A Minimalist Approach to Reform

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  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      American Association of School Administrators. 801 North Quincy Street Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203-1730. Tel: 703-528-0700; Fax: 703-841-1543; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.aasa.org
    • Peer Reviewed:
      N
    • Source:
      5
    • Subject Terms:
      Elementary Secondary Education; Formative Evaluation; Goal Orientation; Educational Change; Accountability; Teachers; Principals; Federal Legislation; Students; Academic Achievement; Leaders; Educational Indicators; Federal Programs; Achievement Gap; Educational Improvement
    • Subject Terms:
      Elementary and Secondary Education Act; No Child Left Behind Act 2001
    • ISSN:
      0036-6439
    • Abstract:
      America is at an important crossroad in education. With the pending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly referred to as NCLB, Americans need to examine with fierce honesty the impact it has had on schools, not just on the test scores, but the toll it has taken on the people: principals, teachers and students. For professional educators, NCLB serves as an important wake-up call. However, America needs to reignite the passion and commitment that brought educators to the profession in the first place. America needs to move away from a compliance model toward one that builds efficacy and leadership among teachers, engages teachers and principals in reflective and collaborative dialogue around valid, reliable data, and creates focus and coherence throughout the school systems. In this article, the author discusses how to help teachers and principals stay focused on student learning with goals that will fundamentally change important outcomes. Focusing on the greatest areas of need leads to the development of high-priority goals and strategies that affect and improve the entire system at every level. High-priority planning and goal setting, using formative assessment techniques to monitor results, will lead to more efficient and deeper levels of learning for teachers and students. The author stresses that getting focused and staying focused are the greatest challenges and greatest hope in education.
    • Abstract:
      ERIC
    • Publication Date:
      2010
    • Accession Number:
      EJ874614