Walking the Tightrope

Walking the tightrope between legislators and local educators often puts state departments of education in a bind.  These two parties often view education from different perspectives, resulting in solutions to problems that are at odds.  

Legislators may better understand the place of schools in society, compared with educators who are occupied with the day-to-day “delivery” of education. 

On the other hand, local educators have more know-how in helping their students learn. Educators know that "one size does not fit all." They better understand the unique needs of their students and local communities than do their state legislature.

State departments of education can help: 

• reconcile the greater purpose of schooling that legislators see with the expertise that educators have in achieving it; and
• protect school districts from micro-management by the state legislature and governer's office,

while still leading schools to strive toward visionary ends--the mark of true transformational leadership.

For more, see how FutureMinds can help state departments of education.