By Julie Davis Bell
Big day Tuesday: The NCSL Education Study Group will release its long awaited report and recommendations “No Time To Lose: How to Build a World-Class Education System State by State.”
The report, to be released at a 10:45 a.m. (CT) event at NCSL's Legislative Summit at McCormick Place room W185bc in Chicago, is the culmination of nearly two years of study by a bipartisan group of state legislators and legislative staff to understand what lessons from the top performing countries may be appropriate and informative to states. One national education reporter has called this the best report on education reform in years.
The study group, made up of 22 experienced state legislators—11 Democrats and 11 Republicans²—and six senior legislative staff, took this journey together to better understand why other countries were outperforming the U.S. in education results.
Along the way the group learned that all of the top performing countries had a major motivation—to strengthen the economy and improve economic competitiveness by improving education outcomes. These countries approached reform strategically with a series of interconnected reforms. They did not implement individual and disconnected reform policies. Their efforts were strategic, systemic, purposeful and targeted.
On Tuesday the study group will unveil the principles or elements of the successful reforms in these countries. These reforms are things states have been working on for many years—decades even—but they are each part of a larger system for reform, all linked together in a strategic way. The study group was particularly impressed about how all these countries have approached teaching as a key ingredient
Study group member Robert Behning, chair of the Indiana House Education Committee and a Republican, reflected: “This has been one of the most meaningful groups I have done with NCSL and one of the most effective things I’ve been involved with. Over 20 years in the legislature I’ve worked on many education policies and our kids scores on PISA keep going down. Both liberals and conservatives came together to look at the data and understand why. We also had the unions at the table, they represent teachers and even though we don’t always agree, they have to be at the table. “
Senator David Sokola, chair of the Delaware Senate Education Committee and a Democrat noted, “There are too many people in the U.S. that think that ‘those kids can’t learn.’ We saw examples of poor, minority learners who were achieving at high standards. We need to break down barriers to get there. In the United States we have pockets of excellence, but we are not replicating well. In all cases but one, the students that were the lowest performing groups made the greatest gains.”
The study group has concluded that there are significant lessons for states and for state legislators in studying what other countries have done. Rather than continue on a path of stagnation in our student outcomes states can seize this moment and the opportunities ESSA provides for state flexibility to plan a new and strategic course forward.
Join us at the Summit to learn more about the recommendations or follow our blogs about the study group. The report and other information about the findings will be posted on the NCSL website immediately following the release event. Stay tuned.
Julie Davis Bell is director of NCSL's education program.
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