult but rewarding work of learning and are truly prepared to meet new challenges.
Rigor in the classroom that we consider necessary for college-bound students has often been deemed optional for students choosing to go directly into the workforce. In reality, students going on to post-secondary institutions will have other chances to learn reading, math, conflict resolution and other valuable workplace skills. However, high school is the last chance for a student going directly from graduation to the workforce. These kids need more education at the high school level rather than less!
Programs such as AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) at Emporia Middle School and Emporia High School help educators increase the rigor for students. AVID places academically “average” students in advanced classes and provides the necessary support to succeed in rigorous curricula. As a result, AVID students are more likely to enroll in post-secondary studies. Programs such as this show students how they can control their destiny by taking ownership of their learning.
The district’s “Learning Opportunities Planning Committee” (formerly known as the Calendar Committee) received a new charge this year. We asked the committee to develop a school calendar that does not force all students into the same time requirements, but “requires” ongoing learning opportunities for those who need them in order to be successful at the next level. Again, we hope to structure the academic year in a way that gives students ownership over their learning.
It is programs such as AVID and a new way of thinking about the school “year” that will help us achieve the goals of the Blueprint for Reform and graduate students with 21st Century “soft skills” – a strong work ethic, good communication skills, ability to work in teams, solve problems and work under pressure.
I wonder why they call them “soft” skills. In my opinion, anyone with these skills is one tough cookie!
bobhornet (anonymous) says...
"Indeed, it is not enough for teachers to teach subjects; those subjects must be relevant to careers that students will enter as adults."
Goodbye fine arts and social studies! What ever happened to the idea of educating the whole person--not just for a career, but also for a fulfilling life?
The fact that our superintendent buys this really scares me.
February 17, 2011 at 3 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Good point, bobhornet! Farewell to everything that has nothing to do with careers.
Makes me wonder why so many schools are cancelling Art and Music courses after reading this woman's philosophy.
What happened to the well rounded student? Public schools are not tech colleges!!!
February 17, 2011 at 3:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
A site for good information.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkKND7...
February 17, 2011 at 8:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
To be honest, I wasted a lot of time and high school and money in college on classes that I had no interest in and have not benefited me. I had to take them because they were general education requirements, when I would have much rather focused on business and technology course augmented by internships. I am not advocating dissolving disciplines, but there are quite a few subjects I could have substituted with a programming or business course that would have benefited me much more. I think had I grown up in the no child left behind age learning to take tests I would have dropped out due to boredom.
February 17, 2011 at 9 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jamesbordonaro (James Bordonaro) says...
NCLB did need major reform to avoid "teaching to the test." I wish the Superintendent had also discussed how the accountability and enforcement provisions of the new law will be administered if different than NCLB.
February 17, 2011 at 9:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
bobhornet, create: are you both suggesting at maybe even SPORTS, and stupid sports, golf, bowling the rest of the crap that doesnt do anything to get a kid through school be stopped?? WOW If you would say yes, I am SHOCKED, I have been saying this for years.....if a parent want their little darling to excel in baseball basketball, or any other waste of money, they can pay for their kid to waste their money! Just think of the money to be saved if all sports were eliminated, coaches would have to find another job, ah poor babies and then all the assistants could become something besides assistants. The is a reason she wrote this article, and that is because there is talk about the thought of ditching the dept of Education, and let the states take the schools, oh what a thought,, just look at them in Wisconsin
February 17, 2011 at 9:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Theresa Davidson attended a meeting last night about government data powered by Kansas Policy Institute. She was the only public official to attend and no canidates running in the primary attended. My post above was to give these folks valuable information. Good luck you all.
February 17, 2011 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kciddor (anonymous) says...
The views this Superintendent has is typical of what has been taking place for years now and it hasn't worked. We pay nearly 60% of local tax dollars to the school system and receiving lack luster performance. With what is taking place in WI at this time could well be a beginning to do something with the so called union that need to be done away with. Tenure-Bull Crap, paying your insurances, and adding to your retirement. Look out it could be headed your way.
February 18, 2011 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
justaflush,
No I'm not suggesting that athletics programs should be stopped. But my reasoning goes beyond the framework of the cost of the sports themselves. I think these programs keep a lot of kids busy after school, kids who might ordinarily find themselves with too much time on their hands.
There is a lot to be said about the merits of high school athletics. It instills a sense of school pride, a sense of achievement, physical fitness to name just a few. BTW, you'd be surprised how much those programs EARN for the schools. Ticket sales are nothing to sneeze at.
