SCHOOLS: Get to bottom line

While reading the Coeur d’Alene Press on Saturday, Nov. 16, I noticed four different articles on schools or education. One article on the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy referred to other articles from Newsweek, Businessweek, and the Washington Post that named this school as one of the best in the nation and probably the best school in Idaho. Why is this school better? Because their standards are higher.

“Nearly 100 percent of the students tested proficient or better on Idaho’s Standard Accountability measure.” They work harder. “You have to study hard or you fail.” Less time is spent on assemblies and other meetings. There isn’t as much reliance on technology, so students have to work out problems for themselves. In short, students are expected to work hard and perform well.

Some of the past articles I have read suggest Idaho schools, in general, are close to the worst performing in the nation. David Adler, in his Saturday article, suggested poor performance is because there is no early education, inadequate funding and inadequate preparation. Jolene Norcini stated “today many schools no longer challenge students with the exception of some charter schools.”

One of the Cd’A Press articles was also about whether or not the Coeur d’Alene school district should reauthorize the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy. Supposedly there is another way the Charter Academy could be authorized by the “Charter School Commission.” Superintendent Handelman isn’t sure the reauthorization is in the district’s best interest. Why? Because the “district staff would have to devote time to the charter school performance reviews. This is a hidden cost...”

I don’t know the difference between authorization by the District or authorization by the Charter School commission, but it seems to me there is something more important here than money. The District Superintendent is questioning whether or not the District should be associated with the best performing school in Idaho. I hope the School Board takes a serious look at this issue. Maybe the District should prioritize performance first and money second. Maybe the District could learn something from the Charter School. Maybe the Charter School should be conducting performance reviews on the District instead of the other way around.

I said that tongue in cheek. But what is the most important issue facing schools? It’s not teachers, not teacher pay or benefits, not facilities or buses, not supplies. It’s all about the students, it is student performance, it is about giving the students knowledge. How do you improve student performance? It’s an attitude, a culture. It is about wanting to be the best school and school district in your area. Student performance needs to start at the board. Board members need to be interested in student performance, they need to ask the Superintendent, how are students performing, how do we compare with other districts, how do we compare with other states, and what is being done to improve? The Superintendent needs to ask the principals, and the principals need to ask the teachers. Educators need to be rated on how well their students perform. Is there anything more important?

BRUCE HANSEN

Coeur d’Alene