The Necessity of a System Overhaul

According to Webster’s Dictionary, one definition of a system is “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.” If our American education system was originally designed to withhold teaching and learning from particular groups, or solely impart it upon those deemed by society with particular capacities, then a human divide was forged early on. Policies were created to uphold this structure and became the glue which bound a set of principles by which the people within, began to operate. Yes, there have been amendments introduced over time to interrupt these operations, yet the foundational system seems to override innovation. Therefore the call to advocate for a system overhaul. There is a necessity to thoroughly examine the system for problem mindsets, policies, plans and practices which generate inequitable results. Extensive revision is a must, with replacement parts, giving rise to minds, strategies and behaviors steeped in equity.

The first area for overhaul is the collection, analysis and use of data. The original system calls for intelligence tests designed to sift the haves from the haves nots, regarding intellect. Once sifting is complete, the next operations are separation, exclusion and resources withheld, to feed a societal hierarchy where cream rises to the top and heavy particles drop to the bottom. An organized line is created, where those who are first receive plenty and those at the end get the scraps. The irony in the organization, however, is the system is never blamed for what it produced. Only those in the line receive pointed fingers, pointed questions and pointed stares. Well, I stand on top of the irony under my feet and dare to ask, “Why?” Why point fingers at race, poverty, gender, disability, community and the families within? I challenge each of us within this educational system to ask, “Which moving parts of the original machine ground out inequitable products expected to show up in society with grit, tenacity, perseverance and lest we forget…college and career readiness?” Now, more than ever, it is time to mind the divide.

The replacement strategy for minding the data divide is comparative analysis. Multiple points of data across stakeholder groups are collected, analyzed and compared to make determinations about patterns. The data can be commensurate or contradictory, but it is up to examiner to draw evidence-based conclusions. Those conclusions then come together to craft a data narrative. Some narratives tell a story of patterns of achievement for all and others illuminate stories of pervasive disparity. Which story is yours? Which story are you telling? Is the story transparent and true? Is the story fictionalized in order to paint a picture of who we want to be? These stories formulate identity, from the macro to the micro levels. Identity impacts our ways of thinking, feeling and acting and highly influence story telling. Are we telling a story connected to root cause or focused on contributing factors with technical fixes? For this system overhaul, we must focus on system malfunctions and operationalize adaptivity.

Minding the Data Divide

Adaptive Practice Focus on a specific area of need in your district or school and practice data triangulation. First, choose three or more data points from different assessment sources, which are connected to your selected focus area. Second, form a data analysis team across community stakeholders, to ensure multiple perspectives and areas of expertise, while examining the data. Third, perform comparisons of the data to examine likenesses and differences. Fourth, label like data points as trends and those which are different, or distant from the other points as outliers. Last, utilize the trend data to formulate a data-based narrative about your focus topic.

Sharing Our Work Please share your triangulation stories and data narratives with the professional learning community. Let the overhaul begin.