ladies and gentlemen get ready to change your opinion and the way you think about
your opinion and the way you think about
your opinion and the way you think about education this is something that should
education this is something that should
education this is something that should have been done a long time ago and the
have been done a long time ago and the
have been done a long time ago and the reason for it is quite simple the old
reason for it is quite simple the old
reason for it is quite simple the old way of thinking about it hasn’t gotten
way of thinking about it hasn’t gotten
way of thinking about it hasn’t gotten the job done we have to think about
the job done we have to think about
the job done we have to think about education in new and different ways so
education in new and different ways so
education in new and different ways so that we can come up with new and
that we can come up with new and
that we can come up with new and different ways to improve it education
different ways to improve it education
different ways to improve it education is a business it’s more than a business
is a business it’s more than a business
is a business it’s more than a business it’s a big business it is so big that it
it’s a big business it is so big that it
it’s a big business it is so big that it affects the economy that means that
affects the economy that means that
affects the economy that means that everybody is affected by the educational
everybody is affected by the educational
everybody is affected by the educational system I don’t care if you have kids I
system I don’t care if you have kids I
system I don’t care if you have kids I don’t care if you don’t have kids I
don’t care if you don’t have kids I
don’t care if you don’t have kids I don’t care if you don’t even like kids
don’t care if you don’t even like kids
don’t care if you don’t even like kids and if you don’t like kids I frankly
and if you don’t like kids I frankly
and if you don’t like kids I frankly don’t know what you’re doing here it
don’t know what you’re doing here it
don’t know what you’re doing here it makes no difference if you live in a
makes no difference if you live in a
makes no difference if you live in a state or work in a state you’re affected
state or work in a state you’re affected
state or work in a state you’re affected by that state’s public education system
by that state’s public education system
by that state’s public education system education Zim pact on the economy is
education Zim pact on the economy is
education Zim pact on the economy is pretty diverse for example for a state
pretty diverse for example for a state
pretty diverse for example for a state if the state is interested in attracting
if the state is interested in attracting
if the state is interested in attracting business retaining business quality
business retaining business quality
business retaining business quality workforce taxes come into play property
workforce taxes come into play property
workforce taxes come into play property values crime rates longevity population
values crime rates longevity population
values crime rates longevity population shifts well with population shifts if
shifts well with population shifts if
shifts well with population shifts if people have a couple choices to make
people have a couple choices to make
people have a couple choices to make about where to purchase a house
about where to purchase a house
about where to purchase a house oftentimes the final selection is
oftentimes the final selection is
oftentimes the final selection is decided by the answer to this one
decided by the answer to this one
decided by the answer to this one simple question how good are the
simple question how good are the
simple question how good are the neighborhood schools we also have a
neighborhood schools we also have a
neighborhood schools we also have a situation where there are people who
situation where there are people who
situation where there are people who work in one state and live across the
work in one state and live across the
work in one state and live across the state line now these factors did not go
state line now these factors did not go
state line now these factors did not go unnoticed here in the state of Delaware
unnoticed here in the state of Delaware
unnoticed here in the state of Delaware a matter of fact some people got
a matter of fact some people got
a matter of fact some people got together and came up with what was
together and came up with what was
together and came up with what was called a bold plan
called a bold plan
called a bold plan now these some ones happen to be the
now these some ones happen to be the
now these some ones happen to be the governor of Delaware it was the state
governor of Delaware it was the state
governor of Delaware it was the state superintendent of the public schools and
superintendent of the public schools and
superintendent of the public schools and it was a consortium of businesses headed
it was a consortium of businesses headed
it was a consortium of businesses headed up by Delaware’s DuPont company they got
up by Delaware’s DuPont company they got
up by Delaware’s DuPont company they got together to formulate a bold plan what
together to formulate a bold plan what
together to formulate a bold plan what did they want to do with this bold plan
did they want to do with this bold plan
did they want to do with this bold plan they wanted to change the educational
they wanted to change the educational
they wanted to change the educational system they were interested in a
system they were interested in a
system they were interested in a systemic change to education in the
systemic change to education in the
systemic change to education in the state of Delaware sounds almost
state of Delaware sounds almost
state of Delaware sounds almost altruistically motivated doesn’t it it’s
altruistically motivated doesn’t it it’s
altruistically motivated doesn’t it it’s not the reason why they wanted to do it
