Do your students know you care? Do they know you expect them to "be someone"?

 “Teachers affect eternity, no one can tell where their influence stops.”

As we look towards the end of this school, it is amazing to think that the craziest school year anyone could ever imagine is almost over. It may feel like it just started, but in truth we have learned a lot about ourselves and our students they year. No matter if you have been teaching in-person or virtually, or a little bit of both, teachers always learn alot about their students and that may remain one of the rare constants of the 2020–2021 school year. Of course our students have learned a lot about us too! They know what we will and will not accept, both in behaviors and with assignments (even in kindergarten!). They have a pretty good idea of who the teachers’ pets are and where the popular kids sit at lunch (or in what virtual chatroom they are in).

And above all, they have decided if their teachers care about them or not.

I am not questioning if teachers care about their students. I can honestly say I have never met a teacher that didn’t. But I do believe there are students that come to school every day that aren’t sure if their teacher cares about them and their success. I believe that feeling could be exaggerated even more by a virtual setting where it has been easy to overlook a kid that doesn’t show up to a zoom meeting. You might not notice, but they do. The point is, it doesn’t matter how you feel about someone, if THEY don’t know how you feel, they are left to their own perceptions and sometimes, with some of our students, they may not perceive the best.

How do your students know you care about them?

A recent “Student Voice” survey of over 65,000 students conducted by the Quaglia Institute (https://qisa.org/) showed that only 34% of students believed that their teachers knew “their hopes, dreams, and aspirations”! What a discouraging number!! A lot of research has also been conducted about the value of high expectations as a vital tool for success. They have shown it will push us to do things we were not sure we were capable. How and Why do we do this? Often we do it because someone else is counting on us. The question I have posed to kids as I have traveled to schools the last couple of years is one I read about in a story of highly successful people that came from less than stellar backgrounds. It is a simple question:

        Who Expects You to Be Somebody?

As you can imagine, many students pick their family members when I ask that question. However, often it is one of their teachers that students tell me about as the person that expects the most out of them. I had one student tell me that they try to do their best because they don’t want to let their teacher down. That is a huge impact. Recently, I saw a short video clip of a brain surgeon who credits his middle school science teacher with “inspiring” him to be a doctor just by telling him he had “the hands for it”. It was one comment to one child, but it had an enormous impact on him and his future. Watch the video here:

A Teacher Appreciation Story: "You have the hands to be a surgeon!"

So as we near the end of the school year, stop and reflect about the students you see every day. Some of them are behind the class academically. Some are struggling to fit in and belong. Some you have identified as those that need extra attention. No matter what you think you know about your students, ask yourself: Who expects them to be somebody? Is it you? Do they know it?

An Open Letter to the Teacher We Met Working At Target!

 

Dear First Year Teacher Working at Target, 

I hope you never lose the sparkle in your eye! You inspired us today! The high temperature in Fort Worth, Texas was 14 degrees.  That is cold by just about anyone’s standards, but for many who live here, it is pretty much a  shutdown, stay inside at all costs type temperature.  In the last couple of days, the grocery stores have  been emptied in preparation for the coldest week in years.  Being in the school business myself, my and my wife, along with teachers and students all over the area, we were told to take everything home and be prepared to work remotely this week if need be. You were too.

Sure enough, Jack Frost hit Texas this week like he never has.  Millions are without water, electricity, etc. and some are in dangerous situations because of the cold and isolation.  At my house, we lost power for about 36 hours, but we are also blessed with a warm fire, plenty of food, and all the basic resources we needed.  It was for us, a mere inconvenience but also a little bit of an adventure.  Others weren't so fortunate, and we know it.

It is in that vein, that my wife and I jumped in the car to go to Target. That is basically how both blessed and spoiled we are. We used it as a way to warm up, charge our phones, and stave off boredom.   And that is where we met you.

