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Episode 10 takes us to the Mesa County School District 51 in Colorado and a conversation with superintendent, Steve Schultz, about the district’s work on performance-based learning. Among other things, we learn how Mesa County is engaging community to design the “what” and “why” of system transformation, the importance of providing the space and time for community to shift mindsets, and the value of “walking the talk.”
Steve began working in District 51 in 1982 as a teacher at Columbus Elementary School. He served as a principal, administrator and assistant superintendent before being appointed Superintendent in 2009. He retired in June 2017 after 35 years of service to Mesa County Schools.
Our conversation with Steve inspired us to think about the following questions:
- What happens when everyone’s a learner and a leader in the organization?
- What mechanisms of compliance can your organization let go of to move toward a more learner-centered learning environment?
Resources:
- Mesa County SD website
- The Vision of Performance Based Learning at District 51
- District 51 on building a performance based system
- Performance-based learning in Mesa County District 51
- Videos from Mom’s Everyday
- Education-reimagined.org
- A Transformational Vision for Education in the US
- It’s a Paradigm Shift. So What?
- TLTalkRadio conversation with Education Reimagined Executive Director, Kelly Young