From Teaching Organizations to Learning Organizations: How the Structure of School Must Change

This week, NCTAF Co-Chair Richard Riley and his longtime adviser, Terry Peterson published an editorial in Education Week, calling for a bipartisanship approach to fixing our nation’s education system. Twenty-five years since the release of A Nation at Risk, Riley and Peterson stress we must reflect on what we have learned and where we must go.

Riley and Peterson emphasize that the structure of schools must change in order to meet the needs of 21st century learners. NCTAF is currently working with education leaders in South Carolina to develop “Inside Out Learning Centers.” These 21st century schools will provide a new vision for learning by extending the school day/year; flexible schedules for students and teachers; cross-generational teaching teams; student achievement based on mastery; and virtual programs. These efforts will be combined with community services that address conditions that often prevent children from learning, such as inadequate medical, mental-health, and dental care.

In addition to the work being done in South Carolina, this week The Community Agenda for America’s Public Schools was launched. The Agenda stands upon the core belief that communities and schools are fundamentally and positively connected. It is important to realize that bridging school and community resources helps students broaden their skills, and addressing the needs of the whole child are critical for achievement.

Do schools have to have community partners to be effective? What role do community organizations play in your local schools?

Watch Richard Riley and South Carolina State Superintendent Jim Rex comment on 21st century education!