How Can Schools Become Better Performing?

So far this blog has investigated more of the "problem" side of the discussion on school spending.  It has done little to suggest solutions.  I believe that the only way to address school reform and spending is within the community that the school exists. 

I attended what I often explain to my students as a public prep. school.  We had between 96-98% of each graduating class make it to graduation, of those 90% went to a four-year college afterwards, 6% to a two-year, and the rest into Peace Corps (or other year long volunteer position) or the Military.  I assumed that this was "normal."  The community itself was affluent and politically conservative.  In spite of their conservative leanings they were very pro-taxes for education, to the point that when they saw they may lose federal funding for not being able to improve their test scores, being in the 90-percentile, they sort of just shrugged it off.  

They had become pro-education taxes during the time my family and I lived there.  They had not completely seen the benefit of spending so much at first, but then they recalled that they got their prestigious jobs in the city and comfortable life in the 'burbs thanks to their education.  They became doctors, lawyers, and stock brokers thanks to public schools.  They also saw the immediate benefit having better schools in their county had on property values, and with all their sprawling and expensive homes they wanted to ensure that they were not selling at a loss.

They new all these things because teachers, administrators, and concerned parents in the two districts that occupied the town met, worked together, and expressed these truths to the rest of the town.  Better educational standing meant that even moderately performing students could get into a good college, exceptional students had little problem pursuing Ivy League schools.  The teachers were drawn to the district because of the respect they received as well as the higher and more competitive pay.  Most teachers had a masters or above, and I encountered at least two teachers with Doctorates while in middle school.  They had no problem believing in us or our abilities, so we all knew that we were going somewhere, drinking was rare, few students had sex and never unprotected sex, because our futures were too important.

The teachers, administrators and parents got non-parents on board with the tax increase for education by doing research and proving that there was a greater economic gain to be made by having outstanding schools that there was to save money on the taxes.  For example of the top 10 school districts in the country, rated in terms of testing, college preparedness, college acceptance, and ability of teachers, 9 of them place real estate value of more than $200 a square foot (source).



While my Alma Mater has slipped a bit, one of my former teachers from the district sited less parent involvement in the schools as a possible cause, it still ranks 289th in the nation (source). 

Source.  The dark blue is my Alma Mater, the light blue is the district, and the gray is the state.

Moving forward I will be investigating how certain school districts do better.  Is it the level of education of adults?  Is it the level of education of the teachers?  How much community involvment is there?  Is it, as it appears to be, essential to tie comminty involvement with more spending per a student in order to get outstanding results?  Finally, how can we as teachers, work to encourage our communities to see our schools as a center and not a burden?