| New and Compelling Challenges | | | | funding is lacking. |
| It's uplifting to know that communities across our | | | | While educators must do all that we can to prepare |
| nation see the quality of public education positively. | | | | students, we clearly need help. Discipline and |
| Our communities support us in the wake of success | | | | attendance are greatly influenced by parents and |
| and struggles alike. Perhaps this is because they | | | | community. Community alliances are essential to |
| recognize our general moral purpose; doing what's | | | | accelerating the academic growth of disadvantaged |
| best for students. Opinions are obviously a matter of | | | | and under-performing students and pushing |
| choice and, for the most part, educators recognize | | | | high-achievers to reach their potential. In 1999, more |
| that this positive outlook is because communities | | | | than a third of America's black students in grades 7 |
| trust us. Although I feel strongly that the intentions | | | | through 12 had been suspended or expelled at some |
| of our profession are consistently honorable, now | | | | point during their school years. If solutions are not |
| could be the time for a new moral purpose more | | | | found, a significant number of these citizens will miss |
| reflective of the anticipated changes and challenges | | | | out on the American dream. Because minority |
| of the 21st century. | | | | populations are growing rapidly, our profession faces |
| Societal change should affect the purpose of | | | | a quantitative challenge. And because research has |
| education. The rate of change in education, however, | | | | given us instructional tools and methods proven |
| has been slower than change in many other aspects | | | | effective with these groups, we have a qualitative |
| of society. Slow progress has created critical | | | | challenge. We have the capacity to deliver high-quality |
| misalignments and missed opportunities. Few | | | | instruction, despite shifting student demographics. |
| American students studying a foreign language | | | | When shared leadership aligns with moral purpose, |
| illustrate a misalignment with globalization. We also lag | | | | we embrace proven practices. |
| behind technological changes. We recognize disparities | | | | Leaders, however, must avoid being what Michael |
| in technology access, but give little attention to | | | | Fullan characterizes as dead right. In dead right |
| technology literacy. Technology literacy builds the | | | | situations, the leader's great ideas have no buy-in. |
| critical thinking skills necessary to use technologies as | | | | Phillip Schlechty (2002) says the primary function of a |
| tools for continued learning and improved living. | | | | leader is to inspire others to do things they might |
| Technology access and literacy are equalizers when it | | | | otherwise not do, and encourage others to go in |
| comes to economic empowerment, but most schools | | | | directions they might not otherwise pursue. General |
| don't provide this type of technology literacy training. | | | | Eisenhower said that leadership is nothing more than |
| Given the recent and rapid changes in global | | | | the ability to get people to follow. Because of shifting |
| economics, the U.S. must enhance its educational | | | | demographics and a sense of ethics, leadership |
| competitiveness in key areas. | | | | requires the involvement and empowerment of |
| Facts, Expect Opinions and Our National Complexion | | | | diverse groups. In schools, leadership is the ability of |
| Citizens of the 21st century will see significant change | | | | principals to motivate others to share a common |
| in our national complexion. Demographers have | | | | instructional purpose. I believe that this leadership |
| predicted that the majority of U.S. citizens will be | | | | must be shared to be of high-quality. Teachers are |
| non-white by 2050. This is significant in education. | | | | essential elements in shared leadership. As teachers |
| Currently, one in five of our children come from an | | | | are trained, empowered and become more |
| immigrant family. Over the past two decades, the | | | | knowledgeable and proficient, the overall value of the |
| number of children born to immigrant families has | | | | school increases and systems thinking is enhanced. |
| grown seven times the rate of those born to | | | | Peter Senge describes systems thinking as a discipline |
| non-immigrant families, and more than 70 percent of | | | | for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing |
| those speak a home language other than English. | | | | interrelationships rather than things; for seeing |
| Because one-third of Hispanic students and two-thirds | | | | patterns of change rather than static snapshots. It |
| of immigrant students drop out of school, we must | | | | also results in buy-in at the level most critical to |
| recognize that language differences are huge barriers | | | | student success; the classroom. Systems thinking |
| to some students achieving the American dream. The | | | | broaden the perspectives of teachers and |
| 21st century presents a powerful equity challenge for | | | | administrators as they mutually develop and align a |
| schools to be places for acquiring English proficiency in | | | | new moral purpose with evolving need. |
| contexts that are socially and economically | | | | The education profession is not immune to economic |
| empowering. | | | | downturns. As fiscal priorities are established, a new |
| Social and economic empowerment is core to moral | | | | moral purpose has relevance. Consistent with my |
