Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Good afternoon and welcome to the 41^st Annual Cooperative Conference for School Administrators.

I want to thank Tom Davis [president of the State Board of Education], and John Lawrence [Troy School District and president-elect of the American Association of School Administrators] for their remarks. I also want to say how pleased I am to have all of you together and how important I think this activity really is. It’s not important because of what I have to say, but because those of us here are trying to provide leadership for improvement in Missouri’s schools.

I especially want to welcome new superintendents to this meeting and to the district leadership role. [One hundred of Missouri’s 524 school districts – 19 percent – will have new superintendents this year.] Would those individuals new to their current position, please stand? Last night, we, in cooperation with the Missouri Association of School Administrators, welcomed these new superintendents. Officially, I want to repeat that and say how pleased we are to see these individuals entering this profession where we have the opportunity to give so much to kids.

Remember the movie, Forrest Gump? Forrest made a remark that led to a famous bumper sticker (_ _ _ _ happens). As I was thinking about the upcoming school year, that bumper sticker came to mind for some reason. Unfortunately, I fear that some people believe that "School Happens." I want to suggest that school doesn’t just happen, or at least it shouldn’t. Perhaps I should state that education doesn’t just happen. Schools may open, but education won’t happen unless those of us here provide some leadership to see that it happens.

In that vein, I want to continue the discussion about reading, writing, and learning: About your role in providing leadership for instruction, leadership for learning; seeing that education of students is paramount in your districts; seeing that school doesn’t just happen.  Leadership must be exerted so that school doesn't just happen.  You see, Kelsi, my favorite kindergartner in the State of Missouri for 2002-2003, is starting on her public school journey this fall; she can’t afford for school to just happen. We must exercise leadership that enables all kids to get the quality education they deserve.

In our very combative society, where the "me first" attitude too often prevails, I believe true leadership is more important than ever. In a political world, where decisions are too often driven by polls and pollsters, I believe courage in leadership is more important than ever. In a world dominated by a remote control mentality, where everything can be fixed instantly by pushing a button, I believe thoughtful, patient leadership is more important than ever.

We have had lots of opportunities to learn about leadership and failed leadership in the past 12 months. We’ve seen a lot of "me first" leadership at MCI WorldCom [and] Enron. Some would argue that we all contributed to the pressure these executives felt because of the successes with the stock market and a good economy. I suggest, however, that the real motive was greed and was focused on "me first" by those CEOs. In the education business, we are often pushed to use more business methods; but I hope this is not one we elect to use. True leadership is not about "me!" It’s about Kelsi. It’s about your son or grandson, or your granddaughter yet to be.

On the other hand, New York City Mayor Rudy Guilliani demonstrated true, caring, concerned leadership during the crisis of 9-11. He truly led his city, and, in many ways, this country during that time. He demonstrated courage.

We are so accustomed to the remote control that many demand instant solutions to every problem. But we know that the process of educating a child is a long one—an ongoing one. It takes patience, persistence, determination and devotion—year after year. Quality education doesn’t just happen. It takes leadership. We can’t push a button to make it happen.

The kind of leadership I’m really advocating is a kind that was best displayed 137 years ago. Three great leaders displayed thoughtful, courageous leadership that was about our nation, not about them.

Leadership:  The Lessons of Appomattox

In April 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The way this momentous event unfolded illustrates a kind of leadership that we have not often seen in the history of our country or of mankind. General Grant had Lee’s troops surrounded. Of course, Grant was a General and his superior was President Lincoln; and only Lincoln had full authority to set the terms of surrender. But Lincoln wasn’t there. Great leaders don’t have to always be present to lead. In fact, those leaders who are able to set a tone for their lieutenants to lead by may be the greatest leaders. So, Grant set the terms of surrender. Lee and his officers fully expected to be imprisoned and perhaps executed for treason. Northern newspapers were calling for Lee’s hanging. But General Grant opted to ignore such "popular opinion."

Instead, General Grant asked that the Confederate forces surrender their arms and promise in writing, through their officers, not to take up arms against the federal government. Then they could go home. Three days later, the 28,000 soldiers of Lee’s army, 28,000, one of the biggest armies in history in one place, marched to their Union counterparts to surrender their weapons. After four years of war, more than 600,000 Americans had been killed, probably as many more crippled and maimed.

