What a School Board Member at Los Angeles Unified School District Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Education Industry
Tanya, a Los Angeles Unified School District School Board Member, learned that maintaining "optimism about what's possible" in the face of long-standing educational challenges and the potential for incremental rather than transformational change is crucial; the reality is that educators' longevity contrasts with the shorter terms of board members, making sustained impact a significant challenge.
Executive/Leadership, Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Goals, Motivational Stories, Hard Truths
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tanya Ortiz Franklin
School Board Member
Los Angeles Unified School District
Columbia University 2005
Loyola Marymount University, MA Elementary Education; UCLA School of Law JD, Public Interest Law & Policy, Critical Race Studies
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Education
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Maintaining optimism and purpose is crucial in the face of challenges and the slow pace of change within the education system.
2. The decisions made by board members can have a lasting impact on students, even though teachers and principals also play a significant role in shaping their learning experience.
3. Transformational change requires effort and persistence, and it's important to remain hopeful despite obstacles and the temptation to maintain the status quo.
Transcript
What have you learned about being a board member that you wish someone would have told you before you started?
Before I started as a board member, I was optimistic. However, I underestimated how much effort it would take to maintain that optimism.
People often say the pendulum swings in education. But what happens in the classroom really depends on the teacher. Teachers often stay much longer than decision-makers at the top.
For instance, I have term limits. I can serve up to three four-year terms. An educator, however, might stay in their classroom for 30 or 40 years.
Some people ask if our decisions even make a difference when a classroom teacher or a principal can decide what they want to do. So, maintaining a sense of purpose and optimism about what's possible is challenging.
believing that change is real and can truly benefit children is difficult. Adults have to correct historical errors, which requires significant effort. It's easy to become discouraged and settle for incremental change or maintain the status quo.
However, to make truly transformational change for kids and remain hopeful about it can be hard, but it's really important to hold onto that hope.