Great Ideas Need Great Systems

Let’s begin by acknowledging a simple truth: working at and running a school district in California today is one of the most challenging jobs, period. People say to me all the time, “If a school district would just do this or just do that, everything would come out great.” It’s not simple; many elements need to be aligned and coherent for a school district to be successful. School officials, teachers, and principals are pulled in so many different directions – even the best attempts at coherence get sabotaged at every turn. 

Every school district and every school has a number of initiatives and good ideas. Everybody is doing their level best to address a multitude of challenges. I compare this work to home remodels.  We are redoing the kitchen without updating the infrastructure. We’ll put in a new sink. We’ll put in a kitchen island and a new oven. However, unless we address the plumbing, the gas lines, and the foundation that supports the kitchen, we will ultimately not be successful. 

Although each idea and initiative may have merit, they are likely to be short-lived or even a total flop unless we ask ourselves: What is the underlying infrastructure that needs to exist for these potentially impactful new ideas and initiatives to actually succeed?

When we take a systems approach across schools and across classrooms, we can utilize the best ideas, put them into practice, and disseminate them across schools and classrooms. Absent a systems approach, we’ll ultimately fail to create sustainable change, and every few years we’ll be buying a new stove. 

Figuring out which approaches will make the most significant difference for all our kids is hard work in today’s world. We need to layer great ideas on top of a system that’s ready to take those great ideas and do what they are intended to do. Systems can either help or hinder people’s ability to focus on the work that has the biggest impact for students. I see it in our districts and schools that are using common practices between and across grades – students are more able to focus on their learning, and there is a palpable joy in that.

With so many internal and external dynamics, the upcoming school year could prove to be extra challenging.  At Ed Partners, we are committed to staying focused on the learning experiences all our kids deserve and the outcomes all our districts are working toward.