If we bring that forward and think about the population of the United States of America today, that would amount to 12,000,000 casualties of war. Think about it. And almost all of those would be young soldiers. One would expect that after such agony, such loss and heartache, that touched almost every American family, mercy and forbearance would be in short supply. But they were not.

It is interesting to me that General Grant chose an educator to accept the surrender. He was General Joshua Chamberlain, a professor from Maine, who had taken leave from his duties in college to enter the war. Two years prior to this time, he was a colonel, leading the Maine regiment in an action that saved the Union army at Gettysburg. He was involved in the siege of Petersburg. He was shot in both hips in 1865 and almost died. He was still in great pain when General Grant asked him to accept the surrender from General Lee. In what could have been a ceremony of triumph and hatred, General Chamberlain ordered his men to carry arms in a salute to honor the gallant foes.

Pause to think about the kind of leadership that exemplified. The rebel army replied in kind, and Chamberlain would later write that, "on our part, not a sound of trumpet, nor roll of drum, not a cheer, word, nor whisper of vain glory, nor motion of man; but in all its stillness, rather, and breath holding as if it were a passing of the dead." General Lee surrendered without permission from his President. His President had asked him to set his forces loose upon the country as guerrilla bands. Lee refused. If he had not, the guerrilla warfare could have extended for decades. Lee exemplified leadership. Lee told his men, "Go home now. If you make as good citizens as you have soldiers, you will do well; and I shall always be proud of you."

Two true leaders, Lee and Grant, began the process of healing our nation. President Lincoln had told his officers, and had told the country, to "let them up easy." He was leading for a united nation. President Lincoln didn’t get to see what happened; but he, Grant, and Lee had cast the die for this country’s future. Those three individuals displayed leadership of the highest order. It ended the Civil War in peace and brotherhood. The war did not have to end that way; and, throughout history, that has rarely been the case.

I could cite other examples where leaders who have triumphed have demonstrated civil leadership. Harry Truman comes to mind as we think about the Marshall Plan at the end of World War II. But I selected Lee and Grant to illustrate what I think is a significant need as we think about providing leadership for the education of our kids. Such leadership needs to demonstrate a certain degree of civility. It is the kind of leadership needed to educate all kids. It is the kind of leadership needed to ensure that school doesn’t just happen.

We are not in competition with one another to provide the best education possible for kids. Our political parties should not be in competition to provide the best education possible for our kids. During the past legislative session, we saw a number of instances of partisan fighting. We always do. Frequently, I was extremely frustrated because I felt there was not as much statesmanship as there should have been. But, when it came right down to it, the education of kids was given bipartisan support that will enable education to move forward in this state. Leadership prevailed.

Getting an increase of 6.61% in funding for the Foundation Formula was truly remarkable, given the financial situation in Jefferson City. It took a lot of work by a lot of people, many of whom are in this room; but it also required the support of leaders on both sides of the political aisle.

Providing the kind of leadership and vision that Lee and Grant provided is a challenge for you every day. You are always confronted with pettiness, turf, and egos, and with people who take themselves far too seriously. But, when we think about how the Civil War surrender was handled, and the message that was sent to this country, we should reflect upon what kind of an example that provides for our leadership in our school districts and for our kids.

I mentioned September 11 earlier. You’ll have an opportunity to provide leadership when that first anniversary arrives in about five weeks. We all remember where we were when the planes hit New York City. Many of you were with me at an Early Childhood Education Summit in Jefferson City. There will be a lot of interest in how our schools commemorate that date. How you observe this event should not "just happen."

You may have noticed that we began our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. That was done for two reasons: one, because it is an appropriate way to open a meeting like this; and, two, to acknowledge the new state law mandating that students say the Pledge at least once a week. Some schools are planning to use September 11 to begin the implementation of that requirement as part of the expansion of the citizenship education needed to observe this tragedy. We also need to remind ourselves that what we are about is educating, and I would even argue of creating Americans. We have high standards. We want kids to learn to read. We must help all kids learn because we want educated citizens; we want educated neighbors and friends; we want educated Americans.  Leadership to strike a balance will be needed.