You may not even remember us going through your line. I am often the type that strikes up a conversation with the cashier.  I sometimes get a chuckle from my wife and also an eye-roll or two from the people in line behind me, but I like to watch people and interact and see how they do their job.  Often cashiers are friendly and pleasant, but other times it seems like they dread their job, and sometimes I don't blame them.  This would have been one of those times.  With temperatures well below freezing, everything shutting down, and people scavenging to get the last gallon of milk (or wine) it would be easy to want to go home and be safe too.  But not you.  You greeted us with a smile and asked us how you were doing.  You seemed so young, or maybe I am just that old, but I would have bet you were a local high school student.  I thanked you for coming in to work to serve us and mentioned that I hoped you got to go home soon because the roads were bad and more stores were already closed.  With a smile, you said you had "volunteered" to work today because you knew others couldn't.  That was my first "wow".   Then you mentioned you had the day off today because you are a teacher!  My wife is a teacher and I work in administration so we were both excited to hear this!  You shared you were a first-year teacher and taught seventh grade! My wife has taught 7th grade as well and I chuckled as you both immediately began comparing notes.  That was my second "wow".  And then I saw it...

The first-year teacher sparkle. The one I hope you never lose.  You shared how the year has been so hard.  The students don't turn in their work, the middle school boys give you a hard time, you have had to learn to teach in-person and virtual at the same time, but you told us all this with an authentic smile. You shared how much you loved your job and couldn't wait to see your kids again.  How you hoped they were warm and safe this week (even if they didn't turn in their work).  Maybe it was because you didn't look like you are too far removed from middle school yourself, or maybe it was because you had that sparkle when you talked about your students, but there was a certain brave innocence about you that inspired us. 

As we walked to the car, my wife and I continued to talk about you.  We know how hard teachers have it this year, even if others do not.  Then we talked about the young person that you appear to be.  The kind of person that doesn't celebrate a snow day away from kids, but instead volunteers to work an extra shift at your "second job" because you know others couldn't.  You are the kind of person the world needs to teach our kids. We reminisced on our own first-year of teaching.  About how hard we thought it was, but knowing it was nothing compared to what you have gone through. Working two jobs (at-least) through a pandemic and learning all about middle school?  And doing it with a smile and a sparkle.  I hope you never lose that.  Many start off in the profession with sparkle and somewhere along the line, some (fortunately not the majority) become frustrated and even cynical.  They succumb to the frustrations of the role. Their dreams of changing the world crushed by unappreciated people, miles of red tape, and the struggles of a society that teachers alone can't fix.  Don't do that.  We need you. 

I know firsthand how hard teachers work.  I have known many who keep their sparkle throughout their careers and inspire thousands of kids.  I hope you go on to become one of those.  I hope that you always enjoy your teaching job and light up when you talk about your students the way you did with us. I hope you greet them at the door the way you greeted us, with a big smile.  

I hope someday you don't have to work a second job to make ends meet. 

I didn't catch your name and I will probably never see you again, but I hope I don't forget you.  I appreciated your sparkle more than you could know. It inspired me. Your students and your school are lucky to have you.

I hope you got home safely last night and had everything you need.  You deserve it. Thank you.

A grateful fellow educator,

Rob

Our Teachers Are Awesome. I know, I live with one.

    I am so proud of all the educators I know. Teachers all over the country have started or will start their school year very soon.  In my district, we started the school year virtually for the first three weeks and when we went back to in-person learning last Tuesday. We had about half of our students choose to remain in a virtual setting. While I am too old and too set in my ways to ever be convinced a student isn't better off in an in-person school setting, I do understand and respect the decision of families that choose to keep their kids home during these uncertain times.

    My wife and kids work and attend school in a neighboring district. They start their in-person learning tomorrow.  Suddenly the decisions I have been dealing with on a professional level have become very personal.  After months of wondering if and when we would ever go back to school, the time is here. To be honest, I am not worried about the kids. Maybe I should be, but I truly believe they will be okay and I know it will be good for them to be around their peers. They like school for the most part and I trust they will be in the best care possible.  It is the educators I am worried about.

