4 EDUCATION DISCUSSIONS DUE IN 72 HOURS

5

What Do We Know About Schooling?

Goals

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to do the following:

• Understand the principles and influence of educational policies and reforms

• Recognize the different models of schools and the breadth of school choice

• Analyze how society and schools have affected each other

• Contrast models and programs of some successful schools

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Introduction

If you asked someone 50 years ago what “schooling” looked like, the person may have responded with examples ranging from children sitting in rows as they attentively listened to lectures to teachers writing with chalk on green boards at the front of the classroom. Oh how times have changed. Such examples are little more than a caricature for what has become a complex system that is offering both variety as well as challenges rarely seen during our country’s history in education. Although this chapter will touch on our past beliefs about schooling, it will focus more on what is happening in schools and districts across our country today.

The layers that exist in providing the very best education to our students are elaborate to say the least. State and federal guidelines that are meant to provide a clarity of expecta- tions on a national level, as you’ll see, often result in a lack of autonomy that is needed to create success at a local level. We’ll explore how educators are navigating through these well-intended standards to create balanced approaches to learning for individual stu- dents. In doing so, a spirit of innovation is being embraced in a way that is redefining what schools look, sound, and feel like to students, parents, and educators today. From the systems that are developed at the site level by educators to the policies and reforms that are implemented by federal, state, and local politicians, this chapter will offer practi- cal examples of how schools are stepping up their role like never before.

5.1 Educational Policy and Reform

Pre-assessment

1. The No Child Left Behind Act is an example of educational policy at the ____________ level.

A. federal B. state C. county D. school board

2. When NCLB began, it required that 31% of students be proficient in reading. This requirement has gone up incrementally with a condition that ______ of students be proficient by the _______ school year.

A. 80%, 2014–2015 B. 50%, 2013–2014 C. 100%, 2013–2014 D. 60%, 2014–2015

3. Schools that do not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive years are considered _______ schools.

A. Tier One B. Tier Two C. Tier Three D. Tier Five

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4. The development of educational policy at the ________ level tends to be the most politically driven policy of them all.

A. federal B. state C. county D. school board

5. The only way that a school board can drive change beyond what has been given to them by the state and federal level is to

A. hire more experienced administrators. B. create charter schools. C. create board policy. D. trump the decisions that they do not agree with.

6. _____________ policy often tends to be geared toward student achievement and the way a district sets a path to success.

A. Federal B. Reactive C. County D. Proactive

7. Which of the following strategies helps make policies practical?

A. Alignment B. Student-focused C. Collaboration D. Independent analysis E. All of the above

Answers 1. A. federal

2. C. 100%, 2013–2014

3. A. Tier One

4. B. state

5. C. Create board policy

6. D. Proactive

7. E. All of the above

As the son of a school board member for 16 years, I watched my mother do her very best to create success for students in a timely manner. She was diligent in her approach and highly successful throughout her tenure on the board. The reason was she didn’t really care much about being reelected. She simply worked hard for the sake of kids, and if the constituents wanted her to continue that work, she did. But in spite of the fact that the community reelected her to four terms due to her down-to-earth approach, she always battled the politics of the job. Those politics almost always had to do with policies that she either created, supported, or voted against.

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Just the mention of educational policy is enough to make a teacher cringe. We do need to recognize, however, that it plays an important role in how our students are taught in school. In the end, the best policies are developed for two main reasons. There first is to solve a problem—to be reactive. The second is to shelter districts and schools from dealing with a problem in the first place—to be proactive. True, there is a third reason that policies are developed because of political agendas, but a lengthy discussion about the rationale of that kind of policy making isn’t something you need at this point. Let’s take a look at the different types of policies, as well as those who frame some of the most important school decisions at each level along the way.

Federal Policy

Policies at the federal level are often very broad and related to accountability. No policy exemplifies this better than No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law in the spring of 2001. The act requires that schools make adequate yearly progress (AYP) or face sanctions that heighten accountability. This accountability is meant to ensure that no matter what school a student attends, he or she is being offered a quality education. The concept is a good one because it has created a movement that is holding adults more accountable than ever for the academic success of children and young adults. The practical applications of this policy, however, do pose some challenges that many find unrealistic.

When NCLB began, it required that 31% of students be proficient in reading (Fuller, Wright, Gesicki, & Kang, 2007). This requirement has gone up incrementally with a con- dition that 100% of students be proficient by the 2013–2014 school year. Because most schools are currently far from meeting that requirement, it has created a very precarious situation for school districts across the country as well as the U.S. Department of Educa- tion (see Figure 5.1).

100%

75%

50%

25%

0% 2001

13.60%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 20132008

13.60% 13.60%

24.40% 24.40% 24.40%

35.20%

58.80%

67.60%

78.40%

89.20%

100.00%

46.00%

Years

Percentage of growth

Source: No Child Left Behind Act, 2002.

Figure 5.1: NCLB growth expectations by year (English language arts)

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CHAPTER 5Section 5.1 Educational Policy and Reform

Schools that do not make AYP for two consecutive years are then placed in what is called “School Improvement” status. This progressive sanction structure is as follows:

• Tier One: Schools that have not met AYP (adequate yearly progress) for two con- secutive years are considered in this category. They must offer school choice to their students and write a school plan for improvement.

• Tier Two: These schools have not met AYP for three consecutive years. They must continue to offer school choice, revise their school plan, and offer supplemental services to support improvement.

• Tier Three: Schools that have not met AYP for four consecutive years must con- tinue all items in Tier Two but also lose much of their autonomy as they are given corrective actions to implement.

• Tier Four: These schools continue to miss AYP and are required to do all of the above but now must write a plan for alternative governance consistent with their state law.

• Tier Five: Finally, schools that have missed AYP for six consecutive years must now implement their plan for alternative governance in which their school is essentially taken over by their state. Teachers, administrators, and other staff members are often transferred or terminated as part of this tier.

Each consecutive year of this status brings forth more stringent sanctions and ultimately places federal Title One dollars at risk for districts and schools. Depending on the size of the district, these dollars can range from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. While the vast majority of education funding comes from the state and local government, the billions of dollars given by the federal government are significant. In 2009, the federal government budgeted $100 billion to public schools in an effort to sup- port innovation and school improvement (National Economic Council, 2011). Policies that carry this kind of fiscal weight are policies that are hard not to follow.

State Policy

The development of educational policy at the state level tends to be the most politically driven policy of them all. When the will of the people is strong, policy will reflect this by setting mandates for all counties, districts, and schools to participate in required activities. This can often be beneficial, but mandates can also be incredibly frustrating when they are unfunded by the state. When unfunded mandates require districts to follow certain rules that require money, districts must then pull funds from other flexible budgets. This inevitably leads to less autonomy for districts and schools. As an example, let’s take a look at state policies for our gifted and talented students.

In the United States, 38 states have some form of gifted and talented education policy (http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/StatePolicy.aspx). These policies range from those that are mandated and funded to those that are mandated and unfunded. In North Caro- lina, the state legislature has both defined what a “gifted and talented student” is and set guidelines for how the state is to offer per pupil dollars to support their differentiated learning both in and out of the classroom (South Carolina Education Oversight Commit- tee, 2005). In Utah, while they set the definition of a gifted student and even offer guide- lines for how these students are to be identified, they do not require activities that must be completed with such students (Utah State Office of Education, n.d.). Because it is believed

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we should support our gifted and talented students as long as we have the funds to do so, both of these states have developed a policy that likely garners the support of practitioners.

