Moore: RI’s Ed Reform Woes Resemble the Post Office
Monday, February 09, 2015
"As much as we try to have an elevated conversation about the future of the organization, we never get beyond the narrow set of interests that are determined to preserve the status quo."
After reading comments made by the outgoing US Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe last week, I realized that the people trying to reform the US Postal service have much in common with the efforts of education reformers here in RI. Both are up against folks who consider themselves in favor of progress, yet do all they can in their power to prevent any.
How exactly, is it possible that Rhode Island's education system and the United States Postal Service, both with quite different missions, could be facing similar challenges? Put simply, both organizations need to adapt to a changing environment to succeed, and both need serious reforms to increase their respective effectiveness. Both organizations, however, face stiff resistance from their respective employee unions and legislative bodies.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDonahoe who is retiring from the Post Office after 39 years, said in his remarks to the National Press Club that he was frustrated in his attempts to reform the Post Office due to stymieing opposition from the postal workers union, Congress (in addition to their illogical mandates), and even the postal customers that do bulk mailings.
(This comparison shouldn't be taken to suggest that the management of the United States Post Office is entirely correct in its assessment or that it's proposed reforms are logical solutions to what's ailing the post office. But nobody can deny that unless reforms are undertaken, the Post Office cannot be successful in the digital age and with so much competition.)
Scathing Remarks
His comments and frustrations made me think about Rhode Island's outgoing Education Secretary Deborah Gist, who since coming here in 2009 has valiantly led the fight to reform education here in this state, only to be blocked time and again by the entrenched special interests who benefit quite nicely from the status quo and their allies in the state legislature. In the same way, Postal Service reformers have been stopped dead in their tracks by the Postal Workers Union and their allies in Congress.
"As much as we try to have an elevated conversation about the future of the organization, we never get beyond the narrow set of interests that are determined to preserve the status quo," Donahoe said. "We didn't get much support from our unions or the mailing industry — because [our new business plan] threatened the status quo." (Donahoe's prepared remarks, located on the USPS website.)
Reading that, I thought about Gist's efforts to implement a statewide teacher evaluation system that would set specific criteria to evaluate teachers throughout the state. A statewide teacher evaluation system would make sure that teachers in the wealthier suburban communities were being evaluated the same as teachers in the poorer urban communities. It's about equity and making sure teachers are being judged by the same standards.
Gist was all about the kids
In the same respect, Gist spearheaded a proposal to make students pass a standardized test proving their proficiency in math and English before graduating high school. This was controversial. Apparently there are a lot of people here in Little Rhody who don't think it's important that students know how to read before they receive a diploma.
Both of those common sense education reforms were blocked by the state's General Assembly, the same way that Congress has blocked Postal Service reforms to make the entity more competitive.
And in the same way that the postal service has received push back from its employee unions, so was Gist rebuked by the states teachers unions. Make no mistake about it: for trying to make Rhode Island a better place for children and young adults to get an education: Gist was turned into a lightening rod and a punching bag.
The teachers unions have staunchly opposed a statewide evaluation system, standardized testing as a graduation requirement, and the expansion of charter schools that give students alternative paths of learning (instead favoring a one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter approach to education). And the unions have relied on their allies, the so-called “progressive Democrats”, who for some reason serve the interests of the public sector unions. Can you really call yourself a "progressive" if you're a stalwart defender of the status quo? That's what’s so irritating about the liberals who oppose the solutions education reforms propose—while providing no credible ideas of their own. It’s sickening to see people who call themselves liberals defending special interests groups like unions at the expense of the state’s students.
Who does the status quo serve?
Don't get me wrong: of course there are awesome teachers here in Rhode Island. I've been privileged to meet so many of them and even call some of them friends. But the fact remains that instead of working cooperatively, the teachers unions and their so-called progressive allies, to borrow a phrase from Governor Raimondo, "hunkered down" and vehemently fought the reforms.
Say what you want about Deborah Gist, but the facts say that her approach to education was succeeding--despite the opposition. Since Gist has been on the job since 2009, standardized test scores have increased across the board, and math and English test scores for 11th graders have gone up by 8 percent. And the state's graduation rate has also increased since she's been in charge.
As she prepares to depart, it's crucial Gist's replace be someone like her, who understands that the state cannot embrace the educational status quo, but instead needs a bold change agent who will fight for the best interests of the state's students.
Like the US Post Office, Rhode Island's Educational system is at a crossroads and in dire need of reforms. Governor Raimondo would be wise to appoint another reformer like Gist, who isn't afraid to stand up for the students, even if it means taking on the adults who prefer the status quo.
Russell J. Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island media, but for newspapers and on political campaigns. Send him email at [email protected] Follow him on twitter @russmoore713.