    I read an excellent blog post this week written by a teacher entitled I Don't Like Brene' Brown Anymore (I love her work by the way, and so does the author) and thought it was an excellent reflection on just how much we have all relied on teachers during this pandemic.  They have done SO much.  I know.  I live with one.  My wife, Sarah, is going to teach second grade this year for the first time.  She has taught multiple grade levels, been an assistant principal and principal, then chose to return to the classroom a couple of years ago.  Why you ask?  Because she loves it. She loves her students and from what I can tell, is a great teacher. Yeah, I might be biased, but I am not the only one that says it. She still hears from kids that have graduated that she taught in first grade so I would say she has had an impact on many. I know this, few, if any, do it with more passion or enthusiasm.  

There she is!!

    Over the last few months, I have gotten a true behind the scenes look at what our teachers are going through and I am so proud of her and all my educator friends.  I have seen her cry because she didn't get to say good-bye to her kindergarten students in May.  I have seen her work for hours upon hours this summer making videos to welcome her students and create lessons so they could understand and enjoy school again.  I have seen her laugh with her team during zoom meetings (or zoom happy hours) and I have seen her sit through long, monotonous virtual meetings with the very best of intentions. I have even been next to her when she has gotten kind, sweet emails from parents and when she gets ugly, mean ones as well. With all the frustrations going on in the country right now, teachers have taken more than their share of the responsibility in making things right. Like teachers everywhere, Sarah has played the role of teacher, tech support, counselor, doctor, and even parent, for the families she serves.  All of this was new for her and she has done a remarkable job holding it all together.  You wouldn't know that if you didn't live with a teacher.  

Here is what conferring and giving feedback to a student looks like!!

    There is a lot of things you wouldn't know if you didn't live with a teacher. I have gotten to see the countless ridiculous requests that are made of them (some from administrators like me). I have seen her answer the same questions graciously to the same parent for the fourth, no fifth time.  I have seen countless Amazon boxes be delivered to our door in the last few weeks, all ultimately destined for the classroom, because some student might not have what they need or because she had to have these flashing disco lights that might just make the class a little more fun.  I have been up to the classroom a few times to try and help.  I got to tape the name tags on the desks and lockers (only after specific directions and a tutorial), but I left and she remained at school for hours to make sure it is just right.  We made a few trips to get school supplies and pick up the pictures of her kids she had printed so she could put in frames. 

 

Wall of Fame! Late night run to CVS to pick up the rest!

    When she got her class list this year she was so excited and she has done her very best to make them feel comfortable during virtual learning the last couple of weeks, but tomorrow she will meet them for the first time.  She is nervous.  As teachers, we are all nervous the day before school, but this year is different.  This year the "team building" activities won't look the same. This year they will eat lunch two kids per table.  This year they can't share a book or pencils. This year she and teachers everywhere are having to relearn and reinvent everything they have ever done.  And most, like Sarah, are excited and thankful to do it.  

Essential supplies by the classroom door!

  Tonight, we have about about five boxes by the front door to take to school tomorrow.  They are packed with a lot of the usual things.  There are snacks for the students that may forget or don't have one.  There are extra school supplies.  But there is also a box of face-masks and a box of disposable gloves along with extra hand sanitizer.  She is a teacher, not a nurse, but yet these are a must this year.  These are the things we didn't use to think about on the eve of the first day of school.  There are a lot of things we didn't use to think about.  

    Sarah, like so many others, pours her heart into her job. Yes, I am so very proud of teachers everywhere tonight.  They truly do make a difference, they always have. This year teachers, more than anyone else, may be the key to our country getting back to normal (whatever that is). They are being asked a nearly impossible task this school year, so please say a prayer and give them a little grace and encouragement. They work so very hard and they are incredibly dedicated to their students but you might not know that if you didn't live with one like I do. 

    To my wife on her first day, to my many friends who are educators, and to the millions of teachers all over the country, I say thank you for all that you do. Stay safe. Stay strong. Be Bold. 

1st Day With Students!!

1st Day of School: "Get them fed and get them home safe?"

The first day of school….