The Early Childhood Summit has, even with the terrible timing, helped some of you to improve your early childhood efforts. We recently published "Early Childhood Literacy Standards" that you were encouraged to use and share with the private providers in your communities. These will soon be followed by social/economic pre-kindergarten standards; then math standards. Working with Head Start and other childcare providers will help kids come to school ready to learn. I am also very pleased that over 80% of our kindergartners are attending all-day kindergarten, and I know the percentage will increase in 2002-2003. [Enrollment in Full Day Kindergarten] All-day kindergarten is very important because it gives teachers more time to help students learn; it reduces the number of transitions that 5-year-olds must face; and it enables many parents to get students out of poor child care.

I was given a quote last month: "Our biggest struggle in education is not educating the children coming from other countries, but our own children growing up in lousy childcare."

Providing leadership to maintain and expand early childhood programs in tough economic times is crucial. The children who need quality early educational opportunities are often the very ones placed in the lousiest circumstances in tough financial times. Education doesn’t just happen, and neither does good pre-school.

"No Child Left Behind" in Missouri

We have lots of other opportunities to provide leadership, and one of those is the implementation of No Child Left Behind, the massive federal educational improvement legislation. Together, we will work hard to implement that legislation; but we strongly believe we must do so within the context of Missouri, within the context of MSIP [the Missouri School Improvement Program], within the context of House Bill 1711 and our priority schools.

I believe we can make the federal law work in Missouri without distorting everything we have worked so hard to put in place. We’ll be seeking your advice and help. No Child Left Behind demands several things that are ultimately good for kids, but many of the details will frustrate us as we go. We will all probably fuss a lot about it before we get it done; and I’m sure we’ll see changes in many of the technical aspects of No Child Left Behind.

Frankly, my concern is not with the legislation. It’s with kids. Although I don’t like polls, I saw some recent data that supports my feelings. That poll showed that only 12% of the general public and only 36% of educators were aware of the new law. It is not about the law—it is about kids! However, none of us can argue with the goal; after all, who wants their child to be left behind? See, I don’t think Kelsi should be left behind; and I don’t think any other kids should be left behind either. Like most grandparents, I know she is very bright and talented. In fact, [State Board of Education member] Russ Thompson and I have talked. We both now believe that grandparent assessment of the relative brilliance of grandchildren is much more accurate than we thought it was when we heard grandparents discuss their grandchildren. Kelsi’s mother teaches young children and has taught her, along with the help of her older sister, Kayla, and her dad. But, all kids aren’t that lucky. We can’t leave them behind either.

We’re going to be faced with sharing our test scores and other performance data with the world in a disaggregated fashion. But that’s nothing new for Missouri. The significant difference in No Child Left Behind’s mandates is that, not only must we share those data; but also we must demonstrate that we are, in fact, doing something to appropriately change the data.

You’ll note on the screen that Missouri’s total dropout rate has been reduced to 4.6% annually. That’s impressive, and you’re to be commended for that. But, an even more impressive number is the other [statistic] that’s up there. The dropout rate among African-American kids has been reduced even more, and the gap between those two is closing. [Dropout trend in Missouri Public Schools] That’s an extremely positive sign. We have lots of issues with the achievement gap, especially in the case of the MAP scores. But, you’re doing things that keep kids in school to give them a chance to succeed. If we’re truly not going to leave any child behind, then we have to keep them in school; so that’s a real plus.

Using Data to Make a Difference

We have so much data today that we can get lost in it—and I’m not certain we always use it to truly help kids. Sometimes we even use the data to obscure the truth. But administrators in schools where significant improvement has been made do not hide bad news. Instead, they use the data as a tool to get people to take ownership of the problems and do something about them. Our data tell us that, last year, 2.6% of Missouri fourth-graders scored in Step 1 of fourth-grade math, for example. That actually looks pretty good, but it still represents 1,844 students—someone’s child, someone’s grandchild. [My granddaughter] Kayla was a fourth-grader last year. If she had been in that number, it would have meant much more to me.

If we look at those data in a disaggregated way, we see that 49% of the kids scoring in Step 1 are African-American. But only 19% of all the fourth-graders who took the MAP are African-American. We also see that 37% of the kids scoring in Step 1 on seventh-grade communication arts are African-American, but only 16% of all the seventh-graders are African-American. Now we know better where to focus our improvement efforts. We can mine these data deeper and deeper. If we are going to meet the goal of No Child Left Behind and close the achievement gap, we have to use our available data to work smarter with our kids.

