Out With The Old and In With The New - But Will We Be Able To Tell The Difference?
“This is how you hustle the arcane. Skirt the rules but don’t break them.”
― Victor LaValle, The Ballad of Black Tom
Twenty four is now a wrap and it is off to twenty five. Reading through my social media threads, its apparent that for many of you, 2024 was a challenging affair. If you fall into that demographic, I feel for you and hope that 2025 will provide more fertile soil for wealth, health, and fortune.
Unfortunately, in reading the tea leaves, when it comes to the education world, it appears to me, 2025 will provide much the same as 2024.
We'll fight over vouchers, bemoan charter schools, while pretending that teacher shortages don't exist.
We'll pretend that public schools adequetly serve all students while continueing to use test scores as the primary mechanism to measure student achievement. Extensive ink will be spilled in the battle over vouchers, but questions around what we are measuring, and if those are the right things, will remain a slight murmur.
My son regularly asks, why the empasis on math and literacy when programs like Photomath and ChatGPT are readily available? Even to my ears, the offered defense sounds like something my grandfather would say in defence a world that is rapidly receding. Don't forget though, we are meeting kids where they are.
We'll talk accountability while failing to recognie that none exists in the public sector, save for teachers and students.
I'm betting that conversation over funding for desperately needed updates to existing facilities will be shuffled to the back burner once again, and kids will continue to attend schools with pest problems, heating and cooling issues, and inadequate space for enrolled students.
We'll fight over books, Trans issues, and equity. The banner of every student known will be raised while large swaths remain unseen.
Waiting for Superman was released almost two decades ago and while since debunked, the ethos still exists. The hunt is still on for superheroes, We just don't want them thinking this will be anything more then a temporary condition, something they do on the way to their real job.
Despite all the public posturing, quietly in schools, away from the spotlight, it will continue to be business as usual. Lives will get changed, students will do extroardinary work, and administrators will facilitate circumstances were miracles can transpire - but, those won't be the things we talk about. No, we'll focus 95% of our conversation on subjects that impact 5% of students.
At some point, there needs to be a modern day Martin Luther who shows up and nails 95 Theses to the school house door. Hell, I'd satisfied with 59.
The public education system has served us admirably for almost 100 years, but it's time to catch up and embrace the future.
Society has rapidly become less homagenous, yet the belief that there is only one way to educate a child is clung to like a sheep dog guarding its flock. Charter schols are depicted as frauds and alternative schools are dismissed as con jobs. Neither view is 100% accurate. The revoltution may not be televised, but it is still coming. Public schools just need to decide if they want to lead or be swept up.
I had a parent this week tell me that their child is thriving in a charter school, and the school has done an exemplary job of creating a welcoming enviorment for not only the student, but the family as well. Still, she remains skeptical and racked guilt for seeking out a school that her child loves. It shouldn't be like that in 2025.
Perhaps I'm misreading the leaves and there are some surprises waiting in the wings. Either way, I'll be here to ducument whatever transpires.
Hope you'll be here as well.
- - -
Over the holiday break there was much discussion over recently released data showing that after 2 years, voucher school students continued to lag behind Tennessee public schools in achievement.
Overall, students using the vouchers trailed their peers statewide on English language arts and math scores on the state's standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests this spring. However, the students also made gains in both categories. Notably, students using vouchers in Shelby County matched their peers in math scores and surpassed them in English language arts scores this year.
Voucher opponents have lept on this data as further evidence that vouchers are a bad thing. I'd argue we need to look a little deeper at the data. It's not quite the slam dunk some would envision.
First off, in comparing results you have to recognize that voucher schools are drawing from schools that have traditionally under performed. Where as the Tennessee public schools data is drawn from a composite of schools, including some of Tennessee's highest performing schools. I'd be interested in a comparison between voucher schools and Tennessee public schools with a poverty level above 40%. That would be some meningful data.
Furthermore, once again we are switching elements based on which serves us better. Most times the push is to have growth be the perfered measurement over achievement. In this case, that is flip flopped, Achievement leads with growth barely mentioned.
Tennessee ESA students achieved a gain of more than six percentage points in math scores and more than four percentage points in English language arts scores. Outpacing growth for public school students. This would seem to indicate that over time, the performance gap will continue toi decrease between the two student bodies.
Locally, the gap between the two groups of students is a bit closer:
Countywide math: 26.4%
ESA students math: 15.7%
Countywide English language arts: 30.5%
ESA English language arts: 28.8%
The gap shrunk in math, but public school students id show greater growth in ELA.
In Shelby County the story was a bit different:
Countywide math: 18.7%
ESA students math: 18.7%
Countywide English language arts: 23.7%
ESA English language arts: 25.1%
That data does not present a strong argument against vouchers and if we are having student-centric discussions, we might need to reevaluate.
