“College for all … time to rethink this call to arms”

In a major report by Harvard University in February 2011, educators and business leaders stated that a “college for all” mentality is no longer realistic, if ever it was. Many positions – known as “middle-skill” jobs – don’t require a degree from a four-year institution. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce estimates there will be 47 million job openings by 2018. Nearly half will require only an associate’s degree (reported in Times of Texas).

The report went on to say “Career and technical education programs, once derided as being for those who couldn’t cut it academically, offer one path. But growing those programs has not been a national priority and their quality is inconsistent at best. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called career and technical education the ‘neglected stepchild’ of education reform”.

So what does this mean for us?

Our efforts to “transform” and “turnaround” from persistently underperforming to a consistently high performing school system is beginning to gain traction but if the “eyes on the prize” is college for all we may further exacerbate an already reform weary staff and community. We must heed the reality about “middle-skill” jobs and ask how we can create greater interest, opportunity, and access to programs that meet the needs of our county, our state, and nation.

We have from the beginning of our transformation work acknowledged that each learner must meet or exceed high standards. We have never placed the expectation that each learner must go to college. We have however stated that each learner must be prepared for two or four year post high school learning if they so choose.

Even our state has recognized, in policy, the need for college and career ready graduates. Policy however well written must be practically implemented. To do so requires different thinking and different practice. What we really need is additional funding for materials, equipment, and staff for program start-ups and program adjustments in Career Technical Education (CTE). CTE programs must be funded at a higher level than regular education courses. They have to be for one very important reason – they cost more.

We want career ready graduates! We want students taking not just an introductory course in a career area of interest. We want students completing a field of study prepared to earn a two-year technical degree or performing at the Gold Standard in Work Keys (the assessment of job readiness skills) to enter the workforce after high school. This means that in every class at every grade level the skills of reading, writing, and mathematics through Algebra must be mastered. We cannot and will not place students into CTE courses that do not have the requisite skills, knowledge, and aptitude.

In the past, there has been a disservice done to students that were neither interested nor prepared for CTE courses. We have in place a CTE leadership team that will work closely with high school administration and guidance staff to ensure proper program placement.

We have worked hard over the past two years and will continue into the foreseeable future to add as well as reinforce CTE course offerings to attract learners interested in acquiring job ready, career focused skills, knowledge, and experience. Currently, we are in discussions with South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) to create greater course and degree alignment and articulation for both technical degree areas and industry certification or licensure areas. We are excited about the renewed interest, creativity and enthusiasm of SPCC leadership to assist us with these initiatives.

For me, however there remains a powerful paradigm that somehow staff and students in our CTE programs are viewed as “less than” their peers in other programs. In a like manner, our parents and community need better awareness and understanding that CTE programs are beneficial for all especially those who aspire to enter into professional careers requiring four year university degrees. Query, what profession does not require marketing albeit of self, product, program, or service? All students would benefit from Marketing to name just one of several courses available in high school not to mention Child Psychology, Human Development, or Family and Consumer Science (aka Home Economics). These courses are universally germane.

Suffice it to say, the fixation on college for all may be notable but unnecessary. The goal, our goal must remain to educate each learner to high standards preparing them for unlimited possibilities. Irrespective of career choice, each learner must have just that – a choice. That choice is possible only through the mastery of the basic skills and opportunity as well as access to quality courses and instructors.

We are committed to making this happen!

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less” General Eric Shinseki, (former U.S. Army Chief of Staff)

The call for change is nothing new. The reluctance as well as resistance to change is equally not new. What is different and also unprecedented is that the call for change in public education actually has consequences – significant consequences.

Students bare the brunt of the failure by adults to improve, to adjust, to adapt, or to change. This too, is not new. The shifts or changes in education precipitated by changes in society albeit economically, politically, or socially have arguably caused disruptions registering from minor to major on the educational change seismic scale. Yet, this time few, if any really know or can forecast the impact. We simply don’t know because we have never experienced this level or degree of change.

