In researching for my book Crisis in School Management, I discovered that there are lots (hundreds) of organizations with the mission of reforming our schools. And, after I announced the posting of my draft manuscript on my web site, readers sent in names of even more organizations with the same mission. With so many organizations helping to keep attention on school reform, why are our schools still struggling?

In my book, I show that after more than a century of failed school reforms, it should be clear that these failed reforms were all imposed on the system either by authorities from outside the system or by bureaucrats within the system. And the reforms were imposed without collaborating with all stakeholders. Such imposing breeds reluctance, resistance, and out-right rejection by those on whom the reforms were imposed.

School bureaucratic systems are not only antiquated, they are highly antithetical to learning environments. And they can’t be reformed; they must be systemically transformed. However, true systemic transformation has to be an inside job done by all stakeholders. It has to come from the stakeholders themselves and moved forward by the stakeholders themselves -- not by experts, not by bureaucratic imposition, not even by a strong leader, but by the collaborative effort of all stakeholders. It begins with appreciation of what’s already good and working well, and moves forward through servant leadership, and transparent finances. .

(Those who'd like to see how an inside transformation process might be structured, check out my WRITING IQ Program, a free download to help teachers collaboratively develop an effective writing program. You will discover that it is a unique process journal and guide that becomes an important tool for anyone who uses it.)

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