The following op-ed from National Alliance President and CEO Nina Rees first appeared in the Memphis Commercial Appeal: When Tennessee lawmakers created the Achievement School District (ASD) three years ago, they had a clear vision of what they wanted the new statewide district to achieve, but no guarantee of success. The goal was to take some of Tennessee’s Priority schools — those in the bottom 5 percent of achievement — and turn them around so they would reach the top 25 percent of schools. Today we know that the ASD is succeeding, lifting schools and students at a faster pace than in other districts across the state. Policymakers in Tennessee should build on this success, while other states should look to replicate the formula the ASD is using to help children achieve.
A lot of the ASD’s success is rooted in leadership. Chris Barbic, a former charter school founder, was hired as superintendent of the ASD, and he relied heavily on high-quality charter networks to bring rapid improvement to ASD schools. The strategy is working. Students in ASD elementary and middle schools had greater gains in math and science than their peers in district schools statewide. The district’s neighborhood-based high schools also delivered an impressive performance, improving in every subject and outpacing other schools statewide in a remarkable five out of six subjects, including posting double-digit gains in algebra and English. Like the rest of the state, ASD’s reading scores are lagging, evidence that there’s still plenty of work to do. Charter schools have been able to drive rapid improvement because teachers and school leaders can adapt quickly to what is happening in their classrooms. If a teaching method or curriculum is working, it gets expanded; if it is not, it is replaced by something else. While change is slow and cumbersome in district-run schools, the ASD and its charter schools can continue trying new ways to help students until they get it right. Such trial-and-error tactics can take time to be effective. Barbic and other charter leaders will be the first to admit that creating a statewide portfolio of turnaround schools and changing the way schools are run isn’t a quick and easy fix. It’s tough work, and some school leaders won’t succeed. But this, too, is a benefit of charter schools: When unsuccessful school leaders don’t get the job done, they can be replaced. Students don’t have to suffer while adults argue over contract provisions. After launching the ASD so successfully, Barbic recently announced that he will be leaving the district at the end of the year. The next group of ASD leaders — supported by state officials — should build on what Barbic set in motion. And with evidence of the ASD’s success, we should try to replicate it in other places. Nevada is in the process of setting up a statewide improvement district right now, and several other states are investigating whether a similar structure would work for them. States considering the ASD turnaround model should move forward with a clear understanding that progress won’t come easily. But with patience, persistence and the power to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, charter schools can help deliver the boost in learning and achievement that so many students desperately need. Nina Rees is the president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
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