The convergence of new standards (Common Core Essential Standards), new assessments (READY), new teacher evaluation (McREL) and effectiveness models, new technologies (Cloud), new, new, new, and more new is setting the stage for significant change whether or not we want, invite, or accept change as inevitable. We have stated over and over again that change; this change is not a choice. What is ours to choose, however is whether or not we seek to understand deeply the intended, expected, and desired results of the change as well as how this change is expected to shift our thinking and behavior resulting in improved individual as well as organizational improvement.

In the past individuals could ride the change out or outlast the change agents with pretty good odds that at some point the status quo would over power the change initiative and return to the way things were. Sadly, the status quo is in the minority and on the wrong side of change this time.

With the adoption of Common Core states are compelled to implement standards to be in alignment with the rest of the nation. Common assessments are coming. These two realities will allow for more accurate comparisons of student performance within and throughout the country.

These comparisons will assist parents, and communities let alone states and the nation in clearly knowing what students are learning and the depth to which they can apply their learning. This will also address the long awaited validation of many of our hard working, effective educators that have in many respects been “lumped in” with the small, few numbers of ineffective educators that have until now dominated the thinking of policy wonks, pundits, and naysayers.

The current status quo will not so easily let go or give up. Akin to “dancing with dinosaurs”, the status quo refuses to see the writing on the wall. The extinction of the “good enough” standard and “at least we are better than …” thinking that has prevented schools and systems to implement initiatives effectively and produce the desire or expected results is inevitable.

The last gasps for air of oft-used excuses or explanations as to why “this or that” was not achieved or accomplished will be heard in classrooms, schools, and schools systems across North Carolina and the country. Though it is time to move forward we will have those who remain steadfast in their beliefs and behaviors that not all students will learn or should learn to high standards.

Possibly, with Common Core and common assessments we will allow the best of what public education was intended to achieve – an educated citizenry, full participation in a democratic society, and truly the skills, knowledge and experience to pursue unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for each person.

We have accomplished much.

Yet, in full disclosure we have still much to do.

We have incredible staff that day in and day out do “whatever it takes” to ensure learners learn. Those not proficient, those not committed to the mission, those who resist and push back from the necessary change are but few but nonetheless loud in their disruption and obstruction. As we continue with our alignment work, those in the aforementioned category are finding it difficult to find sympathetic ears and this is as it should be. The majority of staff see the utility and import of the alignment work and are contributing quality work product that will benefit each teacher, each student in our system. Thank you!

The work between now and the end of the instructional year must be first, to continue addressing the learning needs of our present learners and second, preparing to address the needs of learners next year and beyond.

I am greatly encouraged by the alignment and transition work. We have and will continue to ask a great deal of our staff. We must know that this simultaneous work will yield results.

It has and it will.

"The Right Questions"

I have come to understand and appreciate the power of asking questions rather than providing answers. Too often leaders subscribe to a belief that telling is leading. Don’t get me wrong – having answers is important; asking the right questions is more important.

“Leadership is not about knowing all the answers. It’s about knowing what great questions to ask, and carefully listening to those answers (Michael Marquardt, 2005).

More often or not, leaders underestimate the need for others to wrestle with difficult, challenging questions. The rhetorical exercise of asking and answering ones’ own question does not allow for the necessary intellectual tension, conflict associated with learning. Not to mention that perspectives, contrarian viewpoints, alternative solutions and the like are necessary to raise thinking and problem solving commensurate with the level of challenges faced in complex, fluid, and dynamic organizations.

Yet, what if we have been asking the wrong questions?

What if our questions are based on a narrow viewing point or perspective or are limited by faulty assumptions, erroneous facts or etc.?

The wrong questions lead to wrong or incomplete answers that cannot and will not produce different thinking – different behaviors – different results.

How do we know if the questions we are asking are the right questions?

