Grading Schools - An F or an A?

The state of Utah has recently released the new “grades” for all schools in the state. Some schools are very happy, some schools are very sad, and nothing has changed at all in education.

Someone, somewhere, for some reason, decided that Utah schools needed to be graded. I am very sure they thought they had a good reason. I am also very sure they had no idea what it would really mean.

What does a school grade really mean? Absolutely nothing.

Here’s why. West High received an F grade last year. So did a lot of other schools. The grades were based on students achieving a certain level of proficiency. If your school did not reach a certain percentage of students at proficiency, your school received an F.

Since that was too harsh, this year they changed the system to grade schools on a curve. West did not dramatically increase proficiency, but this year they are a C school because of the curve. Nothing else really changed.

Here is the important part. Did a student graduating from West not get accepted into college because they came from an F school? Did they not receive a scholarship? Did anything happen to any student because they came from an F school?

The answer is NO.

What about local resources. Did West get less funding? Did they lose teachers? Was there some punishment inflicted on anyone at West?

The answer is NO.

Then what is the big deal? There isn’t one.

Students in failing schools are not being punished because of the school grade. What may be happening is that someone who was thinking of enrolling at a failing school decided to go someplace else. And that’s okay because that is their decision.

School grades do not indicate the value of the education at a school. They indicate an arbitrary line that says being above the line is good and being below the line is bad. That is all they tell you. And any group can set the line wherever they want to.

Where do I set the line? I ask this question, “Are students progressing at least one year per subject?” If they are, the school, and the student, is passing. If not, then what does it take for students to progress one year in every subject? When you have those answers, you have a successful school.

The schools I have worked with over the years have typically worked to help students make that progress. That means an English-language learner works at their level and an Advanced Placement student works at their level. They each are striving to achieve at least one year of learning in their subjects.

And when that happens, you have an “A School” in my gradebook.

School Board Elections Make a Difference

 As the weather turns colder and leaves change colors before floating to the ground, our thoughts turn to autumn and what the season brings...Elections.

I don't want to spoil your day, but elections are important. Sadly, the elections that are the most important are way down on the ballot and few people know about them.

They are the local school board elections.

Most people have no idea who their local school board representative is, and what a school board really does. We all get caught up in the state-wide elections and federal elections leaving the races that will have the largest impact on our personal lives to get the crumbs of time we have left.

Here is my challenge to you this year – Find out and get involved in the local school board races.

School boards in Utah make the biggest tax decisions we face. They control our property taxes. They determine how much we will pay in those taxes every year. Yet, at the annual “Truth in Taxation” hearings, no one attends and the school board can do as they please.

Time to make a change.

For example, the Salt Lake School District has three races this year. There will be at least two new school board members because there are two open seats where the incumbent decided not to run. The other race is between two people who have each been elected at least once to the seat.

Having three elections is enough to change the culture and direction of a school board. And with two brand new members the direction of the board and the district can change overnight. Either for the good or for the bad, depending on what you want your board to do for you.

Here are some things you may want to consider as you vote for school board members this year.

1. Make sure they know you and your neighbors. If they don't spend any time campaigning for your vote, how much weight will they give your thoughts, ideas and opinions in the future.
2. Make sure they are involved in schools now. There are some things that are very specific to schools and districts. If they are not involved at a local school now, they will not be involved at the local school later. They should know how the School Community Council runs and the PTSA and all the other groups at school. They should attend school events and even help when needed.
3. Make sure they commit to actually meet with and listen to neighbors. There is something that happens at the school board. As soon as new members are elected, they get trained that they can no longer have an opinion. They are taught that the board needs to speak with one voice. They start to only listen to each other and the superintendent. That is not what is needed. The experts are not the ones sitting around the table. The experts are the people that take their kids to school every morning and help them with their homework at night.
4. Make sure they are strong enough to resist the district pressure. The district staff, from the superintendent on down, are professionals. They are very good at what they do, or they should be. But they often have just one perspective. School board members should have many perspectives about what to do and how to do it. When they do, healthy discussion happens and the best for the students comes out. If they are there to rubber stamp the superintendent that helps no one.
5. Make sure they remember who works for who. The superintendent and all district employees work for the school board. The board does not work for the superintendent. They have the right, and should take it, to question everything that happens at the district. If they just take it all at face value, they are not doing the job they were elected to do.
6. Make sure they really care about kids. There are some board members that really don't care. They just want to be elected to something. Since no one pays that much attention to school board elections, these people can just slip through. They just sit there and follow whoever they think will get them elected to their next position.
7. Make sure they have an agenda to move schools into the future. Board members often get caught in maintaining the status quo. There is no school in the world that can afford the status quo. If they are not moving forward, they are already behind. Board members have to have that vision because there are few superintendents that have it.

Seems like a lot to consider. But if you don't consider these things, no one else will either. It is time for parents and neighbors to take a harsh look at the school board and determine who the best people to lead our children's futures are.

Elections are near. Take the time to talk to the candidates, even if you don't have one running in your neighborhood. Your opinion will help others see things better.

If you want to get involved, and don't know how, send me a message, and I will help you get started. Who knows, you may be the next candidate I support.