Sunday, May 18, 2014

So much has happened!

I can't believe how much has happened since I last posted. I'm not sure where to start. "Radical equality" has done well since it came out. Not only was I on the local news as I discussed in my last post, but I was also interviewed by Justin Murphy at our local newspaper, the Democrat and Chronicle. He did a nice piece on the book. The UR undergrad newspaper also interviewed me as did the Rochester Review. I was tapped to be on a web-based news show that ended up being kind of difficult. The format was such that I didn't know the topics until the morning of and they were all over the place! Still, it was fun.

I was honored to be appointed to Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren's new Early Learning Council as co-chair. It's been a roller coaster ride getting familiar with City Hall and the politics of such things. We have conducted public hearings and done a ton of research as part of producing a report that will describe the landscape of Universal Pre-K in Rochester and offer recommendations for the possible role City Hall could play in improving early learning. The people on the council are amazing to work with, even if there is one person who is making it very difficult. I suppose there is always one.

The most amazing news is that the UR, led by my school of education, will be working as an educational partnership organization (EPO) with East High School in Rochester. It's been an incredible process to come to this point let me tell you. One Saturday about a month ago, the president of the Rochester City School Board called me to ask whether the Warner School would step up and be the EPO for East. The District had received a letter from NY State Ed that gave them 5 options for dealing with East's failure to improve according to state regulation; an EPO is one of those options. I certainly could not make that decision myself, so I set up a meeting with my Dean. Given the ridiculously short timeline the state had given, my Dean said we couldn't do it. I was crushed. How can we stand by and let this school close!? Aren't we a school with a social justice mission?!

I left for AERA with a heavy heart. Little did I know that my Dean continued to investigate. Furthermore, she had discussed the request by the school board with the UR President who let her know that the decision was something he needed to make given the potential implications. I came back to learn that the President was in the process of deciding whether or not we'd take this on. To make a long story short, after much behind the scenes and secret work, he agreed! But there were conditions, the important one being an extension from state ed on the proposal. We put together a letter of intent that outlines what we planned to do and what we needed, got support letters from all four unions, and a unanimous vote of support from the school board at a public meeting where the whole thing was revealed. It was amazing. People sat stunned and the press went wild. Wild may be an exaggeration but it was still quite an event. I was very proud to be a faculty member at UR.

After a tense week of waiting, state ed gave us an extension, not as long as we needed though. We are now faced with actually doing this thing. Unprecedented, daunting yet totally exciting. We have the opportunity to do something incredible with the teachers and students at East. With is a key word here. We have to walk like we talk on this project and collaboratively plan the turnaround with students, teachers, administrators, families, and community members. I can't help but be excited because so much of what will be required is just what I talk about in my book!

But, the person who will be the school's superintendent - Steve Uebbing - is clear we will have to follow state regulations which of course includes Common Core and standardized testing. He's adopted NY State Ed's six tenets for school review, one of which is family and community engagement. Guess who he asked to lead that planning team? Yep, me. Here's where my work at Freedom Market will come into play. I have already thought of who needs to be on the initial working group: George Moses at NEAD, Hilda Escher at IBERO, and Elaine Spaull at Center for Youth. Plus two faculty colleagues: Joyce Duckles and Nancy Ares. I want to include youth from East, and not just the high performing kids, I want kids who have stopped coming to be a part of the planning too. And of course parents and teachers. I'm excited and scared at the same time.

So there's a taste of what's happening. Off we go!

Monday, February 17, 2014

On the news

I had my interview with a local newsperson today, Rachel Barnhart. I have to admit that I was totally nervous. I tried so hard to not be too serious, even though the topic is serious. Not sure I achieved that at all. I've watched the video and think I did okay, but not great. Hopefully it's the start of conversations that will lead to the kind of social movement we need to start over in schools. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Book buzz

My university put out a press release about my new book that seems to be getting a little bit of buzz. The first to contact us what a local newsperson, Rachel Barnhart, who wants to interview me on her show on Monday. By all accounts she passionate about education. I've been thinking a lot about how I'm going to talk about the argument in my book in four minutes on live TV in a way that gets the points across clearly but without a bunch of academic jargon. Tough for me, to be honest. The stakes are so high (not for me, but for kids in schools) that I really want to do well.

Then the education reporter for our local newspaper, the Democrat and Chronicle, is coming to interview me on Wednesday. An interview like this will give me a bit more time to get the main points across. Still, I have to watch the jargon. A couple of other press organizations have asked for copies of the book. All good news for sure.

The main thing is to start some kind of movement to start over in schools. I can't stand watching teachers and students getting hurt anymore. Enough already. My hope is that the book sparks something. At least these interviews might get a conversation going.