Education

As an educator of inner-city students, I have observed that the success of a city follows the success of its urban schools. In Arizona, moreover, the success of the state follows that of its urban centers. Therefore, if we are to compete in the global economy, Arizona must create and sustain urban schools that produce capable, responsible, and well-educated graduates. The success or failure of our urban schools will define the future of our state.

Arizona’s urban school population is growing. The fastest rising segment of that student population is Latino. For many of them, English is not the only language they speak and their cultural experiences differ from those of mainstream America. They must also overcome great obstacles in order to attend school regularly and be ready to learn. Such students are often labeled as disadvantaged compared to other student groups in Arizona. We should question these labels. Are students disadvantaged because they speak a language other than English, understand a culture other than that of mainstream America, and have learned to overcome great obstacles in order to get to school every day?

People who succeed under these circumstances are actually in high demand. They have the characteristics that Fortune 500 companies seek. We have repeatedly been told that companies competing globally actively recruit employees who are bilingual, bicultural, and resilient. In other words, students attending schools in Arizona’s inner-city neighborhoods already have many “disadvantages of success” that can provide them a competitive edge in the global economy. Accordingly, our educational leaders must create learning environments to help inner-city youth achieve high academic standards and leverage their strengths.

With this idea in mind, Isaac School District reframed its instructional world-view in 2003 to ensure that students attain academic success and become well prepared to compete in the global economy. Parent groups, students, teachers, administrators, and community leaders worked together to reduce our mission statement from a rambling paragraph to three simple goals known as the Isaac Initiatives. The goals are: Increase Student Achievement, Improve Customer Service, and Integrate Parents and Community.

The Isaac Initiatives have guided the redesign of our instruction. Today we create a balance between teaching about English and teaching in English, and our teachers understand the role language plays in serving our linguistically and culturally diverse students. As a result, our students have achieved significant improvements in reading, writing, and math proficiency at each grade level throughout our entire district. In 2003, according to the Arizona Department of Education, we had six “Underperforming” schools. Today, eight of our schools are labeled “Performing-Plus” despite the fact that 93% of our students live at or below the federal poverty line, 94% are of Hispanic/Latino descent, and over 70% come from homes where Spanish is the primary language. With these results, we are convinced our children do have all the disadvantages of success.

Kent Paredes Scribner started teaching in a bilingual Philadelphia-area high school and has worked in administration at both the Tempe and Roosevelt districts. Isaac is a growing K-8 school district of approximately 9000 students in 13 schools covering 6.8 square miles in west Phoenix.




From the report "Sustainability For Arizona: The Issue of Our Age" by Morrison Institute for Public Policy, ASU