There is a movement of innovation spreading about the country that is working toward the creation of a new generation of schools that are not merely new, but decidedly different in their approaches to learning and understanding of achievement. It is the unprecedented action by cities and states toward a re-alignment of their systems and processes to enable, encourage, and protect innovations that are remaking the fundamentals of teaching and learning.
It is about innovation-based reform—a strategy for improvement. Most of the reform strategy nationally thinks in terms of improving 'content': the standards, the curriculum, and its delivery. It assumes the traditional model of school. This is not sufficient. This country cannot get the performance it needs in K-12 with the schools it presently has.
Students, families, and teachers are demanding more types of schools to choose from. Willingness to fund business as usual is decreasing on the part of policy makers, philanthropists, and taxpayers.
So district and state leaders are responding with efforts at allowing new types of schools to form—some of which look very different than factory schools. The appearance of these new-school efforts is a major new development.
Those participating in the movement are putting in place a policy framework at state and local levels that create the capacity and conditions for innovation to occur. They are creating space to allow for rigorous development and application of new ideas by teachers, district leaders, and educational entrepreneurs. And they are encouraging innovation by the practitioners—the teachers—in the schools.
*Image: Justin Benttinen
