Fullan Report on California’s Education System: State is on Track to Improve Education Recommended Strategies for Improvement by Michael Fullan
Curriculum & Instruction
(September 2017)
In a recent report on policy changes in California since LCFF,
LCAP, SBAC and CCSS, Michael Fullan, with colleague Santiago
Rincón-Gallardo, writes of promising developments in the state’s
education system. The 30-page report outlines positive shifts in
the system and makes recommendations for “staying the course” in
order to see positive outcomes for students. Following are
excerpts from the report:
Fullan’s right drivers are now a focus of California’s education
system.
Wrong and Right Divers of Education Reform
Wrong Drivers
Right Drivers
Punitive Accountability
Capacity Building
Technology
Pedagogy
Individualistic Solutions
Collaboration
Ad Hoc Initiatives
Systemness
Further, Fullan emphasizes the importance of capacity building.
The report states,
“Capacity building is about developing individual and collective
skills, competencies and dispositions in four interrelated
areas:
1. Relationship building with
individuals and groups from all backgrounds.
2. Pedagogical skills relative to
nurturing and deepening the learning of diverse individuals and
groups.
3. Assessment with respect to defining,
measuring, and using evidence for diagnostic, monitoring and
action taking purposes.
4. Change leadership in relation to
motivating diverse people, addressing conflict, problem-solving,
while attending to developing individuals and groups daily and
for the future (developing leaders on a continuous basis).”
The report makes the following recommendations to further the
work:
“Our recommendations are based on the above analysis, and are
designed to move the system forward in a direction that seems to
have widespread support, but has not yet been realized. These six
recommendations should be treated as an interrelated set.
Recommendation One: Establish a Clear
Directional Vision Linked to Capacity Building
Recommendation Two: Clarify and Update
CCEE’s Role
Recommendation Three: Redefine the Role and
Build the Capacity of County Offices.
1. Shift from compliance to mutual capacity building related to
student learning and achievement
2. Foster systematic collaboration to improve student
outcomes
3. Build a culture of co-learning that leads to sustainable
change
4. Promote a climate of candor, evidence, and urgency for
action
Recommendation Four: Leverage the Capacity
of Successful Districts
Recommendation Five: Create Coordination
and Coherence
Recommendation Six: Secure the
Sustainability of the California Way
To access the full report, click HERE
