C. Blohm & Associates, Inc.'s List: Fixing Our Public School Systems

Education Week op-ed

Over the past two years, the Baltimore City Public School System (B C P S S)has – by most indicators of organizational health –struggled to overcome the habits of a system that has been in deep crisis for as many as three decades. A long history of poor fiscal and organizational management resulted in a debt of nearly $60 million and a widely acknowledged need to reorganize central office, the system of academic “Areas,” and related support services throughout the system.

Using data from a 50-state survey of policies, state case study analyses, the 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Surveys (SASS), and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), this study examines the ways in which teacher qualifications and other school inputs are related to student achievement across states.

In virtually every state in the country, reform efforts are dramatically raising expectations for students, and consequently, for teachers. In response to these reform initiatives, educators are being asked to master new skills and responsibilities and to change their practice.To meet these new expectations, teachers need to deepen their content knowledge and learn new methods of teaching. They need more time to work with colleagues, to critically examine the new standards being proposed, and to revise curriculum. They need opportunities to develop, master and reflect on new approaches to working with children. All of these activities fall under the general heading of professional development.

The Council of Chief State School Officers has initiated a new project to assist states in improving evaluations of the quality of professional development for teachers, and especially evaluations for programs and activities aimed toward improving teaching of K-12 mathematics and science. 

American Productivity and Quality Center guide to cutting waste in public schools.