Another year about to go down in the history books. Are we any closer to truly improving our public schools? For every likely step forward we may have taken in 2010, it seems to be met with a similar step back. For every rhetorical push ahead, we had a very real headwind blocking progress.
So as we head into 2011, your friendly neighborhood Eduflack offers up a few “resolutions” for all on the education reform boat to consider as we start a new year. We need to come to accept the following:
1. True reform does not happen at the federal level. The federal government is an important lever in the school improvement process, offering some necessary financial resources and some bully pulpit language to inspire reform. But true improvement happens at the state and local levels. It is about what our SEAs and LEAs do with those resources and whether they embrace the call from the bully pulpit. Just as all politics is local, so too is all education reform. Why do you think groups like DFER are so keen on launching new statewide efforts, like the new one in California?
2. ESEA reauthorization really doesn’t matter. As much as we want to fret about when ESEA is going to be reauthorized and what will and won’t be included, it doesn’t have much impact on the game at hand. At the end of the day, EdSec Duncan could work from the current NCLB, make a few tweaks, and be just fine for the next few years. Those thinking a major sea change is coming with reauth will be sadly mistaken. If we see reauth this year (put at about 60 percent), expect it to simply be a kinder, gentler NCLB. Nothing more.
3. Education technology matters. For years now, we’ve placed ed tech in the perifery when it comes to school improvement, trying to define it as simply the adoption of a particular piece of hardware. Ed tech needs to be at the center of 21st century school improvement. It is important to instruction and student achievement, teacher quality, and all-around turnaround efforts. If we are to realize its impact, we need to ensure it is a non-negotiable in the process.
4. We cannot forget about reading instruction. Nine years ago, Reading First was born, emphasizing the importance of literacy instruction in the elementary grades. We cannot boost student test scores and we cannot ensure that all kids are college and career ready if everyone isn’t reading at grade level. RF taught us a great deal on how to teach reading (and how not to advocate it politically). Building on those lessons, we need to redouble our efforts to get each and every child reading proficient. And that now includes focusing on middle and high schools, where too many students have fallen between the cracks.
5. Superintendents matter. Many of our largest and most influential school districts will experience change at the top this coming year. These new leaders can’t forget that the role of instructional leader is essential to their success. Shaking things up is good. Sweeping out the old is fine. Doing things differently is great. But at the end of the day, being a superintendent is all about teaching and learning and measurement. Magazine covers are nice, but rising test scores are far more rewarding.
6. We still need to figure out what teacher quality is. Is it just student test scores? Does it include preservice education requirements beyond HQT provisions? Are their qualitative factors? Can we accept a “we’ll know it when we see it” definition? With increased focus continuing to be placed on the topic of teacher quality, we need a true defition and a true measurement to really launch a meaningful discussion. We’ve spent too much time talking about what it isn’t or what it shouldn’t be. It is time to determine what it is.
7. Research remains king. In 2010, we spent a great deal of money on school reforms and improvement ideas. Most of these dollars were an investment in hope. Now it is time to verify. We need to determine what is working and what is not. We need to know not just that the money is being spent (as ED typically sees evaluation) but instead need to know what it is being spent on and what is showing promise of success. We need to redouble our investments in evaluation. Other sectors have made real advances because of investments in R&D. It is about time for education to do the same.
8. We need to learn how to use social media in education. It is quite disheartening to see that states like Virginia are exploring banning teachers from using tools like Facebook with their students. It is also a little frustrating to see that media like Twitter are still being used for one-way communications. We need to see more engagement and dialogue through our social media. An example? How about more Twitter debates like those between @DianeRavitch and @MichaelPetrilli ?
And as we look forward to the new year, some predictions on what is hot and what is not for 2011.
HOT — Accountability (and its flexibility). Assessments. International benchmarking. Rural education. Alternative certification. Special education. Competitive grants. Local control. School improvement. Local elected school boards. Online education.
NOT — Charter schools. Early childhood education. 21st century skills. STEM. ELL. Education schools. RttT/i3. Education reform (yeah, you heard me). Teachers unions. Mayoral control. AYP. Early colleges. Edujobs.
Happy new year!
Eduflack By Patrick R. Riccards 
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