On occasion, the act of making unfunded mandates can be a good thing that increases accountability for failing schools or districts. Accountability like this ultimately suggests that not all requirements placed on schools should come with dollars attached. These requirements are meant to represent a basis for support that all students deserve regard- less of a district’s bottom line. The development of state education policy is never easy. There are lots of children to serve in each state across the country and a finite amount of time and money to offer along the way. Sometimes their decisions are appropriate, but others appear to be out of touch. In times like these, it becomes the role of a county office of education to offer support.

County and District Policies

County offices of education often act as intermediaries for education policy. While they don’t tend to create policy from scratch, they do help to enforce it. From policies that state the acceptable use of technology for students to policies that make recommenda- tions in areas of the curriculum, county offices of education use their resources in an effort to support many school districts within their county lines. Although every office is different, most counties use their role to oversee a variety of requirements placed on districts by the state and federal government. From approving district budgets, to acting as a clearinghouse for teacher credentials, to offering innovative professional develop- ment, the county offices of education tend to use their resources to serve districts instead of oversee them.

As policy trickles down from federal and state governments, it reaches its final resting place at the feet of a school board. These elected officials are charged with guaranteeing that policy or “ed code” is upheld on all campuses for the sake of providing equity for all students. The only way that a school board can drive any kind of change beyond what has been given to them is to create board policy.

Schools boards create unique policies that almost always align with the goals or strategic plans of their district. Although a district may not agree with federal or state policies, it cannot create its own board policy to trump the decisions of those in the hierarchy of our government. For example, in California, it is a requirement that all districts hand out lay- off notices to teachers by March 15. A school board cannot decide that they’d rather offer notices on June 15 instead, as it would be a direct conflict with current state policy. With districts seemingly at the bottom of the totem pole, what power do they have to create policies unique to them?

The act of creating policies tends to have a very similar path no matter where the district. Typical steps to creating board policy might be:

• Step One: All policies start with an idea. These ideas might come from a district employee, board member, parent, or community member.

• Step Two: Ideas are then placed on a school board agenda. Individuals are given 2 to 5 minutes to present ideas in front of the board. It should be noted that ideas

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that come directly from a school board member must be discussed in an official board meeting and not in private with other board members. This would be a direct conflict with many state laws that disallow public officials from meeting without a quorum.

• Step Three: After a board hears an agenda item, they make a decision for follow- up. If they deem an item worthy, they often charge the superintendent to seek out further information within a set timeline and have it presented to the board.

• Step Four: Follow-up information is then presented to the board and often accom- panied with a draft of a new policy. This draft is reviewed and often revised.

• Step Five: When a draft of a policy is acceptable, the board votes on whether or not to make it official. If it passes, the board then charges the superintendent to enforce the new policy.

The creation of school board policy can be tedious and political in nature, but it can also be forward thinking and innovative. The best school board policies are those that somehow find a way to strike a balance between those that are proactive in nature and those that are reactive.

Application: Making Policy Practical

When it comes down to it, any policy can be viewed as either proactive or reactive. Proac- tive policy often tends to be geared toward student achievement and the way a district sets a path to success. From the use of technology, to enhancing teaching and learning, to initiatives that promote college readiness for all, proactive policies raise the accountability for all associated with a school. However, these policies are not limited only to academics; many districts are making policies to adopt methods to promote character and develop the student as a whole.

Reactive policies, on the other hand, are often a result of something negative that may have occurred either inside or outside a district’s scope. For example, when two high school students murdered over a dozen of their peers at Columbine High School in 1999, most school districts in America took the time to analyze the safety provided to their stu- dents. While reactive in nature, these types of policies are certainly necessary to improv- ing a district’s drive to serve students. In the end, whether proactive or reactive, the only true litmus test for whether a policy is supportive to students or not comes down to its practicality.

The best policy makers are those who keep an open mind to continuously improve and an open ear for candid feedback that helps make their schools better. They focus on prac- tical solutions rather than theoretical suggestions. Four strategies that help make polices practical are:

1. Independent analysis: Many school districts ensure this through independent audits by organizations that analyze the effectiveness of board policies as well as teaching strategies being offered within the classroom.

2. Collaboration: When two or more passionate and informed professionals come together, great ideas are shaped. Policies can be enhanced through collaboration in ways that could never take place with an individual.

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3. Alignment: Policies that align to a set of goals or strategic plans are those that sharpen the focus of a district and make it eas- ier for all involved to get on board. In the world of education where chaos often ensues, simplicity is king.

4. Student focus: Schools exist to teach students valuable academic and social lessons that help shape a better society. Therein lies the most important step in creat- ing policies that are prac- tical: engage in conversa- tions about students.

Policy makers with a heart for students are those who tend to make successful decisions that not only improve our schools but may just end up getting them reelected along the way.

The policies that are created are often long-lasting and sometimes slow to change. Once these policies and ground rules are established, a school structure may take on many forms, shapes, and sizes. This requires educators to adapt to the rules of the game, what- ever they may be.

Stockbyte/Thinkstock

Collaboration brings multiple ideas and experiences to the table. What are the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating collaboration in policy making?

Case Study: Joseph Hanson

Overview

Joseph Hanson lives in a small community in southern California with a school district that serves approximately 4,800 students. He is a parent of two boys and one girl. His oldest son is academi- cally gifted and filled with a love of learning that’s evident regardless of who his teacher has been along the way. His daughter is academically satisfactory but has found great success as a three- sport athlete in high school. While she has yet to connect with her teachers in a way that chal- lenges her, the coaches in all three of her sports have acted as terrific mentors as they encourage her to pursue athletics at the college level. Joseph has been pleased with the success of his oldest son and daughter, but his concerns and energy have been focused on his youngest son, Kyle. Along with his wife, he has been actively engaged in Kyle’s education and has worked diligently to support the educational progress of all students as they volunteer on a weekly basis at school. Joseph and his wife had hoped that their presence on campus would allow them to develop meaningful part- nerships with the staff in a way that would lead to better support for Kyle, but unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Problem

Kyle, while struggling academically, would not be a student that you might classify as having “spe- cial needs.” Because of this, he has not qualified for any special interventions. All of his (continued)

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teachers have felt that he is the cusp of proficiency and will most likely make it. The problem is that he never does. He is the classic case of a subsatisfactory student academically who masquerades as “pro- ficient.” After numerous appeals to support Kyle and students like him are ignored, Joseph decides to attend a school board meeting in search of answers.

Upon attending the school board meeting, Joseph receives a copy of the district’s strategic plan. He reads about the priorities to support gifted students in gaining scholarships to college and plans to improve all athletic facilities in a way that “can make our town proud!” As the board meeting gets underway, the agenda that has been advertised to the community focusing on the new district’s bul- lying policy and data-driven intervention plan has now been replaced with a single-topic agenda dedi- cated to approving the new salary increase for all district staff members. Joseph leaves the meeting appalled. He goes out in search of answers to questions like:

1. How are citizens with no understanding of education elected in the first place? 2. What is expected to take place at a board meeting and how much can a citizen expect to be

accomplished by a district whose board meets once a month? 3. What steps can a parent take to be a part of schoolwide solutions at the site level?

