Guest MINDSETTER™ Dan Wall: Labor and Management are Collaborating for Achievement
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Over the past few years, a growing number of school districts around the country have come to recognize the value of collaborating to improve public education. Teachers unions and school districts have a mutual interest in increasing student achievement. So why not work together? Just over a month ago, the Providence Teachers Union and the Providence School Department took a significant step in that direction, by creating United Providence (UP), an educational management organization designed to improve struggling schools. Continuing on that path, last week district administrators and Providence Teachers Union delegates attended a workshop on implementing methods of labor management collaboration.
The two-day workshop was co-hosted by Providence Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Susan Lusi, and the Providence Teachers Union President, Steve Smith. The focus of the training was improving schools through labor management partnerships and collaborations. Laying the foundation for a partnership marks a huge paradigm shift, especially in light of last year’s mass firings and school closings. It certainly will not be easy to put aside traditional ways of interacting. For many administrators, moving away from a familiar “top down” management structure may seem uncomfortable. It will be equally challenging for union members and personnel to put aside an adversarial stance in dealing with management. However, both union leadership and district leadership have made a commitment to this initiative. In addition, several members of Providence School Board attended the workshop and expressed support for this new direction.
To help Providence launch their labor management partnership, a team of union leaders, teachers, and administrators was brought in from ABC Unified School District in California. The team was led by former ABC Federation of Teachers President Laura Rico, Superintendent Dr. Gary Smuts, and labor researcher, Dr. Saul Rubinstein, of Rutgers University. Superintendent Lusi told participants at the workshop that she believes “our schools won’t achieve at the highest level without collaboration.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Superintendent also stated that she wants Providence’s schools to be places where teachers and students feel valued and respected. That atmosphere should permeate all levels, from the central administrative offices to the classrooms. There’s no question that labor management collaborations will improve working conditions. However, according to PTU President Steve Smith, “the real goal of this partnership is improving education.” Dr. Rubinstein has conducted research on ABC and other district’s labor management collaborations. Findings suggest that partnerships have a positive effect on student achievement. ABC’s scores on California Standards assessments have consistently improved over their fifteen-year collaboration. In addition, they have ranked above their state’s average for the past five years. Furthermore, the district has been able to weather difficult economic times without teacher layoffs. Their success has also enabled them to recruit and retain quality educators. The district attracts hundreds of applicants whenever teaching positions become available.
For the past fifty years, schools have been organized much like factories. Management/administration was expected to make decisions, and workers/teachers were expected to carry them out. However, the current crisis in education requires a change in thinking. Teachers need to be brought into decision-making and planning conversations. Certainly, I realize that unions and school districts will have differing views on many issues. However, labor and management should work in collaboration on common goals, such as student achievement. Collaboration will allow districts to access a vast and often untapped reservoir of knowledge and experience. After all, if education reforms are going to be truly successful, they will require each teacher’s participation and contribution, not merely compliance.
Daniel Wall is teacher at the Providence Academy of International Studies.
