At the Table

The executive director of the Michigan Education Association once told me “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” He is so correct. The building principal is on the menu regarding federal school improvement policy. Apparently improvement starts with replacing the principal.

It seems impossible to stop this "plan of improvement." But, our voice is being heardin Michigan. We’ve move the principal to being at the table to have a voice in such policies.

This was proven to me when I found myself on a panel at the Achieve’s America Diploma Project Network meeting in Washington, D.C. Sitting between the state superintendent’s of Louisiana and Georgia, the government affairs VP for Education Trust, and Matt Gandal, VP for Achieve. Finally the principal’s voice was heard. “We’re not afraid of rigor with reason.” We must have been heard, since the panel we have had discussions with our own Department and state Superintendents from Ohio and Illinois.

Being at the table has also afforded changes in our state assessment programs, content expectations, and personalization for student access to a rigors curriculum.