After participating on a school site council for a year, Joseph has decided that his role on the council is simply to approve budgets that the principal and district supported in the first place. Because of his lack of fulfillment in the process, he decides to run for the school board. His positive spirit resonates with the community as the vast majority of the voters select him as the newest member of the board of five.

From the beginning of his term in office, Joseph’s proposals to his colleagues as well as district office personnel appeared to be ignored. His suggestions about how to offer more autonomy to the seven schools within his district are replaced with ideas on how to mandate uniform steps to ensure that all teachers within each school are participating in the same curriculum that is aligned to state stan- dards. In spite of the data that show this approach has not worked for the last 15 years, the subjective opinions of the rest of the board always win over. It hasn’t taken long for him to notice that there are no specific methods for how decisions are made by the board, and he is surprised at how willing the superintendent is to go along with the recommendations of the elected officials.

During a private conversation over breakfast, the superintendent confides in Joseph about his frus- tration with the board. He shares the progressive ideas that he has for the district and discusses the steps he wants to take to develop exceptional success for every student. Finally, this well- educated superintendent with a doctorate degree confides that he is considering leaving the district in search of a venue that might allow him to be more progressive and move beyond the small-town politics that encourage mediocrity. He speaks about his exhaustion in dealing with the day-to-day scandals, complaints, and politics of education. He, like Joseph, wants to be part of a community in search of better ways to support their neediest students through approaches that are focused on data and results.

Designing a Solution

Try to come up with a solution for Joseph by answering the following questions:

1. What issues at the board and district level appear to be evident at the site level as well? Why is this the case?

2. What are the key issues that are impeding the success that both Joseph and the superintendent want for their community?

3. Because this board is absent of any systems that guide their decision making, what protocols might you set up immediately?

4. Which stakeholders might you bring into the mix in an effort to both generate and implement for- ward thinking solutions for the district?

5. If you were Joseph, how would you respond to the superintendent’s frustration and consideration to leave the district?

Case Study (continued)

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CHAPTER 5Section 5.2 What Is School?

5.2 What Is School?

Pre-assessment

1. It is important to build a school culture in order to

A. declare the commitment to students. B. assist in developing “ties that bind” within a group of committed teachers. C. differentiate your school from other schools. D. All of the above

2. Which of the following statements is true regarding the key components to build- ing a school culture?

A. Each school needs a long, detailed document to record a pledge that solidifies the commitment to students.

B. Schools should have a multitude of goals to ensure they meet at least one or two of them.

C. Staff members who think of themselves as members not of a staff, but as a family, are far more likely to support one another on a daily basis.

D. When goals are agreed upon, they need to be written down and signed like a contract to enforce them.

3. What is the critical mass?

A. The most critical players on the team that are typically the leaders B. The existence of sufficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow C. A large staff D. None of the above.

4. Which of the following is being more widely accepted and integrated in the schools, enhancing daily learning, increasing engagement, and expanding the number of interactive activities that teachers can conduct with their classes?

A. Technology B. Differentiated instruction C. Bilingual immersion D. School conglomerates

5. Strong and committed _________ are bound to create successful schools regard- less of the challenges that exist among their student body.

A. teachers B. students C. administrators D. cultures

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Answers 1. D. All of the above

2. C. Staff members who think of themselves as members not of a staff, but as a family, are far more likely to support one another on a daily basis.

3. B. The existence of sufficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow

4. A. Technology

5. D. cultures

As society has changed, the demands for modifying our approaches in education have changed as well. From schools like science and tech campuses that build their curriculum around a specific subject matter to schools that model their facilities around particular ideals and values, the external look and internal behaviors of schools have changed. With these transformations come tremendous opportunities for students and teachers alike. Schools come in many forms: public, private, charter, and so on. Within these different forms are varying options.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

As reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), charter school enroll- ment in the United States more than tripled to a total of over 1.4 million students (Braun, Jenkins, & Grigg, 2006). Because this equates to tens of billions of dollars leaving the public school system and entering the charter school sector, school districts all across the country are taking the hint to heart. From opening district-run charter schools to offering various choice programs, many districts are embracing the challenge to provide options for students and parents who seek a new approach to learning.

There is no one-size-fits-all model in schooling, and many of these nontraditional models are now teaching us lessons that can be replicated at many campuses across the nation. Through their guidance, we are learning about the power of school choice and the excep- tional cultures that are being created through their endeavors and innovation. Before a school can be innovative, it must first adopt a spirit of innovation. This spirit is better known as the culture of a school. The word culture is used often by a variety of educators wishing to shape reform efforts in our country.

The Impact on Culture in Schools

To educators who help shape our schools, culture is the flag that we plant in the ground as a declaration of our commitment to students. It firmly states what we stand for as well as how we plan to go about our business as we make our stand. School cultures are not always short and sweet, but they are simple and easy to understand. Regardless of the hundreds of different kinds of schools that are offered to our children on a daily basis, the most important factor in their success is always the culture. Before we can get 5 year olds to speak English, Spanish, and Mandarin, we’d better get the adults to develop ties that bind them as a team. Before our children can be challenged through hands-on learning in STEM schools (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), we’ve got to have commit- ted teachers who are passionate about letting their kids get their hands dirty. Until that

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happens, the only thing that will make one school more unique than another is the name that is painted on the outside of the building.

School cultures are built upon the following five questions:

1. Does the critical mass of the staff share a pledge that succinctly describes their belief in students? Schools today need not document commitments that are 10 pages long and inevitably end up in a file folder somewhere. All they need to do is make a short pledge that succinctly solidifies their commitment to students.

2. If required to offer the most important goal of the school, could the critical mass of its staff do so? Regardless of where you land, the most important thing to remember about creating a goal that contributes to a successful school culture is that it be singular in nature. Too many schools use too many goals. Because of this, they forget them all and make very little progress toward any of them.

3. When a colleague is down or having challenges, is there an abundance of staff members from across all grade levels and departments who would come to their aid as if they were family? Staff members who think of themselves as members not of a staff, but as a family, are far more likely to support one another on a daily basis.

4. If a new teacher were to show up on campus on day one, would he or she be offered an endorse- ment that documents and reinforces the overall culture of the school? When a staff creates a strong culture, they must endorse their commitments in writing. This endorsement is not contractual in nature; rather, it is a promise to each other to live by the plans that they made as a family.

5. Does the critical mass of the staff hold one another accountable for results and share in the responsibility of leading the school? All of us would likely agree that cohesiveness is far better than divisiveness. That said, there is always a time for challenging one another in an effort to promote growth as profession- als. Our role to hold one another accountable has nothing to do with catching each other when we fail and everything to do with strengthening our culture. We must never forget that we are in a business that can only thrive when our students achieve results.

After reading, you may have noticed the words critical mass shared on a number of occa- sions. What is the critical mass? In sociological terms, critical mass is the existence of suf- ficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow (Ball, 2004). It exemplifies the power of a group of people who press forward in spite of the discouraging words and actions of others. With the momentum of a critical mass, a staff is capable of developing and implementing strategies that make for a remarkable school culture.