Insight into asking questions comes from Michael Marquardt’s (2005) book titled Leading by Questions. He says that “Great questions – questions that inspire, motivate, and empower the organization” are the right questions. Right questions require “developing and sustaining a culture where asking questions is safe and desired”.

He goes on to add, “Astute leaders use questions to encourage full participation in teamwork, to spur innovation and outside the box thinking, to empower others, to build relationships with others, to solve problems, and more. The most successful leaders lead with questions, and they use questions more frequently. Successful and effective leaders create the conditions and environment to ask and be asked questions. Questions wake people up. They prompt new ideas. They show people new places, new ways of doing things. They help us admit that we don’t know all the answers.”

At the Ebenezer Community Forum two weeks ago I was asked why there is such a wide disparity between our African-American students and Caucasian students in academic performance?

Rather than providing my thoughts, I asked, “why do you (the audience) think there is wide disparity?”

First and foremost – yes, there is a wide disparity in performance! That being said, the question can actually “inspire, motivate, and empower” not only the school system but also the community.

Without retreating and offering the oft cited and proven false explanation or excuse of poverty, value proposition, family structure, unemployment, and etc., we focused on expectations – the expectations of community.

Does our community expect each learner to learn to high standards? If yes, how does community communicate and reinforce high expectations for each learner let alone each teacher, each classroom and each school?

Does our community expect each learner to demonstrate, apply, and perform what they have learned at a mastery level? If yes, how does community communicate and reinforce high expectations for each learner let alone each teacher, each classroom and each school?

Does our community expect each learner to conduct himself or herself in a manner that does not interfere with learning, safety or well-being of others? If yes, how does community communicate and reinforce high expectations for each learner let alone each teacher, each classroom and each school?

These questions are at the center of the disparity in academic performance.

We have not expected each learner to learn to high standards!

We have not expected each learner to demonstrate learning to a high standard!

We have not expected each learner to behave in such a way not to interfere with the safety, learning, or well-being of others.

Our questions, these questions require participation, full participation of our community. These questions require the building and sustaining of relationships within and throughout our community.

Lastly, these questions must prompt and provoke new thinking as well as new ways of doing things. The answers and solutions are not far from our reach. In fact, they are readily available and within our control. The answer is and will remain – expectations.

It starts and ends with us - our community!

"Reproducing Dysfunctional"

“Sometimes we don’t know what we want until someone shows us the possibilities”. Seeing possibilities requires in many respects a willingness to “look” through different lenses, new eyes if you will. In much of what we have initiated over the past four and half years has required different. We have in so many ways implemented programming and practices that produce results – different results. Yet, we have endured reluctance and resistance to “different”.

Underpinning different has been coupling the “all means all” mission with whatever it takes. The “whatever it takes” mindset is what differentiates successful implementation, fidelity if you will, from the inconsistent, underperforming, and disappointing results to date.

The other night I fielded questions from community members about Make Your Day. Woven into the questions were misconceptions about the program, misuses or misapplications of the program components, or blatant, willful refusal to implement the program protocols. As I stated clearly, the program works. Where it isn’t producing the desired and expected results, one only needs to look at the adults not the students. We continually suffer the consequences of decisions, choices by adults.

Why do they make these choices?

Let me quickly say that it is not my intention to throw our teachers or our administrators under the proverbial “bus”. Rather, my intention is to emphatically state that the choices, the decisions for whatever the reason not to implement the program as designed, as trained, as expected is just that, a choice with serious and significant consequences.

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that in a “big” way, those staff albeit teachers and administrators that embraced Make Your Day with the whatever it takes mindset and the possibilities of different eyesight are responsible for reducing suspensions from over 7,000 (2007) to less than 1000 (2011). They are also responsible for the highest number of students proficient (2011) in our history. Imagine if you can what our system would look like if every staff …

A factor in the success of MYD as well as other programs has been leadership by both principals and teachers to not let the existing culture manipulate new programs and practices. That is, the power of the existing culture – the culture in place to exert its’ influence, its’ restrictions, its’ beliefs, its’ limitations on different explains why in many classrooms there has been a decision not to change.