Participation in the limited voucher program grew considerably in 2023-24, with 2,088 students enrolled. That's a 362% increase from the 452 students enrolled the previous year.
I'm going to offer one final observation that bears consideration, and you may not like it, but I'll stand by it.
Over the years, I've observed that the schools with the highest achievement are those that are made up of students that are vested in the school and its options. In other words, if most of students and families want to be there, odds are, they'll perform at a higher level.
Charter schools, private schools, and now voucher schools recognize that and bank on it. Many traditional schools are slow to grasp the concept.
There is a common preception that all families value and desire the same thing. Its not true. Name me a choice school that has a 30% chronic absentee rate. I'll wait.
Absenteeism is not just a result of poverty, as some would argue. Its also a byproduct of perceived value.
Until you get more student buy-in, and percieved value, schools are going to continue to struggle.
Achieving that buy-in should be a primary objectibe for every school, second only to teacher retention.
I will continue to shout it from the top of my lungs, the only element of schooling that guarentees student success is the relationship between a student and teacher. It's hard to have a string relationship if one side of the equation does perceive value in schooling.
That is infinetly more important than what physical shape the school takes.
- - -
Tennessee has what they call "Opportunity public charter schools". These are public charter schools that a student population in grades 6-12 composed of at least seventy-five percent (75%) “at-risk” students, as defined by the state. Opportunity public charter schools are intended to boost academic proficiency and provide pathways to post-high school success for students despite prior educational and personal challenges. Opportunity public charter schools may open beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Now since these school are arguably facing a greater challenge then public schools, the Tennessee Deparrtment of education is charged with creating a seperate accountabiloity framework. For now we'll pretend that these schools are somehow different then the hundreds of public school currently serving similar demographics.
In order to devlop that framework they met with a wide variety of stakeholders including the State Board of Education, Hamilton County Schools, Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, several charter schools and charter management organizations.
Also included were the following private entities who share a similar political bent:
State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
TennesseeCan
Tennessee Charter School Center
Tennesseans for Student Success
Amazingly they all arrived at a similar conclusion, growth should count as more then achievement. A argument that, in relation to traditional public schools, was dismissed by Tennesse's Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds. The Commissioner repeatedly insisted last year that achievement was the only true measurement. Once saying that under the newly adopted state accountability model schools would no longer be able to hide beside growth numbers.
Going forward, traditional school grades will be calculated with achievement accounting for 50% of the formula. Opportunity School grades will be calculated with achievement counting as 45% and the remaining 5% added to growth. Hypothetically you could have two "A" schools performing at completely different levels, arguably giving Opportunity Schools a higher then deserved preception of value.
Back home this is an old trick performed by butchers called putting your thumb on the scale.
If this is going to apply to Opportunity schools, it needs to apply to all schools that meet the criteria.
Also continuous enrollment will bear increased weight.
Certain performance metrics are adjusted to account for students enrolled for multiple years. The achievement, college and career readiness indicator, and the opportunity public charter school alternative growth indicator will be weighted based on continuous enrollment of students attaining proficiency on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Specifically, students continuously enrolled for two years who meet or exceed expectations on the TCAP will be counted twice. Students continuously enrolled for three years who meet or exceed expectations on the TCAP will be counted three times. This allows schools to emphasize long-term stability and reward progress over time for schools serving populations of students for whom stable educational placements may have been difficult.
Let me see if I'm reading this right. The state recognizes that Opportunity Schools will face competition from a state created voucher program. In order to protect those schools they've created a reward for those schools that successfully beat back the voucher vultures, while granting no such protection to equally vulnerable publiuc schools.
Sounds about right.
Also sounds like a very nice Christmas present to Opportunity Schools.
- - -
I meant to get to this much earlier. Back before Christmas, The Tennessean published an article on which Metro Nashville Employees earned the most in 2024.
It's an interesting list. One that for some reason excludes MNPS employees.
$317,824 – Water Services Director Scott Potter
$295,825 – Chief Medical Director Gill Wright III
$287,260 – Police Chief John Drake
$272,909 – Transportation Director Diana Alarcon
$269,750 – Chief Development Officer Robert Mendes
$265,561 – Fire Chief William Swann
$265,494 – Director of Development/Special Projects Mark Sturtevant
$265,336 – Finance Director Kevin Crumbo
$264,020 – Metro Action Commission Executive Director Cynthia Croom
$260,228 – Planning Executive Director Lucy Kempf
Nashville mayor Freddie O'Connell lands at 63 on the list, earning a salary of $209,898. Worth noting, MNPS Chiefs, of which there are 11, earn roughly $200K a year.
Per The Tennessean:
MNPS employees aren’t included on this list, but they are listed in another data set available on the open data portal. That’s the list of Metro government employee earnings — including not just base salaries but also bonuses, payouts and other forms of compensation — by fiscal year. Interestingly no link to that list is supplied.
