This past week I attended the Washington School Director’s Annual Meeting in Seattle. It was the 9th annual meeting I have attended and I learned something that shocked me and should alarm all of us. Every school board member is required to join, and pay dues, to this organization. Forget “Free Choice.”

At the “New Board Members” meeting WSSDA tried to explain the “Role of a School Director.” The analogy was that School Directors, “Should look at schools from 50,000 feet, ask questions to administrators, who are at 10,000 feet, who will get answers from teachers who are at ground level!” In addition their highest “Priority” is “Improved Student Achievement!”

My immediate reaction was that you probably wouldn’t have noticed most of World War II if you were at 50,000 feet! Perhaps this is why our schools are the way they are. I certainly have met School Directors that have about as much knowledge about their schools as one could get at 50,000 feet. By the way you need an Oxygen mask at this to remain conscious at this altitude.

For new board members WSSDA seems to offer precautions against taking any actions that might change the way schools are run and to listen carefully to their only employee, the Superintendent. This seems to create the perfect impasse.

Superintendents are reluctant to put forth to their bosses, the School Board, what it might take to really make schools effective and School Board Directors are reluctant, or uninformed, to advise the Superintendent to take any actions that would “Rock the Boat.” This could explain why the “Washington Boat” has sunk from 39th to 43rd in the nation in school completion.

It would seem that in order to be an effective school board member one would need some different advice. School Board Directors are responsible for the quality of education that is offered in each community. I would think that they should be made aware of publications and other resources that could improve their school district.

Each school district is required to join WSSDA so why shouldn’t they be trying to make each member more effective? I saw no workshops on, “What works elsewhere.” In fact there wasn’t a single presentation from out of state!

WSSDA has urged all boards to enroll in the “Lighthouse Project” that is supposed to provide training in how to “Become a highly effective board.” At one of the workshops I attended they listed the desirable characteristics of a “Highly Effective Board.” One of the characteristics of these boards didn’t seem to be “High Achievement of Students!”

I attended many of the workshops as a member of the press and noted the titles of all of the programs being held. I could not find any workshop that dealt with “Improving Achievement!” So much for the “Highest Priority!” I suspect that this wasn’t addressed because you would have to drop down from 50,000 feet to fix the achievement levels in a state that is now 43rd in the nation in high school completion.

There were, however, workshops on “How to work with the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association.” Priorities! In fact it was noted in several conversations that much of the public was more concerned about this, and only this. One district, facing budget cuts, was going to eliminate “Water Polo!” This brought out an angry public.

I would make two recommendations for their next annual meeting.

1. Research schools in the nation where “Improved Academic Achievement” has taken place, and invite leaders from these schools to address the meeting instead of hiring “Motivational Speakers” whose words are soon forgotten.

2. Hold the meeting at a hospital where knee, back and cataract surgeons are readily available as to improve “Student Achievement” some may need stronger vision, knees or a spine replacement.

“Improved Student Achievement” is not for sissies. Hackles will be raised.