Harrisburg Patriot News September 24, 2008As I See It: Our Education System Needs A Lesson In Excellence

George Labecki writes from New Cumberland where he is in his thirty-fourth year of teaching with the West Shore School District He is founder and principal of Bridge Street 21.

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What: Opinion/Editorial Where: Sunday Patriot News Subject: Federal No Child Left Behind

Sometimes you have the perfect idea, but the problem comes in getting that perfect idea understood just the way that you mean it.

There is some disconnect between your idea and your target.

At Bridge Street 21, we can place that “right word in the right place.” Let us make the connection.

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I was driving through Lemoyne recently and noted a local chicken establishment proudly proclaiming "10 piece legs and theighs." My first thought was, "Oh no. More, 'what's wrong with our educational system' comments."

I have to admit as a longtime English teacher that I have a bit of a skewed perception of things. I've heard more than enough of those "what's wrong with the schools" comments over the years, and they seem to come more frequently of late. And I'm sure that "theighs" on the sign in issue was just a human mistake. But it did get me reflecting on how things are different now than when I first started teaching.

Alladin's lamp with "Excellence" across its front: That is the very recognizable logo of the West Shore School District. When I began my teaching career in the fall of 1978, that was not only the logo of the district but also its brand.

As I search the memories of a then-very young teacher just coming out of Penn State, it seems to me that "excellence" was not a goal but an expectation. Students who graduated from Cedar Cliff High School went on to marvelous colleges and universities and became leaders of industry, government, etc.

I should be frank in stating that Cedar Cliff continues to graduate excellent students who go on to do marvelous things. Our best and brightest are competitive with the best and brightest of any other local high school. And we are still seeking excellence, but things have changed.

As a young teacher, I would have students returning from college recounting that they felt well-prepared and that college was easier than they expected. Now we hear that students feel well-prepared. College is difficult, but they adapted well and are doing well. From where does this rather dramatic change come?

"No Child Left Behind" is a wonderful sound bite, but it is not a reality.

Signed into law in January 2002, NCLB is based on the belief that setting high expectations and establishing measurable goals can improve individual educational outcomes.

The mantra in today's schools is "adequate yearly progress" -- something that as educators we know all districts will fall short of at some point. That's not meant to be a criticism; that's simply a reality in today's educational environment.

As school districts have sought the silver bullet to reach AYP, administrators, school boards, etc., have looked to find answers. The problem is that the U.S. Department of Education has established goals but has not provided tools to achieve those goals; students are not consistently meeting the goals, and too many are being left behind.

The U.S. Department of Education has released the results of studies comparing 15-year-old students from the United States with 15 year olds from the other G-8 countries. Here, six years after “No Child Left Behind,” one report summary states: “Although U.S. students were generally at an advantage in terms of socioeconomic status (SES) compared to their G-8 peers, low SES 15-year-old students in the United States were outperformed by their peers in Germany, France, Japan, and Canada in mathematics literacy.”

So that’s what focusing on the lowest common denominator has brought us. That’s what happens when the 500 pound gorilla that is AYP causes schools to teach to the test rather than teach to the best. After years of shifting our focus in education and after millions spent on educational consultants and seeking that silver bullet, the best American students can do is the middle of the pack. It’s time for a “back to basics” movement again. It’s time to move back to where “Excellence” is an expectation and not a goal. It’s time to rise from our “theighs” and once again be driven by the best that we can be.

As I See ItOur Education System Needs A Lesson In Excellence

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GEORGE LABECKI, an English teacher at Cedar Cliff High School, writes from New Cumberland.