The STAAR scores are out for 3-8 and they are underwhelming at best, disappointing at worst. Teaching is tough, testing is draining, and everyone is trying to meet the ever rising expectations of an ever demand administration. Here's the problem: the demands and and the compliance there of have not produced the desired results.
Why we care
We care because the Superintendent is unpopular. Yes we care about our students and we want to see them perform better, but the problem is there was a lot of over promising and even more under performance. If changes had been made in a more diplomatic way, the low scores would be a more "business as usual" disappointment instead of a "you destroyed the district and this is evidence" disappointment.
Implications
This will be used as evidence that the superintendent's plans have failed. While it's easy to look at it that way and it seems pretty apparent, I more think this is proof that the changes aren't better that what was here. Maybe this is semantics or me being more middle of the road (which I tend to be) but I've said before that to make a sweeping change, you have to prove that the change is better than the current system. Miles took that gamble and it seems that he's lost. At best, it's equivalent in effectiveness to what was there before, but by the numbers, if looking at them in a vacuum, it's worse.
What's next
He and everyone still in his dwindling camp will say that he needs more time. This si something people would be open to if he showed the same courtesy to teachers, principals, and others who have been reprimanded and swept out during his time at the helm. Miles' rule is falling. Crumbling would be more accurate. He will not last. He will exit with a whimper, not a bang. There will not be anymore big protests with opposing groups yelling at each other. There won't a huge surprise vote called by Trustee Nutall or Foreman. He will fade quietly out of DISD and then many here will rejoice. Why? His attitude and approach. It wasn't test scores or changes that did him in. It was him and only him.
Why that makes me sad
I was a fan of some of his ideas. I've always said there's a place at the table for any and all techniques you can prove work. It's about educating the kids. Not how, but that you are conveying information and having a positive impact on students. This will taint any "new" ideas or "reforms" that come anytime soon. The infighting has polarized Dallas and now everyone will be more resistant to change an innovation going forward. It only hurts the students. Who do we blame for that? Miles? Sure that's the easy target and, honestly, what he signed up for. I choose, instead, to lament what looks like the onset of the education dark ages in DISD. Keeping/firing Miles isn't the answer, the damage is done whether he stays or goes. There's no short term quick fix. Now is the time to brace ourselves for the coming drought and prepare to do what we as teachers have always done, fight to catch our kids up our kids come to us behind.
Why we care
We care because the Superintendent is unpopular. Yes we care about our students and we want to see them perform better, but the problem is there was a lot of over promising and even more under performance. If changes had been made in a more diplomatic way, the low scores would be a more "business as usual" disappointment instead of a "you destroyed the district and this is evidence" disappointment.
Implications
This will be used as evidence that the superintendent's plans have failed. While it's easy to look at it that way and it seems pretty apparent, I more think this is proof that the changes aren't better that what was here. Maybe this is semantics or me being more middle of the road (which I tend to be) but I've said before that to make a sweeping change, you have to prove that the change is better than the current system. Miles took that gamble and it seems that he's lost. At best, it's equivalent in effectiveness to what was there before, but by the numbers, if looking at them in a vacuum, it's worse.
What's next
He and everyone still in his dwindling camp will say that he needs more time. This si something people would be open to if he showed the same courtesy to teachers, principals, and others who have been reprimanded and swept out during his time at the helm. Miles' rule is falling. Crumbling would be more accurate. He will not last. He will exit with a whimper, not a bang. There will not be anymore big protests with opposing groups yelling at each other. There won't a huge surprise vote called by Trustee Nutall or Foreman. He will fade quietly out of DISD and then many here will rejoice. Why? His attitude and approach. It wasn't test scores or changes that did him in. It was him and only him.
Why that makes me sad
I was a fan of some of his ideas. I've always said there's a place at the table for any and all techniques you can prove work. It's about educating the kids. Not how, but that you are conveying information and having a positive impact on students. This will taint any "new" ideas or "reforms" that come anytime soon. The infighting has polarized Dallas and now everyone will be more resistant to change an innovation going forward. It only hurts the students. Who do we blame for that? Miles? Sure that's the easy target and, honestly, what he signed up for. I choose, instead, to lament what looks like the onset of the education dark ages in DISD. Keeping/firing Miles isn't the answer, the damage is done whether he stays or goes. There's no short term quick fix. Now is the time to brace ourselves for the coming drought and prepare to do what we as teachers have always done, fight to catch our kids up our kids come to us behind.
RSS Feed