Three pieces of news coming out of Nashville:

1. Superintendent announces charter expansion and school closures – parents organize a PAC to protest. 

2. District puts out study detailing how charter growth could imperil their finances, in an effort seemingly meant to support slowing of charter growth. 

3. Superintendent announces he doesn’t want his contract renewed.

Some thoughts:

1. Being a superintendent is difficult.

2. Especially when some combination of politics and leadership ability prevent achieving any level of real strategic clarity.

3. It’s very difficult to have an operationally aggressive strategy under an elected school board. The incentives for everyone are all wrong.

4. I believe it might be possible for an elected school board to enact and implement sound regulatory policies.

5. This is one reason, among many, I believe we should spilt duties: let government regulate schools and non-profits operate schools.

Or to put it another way: for those who want to save elected school boards, the best way to do so may be to change what they do.