 

Every year, I always say, “If the kids get fed and get home, it has been a great 1^st day.”  Well that phrase is out the window this year! Too many other things to worry about! Although I did hear someone tell a parent, “at least you won’t lose your kid, they are at home with you”.  It actually made the parent feel better.  Truth is, some things did not go well today and there were loud voices in our ears telling us so. Things like "your plan is too easy, too hard, or isn’t working."  But others were quietly appreciative and reaped the benefits of our hard work and the fact that kids were engaged in school and learning again. That is what is is all about!  I couldn't visit schools like I normally would, so I lurked on twitter and saw tons of teachers and students having fun!

 

Today marked  my 27^th year as a public school educator and I feel like a new teacher all over again.  I started today wide-eyed and truly not knowing what is going to happen.  New job. New District.  I just didn’t know.  

 

But I do know this…The first day of school was AWESOME.  It always is! Every year, no matter where I have been working, we always, without fail, seem to say this was a great day! This time, it may be more appropriate to say, “that was the most unique first day ever!”.  Unique, challenging, different, innovative, busy…we will probably use lots of adjectives to describe school this year but we will have school and it will be AWESOME.  It has to be.  Our kids need it.  Our parents need it.  Our teachers need it.  The whole community needs it!

 

I saw this tweet today and I thought to myself, this kid gets it.  She sees firsthand how her dad is trying his best.  I hope most kids and spouses of teachers feel this way and see the struggle so many teachers are having trying to connect with students in new and even unorthodox ways.  These people should be applauded!  Talk about examples of life-long learning…they have had to reinvent how they do the job that many of them have done for years.  It is not easy, but the heart of a teachers won’t let them do anything else.

 

One thing that the 20-21 school year has in common with all the others…Anything is possible on the first day of school.  All our dreams and aspirations are alive and in front of us. The hope that springs eternal is that of a fresh start promised to everyone…teachers and students alike. This year may be different, but the opportunities for success remain. I often use the hashtag #BEBOLD with my tweets.  I started this a few years ago as I would send daily texts to my kids encouraging them to branch out and try new things.  It then became more of a personal challenge when they would ask me, “Are you bold?”  So it has become kind of a personal reminder. What will I do to push myself out of my comfort zone? Won't take much this year. 

 

I hope this year teachers and students will take advantage of the circumstances and be bold. They should try the craziest of ideas, or maybe that thing that has been burning in the back of their thoughts for so long they just can’t stand it anymore.  You have a safety net.  If it doesn’t work, blame it on the pandemic…but what if it does work?  What if that one idea or thought is the thing that makes all the difference.  You will never know if you don’t try.  This is Day 1…the perfect time to start. #BEBOLD

What can educators learn from Kobe?

I need to say right up front that Kobe was not my favorite basketball player.  It may be my age, but I always was, and always will be, a Jordan guy.  I did always have a healthy respect for Kobe, mostly because he always struck me as a player that truly respected the game and tried to play it the right way.  However, after reading and listening to so much over the last couple of days since his tragic death,  my respect for him has grown tremendously.  I have found myself wondering why.  Why does a basketball player have such a tremendous, positive impact on so many people all over the world?  And if we somehow could understand and harness that impact, maybe we (as mere mortals) could have that kind of influence as well.   

MAMBA MENTALITY:
The first thing that almost everyone mentions in recollecting on Kobe Bryant is his relentless, killer instinct. They call it the Mamba Mentality.  Now, "killer instinct" might not often be used to describe educators, but the great ones are most definitely relentless in their pursuit of excellence.  They do not quit and they do not accept failure from anyone; themselves, their students, or their peers.  Kobe was like that.  If there was ever a criticism about his game, it was that he didn't pass enough, but when things got tight at the end of games, he knew he was the best player on the court and he had the confidence to do what was necessary to help his team win.  John Hattie and Peter DeWitt have made the terms "self-efficacy" and "collective efficacy" common terms among educational leaders with the idea that if we believe we can make a difference, then we often will.  Kobe's confidence and "self-efficacy" also translated to leadership.  That leadership gave his team the "collective efficacy" it needed to achieve greatness.  They often won simply because they believed they would. Check out this link from the ESPYs!

