Comments on: Can P-16 Compacts usher Innovation Districts for Education? http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/04/14/can-p-16-compacts-usher-innovation-districts-for-education/ Thoughts From the Stair Stepper Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:18:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jeff Jaroscak http://thecivicfabric.org/2009/04/14/can-p-16-compacts-usher-innovation-districts-for-education/#comment-117 Jeff Jaroscak Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:32:58 +0000 http://www.thecivicfabric.org/?p=715#comment-117 I'm a big fan of innovation. I even like innovation for innovation's sake. My motto, in fact, has always been "If it's not broke, break it." It strikes me however, that in terms of public education, innovation should be the vehicle not the destination. The problem as I see it is that we lack consensus about what we want for our students. Rest assured that there are many citizens who yearn for the "good old days." I think it would be popular indeed to roll out a "Back to Basics" program that emphasizes the diagramming of sentences and copying of spelling words five times each. I think that a clear target in terms of what we want for our students is much more important than how we get there. In your work with OGF, how did you come across the student outcomes that you included in the report? I’m a big fan of innovation. I even like innovation for innovation’s sake. My motto, in fact, has always been “If it’s not broke, break it.” It strikes me however, that in terms of public education, innovation should be the vehicle not the destination.

The problem as I see it is that we lack consensus about what we want for our students. Rest assured that there are many citizens who yearn for the “good old days.” I think it would be popular indeed to roll out a “Back to Basics” program that emphasizes the diagramming of sentences and copying of spelling words five times each.

I think that a clear target in terms of what we want for our students is much more important than how we get there. In your work with OGF, how did you come across the student outcomes that you included in the report?

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