Districts Play a Critical Role in School Turnaround, But They Need to Do It Right ... Submitted by a member

 
So, let's look at a Compare and Contrast: 

1. Radical reforms, if pushed through hastily can have a range of unintended consequences.

2. To succeed at scale, turnaround reforms need the involvement of a wide range of local education stakeholders – including the surrounding community – at the decision-making table.

3. One solution is to build a district’s capacity to support its schools by involving the teachers and community in the turnaround efforts. 

4. Do not ignore or weaken the district. She is requiring the low-performing students be ignored and striking fear w/in teachers. She is destroying the infrastructure of NBPS.

5. School districts must lead the way in instructional quality, not just governance (Russia).

6. A Turnaround "How" varies based on an individual district’s (or Superintendent's) theory of action. In our case, with brutality. 

7. For a turnaround to succeed, districts must involve the teachers, community, and other stakeholders in decision making. Many of our stakeholders (Mayor & SC) do not have an invested interest.

8. One source revealed that their district and union agreed to rescind the teachers’ termination letters and adopt a transformation model agreeable to most as it was pragmatic and democratic.

9.The Working Group on School Transformation should comprise of educators, union, advocates, research groups, and parent and student leaders. 

10. It takes a village to create successful schools. Within urban school districts, community organizations, unions, and other educational partners are essential to successful school turnarounds. Sustainable, equitable implementation of turnaround strategies require all stakeholders to work together. Teachers, students, and families have a voice. 

In conclusion, radical education reformers like Pia Durkin, who continue to ignore these realities, do so at their own peril.