A dysfunctional culture has amazing power to reproduce itself in spite of best intentions. It is why the adage the “more things change the more they stay the same” is more true than not.

We must have permission to change the culture. The whatever it takes and possibilities of different cannot and will not bring about the enduring change without permission.

The dysfunctions of culture are not insurmountable but they are formable. Often we attack the symptoms not the root cause of cultural dysfunction. In schools this explains why it is so easy and acceptable to point to students – their lack of discipline, lack of motivation, lack of interest, lack of engagement, lack of … and the list goes on as to why students are not learning to the expectations we desire. It is also why parents are singled out as not caring, not supportive, not involved, not interested in the success of their child. It is why the community is blamed for not supporting schools. It is why teachers, principals, and administrators are at fault.

Dysfunction was not birthed yesterday, five years ago, 20 years ago and so on. Rather, dysfunction began as soon as the first finger was pointed shifting ownership, casting upon someone else the responsibility as the explanation as to why this or that occurred. It is the culture of dysfunction that permits such finger pointing, lack of responsibility, accountability, and authority to address root cause.

Dysfunction is why many communities have more memories of the past than dreams of the future.

Alas, I know our work is only as good as our accepting and embracing accountability as defined by:

“An attitude of continually asking “what else can I do to rise above my circumstances and achieve the results I desire?” It is the process of “seeing it, owning it, solving it, and doing it.” It requires a level of ownership that includes making, keeping, and proactively answering for personal commitments. It is a perspective that embraces both current and future efforts rather than reactive and historical explanations”

(Connors, Smith & Hickman, 1994; page 65).

This is far from a new thought, new theme, or new revelation about accountability. However, at such time that each individual and our community embraces whatever it takes and the possibilities of different we may in earnest live this definition of accountability.

“It’s How we define caring”

This past week a staff member challenged me with a statement, “I am tired of being told that I don’t care about students!” In the moment I responded, “prove me wrong”. Stepping back, I realized that we were coming from completely different definitions of caring. Caring or showing concern, taking an interest, kindness, compassion, sympathy, and etc. are each important and something we should all demonstrate to and with others. Our students need caring adults.

I think however that caring is much more. I believe caring is also about high expectations as it relates to both behavior and academics. Caring is not settling, accepting, or acquiescing to lesser.

Rather, we need to demonstrate caring by not lowering expectations or standards. However, not lowering expectations or standards cannot be in word alone.

High expectations require consistent and constant presence and practice by the adults those behaviors expected and required of learners.

High expectations must start with a commitment of, by and for the adults to communicate, model, reinforce, recognize, and affirm the very behaviors they insist in, of and by learners.

We need to care enough about our students not to accept less than albeit in 1) learning to use their minds well, 2) learning to make responsible decisions including the consequences as well as benefits, and 3) learning the rights, roles, and responsibilities of citizenship, and community.

Caring is ensuring that access and opportunity to learn the habits or discipline of learning is consistently and constantly reinforced.

Caring is proactive not reactive!

Caring is a choice not a condition!

Caring is doing!

Our present behavioral and academic performance reveals mixed levels of effect and impact related to high expectations – we must do more! We must care more!

By the by, we have control over our expectations – low or high.

On a related matter, we know we are expending vast amounts of energy, time and effort on training as well as planning. It is extremely important to note that our present reality is defined by being behind.

Without excuse or explanation, we are behind in our capacities (curriculum competence and coherence, effective instructional practice, use of formative and summative assessments to inform both teaching and learning, and the culminating effect – student performance).

In addressing the legacy of both failed learning and the failure to learn we now more than ever are confronted by our reflections, images of ourselves and behavior that until recent were out of focus and not easily recognized. It is possible that the reluctance or outright refusal to accept responsibility for past performance was intentional. I, however have surmised that it has been more of “didn’t know” rather than “didn’t do” situation. Hence the knowing and doing gap was exacerbated literally by not knowing. This in part provides insight into the intensive training and planning agenda we have initiated.

