Ohio has released an updated set of graduation requirements for public school students to obtain a diploma. Recently a reporter (@paodonne) asked for my take on the situation and I was going to call him back. I should say that I appreciate the Olmsted Falls Board of Education, the administrators and all of my colleagues in the system because without you, I’m nothing. You put the wind in my sails. Together we achieve greatness.  Here it goes…

Albert Einstein said that, understanding the problem is often times more important than the solutions that are generated. More specifically–“If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” That says a great deal to me. Einstein had one of the best minds in the history of the world and the guy essentially says– I need to think about what I’m trying to solve (inside and out) before I can offer a solution. Profound right? Let’s think about this as it relates to Ohio’s high school graduation requirements. Let’s think about the problem and encourage others to do the same.

Here are some questions: 1) what was the purpose of public education at its onset…the genesis of it? 2) what problem was it trying to solve? Likely answer–The purpose was to try and determine who would contribute, and how would they contribute to the continuation of the American way of life? Worthy goals.

That question was addressed by a committee of 10 people who designed the public educational system…a really long time ago. From 1890 through 1980ish, the solution that was developed worked. Essentially, “let’s sort the people that are worthy of running businesses from those that “work” and contribute to the development of an industrialized country.”

My grandfather who served in the Pacific Theater in World War 2 and had a sixth grade education benefited. Prior to being an Army Sargent he worked as a coal miner. After WW2 he moved to Lorain, took a job with the Ford Motor Company and raised a family. The economy at the time had plenty of manufacturing jobs for people, and while my grandfather did not have a formal education, he was, by all indicators, successful. He worked, contributed to society and raised a family. The “good ‘ole days” didn’t have a large number of people graduating with high school diplomas because…check this…it didn’t have to! The system, as designed, did its job. It sorted people and my grandfather was sorted into a manufacturing job. The same sorting mechanism occurred for his 3 sons. All graduated high school in the 1960’s and contributed in the same way. The public educational system worked as designed.

Fast-forward to 2019 and think about the same question that was posed above: 1) what is the purpose of public education; and 2) what problem are we trying to solve now? The answer to this question is profoundly different when compared to the question that was asked long ago, and herein the challenge is revealed. Are we faced with an entirely different problem, or are we simply trying to evolve the purpose of the system that worked for my grandfather post WW2? I’d argue that it is different…profoundly different! The problem of how to “leave no child behind” or “providing a high quality education for all” is a significantly different type of problem compared to the problem that existed when the system was created at its onset (see Tony Wagner’s work).

In order for current K-12 students to be ready to excel (let alone survive) in the kind of world that exists in 2019, is vastly different when compared to post WW2; yet the system of public education has remained largely intact. Sure we have STEAM, STEM, AP, and honors courses. However, our system is set up to go this way–Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2; Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry; etc. In Ohio, we’ve also introduced the idea of holding students and school districts accountable to “higher standards” by requiring a set of assessments throughout their public educational journey. We’ve instituted a ranking and ordering system—a sorting system if you will; in order to help the public determine who is good at this game, and who isn’t.

My response to, “what do you think about Ohio’s new graduation requirements” is this–those pulling the strings still don’t fully understand the problem and, as Einstein tells us, it is more important to understand the problem than it is to define the solution.  The problem we face in Ohio (and even the Nation) is–

How do we provide learning experiences for students that will engage them and enable them to make a difference, contribute in the 21st Century and beyond AND, moreover;  how should public school districts provide evidence that they are ensuring this mission has been first launched and, second, progress is being made?

This is a local, state and federal question. The current method of accounting does this poorly on all levels. First, how is this done with local communities, and second, with the state that supports these efforts, and finally, with the Federal government that has an interest that this is occurring despite providing very little resources to make it happen? Our Republic and way of life is important. Despite our flaws, I love this country.  NOTE–the order of questioning outlined above is purposeful and important. The job of educating citizens is left to each state before it is addressed by the Nation.  As a school superintendent I feel my local obligation before my obligation to the state or feds. At least in Ohio, I’m held accountable to my local community…or at least I should be because they provide the lion’s share of resources before the state does.

