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Unit 4: Training and Development

Notes
Get Smart runs a year-long training and mentoring program for potential charter-school
principals — four of its current and past fellows were among those meeting with
Bush — and was recently authorized by the state to license principals.
Speaking about AREL’s mission, Bush said the focus was on preparing innovative principals
to take charge. “We believe that an excellent school must first of all have an excellent
leader,” he said. “And this program here in Denver recognizes that, and it is got a really
good track record.”

Bush also took a moment to laud Hancock, whose rise from poverty and dedication to
reform efforts under way in the Denver Public Schools was central themes of his campaign
for mayor earlier this year.

“I appreciate the example you set,” Bush said to Hancock. “One of the things I tell people
you’re often going to get dealt a hand you’re not going to want to play in life — it is
going to happen to us all, some way or another. Mayor, you got dealt a tough hand, but
you played it with class and now you have a chance to lead.
Bush spoke for only a few minutes with reporters after the discussion. He did not take
any questions and declined to answer when a reporter asked what he thought about the
death of Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi, which was confirmed by news organizations
just as they Get Smart roundtable started. “I think we’re going to have great schools in
Denver,” Bush said with a grin.
He stressed that he has left the world of politics behind so he can devote his energy to
some of his passions, including education.
“Post-presidency is an interesting period for (former First Lady) Laura (Bush) and me,”
he said. “I’m out of politics, but I love being in the arena. I’m now an observer, but I
still have great passion, as does Laura, about educational excellence. So one of the things
we’re doing at the Bush Center (at Southern Methodist University) is to work with groups
such as Get Smart and set up a collaborative effort with educational entrepreneurs to
develop best practices for training leaders in the classroom.”

Bush’s visit to Denver comes as federal lawmakers are debating whether to overhaul the
No Child Left Behind law — his administration’s decade-old, signature education
initiative — and as Denver voters are casting ballots in a school board race portrayed
as a referendum on the so-called reform approach to education. But against that backdrop,
participants said, the discussion avoided anything overtly political.
“He did not talk about Washington, he did not talk about Congress, he did not talk about
the president, he did not talk about Moammar Gadhafi,’” Hancock said after the discussion.
“He talked about education and caring enough to send the very best to our schools.”
Hancock said Bush discussed the goals behind the No Child Left Behind legislation and
the importance of accountability but did not discuss any particular legislation, including
Senate Bill 191, the controversial Colorado law passed last year.
“One of the guiding values of any approach to quality schools is to make sure there’s
accountability in the school — you have got to be able to measure what you’re
accomplishing,” Hancock said after the meeting with Bush.

What it comes down to, Hancock said, is simply establishing common-sense goals and
then determining whether they’re being met.
“It is about measuring whether our third - and fourth graders can read,” Hancock said.
“There’s no sexiness about that, other than, ‘Can they read?’”
A few hours later, Hanock convened the first meeting of the executive committee behind
the Denver Education Compact, an initiative involving civic, business and education
leaders — including several who attended the session with Bush — to improve education
in the city. Contd...

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