| purpose. As educators, we want schools to provide | | | | earlier comments, there are existing and emerging |
| all students the same things we want for our own | | | | ideas that have promise for 21st century challenges. |
| children; preparation to lead happy, successful and | | | | Newcomer schools are proving successful in |
| productive lives. This is the American dream we have | | | | transitioning immigrant students into traditional |
| yet to adequately achieve. The Pew Charitable | | | | schools. Newcomer schools provide culturally relevant |
| Trust's Economic Mobility Project (2007) assessed | | | | pedagogy and other supports essential to success. |
| the degree to which generations of Americans attain | | | | Also promising is the nation-wide STEM (science, |
| greater economic empowerment than their parents. | | | | technology, engineering and mathematics) movement. |
| The report suggested that rags to riches stories are | | | | The programs are high-tech, aligned with industry |
| more often fiction than reality. Only 6 percent of | | | | standards, and supportive of projected labor needs. |
| children born to poor parents make it to the top of | | | | We must also enhance our commitments to the arts |
| the income distribution. Blacks are less likely than | | | | and languages. Creativity and the ability to |
| whites to achieve greater family incomes than their | | | | communicate to broader audiences are essential to |
| parents and actually more likely to experience less | | | | success in a global economy. And finally; character |
| economic success. In addition, only 31 percent of | | | | development and economic education. No truly |
| black children of middle-income parents earn more | | | | empowering education would be absent the |
| than their parents, and forty-five percent of black | | | | development of character attributes to guide the |
| children from middle-income parents fall to the | | | | decisions relevant to all other learning or absent the |
| bottom of the income distribution. | | | | knowledge and skills required to meet financial |
| Most industrialized nations are experiencing a | | | | obligations for those we are responsible for. |
| paralyzing financial meltdown. The U.S. federal | | | | A Civil Right, a Moral Purpose and Achieving America's |
| government has reluctantly assumed a role in | | | | Promise |
| maintaining the solvency of several large banks and | | | | The downward economic trend and shifting |
| other businesses. The rising cost of health care is | | | | demographics make it an essential moral purpose that |
| among the expanded pension and benefit obligations | | | | education is seen as a civil right. When educators are |
| that stress corporate budgets in unprecedented | | | | able to communicate this purpose, our chances of |
| ways. Unemployment, declining home values, and | | | | success are strengthened. Michael Fullan believes that |
| stricter lending requirements merge with all of this to | | | | moral purpose does not automatically attract people |
| create an economic climate unlike any seen since the | | | | to do what is right. It is, however, valuable and is |
| Great Depression. We can assume that each student | | | | best facilitated through sustained interactions among |
| in our schools is somehow impacted by this crisis. The | | | | groups of diverse people. |
| percentage of families applying for free lunch has | | | | Foreigners admire the emphasis that American |
| grown dramatically and there has been a significant | | | | education places on creativity and diverse |
| increase in the number of students from families that | | | | perspectives. They see our education system as a |
| have lost their homes. The economic downturn | | | | unique catalyst that turns dreams into realities. |
| should lead us to temper our moral purpose and | | | | Despite this, Schlechty (2002) says that many |
| intentions. For the first time in generations the | | | | American teachers know that our students have a |
| achievement and equity challenge will not only apply | | | | limited and truncated view of the world around them |
| to those who have never been economically | | | | and perhaps a distorted view of their own potential. |
| empowered, but also those who've lost it. | | | | Educators are obligated to help students move in |
| Former Chairman of the National Urban League Hugh | | | | directions they might initially want to avoid, and to |
| Price notes that the housing crisis, escalating health | | | | test themselves in circumstances in which they feel |
| care costs, college tuition increases, pension plan | | | | uncomfortable and uncertain. |
| uncertainty, stagnant wages, and overall economic | | | | I believe that our success with the disabled and |
| insecurity are among the many troubling forces that | | | | disadvantaged will be the hallmark of our success in |
| young Americans face daily. He adds that severe | | | | the 21st century. There are approximately 4 million |
| economic insecurity exacerbated by the uncertainty | | | | special needs students in America's schools. Nearly |
| of employment presents challenges to today's youth | | | | half of those have specific leaning disabilities. In 2003, |
| unlike any seen in decades. There is now, more than | | | | 13 percent of all students between the ages of 3 |
| ever, a need to better focus education and make | | | | and 21 received special education services. A |
| schooling an experience that leads to viable options | | | | disproportionately high percentage of these students |
| for graduates. These options require the ability to | | | | are racial minorities; a situation that could be remedied |