This has come at a price, however.

We are exhausted.

Yet, the sense of urgency has never been greater. We cannot stop and rest. The students who most need our best, effective work are here now not tomorrow. We cannot wait for staff to “get it”. They must “get it” and “do it”. This brings me back to caring.

The factor we have control over is also the fuel to drive, to push, to pull us forward. These are our expectations.

We must care enough to accept that different results don’t come from different students, different parents, or different administrators. Different results come from caring enough to set, implement, monitor, and assess our expectations for teaching and learning.

Where they are too low –

We must increase them!

Where they are inconsistent –

We must make them consistent!

Where they are not constant –

We must make them constant!

Where they are not present –

We must make them present!

Where they are not practiced –

We must practice them!

Each and every one of us is responsible for caring just as each and every one of us is responsible for building and expanding our capacities.

How we define caring has everything to do with whether or not we will succeed. Moreover, it will determine if our students succeed.

How do you define caring?

"Whatever it takes ..."

The “retreat” I wrote about last week must be tactical. Military strategists know that retreat or an exit strategy from any mission, operation, or engagement must be included as an important, essential component of planning. The failure to plan intentionally for retreat or an exit has proven to be devastating or fatal throughout history in all manner of conflict.

In our case, retreat from the engaging work of educating each child, each learner to standard is not practical or ethical. Yet, a retreat – a tactical retreat from practices and programs that to date have not yielded the expected or desired results is exactly what we must do.

Let be paint the picture clearly. We have labored to build capacity in awareness and understanding that each learner and their success are ethical, moral, and legal. We have collaboratively defined as well as given voice to the “all means all” vision and mission. Yet, “All means all” is only half the equation necessary for us to be successful.

The learning for all, by all, and of all are merely pithy or trite words and only serve as a politically correct sound byte unless accompanied by the “whatever it takes” mindset and action.

What does “whatever it takes” require?

First, an uncompromising, unwavering commitment to decision making that is centered on each learner – learner centeredness.

Second, it requires reflecting and reviewing on effective strategies to meet the needs of each learner including:

· What they already know and can do?

· How well they demonstrate what they know and can do?

· What they need to know and be able to do?

· What are the steps necessary for them to learn what they need to know and do?

· What are the instructional steps necessary for each learner to learn what he or she must know and be able to do?

· What evidence is essential for each learner to demonstrate his or her learning?

· What strategies will be used if the learner does not learn in the way, the time, and to the level expected and desired?

· What strategies will be used to maintain or stretch each learner once they have met or exceeded learning expectations? and

· How will the learner know, parent know that each learner is progressing toward meeting or exceeding standard?

Third, it requires using time and resources differently to ensure each learner masters the essential skills and knowledge necessary to meet or exceed standards.

Fourth, it refuses to accept that each learner cannot be successful.

Fifth, it refuses to accept “good enough” and abandons ineffective and unproductive practices.

Sixth, it constantly and consistently affirms daily that each student can and will be successful in their learning.

Seventh, it is relentless in the pursuit of collaboration and communication with each learner’s parent to ensure success.

Eighth, it never gives up on a leaner, never gives in to the temptation to blame the learner for the failure to learn, and never looses sight of what each learner can become.

Ninth, “whatever it takes” requires deliberate, purposeful, specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely planning, implementation, monitoring, and adjustments to teaching and learning.

Tenth, “whatever it takes” is not episodic or situational it must be ubiquitous – ever present, ever practiced by all.

Retreating from failed practices and programs to reengage in effective practice is easy to say but not so simple do. It requires suspending our beliefs and current practices. It requires humility!

This is exactly what we are doing at Anson High School this upcoming week. I have directed our Chief Learning Officer to embed on the campus to work specifically, directly with eight staff currently assigned to students in the three tested areas to provide unprecedented support for improved teaching and learning.

