School Improvement Planning and Data

"The real strength in using a data driven decision making process for school improvement is that numbers are objective. The data just don't lie."

Do you agree or disagree with the statement above? Why or why not?

The Impact of Technology

Districts throughout the country spend billions of dollars each year on technology: hardware, software, network infrastructure, Web-based services, professional development. Is the expenditure worth it? Why or why not?

School Choice?

In the past 2 decades, public demand and interest in "school choice" in the form of charter schools, magnet schools, schools within a school, academies, and vouchers for private schools has increased. Many believe that our educational system should mirror the business model of free enterprise, therefore with "competition" public schools would not take tax support for granted and provide better services to students. Please share your professional experiences as an "insider" of a non-traditional school model and its effectiveness, or share your opinions about how you anticipate these models will positively or negatively affect your reform efforts as a public school principal. Would you view school choice options differently as a parent than as a school administrator?

Quotes about Vision

As educational leaders, quotes are excellent sources of motivation and inspiration to our staff, community, and students. These words help "frame" and give purpose to our efforts. Please share at least 1 quote (and source) that best captures your beliefs about the importance of vision for effective change and briefly explain why you chose the quote. Please comment on at least 1 one other colleague's shared quote.