An Analysis of Governor Scott Walker’s (R-WI) Education Reform Plan, Part 2
Throughout my twenty-four years in the military, I had the privilege and pleasure of observing army commanders at all echelons of command (from second lieutenants to four-star generals), all stages of leadership development (from squad leaders to commanders in charge of combat operations), and all stages of leadership experiences (from recent graduate of officer training corps to 30+ years of military experiences). I make this point here because despite their differences in authorities, responsibilities, and experiences there were several leadership practices and strategies that they had in common. One of the most prominent of these happens to be the one that is most relevant to this discussion: All these leaders were excellent at probing into problems. They were relentless at digging for “the truth or the real cause of the problem.” The senior leaders, quite often, only needed 10-15 minutes to accomplish this ― even for difficult problems. Moreover, not only would they arrive at the truth, but they would, through the framing of their questions and their paraphrasing of the answers, make everyone, present during their questioning, aware of the real cause of the problem, and possible solutions to consider (work that required research and follow-up discussions). Most importantly, they also made everyone aware of “what’s working well,” and doesn’t need to be fixed.
I thought about this as I read the governor’s plan, because military leaders probing styles became ingrained in everyone, who observed it over a period of time ― including me! I found myself probing and probing I read the governor’s plan. Finally I realize that the governor’s plan is missing the most important element that it should contain: The truth!
Consider, for example, the first sentence in the governor’s plan in the section entitled “Focus on Fundamentals.” It states the following: “Today, 33% of Wisconsin fourth graders cannot read at even a basic level ― proof that Wisconsin’s educational system is failing our children.”
Really, Governor? You are able to accurately correlate that the inability of 33% of fourth graders to read at a basic level is proof that our education system is failing them? This might be the truth to you, but it isn’t the truth to me. More importantly, it doesn’t inform those of us in education as to the root cause of this problem: “Education system is failing our children” is vague. It doesn’t provide us with a sense of the possible elements we should be considering.
Let me pose some probing questions that I believe would help us to begin pin-pointing the root of the problem. Here goes:
1. If 33% of fourth graders cannot read at a basic level, it means that 67% can. What are the common dominators among the 67%, and how do they differ from the common dominators among the 33%.
2. What would you likely see if you compare and contrast the two groups, concerning home-life factors that increase reading achievement? For example, what percent of the students were involved in an early literacy program in their homes? What percentage of the students has parents that are actively involved in their learning? What percentage of parents has been involved in their learning since birth, or has formed parent-school partnerships? What are the students reading class attendance records. . .
3. Obviously, “some factors” in schools/homes of 67% of the students are enabling them to be successful. What are those factors? (Since they are working, we need to know what they are, and we need to keep them in place, with the goal ― if anything ― of improving them!)
4. Now let’s turn our attention to the 33%. What might be some the reasons why the factors that are enabling 67% of the students to be successful aren’t working for 33% of them? What are their attendance records, during classroom instruction time? How many are students that speak English as a second language? How many are students with special needs? How many are students-at-risk? (children with a wide assortment of serious social problems at home, including incarnation of parents, physical abuse, sexual abuse, substance abuse, extreme poverty, unstable environments, etc.)
5. In Green Bay, Milwaukee, Beloit, Racine, and the rest of the state, there have been increases in the number of students that speak English as a second language. What were their impacts on the 33%? What were their impacts on classroom instructions? There have also been increased numbers of students with special needs and students-at-risk. What affect did they have on classroom instructions and class sizes?
6. There has also been a drastic reduction in social services and the types of programs that benefited children in poverty. Have the students in the 33% been more affected by this reduction than the students in the 67%?
I could go on, but I think you understand my point: Governor Walker’s statement “. . . Wisconsin education system is failing our children” is vague at best and extremely irresponsible at worst. And this beautiful, wonderful state and its citizens deserves better. It deserves leaders who are going to take the time to assemble the excellent, creative talents that this state has in law enforcement, social services, health, education, labor, unions, ethnic groups, religious leaders, and yes, state office holders ― especially the one who resides in the governors mansion, for the purpose of digging, probing, and creating the real solutions for solving problems, like helping 33% of our fourth graders to read ― even if it means giving the school districts more money to do so, or saving entitlements so that it may keep these children and their families from going without food and shelter.
I know that I am praying to God that this governor does so!
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