Comstock/Thinkstock

A sense of community, or family, among the staff is an important part of a school’s culture. Why do you think that is?

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Application: Other Public School Models

While the charter school movement is inspiring many to rethink their approaches to stu- dent learning, there are many public schools that have reinvented themselves while at the same time holding true to their public school roots. Let’s look at a few examples.

Differentiated Instruction: Students who used to fall through the cracks by the time they entered middle school are now finding their own niche due in large part to some ter- rific educators who are putting differentiated instruction into action. Mango Elementary School in Fontana, California, is a perfect example of differentiated instruction.

After receiving poor returns in both quality and quantity with homework, teachers at Mango decided to take a different approach. Instead of offering homework assignments that are given to all students regardless of their various academic levels, the staff did away with homework altogether. Instead, every student receives what is called “Goal Work.” At the beginning of the trimester, each student lists a main goal along with three things they can do to achieve that goal (www.fusdweb.com/sites/elem/Mango/). The learning environment taking place at Mango is a terrific example of the kind of lengths that caring educators are going through to offer a different style of learning in school than might have existed even a decade ago.

Technology: The power of technology is greater than ever. The exposure that our children and young adults have to the best and brightest gadgets and computers is truly amazing. But while just about every high school student in America has a smart phone or computer, our schools are not nearly keeping up with the trend. The Walled Lake Consolidated School District in Michigan, however, offers an example of a district dancing in step with the current technology.

Students throughout the Walled Lake District are allowed to bring their own laptops to school and connect them to the district’s wireless server. This technology integration has become a model for other districts across the country to follow. Allowing students to use their own laptops is enhancing daily learning, increasing engage- ment, and expanding the number of interactive activities that teachers can conduct with their classes. Although this comes at a level of cost and accountability not seen in the past, district officials are continually encouraged by the level of responsibility that parents and students are showing as participants.

Bilingual Immersion Programs: Students at the Riverview International Academy in Lakeside, California, are being offered an education that exemplifies a commitment to teaching students to be successful in a global society. In the Spanish

Stockbyte/Thinkstock

Some school districts have begun allowing students to use their own laptops in class. What are the potential benefits of this practice? Potential drawbacks?

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Immersion Program, students receive 90% of their instruction in Spanish. This method of delivery continues until they enter second grade where the teachers increase the amount of teaching in English. The model’s goal is to ultimately be in a place where 50% of the instruction will be in English and 50% in Spanish by third grade. Up to the second grade, students also receive Mandarin instruction twice a month, increasing to three 40-minute classes per week from grades three to five.

Riverview also has a Mandarin Language Academy, where students in all grades, K–5, received 50% of their instruction in Mandarin and 50% in English. Up to the second grade, students also receive Spanish instruction twice a month, increasing to three 40-minute classes per week from grades three to five (http://www.lsusd.net/domain/792).

The Riverview International Academy began in 2007 and now serves more than 600 stu- dents. These students walk in the door as 5-year-old English speakers and, in some cases, will be leaving as trilingual young adults ready for middle and high school.

School Conglomerates: Because it’s hard to start a revolution as an army of one, some schools are finding strength in numbers as a conglomerate. The Julian Charter School began in a small rural mountain community on the outskirts of San Diego County. What began as one program that offers choice to parents and students has become a group of 15 different charter programs that serve more than 2,000 students throughout the county. From pro- viding choice programs that focus on a college prep for junior high school students to vir- tual schools that offer online learning, this network of charter schools has a little bit to offer everyone. This innovative approach is supporting students from kindergarten through high school and continues to grow with each school year (www.juliancharterschool.org).

The key to a school’s success is not found in the facility or even the type of school that is created. In the end, it is found in the culture that has been established and sustained by a staff. Strong and committed cultures are bound to create successful schools regardless of the challenges that exist among their student body.

Case Study: Dana Wong

Overview

Dana Wong is a new principal at a middle school just outside Gary, Indiana. Always passionate about students at this age, she brings with her 12 years of teaching experience as a science teacher in sev- enth and eighth grades. After working in three different schools, she found herself drawn to roles that utilized her knack for leadership and was inspired by her ability to make small changes at her grade level and department in a short amount of time. When supplies were running low for labs, her department summoned Dana to meet with the principal to find a solution. When the lack of funding did away with the annual field trip to a science department at Purdue University, Dana worked with a small group of bus drivers to volunteer their time to ensure that the students did not miss out on this amazing opportunity. It was clear that Dana had a unique ability to find success in areas where others could not. Hence, her journey to become a principal and earn her PhD in education.

Problem

Assigned to the most challenging middle school in the large district of 62 schools, Dana was surprised not by the nature of problems that needed to be solved but instead by the number of challenges that existed in the first place. From the dress of the students to the lack of support from the staff, there was an abundance of issues that were revealed within the first week of school. Knowing (continued)

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that she would need help from others on campus, she set up individual meetings with teachers and staff members that allowed her to get to know their unique perspectives as well as interests in helping to improve the school. To say that the staff was divided was an understatement.

The first person Dana met with was the most veteran teacher on the staff. Joan was a 34-year teacher who loved her job and got results year in and year out. Because of the students’ love for her, Dana strategically planned her get together with Joan as her first meeting. When asked why others were not able to find the same level of success that she did, Joan’s face lit up as she said, “In 34 years, no prin- cipal has ever asked me that question.” Joan went on and on about her ideas, systems, strategies, and methods that have proven results.

Next was Doug. Doug had been a teacher at the school for 6 years. With a reputation as one of the best up and comers in the field, Doug had yet to find the slightest bit of success as a teacher. When Dana met with him face to face, she noticed a defeatist attitude that he had surrendered to the status quo. When Dana probed about Doug’s perspective, he said to her, “Listen, I keep my mouth shut and show up on time every day. I give assignments that are aligned to standards, grade my papers, and give grades to students that they earn. That’s a lot more than most others do around here.”

Dana continued her conferences when she came upon Vicky. Before Dana could start her conversation, Vicky began a rant that would go on for several minutes. As part of her rant, she said, “Listen, I know what you are trying to do. Others have tried and then they left for other positions at the district office. Our school has less money, higher class sizes, and tougher kids than any in our district. I know I speak for the whole staff when I tell you that we are not willing to make a single change until these things change first. If you intend to press us on this, let me know now so that I can organize a meeting with the union.” Dana sat there confident on the outside but shocked on the inside as Vicky got up and left the office.

Her last conference of the day took place with Kary, an intervention teacher who worked with all grade levels. Kary had been teaching at the school for about 8 years, and in spite of getting very little support from her colleagues, she had always been an advocate for change. During staff meetings that focused on making innovative changes, Kary would work to encourage the staff to step up to the task and take a risk. When asked if this ever worked, she shared, “I believe a lot of people think like I do, but they are afraid to speak up. No matter what I say, Vicky and two others who think like her say the exact opposite. In addition, they express their opinions in a militant way that makes it easy for others to cower to their opinions.”

