A few lessons learned: Put the focus on achievement

Few will debate the fact a high-quality education opens doors and expands opportunities. The best economic development strategy, the best anti-poverty strategy, is forward-thinking education reform. That’s what the Board of Trustees sought for the Clark County School District and what I hope to deliver.

I always say, "Hope is not a strategy." It is, however, a catalyst for change. It played a big part in my decision to come to the Clark County School District. It influenced many of the reforms I worked to implement in Colorado. I believe it will play a critical role in improving education for the students (and staff!) of Clark County.

The downturn in the economy offers a real opportunity to change how we deliver our services. Yes, funding will be a challenge, but the greater imperative is outlining what we want to achieve.

I have been brought to the district to be a game changer. Change will not happen overnight. It will not happen by luck, but by design. We cannot simply cut our way out of this budget crisis and get better results. Instead, we have to change the way we provide education.

How do we "get out of the box," think differently, and create a world-class work force? We can’t keep doing the same things and expecting different results. Clark County is the fifth-largest school district in the United States, and the only thing most people know about us is that we’re facing hard economic times.

As superintendent, with support from the trustees, it is my job to define how we change: We need an effective teacher and leader in every classroom and school. We need a state-of-the-art data system that assesses every student’s progress and provides information for teachers to tailor instructional decisions. We have to implement core standards and align our assessment system to them. We must develop blended and online learning that better serve students and lower costs, as well as scale our empowerment school model and offer greater school choice. Finally, we need to continue efforts to decentralize and move resources to the schools.

My experience as Colorado’s education commissioner provided an insider’s view and role in setting a reform agenda. Key bipartisan legislation ensured sustainability and longevity. I call it "a few lessons learned." The following are highlights of those lessons and the supporting Colorado legislation:

— Lesson No. 1: Students deserve an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every school.

We all know it’s the teacher who has the greatest effect on student achievement. Colorado Senate Bill 10-191 paved the way for fair teacher and principal evaluations. In essence, the bill allows educators to be treated as are their professional colleagues in other fields. They can earn salary increases commensurate with results: their students’ achievement. The provisions recognize effective educators, provide professional development to those struggling, and remove from the classroom those found to be ineffective. I am committed to meaningful, practical and useful training. Teachers have a most important job with the most important people in our lives, and we must make sure they are well-equipped for the task.

Lesson No. 2: Individual student data must take into account where each student starts.

Colorado had three separate accountability measures. Also, accountability didn’t take into account how far a student had truly come. Senate Bill 09-163 established the Colorado Growth Model — now adopted by 13 states, including Nevada — which identifies not only the student’s proficiency level, but how much growth is needed and growth over time. The Colorado Department of Education also launched SchoolView, an easily navigated, online resource depicting growth model data in easily understandable ways, allowing the public to compare results on a school, district or state level.

When fully operational, Nevada’s version of SchoolView will provide everyone a more complete picture of school performance.

Lesson No. 3: Academic standards must be relevant and rigorous, and curriculum must align to these standards.

In summer 2010, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers put forward the common core standards in English language arts and mathematics. Colorado Senate Bill 08-212 addressed that. Given the job market and economic times, today’s society has become increasingly mobile. The more states that implement the common core, the better off our students will be, and Nevada was one of the first states to adopt the common core standards.

Lesson No. 4: "School choice" is far more than charter schools, and in order to meet all students’ needs, we must provide as many avenues to education as possible.

Senate Bill 08-130 was passed to essentially allow schools to try new and creative ways to increase student achievement. With district approval, schools are granted greater autonomy and managerial flexibility.

Nevada’s empowerment school model is a good start at providing options. We can — and need to — do more, whether via charter schools, online programs, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate course work, experiential learning activities, and on.

Lesson No. 5: Resources are best utilized at the school and classroom levels.

In times of economic crisis and severe budget cuts, it is imperative we keep the main thing — student achievement — the main thing. It’s true for Colorado, for Clark County and for all of Nevada.

We need to evaluate what we spend where, and to continually ask, "To what extent does this [fill in the blank] improve student achievement?" "How much student-achievement bang can we get for our buck?" "What do our students receive in return for the resources we are given?"

So, what do these lessons mean for Nevada? They mean we don’t have to start from scratch. They aren’t lessons about Colorado; they are lessons about education. The lessons ensure we stay focused on our mission: high quality instruction, rigorous and relevant curriculum, effective use of robust data, choice for families, autonomy for professionals, and commitment of resources to student achievement. Much has already been accomplished in the Clark County School District — student data systems, adoption of common core, empowerment, choice and others. The time is right for us to propel significant improvements in student achievement by committing ourselves to these lessons.

When I accepted the superintendent job here, more than a few asked, "Why would you want that job?" The reason is simple: student achievement. I know how to increase it, our children need it, and our students’ futures — and that of Clark County — depend on it.

I look forward to working with colleagues, community members, and students to improve student achievement.

Dwight D. Jones is the new superintendent of the Clark County School District.