I would argue that if you don’t understand the problem fully and you’re trying to develop a solution, you’re not going to fully solve the problem. How could you? The high school graduation solutions generated feel like a series of “tweaks” or adjustments to me because those making them don’t fully understand the problem. I’ve been in the K-12 Public Education arena since 1994, and it feels like tweaking to me. I’ve been “tweaked” more  at the federal and at the state level than I have locally; and I think that’s wrong. Here’s a walk down memory lane for evidence:

1. Kids benefit more from peer interaction than they do teachers so let’s bus them to different places (Coleman Report). FAIL
2. Public education is wallowing in a “tide of mediocrity”(A Nation At Risk). WRONG and FAIL.
3. Let’s create a set of incentives to create educational standards by state to ensure they’re focusing (Goals 2000). GOOD idea that got twisted so FAIL.
4. We’re leaving kids behind, we need to hold them accountable, let’s test them on a single day to see how they rate and rank. Let’s mandate “local” report cards that are heavy on testing indicators (re-authorization of ESSA through NCLB). FAIL because it wasn’t forward thinking.
5. Achievement scores aren’t the right idea because the poor kids struggle, so let’s think about this new idea of “value-added” and determine how much growth kids are making compared to others (Still NCLB). GOOD idea, but Ohio FAILED because of the model it chose. 
6. Let’s take that idea of “value added” and use it to rank kids and evaluate teachers, principals and districts. NOTE–this was not the initial purpose of value added. TRIPLE FAIL. Ohio’s model has inherent socio-economic variables that made the model fallible as evidenced by the fact that we’re moving away from it for the purposes of evaluating principals and teachers.
7. In Ohio and other parts of the Nation, let’s create a set of National learning objectives and then rank and rate students on the accomplishment of those…let’s race to the top and hold a carrot in front of states and provide an unprecedented amount of resources to compel them to that end  (Race to the Top). SUCCESS conceptually (common standards), but FAIL because of the assessment system focused on a very small set of learning objectives. FAIL x 50 for each state.
8. Holy cow, we’re still leaving kids behind, let’s put even more tests in front of them to see how they rate and rank (the re-re-authorization of ESSA). FAIL.
9. In Ohio, “let’s reduce testing because the constituents are complaining about it.” NOTE: not, “let’s reduce testing of subjects on a single day at a particular point in time because it is only a sample of accounting for learning and this is an inaccurate way to determine what kids know,” but “let’s quiet them down.” FAIL because the problem isn’t clearly understood. You can assign more FAIL if you’d like. 

FAIL, FAIL, FAIL, FAIL and more FAIL. My colleagues and I have been 20th Century model “tweaked” to death, despite having a 21st Century “calling” and duty to prepare students for jobs and careers that do not exist.  As a school superintendent I am asking students and teachers to live in 2 worlds. Prepare them for the 21st Century (we’re currently in this remember) and help students pass the tests (a 20th century technology). That’s a problem. In my opinion, I believe that the majority of those in the field would agree with me, however they don’t say it for a variety of reasons. Local school boards have been hypnotized to believe that the system is just and they perform well within it. Why would you advocate for a different model when you’re at the top of the heap in the current one? Some are part of districts that do not perform well within the system and to speak out against it would be construed as sour grapes and shedding their accountability requirement. Other districts are currently “occupied” (see Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland) and it would be “educational heresy;” and there are those that may simply disagree with my logic (likely a small few). I would encourage my fellow high performing districts to show no deference to Ohio’s accountability system–the “All A” seals, the growth awards and the banners–not because you don’t deserve the accolades for the hard work you’ve done, but because this model does not seek to improve the outcomes or report on the most important 21st Century outcomes for ALL kids in Ohio. The graduation requirements and the accountability system is unjust and inaccurate from the inside out. It offers nothing.

