School Leadership in the 21st Century: Leading in the Age of Reform

Abstract

In an effort to increase student readiness for college and career, many States have adopted new academic standards encouraged by education reform advocates. These standards are commonly referred to as the Common Core Standards. Schools from States that have adopted the Common Core Standards have been compelled to significantly restructure their existing curriculum and adjust how they teach that curriculum. These requirements can be particularly onerous for rural schools. Neoliberalism is the underlying political philosophy undergirding these changes in the current school reform movement and is similar to the political philosophy that drove the changes in agricultural policies in the mid 20th century. Neoliberal political and economic philosophy as it correlates to education policy is buttressed by three values: (1) education fosters economic growth; (2) education policy modeled on efficiency and business practices; (3) high stakes testing to measure what a student has learned. These values have created an educational policy structure that attempts to quantify student learning, teacher effectiveness and school district value. By understanding the similarities between agricultural policies in the mid 20th century and current education policies, rural schools and communities will be able to change the narrative surrounding the education of their children.

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Thomas A. Butler

Thomas A. Butler currently works as the executive director of Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8, an educational service agency serving four counties and 35 school districts in rural central Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as a superintendent, principal, guidance counselor, and teacher in rural school districts across Pennsylvania. Dr. Butler received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership in 2008 from Penn State University researching the effects of globalization on rural schools and communities in the United States.