After meeting with the entire staff through one-on-one conferences, it was clear to Dana that the cur- rent structure of the school was not creating results for students. The bells rang on time and buses both dropped off and picked up students in the right places, but nothing was being done to speak to the main focus of student learning. As Dana walked around the school, she saw that facilities were not the problem. Her custodial crew did an amazing job keeping the school clean and safe. Flipping through her budget binder, while limited in extra funds, she noticed that she was not without some means to help promote change. Ultimately, the biggest problems for her school’s failure came down to the staff, their beliefs, and a lack of shared responsibility in the success of the school.

Designing a Solution

Try to come up with a solution for Dana by answering the following questions:

1. What experiences have you had that relate to this case study and the people described in the story? 2. If you were the principal, what might be the first step that you would take as a result of these

teacher conferences? 3. What specific strategies might you use with Joan, Doug, Vicky, and Kary as individuals to improve

them as teachers and use them as agents for schoolwide improvement? 4. Assuming that Vicky cannot be changed, what would you do to minimize her negative influence

to the rest of the staff? 5. What measures would you take to reshape a universal culture of achievement at this school?

Case Study (continued)

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5.3 School and Society

Pre-assessment

1. Entrepreneurial education

A. places student learning at the center of all decisions. B. encourages students to gain knowledge for success by using real-world-type

activities. C. looks to prepare students for a world where a college education is more

important than ever. D. aims to increase the social capacity of our students while tapping into their

academic promise. E. All of the above

2. Today’s college graduates earn an estimated $800,000 more in a 40-year career than a high school graduate does during that same time. These earnings

A. add a greater amount of revenue to our country’s tax base. B. support the health and wealth of our society as a whole. C. aid our country to compete in the global marketplace. D. All of the above

3. Which of the following strategies promote student academic achievement by sharing resources, experimenting with different teaching techniques, and plan- ning lessons in a way that maximizes learning around the most important stan- dards at each grade level?

A. Collaboration B. Standards alignment C. Assessment D. Data management

4. No Excuses University focuses on

A. promoting college readiness in high school students. B. helping students to graduate high school. C. promoting college readiness from the beginning of kindergarten. D. None of the above

Answers 1. E. All of the above.

2. D. All of the above.

3. B. Standards alignment

4. C. promoting college readiness from the beginning of kindergarten.

Somewhere in America, a school bell rings. It rings with purpose as it represents a time for children and young adults to shuffle in and out of classrooms with books and backpacks in tow. It rings with authority as an order that is nonnegotiable on the part of students who are required to arrive at school or in class at the same time. And it rings with consistency, the same way it did since the early 1900s when public

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elementary education was adopted in some form by every state in America.

These sounds and the nostalgic images that go with them are engrained in the minds of genera- tions of students over the last 100 years. But the chime of the typical school bell is beginning to fade away and with it are the old expectations of what school is supposed to be. The opinions of educators and parents, as well as an abundance of data, are driving a new mind-set about school- ing and the role that education plays in our society.

Entrepreneurial Education Movement

The accountability now placed on schools is greater than it has ever been. There is a growing entrepreneurial education movement that is both innovative and inspiring. Entrepreneurial educa- tion encourages students to gain knowledge for success by using real-world-type activities such as starting a new business. This movement is plac- ing student learning at the center of all decisions as it explores the answers to several questions.

1. How will changing the expectations of adults help to change results for students? 2. How do we prepare students for a world where a college education is more

important than ever before? 3. How do we increase the social capacity of our students while tapping into their

academic promise at the same time? 4. Can our work in school truly effect a greater change in our own community?

These questions, and many more like them, are helping educators pave a very different path to a road that is leading to academic prosperity in spite of the challenges that have plagued our schools and society for generations. And the needs of our society and, thus, our schools have changed over these generations.

The Changing Needs of Society

A study conducted by Georgetown University in 2010 claims that by the year 2018 the United States will need 22 million new workers with college degrees but fall short by 3 million people (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2010). As our economy has officially tran- sitioned to one based on globalization, the careers that generations took for granted in factories and farms have now become jobs that are harder to come by. Blue-collar jobs that were once the driving force of our economy are now far more plentiful in Mexico, India, and China than they are in the United States. This silencing of the steel mills in Gary, Indiana, and auto factories in Detroit has left our education systems scrambling to make up for lost time.

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

The little red schoolhouse is an image we associate with the old expectations of education.

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Today’s college graduates earn an estimated $800,000 more in a 40-year career than a high school graduate does during that same time (Baum & Mia, 2007). These earnings add a greater amount of revenue to our country’s tax base and in turn support the health and wealth of our society as a whole. From providing school lunches for our children of pov- erty to improving the physical infrastructure of our country, the more highly educated adults we produce, the greater good we can do for our society.

The need to produce a higher level of learning for our students is in direct correlation with our need as a country to compete in the global marketplace. By all accounts, America has rested on the spirit of being American. While part of that spirit is indeed the confidence and pride that comes with being a country that can do anything, the other part of that spirit is found not in our internal beliefs but rather in our external actions. The next gen- eration of professionals has been set back by the babbling of generations before them who have yet to promote real change for children. There are examples of many, many schools and educators that are making a huge difference in the field of public, private, and charter school education (see Section 5.4). Your job is to be driven to help change the future.

But how can we, as educators, change the future? Shouldn’t we be focusing on academ- ics? Because of these questions, we are seeing progress that is now the rule rather than the exception. What was once viewed as a value-added endeavor to support character devel- opment in our schools has now become an unspoken obligation to our community. This obligation brings with it many challenges and a long-term commitment but also rewards that have the potential to revolutionize a region.

Application: The Los Peñasquitos Story

For 25 years, Los Peñasquitos Elementary was the lowest performing school in the district of Poway, California. Unlike most of its 22 sister schools, Los Peñasquitos Elementary was plagued with the challenges that are common for many Title One schools across the United States. With 38 different languages represented and a poverty rate of greater than 40%, the Los Peñasquitos staff behaved much like the educators found at other failing schools.

In 1997, the staff was faced with the challenge of analyzing their results and, with it, their expectations to generate success for students. What they found was that their students were failing not because educators had yet to discover the right program, assessment, or intervention. Instead, students were failing because the teachers had expected them to fail. The staff looked at most of the students as second language learners and said, “Of course they can’t meet grade level standards; they don’t even speak English.” Teachers saw the poverty that nearly half of the students lived in and would say, “Look at where they come from. Kids like that can’t be successful.” No matter what the challenge was, the teachers had an excuse. The new accountability movement in education as well as the successes being showcased at other high-poverty schools would not allow it to continue.

Where They Failed While none of us can possibly equate a school’s failure to a single decision, strategy, or behavior, we can reflect on the judgments made that hindered success. For Los Peñasqui- tos, it came down to several issues.

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1. First and foremost, the staff did not believe in their students’ potential, and more important, they did not believe in their own responsibility to create success for each student, no matter what the challenges were.

2. They attempted to do too many things. They had a dozen goals and a five-page mission statement but not a single success to build upon.

3. The teachers’ attempt to educate students was always at odds with their attempt to make them behave. The staff felt that they couldn’t lead their students to aca- demic success unless they knew how to behave and, more important, wanted to behave.

4. The teachers worked alone, lacked candor, and in turn took zero responsibility in holding one another accountable. They had no collective tie that bound them together. Rather than behaving like an educational family, they acted like loners who, at best, took responsibility only for the students within their own classrooms.

