Georgia, like other states, has identified schools whose students and teachers have been labeled failures on the basis of high-stakes tests. These tests measure the narrowest and possibly the least important aspects of schooling, namely the ability to answer multiple choice questions on the lowest level of content in math, or science, social studies or English language arts.

I argue here that curriculum development and advanced sabbatical month-long staff seminars in the context of the elimination of high-stakes tests would do more to help struggling schools than punishing them.  Students in these schools are quite capable of engaging in projects, original work in art, music and science,  hands-on minds-on learning, as well as learning how to learn.  Using inquiry-based learning, and steering away from a teach to the test mantra will go along way not only in so-called “turnaround” schools, but any school.

Many of  the labeled “failing” schools end up being closed, in others the principal and at least half the teachers are replaced by unlicensed teachers from Teach for America (TFA). Closing or labeling schools alters the ecology of these communities, and instead of providing resources, and creating opportunities for curriculum innovation and advanced staff development, these plans fail to discuss the real problems–poverty, recreating uninteresting curricula, and using punishments and rewards to control the system.

Our schools can not solve the problem of poverty.  But if schools were integral and public spaces of its community, then the school would be a place that parents send their children to uncover their natural abilities and interests, and pursue learning about the world, and enriching each other.

But we have created an environment in which success in school is based for the most part on  high-stakes testing.  There isn’t a need for high-stakes tests.  The scores that are generated from these tests do nothing to improve individual student learning, and do not give feedback to teachers to improve instruction.  These tests only serve the state as way to create a metric that is used to punish or reward schools, teachers and students.  Do we send our children to school to take tests? Is that why we send our children to school?

In the “Defies Measurement” film (5 minutes) that follows, Shannon Puckett exposes the damage caused by high-stakes testing on our children, teachers, schools and communities.  Shannon started this film in 2004, but for many reasons, never finished the film.  However, now she is reaching out to everyone to give a small amount of money to fund the completion of the film.  She is close to the amount she needs to raise. (Update: the monetary goal was reached)  This short clip will give you insight into the film, and in it you will hear from amazing teachers and top researchers who tell stories and give evidence that the present era of test-based reform is damaging students.

Schools should not be labeled failing in the first place. The measurement used is a sliver of the goals of schooling in a democratic society. As stated in the film, no other comparable country fails it’s students or schools on the basis of these narrow and unreliable tests.

The schools in these communities need the same kind of education that takes place in schools where students are successful–typically those in affluent neighborhoods.

As Lisa Delpit says, kids need good teaching in the context of an interesting and diverse curriculum. They do not need neophyte teachers who’ve been trained to teach to the test.  They need teachers who as Lisa Delpit puts it are “warm demanders.”

In her more recent book, Multiplication is for White People: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children, Dr. Delpit provides the insight to understand what schooling should be in public schools.  She says that the teacher is crucial in teaching poor children.

But she doesn’t advocate using tests to try and name so-called bad or not so good teachers.  No, she reminds us how important teachers are in the lives of children.  To hold schools hostage prevents teachers from doing the sorts of things that she advocates.

Dr. Delpit says:

And so, to my students who are teachers, and to all teachers, I reiterate: Your work does matter more than you can imagine. Your students, particularly if they are low-income children of color, cannot succeed without you. You are their lifeline to a better future. If you put energy and expertise into your teaching, learn from those who know your students best, make strong demands, express care and concern, engage your students, and constantly ensure that your charges are capable of achieving, then you are creating for your students, as Professor Bill Trent once said about his own warm demander teachers, “a future we could not even imagine for ourselves.”  Delpit, Lisa (2012-03-20). “Multiplication Is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children (p. 88). Perseus Books Group. Kindle Edition.

With the funds that Georgia has allocated in its Race to the Top (RT3), curriculum development combined with sabbatical advanced staff development seminars would infuse enthusiasm and new confidence in the faculty and would result in a school culture of innovation, hope and change.  Closing schools or replacing them by firing principals and teachers and hiring inexperienced teachers is not in the best interests of students.  We need to preserve our schools, not abandon them.

Further investigation into why we find ourselves labeling schools as failures needs to be made.  Why is it that most of these schools are in urban districts?  Why aren’t these schools provided the same resources as schools in other parts of the same district?  Why do we think it is acceptable to close or convert schools to charters run by outsiders who have little vested interest in the community? Why?

For further reading:

• Schools Closing: What the Lesson Here?
• School Closings in Our Cities: A Deep Ecological Problem
• D. Bollier, 2003. Silent Theft: The Private Plunder of Our Common Wealth. New York: Routledge.
• W. E. Deming, 1994. The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education, Second Edition. Cambridge, The MIT Press.
• W. Edwards Deming, 1994a. The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education (Kindle Location 349). Kindle Edition.
• A. Drengson & B. Devall, 2010. Ecology of Wisdom: Writings of Arne Naess. Berkeley: Counterpoint.
• B. H. Weston & D. Bollier, 2013. Green Governance (Kindle Locations 190-194). Cambridge University Press. Kindle Edition.