All Districts Are Not Created Equal
Stephen Fusco - Blog 3
While often fixated on the educational policies and procedures that directly affect us, taking a step back to consider different theories/iterations of policies and procedures can help inform educational reform. On a recent vacation with my sister-in-law, we discussed several aspects of educational leadership in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and compared them to the way the Georgia Department of Education addresses the same issues. The differences are rather striking and despite the criticisms expressed by some regarding education in Georgia, educational leadership reform in Georgia is ahead of the curve.
In discussing an assignment related to summarizing the Georgia Educational Leadership (GEL) Standards, I asked my sister-in-law if they were similar to the standards in Pennsylvania. At first, she looked at me with some confusion. I offered her a copy of the GEL standards and she indicated that she does not believe there are standards similar to GEL in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she noted that if they do exist, her school district does not stress them or use them as part of the evaluation process. While I have not investigated the Pennsylvania Department of Education website to determine if similar standards do exist, the reality of the situation is that there is an elementary school principal who doesn't think the standards exist and, even if they do, they are not utilized by the administration. As educational leaders, we must not simply pay lip service to the GEL Standards but we must also ensure that our teachers/fellow leaders know that the administration takes them seriously.
A second area where Pennsylvania differs from Georgia relates to the teacher evaluation system. In Pennsylvania, teachers go through a rigorous review process that involves almost a month of paperwork, conferences, observations, and evaluations. My sister-in-law noted that the system is extremely detailed and offers a 360-degree review of teachers but notes that the system is extremely cumbersome. With over 60 teachers in the school, she cannot physically complete all of the evaluations with fidelity. In Georgia, TKES offers a more streamlined process and recent reform efforts decreased the evaluation process for more seasoned professionals. A comparison of the two systems of teacher evaluations can provide insight as we develop as Georgia's educational leaders.
While often fixated on the educational policies and procedures that directly affect us, taking a step back to consider different theories/iterations of policies and procedures can help inform educational reform. On a recent vacation with my sister-in-law, we discussed several aspects of educational leadership in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and compared them to the way the Georgia Department of Education addresses the same issues. The differences are rather striking and despite the criticisms expressed by some regarding education in Georgia, educational leadership reform in Georgia is ahead of the curve.
In discussing an assignment related to summarizing the Georgia Educational Leadership (GEL) Standards, I asked my sister-in-law if they were similar to the standards in Pennsylvania. At first, she looked at me with some confusion. I offered her a copy of the GEL standards and she indicated that she does not believe there are standards similar to GEL in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she noted that if they do exist, her school district does not stress them or use them as part of the evaluation process. While I have not investigated the Pennsylvania Department of Education website to determine if similar standards do exist, the reality of the situation is that there is an elementary school principal who doesn't think the standards exist and, even if they do, they are not utilized by the administration. As educational leaders, we must not simply pay lip service to the GEL Standards but we must also ensure that our teachers/fellow leaders know that the administration takes them seriously.
A second area where Pennsylvania differs from Georgia relates to the teacher evaluation system. In Pennsylvania, teachers go through a rigorous review process that involves almost a month of paperwork, conferences, observations, and evaluations. My sister-in-law noted that the system is extremely detailed and offers a 360-degree review of teachers but notes that the system is extremely cumbersome. With over 60 teachers in the school, she cannot physically complete all of the evaluations with fidelity. In Georgia, TKES offers a more streamlined process and recent reform efforts decreased the evaluation process for more seasoned professionals. A comparison of the two systems of teacher evaluations can provide insight as we develop as Georgia's educational leaders.
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