Staff Reports
Yet another educational study has emerged and is now debated within a discipline forever searching for new figures, new emerging trends, new and unique methods for squeezing as much improvement in student performance that might be possible. This new study making rounds within the educational establishment is noteworthy in the way it dismisses the stylish in favor of common wisdom and the tried and true.
The study examined middle school grades in California to settle the question of whether students do better in separate schools or in K-8 configurations. It found it’s not the setting that makes the difference, but the quality of the school — the focus on achievement, the emphasis on long-term success, the willingness to set measurable goals and to correlate teacher performance with student performance, plus curriculums matched to high standards.
Well. Should anybody be surprised at this?
One of the great things about education today is that despite all the time and money spent on trendy research, the secret to success is (or at least should be) generally known. Apparently, experts are telling us that new-fangled organizational practices such as interdisciplinary classrooms and advisory periods do not make the difference. It’s really about (drum roll, please) setting goals.
We concur. In area schools large and small, educators, board members and parents have understood for quite some time that the most telling factors for success are factors that don’t change — hiring and keeping good teachers, motivating students, encouraging support from parents and the community and maintaining healthy teacher-to-student ratios. These are things that require coordination and persistence on the part of every school district and every community member. There is no magic wand, no slick study that will do the job by itself. It’s a daily grind.
There is the constant desire to throw money at education, and to be sure, more money is better than a lack of money. But it must be spent wisely. We know there are enough schools in this nation that have struggled, and continue to struggle, despite more and more funds being pumped into the system.
We also know, from No Child Left Behind, that “inadequate yearly progress” doesn’t necessarily mean teachers are underperforming; there are often unique challenges faced. In some schools, a high number of students contend with cultural issues; a lack of proficiency in English is itself a hurdle to overcome.
But though there’s always something new under the sun, we get the feeling educators, and others, already know what the California study reveals — that communicating with parents, holding to high standards, and identifying at-risk students early and intervening to put them back on track quickly — trumps just about everything else. It’s really not a mystery. Finally, it’s about commitment.
— The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
