There is a small parent uprising in California California , a group of parents led by Doreen Diaz have asked the State of California
The law which has been named the “Parent Trigger” Law, allows parents to close a failing school, change its staff, or turn it into a charter school if a majority of the parents agree to the change. Ms. Diaz gathered 280 parent signatures beyond the required majority needed by law and the parents have requested control over hiring a new principal who has the authority to hire and fire teachers[i].
Diaz and the local school district are in negotiations to comply with the decision to turn control over to the parents. School districts and parent groups across the country are watching to see how the transfer from local control to parent control is arranged. Once the transfer is complete, both parties will be closely monitoring the changes being implemented, how the changes will be implemented, and will the changes result in significant improvements.
The school in which Diaz and parents are taking over control is considered one of the worst performing schools in the State of California. Two thirds of sixth graders are not proficient in English and Math[ii]. Although the report did not provide further details on the parents plans post takeover, there are several common challenges that need to be addressed in order to successfully transform a poor performing school.
First is leadership. Diaz and the parents are going to have to develop a leadership team that hires staff who will implement their vision and goals for the school. A majority of people would believe leadership begins with the principal which is partially true. However, it is the teachers, secretaries and other support staff that support and sustain the academic endeavors of a school. The Principal is responsible for ensuring the details of the vision are implemented and the goals are achieved or exceeded. The hiring of teachers and other support staff are of equal importance to the transformation of a poor performing school.
Next is increasing the support from the surrounding community. Although Diaz and the parent group exceeded the required number of parent signatures needed to gain control, absent from the report was how much support did they receive from local businesses, social service agencies, and higher education institutions in the surrounding area. Partnerships with other agencies and institutions are vital to the transformation of a poor performing school. Community buy into the vision and goals of a school will provide new opportunities for teachers and students and benefit the wellbeing of the community. Teachers and students will become connected to the community, which instills pride and self-esteem. Examples of this occurrence are seen in many small and medium towns across our country.
Last, is changing the perception of school among students. The tasks of breaking the cycle of years of accepted mediocrity and low expectations by school staff and the community will not be easy. Gaining students’ trusts in their abilities, breaking poor learning habits and instilling new ones will only succeed if the prior two challenges are in place. Good Luck parents!
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