REST AT THE END, NOT IN THE MIDDLE

WORK ETHIC:

Kobe Bryant's work ethic is legendary.  Almost everyone who achieves greatness in any field shares this trait, but even among his peers, Kobe stood out.  He was known to push his teammates harder than their coaches.  One legendary story has Kobe taking away his personalized "Kobe shoes" from players because their work ethic (not their play) did not meet the standard necessary to wear them.  The players got the message. In the video clip below, Kobe starts with a simple, but telling phrase: "If I have to fight you to get in the gym, that is a problem."  Every school I have ever seen has teachers and administrators that work very hard. What often transforms campuses to greatness is the influence these hard-working, over-achievers have on the rest of us.  Do you have an environment where slackers can get by because someone else is doing more work than they should or does everyone pull their weight? Do you have to fight them to "get in the gym" (PLC, professional development, etc.)  Kobe was not afraid to work hard, but he also challenged others to match his commitment or get left behind.  Countless players (in various sports) this week have talked about how he made them better just by modeling his work ethic.  That is leadership.

The Mind of Kobe Bryant

TRANSCENDENT:
Finally, I wanted to look up this word to make sure I have the definition right in my mind.
adjective- going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.

superior or supreme.

Theology. (of the Deity) transcending the universe, time, etc.

Philosophy.

1. Scholasticism. above all possible modes of the infinite.
2. 
   

I think it helps answer my original question of why does a basketball player have such a profound impact on the world.  It's not just his extraordinary basketball talents.  It's any person that goes beyond what is expected and does things that seem impossible.  All of us respond to greatness and most of us respect it, even if we are not fans.  Kobe Bryant was transcendent.  We will miss him.  #RIPKobe

1. 
   

Students as Curriculum Designers? Why not ask the experts?

I was asked this week about some ways to empower students.  It seemed pretty simple at first, but upon reflection, I wondered if some of the traditional ways truly impact the learning environment and empower students they way we hope they would.  There are countless ways to give students a voice in the classroom and on the campus, but some thoughts I had on how students could impact themselves and future students is by getting them involved in the teaching and learning on the campus.

Great teachers empower students.  Period.  They do it in a variety of ways, and sometimes they can’t even describe how they did it, but great teachers and great schools empower students to own their own learning. This is the essences of empowerment.

The students of 2020 have perhaps the greatest experience in schools in history when compared to any previous generation.  The resources, thanks to technology, are almost limitless, and the emphasis on student-choice and social emotional learning have created classrooms and schools that are designed to engage students and make the learning experience meaningful to each individual child.   Is it working?  Yes and No.  There is no doubt that many classrooms around the nation have transformed from the traditional rows of desks and teacher lectures to a more inviting learning environment of flexible seating and student choice, but is it having a real impact on student learning?  Have the lessons and tasks really changed or have we just made the kids more comfortable?

I believe one of the best places to look for true empowerment of students is to solicit their feedback and reflections after the lessons have taken place.  As educators, we often spend precious hours of planning time to try and create lesson choices that will entice students and stimulate their minds so they will be interested and engaged.  Think about how much time could be saved if we had a few students around the table joining the teachers in a PLC to give feedback on previous lessons and input on upcoming units. Give your students, not just your top students, but the struggling ones as well, as chance to give you feedback on the tasks in your classroom or even your teaching style.  And here is a little secret, students do not hold back near as well as adults do.  You want to know the truth, ask a kid.   

As educators, formative assessment is something that is stressed at every level as the best way to monitor student progress, but what if we truly empowered students to formatively assess our curriculum and instruction?  We might not want to hear what they have to say!  As a middle school principal, I once had a group of students tell me, “If you want to LEARN you take this teacher, but if you want to have FUN you take this one.”  Originally, I was baffled by their candid answer, but I have used that example many times over years to make the point that “Kids Know”.  They know who pushes them and who lets them slide.  They know when they can turn in less than their best effort and when they must do their best.  If we want to get better, we should give them a seat at the table and make them a part of professional collaboration.  How in the world could that happen?  In a few easy steps:

1.       Individually- Create a system in your classroom where students give you regular feedback on your teaching and the tasks you assign them (you may or may not have control over the tasks you give).  If you keep a reflective learning journal, this is a great place to take notes to formatively improve the next lesson or change the task for next year.

