Class 03.03.05 – Messaging and Decision Rules

Problem Statement: 85% of our 11th graders are undercredited.

Why is this a problem? The message “out there” is that kids should graduate in 4 years.

Why is that a problem? It hurts our viability (invites mandates and micromanaging)

Name of disease? Arrogance (although I still have difficulty with this one – see earlier post…I prefer fear, uncertainty)

So, everyone is acting in accordance with some message. What would that message be?

Message? “This is as good as it gets. The model takes time. We’re dancing as fast as we can.”

What would we have to believe for this message to be true?

Belief? Time does not matter.

What structures and decision rules support this belief? (This bears further fleshing out as we had limited time by design)

SYSTEM: Distribution
STRUCTURE: Crew
DECISION RULE: 20-30 minutes after lunch is enough time for crew.

SYSTEM: Incentive
STRUCTURE: Banking Seat Time
DECISION RULE: It’s okay if you get it later.

SYSTEM: Information
STRUCTURE: IEPs arrive or don’t
DECISION RULE: IEPs aren’t useful – file and forget

SYSTEM: Assessment
STRUCTURE: Up to crew leaders to oversee progress
DECISION RULE: We’ll get it from the subject area teachers anyway.

Others (couldn’t categorize)
Apprenticeships
Kids will educate themselves and we don’t have to know them.
60% of time is outside of school and it’s not academic time.
My son is in karate.


What messages could be sent that would impact one of the above decision rules? We looked at “seat time is banked” and “it’s okay if you get it later.”

Possible alternative messages

You have to get it now. It’s not okay to get it later.
Just give them 10 credits each year. (message: don’t worry about the credits)
Give them all 40 credits on day one. (message: don’t worry about the credits)
Don’t be concerned with 4 year graduation rate and tell everyone (message: time doesn’t matter and we’re explicit about it)
You have to earn credits and there are an extremely limited number of performance expectations this is tied to. (message: you have to earn it but it’s not a big deal).

By the way, why bother with all this stuff? Check out
http://world.std.com/~lo/WhyLO.html