not the reason why they wanted to do it
not the reason why they wanted to do it they wanted to improve the state’s
they wanted to improve the state’s
they wanted to improve the state’s economy that was the connection back
economy that was the connection back
economy that was the connection back then it’s the same one today now the big
then it’s the same one today now the big
then it’s the same one today now the big question comes up with how were they
question comes up with how were they
question comes up with how were they going to do it what was the mechanism
going to do it what was the mechanism
going to do it what was the mechanism that was going to improve or do this
that was going to improve or do this
that was going to improve or do this systemic change that you’ve heard people
systemic change that you’ve heard people
systemic change that you’ve heard people talking about well now for the
talking about well now for the
talking about well now for the delawarians I don’t want you to get
delawarians I don’t want you to get
delawarians I don’t want you to get ahead of me on this because what we have
ahead of me on this because what we have
ahead of me on this because what we have today is not what was intended back in
today is not what was intended back in
today is not what was intended back in 1995 but the change agent to improve the
1995 but the change agent to improve the
1995 but the change agent to improve the public schools with charter schools
public schools with charter schools
public schools with charter schools there were going to be a few charter
there were going to be a few charter
there were going to be a few charter schools they were going to try things
schools they were going to try things
schools they were going to try things like local control now the good things
like local control now the good things
like local control now the good things that they found were supposed to be
that they found were supposed to be
that they found were supposed to be implemented in the traditional schools
implemented in the traditional schools
implemented in the traditional schools that’s how change was to take place
that’s how change was to take place
that’s how change was to take place through the traditional schools and the
through the traditional schools and the
through the traditional schools and the school system now this idea of local
school system now this idea of local
school system now this idea of local control I want to give you a better idea
control I want to give you a better idea
control I want to give you a better idea of what this means because you know
of what this means because you know
of what this means because you know we’re talking about not tweaking we’re
we’re talking about not tweaking we’re
we’re talking about not tweaking we’re talking about substantive changes here
talking about substantive changes here
talking about substantive changes here today and it was the state
today and it was the state
today and it was the state superintendent who by the way was the
superintendent who by the way was the
superintendent who by the way was the co-author of the charter law he wrote an
co-author of the charter law he wrote an
co-author of the charter law he wrote an overview to the charter law I’m going to
overview to the charter law I’m going to
overview to the charter law I’m going to give you some of the things he put
give you some of the things he put
give you some of the things he put into that overview he said that reliance
into that overview he said that reliance
into that overview he said that reliance on bureaucratic decisions would be a
on bureaucratic decisions would be a
on bureaucratic decisions would be a thing of the past try new approaches to
thing of the past try new approaches to
thing of the past try new approaches to learning without bureaucratic
learning without bureaucratic
learning without bureaucratic restrictions he had in there empower
restrictions he had in there empower
restrictions he had in there empower local communities to try new unique
local communities to try new unique
local communities to try new unique solutions to problems facing their own
solutions to problems facing their own
solutions to problems facing their own schools notice the trend here is towards
schools notice the trend here is towards
schools notice the trend here is towards customized schools as opposed to
customized schools as opposed to
customized schools as opposed to standardized schools so I must confess I
standardized schools so I must confess I
standardized schools so I must confess I went to the superintendent the state
went to the superintendent the state
went to the superintendent the state superintendent and and I said you know
superintendent and and I said you know
superintendent and and I said you know your your overview is not necessarily
your your overview is not necessarily
your your overview is not necessarily that long but yeah I wanted the Reader’s
that long but yeah I wanted the Reader’s
that long but yeah I wanted the Reader’s Digest version of what he was saying so
Digest version of what he was saying so
Digest version of what he was saying so here’s what he said to me he said it to
here’s what he said to me he said it to
here’s what he said to me he said it to me directly he said Ron look except for
me directly he said Ron look except for
me directly he said Ron look except for federal laws and laws involving Health
federal laws and laws involving Health
federal laws and laws involving Health and Safety you’re free to do whatever
and Safety you’re free to do whatever
and Safety you’re free to do whatever you want but you have to be willing to
you want but you have to be willing to
you want but you have to be willing to accept the responsibility for the
accept the responsibility for the
accept the responsibility for the outcome it was very simply autonomy and
outcome it was very simply autonomy and
