Thursday, January 8, 2009
Education / Woods Jesse Register Meets the Press
Posted by Jeff Woods on Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 7:59 AM
State schools accountability chief Connie Smith is expressing great confidence in Nashville's new superintendent, Jesse Register. But in his first round of media interviews, he didn't exactly come across as a can-do kind of guy. He spent a lot of time trying to tamp down expectations, which isn't hard to do when you're leading a district that's failed student achievement standards for the last five years.
"There is a real urgency," he conceded to Channel 4, "but I'll tell you the test scores are the last thing to change."
"I think we focus too much on test scores," he told Channel 5. "What's important to me is to develop a good school improvement plan and start making progress. What I will focus on, what I want us to focus on is a district and a community that is improving student learning."
Good idea. Register also said what the district needs now is stability, not a major shakeup. "We're talking about creating a culture," he observed, "and it takes a little bit of time to do that."
By all means, we should take our time. No need to rush into anything. After all, if schools fail for a sixth straight year, the state can take control and disband the school board, in which case under Register's fabulous $250,000 annual contract he wins a year's pay just to go away. In Chattanooga, where he's from, we're guessing they don't call him Jesse "Cash" Register for nothing.
Comments (5)
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Jeff,
The biggest misconception people have is that Nashville schools are failing. They aren't. There is a reason that when the school board looks for a new director, they aren't looking at neighboring districts, such as Williamson, for applicants. The reason is is because those school zones have a much easier time educating their demographic than urban school zones like Davidson. Nashville schools get a bad rap because everyone is so concerned with test scores. Well, you and I both know if you really think about it, that quality education starts in the home. And when 20% or more (I don't know the exact percentage) of Davidson's students come from families below the poverty line (compared to Williamson's 1% or something) education become tougher on teacher's and administrators. That's proven. On top of everything, ever since the 60's when affluent Nashville families started sending their kids to private schools due to bussing, a cycle has been created where the perception is that someone the quality of teacher is not there in Nashville. I guarantee you, that if you took all of Maplewood high school students, and transferred them to Brentwood high, or a similar sized Williamson high school, and put those Williamson students in Maplewood, that Maplewood would have the better scores. The reason why kids from poor families don't do as well is simple. Their parents simply don't have the time or resources to attend to their education quite like wealthier ones do. It is the main reason private schools seem to do better. Because if you are paying for your child's education, you are going to pay more attention to what they are doing in school.
That is why "No child left behind" is flawed and why putting so much pressure on teachers and administrators is so futile.
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I really can't understand how the intelligent people in Nashville allowed him in the city, much less to run the school system.
When he was in Hamilton County (Chattanooga) he damn near bankrupted it AFTER our intelligent people chose him. He can from a school system in North Carolina, which he DID bankrupt.
someone needs to put a very short leash on him.
Not sure where Beth gets her info. In Chattanooga, test scores did change. As for poor folks not paying attention, that's a cultural thing. Go tell the Asians about that, they don't cut any slack for their kids, poor or not. Unfortunately, the culture inside and outside the schools need to change. We can't wait till enough conservatives die to implement the kind of change that's required.
I think it's a crime to lay off all of the custodians of Metro Schools with the economy in the shape it's in. You Dr. Register should fail for poor consideration of faithful employees of the Davidson County School System. These individuals you are laying off, have to make a living, pay bills, need medical/dental benefits, just like yourself. What gives you and the School Board the right to take away these custodial jobs from needy individuals, who just want to live and work. What is done to others can also be done to you in the end. Think about it Dr. Register.
And now fresh starting schools -- reassigning everyone from inner-city schools that, by Register's own words, need continuity -- when teachers raise issues over possible misconduct by administration really sends the message on how this regime values and invests in the staff that has taught the children and maintained the schools. Most of all, he's making these decisions before any input and then wasting taxpayer money by going through the motions of hearings and interviews to make sure he APPEARS to be conducting business ethically and legally. This type of arrogant, foolhardy action (it can't even be called leadership) cannot help turn around a community's school system.