I’ll offer these 20th Century fun facts–

• Being named a Valedictorian or Salutatorian has no bearing on a person’s ability to make a contribution in the 21st Century. Some students and parents may like it, but it doesn’t matter. Thankfully in my district we got rid of that long ago. To the Ohio House Rep that is considering putting this into law…consider reading. Truth be told, I graduated high school with a 2.7 GPA and obtained one of those diplomas that, “didn’t mean anything,” because I didn’t pass a battery of tests to bless it as meaningful. I’m a first generation college student related to a grandfather that fought in the Pacific Theater in WW2 with a 6th grade education, and worked on the line for the Ford Motor Company. ‘Aint’ that America!
• Passing an Ohio End of Course exam shows no evidence of improving the outcomes of students longitudinally. You may be eligible for an Ohio Diploma, but it doesn’t mean you’ll be successful just because you successfully passed a battery of tests. Even if you win, you still may lose.
• High scores on the ACT, SAT or any other assessment show no evidence of a person’s ability to make a contribution in the 21st Century. It may gain you admittance, but it shows no evidence of increasing the likelihood of obtaining a college degree nor  make a contribution to society.
• Despite the fact that we may be “losing” the achievement race in regards to the TIMMS or PISA, Americans have more patents and innovative ideas than any other country. In short, you don’t win a banner for placing at the top of the international list, or even in the top 5 for worldwide test scores. In short, “yay…we’re first…what do we win?” While data demonstrates that people with a high school diploma earn more than those that do not; there’s no evidence that test scores link the same way. Obtaining a high school diploma demonstrates considerable benefit compared to those that do not obtain one. People with a diploma live longer, have a happier life, pay taxes and are less incarcerated. People that don’t have a high school diploma experience the opposite. Remember, prospective citizens come to our country because of freedom and justice; not because we score higher than Taiwan, but because what our country has to offer them.

Understanding the problem is often more important than the solution…My response is–understand the problem fully before applying the solution(s). Ohio elected officials.

We’re not trying to improve on the American Public Educational model. The American Public Educational System is trying to accomplish something different…something awesome…something other Nations won’t assume the burden for. Educating ALL students to be prepared to make a difference and a contribution in the 21st Century isn’t a “tweak” or a reform; it’s a damn TRANSFORMATION. We aren’t faced with doing something a little different; we’ve faced with doing something that we’ve never done before…perhaps something no community, state or nation has attempted. Our transformation requires us to check the egos at the door and not rely on Fordham or any of think-tank that protests to want to put us first. It requires us to fully embrace the Portrait of a Graduate skills that many public school districts are identifying Nationally–we need to collaborate, communicate, think critically, be creative, and demonstrate steadfast citizenship. It is the “road less traveled.” It isn’t easy, and there isn’t a script or research study that has been written. America has never been about easy or quick. We’re slow; bogged down and dang right calculated. It’s always been about a debate and a conversation and this conversation needs to be inclusive (all constituents), and it takes time to do it right.

I firmly believe that our elected officials get into the business of service to do the very best they can. I’ve had great conversations with my representatives in Ohio and I know that they care and want to do well. No one in their right mind would put themselves into the fray otherwise. In the interest of simply “getting it done,” they sometimes get lost. Ohio’s current graduation “tweak” is…meh. It makes some adjustments, but it still doesn’t understand the problem. High standards…yes! Content competency? Yes; however content isn’t enough. Honestly, what matters most in the 21st Century isn’t content competency…it’s important, but not enough. Those that want standardized tests want evidence of competency; however what matters most is very difficult to measure–but not impossible. We need to recognize that a student’s performance on a test that measures a sampling of the learning objectives at a particular point in time is not sufficient to say that they’re competent or incompetent. It is a very, very small sample of learning at a particular point in time. It’s easy, but it won’t work for our transformation. Relying on assessments doesn’t make an Ohio diploma mean something. Just because someone tells you that standardized tests makes a diploma mean something doesn’t make it so. It may be what all the other states use, but it’s insufficient.

My concern with Ohio’s Graduation Requirements is that it continues to rely on a sample of a student’s test performance on a particular day at a particular time. It is a partial accounting (thanks John Tanner) of skill and it puts socio-economically disadvantaged students at risk for failure when they may not be failing. It ignores poverty and the challenges that many Ohioans face. Kids don’t shed their problems or their poverty at the school house door before they enter our buildings. If you can highly correlate test performance with income; that says something. It says the deck is stacked against some and favors others. Just because you start the game with a runner on third base doesn’t mean that you hit a triple. The current system is morally wrong…even though my school district performs very well within the current system. We can debate all of the psychometric properties of these assessments and end at a stalemate, but the graduation solution and accountability system, at its core, is just plain wrong.

We need to clearly understanding the problem before we apply the solution. My take is that the vast majority still do not fully understand the problem.

My grandfather said, “do it right, or do it over.” He wasn’t educated, but he was smart.

Thanks for hanging in.

Jim

Note: I owe a considerable debt of gratitude to the following people for the ideas that they’ve put forth that have helped to enlighten me. I didn’t site your works specifically, but by God you’ve inspired me in more ways than you can imagine. To the reader…Google them and read all that you can. Thank you.

Tony Wagner

John Tanner

Ted Dintersmith

Phil Schlechty