outcome it was very simply autonomy and accountability
accountability
accountability now this consortium that I talked about
now this consortium that I talked about
now this consortium that I talked about this of businesses they wanted to do a
this of businesses they wanted to do a
this of businesses they wanted to do a pilot program just to see you know how
pilot program just to see you know how
pilot program just to see you know how does this thing go to go how’s it going
does this thing go to go how’s it going
does this thing go to go how’s it going to work so the first thing they did is
to work so the first thing they did is
to work so the first thing they did is they went and they hired an experienced
they went and they hired an experienced
they went and they hired an experienced administrator the administrator already
administrator the administrator already
administrator the administrator already had 26 years of administrative
had 26 years of administrative
had 26 years of administrative experience 18 of them as the principal
experience 18 of them as the principal
experience 18 of them as the principal of the largest non public school in the
of the largest non public school in the
of the largest non public school in the state he was intelligent he was
state he was intelligent he was
state he was intelligent he was personable don’t be rude
apparently the mic must not be working
apparently the mic must not be working and let me tell you if you couldn’t
and let me tell you if you couldn’t
and let me tell you if you couldn’t figure out who it is by now I don’t know
figure out who it is by now I don’t know
figure out who it is by now I don’t know what you’re doing here today so I had to
what you’re doing here today so I had to
what you’re doing here today so I had to go to the executive offices of the
go to the executive offices of the
go to the executive offices of the DuPont company to meet with the chairman
DuPont company to meet with the chairman
DuPont company to meet with the chairman because he was doing the hiring so I go
because he was doing the hiring so I go
because he was doing the hiring so I go into the office and here’s what he says
into the office and here’s what he says
into the office and here’s what he says to me right off the bat he said hey Ron
to me right off the bat he said hey Ron
to me right off the bat he said hey Ron the businesses don’t know how to run a
the businesses don’t know how to run a
the businesses don’t know how to run a school that’s why we’re hiring you now I
school that’s why we’re hiring you now I
school that’s why we’re hiring you now I gotta tell you I felt awfully good at
gotta tell you I felt awfully good at
gotta tell you I felt awfully good at that point can you imagine it the
that point can you imagine it the
that point can you imagine it the chairman of the board is saying to me I
chairman of the board is saying to me I
chairman of the board is saying to me I can do something that these large
can do something that these large
can do something that these large corporations cannot do so I felt good he
corporations cannot do so I felt good he
corporations cannot do so I felt good he follows that up with two other
follows that up with two other
follows that up with two other directives the next one was Ron just get
directives the next one was Ron just get
directives the next one was Ron just get the job done now again I feel good you
the job done now again I feel good you
the job done now again I feel good you talk about a level of confidence I mean
talk about a level of confidence I mean
talk about a level of confidence I mean that’s it’s like a Nike thing just do it
that’s it’s like a Nike thing just do it
that’s it’s like a Nike thing just do it and then he follows with the next one he
and then he follows with the next one he
and then he follows with the next one he said Ron the companies have their
said Ron the companies have their
said Ron the companies have their reputations on the line failure is not
reputations on the line failure is not
reputations on the line failure is not an option
an option
an option notice autonomy accountability now for
notice autonomy accountability now for
notice autonomy accountability now for people in education that seems like a
people in education that seems like a
people in education that seems like a strange way of operating but in the
strange way of operating but in the
strange way of operating but in the business world it’s not really because
business world it’s not really because
business world it’s not really because oftentimes companies will somehow get
oftentimes companies will somehow get
oftentimes companies will somehow get the expertise or the knowledge to get
the expertise or the knowledge to get
the expertise or the knowledge to get something done
something done
something done they’ll put people in charge giving them
they’ll put people in charge giving them
they’ll put people in charge giving them the power to get the job done tell them
the power to get the job done tell them
the power to get the job done tell them what they want and then they get out of
what they want and then they get out of
what they want and then they get out of the way autonomy accountability teachers
the way autonomy accountability teachers
the way autonomy accountability teachers principals working together in a
principals working together in a
principals working together in a collaborative distributive leadership
collaborative distributive leadership
collaborative distributive leadership for a format so that decisions
for a format so that decisions
for a format so that decisions operational decisions will be made at
operational decisions will be made at
operational decisions will be made at the building level where the rubber
the building level where the rubber
the building level where the rubber meets the road so you know this all
meets the road so you know this all
meets the road so you know this all looked look look look pretty good but
