Any newly named manager of people usually learns one lesson quickly.
That is: The new boss might have some great ideas for improvements, but if the troops don’t buy into the changes, they will likely fail.
That also applies in public education.
But overall, there has been little improvement. Alas, the troops — most of the educators — aren’t buying in.
We are now spending a lot of people’s time making even more new plans. Colorado is attempting to gear up for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which Congress passed last year as a redo of No Child Left Behind.
Every state must come up with a reform plan that passes muster with the Department of Education in Washington. No fed approval, no money from Uncle Sam. And in Colorado, that comes to some $200 million annually.
Our state education department has named a broad-based committee of 20 individuals to draw up a course of action to recommend to State General Assembly.
The feds have established some requirements, including a degree of annual state-wide testing, a local assessment program and support for — and possibly intervention into — struggling schools.
After many hours of serious deliberation, Colorado’s august committee probably will come up with a sterling plan.
But don’t expect it to make significant difference.
The “educrats” — administrators, principals and teachers — will not be on board. “Educators know best and you don’t understand,” they claim. “Test to punish” is their new buzz phrase.
They have long resisted any attempt to upset the status quo.
And that resistance to change can take many forms:
- We can have laws designating standardized testing of students to measure improvement — or lack of it — but if significant numbers of pupils mysteriously refuse to be tested, what will it prove?
- We can have evaluations of teachers by principals, but if every teacher is rated “satisfactory” or higher, what is the use of the exercise?
- School board members or legislators who become too demanding can face recall elections or be opposed by candidates at the next election who are supported and well-financed by the teachers unions.
- Superintendents live under the threat of union votes of “no confidence.”
- “Impromptu” protest demonstrations by students can rally public support.
These aren’t hypothetical tactics. They already have been used.
If America’s schools were doing a satisfactory job, turning the keys over to educators might be justified.
But they are not.
Almost one-fourth of Colorado pupils drop out of school before they graduate. And, depending on grade-level and subject, Colorado test scores show that roughly 25 to 50 percent of our kids can’t meet present standards.
Therefore, perhaps reformers need to look at a bigger solution.
In yet another report a decade ago, the New Commission of the American Workforce explained that “our education and training systems were built for another era.
“It is not possible to get to get to where we have to go by patching that system. We need to change the system itself.”
That wouldn’t be easy. But without the troops on board, it might be the only way.
Dick Hilker (dhilker529@aol.com) is a retired Denver suburban newspaper editor and columnist.
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