Internationally-minded American school districts/systems?

[smile2017]

Hi, everyone! Following the earlier thread of "public school vs int'l school culture shock", I wanted to get other educators' opinions on which American school districts/systems are the most internationally-minded, progressive and innovative? I think the American educational system is definitely at a cross-roads and what has served the country "well" (LOL) in the past has now become downright obsolete and ineffective, if not straight up harmful.

When we know better, we do better. As international educators, we have worked in multilingual, multicultural and multinational settings, but I see so often that our skillsets are undervalued in the American job market. Even though American schools are serving the most diverse student bodies than we've ever had before, we're still hiring White, monolingual educators that are local to wherever they grew up, that got their first job out of university in the same town where they grew up, with a limited perspective on how to appropriately serve students in their care. Some of those same teachers become leaders in the same district and the system plods along, lacking innovation and the ability to meet the diverse needs of all students.

So which school systems have international educators found success in, stateside? Which school systems move beyond a simple sentence on their website and genuinely value diversity and actively work to dismantle inequities to promote inclusion and belonging? Which school systems really embrace internationalism, promote multilingualism and look to the future as core values of their daily operations?

I can offer insight on two big systems in the Mid-Atlantic region. Having also served as a school building leader with NYC Dept of Ed (1 million students, 75k teachers), I was eager to get into a smaller system with more agility. I served as an Assistant Principal in both Fairfax County, VA (178k students, 13k teachers) and in Montgomery County, MD (160k students, 14k teachers). Between the two, Fairfax wins hands down. Their "Portrait of a Graduate" that emphasizes multilingualism, global citizenship and environmental stewardship is really well defined from preK - grade 12. Employees live out those values in everything they do. Every school is assigned a bilingual parent liaison, at least one if not two technology specialists, they have an entire technology "ecosystem" that vets technology and provides educators with a library with corresponding explanations of when to use each tool and they promote innovation across the district, but especially at their signature school, TJHSST. It's a difficult system to move up through the ranks, however, because they pride themselves on promoting leaders that grew up in Fairfax County and executive leaders don't seem to realize that the world is a big place with a lot of talent. I thought this was surprising, given how the transient the area is and the labor market is heavily concentrated with international diplomats, global corporate executives, military families, etc.

To my disappointment, Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland was even more close minded. They are also very old fashioned. They still have their 30k+ employees filling out bi-monthly paper time sheets and paper leave requests (think about the money they’re spending to have “payroll specialists” push that paper around and keep 7 years of paper records stored in a warehouse!). They evaluate teachers with a paper-based system that was created in 1999 and has not been updated since (the training manual refers to wildly outdated technology like overhead projectors!). On their system-wide school climate survey, more than 4,500 secondary students answered "yes" when asked if they've ever seen physical altercations on their campus due to arguments over race, cultural identity, country of origin or language.

In my capacity as Assistant Principal in a middle school building with 1,400 students, having to manage daily fist fights and other scary situations, I asked the Regional Superintendent what Central Office was doing to help support school building leaders with a systematic response, and they said, "So what, now what? We know all of our buildings have fist fights." They accepted it as completely normal. I resigned because I couldn't accept that as "normal". At least with FCPS, regional leadership is more involved both by visiting schools face to face on a frequent basis and intervening with difficult or dangerous situations. They move students of concern into alternative environments a lot faster through their hearings court. In contrast, MCPS had a school shooting at one of their high schools in spring 2022 and their executive leadership has not learned from past mistakes. MCPS is completely paralyzed by inefficient systems management. Finally, MCPS faces a significant lack of diverse leadership at the school levels and district levels that reflect the demographics of the county they're serving. Leaders are either White or Black, in a county that can benefit from Hispanic, bilingual leadership as they have been completely overwhelmed by migrants getting bussed up to Maryland (approximately 6,000 students arrived to Maryland, many of whom are SLIFE - students with limited or interrupted formal education). There's also a significant population of Ethiopian immigrants and Afghani refugees and not one district or building leader speaks Amharic or Pashto.

As part of my Doctoral research, I have been researching thousands of superintendents' professional profiles from all corners of the United States and it's really upsetting to see how few superintendents of color we have, leading American schools districts and systems. The politics around the superintendents who get to enjoy a long tenure versus those who get pushed out do not favor females or leaders of color. I say all of this as a multilingual, 3rd generation White woman who was the first in my family to earn a Masters degree.

[PsyGuy]

Are you really interested in a conversation or is your inquiry rhetorical and an excuse for your woke treatise on how the US DE system is antiquated?
Because if you are interested in internationally progressive US DE you could have readily omitted the comparison of the MD DE. It didnt address the tenant of your inquiry which would have been served by simply including the VA DE description.

