Judy Hale: Real reform goes beyond charter schools
With the Governor's Education Summit in our rear-view mirror, education is poised to take center stage during the upcoming legislative session.
The summit and subsequent discussions continue to highlight that we can't have a strong economy, let alone a strong state, without public schools that work for all children.
And great public schools do not happen in a vacuum. It requires the collective efforts of the entire school community.
A key ingredient to ensuring that our schools work for all children, especially as we shape education policy, is the teacher's voice. Teachers must be respected, treated as the professionals they are, listened to and cultivated for their expertise.
In the past, the debate around education was divided into camps where the so-called "reformers" mistakenly and simplistically blamed teachers and their unions for all that ails the schools.
We hope "reformers" understand that we are a vital part of the link between the community and the school. As educators, we know that schools with the most collaborative work environments and decision-making thrive.
Policy development should include the sharing of ideas, strategies and experiences with teachers so that the policies we develop for our children are put through a rigorous, real-world process to determine their effectiveness.
One policy often advocated for by "reformers" is the need for charter schools in West Virginia.
Now, we agree that charter schools can have an important role in a public school system.
To that end, we are prepared to support charter schools legislation that embodies the core values of public education and a democratic society - equal access for all students, high academic standards, accountability to parents and the public, a curriculum that promotes good citizenship, a commitment to helping all public schools improve, and a commitment to employees' right to freely choose union representation.
Having said this, I believe that what struggling students really need, in many cases, is not a new school with a new name or a new coat of paint.
Rather than focusing on charter schools as the panacea for all that ails our schools, let's focus on creating new learning environments within our existing schools and expand the Innovation Zones Act to help our schools succeed.
Let's use the next legislative session to expand the Innovation Zones Act and provide more opportunities to implement instructional best practices that are researched based.
We are ready to embrace real innovation, real collaboration and a real commitment to building programs that will genuinely improve teaching and learning. These programs - including those associated with the federal Race to the Top competitive grants - should deal with issues both inside and outside the classroom. Let's make our schools the center of their communities by bringing into our schools the services that children and their families need to ensure school success.
Let's also expand after-school tutoring and enrichment programs and align them with the instructional day.
Let's make our schools the focal point for exercise, sports, arts and culture, and community service. For families and members of the community, childcare, pre-school, GED and vocational classes would be available.
Imagine what a welcoming place for kids and family members such schools would be.
By addressing health, mental health and family issues, the rate of student absenteeism - a major cause of poor school performance - would plummet, and parent involvement would soar. Visiting children's teachers would no longer be so daunting for parents already familiar with the building.
And for those who say this approach tries to do everything but teach, that is far from the truth. There is no conflict between emphasizing academics and tending to children's broader needs. For our most disadvantaged kids, our schools can and must do both.
Student success is our first priority, and we are dedicated to creating a culture of collaboration and cooperation in our schools to make them 21st-century learning centers.
Students, parents and all education personnel deserve no less.