A Policy Statement of the
The Council of Chief State School Officers
November 1989
Introduction
The Vitality of the American Experience
The vitality of the American experience is our capacity to change. This has propelled us from one frontier to another; as the 20th century ends, we are moving rapidly across a new one, dominated by global economic and technological forces.
Elementary and secondary education has reflected this dynamic of the American spirit, beginning as a colonial experiment, then developing into a cornerstone of pioneer communities, and thereafter serving as a partner in the agricultural, industrial and information revolutions. An expanded challenge has accompanied each advance. The new frontier for education is to empower every youngster to function effectively in a world increasingly dependent upon the intellectual skills and informed actions of all people.
This challenge is stimulating today's ferment of education reform. The task has moved quickly from improving traditional standards and organization to more profound changes that affect the very essence of teaching and learning and the structure of "schools," which in this statement means the place for instruction and learning. There are different definitions and different degrees of change, from reform to radical restructuring, but the purpose essentially is the same--to help our graduates achieve the highest levels of knowledge and experience and to enable them to practice the creative use of their knowledge and talent in civic responsibility, productive work, moral conduct, and personal fulfillment.
Our best schools and those young people privileged to attend them come close to the new expectations. Intense efforts must be directed to improving education for all with a special emphasis on at-risk students--those most in danger of being excluded from an American society and world that demand higher order thinking, i.e., reasoning and problem-solving skills.
The reforms of the 1980's led by state actions have centered on new standards of student, teacher, and school performance. Many of these reforms have been accompanied by very substantial increases in local and state support of education. The new expectations for performance, however, are not being met by many students. Changes in the structure, operation, and responsibilities for schooling are essential so that learning for all students is strengthened.
Throughout this year the Council of Chief State School Officers has examined various proposals and practices which are referred to as "school restructuring." The purpose of the review has been to determine the impact, or potential impact, of the practices that improve performance of students, particularly those students at risk of school failure.
The Council does not endorse a particular approach to restructuring; the individual states will make those choices. The Council, however, has identified certain principles and strategies for restructuring. These should inform state or local actions in addressing the options for reform. Successful implementation of these principles requires acceptance of the shared responsibilities of private and public resources.
No matter what option of restructuring is used--site-based management, changed teacher authority, parental choice of school, curricular redesign, or others--the criteria for success must be the same. Does the "restructuring" improve student performance and allow students to reach their full potential?
The high school diploma must represent attainment of high standards--mastery of essential skills; foundation knowledge of our culture; self discipline and creativity; thoughtful application of knowledge and skills to problems as a worker, family member and citizen; caring involvement with others; and motivation for continuous learning. Graduates should have capacities for flexibility, diligence, competence, and responsibility. Attainment of these standards and capacities must occur in a teaching and learning environment free to adapt to individual strengths and needs; hence, an environment which reflects the characteristics which are the objectives of the instruction.
We believe all young people can meet such standards. The schools must make it possible for students to reach them. Our most intense efforts must be to assure that those children and youth who lack family and community supports succeed.
Principles For Change
Educators are changing schools in different ways--
Instructional methods, times for learning, places of instruction, and techniques of assessment of student learning. There is a great richness of change which comes from the diversity and creativity of thousands of educators who follow no one specific model. By analyzing these efforts we identify essential principles to guide elementary and secondary education through effective changes.
These include:
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A vision of expected student performance. No matter what the nomenclature or approach of change, any restructuring must be guided by a persuasive vision of what students can and should accomplish. Establishing such goals and objectives is the most important responsibility for the state education agency in each state. Setting goals requires review of priorities and establishment of public agreement or consensus on what students should know and be able to do. Establishment of school district and school vision, goals, and objectives should be within the state framework.
A belief that all students can meet high standards. We know from the experience of those teachers and administrators who have applied the most effective strategies for learning that all students can respond successfully to higher standards. Too often, disadvantaged students are burdened by an underestimation of their capacity to learn and by classroom environments that denigrate rather than encourage the development of high-order intellectual skills. A restructured education system must be based on the belief in the capacity of all children to respond to excellent instruction and to engage successfully in lifelong learning.
Essential role of families in learning. Restructured schools must build on the role of families as teachers and must adapt to changed family responsibilities and patterns. Not only are the time and interests of most families consumed by employment demands, but economically deprived families often have primary needs that take precedence over those of the school. In order for all students to acquire the intellectual skills they will need, sustained resources of schools must be used to assure sufficient skills and capacities for all families to reinforce learning experiences outside the school. Schools must be sensitive to the culture, aspirations, and needs of parents. Efforts by the school and family must be made to strengthen the relationship between the home and school to support the intellectual and social motivation and development of children and famines.
Linkages among school and social services. Students who do not have support services through the family must have such assistance through private and public agencies or organizations. Connections with social services must often be made through schools. These connections can range from frequent adult contact and guidance within schools, to encouragement of more stimulating non-school opportunities for students, to providing bridges to the health and social supports needed by vulnerable children and youth. This issue is not--and never has been-- one of schools assuming these extra-curricular functions. A restructured education system must help to create more supportive environments through collaborative programing between schools and other community agencies.
