School Reform

School reform is a process that needs the voices of all stakeholders to be heard because their participation affects the success of the reform.  The state and federal level many times provide the mandates that are the foundation for change in the educational system.  Then, school board members and school leaders provide a way to communicate the reform to the community and at the same time they become an advocate for the community as needed. 

Schools reform cannot happen if the teachers that are usually the implementers are against the changes.  Teachers need to have a clear understanding of the changes, the rationale of them, and a clear understanding of how to implement them.  During this process, check points are helpful to evaluate if they are achieving the goals or they need clarification from a trusted source. 

Teachers and administrators are generally approached by the parents that seek information about the reform.  Teachers should provide accurate information or direct parents to seek information in the district’s office.  Administrators could support teachers by providing resources, time and training in support of the reform.  As the reform gets established the school system must be open to make the appropriate adjustment to respond to the stakeholders’ needs.

The voices heard in the David School are the community, the parents, the teachers, the administrators and the students’ voices.  The David School is a response to the need of a community for providing a vital opportunity for students who did not have any opportunity to succeed in the public school system.  The teachers and administrators of the David School listen to the concerns of students and their families, and as a result they take their matters into consideration as part of the students’ educational experience.  This is the reason why the Principal’s home visit becomes so important in the process of students education.  Also, David School makes education meaningful to the students by teaching the curriculum according to their skill level, and their interests, in order to help them reach their academic goal.