From a blogger’s perspective the overall scope and depth of this year’s AASA conference is incredibly professional and enlightening. There are so many sessions that appeal to all of us who are engaged as educational leaders it is hard to choose which to attend! The Thought Leader sessions are very popular and well attended as are the concurrent sessions offering insight into many different and specialized areas of educational leadership. I attended the two keynote addresses (yesterday and today) and will comment on both.
To say that Malcolm Gladwell was very well received is an understatement. Malcolm ignited the superintendents yesterday with his insight about Capitalization in a presentation he labeled “Outliers”. Gladwell defines the Capitalization Rate as the “Ratio of which people in a group achieve what they are capable of doing” and encouraged us to maximize the potential and power of education to reach children. Most importantly, Malcolm pointed out that “What happens outside the four walls of the classroom really matters” and with that as a springboard moved the discussion to a broader arena.
Malcolm suggests that we begin to “change the conversation” about education and described the obvious constraints standing in our way as: 1) Poverty; 2) Stupidity; and 3) Attitudes. Malcolm emphasized the role of teacher quality, perseverance, time, bias, and societal expectations throughout his presentation. Finally, he advocates that we “speak out” and begin to articulate the obvious self-imposed limits that we appear to accept as the norm in favor of innovation and change. (I am certain you will read elsewhere on the conference website a more detailed account of Malcolm’s remarks.)
Today we heard from US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan who gave an overview of what the present administration in Washington needs to do to move the nation’s educational agenda forward. He emphasized that the upcoming year will be a “brutal year” for superintendents as difficult if not impossible personnel and programmatic decisions will need to be made. The shrinking state budgets will challenge superintendents to rethink their priorities and perhaps will shape a new future for education. Arne suggested that we “Never let a serious crisis go to waste…” and that the time may be right for a serious introspective view of how we do business. He pointed out that distance learning, data solutions, better teacher training and recruitment, a better return on investment, and enhanced college and career readiness be in the forefront of our thinking. Duncan outlined the Four C’s: Courage, Collaboration, Capacity, and Commitment, as the foundation of forward thinking about the jobs we are charged to do in public education.
According to Duncan, ARRA funded over 300,000 educational jobs that would have been lost to the economy last year. However, he cautioned that the “funding cliff” created by AARA will be imminent in the upcoming year and with that outlined the Obama administration’s new priorities for the reauthorization of ESEA. What was refreshing to this blogger was Duncan’s proclamation that the USDOE would cease to be a “Compliance Machine” and should become “An Engine of Innovation”. This would be a very welcome change and could be an overall game changer! But as my dad always proclaimed, “Action speaks louder than words,” so we shall see…
Six core areas were mentioned by Secretary Arne Duncan: College and Career Readiness, Well Rounded Students, Student Supports, Diverse Learners, Teachers and Learners Programs, and Innovative Programs. He willingly acknowledged the obvious shortcomings of ESEA in the present form and pledged to bring growth models into the picture along with higher expectations. Duncan advocated for “Local flexibility,” something that is missing in NCLB and vowed to strike a balance between punitive measures and support for what works in public schools. Absent from the conversation today was any mention of the Charter Schools push by this administration and rather focused on the support mechanisms that the federal government needs to put into action rather than political prescriptions for America’s public schools.
Footnote: With an impending Tsunami of massive budget cuts rushing to the shores of American Public Schools it is difficult for this blogger to envision the implementation of the necessary changes outlined in both Secretary Duncan’s speech and Malcolm Gladwell’s vision of the future. If a crisis does represent an opportunity, we will have to endure the shock waves and deconstruction of public education in its present form prior to the rebuilding and reconceptualization that will be necessary for us. Many of us (superintendents) are hoping for our schools merely to survive in the next few years as the multi-layered variables that shape education are challenged and altered by forces far beyond our control. The good news is that superintendents are strong and resilient people, and the support of AASA and our new place at the table in the reshaping of federal priorities for education might just help us all turn the corner.
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