Comprehensive changes within schools. Sustained systemic change must be integrated and comprehensive. Efforts to restructure which focus on one factor alone--school-based management, teachers' roles, choice--are not likely to produce significant change in student performance. Integration of several changes including teacher role, staff development, curricula, instruction, use of technology, assessment, school-based management, and other factors are essential for success.
Equity and excellence. Successful restructuring is dependent on assurance of equity. As we strive for equity we must achieve excellence for all. The state has a prime responsibility to assure that the dual objectives of equity and quality permeate all aspects of school restructuring, including those of accountability, choice of school, rewards for performance, site-based decision making, and accreditation.
Investment in professionals. Restructured schools require administrators, teachers, support staff, and board members to carry out different and varied roles, relationships, and responsibilities and to work cooperatively to accomplish them. In order to ensure successful restructuring, additional training is necessary. Time and financial resources for staff development are the most important investments for restructuring. Much of restructuring centers on greater professional capacity. Training, retraining, and professional assessment systems must be changed to offer the best of what is known, with extra effort directed at integrating research and successful practices in helping the disadvantaged be successful students.
Education, employment, and economic development. Education, employment, and economic development are interdependent. Human resource development is lifelong. The quality and productivity of the work force is the combined responsibility of education, business, industry, and labor sectors working in a mutually supportive relationship to achieve common goals.
Legal and financial support systems. Successful educational restructuring requires support and continuity in legal, financial, and organizational structures. States should ensure that federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, funding formulas, and program directions support restructuring efforts.
Enabling Strategies For The States
These principles should guide state strategies.
Central to state strategy must be a balance between cooperatively established state standards with accountability measures to assure results and local flexibility to develop and operate programs to achieve them. The greater the local flexibility in use of resources, the greater the need for local accountability based on student performance.
State education agencies have a major responsibility for assuring that these principles guide and shape restructuring of schools and school districts. Advocacy of the principles is the first order of state agency strategy. Other aspects of state strategy include commitment to and assurance of the following:
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Continuing renewal of the education system. The outcomes we want for all children take time to achieve. They require a strong commitment with an understanding that there is no static route to follow. Education is a journey, not a destiny. State leadership must inspire an environment within the state for strategic planning which leads to innovation, modification, and continued renewal.
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Educating pre-professionals and professionals. An important state strategy for restructuring schools is to assure a continuously improving professional staff. The challenges facing educators--individual and collaborative use of research, cooperative planning and teaching shared management decisions--demand skills for which most professionals today were not originally nor subsequently prepared. State education agencies must assure investment in staff development. States also must work to reshape higher education training through certification and licensure requirements and incentive programs in order to prepare professionals who will change the education system.
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Providing quality technical assistance. Technical support and assistance must be provided by state education agencies for the application of statewide assistance to particular schools and to assist the exchange of practice among schools and school districts. Fast breaking developments in school reform all across the United States and in other nations require rapid and effective communication and transmission of concepts and findings through the education system.
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Developing model collaborative actions. The demonstration of collaborative state agency planning and implementation is essential to guide local education leaders to share planning, adjust resources among services, and enter new partnerships for services to children and their families. The examples should include both cooperative planning for resources and coordinated use of resources. This must include close connections among elementary, secondary, and higher education.
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Supporting networks for education leaders. Because the changes taking place in elementary and secondary education focus more and more on school site changes, they depend upon the willingness of local leaders to take risks and to be innovative. To support and sustain individual initiative, states must provide networks among leaders of change.
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Ensuring equity. The adoption of policies for change as well as the direction of scarce resources must be done in ways that assure public funds are used equitably and fairly. This may mean significant change of attitude about the weight and design of programs which provide extra, but necessary student and family services so that each student has an equal opportunity for school success. This may require unequal resources to achieve equitable results.
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Analysis and evaluation of results. Change must take into consideration solid research and demonstrated success. Results of demonstrations and more general revisions of schools must be carefully assessed. State agencies must assure analysis and evaluation of restructured schools to inform self-correction and report on potential applications to other locations.
Conclusion
We are guided by a vision of what all our children and young people must learn to do and to be. We are committed to changes in our education system which offer the potential for significant improvement in student learning. These principles and strategies will guide our course of action. Most of all, we pledge our support to those efforts which reach farther and more creatively to children and youth who need the most help in becoming full citizens of the 21st century.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide non-profit organization of the public officials who head departments of public education in every state, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO seeks its members' consensus on major education issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, to federal agencies, to Congress, and to the public. Through its structure of committees and task forces, the Council responds to a broad range of concerns about education and provides leadership on major education issues.
Because the Council represents the chief education administrator, it has access to the educational and governmental establishment in each state and to the national influence that accompanies this unique position. CCSSO forms coalitions with many other education organizations and is able to provide leadership for a variety of policy concerns that affect elementary and secondary education. Thus, CCSSO members are able to act cooperatively on matters vital to the education of America's young people.
The CCSSO Resource Center on Educational Equity provides services designed to achieve equity in education for minorities, women and girls, and for disabled, limited English proficient, and low-income students. The Center is responsible for managing and staffing a variety of CCSSO leadership initiatives to provide better educational services to children and youth at risk to school success.
Council of Chief State School Officers, 1989
William B. Keene (Delaware), President
Herbert J. Grover (Wisconsin), President-elect
Gordon M. Ambach, Executive Director
Cynthia G. Brown, Director, Resource Center on Educational Equity |
