Keynote address by Commissioner of Education
D. Kent King for the
Centennial Education Conference,
Northwest Missouri State University, MaryvilleMarch 2, 2006
It is truly an honor to be a part of the Centennial Education Conference at this great university. As I look around the room, I notice only a few who were probably here when the institution was founded as the Fifth District Normal School in 1905. As many of you know, the purpose of the two-year program at the Normal School was to educate teachers for the region.
I’ve been given the task to discuss a pretty heavy topic: "Building the Capacity of Missouri Educators to Maximize Students’ Performance." You notice that I said I was given that topic; I didn’t say that I was going to talk about it. Actually, I decided that I would rather talk about kids. Kids, and—what we must do to realize increased student learning; greater rates of student attendance; higher graduation rates; more successful postsecondary citizens; and reduced achievement gaps among students of different backgrounds.
Then the question becomes: What do kids need to achieve these things? They need highly qualified educators; challenging curricula; safe, secure environments; and caring adults.
This is an institution recognized as outstanding for many reasons; but a major strength is the University’s strong commitment to quality, having received the prestigious Missouri Quality Award as well as national awards. President Hubbard has been a leader truly committed to quality. Here, educators are nurtured so they can help students learn more successfully. Tomorrow’s program will focus on Professional Learning Communities, which has similar characteristics to Total Quality Management. They both emphasize common vision and mission; data driven decision making; shared decision making and collective learning; and collaborative teaming.
I mentioned that kids need highly qualified teachers in a challenging curriculum, taught in a safe, secure environment by caring adults. The real focus for us, then, is to determine how we can help schools achieve. At the state level, we have used the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) to focus on improved student learning. While not truly a Total Quality Management model, it has many of these characteristics. That process has resulted in the greatest change in Missouri’s schools in the past 15 years.
We do what we do so that kids can learn, graduate, and achieve success in their post-secondary life. Northwest has filled a unique role in helping educators accomplish these tasks.
Many of the school districts represented in this room are very small. In fact, as Missourians consider the role of the university, they probably link it to small schools. Most people may not realize how important this institution is to the kids of the Kansas City, Missouri, School District. With the support of the Kauffman and Hall Foundations, Northwest began a Residential Internship Program in Kansas City. Creation of the program enables individuals to adapt to a different culture prior to going to the classroom on their own. Interns are housed in a common learning community in downtown Kansas City, and they are provided assistance. That effort is all about providing kids with highly qualified teachers who would not, in all likelihood, elect to work in that urban environment without some support. The teachers are successful and staying in the Kansas City School District.
In another effort to assist Kansas City students, Northwest Missouri State University is participating in the fourth year of a federal transition to teaching grant that provides ‘mid-career changers’ with supervision while they complete their certification while teaching in the public school classroom. A similar program works with some rural school districts in Northwest Missouri as well. In both programs, the university evaluates the data to determine success, and both are successful.
In collaboration with the Northwest Regional Professional Development Center, the university has been involved in the New Teacher Induction Pilot which requires a teamed environment including the principal and others from the school and features monthly programming, either at the school site or on campus. This is another example of the commitment to building Professional Learning Communities so adults can work together to maximize student achievement. Successful teachers are also more likely to stay in the profession.
When we think about collaborating, or partnering, I can think of no better example than the Area Cooperative Educational Support (ACES) program that is a joint venture of 20 school districts, Representative Brad Lager, Northwest Missouri State University, DESE, the RPDC, and other service providers in the region. ACES is all about serving those students who have special learning needs or need an alternative setting to succeed in school. The goal is to increase the likelihood of high school graduation and improve the learning environment for the other students. This program is already making a difference, and we look forward to increased graduation rates and more successful citizens as a result.
It is interesting how challenges for educators are similar, whether they are the smallest school districts in Northwest Missouri or the larger districts of Kansas City, Liberty, or North Kansas City. To create a caring environment where there are high expectations for students, any school district must have a vision that is shared by all; all the adults must believe that all students can learn and be committed to helping them do so.
All school districts must base their decisions, whether financial or instructional, on data. ACES was formed because the data suggested that collaboration was the only way that certain issues could be addressed due to size and money.
Retaining teachers in all districts is greatly enhanced if there is success along with shared decision making and collective learning that leads to a more secure learning environment.
