Chamber Group Ponders Shakeup Of School System

If it were up to some Spokane Valley business people, schools would be run like businesses and teacher tenure would be abolished.

Space in all existing schools would be fully used before new buildings were built. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills would be a crucial part of the school curriculum.

Those were some of the ideas the business half of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce’s business and education committee came up with in a recent brainstorming session.

“What we did was say, ‘If this were a perfect world and we could effect change, what would we change?”’ said Sandy McCauley, a Valley resident who owns a quilting shop on Spokane’s North Side. “We met and started throwing things up on the wall.”

The education half of the committee, which includes administrators and school board members from Valley school districts, also developed ideas for the committee to examine.

The education group’s list was less specific in terms of mandates but more detailed regarding action. The group raised issues, proposed potential solutions and suggested groups that could effect the suggested change, such as the state Legislature.

For example, one issue raised was the role of parents in handling safety, violence and discipline of students. A proposed solution was entering the workplace to teach parenting skills, which would require cooperation from educators, parents and the business community.

“Let’s find out what change we want to make, then find out who we need to go see to make it,” said West Valley Superintendent Dave Smith.

Other topics discussed by the education group were: student job readiness, latch-key students and funding of school buildings.

Both groups’ ideas will be used to direct the full committee’s discussions during the year and might culminate in drafting proposed legislation.

Mike Pearson, who directs secondary education for the Central Valley School District, said many business people were not aware that school districts already are actively pursuing many of the ideas suggested.

School districts need to work harder at keeping the community informed, he said. “We need to say, ‘Folks, here’s what we do,”’ Pearson said. “We need to get out and talk more about what we’re doing.”

, DataTimes