| perform complex tasks, think creatively, function | | | | by appropriately differentiating instruction in general |
| independently and collaboratively, and self-assess | | | | education settings. While some consider the quality of |
| (McTighe & Tomlinson, 2006). | | | | American education to be mediocre, few countries |
| A Progressive Course of Action | | | | are as committed to the education of the disabled as |
| Many of our nation's brightest students enhance their | | | | the U.S. The intentions and ideals of our profession |
| college credentials with technical certifications. Some | | | | reflect those on which our nation was founded. For |
| solely pursue technical training. I must confess to | | | | decades, other countries valued the U.S. as an ally. |
| once being among those who see college as the sole | | | | Our economic strength and our military capabilities |
| pathway to success. While I still strongly advocate | | | | made us formidable. We were also respected |
| college education, I recognize that the aspirations of | | | | because of commitments to justice and equal |
| many students are achieved in other honorable ways. | | | | opportunity. Achievement and equity will not be easy |
| We have made tremendous improvements in the | | | | to improve, but improvements can be fueled by our |
| quality of education and career options and | | | | beliefs. |
| communicating their values in the modern economy. | | | | Today, education policy makers lament the state of |
| Many high-wage and high-demand careers are at the | | | | global affairs. India and China are seen as formidable |
| fingertips of today's young adults. Numerous options | | | | challengers in the global marketplace, poised to |
| do not require a college education. Some require | | | | surpass us due to population growth, technologies, |
| certifications and licensures attainable by completing | | | | and efficiencies in services and manufacturing. These |
| technical and other workforce development | | | | challenges may actually be healthy. Better educational |
| programs. | | | | opportunities for our students in technology and |
| As with my evolution, educators have their own | | | | business are in fact key areas in which equity should |
| opinions relative to what constitutes good | | | | be evidenced. We should, however, place foreign |
| instructional programs. Although opinions are often in | | | | competition in a historical context. From the late |
| conflict, conflict makes our profession stronger. | | | | 1950s through the late 1980s we feared the Soviet |
| Through healthy debate, groups are able to craft | | | | Union. During the 1980s, Germany and Japan were |
| understandings and establish practices that benefit | | | | seen as superior global competitors, particularly in the |
| learners. | | | | automotive and electronics industries. Now it's India |
| Just as some fail to see non-college options as viable, | | | | and China that threaten us. |
| some don't acknowledge rigorous mathematics | | | | We've both feared and benefitted from foreign |
| course completion as a gatekeeper to future | | | | competition, and we've persevered. The Soviet Union |
| opportunities. This gatekeeper concept is sometimes | | | | collapsed in 1991, Germany and Japan receive much |
| characterized as outdated and pressuring, despite | | | | less attention as global competitors, and India and |
| findings that students who are under-challenged and | | | | China are receiving unfavorable international attention |
| low-performing in ninth grade mathematics aspire to | | | | due to environmental abuses and human rights |
| low-prestige careers. Fundamentally, this argument | | | | violations. Our education system will remain strong |
| stems from the belief that college isn't for everyone | | | | amid continued challenges. This is because of our |
| and consequently rigorous mathematics sequences | | | | moral purpose; longstanding commitments to things |
| are not for all. | | | | beyond self. Such values must be imbedded into 21st |
| The sophistication of technical courses across the | | | | century education. |
| nation has dramatically increased. Since 2000, | | | | In 1994, Richard Rothstein noted that over |
| enrollment grew from 9.6 million to 15.1 million. The | | | | two-thirds of Americans believe teaching values in |
| rising cost of college, less favorable prospects for | | | | public schools was more important than instruction in |
| employment after four years of college, and the | | | | core academic subjects. He further noted that |
| increased demand for technical skills across the work | | | | non-violent conflict resolution was recognized as the |
| force are reasons that many students pursue | | | | greatest of values to teach. For too long, the |
| technical training. Also important is the infusion of | | | | teaching of core values has been minimal in education. |
| technology into instruction. Eighty-three percent of | | | | The challenges of the 21st century will require a |
| respondents to a 2005 National School Boards | | | | blending of core academic competencies with |
| Association technology survey felt that there is no | | | | creativity and ethics. We have much to be proud of. |
| longer a need to prove the value of technology in | | | | But it will be a new moral purpose, rather than a |
| instruction. Forty-five percent, however, indicated a | | | | status quo vision, that will serve our students well in |
| need of assistance in integrating technology into | | | | an exciting era of exponential change. |
| instruction, and 50% indicated that technology | | | | |