A Fast Track to Status Quo for Schools

A recent proposal by schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines to establish 11 new sub-districts is a failed idea.

Over the 35 years I have taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District, I have seen the district go from areas to regions to clusters. These regional offices were populated with figures who occasionally dropped by for momentary classroom visits, but their titles were obscure and what they did remains a mystery.

Through the years there have been serious attempts at change, such as the mentor teacher program and LEARN. As a mentor in special education, I was usually assigned to help four teachers at various locations away from my school. Some of these teachers wanted help and some avoided any change. After several years, the frustration of trying to teach my own class and help other teachers made me leave the program. LEARN presented another opportunity for change through increased decision making on the part of teachers, principals and parents. I joined other teachers on LEARN committees that took me away from my class or met after school when there was little energy left for problem solving. There was also little focus on improving classroom achievement. LEARN did empower teachers to make some decisions about how money was allocated but our options were extremely limited.

Change can’t happen if we don’t attract talented people to the teaching profession. To do this it is necessary to raise salaries.

When I began, teaching, nursing and social work were the only options that didn’t require breaking through the barriers of male-dominated professions. I struggled to send my daughter to college on a salary that never came close to that of professions requiring the same amount of education and training. Now that there are fewer barriers, it is important to give status to teaching by not only raising salaries but providing working conditions that other professions take for granted, such as modern equipment, telephones in the classroom, computers and personnel to help with nonteaching tasks. These changes would go far in increasing the time and energy teachers could devote to students. It is also important that schools be clean, painted and reflect an environment that says that we value what you do here.

Cortines is right to want to dismantle the old district culture, but this plan only appears to make LAUSD smaller and more responsive to the educational needs of students. There is no reality in reform that establishes another level of authority composed of the same people who are part of the old, ineffective bureaucracy.

Real change in the quality of teaching can begin by taking money targeted for district offices and personnel and establishing instructional support positions at every elementary and secondary school. For example, teachers with demonstrated expertise in the classroom and ability to develop curriculum would be selected by an independent assessment process. These instructional leaders, as part of the school staff, would work side by side in the classroom with new teachers. Additional personnel could be used to help with nonteaching tasks. Paraprofessionals would continue to assist teachers in instruction.

A redesign of traditional classrooms could include the addition of graduate students and interns to facilitate activities such as small computer groups, discussion circles and individual tutoring. This redesign would also need to provide some flexibility for teachers to meet with colleagues and discuss issues relating to instruction and curriculum development.

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If we want the highest level of commitment and energy to be focused on instruction, we can’t expect the classroom teacher to continue to take responsibility for a myriad of nonteaching tasks. Imagine a doctor who had to sterilize instruments, get the examining room ready, schedule patients, treat them, X-ray them and meet with family members. Yet a teacher has to obtain materials, organize the room, schedule instruction time, provide for individual student needs, prepare reports, correct papers, attend meetings and discuss student progress with parents. A teacher’s expertise and energy should be focused on educating students.

Cortines says that we are on a very fast train in the area of reform. Unfortunately, the train is traveling backward to a destination that is all too familiar. Recent events have created a crisis that makes real change possible but only if we resist recycled proposals that perpetuate the status quo and devise new, creative ways to directly support the needs of teachers and students.