Whatcom View: The Bellingham Promise drives schools into bright future

Most of us know something about public education in America, as a former pupil or parent. What is different now from “then?” Have the goals of public education changed?

Today’s teachers face more classroom challenges. In Bellingham’s Public Schools 37 percent of students live in poverty that can significantly impact learning; 10 percent come from a non-English speaking home; and still other school children, from all neighborhoods and income levels, have lived through persistent toxic stress in their homes causing behavioral problems and brain damage. In the same classroom may be highly capable learners who need extra challenging classroom work to make good use of their skills. Further, every student’s learning gets stuck from time to time, presenting a challenge to their teacher to help them progress.

Despite these classroom challenges, our community’s expectation and the school district’s strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise, provide the vision that drives district action: “We, as a community, will empower every child to discover and develop a passion, contribute to their community, and achieve a fulfilling and productive life.” Public education builds on the foundational work of families to prepare all children to be productive citizens, not just some children.

Every adult, whether a parent or not, will be dependent on today’s students to maintain a civil society, build our economy and make important new discoveries. When students fail to graduate or graduate inadequately prepared for today’s jobs that require post-high school education we all pay for it in lost workforce productivity and more public expenses for health and welfare support, substance abuse and crime.

How are our local schools preparing all students to graduate prepared for success in the new global economy? The Bellingham Promise calls out five key strategies:

Great teachers: First and foremost with great teachers who have strong administrative support. Today’s education does not occur behind closed doors. Teachers and the school principal team up inside and outside the classroom to respond to struggling and high-performing students alike and to improve teaching practice. Teachers are supported by library media specialists and school counselors in every school, other staff and community volunteers.

Early education: Second, multiple studies have shown that investing in early childhood education greatly improves student success in school and in adult life. With voter support, Bellingham has provided full-time kindergarten for all students since 2010; started “Promise K” early kindergarten entrance each spring for children with no access to high quality early learning in 2014; and has funded training for community and district early learning professionals pre-kindergarten through third grade to build a high quality, aligned learning program.

Community engagment: Third, student, family and community engagement are valued and actively sought before, not after, important decisions are made. District-level leaders focus on engaging non-English speaking families in their children’s education by holding multi-lingual family nights with meals and adult education opportunities. This year the Family Partnership Program was established to improve the communication with and learning opportunities available for families who are homeschooling. The school board holds linkage sessions with community stakeholders at least four times a year for focused feedback on The Bellingham Promise.

Equitable resources: Fourth, viewing our 22 schools as “One Schoolhouse” is a commitment to providing an equitable distribution of resources and services across all schools to ensure excellence for all. The old model of equal, but inadequate, state and district support for all schools meant the families of students from poor and affluent neighborhoods alike had to fund basic school supplies, after-school enrichment programs and school trips, leading to large gaps in learning opportunities for the poor. Today there is more emphasis on equity by funding what were once “extras,” thanks to generous local support from levies, gradually increasing state resources for basic education and an outpouring from community non-profit agencies and local colleges.

Best practices: Finally, innovation and flexibility, or embracing best education practices and providing up-to-date equipment and facilities, with teacher professional development to make good use of them, ensure we are meeting the needs of all students and adequately preparing them for their “next steps” beyond graduation. Elementary school staff are supported to enrich classroom learning with arts-infusion or with the interdisciplinary units of inquiry in the International Baccalaureate program. Planning for one-to-one student access to technology, an expanded and improved school start and end schedule, and expanding career and technical education opportunities are other examples.

We have so much pride and love for our children and schools in our community that it has been such an honor to serve Bellingham’s school board for the past 17 years.

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Whatcom View: The Bellingham Promise drives schools into bright future."