Simply put, they were not a school community made up of several stakeholders sharing the same investment. They were just a school building with classrooms, materials, adults, and students. To correct the injustices of their previous decisions, the staff not only needed to decipher where they went wrong, but more important, they needed to make action plans to promote positive change. And that’s exactly what they have done.

Where They Succeeded Once labeled as “a thorn among roses” by others in their own district, Los Peñasquitos has gone from being the lowest performing school in the district to being one of the high- est performing schools in the state of California. When compared to 100 similar schools within California, they have been in the top ten percent 9 of the last 10 years. In fact, they’ve been number one on that same list 4 of the last 5 years. The forward momentum that was created in 1997 has yet to be stopped in spite of more challenging demograph- ics, larger class sizes, and lower funding than ever before. In fact, as their challenges have become greater, so has their achievement. They have gone from being a school where nearly half of their students were failing in reading proficiency to being a school where three-quarters of their students are at or above grade level today. Their success is really a story about doing six things in an exceptional way.

1. Culture of universal achievement: Each member of the staff believes that all stu- dents can be academically successful in reading, writing, and math. In addition, they believe that it is their responsibility as professionals to make that happen. This culture is exemplified through a college readiness endeavor called the No Excuses University, which focuses on promoting college readiness for all students the moment they set foot on campus as kindergarteners. What started at Los Peñasquitos Elementary in 2003 has evolved into a network of 112 No Excuses University schools in 17 states that represent more than 65,000 students. This net- work provides proof that great successes can be replicated at other schools that are willing to work hard for students.

2. Collaboration: The staff now believes that they are stronger together than they are alone. Teams collaborate weekly with a clarity of purpose that is driven to create results for every student. No longer do they assume responsibility for the stu- dents in only their classroom; rather, they take pride in supporting every student at their grade level.

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3. Standards alignment: As the staff collaborates, they develop game plans for teach- ing the state standards in a unified way. They share resources, experiment with different teaching techniques, and plan lessons in a way that maximizes learning around the most important standards at each grade level.

4. Assessment: Students are now the focal point of assessment standards. The staff teach students how to read data and utilize assessments that are formative in nature. By making students our partners in the process, the teachers find a joy in assessing because they are also teaching!

5. Data management: The staff now collects data to utilize in ways different from before. All data are easily accessible through a site database, and assessment scores are openly shared with all members of the grade level so that they can brainstorm solutions for all students.

6. Interventions: Because they manage data properly, the staff is able to then offer inter- ventions that are in direct alignment with learners’ needs. They take specific mea- surements in reading, writing, language, and math and correlate them to strategies that help students show growth in those same areas (www.powayusd .com/pusdlpes/).

The ultimate lesson in the story of Los Peñasquitos Elementary is found in the example set by a staff that is dedicated to all stu- dents. The teachers have made a conscious choice to believe. They believe regardless of native lan- guage or socioeconomic level. They believe even though they know that the odds are stacked against many of their students. They have found that when you focus on a goal for every student to be an academic success and stay committed to adding value with every step forward, you become a little better every day.

Hemera/Thinkstock

Los Peñasquitos Elementary serves as an example to other failing schools that clear goals focused on student achievement are attainable with commitment and dedication.

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Case Study: Willow Wind School

Overview

Willow Wind School serves 825 students from kindergarten through eighth grade in an upper-middle- class suburb just outside Clearwater, Florida. Driving by the school in the morning, you will see a flock of parents walking their children to school with smiles on faces that would be the perfect picture to grace the cover of Happy Family magazine, if there were such a thing. The principal and staff members have the same “happy-go-lucky” attitude as is seen in the weekly after-school and evening events that are promoted to the neighborhood. Every opportunity for social enjoyment and community bonding imaginable has been planned well in advance by a committee of 25 parents and staff.

Problem

While the buzz about social gatherings from the school can be heard far and wide, very little is talked about when it comes to the academic results of the school. Willow Wind is a recognized school in the district and the state as well; however, no staff member can convey just how these results have been realized. Upon further review of the data, many have noticed that the yearly growth for all students has been and continues to be stagnant. Put another way, students come in the door reading at grade level because of the support they receive at home. In fact, for the past 10 years, the school has gone from having 10% of its students below grade level to 18% failing to meet standards. Because of the attention on the safe and fun environment, however, very few people have noticed this statistic.

Recently, a small group of teachers and parents began to talk about the concerns for the same stu- dents who continue to fall through the cracks. After putting together a data-driven presentation that spotlighted some of the school’s shortcomings, an abundance of staff members in attendance became quite defensive. Specifically, when the following questions were asked.

1. When asked about how they could collaborate better, several members of the staff shared, “We get along so great at this school and love each other as much as any staff out there!”

2. When asked about how they have aligned standards in a unified way, the response came back that they “are following every bit of the curriculum that the district has given us.”

3. When asked about how they assess students and collect data, many stated, “We are experts in testing our kids, and we keep grade books that are clean and well organized. In fact, we even post every student’s score on a wall in the front of the classroom so that they know exactly where they stand at all times.”

4. When asked about the steps taken to provide interventions for their students, others gave witness to the fact, “We offer more opportunities to tap into making students feel successful and emotion- ally supportive than any school through our after-school and evening events.”

After their presentation, this committee of parents and staff members decided to drop the topic.

Designing a Solution

Try to come up with a solution for Willow Wind School by answering the following questions:

1. How might you work to convince the Willow Wind staff that “good enough” is not good enough? 2. How might you capitalize on Willow Wind’s success in promoting social enjoyment for students

and transfer it to the academic side of things? 3. Who are the key players in creating meaningful change at a school like Willow Wind and what

might their individual responsibilities be along the road to success?

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5.4 Success Stories

Pre-assessment

1. The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) focuses on five pillars as it attempts to reverse the cycle of poverty for our most underserved children. Which of the options below is one of the five pillars?

A. High expectations B. Rules and goals C. Power to test D. Focus on grades

2. Which of the following are requirements that KIPP Academy attributes its student success to?

A. Students attend school 2 to 4 hours more a day than their public school counterparts.

B. There is an extended calendar. Students attend school on Saturdays as well as an extra month in the summertime.

C. Students and their parents must sign a commitment to excellence contract. D. Teachers are required to carry a cell phone with them as they answer phone

calls from students with questions about homework until 9 o’clock at night. E. All of the above

3. The Telesis Academy is a school that offers choice to some of the neediest stu- dents in its community. It is also known as a STEM school. A STEM school has an emphasis on

A. systematic teaching education method. B. science, technology, engineering, and math. C. students, teachers, environment, modeling. D. special training educational model.

4. Which of the following strategies are not used by the Telesis Academy?

A. Unique staffing B. Standards-based learning C. Unique partnerships D. K–8 model

Answers 1. A. High expectations

2. E. All of the above

3. B. science, technology, engineering, and math.

4. B. Standards-based learning

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Teachers are becoming innovators, and princi-pals are abandoning their role as managers in order to be true leaders of change. And it’s not a generational thing either. Veteran teachers frustrated with the status quo are uniting with a fresh generation of educators as they want to experiment with new ways to get results. There are success stories all over the country. We will touch upon a few of them here.

