Joe Williams' Blog
July 10, 2009
Leigh McGuigan: On Innovation
I am finishing my week of blogging with one of my favorite topics: innovation. We talk about it constantly, indeed, we worship at its alter. How many times have we heard (and said) that we will transform education through innovation?
Yet as a proud former "Senior Executive for New and Innovative Schools," I can say on good authority that hardly anything we did in our "New and Innovative Schools" was really innovative. Granted, we did a lot of things that were much less dysfunctional than regular district schools. Principals got to hire their own teachers and were able to hire external candidates as well as internal ones. Almost every school had an extended year, extended day, or both. We had five single gender schools. We pushed very hard on parent engagement and asked parents to sign agreements acknowledging their responsibilities. Our high schools were small and all had strong themes that engaged students and were pervasive throughout the school, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Math ("STEM"), Science and Medicine, Architecture and Design, and Early College. Our charter schools included a KIPP-like middle school and a credit-recovery high school where students learned on-line in a supervised setting. We had some, mostly modest, grant support that could be used at the principals' discretion to support student learning.
Continue reading "Leigh McGuigan: On Innovation"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 10, 2009 7:51 AM
July 9, 2009
Leigh McGuigan: Turning Around Low-Performing Schools
In his speech to the national charter schools conference a few weeks ago, Secretary Duncan focused on the critical need to turn around approximately 5000 schools in the U.S. that he calls "chronically underperforming." Talking about turning around failing schools is not new, but the candor, realism, and clarity of the Secretary's speech was striking. This is one area where the Secretary's experience leading Chicago Schools really pays off.
Over the past decade, we have consistently underestimated the difficulty of fixing persistently failing schools. This has allowed us to avoid doing the hard things that are most likely to succeed. Instead, we have poured millions of dollars and untold effort into the same old solutions, providing more professional development, more coaches, and more programs, even in the face of clear evidence that these approaches rarely transform low performing schools into high performing ones. Sometimes elementary schools can be turned around by talented and tireless new leaders, although my experience with New York City principals leads me to believe that this involves a good deal of luck, even when transformational leaders have been specifically trained for the job. And there is little evidence, anywhere, that a large, inner city, comprehensive high school with a long history of failure can be turned around without significant restructuring.
Continue reading "Leigh McGuigan: Turning Around Low-Performing Schools"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 9, 2009 9:14 AM
July 8, 2009
Leigh McGuigan: Building An Excellent Educator Workforce
Last week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan gave an important speech at the annual convention of the National Education Association ("NEA"), one of the country's two major teacher unions. Urging bold action, the Secretary challenged the NEA delegates to think differently about the role of unions. He characterized reform as a moving train, and invited the NEA to "get on the train," by abandoning the outmoded model in which almost all employment rights and benefits are based on seniority; reforming teacher tenure so that the decision to award lifetime job protection is meaningful and so that poor performing teachers can be removed; and designing meaningful evaluation systems that include evidence of student learning. I think it's fair to say that the NEA hasn't quite jumped on the train yet. I hope they, as well as their often more forward thinking brethren at the AFT, are considering it.
Continue reading "Leigh McGuigan: Building An Excellent Educator Workforce"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 8, 2009 8:10 AM
July 7, 2009
Leigh McGuigan: Supporting High Quality Charter Schools
Yesterday, The New York Times editorialized in favor of changing federal law to allow the U.S. Department of Education to directly fund high quality charter school programs, so as to bypass state limits on charter school funding. This is an excellent idea that would immediately increase educational opportunities for urban children and provide much needed innovation.
Charter schools are doing some of the most effective and exciting work in education. Given their flexibility and freedom from structural constraints, we have a right to expect that they should consistently be at the leading edge of performance and innovation. Far too often, however, even the best ones are hamstrung by the constant fight for financial survival. And there are far too many persistently low performing charter schools, which, like persistently low performing district schools, should be closed.
Continue reading "Leigh McGuigan: Supporting High Quality Charter Schools"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 7, 2009 9:33 AM
July 6, 2009
Leigh McGuigan: The American Dream Is In Jeopardy
This Independence Day, we face a historic opportunity to change the future of our nation. If President Obama and Secretary Duncan remain tenacious in conditioning Race to the Top funds on support for charter schools, insistence on high quality teachers, and closing failing schools, and if our politicians, especially our Democrats, continue to summon the courage to vote for these reforms, we can recast the educational landscape, especially for the poorest among us, who have disproportionately been harmed by the policies of the past.
I applaud DFER for honoring those Democrats who have the courage to advocate educational change. These brave politicians are real patriots, courageously taking the political risks required in order to provide children with the equality of opportunity that is the engine of this great democracy. New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein often talks about our obligation to "give every kid a shot at the American Dream." Like Joel, I believe that preserving the American Dream - the right to an equal chance in life - is our generation's sacred trust, and that the country that we love cannot survive without it.
The Dream is plainly in jeopardy. In our historic cities, far too many children, often the majority, have no realistic shot at success. The schools that have given generations of Americans a chance in life that would be inconceivable in most other countries are no longer up to the task, crippled by outmoded laws, contracts and practices that favor the interests of adults over the interests of our children. We cannot lose another generation of urban children. It is time now to take a stand, and in many states the forces are aligning to make it possible.
Continue reading "Leigh McGuigan: The American Dream Is In Jeopardy"....
Posted by Joe Williams on July 6, 2009 12:21 PM
June 25, 2009
Courage Grips Rhode Island Legislature (Race To The Top Heats Up As The Ocean State Jumps In)
A week after Rhode Island legislators stripped funding for a new, innovative "mayoral academy" charter school and days after Education Secretary Arne Duncan warned that the Ocean State would have some 'splainin to do when it applied for federal Race To The Top funds because of it, the Legislature voted very early this morning to put the cash back in.
Huge win for Cumberland Mayor Dan McKee, who has been a warrior pushing this issue for the last few years. Another win for Duncan, who has shown again that he's serious about the Race To The Top.
Special kudos to House Majority Leader Gordon Fox for his leadership on this issue. (There are lots of great quotes from him in the Pro Jo story linked above. Thanks also to Representatives Kenneth Vaudreuil (D - Central Falls) and Nick Mattiello (D - Cranston) spoke forcefully on the floor about the need for a Race to the Top strategy with excellent charter schools at it's center.
Posted by Joe Williams on June 25, 2009 5:24 PM
June 22, 2009
DFER Unveils New 'Ed Reformer Of The Month' Feature
Starting this month, DFER will harness the collective support of education reformers nationwide by rallying behind one candidate for office whose support for education reform efforts is exemplary.
If thousands of DFER supporters give $25 or more, it will provide these carefully-selected politicians with a significant level of financial support in their races for elective office. At the same time, this kind of fundraising help will send a clear message across the spectrum that reform is valued.
Our first DFER Education Reformer of the Month is United States Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colorado.) Find out more about Sen. Bennet on the June contribution page.
Please join other supporters around the country in supporting Sen. Bennet as June's DFER Education Reformer of the Month.
Posted by Joe Williams on June 22, 2009 12:05 AM