2.       Campus or PLC- Invite a small, but diverse group of students to your grade level/department PLC.  Don’t put them on a stage as a panel, which is often fake and kids see through fake, but instead give them an equal seat at the table. You might have to train them a bit so they realize what lesson planning and curriculum mapping is all about, but they will catch on quickly.  Don’t do it a once.  Commit to making the group a regular part of the discussion for at least a six to nine-week grading period.  If they are with your PLC that long, they should experience lesson design, reflection of lessons/units, data dives, etc. Basically, a full learning cycle.  After that, switch to a different group.

3.       District- A larger commitment might be to invite a group of students that just completed an entire course to be part of a district level curriculum writing team.  Who better to share what was good and bad about Algebra than the students that just completed the course? Think of the power of hearing about the same lesson from three or four kids from different schools. It has the potential to help with curriculum alignment and calibration.  

I have five kids spanning from a kindergarten student to a junior in high school and everyone of them will tell you what they liked about school and what they didn’t.  When pressed, the older ones will tell you what lessons were challenging and which ones were “busy” work.  They will tell you what they remember from several years ago and what lessons had the biggest impact on their learning. KIDS KNOW.

Imagine the impact over time on the learning environment if we spent more time letting the kids help us design the lessons?  It is a different paradigm then simply differentiating a lesson and letting kids have “student choice” over a few activities all designed by adults. Its challenging but it is a way to truly have students own their learning in a way that adults cannot.  Be bold and give it a try!

A - F rankings, Why I still don't agree with them, but now I feel guilty about it!

About a year and a half ago, somewhat out of frustration, I posted the blog below about my own kids' experience at schools that somehow didn't make the grade in the Texas accountability system.  The post must have struck a nerve with some people because it got over a half-million views!  That was pretty big stuff for someone whose normal posts reach about 400!  I was interviewed by several publications and the State Commissioner for Education, Mike Morath, even gave me a call to congratulate me.  The response was almost universally positive, save for a few comments from those that classify educators as whiners.  Unfortunately, the discussion was short lived and we all went about our business. Our schools and students kept doing great things, parents kept supporting our schools, and it seems there remains a group committed to showing our schools are not doing a very good job.  Some things never change.

Fast forward to present day.  In the past couple weeks, perhaps in preparation for districts' A-F ratings to go public, a number of high ranking school administrators, many of whom I call friends,  have come out against the rankings and are pleading for a better system.

TASA Issues Statement on Accountability

Educators Don't Agree With A-F

While I could not agree more with the countless educators sharing their views on the accountability system, I can no longer solely blame our Commissioner or even our Legislature without also looking in the mirror at wasted opportunities.  The State has given us small glimpses of hope that it would be willing to offer changes, but I do not think we have taken full advantage of the opportunities.  That is where my own guilt comes from.  We don't need the State system to certify the quality of our schools.  What we need is to place value on the multiple measures for which we advocate.  It is not enough to say the system is unfair.  We have to commit to offering a better solution.

Wasted Opportunities:

In 2011, House Bill 1157 called for districts to apply to be part of the Texas High-Performing Schools Consortium.  My own district was 1 of 22 accepted and the group began to work together to share lessons learned and forge a new path for education.  At the premise of these discussions was the concept of Community Based-Accountability.  Many of us worked with our own stakeholders to create multiple measures to assess our schools.  Here lies the hurdle that many of us can't seem to get past: We are still receiving an annual ranking from the state and while the belief in the locally controlled, multiple measures was strong, so was the pull of having to perform well on a one-day, one test accountability system. The information and desire is still strong as witnessed by the Future Ready Schools website, but we have yet to gain the kind of traction needed for true public acceptance.

