The More Things Change, the More Things Remain the Same: A Reflection on My Career in Education HR

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how my career in human resources management in diverse districts reflects the discouraging status of school reform in American education. After leading multiple human resources programs designed to improve educator performance, I have reached the conclusion that our schools are effectively immune to school and district improvement practices. Three conditions in the structure and culture of education conspire to stifle reform efforts, in spite of the considerable talent of school leaders and teachers. First, democratic processes that ultimately control educational progress encourage aversion to risk and avoidance of the district conflict that accompanies reform. Second, the bureaucratic organization of our school systems at the state, local, and federal levels of government facilitates inefficiencies, slow decision-making, and a frustrating search for consensus. Third, a culture of teacher autonomy and privacy retards collaboration and the impact of school administrators. Our programs in educational leadership need to better prepare school leaders in the political and communication skills that are necessary to lead genuine and sustainable reform.