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encourapr ~ L I I icachers to look at student achievement more intentlv as they \IIj\rr lo Increase
:." a senior administrator. A principal saw the mandates as not only an effon to
math, reading. and science scores on standardized tests, but also a call to align
urricula ihrouphout the state in an effon to compare achievement scores from district to
istrict. This pal-ticipant also professed a belief that HF 2272 was a peace offering to both the
>rate and federal governments that Iowa schools were willing to give up some local control.
A senior staff person in the district acknowledged the importance of assessing student
:~chle\:ement and the desire to compare districts statewide, but also saw the reporting piece of
the mandate as a critical component. A board member was quite global in her assessment of
he intent of the mandate. She stated:
It k4.a~ intended to improve our school system. We need to make sure we keep up
\vith the times and not allow our walls to be crumbling down around us. When we
look towards the future, we need to make sure we still have a school [in the district].
We need a competent staff to take care of the students and make sure they are getting
uvhat they need to go on to higher education . ... I think they just wanted us to be
accauntahle. b'e need to show \!.hat is supposed to be happening is being done.
She \\.;I\ undccidcd n.liether or not HF 2272 could do those things for her district.
A principal had a someivhat similar view in thinking that HF 2272 was an attempt to
pro\.itlt. Iowa who01 districts \virh a framework for change and school impro~ement. He saw
mandarcs 3s 3 \vay to put "teeth" in the effort. He uvent on to suggest that legislators were
sccking lo insure Ioura's educational reputation and to offer some concessions to the state that
ubile heing accountable. local control for 1ou.a school districts was not lost.
Other respondents \lienred it quite differently. hou~erer. in seeing 2272 as primarily an
effofl to makc smaller schools adhere to regulations that might force them out of existence.
Leading the closing of small schools theory was the district curriculum director. When asked
why legisl:iron chose to pass HF 2272. she replied. '-1 could give you my evil answer. ne\'