What Does School Reform Mean To My Neighborhood School?
Many schools in the United States are in the process of education reform. Changes in school policy are being considered as economic, social, and technological forces make new demands on what students need to know to be successful. This brochure explains some of the major aspects of education reform and offers parents guidelines for personal involvement. Parent participation is an important part of successful education reform--a process that will affect both parent and child.
What Is School Reform?
School reform is a catch phrase that includes a number of programs and policies. Reforms usually change some procedure or rule that affects how the school operates. Terms like "reform" and "renewal" can be thought of as small steps toward change. Compared with school restructuring, reform and renewal do not greatly alter the school's organization.
There are two distinct types of school reform. The first is related to the school's subject matter and teaching methods. This type of reform affects what and how the student is taught in the classroom. Using computers in the classroom, concept-based mathematics programs, whole-language instruction, the back-to-basics approach, and areas stressing multicultural influences on history and literature are some of the more common reforms. Many professional organizations are involved in this type of reform. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, for example, is developing curriculum guides that describe what students should know and be able to do. They are also exploring new ways to teach and test students. Progress in these areas is influencing reform on the state and local levels.
The second type of reform is related to school administration and governance procedures. This type of reform affects how schools are managed and what roles teachers and administrators play. The more popular changes in this area include site-based decision making (administrative decisions made at the school level as opposed to the school board or legislative levels), shared leadership (involving more staff in school leadership roles), and community involvement programs.
Education reform may be started by powers from outside or inside the school. For example, a perceived need to compete in a changing world economy--an outside force--has led school policymakers to reconsider what is taught in the classroom. In contrast, the move toward flexible school schedules in the late 1960s and early 1970s was a reform that came from inside the school.
Why Are Schools in the Process of Reform?
School reform is nothing new. The school system has undergone numerous changes in policy and procedure in the past two centuries. Although the basic structure of education has changed very little, reforms have had an influence on the direction of education in America. For example, in the past 100 years, schools have seen the introduction of the lesson plan, learning objectives, and student goal setting.
Today, many school reforms are driven by the idea that U.S. students need to be more competitive. To retain this country's international leadership, our schools must prepare all students to be productive in the world marketplace. University officials believe many applicants are lacking the skills and competencies needed to succeed in a tough program of study. In a highly competitive world economy, business leaders are concerned about the future of our workforce. Educators think we expect too little from our children. Basic skills are no longer enough. Students need not only to have a good understanding of the core academic subjects, they must also be able to solve problems, make decisions, and be prepared for responsible citizenship and productive employment in our nation's modern economy.
At
the national level, Congress recently passed the Goals 2000:
Educate America Act to reform schools by establishing high academic
and occupational standards and providing support to states and
communities to help students reach those standards. The Act sets
into law the original six National Education Goals, which address
school readiness, school completion, student academic achievement,
leadership in mathematics and science, adult literacy, and safe
and drug-free schools and adds two new goals--one related to
parent participation and the other to professional development
of teachers. Additionally, it will establish a grants program
to create parent information and resource centers that will assist
parents in becoming more involved in their child's education.
How Will School Reform Affect My Child's Education?
How reforms will affect your child will depend on the type of changes that are made. If reform is related to the subject areas, your child may be introduced to new content, materials, and ways of learning. These changes may be made as a result of a particular education goal or objective. If the reform is related to the administrative process, your child may not notice any change at all. Such changes may affect only administrative decision making or the school-community relationship.
How Can I Get Involved?
The best way to get involved in school reform is to create good relationships with teachers and principals. The connection between school and home may be the most important pathway to successful and cooperative school reform. Just as important is that parents understand changes being discussed or carried out. The following suggestions may help parents become better informed and more involved in the school reform process: