By: Jordan Thomas
Contributing Columnist
When asked if a school is a “good” school or a “bad” school, I know that is not the right question. The questions should really be about administration, teacher and staff quality and retention, and class sizes. When you evaluate those questions, you can quickly determine the type of a school you have.
First, when we talk about “bad” schools and the impact on our boys and girls, let’s instead recognize that adding more duties and professional development for teachers and staff won’t alleviate this problem, but a highly qualified and well-prepared administrator can.
We should be equally as conscientious in hiring and paying the leader of a school as we are in our top leader, the superintendent. A principal should have well-documented success in leadership, and she should be fairly compensated for the demands of the position.
Next, a good principal with a solid administrative staff lays the groundwork to what research tells us is the most important factor in raising student achievement, the quality of the educator in the classroom.
Additionally, a principal not only attracts quality personnel but retains them, which is another key factor in student success.
Finally, something else to consider is the teacher pupil ratio. Research indicates that the teacher-pupil ratio is the second most important indicator in driving student success. Let’s pare down the student count so that each student receives individualized attention.
Wouldn’t it just make sense to spend money reducing the teacher/ pupil ratio, specifically at our struggling schools, so that our boys and girls get the individualized attention they so desperately need?
As a former teacher, I know a good principal when I see one. I worked for one of the very best Caddo Parish has ever seen, Albert Hardison. Mr. Hardison was a dynamic leader, always ensuring he was surrounded by a strong leadership team while also recruiting and retaining the best teachers and staff.
He was able to do this because he was well-prepared and supportive. He was consistent and fair while always being committed to excellence. Because of this, teachers and staff wanted to work for him, and parents and the community felt proud that their students attended his school.