Some Audacious Common Sense for Arne Duncan

by Clay Burell · 2009-04-14 00:39:00 UTC
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Nancy Flanagan at the Teacher Leaders Network shares this gem of uncommon sense by teacher David Cohen:

Let me know if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

Compare our top-performing schools and our weakest performing schools by looking at test scores, graduation rates, whatever measure you want.

Do you find that most top-performing schools are running many more hours per day, or more days per year?

Do you find that the top-performing schools have that much more, or better data?

Do you find that they are more likely to have linked student data to teachers?

Do you find that the top-performing schools have a maniacal focus on test preparation?

No, no, no, no.

Do you find that they are disproportionately in affluent communities?

Do you find that they have greater parent and community involvement, including supplemental funding?

Do you find that they have a better trained, higher paid, and more stable teaching staff?

Do you find that they tend to have an enriched and varied curriculum, including arts and various other electives?

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Then, if you're a politician, the solution is clear: national standards, longer school day, focus on basics, more data!

They must have missed the Rebranding Memo. (David Warlick has more on that in "Let's Just Put Them All in Jail 24/7.")

Clay Burell
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