Are Schools Following Bad Data?
How Educational Experts Have Been Fooled for Decades
I have several social media channels. I have a Twitter account, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn profile. I post on all channels pretty regularly (That reminds me I need to make a new YT video).
When I post about how bad schools are run, or how students are being held back academically, ironically it’s teachers and administrators who push back the most. I say ironically because teachers and administrators can see students are bored, tuning out, and showing less and less motivation for school everyday.
Surprisingly to me, these same teachers and principals defend their positions by calling me an “outsider” and that I don’t know what’s going on inside the classroom.
If I’m an outsider, than who is an “insider?”
Following Bad Data
Educators are supposed to use data to inform their decisions. But what happens when educators ignore new data?
That’s exactly what’s been happening for the last 20 years.
In 2020, Georgetown University researchers proved that our high schools were using 100 year old theories to teach students. They published their findings in their report “Workplace Basics.”
What the researchers found through data collection and scientific research is there are five essential skills every high school student needs to learn before they graduate or else being successful will probably be out of reach. Not even earning a college degree will change this outcome.
The research makes perfect sense if you look at reality. How many students have graduated from high school and college in the last 20 years? And how many of them are facing massive college loan debt issues, and struggling financially and can’t pursue the American Dream?
Being Set Up to Fail
What the general public needs to know is this is not an accident. If you are looking at your own circumstances and wondering how you can feel stuck or behind the curve, despite having a college education — it comes down to having a misguided education.
The truth is our educational leaders and experts knew there was a problem, but refused to do anything about it. Meanwhile, they have been forcing teachers to “deny” the truth to parents and the public.
You know the truth — you can see the truth in front of your eyes.
Here’s what everyone inside the K12 system knows for a fact. Our entire curriculum is based on 3 basic 19th century skills: reading, writing and math.
That’s it. If you’re a kindergarten student, you are being taught how to read, write and do math. But if you think high school seniors escape the same old, boring 3 basic skills — you would be wrong.
In every grade and every course, English, Math, Science and Social Studies, the only three skills students are exposed to are; reading, writing and math. Some educators want to fool you into thinking STEM and STEAM break the mold, except not if they also follow the same 19th century skills model — which they do.
The bottom line is high school students need more than reading, writing and math skills.
Not Listening to the Student Data
Educators want us to believe they read, follow and listen to the data. Except that isn’t true either. According to the US Department of Education, elementary students in America know how to read, write and do math.
Look at the data yourself from the NAEP (National Assessment for Educational Progress). The data clearly shows elementary students learned all three basic skills. Literacy test scores have not declined one point since 1992 and math scores have increased by 27 points since 1990.
Who’s listening to the data?
Give High School Students an “Edge”
Why can’t we give high school students an “edge” in life? Why do we have to purposely hold them back? We see the horrible outcomes of using a 19th century skills curriculum from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. It simply does not work anymore.
According to the Georgetown report, there are five essential skills every American needs to have if they want to be successful. This isn’t a theory, this is real data. This has been scientifically proven.
Those five essential skills are:
- Leadership
- Team Building
- Problem Solving
- Sales
- Communications
Trust “The School Doc”
My nickname is “The School Doc” because I solve school problems. I’ve been solving school problems since 2009. And I’ve been solving them from inside the K12 system.
I’m not an outsider. In 2011, I became one of the first superintendents in the country to implement a 21st century skills curriculum in my high school and the results were astonishing.
The self-proclaimed experts told me that a 21st century skills curriculum wouldn’t change the data. What they all said was, there was nothing that could help kids who were born in poverty, get out of poverty. They told me there was no way for kids from low socioeconomic communities to find opportunities. They told me systemic racism would prevent my students from being successful, no matter what.
You’ve heard these experts too. And no one pushes back. No one questions their crazy logic.
But I ignored them in 2011 and did what I knew was best for my students. I wanted to help them break the cycle of poverty and racism. Why should I accept the “experts” opinions as gospel?
I had the student data to prove a 21st century curriculum worked, but without scientific data, the “experts” who control all 84,000 schools in America ignored me. They gaslit me and they lied to you and the general public.
When Georgetown researchers provided the research-based evidence to prove why my curriculum worked — I felt vindicated. But that didn’t change the situation. For some reason, the self-proclaimed “experts” continue to ignore and deny the evidence and the truth.
Don’t let them win.
What’s Holding School Leaders Back?
I don’t blame superintendents and principals for being afraid to change. I had to endure a lot of toxic energy because I defied the “experts” and did what I thought was right.
The K12 system does not incentivize school leaders to do the right thing. It wants school leaders to toe the line. Be good soldiers and don’t question authority.
But at some point, school leaders need to question the orders they have been given. At some point, they need to look at the data and make more informed decisions. The data is clear. Elementary students across the board have acquired 19th century skills; reading, writing and math.
Which means, what’s next for middle and high school students?
The answer is simple. Middle and high school students need to start learning and exploring the five essential skills proven to be necessary by the outstanding research from Georgetown University.
Want to Help Make Positive Change?
As I stated earlier, I have several social media accounts and I have been lucky enough to speak to thousands of good teachers, parents and administrators who want to do MORE for their students and communities.
Except, they run into the same problems I have run into my whole career.
The “experts” and the people who control everything — don’t want you to organize and they don’t want you to share good data and information. The more you know, the less you will follow them.
I’m here to change that paradigm.
Teachers
The only way teachers will be able to address the teacher pay issue, the working conditions and create safe classrooms is if teachers stop isolating themselves and hiding in their classrooms. I created a FB group for teachers to connect with other teachers.
In addition, I created 4 FREE Starter Kits, on lesson planning, safe classrooms, P.B.S. and developing student/teacher relationships based on my 20 years of expertise in education. These Starter Kits can help both novice and experienced teachers.
I also created a special PDF explaining how teachers can work together to finally receive the support they so desperately need in school.
If you are a teacher, know a teacher or care about a teacher, share this link with them:
Parents
What can parents do?
Right now, the best thing parents can do is support teachers and to follow me on social media. This summer I am focused on helping teachers learn about empowerment and how to start overcoming the toxic culture of schools.
But in the Fall, I will start focusing attention toward creating safe schools, safe classrooms and how parents can support their children’s love of learning as well as strategies to boost engagement in school.
I have helped thousands of parents who were pulling their hair out because their children refused to do school work, homework, defied teachers and principals and were getting into trouble at school and at home.
These same strategies will also work for kids who are tuning out, bored and generally disinterested in anything other than video games or social media.
Please follow the link to the Leaf Academy website (link in bio) and go to the Contact Us Page to find my Twitter and IG accounts.
About the Author:
D.Scott Schwartz, M.Ed. is the CEO and Founder of Leaf Academy and an education think tank. He has consulted with schools on elevating teacher expertise, boosting student achievement and teaching 21st century skills. He also helps businesses that are stuck building audiences, revenues and customers. For more information, visit the bio and follow the link to the Leaf Academy website. Click on the Programs page for consulting services.