Equally interesting is that the paper lists MNPS Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle's salary at $326,538. Appaerntly they, like the rest of us weren't paying attention when last month the school board bumped her salary up, with a contract extention, to $385,000. That should have been included because the contract extention was back dated to this past July - the start of MNPS's fiscal year.
One caveat of the raise and extension, is that Battle is no longer able to cash in her vacation pay. A practice she's been engaged in since becoming superintendent. Last year, that came to over $35k. Not a bad chunk of change.
The new contract incorporates that 35K and adds another 10 to 15K. While not as huge a raise as it appears initially, its still ends up being nearly double the Mayor's salary.
It certainly pays to serve in Nashville.
- - -
I am beyond honored to have one of my pieces highlighted by Education writer Peter Greene in his list of recommended readings for 2024. . Especially in light of the fact that Greene is not your typical education policy pundit. He's walked the talk as weel as written, serving for decades in the classroom.
There is a lot of great writing on this list and I urge you to peruse it.
- - -
Another sign that it's going to be an interesting General Assembly session this year is the revelation of a new bill that would strengthen Tennessee law to describe activities like hanging banners from overpasses, passing out flyers, or riding in the cargo of box cars as a hate crime. That would also include hanging flyers in a public places.
The bill is being sponsoered by two Republicans, Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth and Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, two individuals that usually no better. The bill would be known as th PEACE act. The quote from Lambreth is priceless:
"I mean, they're supposed Nazis or some group of that nature, but whether it's Nazis or Antifa or any type of hate group that's out there, we're not going to put up with that here," Lamberth said. "We simply don't want those groups here. We don't want them spreading their hate and crimes all over our city. And so I started having conversations with the (Metro) Nashville Police Department and with local leaders here in Nashville on how to make sure that we can put some laws in place to keep those kind of groups out of Tennessee."
Lambreth goes on to say:
"At the state level, we're able to pass criminal laws where someone would actually go to jail if they were violating this bill, and they should," Lamberth said. "Because, again, hatred has no place in the state of Tennessee. We're a very loving state. We're a very Christian. Most folks are people of faith — regardless of whether it's Christian, Muslim, Jewish or various other faiths. We're a very loving state, I believe. And so some of these groups that come in here from other states or even other countries trying to spread hate, they're just simply not welcome."
Look it's not that anyone endorses or defends or endorses these words and actions, but if you believe in the First Amendment, you believe in the First Amendment. The tenets can't only apply to speech and such you agree with, it has to apply universally.
Creating a law that makes it illegal to ride in the cargo area of a box truck doesn't stop people from attending hate rallies. Maybe it makes things more difficult for an hour, but eventually the law will be circumvented and the issue still lives,
In reality, the only thing that tempers hate is education. The more you know about people the harder it is to hate. It's difficult, and it takes time, but it is the only proven solution.
I like the line from Lambreth - you know after he talks faith - where he says people looking to spread hate are just not welcome here. Funny, not in a haha sense, but in an ironic sense. That's not a very WWJD moment.
I'm not as versed in the Bible as well as I should be, but I'm pretty sure Jesus was a embrace the sinner kina guy. He argued those were the folks you needed to reach, in order to show them a better way. Telling them they are not welcome makes educating them a bit more difficult.
Trying to legislate hate, or perceived hate, creates a very slippery slope. It's one thing when a metropolitan area tries to do it, it becomes a whole different animal when the state seeks the undertake it. There are no shortage of examples for the unintended consequences of poorly thought out legislation.
Architects of Tennessee's Raise to the Top legislation like to defend it by saying it was great, until the other party got a hold of it. Same will hold true here, only on a larger scale.
We got to stop trying to ban things - books, speech, ideas, or thoughts.
It an outdated method of dealing with todays issues.
I'm well aware that my criticism of the PEACE bill comes on the heels of the atrocities in Louisiana. That was a horrific plan carried out by an individual with heartful of hate, but we can't give in to that hate and change who we are because of the actions of another.
If we are indeed a loving state, its love that will save us, not ever increased legislation.
- - -
If you’ve got something you’d like me to highlight and share, send it to Norinrad10@yahoo.com. Any wisdom or criticism you’d like to share is always welcome.
A huge shout-out to all of you who’ve lent your financial support. I am eternally grateful for your generosity. It allows me to keep doing what I do and without you, I would have been forced to quit long ago. It is truly appreciated and keeps the bill collectors happy. Now more than ever your continued support is vital.
If you are interested, I’m sharing posts via email through Substack. This has proven to be an effective way to increase coverage. I am offering free and paid subscriptions. Paid subscriptions will receive additional materials as they become available. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
If you wish to join the rank of donors but are not interested in Substack, you can still head over to Patreon and help a brother out. Or you can hit up my Venmo account which is Thomas-Weber-10. I don’t need much – even $5 would help – but if you think what I do has value, a little help is always greatly appreciated. Not begging, just saying.