Hettleman reflects on the year past, challenges ahead
If you haven't already, check out the op-ed in today's paper by outgoing city school board member Buzzy Hettleman about Dr. Alonso's first year and the challenges ahead. Whether you agree with Hettleman's analysis or not, he raises some key questions about the system's future.
Alonso's theory of reform hinges on having a great principal in every school. But is there an adequate supply of great principals to go around? Will the promise of autonomy and the freedom to be creative lure exceptional people who might not have gone into the profession otherwise? Or will the increased responsibilities overwhelm principals and drive them away? Hettleman says the system needs to provide more specific guidance to school leaders than it has done thus far.
The other question, according to Hettleman, is whether the state will provide enough money for Alonso's administration to be successful.
"No large urban school system in the country has scaled the heights of student proficiency," he writes. "I said a year ago when voting to hire Mr. Alonso that the obstacles may be too great for even him to overcome - but I was convinced that if anyone could do it, he could. Nothing about the first year has changed my mind."
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Comments
As a teacher in a school with a pretty terrible principal, I wonder at what kind of action Dr. Alonso will take when stuff hits the fan as the year goes on. I don't feel like enough checks have been placed on the system to ensure progress, and, so far, cries to his office about budget and staffing issues have not been answered. I hope that there is a plan in place for schools with less-than-excellent principals.
Posted by: Dana | September 5, 2008 11:33 PM
I have had the pleasure of corresponding with AAA this weekend about a few issues at my school. Have you tried emailing him directly? He was fast to the reply and insanely responsive.
As for a plan, I have two thoughts:
1) I think the plan should be to fire them. Not simply move them around as in years past, but actually fire them. I hope the same is true for teacher that aren't up to the job.
2) Let's try to remember that while it might seem this way, AAA isn't actually able to make the sun rise and set any more than he can fire bad people who belong to a union in 10 seconds. He's good, but it's going to take more to institute real change where people loose their jobs over years of failure.
Posted by: Interesting Observations | September 7, 2008 10:58 PM
Buzzy's the man I hope he remains involved with the BCPSS in some fashion.
Posted by: Corey | September 8, 2008 1:43 PM