Merits also exist for music programs. My kids were band kids and they were kept incredibly busy, but I did also pay for their extra music lessons as well.
However, I do believe that those athletic programs are getting very expensive and I have no problem with Pay to Play as some schools have instituted.
Yes, I see what is going on in Wisconsin. We're going to see a lot of that in the coming few years because states are running on empty. I see what is going on in Connecticut too when several police officer positions were cut recently. They too are picketing.
We will see this in Kansas too as the governor seeks to support only core departments. But the Department of Corrections has been cut drastically here in Kansas too. I guess it isn't a core concern to keep prisoners where they belong. We will see more and more law breakers on parole because we have no room in the prisons and Kansas is not about to build another prison.
By the way, I just recently learned that USD 252 (Olpe and Hartford and Neosho Rapids) is operating on the lowest budget it has in 20 YEARS! If they can do it, others can do it too. Perhaps others need to call them to find out their secret.
February 18, 2011 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lynnspkrs (anonymous) says...
The AVID system of grades 4-16 IS the blue print for school reform. Go to www.AVID.org for more info.
This program has been around 30 yrs and 98% of the kids graduate and go on to college. Spread the word - tho it's in 47 states - it's still relatively unknown!!
February 18, 2011 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Just another note. We've got to get our population in this country back to work. States are running on empty because they have no state income taxes coming in with such a high rate of unemployment. 40 plus states are running into heavy shortfalls right now and that includes a state like Connecticut, who until recently, had few budget problems.
Who are those ten states that remain and what is their secret? We need to look at those states.
We've sent an incredible number of jobs overseas and that is a major problem for us. Do we refuse to buy anything made in another country? Do we increase tariffs? One thing for sure, we must learn to do more with less.
As far as refusing to buy from another country, has anyone seen the lovely produce coming in from South America? It's all nice, and it isn't very expensive at all. But apples, which come from this country, are well over a buck a pound.
Explain?
February 18, 2011 at 9:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodjoss (anonymous) says...
This is the final word on education reform from Ken Robinson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcD...
10 minutes will forever change your outlook on our system of education.
February 18, 2011 at 10:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kciddor (anonymous) says...
Sure create bring in all the revenue you can to spend without cutting a dimes worth of spending. Just like the rest of the legislators in the country are doing and it won't work. You couldn't operate your house hold that way and why should the tax payers be asked to do the same. BS
February 18, 2011 at 3:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
The superintendent of schools makes 149,881 dollars. 23 people make over 80,000 dollars.
http://kansas.watchdog.org/6134/compa...
February 18, 2011 at 8:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/69264556/...
February 18, 2011 at 8:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
FLORIDA REFORM.
http://kansas.watchdog.org/6303/goldw...
February 18, 2011 at 9:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
The Rockefeller Foundation and it's blueprint for reform.
http://educate-yourself.org/ga/RF4cha...
February 18, 2011 at 10:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
http://www.christianparents.com/jdewe...
February 18, 2011 at 11:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Just teach them the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Once they qualify for enlistment and complete training, the world will be their oyster!
February 18, 2011 at 11:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
kciddor,
States are operating on so little now and that's why Brownback and others like him are cutting back to core spending only. I get it. Keep paroling felons. That's what's going on now. Or do they live in your neighborhood? Or do you care?
Law enforcement is getting cut too. How far are you willing to go in cuts to the police force?
February 19, 2011 at 7:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
reddog,
What you are doing is called spamming, and it is bad manners and rude in the world of blogs. Knock it off!
February 19, 2011 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
i THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE.
Please note the 2nd paragraph about manufacturing jobs.
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/...
February 19, 2011 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
And now you know the rest of the story.
http://www.improve-education.org/id8....
February 20, 2011 at 9:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Yes, Steve, that was a good article. Thanks for the link. Here's that second paragraph:
"The kinds of jobs that are disappearing are the jobs that pay really well [for] relatively unskilled workers," says Harry Holzer, Ph.D., Georgetown University economist and co-author of "Where Are All The Good Jobs Going." He lists manufacturing jobs as a leading example, saying that well-paid assembly jobs that require modest training and only a high school diploma or less are a thing of the past."
We've just received word that 78 jobs are being cut by Kan Build as they close down. Couple that kind of information with a high drop out rate and there is no good news on the horizon. Kids have to understand that they must get an education; they must learn a real skill they can use to make a living.
February 21, 2011 at 8:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )