Letter to Members
True school reform achieved only through collaboration
Any discussion on school reform
should address this core question:
What makes a quality school?
Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposes replacing large high schools that are plagued by low academic achievement and high dropout rates with smaller high schools (400 students or fewer). This is certainly worthy of consideration.
But we know small schools aren’t the end-all panacea—Michigan boasts many outstanding high schools, large and small.
Regardless of size, successful schools depend on many factors:
Qualified teachers and staff in every school; rigorous and relevant curriculums; safe learning environments for students and staff; manageable class sizes; up-to-date textbooks; modern computers and technology; and involved parents who help their children come to school ready to learn.
Too often overlooked and ignored in the school reform debate is another critical factor—successful learning environments are created by collaboration between school administrators and employees. This begins at the building level between principals and their staff and continues all the way up to the superintendent.
When this factor is ignored by administrators, MEA members are left out of the process of finding new ways for our students to succeed.
We are Michigan’s finest experts on creating great learning environments for students. We have dedicated our careers to ensuring that students succeed in school and in life. And for students to be prepared for college and the workplace, we must be heard as part of a collaborative approach to improving our schools.
Just as there are a myriad of factors that lead to school success, there are many reasons why schools may not be succeeding. Input from MEA members is critical to identifying and solving these problems. But too often, school restructuring plans lay the blame solely on teachers and staff—and assume that shifting employees around will fix the problem.
School administrators need to realize that MEA members are their most valuable resource for innovative ideas to improve academic success. Ignoring us does not help students.
True school reform—including solving the dropout problem that plagues our state—will be achieved only when we sit down together and develop a collective, collaborative commitment to provide the great public education that every child deserves.