They're Waiting On Us

I remain cautiously optimistic that at some point, politicians and educators will figure “it” out. “It” being the sobering reality that we know more than is needed to ensure both universal literacy and numeracy.

From my perspective, informed by over 30 years in education including 12 as a superintendent of schools, we have the “knowledge” and tools available now to do what no generation has achieved to date.

More than hyperbole or good intentions, our learners literally can’t wait.  Each, hour, day, week, month and year we, the adults, fail to implement effective, evidence-based, and transformative impactful practices and programs, the gaps in achievement, access, opportunity and equity widen.  The dirty little secret is the cost of failed learning continues to consume more and more dollars not just in education but also in almost every facet of society. 

When will we accept that the treatment mindset versus an early and aggressive prevention to intervention model is a key to economic prosperity, security, and expansion?

Policy and Permission are key.  They go hand in hand.

First, to truly transform policy we have to radically shift how we determine success and effect. Consider, to what degree do we have a universal, agreed upon answers to these questions?

1. What is the purpose as well as expected outcome of an education?
2. What does it mean to be an educated citizen in the 21^st century?

Arguably, the answers are not a list a job skills, not test scores, not increased credits, not high school graduation or even college graduation rates.  Rather, the answers will be much more fundamental and foundational. 

Imagine if we truly put our collective efforts in first ensuring universal literacy and numeracy, addressing the most fundamental building blocks, and suspending all the excuses, policies, and practices that prevent us from achieving these; would unemployment, high school dropouts, incarceration rates, physical and mental health and other related issues be different?

I suggest that our inability to reach consensus let alone agreement at the local, state, regional, and national level is fundamental to our inability to ensure universal literacy and numeracy.

We appear limited by answering these questions from an individual rather than from a societal or public good viewing point.  From a policy perspective, focusing on the individual does not and will not address the most pressing and arguably the greatest needs of access, opportunity and equity.  Achieving universal literacy and numeracy takes nothing away from any class of citizens, or is somehow denying any group or individuals a certain station in life.

Rather, universal literacy and numeracy is fundamental to our society and a democracy.

The whole is the sum of its parts.  As envisioned by the Founding Fathers, an educated citizenry is comprised of educated citizens.  Failing to educate each citizen fails the basic precepts, fundamentals, and therefore foundation of our democratic society.

The necessary shift in policy begins first with answering the aforementioned questions.  Permission must be given both at the formal and informal level to wrestle with the heart of these questions.  

The results of transparent, open, and sincere dialogue consistently and constantly centered on these two questions will bring us closer to each citizen authentically experiencing the promises of an education.

Lest you think me naïve, I am confident that any conversation centered on these two questions will be fraught with conflict, passion, conviction, emotion, opinion, and most certainly an array of untested mental models that have, for the most part shaped policy as it is today.

But while the children who are most depended upon us wait, their futures, their contributions, and their impacts to our society hang in the balance.  

What are we waiting for?  

They are waiting for us!