Problems and Solutions

NEXTT Defined Five Integrated Problems

Current Norwich education problems are becoming more difficult.

As demographics shift in the community, more learners are poor, more speak a primary language other than English, and more represent unique ethnicities and cultures. All of these conditions complicate learning for students in the current system. This complication is not a flaw or fault of learners, of course, but achievement data does point out that today’s education system does not serve them very well.

Skepticism & alienation are increasing both inside & outside the education system.

At a time when Norwich especially needs the combined effort of all its citizens, it can little afford withdrawal, complaints, and distrust that come with skepticism and alienation.

Norwich has a history of fragmented non-solutions to community problems.

Norwich has many active government, business, and community organizations that sponsor their own initiatives intended to solve community problems. Unfortunately, the problems have often been treated separately by separate actors—and often with disappointing results. This history of fragmentation runs counter to what is needed today, a strong and unified community response to the education challenges the community faces.

State and federal education policy challenge long historical traditions of local control of the Norwich education system.

As education becomes a more important building block of state and national competitiveness in a knowledge economy, rules, regulations, financial mandates, and other policies are issued from state and federal government levels. Funding, on the other hand, still comes primarily from the local or town level. Conflict about which decisions can be made where seems inevitable.

The current funding model is unsustainable.

The cost of the current education system has risen steadily over the past several years. At present rates of increase, it is doubtful if Norwich can continue to support its education system in the long run.

NEXTT Formulated Seven Integrated Solutions

Work together for personalized learning and system accountability.

In the NEXTT design, learners, educators, families, and community will work together to make sure that every learner (regardless of age) gets an education shaped by interest, talent, need, and choice. Employers will provide internships and other opportunities to learn about work in Norwich to encourage youth to stay in Norwich as adults. Government and community agencies will provide opportunities for learners to do projects that benefit the community at the same time learners apply what they are learning to real problems. Educators, families, and learners will craft learning plans that improve learner outcomes—higher achievement; more opportunities for post-secondary, college, and career; lower dropout rates; better social skills, and others. Sound accountability data will demonstrate what’s working.

Personalized support for success.

The NEXTT system will provide health and human services support for learners whose performance or success is blocked by health problems or social challenges. It will also provide a variety of learning supports tailored to the specific academic needs of every learner—tutoring, mentoring, extra practice or examples, technology solutions, and others.

Flexibility

Time, space, and learning experiences will be varied to increase choices and promote full resource utilization. Buildings will have multiple uses: a classroom, for instance, will be able to support small-group project work, large-group meetings, and other configurations. The time before and after school will be used for special activities that help learners improve their performance or enrich their learning experiences. Technology such as virtual courses or software that supports self-directed learning will add interest and variety to the learning experience for any and all learners.

Use resources for mutual benefit.

The community, the school district, and learners will create an exchange that is mutually beneficial. For instance, when the community identifies a problem for learners to tackle, the learners will return real solutions. Or when the school district opens its facilities for community or business activities, some reasonable compensation or barter may be negotiated. Give-and-take will guide community resource use.

Lifelong learning

The NEXTT education system will accommodate learners of any age. It will recognize that people’s learning needs change over the course of their lives and that the access to good learning experiences is just as important for a working adult as for a child. The NEXTT education system will afford easy entrance and easy exit. It will be an economic asset for the community.

Sustainable and comprehensive financial model.

The NEXTT educational system’s financial model will include a benefit statement that details financial contributions to the community in addition to the traditional cost statement. NEXTT will apply a variety of strategies to reduce and eventually reverse the upward cost spiral that characterizes the current system.

Renewal

The NEXTT education system will use known and reliable methods for keeping itself current as times and educational needs change in Norwich. The design process used in 2010-11 will be followed by cycles of implementation planning. Rapid cycles of continuous improvement will be used to improve efficiency and effectiveness of specific processes. Community engagement will be a critical element in renewal methods.