In doing so, staff will be provided time, guidance, and support through constant and consistent feedback, modeling, and corrective action to ensure each learner does in fact demonstrate proficiency of expected and desired learning.

This is but one example of the “whatever it takes” mindset. We cannot continue with what hasn’t worked. This tactical retreat will result in reengagement of effective teaching and learning.

“Planned Retreat – necessary and timely”

I recall shortly after my father died one of his closest friends, a childhood friend in fact, telling my brother and me, “I will do everything I can to help you. I will get you to the door, but you will have to walk through it.”

Obviously, I have never forgotten those words. Getting to the door of opportunity, the door of possibilities remains only part of the equation of life however. Walking through the door, taking a risk knowing full well that not everything that presents itself as an opportunity or possibility is for you is the second part of the equation.

Additionally, both my brother and I have learned that taking risk – acting on the opportunity and possibility is challenging and results sometimes in set backs or even failure – not the end of the world.

We also learned to minimize or at least reduce the likelihood of failure with opportunity and possibility by planning for it.

Presently if feels like we have surrendered – surrendered to status quo – of what used to be or what is familiar or convenient. Surrender is first giving in before giving up – quitting!

Last week I emphasized the obvious; the need for a plan. Making, implementing, monitoring, and assessing a plan is essential. Most planning processes however miss a critical component, strategy if you will – an exit strategy. Every plan must include strategies for contingencies including an exit or retreat.

We have heard countless stories from business, faith, civic life, and etc. about failure, persevering, and succeeding. Most often the common experience in these stories of each individual that encounters set backs, failure if you will is that they don’t give up – they retreat, rest, recreate, reassess, repurpose, reorganize and reengage. They may lose sight, lose vision, or lose conviction momentarily but they never fully surrender to failure.

Retreat however is something entirely different. In fact, retreat is an opportunity with possibilities.

The purpose of retreat is often mistaken as a sign of weakness. This isn’t necessarily accurate.

We need to retreat not surrender!

Just this last week in a conversation with Department of Public Instruction Transformation supervisors I shared one of the most fascinating facts of military history. It is recorded that five times in the history of warfare that an army fully engaged in battle disengaged, withdrew, and retreated, from conflict to rest, recreate, reassess, repurpose, reorganize and reengage to become victorious. Imagine if you can this sequence – fully engaged, retreat, and fully reengage.

Retreat takes intentionality. It takes planning.

There are times that retreat is unplanned, haphazard and desperate. Generally speaking, retreat in this manner is due more or less to poor planning, poor preparation, and poor execution. I don’t want to minimize that there are factors and circumstances in battle as in life that cannot be controlled or planned for that may require retreat. Yet, planning, preparation, implementation or execution or the lack of is more often or not the major contributing factor to an objective, goal, strategy, opportunity or possibility not being met.

Though I have offered previously that retreat is not a sign of weakness and an extremely important, essential tactic, there is nonetheless a psychology that can work against the very objectives you desire to achieve through retreat - rest, recreate, reassess, repurpose, and reorganize to reengage.

Retreat can be demoralizing and defeating not to mention devastating.

Retreat or more importantly how you retreat is critical to the emotions, perceptions, and motivators of each individual as well as the organization collective.

The impact or influence of emotion, perception and motivation will either deter, delay, obstruct, undermine, or sabotage opportunities and possibilities or will ensure that opportunities and possibilities are seized, embraced, championed, or accomplished.

As mentioned, planning was key to a successful, effective retreat. What I haven’t mentioned is that underpinning the effective and successful planning of each of the aforementioned retreats were engagement, involvement and participation of all those impacted and affected.

In many respects where programs, initiatives, and strategies have not yielded the results we expect or desire, we need to retreat. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that through rest, recreation, reassessment, repurposing, and reorganizing that we have a plan to reengage in this present work.

It is hard, difficult to retreat in the middle of full engagement but we must.

Remember, retreat must be planned to be effective. Next week I will layout our planned retreat so we can reengage in the work to seize the opportunities and possibilities.