I feel it critical to stay connected daily to everything education. I follow education through organizations, associations, government and others through Twitter, Google Alerts, Facebook, local and national media outlets. So today, I almost skipped a "whitehouse twitter" I saw on my phone. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was to speak on his support of the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. A copy of his speech was posted on http://www.ed.gov/ .
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) came into reality during Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty in 1965. It was intended to face the educational needs of our nation's children who were in the most need. Along with it has come some funding with many mandates. Unfortunately, the funding hasn't supported the mandates. In the last decade, you have become familiar with the ESEA being referred to as No Child Left Behind or NCLB.
There has been so much controversy about NCLB, that when I saw the "tweet", I wasn't sure I wanted to read it, but did. It make me ponder, whether I agreed with everything or not, but it also brings to the front, some of the reasons I ran for school board.
I ran...
...because I too believe, as Sec. Duncan said in his speech today "More than any other issue, education is the civil rights issue of our generation and it can’t wait -- because tomorrow won’t wait – the world won’t wait – and our children won’t wait." I believe we have much work to do in improving the "Opportunity Gap" for our students of color. This isn't just a district problem, it is a national problem. The challenge is all of ours...parents, students, teachers, administrators, community. Whether we have kids or not...all students are a part of our community now, and now is the time we need to address all learners and all needs. Our students can never wait.
I ran...
...because I believe in the direction our district leaders are guiding us. We have a Mission and Strategic Plan that takes our students beyond high school, and into their dreams and aspirations as global learners.
I believe our District wants the best, who will commit their best right here, right now. Our leadership in 279 believes that, as evident in our Strategic Plan. The work comes in our Professional Learning Communities, our parental involvment, our students, all of our staff (from bus drivers to custodians to teachers, etc...) , and our community.
The work is happening now, but I also know the District is forcasting and planning far ahead, knowing there will be things we will "reauthorize" in our district and that there will be things we reform and change.
Back to The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and his speech today and his urgency to Reauthorize the ESEA. I am not sure how I feel. I can't really put words to it. I am for standards and accountability, but the way we measure that is the challenge. I also get concerned when we rush through things just to have them done. I am concerned with a Reauthorization. I too, do not believe we can wait for reform, because we can' t afford to lose the students we have now while we figure it out....but we also can't just keep things in place if they aren't working.
The last ESEA/NCLB did not have mandates for Gifted Education, it continues to carry on issues through the Individuals with Disabilities Act, which was supposed to be funded at 40% by the government, and has only averaged 13-19%, leaving districts dipping into their General Education Funds. The Federal Stimulus dollars will be boosting that to nearly 24% for just the next two years, but will return again following that, still leaving us far short of the 40% they are supposed to fund.
To reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act immediatly for the sake of not losing our students is a tough one. On either side there are many crucial options to be weighed. Do I believe we need reform? Yes, but I also know we have students right now that can't wait. We need to reform as we go in small incriments, and plan ahead for larger reform.
Just as our district leadership is guiding us with our Strategic Plan, so the story goes, and should perhaps be one we follow when looking at the ESEA. The Strategic Plan had years of thought and input before implementing the last couple of years. It is reviewed annually and revised as we go ...including changes (or reform) that need to occur. Reforming and reframing with data to drive us in our decisions. I know our district can't lose (have them fall behind) students today, for sake of reform tomorrow.
I hope our educational leaders at the national level look at the needs of students everywhere in whatever direction is adopted. I hope we keep high standards, but I hope our teachers are then equiped with the proper tools and training to address all of their students needs.
I ran...
I ran for school board to be a part of a system I believe in, and one that I want to see succeed, because the success is in our students.
You can run away and not participate, or you can run along side District 279.
Let's run together. Let's run a marathon together that last's a lifetime...that we catch a second wind with to keep pushing our students to succeed...that finds supporters on the sidelines wanting to encourage our students...that finds all of us at the finish line together, knowing we did it and can now do it again.
On your marks, get set.....see you at a school near by!
