View/Open - Drake University

Three educalors were mosi l)a>>nJllaLt in thelr requests to legislaLors. wnlje [he,, still
hoped for more \.oice and a chance for decision-makers to \?isit school sites, they expressed
rre &at concern for the increasing pOIJerty levels of students and the poor early- childhood
for many of the state'.: children. Their fears were that too much emphasis on
perlbrmance. and standardized testing in particular, was going to hamper nlhat they
\.ieu$ed 35 already not nearly enough funding for student needs in the areas of social,
ern otional, and behavioral spheres. One elementary participant described some of her
hluden[\ as, "coming to school with so much extra baggage. We expect them to walk through
that door and he focused and ready to roll on academics, and that's not true. They live in a
different world not knowing where they're going this weekend or what parent will they be
\vith tonisht." This educator would rather the legislature allow schools more freedom in
determining the needs of children than to continue to pass broad legislation that may have
deeulv disturbins and unintended consequences for a large number of Iowa's children.
Pi.ioi. :\ t.ri~.i!\.
Across-District Themes
Di\trict\ L I \ ~ in thi\ research stud? were convinced that their early. self-initiated
clTorl\ in implc~ncnting scliool improvement had semed them well in the implementation of
141' 2272. Each euprcc\ed pride in "being ahead of the game." For many. the basic ideas
ellihcdded in the new requirements of HF 2272 were not forein. but more an extension of
\vh:ll thc district h;id hecn doing for years.
Inter\-icaers sn\r. thc mandates as niore a-ork. but concep~uall~ it was. accordins lo
tc;\~her, s;lllle c~,ld re-p:~cknyed. The prior chml inlprovenlent efforts in each
of tl~c\e .*i\~livC.. diS[liCtS C:llllc f ~ ]c;l&y-s O ~ \v\lo ~ \yere \yell versed in chony strare~ies and
105