“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.