Create West Virginia

HB 109 was passed this week and opens the doors for communities to create fundamentally different schools.  

That is, if you can get the support of the teachers, parents, the school district, Dept. of Educ, and State Board.  There are a lot hurdles to jump, T's to cross and meetings to hold.  But, it is a start and permission to ACT.  Particularly interesting is the provision that allows new schools to be created by Institutions of Higher Education.  Because it is a new school, there may be even greater opportunities to innovate. 

Now comes the real work.  Remember existing organizations don't innovate very well, especially disruptive innovation.  "We overestimate the capacity of existing organizations to change in more than incremental ways (sustaining innovation)."  Remember what Joe Graba said at last year's CreateWV Conference-"We simply cannot get all the schools we need by trying to fix the ones we have."

But this is a start.   Let's see what ideas are brought forth by current schools and what new schools universities and community colleges propose.  No more excuses, we have permission to ACT.