Whatever the issue, Northwest has answered the call, as we have looked for ways to improve the quality of educators available to the students of Missouri. Almost six years ago, I met with a group of college education deans and chairs. We discussed the growing shortage of quality educators, especially in the areas of math and science. At that meeting, I made it very clear that Missouri was going to encourage more alternative routes to teacher certification. We were interested in quality educators, regardless of their route to attaining the certificate. Why? Because our kids could not wait for the traditional process! Northwest stepped up and now has some 16 alternative certification programs, and students are benefiting.
Early today, I visited with a group of students who attend the Math and Science Academy. This is an example of the value of a non-traditional approach to educating some truly gifted students. These students come from throughout Missouri to spend their final two years of high school in a very rigorous curriculum. This is a great opportunity for some of our brightest and most highly motivated students. Northwest brought this idea to us; and, collectively, we broke down some barriers so it could work. Our kids are benefiting.
We are still faced with many challenges, but Northwest will be there. We need more and better trained administrators who truly understand the quality concept of shared decision-making and collaborative teaming. I have long talked about the role of the principal as instructional leader, and I believe that. However, I know that the real world gets in the way of that because principals are expected to be at the gym every night. This issue calls for more shared decision-making for teacher leaders and for administrators who are confident enough to share that leadership role.
As we look at potential solutions to help with urban schools, we should look at some of the successful models in smaller schools. As we find it harder to manage adolescents in large numbers, we are seeing many districts return to the K-8 structure. This reduces the number of transitions for students, and it may help create a more caring environment for them. This idea, like some others, just keeps recycling. Another is looping. I encourage Northwest to consider it at Horace Mann so prospective teachers can see the value of it. Although a new name, it has long been a practice in some schools. Having the same teacher with the same group of students for two or three years offers a better chance for students to learn, provided that all teachers are highly qualified. One of the true heroines in my family, a great aunt, was teaching elementary students from grade 1 to 2 to 3 in Gary, Indiana 40 years ago. She was using "looping;" she didn’t know it was "looping," but it was.
Northwest has been at the table as Missouri has made a significant step by requiring a mentor for new administrators. Our program is unique in the nation because it was collaboratively created and is managed by institutions of higher education, educational associations, the RPDCs and DESE. All of those groups agree on this program, and it’s working. This school year saw a real impact on superintendent mentoring, and the principal piece has been successful; but an earlier start next year will yield better results. Why do this? To help kids succeed and graduate from school prepared to become successful in their postsecondary life.
Even with the changes we have implemented, we must work collectively to change the culture of schools so that they are based on the concepts of quality. Too often decisions are not based on data; they are often based on local politics, or worse. Helping educators understand how best to use all the data they have will help them to educate their citizens on the rationale for decisions as well as to create a common vision for the role of schools.
I mentioned earlier that the role of the principal is very difficult to change in our culture. Therefore, we must change the structure so that there is a much greater focus on sharing the decision-making among principals and teachers so we can access the wisdom of the teachers and slowly change the expectation of the community. We need to facilitate these changes via teacher assignments, compensation, etc. If we get shared decision-making down pat, we may even attract people with no educational background to fill different roles than we currently permit.
An old elementary riddle goes like this. "Why was the principal worried?" The answer is "Because there are so many rulers in the school." I hope we can create a climate where more rulers are welcomed—not feared.
When we look at the creation of schools based on quality concepts, we must continue to ask the most important question of all: "Is it good for Kelsi?" Many of you know that I have been talking about Kelsi since I have been in this position, and before. Kelsi just turned 9 and is totally in charge of her third-grade classroom; maybe she is the ultimate example of shared decision-making. She hasn’t missed a day of school in her four years, and she has every intention of keeping that record intact. Sandy and I aren’t sure if she likes school that much or if she is afraid she may no longer be in charge if she isn’t there every day. Seriously, she loves school; and she often tries to impart to her 14-year-old sister that school is fun and important.
Maybe that is the most important lesson I can leave you with tonight. Kelsi has been provided highly qualified teachers. She has been provided challenging curricula. She has been taught by caring adults in a safe environment. As a result, she has learned to high levels and doesn’t want to miss school.
That same experience should be provided for every student. That must be our common mission as we go about building the capacity of Missouri educators. Sometimes, though, we make it harder to understand than we need to. See, it isn’t about Professional Learning Communities, Total Quality Management, and the Missouri School Improvement Program. These are just tools—tools to help educators help Kelsi. It really is all about Kelsi!