Making schools work for every student

Leadership, May-June, 2002 by Don Iglesias

Dear Colleague:

If you were able to select the students who attended your schools, would you pick only the high achievers with the best grades and test scores? I doubt it. I know I would want a more well-rounded and diverse group of students. That's what gives our public schools their vitality. Our education system would not be complete if students and educators were not learning alongside people who are different from us.

Fortunately for our democratic society, public schools must educate all students, no matter how difficult that may be. In fact, one of our greatest challenges is figuring out how to "make school work for every student by name," as Leadership columnist Dennis Parker writes. In this issue, you will read about how some of your colleagues are doing just that.

"We know our students by name; we know their backgrounds -- their strengths and weaknesses -- and we use a variety of resources to individualize programs for each student's personal and academic needs," writes Leadership author Margaret Hill, principal of an alternative high school in San Bernardino County.

Why go through all that trouble? The goal is not just to make learning fun. We are fighting for the futures of our students, who may see staying in school as futile if they don't think they'll pass the High School Exit Exam. When alternative schools provide an alternative to dropping out, it is clear that they really aren't an "option," they're a necessity.

Author Cecilia Molina, principal of an alternative high school in Santa Barbara, writes that "the way alternative education has conducted business has evolved tremendously over the past few years. There is no doubt that standards-based instruction and the HSEE have been instrumental in holding us accountable for changes in academic delivery methods at our site."

High stakes tests and the drive to meet high standards must not lead to high dropout rates. Educational options help us find different pathways to success for students who have failed in the traditional system.

"Properly designed and supported educational alternatives can enable students who were just getting by to flourish, and enable students who were failing to succeed," write authors Lynn P. Hartzler and Mary Jones. And that's what our public schools are all about -- success despite the odds. I applaud all of the outstanding educators who demonstrate how all students -- even those who don't fit the "ideal" mold -- can flourish when treated with respect.

Sincerely,

Don Iglesias
ACSA President