Acco u n ta b i l i t y Doesn ’ t
Have to be a Bad Word
Cathy Kolb , Jay Reedy
Am I making a difference ? Isn ’ t that the basic question we all ask ourselves , and seek to demonstrate to others ? Ronald Reagan said : “ Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world . But , the Marines don ’ t have that problem .” We would argue teachers do not have that problem either .
Educators make a huge difference every day in students ’ lives . This is the real measure of accountability . Policymakers have failed often in conveying to educators just how important their work is in our society . Teachers are quite often the most stable adults in a child ’ s life . Teachers need our support and help . And policymakers and other stakeholders need to consider that unmeasured aspect .
If the teaching profession isn ’ t respected and valued by local and state leaders , it is not going to be valued by others . That is why groups like Professional Educators of Tennessee are important ; when they advocate at the General Assembly for educators , they amplify the impact of teacher voices in our state .
Tennessee has seen a pendulum swing in public education in which accountability has become viewed as a negative . It is true that our objective must be that every student in Tennessee schools graduate from high school either prepared for college or a career with a living wage . However , we need to move away from the “ test-and-punish ” culture that is now flourishing .
Often times we have placed such a burden on our educators that their work is overshadowed by the task of assessing students , consuming too much instructional time and creating undue stress for educators and students . We must place trust in those educators on the frontlines , and they should be placed at the center of genuine transformation efforts of our public education . And we believe it is important to increase the scope of influence of Tennessee educators .
We also need to work with statewide stakeholders and policymakers more closely to examine pending and existing legislation . Too often policy is rushed through the legislative process and reinterpreted by those who make the rules . In addition , public education funding needs must move beyond political rhetoric and considered with both longterm and short-term objectives .
Accountability doesn ’ t have to be bad word . In fact , we should embrace accountability and transparency . After all , all public entities need oversight and management . Local Boards of Education should play the key role . We embrace a local control governance model giving communities crucial oversight over our public schools at the ballot box through their elected boards of education . That is accountability at the most basic level .
Schools must provide equal opportunity for ALL children to learn if they are to fulfill their dynamic role as the cornerstone of our democracy . Our future will be determined by the way we treat our schools and the manner in which they educate our future generations .
Jay Reedy represents Houston , Humphreys , and the western part of Montgomery Counties for House District 74 . Cathy Kolb is the state president for Professional Educators of Tennessee , a non-partisan teacher association headquartered in Brentwood , Tennessee .