"There is a place in America to take a stand: it is public education. It is the underpinning of our cultural and political system. It is the great common ground. Public education after all is the engine that moves us as a society toward a common destiny... It is in public education that the American dream begins to take shape." -Tom Brokaw
High-quality public education is the foundation of a vibrant democracy and a strong economy. In 1970, 90% of school-age children were in America’s public schools. Still today, 90% of school-age children are in public schools. So in spite of rhetoric to the contrary, since our primary “customers” are students and their families, public schools are the preferred choice for educating our future generations.
What an honor the last three and a half years have been! I have met and worked with educators of great intellect, skill and creativity, incredible students of all ages, races, ethnicities and backgrounds, parents and families who generously support their children's teachers and administrators, and community and business leaders who strive to make a difference.
In this age of standards-based accountability, leaders of reform are our large urban school districts, like Orange County Public Schools. We currently have 175,000 students. There are 179 countries of origin and 132 languages and dialects represented in our classrooms. There is a vast array of special needs among our children, as well. In spite of, or probably because of, this tremendous diversity, an overall 51% poverty rate and a highly mobile student population, the pace of reform (correcting weaknesses and introducing new practices) has been urgent and its reach has been both broad and deep.
Orange County Public Schools is currently a “B” school district, with over 2/3 of its 175 schools rated “A” and “B”, according to the Florida Department of Education. This is just the beginning. We must continue on this path toward district-wide success, with keen attention paid to schools serving neighborhoods of concentrated poverty.
(Use the link to www.ocps.net on the right to view the district’s new website. It is full of useful and valuable information.)
While staying focused on equity, effective stewardship and ethical leadership, I have passionately advocated for change, improvement and reform to benefit our children's education. Here is a sampling:
* League of Educational Excellence, our middle and high school reform initiative, built upon rigor, relevance and relationships. Hundreds of new students are enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, high school courses, such as Algebra I, Geometry and foreign language, are being expanded in middle school, and career/technical academies are growing. Hundreds of students are enrolled in AVID, Advancement via Individual Determination, a nationally renowned program that prepares middle-achieving students for advanced coursework. Six new International Baccalaureate programs have been established in inner-city middle and high schools.
* Ten-Year Capital Program, (instead of the traditional 5-year plan), a unique approach to fulfill and better monitor the efficient allocation of all available resources to renovate 128 existing K-12 schools and build up to 25 new schools. The district has already opened 24 new schools to relieve overcrowding, and 50 existing schools have been renovated or are in some stage of planning, design or construction. Evans High School was accelerated; its innovative rebuilding plan allows for a new prototype campus to be built in the shortest period of time in a more stable location for the least amount of tax dollars. Edgewater High School’s renovation budget was aggressively brought in line with other high school construction budgets to make feasible the acquisition of additional land for its urban campus. Policies are being established to clearly define equity and fiscal discipline so that all educators and students will have the caliber of facilities needed for effective teaching and learning, and to better communicate progress and invite community input.
* A bold, fresh vision- “To be the top producer of successful students in the nation.”
A mission statement-"To lead our students to success with the support and involvement of families and the community." A strategic plan built around this vision and these mission statements-
-Intense Focus on Student Achievement
-High-Performing and Dedicated Team
-Safe Learning and Working Environment
-Efficient Operations
-Sustained Community Engagement
Measurable objectives will be reported to the school board and community on a regular basis. This is a living document that will be adjusted and improved every year.
These are complex, competitive times for our students as they enter college, the workplace and citizenship. We need the support of the entire community as we prepare them for productive and meaningful adulthood. I invite you to support our schools to continue building on the changes, improvements and reforms that are underway. It is critical that we maintain the momentum so that.......... every child matters, every child learns, every child succeeds.
7 months ago