Dr. Gary Nine for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction

There are lots of folks running for Superintendent of Public Instruction and they are all nice people.  So, what makes me different?  I'm in our schools everyday; I know what needs to happen.  My platform will produce real long-term change and even though they are necessities, you won't hear them from the other candidates.  It isn't because they don't care, it's just because they don't know; they can't know because they're not in the hunt everyday.

There are five specific platforms that need to be enacted if we are to increase student achievement, productivity, and the quality of citizenship for all students of Arizona relatively quickly:

1. Every child must be taught at a challenging level every day.  We have virtually been teaching the same way forever; a teacher up front lecturing; teaching to the middle, boring the high performing and frustrating the low performing.  We now have the ability to know exactly what every child knows and doesn't know, and the organizational wherewithal to flexibly group students by instructional need.  That will allow us to teach kids exactly what they need to know, kids then become successful, and then want more success.  Before you know it, instead of being 4 years below grade level, they are at or above grade level.  If you doubt that can happen, I want you to know we are already doing it! 
   
   
2. All students must have access to computers and instructional technology daily.  In the past it was said that in the land of technology, adults were the immigrants, while children were the natives.  Now it can be fairly said that our world's common language is technology. Adults in schools must speak the language of our children; when we choose not to, we become irrelevant. When textbooks cost $70 per book, and fully-functioning computers cost $300, as is true today, it is silly to buy textbooks.  When we provide computers and instructional technology to all, we enrich our students, enable our poor, and empower our teachers.
   
   
3. We must utilize brain training for our students.  Research has proven that the neuro-pathways are elastic in nature, and change over time with stimulus.  Brain training improves our ability to focus, basically strengthening our brains, giving it more endurance, which enables kids to read and process faster, thus increasing their likelihood of success.  This is not theory. 
   
   Brain training not only has significant positive effect on students suffering from language delay, autism, learning disorders, and increases the potential of high performing students, it even shows the potential to delay or offset the effects of Alzheimer's. As a state, we must recognize the positive effects of brain training and use the state's purchasing power to enable all students in Arizona to take advantage of the potential of such programs.
   
   
4. We must find a way to teach all of our kids well. It is not enough to just do well with the kids that remain in school. Arizona's drop-out rate is right at 30%.  To do well for 70% is good, but if 30% of your population is relatively impoverished educationally and does not embrace, understand, or accept the concepts of trust and respect necessary for productive citizenship, Arizona will still have a major problem.  Believing that 99% of all kids can meet our expectations when we communicate effectively with them is part of our Vision.
   
   This platform has been discussed for years, and most recently by Craig Barrett, the recently retired CEO of Intel.  I have revised it slightly and, while it is not original to me, I embrace the concept wholeheartedly.  When you know you have a major problem you must take bold action. While Arizona's students will still be eligible to receive a driver's license at age 16, I propose that the minute they drop-out of school or are removed from school for poor attendance or through long-term suspension or expulsion, their driving privileges be removed by the State. I'm sure there will be lots of controversy about this. However, driver's licenses for minors are a privilege not a right, and those should be earned privileges.
   
   We have a big problem that needs help in being solved.  This will not solve it, in and of itself, but it will assist greatly.  Yes, it will take coordination between schools and the MVD, but that is relatively easily done.  Please remember, a problem is just an opportunity for a creative solution.
   
   
5. While annual student testing is necessary, we must make it a priority that we have a measure of student growth. Many, many districts are doing this, and if we really want to see an increase in achievement, student growth measurements will provide the impetus.  I'll give you an example. Your daughter is really smart, but not gifted.  In 3rd grade she scored 97% in math; in 5th she drops to 91%; in 8th we're down to 83%, and by 10th were down to 75%.  Oh, still a great score, but because we don't have a focus on individual annual growth, we really haven't realized that she has been making less than a years worth of academic growth each year for probably the past 9 years.  We will also find that some schools, particularly those with high mobility, are doing a great job, but you really can't tell because we really don't do a great job measuring and tracking growth. 

Implementation of these five platforms statewide will empower our profession, motivate our students, increase achievement, and immensely strengthen Arizona's public school system.