| Schools come up with action plans every day. In fact, | | | | Milwaukee Schools will achieve success in higher |
| the Milwaukee Schools recently announced the | | | | education and career, and more importantly will |
| adoption of an action plan that is designed to make | | | | become responsible citizens of Milwaukee and the |
| its students competitive with some of the best | | | | world at large. Mission statements are always well |
| schools in the country. The plan, designated "Working | | | | intended. It's accomplishing the mission that's the hard |
| Together, Achieving More," was adopted by the | | | | part. |
| board of Milwaukee Schools in July 2007. But gauging | | | | In order to become a high performing urban school, |
| whether a plan means real change, or just a good | | | | Milwaukee Schools has set certain goals for itself. |
| press release isn't always easy. The Milwaukee Public | | | | Some of these include: |
| Schools plan is meant to be acted on immediately, | | | | 1. Meeting or exceeding the standards set by the |
| but it claims to provide for years of improvement. In | | | | state. This would be calculated by scores on state |
| it the school board lays out benchmarks for success | | | | exams and by certain benchmarks in reading and |
| for the years 2007 through 2012. | | | | math. |
| Entire Community Bands Together to Improve | | | | 2. Becoming real communities of learning and building |
| Milwaukee Schools | | | | upon the idea of PLC or Professional Learning |
| The committee that researched and designed this | | | | Communities. This allows educators planned time to |
| new plan was not made up of a bunch of academics | | | | work together within disciplines and across disciplines |
| with little experience in the classroom or the "real | | | | in addition to work outside of the school with |
| world." In fact, input was asked for from many | | | | community members and leaders. |
| different areas. Educators, administrators, | | | | 3. Continued improvement and professional |
| researchers, business leaders, families and many | | | | development for ALL staff of Milwaukee Schools, not |
| others worked together to come up with a plan | | | | just teachers. Administrators and bus drivers would |
| designed to put Milwaukee Schools on the map. I'd | | | | be held to certain standards of improvement as well. |
| say that this is a point in their favor. | | | | 4. Being accountable for any shortcomings. This would |
| Milwaukee Schools Dedicated to Doing "Whatever it | | | | include action plans for addressing those weak points. |
| Takes." | | | | This is where the ideas of NCLB come in. |
| The new plan, "Working Together, Achieving More" | | | | 5. Being supportive of families. This includes all staff |
| takes some direction from No Child Left Behind and | | | | of any particular school and the district as a whole. |
| similar acts that are aimed at reaching every student. | | | | This is designed to make families feel like a welcome |
| The plan's mission statement is that all students of | | | | and important part of the public schools. |