District Administration - November 2006 - (Page 56)

CHALLENGING K-12 Doe s K-12 mak pretty negative ... with one [stating], Some leaders `Talk about a stupid idea.' For example, senior athletes are suggesting fought hard against Teck's idea wh ich never made it as a bill not that educators wanting to miss that potentially glo- r ious last year on the gridiron. shift the Even if the preK-11 idea is noth- i ng but a fading memory, Teck says, traditional it causes us to do some serious thinking. What are we trying to do educational with the senior year?' The whole lineup of how we system from deliver education in the elementary and secondary education needs to a K-12 to a be rethought. Frankly, we are doing the same pattern of schooling today preK-11 system T as we did 100 years ago. But even if Teck had the idea for a preK-11 system and even if some educators have thought of trading in senior year for universal preK, they alk about a silly idea. Or is it? are not co-dependent. Each can be Colorado Sen. Ronald Teck had created without the other. one of these silly ideas, according A preK-11 idea is on the minds of to several constituents, which never some as the primarily K-12 model materialized. Teck proposed just is often questioned and distrusted. about two years ago to shift the state's Even Bill Gates claimed over a year educational system from a primarily ago that high school, not just senior K-12 system to a preK-11 system after year, had become obsolete, lacking he heard reports that senior year was a true challenge for education- and in part about students coasting along technology-hungry youths. until graduation and that the most While adding universal preK alone important brain development occurs is a more common idea that some states early, particularly up to age 5. are taking on, entirely eliminating the T he fi restorm was really huge, coveted senior year is highly unpopular recalls the Republican senator. with administrators and educators. Just Eliminating the 12th grade is a a handful of folks claim it is the way to paradigm shift. It's not something go. There is definitely a movement out you do overnight or in three months. there, says Leon Botstein, president ... The education community totally of Bard High School Early College. I came unwound. We received some don't think there is a uniform solution, phone messages. Some questioned but compulsory schooling can be com- my intelligence. Some letters to the pressed and made more efficient and ... editor were positive and some were end at age 16. 56 November 2006 District Administration k12.indd 56 10/16/06 12:08:36 PM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - November 2006

Contents
Editor's Letter
Update
Inside the Law
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
SAT Trends
Broad awards top urban prize
Boston's Perseverance
NCLB's Purity
Why No Child Left Behind is here to stay
COVER STORY: Is Bill Gates a Good School Leader?
Does K-12 Make Sense?
Arthur Levine on teacher education
An IEP for every student?
Teacher Education: Time to Tame the Wild West
The Individual Academic Plan
Speaking Out
David Thornburg on
Professional Opinion
Problem/Solution
Research Corner
Computer Literature
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - November 2006