Deciphering Corporate Speak About Education
Schools make decisions. You find out weeks or months later. When you do know in advance, there's not much they can do without allies, who'll help you find out about decisions in advance, too.
Understanding what adults ~really mean~ when they make claims at school board meetings and in announcements is a critical skill. It’ll be valuable way beyond school when you’ll be navigating similar politics in your workplace. Here’s a few examples.
In June 2023, the state of Texas began a “takeover” of the Houston School District (HISD), which has been underperforming for a long time. The State threatened a takeover for many years before following through and implementing sweeping changes, including a complete restructuring of 28 of the district’s schools. Here’s state-appointed Acting Superintendent, Mike Miles:
“What we can do is do what hospitals do for their doctors. Doctors don’t prep the room, they don’t prep the materials, they don’t take the blood pressure or heart rate. They just come in, have somebody else put their gloves on for them and then they do their thing. That’s their skill. That’s why they get paid what they get paid. We want you to do that."
Is Miles saying… [select all that apply]
- Teachers will not be micromanaged. [Y/N]
- Teachers will get to choose curriculum. [N]
- Teachers will not have to do simple tasks (eg. making copies) [Y]
If you were a teacher, would you want to work at a school like this? What would you be suspicious of?
Who is going to do all this, and will I have an assistant? Where will the money come from, and is giving teachers assistants sustainable? Does this mean I won’t have flexibility in what and how I teach? Will I be given a script on what to say?
Here’s what the Houston Mayor has to say about the takeover—keep in mind, Texas mayors are not involved in their city’s schools.
"The State takeover of HISD is not about one school or 30 schools. This is a concerted attempt to take over public education in the largest district and those who run it while intentionally side stepping some schools which they dare not touch. This is a long term occupation."
Based on the Mayor’s word choice (“take over public education,” “long term occupation”) is he for or against the state’s decision?
- For it.
- Against it.
When he says “intentionally side stepping some schools which they dare not touch,” what is the mayor implying?
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From Alameda County’s superintendent after teacher’s unions and the Oakland School board, one of many in the county, reached a new agreement, with teachers getting significant raises in what was the lowest-earning district in the county:
“Alameda County Office of Education appreciates the hard work ahead as the district board and staff demonstrate their commitment to ensuring the district can afford the impact of this settlement while providing a robust and sustainable education program for its students,”
Which of the following do you think she said next:
- "We recognize the importance of investing in our teachers and ensuring they are fairly compensated for their dedication to our students. This agreement reflects our commitment to attracting and retaining high-quality educators who play a vital role in shaping the future of our district."
- "We understand the financial implications of this settlement and the need to carefully manage our resources to maintain a balanced budget. Our office will work closely with the district board and staff to develop a comprehensive financial plan that supports the long-term sustainability of our education program."
- “Without further board action and successful implementation of budget-balancing solutions, OUSD is projected to be insolvent within three years.” [Y]
- “Taking steps” content /d/takingsteps
- Looking up your school’s quality report/state standards/ESSA standards. Look at where things are short, those are your incentives.
- Looking up last time your school had a zero tolerance discipline policy
- How do you audit a district? Understand the decision-makers? Make sense of the budget?
H2