A simple formula for excellence: People + Processes

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Over the past two years, I have had the privilege and good fortune to be a part of what I believe to be one of the greatest movements in Georgia history to transform public education. In 2009, the Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia School Superintendents Association embarked on a journey to bring together educators and communities to have a candid discussion about what public education should look like and to develop recommendations on how that might be realized. This movement, while still in it’s infancy, has the potential to breathe new life into our education system to make student learning more rigorous, relevant, and real and to propel public education as the economic engine to compete in a global economy.

So what’s different about this effort compared to the multitude of reform efforts in the past?

• Well for starters, it is not a mandate.
• Secondly, it is a statewide movement, originated by educators and their communities rather than politicians.
• The objective is to not just reform public education but to transform it.
• For that kind of change to occur and be sustainable, it must originate and be embraced from within rather than being mandated from the outside.

So you might be thinking…what’s the answer? The answer is actually quite simple, yet extremely complex to solve. It is not a new program, policy or law. It is a new culture that embraces and supports public education as the single most important function of our society.

As I look at the good work done by over 70 planning team members, research associates, and facilitators, I believe the answer to transform public education can be best summarized in a simple formula.

People
People make things happen. We need people with the will and courage to do extraordinary things through effective leadership at the federal, state and local level and through dedicated, caring and passionate teachers.

Processes
The quest to meet Federal and State mandates has forced public education into a system of compliance. To truly change, innovate and breathe new life into what and how we teach our students, processes must change and they need to change at all levels. These processes must be both effective and efficient.

Culture of Excellence
Culture is simply defined as “the way things are done around here”. The standard for educating our students must be at the highest level and of the utmost importance. We must build a new culture around what we know and believe to be our vision and the core business of public education…providing an equitable and excellent education for every student that prepares them for college, career, and life.

To create this Culture of Excellence, we must see a change in people and processes at every level. Many people think that public education is resistant to change. I would argue that no other business deals with more change on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis than our public education system. Think about it – change comes from every direction. Federal and State governments pass laws that mandate changes on our schools every year. Local communities are constantly changing whether it is demographics, socio-economic, etc. Most importantly students are constantly changing. I just think about my own two kids (one in elementary school and one in middle school). I am watching them change every day right before my eyes. Just ask a teacher how many two days are exactly alike. Public educators are change agents. We just need to create the right culture that fosters the kind of innovative change that is in the best interest of the student.

Education is about people! It always has been and always will be. It is the student, the teacher, the parent, the administrators, the community, the employers, the state and federal policy makers. We all have a vested interest in this effort. With 92% of all school-aged children in Georgia attending public education, we cannot afford to get it wrong.

The 160 page book developed by the planning team, entitled “A Vision for Public Education: Equity and Excellence” talks at great length about the people, processes and culture necessary to achieve this vision. You can access the full report along with many other tremendous resources from the Vision for Public Education website.  Become a part of this transformation movement. I encourage and urge you to read up on the good work done and engage in the discussion to help define what this might look like in your community. This vision will only be realized through ordinary people who want to do extraordinary things…for kids.

Printable Version: Excellence Blog – A simple formula for excellence

Our contributor, Mark Willis

As a long time advocate for the effective use of technology at the board governance level, Mr. Willis has worked directly with numerous boards to integrate technology with the district Leadership Team (Board and Superintendent). Mr. Willis is a product of public education and earned his bachelor of science in business administration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Mr. Willis is a member of the Georgia Society of Association Executives, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants.