© 2011-2024 Kathleen Wright
Author’s Note: Forward to the Past
March 30, 2024
I wrote my SchoolsRetooled blog from February 2011 through a moment in 2016 when I realized that my “Special Rants” had overtaken topics in public education. I moved the rants to another blog to preserve the integrity of SchoolsRetooled. Meanwhile, Donald Trump was elected President and took possession of the Executive Office of the US Government. I abandoned the blog and, for a while, found myself chronicling current events in a “deTrumpville” log, truly in disbelief over a reality that could NOT happen in a democracy. However, the never-ending assaults on our freedoms and way of life did not prepare me for Trump’s reign to culminate in a full-blown insurrection within the walls of America’s Capitol on January 6, 2021.
We now stand on the precipice of a return to that chaos. How can this be happening?
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Don’t Archive Just Yet: In memoriam (2011-2016) when we had a real US Department of Education
Reflections of an Urban Educator…teacher, nurse, and business woman seeking broad access to excellence in education for all children and effective support systems for sustainable continuous quality improvement for the adults.
Enter here
Or check out highlights from SchoolsRetooled, including excerpts from a new work-in-progress below:
Renewing the American Education Delivery System
Becoming a Single Delivery System Comprising Many Modalities
1-minute PowerPoint on 8 Essentials for Education Delivery System Reform
Table: State Vs Federal Role in Education
Special Ed: The Kids Stay in the Picture
Pension Debacle Demands Resolution
Affordable Healthcare Benefits for Employees and Retirees
Appendices
Hot Topics
- Information Systems – proposal to develop, link finance, teacher effectiveness, student outcomes
- Project Management – keeping a multifaceted reform process alive
- Teacher evaluations – sources and uses of teacher effectiveness data
- Parent trigger – develop stronger education leaders or declare Marshall law
- Pre-kindergarten – grants for children at risk or general entitlement
- Picturing the whole child – psychosocial development data
- Third grade on the line – aligning schools to mission and benchmarks
2011 Draft: Seven Keys to Education Reform
This pocket book explores key levers of change to eliminate the data limitations, institutional myopia, bureaucratization, and mismatch between mission and incentives that interfere with sustainable reform of elementary and secondary education in the US. Download: Seven Keys to Education Reform
Why College Readiness?
Many well-meaning observers challenge the goal of college readiness for all high school graduates. While it is valid that alternate paths deserve consideration, critical thinking is required for success in all walks of life. read more…
Accountabilities – Securing the Floor to Raise the Ceiling
When you bump your head on the ceiling, it’s the designer’s fault. When you bump your head on the floor, you may need to look in the mirror. It’s that way with student test scores, too. No one ever said that accountability testing was designed to limit how high achievement could get; rather, it was to ensure that no child was left behind because he or she was unprepared for the next level on the climb to the top. read more…
From Instructional Leader to General Manager
As reform-oriented superintendents experiment with new budget formulas, a dramatic shift toward decentralization of school funding and decision-making is emerging. The model makes good sense for management of 21st century schools. However, one may wonder if traditional training in instructional leadership will be adequate preparation for school leaders. read more…
Education leadership is being given an injection of general management training as traditional schools of education are realizing synergies with business school partners at leading institutions. Instructional leadership will not take a back seat, but there should be real gains in resource allocation and staff development. Philanthropy may be more effective as well when sophisticated turnaround experts refocus funding on the primary mission. read more…
The Case for Career Mobility
The revolving door for newcomers, the pension trap, and the toxic culture of a flat pyramid contribute to the breakdown in public education. Today, students may pursue their diplomas through traditional classrooms, online courses, and dual enrollment in college. Just as the doors are opening and the walls are coming down for students, teachers and administrators would benefit from access to career detours outside of their districts. read more…
A Unique Program for High School Re-engagement
Our Mission: To create a learning environment that enables students who are overage and under-credited to re-engage in education, design a personalized plan for accelerated progress toward graduation, and chart a path for success after high school. read more…
SchoolsRetooled TM 