No Child Left Behind is going to make this a more prominent issue for all schools as well as highlight more concern about all gaps. Missouri had already drawn attention to such gaps with MSIP, so the federal requirements aren’t new. But, many of us are not really prepared to talk about all of the other gaps that we must address—like socio-economic status, gender, etc.

In a recent publication of the Southern Regional Education Board, we learn that "successful leaders go beyond student achievement data to look at school practices, what students are taught, how they are taught and what is expected of them." These leaders use data to show faculty that low-achieving students often have been exposed to inadequate schooling experiences and that a more rigorous curriculum is needed to catch up.

"Successful schools that are ‘data-driven’ rely on many sources of
information, including student feedback, instruments that measure
student progress, and statistics that are collected formally and informally."

To really succeed in improving student performance, you can’t just wait for data from the MAP. We need to understand that it is impossible to gauge progress if we do not measure along the way. Establishing goals and benchmarks that are frequently examined will help us improve. And you cannot just demand that your teachers do this regular evaluation. You and your board need to model this behavior. If your board just sees performance data once a year, that’s not enough.

Another important component of No Child Left Behind is the requirement that all teachers be highly qualified. Again, a worthwhile goal. The definition of "highly qualified teacher" is one who has a degree, who has a certificate issued by the state, and who has passed the state’s assessment. In our case, it would be the PRAXIS II. In coming years, districts and the states must demonstrate a reduction in the number of teachers who are not qualified.

For three years, we’ve been tracking the number of courses taught by inappropriately certified teachers. While we have almost 95% of classes taught by appropriately certified teachers, this past year we saw an increase of one point in the percent of classes taught by inappropriately certified teachers. In other words, we had students enrolled in 11,203 courses in 2001-2002 where teachers were not properly certified. That was almost 3,000 more than in 2000-2001. That really is a significant jump, and we can’t afford to let that continue, not just because of No Child Left Behind, but because highly qualified teachers lead to better educated students. We must work hard to get appropriately qualified teachers into our classrooms. We must work hard to get more people into the teaching field. We must work hard to keep good teachers in the schools. We must work hard if we’re going to leave no child behind. As we all grapple with the issues of highly qualified teachers and student performance, we must exert all the leadership we have.

Teacher Quality

We need to anticipate much greater focus on the whole issue of teacher quality. It is already taking shape, and districts will have to be more open and accountable about the quality of teachers they have. Publicly reporting the number of unqualified teachers and telling parents that their child’s teacher is not fully qualified will likely be uncomfortable at times and combative at others. But it ultimately should help garner public support for an improved teaching force.

Do you exert the kind of leadership that enables teachers to be successful by creating an atmosphere for success? The toughest assignments should not be given to the newest teachers. If we want students to be successful, we must have successful teachers. That new English teacher should not be given assignments requiring four preparations when the experienced English teacher next door has only one preparation. Let’s give them a chance to succeed.

Let’s think about what we must do to see that we meet these challenges and that we don’t just let school happen. It will take the kind of leadership exemplified at Appomattox because there are many detractors out there who would like for us to fail. There are many people who want it their way and are not willing to compromise. We can’t let that happen because Kelsi and her 67,000 kindergarten classmates are counting on us not to let it happen.

There are a number of people who would like to see public schools fail. Some of those people have that as an agenda. Others don’t really know that’s what they want, but their actions clearly point in that direction. And a great number of those people want public schools to fail because they want to implement their agenda. You see, that’s not too different than what Grant faced at Appomattox. The North wanted to win the war, but some wanted to impose penalties on the Southern combatants to continue the punishment. To win the war and preserve the Union wasn’t enough.

Some people believe that learning to read is less important than the method used to teach reading. How ridiculous can we get? Our kids must be taught to read, and we’re making progress in getting our kids to the satisfactory level; but they don’t all learn the same way. Let’s spend our time determining what each Kelsi needs to learn to read—not argue about which method all teachers must use.