KIPP Academy

In 1994, Michael Feinberg and David Levin started the KIPP Academy in Houston, Texas.

The Knowledge Is Power Program, or KIPP, focuses on five pillars as they attempt to reverse the cycle of poverty for our most underserved children. These pillars of high expec- tations, choice and commitment, more time, power to lead, and focus on results have been a con- stant since the endeavor began in the two classrooms of both Feinberg and Levin. Today, KIPP serves more than 32,000 students in 109 schools. This charter school movement has been a model for other choice programs to follow.

Students in the KIPP Academy are not selected according to their academic success or record of behavior but, instead, by a little bouncing ball. This lottery system takes place each year in the 20 states that are privileged to have a KIPP campus. Once selected, stu- dents and their parents must sign a commitment to excellence contract. This contract is also a requirement for any teacher who decides to seek employment at KIPP. Teachers are required to carry a cell phone with them as they answer phone calls from students with questions about homework until 9 o’clock at night. Commitments like these are not taken lightly, as every student must be interviewed alongside their parents before they are offered the contract to sign. Once signed, the students soon discover a very different approach to getting results than they did at their former public schools.

KIPP students attend school 2 to 4 hours more a day than their public school counterparts. In addition to this extended day, they also have an extended calendar, as they ask that students attend school on Saturdays as well as an extra month in the summertime. After being in existence for nearly 20 years, KIPP’s commitment to the five pillars of success is hard to argue against. The results are stunning.

Based on KIPP’s 2010 annual report card, 98% of the eighth graders in their academy outperform their local districts in reading, and 90% do the same in math. From gradu- ating high school, to starting college, to earning a bachelor’s degree, KIPP students are exceeding the national average in all categories. While just 8% of low-income high school

Creatas/Thinkstock

Educators are taking new approaches to their students’ education with impressive results. How can the successes discussed in this section impact the future lives of all students?

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graduates end up earning a college degree, KIPP students from similar backgrounds have a graduation rate of 33%. Not only is this four times greater than the national average for students of poverty, but it is also higher than the overall national average of 31%.

Both Feinberg and Levin swear by a simple recipe that is the motto of their movement: Work Hard. Be Nice (www.kipp.org). That hard work is no doubt deserving of high praise from all who care about student learning.

Telesis Academy of Science and Math

In 2009, the Rowland Unified School District in southern California noticed a trend that brought both fear and motivation at the same time. Lackluster results at one of their three middle schools left parents disappointed at the prospect of sending their students to school. Many parents sought transfers and even considered bringing their students to local charter schools. With the writing on the wall, this district of 15,000 students decided to take a very proactive approach. Instead of allowing students to leave their district for charter schools, they shut down the middle school and reopened it as a choice school with a strong focus on science and math.

The Telesis Academy of Science and Math is a vibrant K–8 school that offers choice to some of the neediest students in their community. While other school districts have attempted to reinvent a school simply by changing the name, Telesis has taken ideals that are found on many charter school campuses and implemented them in the public school setting. Not only have they offered a unique approach to choice, but they’ve also done so with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Some of the unique strategies that the Telesis Academy offers are:

• K–8 model: Many elementary schools today realize the power of having more time with their students. A K–8 model supports the ability to bridge the gap that often takes place between elementary and middle school and instead offers a seamless transition from kindergarten through eighth grade.

• Unique staffing: As the principal, Miriam Kim, states, “These teachers go above and beyond. They are so hungry to learn from and teach to the neediest students. They know it’s going to take hard work, but they are up for the challenge.” Every staff member has been given extensive science training that has been offered in conjunction with the California Science Center.

• Project-based learning: The learning that students take part in is interactive, hands on, and highly engaging. Because the school maintains a strong focus on science, students are continually engaged in experiments and discovery.

• Exceptional training: Each member of the Telesis Academy has been trained in the six exceptional systems that are the foundation of the No Excuses University. Because they are the first No Excuses University prep school in the nation, the staff is deeply committed not only to promoting college readiness for all but also to setting the model for what it looks like in a choice school.

• Unique partnerships: In the short history of the Telesis Academy, they have already established strong partnerships with the Northwest Evaluation Association as their students engage in assessments that drive instruction. In addition, they are

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partnering with McDonald’s and TurnAround Schools as they reach out to pro- mote college readiness for Hispanic students of poverty, a subgroup that makes up over half of the school’s population. Finally, the school has begun what will likely be an extensive partnership with the California Science Center. Based in Los Angeles, this center is a premier organization that is on the cutting edge of offering the very best teaching strategies to educators who hope to expand the curriculum for their students (Irwin, 2011).

The Telesis Academy of Math and Science is but one example of many choice schools that are being created in the public school system. This offers hope to school districts that wish to first create a stimulating and unique environment for students and second to stem the exodus of students who are moving to the charter school setting. Because the vast major- ity of students in America attend public schools, this outside-the-box thinking is critical for the health of the profession.

San Jacinto Elementary School

San Jacinto Elementary School in Amarillo, Texas, serves a population of just over 600 stu- dents, 98% of whom live at or below the poverty line; the school had produced lackluster results for four decades. Never moving above the level of acceptable given by the state of Texas, this campus found itself overcome by the challenges that gripped its neighborhood. In 2008, the staff of the school decided to experiment with different techniques as they moved from a school focused on producing high school graduates to a school that pro- moted college readiness for all. Modeled after the same systems that started at Los Peñas- quitos Elementary School, San Jacinto Elementary became the first official No Excuses University school in the state. Within 1 year, they achieved the state level of recognition. After the second year, they were awarded the state’s top honor of exemplary (http://sjamaisd .sharpschool.com/no_excuses_university/). Students were more academically successful than ever before because the staff was more engaged than any time in their 80-year history. The entire culture of the school shifted, but that was just the beginning of the story.

As the results of the school were celebrated, the parents and the community as a whole began to take notice. San Jacinto parents who had dropped out of high school as teen- agers now started to work with the school to obtain their general equivalency degree (GED). Community organizations offered greater opportunities to support the social and emotional needs of the families in the neighborhood as they watched their churches, com- munity centers, and parks become packed with participants. Sister schools of San Jacinto followed suit and also took the same path to success. What started as one No Excuses University elementary school in Amarillo has now become eight NEUs that include three middle schools. Plans are now in the works to add a No Excuses University high school and college to the mix through a grant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A community once burdened by crime, poverty, and undereducation has now become the epicenter of a very special movement, as students will now be able to attend school from preschool through community college under the No Excuses University banner. And what about those parents who were once high school dropouts? It turns out there were so many who have now earned their GED that a cohort of individuals was developed as they start their path to earning a college degree. Classes began for them in the fall of 2011 at Amarillo Community College. A school can change a community.

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Chapter Summary

The complexity and importance of K–12 schooling in America are truly at a crescendo, as educators continue to find new ways to improve learning standards for all stu-dents, especially those who are underachieving. New education models—charter, private, and public—are redefining school as we once knew it, and the power of digital learning is emerging as a permanent tool for honing in on students’ individual needs. Moreover, the transformative power and importance of school culture are being realized and leveraged to improve teacher effectiveness.

As technology emerges and education innovation continues, we must ask ourselves some questions. How can we use them to create a more valuable learning experience for the 21st-century student? What differences can we make? And what difference will the differ- ences make?

