Tom Houlihan,
NC Partnership for Excellence (NCPE)
114. The NCPE did not "tell schools what to
do", instead it worked with school systems on a voluntary
basis to help provide better support and to help schools achieve
more by application of the high performance model adapted from
industry. NCPE staff had worked with over 8,500 teachers, administrators,
school board members, business and community leaders to date.
115. The NCPE aimed to change the culture of schools
so that they developed high performing cultures; to help students
and adults assume more responsibility for their own learning (which
was essential for the success of real lifelong learning); and
alignment of all the efforts being carried out by schools, districts
and the State.
116. Mr Houlihan noted that the education system
was drive by test data as these were easily reported to the press
and the public. When employers was asked to identify the qualities
they wished to see in school leavers, they highlighted 'soft skills'
(e.g interpersonal skills, problem solving) while their top requirement
was "attitude". Therefore he felt the schools needed
also to focus on such qualities—if they did not, there was
no point in worrying about raw test results. He argued it was
wrong to separate test scores from these other skills: for instance,
if students assumed greater responsibility for their own learning,
it would help them improve their achievement in other areas and
thus affect their tests results.
117. The Total Quality in Education programme (TQE)
was initially rolled out in 6 school districts; it was now in
operation in 45, covering to 70 per cent of the State's student
population. SATs were taken by 65 per cent of students in North
Carolina. Mr Houlihan cited the example of Granville County to
show the impact the programme was having on raising achievement
levels:
AVERAGE SAT SCORES
|
Average SAT score
|
Gap between nationwide average and African-American score
|
USA |
876
|
179
|
North Carolina |
837 |
194 |
Granville County |
937 |
82 |
Mr Houlihan emphasized that one year's test data
meant nothing: the tend over time was the important thing.
118. Mr Williams argued that traditional institutions
such as schools were very hard to change, not least because most
people liked their local schools—in a recent Gallup poll,
78 per cent of respondents had agreed that public schools needed
to change, but 82 per cent of that group felt their own children's
school was OK. He also noted the difference between 'fads' and
genuine reforms. North Carolina had in the past taken up many
ideas for educational improvement, then dropped them. He outlined
what he regarded as the key stages in implementing any reform
process:
(a) awareness of the
problem
(b) adult roles/responsibilities
(c) gaining the skills
for point b.
(d) what is/is not negotiable
(e.g. what will the community let you do)
(e) develop implementation
plan
He noted that most school systems wanted to start
with point e.
119. The system aimed for improved student achievement;
safe and orderly schools; and school base management. The State
had introduced a State-wide curriculum. Mr Williams argued for
the importance of aligning teaching and testing, which was not
the same as "teaching to the test". Parental responsibility
was also important. Parents attended a conference at the start
of the school year and were informed of the school's expectations
for their children. Parents also signed a 'partnership agreement':
this was not legally enforceable but there were sanctions for
not fulfilling it: students could be removed from the football
team, for example. Generally speaking, there were few complaints
about the agreements which were aimed to get parents involved.
120. Teachers each received a $1,500 bonus if their
school was graded "exemplary" (ie if it exceeds its
performance growth target). If the school meets expectations teachers
received$750 each. The team reward reflected the fact that improvement
was school based and happens at the school level. The teachers
in North Carolina were supportive of the new arrangements. $120
million of performance pay had been distributed to teachers so
far, including $2 million in bonuses to teachers in Johnston County
at the end of the 1998-99 school year.
121. Mr Williams hoped that teacher education could
also be aligned with the improvement process in Johnston County.
The fact that members of university faculties were involved in
the TQE initiative had helped ensure connections between ITT courses
and what was happening in the County. But the higher education
system was intransigent: the next wave of reform would hit the
schools of education.