We must do all we can to get a quality teacher in every classroom, and it’s okay if some of those haven’t been certified in the traditional way. The important question is, "Are the kids learning?" Let’s look at that data to determine if the students of teachers certified by demonstrating competency on the PRAXIS II are learning at high levels. We need to know that, just as we need to know how well our alternative certificate holders are doing. To assume that they cannot teach because they have not had a traditional route to certification is to believe all teacher preparation programs are perfect. Come on!

One of the most exciting provisions of House Bill 1711 is the mandate for quality professional development for teachers and principals in priority schools. We have a responsibility to assist districts in helping teachers improve their skills as teachers. Teachers must be given the tools to teach the diverse learners of today, and many of the priority schools have students often perceived as difficult to teach. Through a number of professional development opportunities, we will be able to help you help those teachers. Again, education won’t happen without leadership.

I think many of the public school critics have little interest in educating all kids. As we go back in history, we find that one of the basic tenets of public education was to educate all kids. "All" was defined differently then, of course. We have to realize that that’s been a continuing struggle. Many of you sitting in this audience would find your jobs easier if you didn’t have to educate all kids. Many of you sitting in here know what a high percentage of your time is spent on but a few kids. You also know that those kids represent what we’re all about in the public schools. Public school is intended to be one of the great equalizers in a stratified society, for it removes children from the influence of inequalities "at home" and subjects them to a more uniform learning environment in school. The legislation wasn’t titled "Leave Few Children Behind."

A number of you worked this year to get some language changed in Missouri’s special education law. That change wasn’t sought because we wanted to provide less service to students; it was needed to enable us to continue the level of service to students without spending tremendous amounts of resources, human and capital, on technicalities and litigation. All kids deserve an education, and I am pleased that so many of our students with IEPs are moving out of Step 1 on the MAP. Expectations matter. We’re educating more kids today better than ever. There are kids graduating from college today that many people would have given up on not many years ago.

School Districts Support "MAP" Testing

Providing quality education is a very complicated process, and it does demand a great deal of leadership. You have tough decisions every day, probably none tougher than at budget time when you must decide which programs will receive priority funding. Because I’ve been in that position, it made me so proud when 460 of you decided to voluntarily administer the MAP in science and social studies next Spring. Continuing to monitor your district’s progress was a priority. Continuing with the school improvement efforts in which you and so many of your staff have invested so much was a priority. I consider this decision to be the kind of ‘long range’ leadership I have been talking about, and I commend you for that.

It’s extremely important to keep in mind that the focus of your decisions is on the education of the whole child, not on the competing demands of the English department and the physical education department. Resolving those conflicts, and there certainly are some, in a civil manner so that, ultimately, we all walk out together is extremely important; and your success at that will probably be your measure of success as a school administrator. Your ability to bring those community groups together to support bond issues and tax levies, the ability to mend fences after a defeat of a bond issue or a tax levy, the ability to withstand the termination of a popular teacher because it was the right thing to do. All of those challenges require the kind of leadership that was exemplified by Grant and Lee.

Tight Money Means "We Must Choose the Right Things"

Providing real leadership during a time of tight money is very critical. We could use the current financial situation as an excuse to permit school to just happen. We could say, "Well, we don’t have the money to move forward." We can’t do that to Kelsi. She can’t help that she came to kindergarten in 2002-2003. The fact that money is tight means we have to make choices, and we must choose the right things. It was pretty clear to all Missourians what Bob Holden thought was the right priority when budget cuts had to be made this year: the foundation formula was not cut, and an increase was given for FY2003. That’s what leadership is about. It’s easier with money. And, eventually, the economy will turn around; and we’ll have more money. But until that happens, we can’t just let school happen. Leadership--thoughtful, courageous leadership--is what we must all exhibit.

Making decisions that appear to be tough often aren’t that difficult, if we are guided by the character exemplified by Grant and Lee. If we are guided by what is right for kids—not what is politically expedient—then we will make the right decisions. If we are guided by a genuine belief that all kids are important and their education is important, we will make the right decision. If you take time to go to the kindergarten classes in your districts and look in the eyes of the Kelsi’s, it will be pretty easy to make the right decisions. Yes, we have challenges, lots of them; but we’ll never have a chance for Kelsi to go to kindergarten again. We have to lead to make sure that great education happens this year. Nearly one million kids across Missouri are counting on us.

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