"Still Left Behind"

The year 2014 is the deadline set by the 'No Child Left Behind' law for schools to close the test-score gaps between minority and white students. News articles over the past two weeks indicate that a half dozen recent studies reveal that little progress has been made towards that goal over the past five years.

The reports tell us that the test score gaps between black or Hispanic students and whites appear in KINDERGARTEN and worsen through 12 years of education.

Recently, I was with several United Way volunteers visiting Madison, Wisconsin to learn more about how Dane County has closed the racial achievement gap over the past ten years. Where there once was a 20% difference in performance in schools, the community now finds itself essentially having eliminated the gap.

As I read the recent articles on the lack of progress across the country and in Southeastern Michigan, I thought about what happened in Dane County. Ten year's ago, this community announced publicly that it was going to eliminate the racial achievement gap. This wasn't just a school issue. Rather, it was everyone's issue. They realized that gap couldn't be solved by just the schools. So they started down a new path --- one that required a 'collective approach' to foster progress.

The media was invited in to observe and report on the messy work that was going to take place over the coming months....years. The three sectors of the community -- public, private and non-profits --- got focused on the goal. Volunteers were recruited to begin working with children on their reading. Corporations and local citizens contributed money to help with the project. Parents were provided a network to ensure that they all realize a fundamental truth: a parent is a child's first and most important teacher.

There will be much debate in the months ahead on what is required to see the nation make greater progress on closing this gap. I don't presume for one minute there is a clear cut answer. But I do believe this issue is solvable. Why? Because over and over you find pockets of success. You see the necessary alignment of resource, tools, talent and focus. Moving that success to scale is the next frontier of development. One of the key first steps to that frontier will be changing the optics from 'it's the school's issue' to 'it's our issue.'

Someone once told me that when you think the problem is out there, that's the problem. Progress will only take place when there is a community will for results and the necessary leadership to do the heavy lifting for the long haul.

If you are interested in learning more about the recent findings, go to the New York Times magazine article.

Thanks for reading, pass it on.

Regionalism: An Urgent Step

I have encountered many discussions, experiences and initiatives that scream out for greater cooperation throughout the region. As globalization connects directly to the issues we face locally, the opportunity to move forward with a different capability--- to act regionally--- has become more evident and urgent.

A CEO of an automotive parts supplier recently said to me, "when you begin to travel to other countries as I have for business, you are left with no doubt that our world, our region, and our industry has become global. Many residents here in Michigan don't know it because they have never seen it. We need to move forward because the world outside of us is."

I heard from a small suburban community leader not long ago: "we---in the suburbs--are now experiencing the issues that many of our cities have faced."

A school principal says to me, "my job is to get these kids ready for their world --- the global one."

Regionalism---the closer integration of the communities of Southeastern Michigan on issues that effect all---begs the need for more collective action, for people and communities to act together to solve common problems.

What separates successful regions from others is not just a resource gap, but a knowledge gap. Whether it has been the report from Michigan Future or recently the Brookings Institution, the importance on investments in educational readiness, technology and research becomes the difference makers.

We have a fragmented, uncoordinated system of responding to regional issues without regional governance or government. We have an array of institutions and working initiatives that are striving to address regional issues (transportation, economic development....) without clear alignment and accountability. In the near term, residents will begin to hear about concrete steps to address this issue as private civic organizations are working to a cooperative blueprint for success.

Most of us will always live locally --- in our own neighborhoods and communities. But globalization has meant that we are, at the same time, part of a larger community --- our globe, our country, our state and our region.

While we live locally, we increasingly will need to think and act more regionally. This dual responsibility -- to my immediate community and to the larger whole---is a mindset shift for us here in Southeastern Michigan.

Clearly, if we are to make progress as a region, a change in mindset will be essential. A pro- region or anti-region ought not be the debate. Rather, we ought to have greater focus on the positive potential of a stronger regional approach. We ought to seize the opportunity to recognize that only some issues (education, mass transit...) can be addressed when we act on our collective responsibility. When we align our mutual resources, talent and aspirations, progress will be made.

This progress will ask that all participate. The development of our capacity to work as a region involves every aspect of society: free market enterprises, government, not for profits and citizens at large. All are needed, all are welcome and the time is now.