We are the educators of the 21st century. Our students will only be as successful as we are creative. What will you do?

Concept Check

1. The No Child Left Behind Act is an example of educational policy at the ____________ level.

A. federal B. state C. county D. school board

2. When NCLB began, it required that 31% of students be proficient in reading. This requirement has gone up incrementally with a condition that ______ of stu- dents be proficient by the _______ school year.

A. 80%, 2014–2015 B. 50%, 2013–2014 C. 100%, 2013–2014 D. 60%, 2014–2015

3. Schools that do not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive years are considered _______ schools.

A. Tier One B. Tier Two C. Tier Three D. Tier Five

4. The development of educational policy at the ________ level tends to be the most politically driven policy of them all.

A. federal B. state C. county D. school board

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5. The only way that a school board can drive change beyond what has been given to them by the state and federal level is to

A. hire more experienced administrators. B. create charter schools. C. create board policy. D. trump the decisions that they do not agree with.

6. _____________ policy often tends to be geared toward student achievement and the way a district sets a path to success.

A. Federal B. Reactive C. County D. Proactive

7. Which of the following strategies helps make policies practical?

A. Alignment B. Student-focused C. Collaboration D. Independent analysis E. All of the above

8. It is important to build a school culture in order to

A. declare the commitment to students. B. assist in developing “ties that bind” within a group of committed teachers. C. differentiate your school from other schools. D. All of the above

9. Which of the following statements is true regarding the key components to build- ing a school culture?

A. Each school needs a long, detailed document to record a pledge that solidifies the commitment to students.

B. Schools should have a multitude of goals to ensure they meet at least one or two of them.

C. Staff members who think of themselves as members not of a staff, but as a family, are far more likely to support one another on a daily basis.

D. When goals are agreed upon, they need to be written down and signed like a contract to enforce them.

10. What is the critical mass?

A. The most critical players on the team that are typically the leaders B. The existence of sufficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow C. A large staff D. None of the above

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11. Which of the following is being more widely accepted and integrated in the schools, enhancing daily learning, increasing engagement, and expanding the number of interactive activities that teachers can conduct with their classes?

A. Technology B. Differentiated instruction C. Bilingual immersion D. School conglomerates

12. Strong and committed _________ are bound to create successful schools regard- less of the challenges that exist among their student body.

A. teachers B. students C. administrators D. cultures

13. Entrepreneurial education

A. places student learning at the center of all decisions. B. encourages students to gain knowledge for success by using real-world-type

activities. C. looks to prepare students for a world where a college education is more

important than ever. D. aims to increase the social capacity of our students while tapping into their

academic promise. E. All of the above

14. Today’s college graduates earn an estimated $800,000 more in a 40-year career than a high school graduate does during that same time. These earnings

A. add a greater amount of revenue to our country’s tax base. B. support the health and wealth of our society as a whole. C. aid our country to compete in the global marketplace. D. All of the above.

15. Which of the following strategies promote student academic achievement by sharing resources, experimenting with different teaching techniques, and plan- ning lessons in a way that maximizes learning around the most important stan- dards at each grade level?

A. Collaboration B. Standards alignment C. Assessment D. Data management

16. No Excuses University focuses on

A. promoting college readiness in high school students. B. helping students to graduate high school. C. promoting college readiness from the beginning of kindergarten. D. None of the above

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17. The Knowledge Is Power Program {KIPP) focuses on five pillars as it attempts to reverse the cycle of poverty for our most underserved children. Which of the options below is one of the five pillars?

A. High expectations B. Rules and goals C. Power to test D. Focus on grades

18. Which of the following are requirements that KIPP Academy attributes its stu- dent success to?

A. Students attend school 2 to 4 hours more a day than their public school counterparts.

B. There is an extended calendar. Students attend school on Saturdays as well as an extra month in the summertime.

C. Students and their parents must sign a commitment to excellence contract. D. Teachers are required to carry a cell phone with them as they answer phone

calls from students with questions about homework until 9 o’clock at night. E. All of the above

19. The Telesis Academy is a school that offers choice to some of the neediest stu- dents in its community. It is also known as a STEM school. A STEM school has an emphasis on

A. systematic teaching education method. B. science, technology, engineering, and math. C. students, teachers, environment, modeling. D. special training educational model.

20. Which of the following strategies are not used by the Telesis Academy?

A. Unique staffing B. Standards-based learning C. Unique partnerships D. K–8 model

Answers 1. A. federal. The answer can be found in Federal Policy, Section 5.1.

2. C. 100%, 2013–2014. The answer can be found in Federal Policy, Section 5.1.

3. A. Tier One. The answer can be found in Federal Policy, Section 5.1.

4. B. state. The answer can be found in State Policy, Section 5.1.

5. C. create board policy. The answer can be found in County and District Policies, Section 5.1.

6. D. Proactive. The answer can be found in Application: Making Policy Practical, Section 5.1.

7. E. All of the above. The answer can be found in Application: Making Policy Practical, Section 5.1.

8. D. All of the above. The answer can be found in The Impact on Culture in Schools, Section 5.2.

9. C. Staff members who think of themselves as members not of a staff, but as a family, are far more likely to support one another on a daily basis. The answer can be found in The Impact on Culture in Schools, Section 5.2.

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10. B. The existence of sufficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow. The answer can be found in The Impact on Culture in Schools, Section 5.2.

11. A. Technology. The answer can be found in Application: Other Public School Models, Section 5.2.

12. D. cultures. The answer can be found in Application: Other Public School Models, Section 5.2.

13. E. All of the above. The answer can be found in Entrepreneurial Education Movement, Section 5.3.

14. D. All of the above. The answer can be found in The Changing Needs of Society, Section 5.3.

15. B. Standards alignment. The answer can be found in Where they succeeded, Section 5.3.

16. C. Promoting college readiness from the beginning of kindergarten. The answer can be found in Where They Succeeded, Section 5.3.

17. A. High expectations. The answer can be found in KIPP Academy, Section 5.4.

18. E. All of the above. The answer can be found in KIPP Academy, Section 5.4.

19. B. science, technology, engineering, and math. The answer can be found in Telesis Academy of Science and Math, Section 5.4.

20. B. Standards-based learning. The answer can be found in Telesis Academy of Science and Math, Section 5.4.

Key Terms to Remember

bilingual immersion A method of teach- ing a second or third language by immers- ing a student in it. The target language is used as the teaching language for in-class lessons in all subjects.

county office of education A county department that helps support school districts, from approving district budgets, to acting as a clearinghouse for teacher credentials, to offering innovative profes- sional development.

critical mass The existence of sufficient momentum in a group that helps the group grow.

educational policy The formal strategic decision-making processes engaged in by states, school districts, and schools.

entrepreneurial education Encouraging students to gain knowledge for success by using real-world-type activities such as starting a new business.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Legislation passed by Congress in 2001 that provides federal funding to states that implement uniform curriculum standards, assessment tools, and certain other school reforms.

school board A body of locally elected representatives who are responsible for running public schools.

school conglomerate A group of charter schools that are under the umbrella of one charter program.

STEM school A school that puts an emphasis on science, technology, engineer- ing, and math.

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