Student Centered Schools

Next came House Bill 5 in 2013.  This well publicized bill generated lots of discussion and feedback around the five student endorsement plans designed to have students college and career ready, a far less discussed portion of the bill actually gave the opportunity for schools and districts to finally rate themselves on something other than test scores.  It outlined eight domains that would allow for multiple measures and, yes this is the amazing part, districts would be allowed to set their own system for evaluation!!

·      Fine Arts
·      Wellness & Physical Education
·       Community & Parent Involvement
·       21st Century Workforce Development Program
·       Second Language Acquisition Program
·       Digital Learning Environment
·       Dropout Prevention Strategies
·       Educational Programs for Gifted & Talented Students

It was finally here, locally controlled accountability over multiple measures. 2013-2014 was the first year the system was reported to PEIMS and districts not only were able to create their own measurements, they only had to pick three of the eight.  What happened next might could have been predicted, but it was very unfortunate.  We, as educational leaders, did not take full advantage of this opportunity.  Well over 90% of the districts gave themselves perfect scores.  Little time was put into the development of true measures and when the student achievement didn't match the exemplary ratings, who could blame the State for deeming the experiment a failure.  While HB5 was not perfect, the state did it did open the door for some local control over accountability, but we failed as a profession to truly take advantage of it. And again, I feel guilty about that.

I am ready to call the next piece a missed opportunity as well, although the jury may still be out.  In 2015, House Bill 1842 introduced Districts of Innovation (DOI) as a concept that would allow school districts the opportunity to create their own plans to free themselves from Texas Education Agency mandates. It was praised as a way to honor schools eager to transform with new and innovative ideas, however something just doesn't translate.  You can ask for anything you want but you can't get out of the accountability system. Basically, the state challenged you to find a better way to do "old school".  Here is a link to TEA's information on DOI:

TEA: Districts of Innovation

Why, in my opinion, is the jury still out?  We could start with the fact that the top 4 exemptions asked for as part of DOI are as follows:

1. School Start Date (I get it. If you start earlier you can finish the first semester before Christmas and start the summer earlier.  All for it)
2. Teacher Certifications (Again, in some cases, especially in CTE fields where industry experience may be paramount, a person without a teacher certification may be the best person to teach the course. But are we ready as a profession to ask permission not to be certified?)
3. Class Size (Currently K-4 grades are capped at 22, but I guess the innovative idea is to make the classes bigger?  Again, I understand the proposal but let's be careful what we ask for.)
4. Class Size Part 2 (This one I love.  In the age of transparency, this exemption allows districts to go over the class size cap and not have to tell parents about it?  Seriously.)

I would suggest that three of the four have everything to do with saving a district time and money and nothing to do with innovative teaching and learning. That is not to say that districts haven't tried to be innovative, but the combination of the rules surrounding DOI applications don't truly call for school transformation.  I am guilty on this one too.  Other than changing our calendar, I am still working with others to find innovative ideas that fit our districts needs.  To read more about DOI's implementation:

Texas Classroom Teachers Association - Districts of Innovation: The Reality

Top Twenty Exemptions for Districts of Innovation

So why did I write this tonight, especially at the risk of alienating some of my educator friends? Because I want us to do better and I think we can.  I am tired of waiting for the legislature to send a miracle that will save our public schools.  I am tired of trying to explain/defend an A-F system that really doesn't make sense as a comprehensive tool to measure schools (On a side note, the state delayed A-F for campus ratings.  Two years wasn't long enough to figure it out.).  But I am also tired of feeling guilty that we haven't done enough to show what our schools really can do.  In my district we have developed 12 indicators and rubrics to measure what we think is important (the eight indicators from the original HB5 plus four locally developed academic goals).  They are designed to be difficult to achieve, but more importantly, they were developed by our district stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members) to show what we value in our community.  I choose not to be frustrated anymore about an accountability system that does nothing for us.  Instead I pledge to focus on what is important to our schools and the community we serve and I commit to sharing the results that matter most.  Schools deserve it.

To see our Community Based Accountability rubrics:

NISD CBAS

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