looked look look look pretty good but
looked look look look pretty good but the question now comes did it work well
the question now comes did it work well
the question now comes did it work well as it turns out Delaware’s Department of
as it turns out Delaware’s Department of
as it turns out Delaware’s Department of Ed
Ed
Ed education hired dr. Gary mirin of
education hired dr. Gary mirin of
education hired dr. Gary mirin of Western Michigan University’s evaluation
Western Michigan University’s evaluation
Western Michigan University’s evaluation center they hired him to do a three-year
center they hired him to do a three-year
center they hired him to do a three-year study of charter schools here in the
study of charter schools here in the
study of charter schools here in the state of Delaware I was able to meet
state of Delaware I was able to meet
state of Delaware I was able to meet with dr. Marian in my office I wanted to
with dr. Marian in my office I wanted to
with dr. Marian in my office I wanted to go over the evaluation as it pertained
go over the evaluation as it pertained
go over the evaluation as it pertained to the pilot program and how did the
to the pilot program and how did the
to the pilot program and how did the bold plan which was tried out in the
bold plan which was tried out in the
bold plan which was tried out in the pilot program how did it work he said to
pilot program how did it work he said to
pilot program how did it work he said to me Ron we were able to do a head-to-head
me Ron we were able to do a head-to-head
me Ron we were able to do a head-to-head comparison between the pilot program and
comparison between the pilot program and
comparison between the pilot program and the traditional schools and we were able
the traditional schools and we were able
the traditional schools and we were able to do it with the same type of student
to do it with the same type of student
to do it with the same type of student in both he said the pilot program
in both he said the pilot program
in both he said the pilot program outperformed the traditional schools
outperformed the traditional schools
outperformed the traditional schools consistently so we have a pilot program
consistently so we have a pilot program
consistently so we have a pilot program that showed that this bold idea worked
that showed that this bold idea worked
that showed that this bold idea worked worked well and the idea was not
worked well and the idea was not
worked well and the idea was not implemented throughout the state what
implemented throughout the state what
implemented throughout the state what happened
happened
happened Delaware’s governor became Delaware’s
Delaware’s governor became Delaware’s
Delaware’s governor became Delaware’s senator the superintendent who was the
senator the superintendent who was the
senator the superintendent who was the co-author of the charter law passed away
co-author of the charter law passed away
co-author of the charter law passed away the heads of those consortium businesses
the heads of those consortium businesses
the heads of those consortium businesses that I talked about earlier they were
that I talked about earlier they were
that I talked about earlier they were gone there was a turnover they were all
gone there was a turnover they were all
gone there was a turnover they were all gone so this base of support for the
gone so this base of support for the
gone so this base of support for the bold idea it dissipated now what else
bold idea it dissipated now what else
bold idea it dissipated now what else happened when that happened the
happened when that happened the
happened when that happened the educational public school system that
educational public school system that
educational public school system that the very entity that was supposed to be
the very entity that was supposed to be
the very entity that was supposed to be changed took over the change agent so
changed took over the change agent so
changed took over the change agent so now what’s your takeaway from all of
now what’s your takeaway from all of
now what’s your takeaway from all of this
this
this well one you’ve got to change your
well one you’ve got to change your
well one you’ve got to change your opinion on education education is a
opinion on education education is a
opinion on education education is a business that affects the economy you
business that affects the economy you
business that affects the economy you got to get that in your mind
got to get that in your mind
got to get that in your mind what is your action plan what do you do
what is your action plan what do you do
what is your action plan what do you do from here action plan what you have to
from here action plan what you have to
from here action plan what you have to do is get behind any a plan or activity
do is get behind any a plan or activity
do is get behind any a plan or activity that’s going to support a policy of
that’s going to support a policy of
that’s going to support a policy of autonomy and accountability by
autonomy and accountability by
autonomy and accountability by implementing the bold plan with its
implementing the bold plan with its
implementing the bold plan with its proven success track record of local
proven success track record of local
proven success track record of local control teachers principals working
control teachers principals working
control teachers principals working together collaboratively once you’ve
together collaboratively once you’ve
together collaboratively once you’ve done all that your homework assignment
done all that your homework assignment
done all that your homework assignment is to answer this one question do we
is to answer this one question do we
is to answer this one question do we have too many school districts
have too many school districts
have too many school districts ladies and gentlemen class dismissed
”
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