My speculation is that your post serves the function of the latter rather than the former. Further, I heavily question your experience in IE, unless your only experience is in elite tier US Embassy ISs, in such a case, you know very little about the broader experience of IE. The Colonial approach in edu is still and has been the status quo in IE for quit a long time and its not going away anytime soon. IE is still very much a white people only club. Sure, there are upper tier, internationally progressive ISs with long wait lists where parents have to accept the ethos of the IS rather than dictating it, but those ISs are the exception rather than the rule. Ive had recent experience at the brasserie of minorities arriving at an IS for an interview and physically feeling all of the energy evaporate from the room when they walked in and the leadership saw they were a minority. Regardless of their resume, they arent the right fit. If this surprises you you dont know much about IE. That this surprises you as being the case in the US DE system, than I really must assume you have had your head in a hole for the last couple decades?

What surprises me is that some dissertation committee accepted such a proposal. It would seem your doctoral research is little more than a documentation of racial disparities in American edu, which isnt exactly a notable contribution to the body of research in the field. Its trendy enough though, and there are certainly heavy advocates in edu that have a voracious appetite for any topic or subject that is woke enough to appease the Twitter sphere.

[smile2017]

Again, I will ask the following:

Which American school systems have international educators found success in, stateside? Which school systems move beyond a simple sentence on their website and genuinely value diversity and actively work to dismantle inequities to promote inclusion and belonging? Which school systems really embrace internationalism, promote multilingualism and look to the future as core values of their daily operations?

Psyguy, I find your presence on ISR to be irritating. I don't know if you think you're helpful but most of the time you are not. I don't even think you're employed in a school because you have a repulsive personality and if you act like this with adults, I can't imagine how you act with children. You have been trolling this site since at least 2010, when I first got into IE. Your attempt to write off my question and perspective as "woke treatise" says more about your mindset and negative attitude than anything else.

I offered hard numbers and concrete evidence of how dysfunctional learning environments manifest when we collectively ignore aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion. I offered the ISR community the insight I've gained through direct experience. If you didn't find my insight useful, that's okay. You literally don't have to respond to every post (!!!).

I didn't ask for your direct assessment of my cultural fluency, I didn't ask for you to ascertain if I've had my "head in a hole for the last couple decades" and I certainly didn't ask for your critique of my dissertation topic.

Psyguy, you can keep your negative opinions to yourself, because they're not helping educators serve children and families better.

Please have respect for the civility of this forum and refrain from responding further. Thanks.

[milesaway]

Lots of thoughts in regards to your question and your narrative about Superintendents.
-None...no school to my knowledge is meeting any standards of DEI or let me add no school is meeting any of the needs of their students or supporting their teachers. Same with corporations who do the same lip service.
-You are delusional if you think a Superintendent is going to have the direct answers to questions about fighting in your school...if your Superintendent had the answer then he/she would be a rich person because all schools would be seeking their guidance in dealing with this major issue.
-You are misinformed about what the role of a Superintendent does within the system or have great expectations that cannot be met by anyone. Superintendents are so far removed from the daily functioning of a school in their system...this is also the norm...this is also how the system unfortunately has be put together. In big or small school districts...the Superintendent has really moved to playing politics with the community and the board and requires a magic wand when it is time for budgets
-You should really research why it is so hard to find qualified Superintendents of any race or gender...they are leaving like teachers because the system is stacked against them and until the mindset of the taxpayer changes...nothing will change.
-The idea of an international mindset or curriculum in American schools is so far from the reality of what is being taught in our school systems...we don't need to think that way...we are the best country...we don't need to think in international terms...people look to us for the answers and we are the model...NOT
-The role of our schools in America is no longer about just teaching...we have gotten away from allowing teachers to walk in and just teach. Schools now and teachers in these schools, are expected to provide all types of free services to students that should be provided by either the government or the PARENTS...my school system in the town I live in, but I don't work...needs to provide breakfast when school is in sessions, free food packs for students on the weekends because they are going with out, support for clothing, support for counseling...these are just few of the things that teachers and schools provide that interrupt what the purpose of a school is for...academics. A vast majority of parents in our system look to schools for all the answers, but provide zero support when needed.
Comparing an IS to a public school in America is just not realistic, what we are dealing with in IS is not anywhere near to what American public school employees are dealing with...you know this, you have to know this after working at both, or people would not question whether you did...95% of IS are serving the wealthy of that country or area...and when parents spend that kind of money on their child's education they get involved and they are demanding...in some cases in America, you can't find a parent if a child is causing an issue or at least when they are found they don't care.

PsyGuy-has a delivery that isn't always the most positive or welcomed, but he has every right to add his two cents and to question you intentions. Telling him to not reply or that you are not interested falls into censorship and leads some to believe you only want to hear the answers you already have in your head.

[smile2017]

@milesaway

I clearly hold no delusions about the state of American education. I clearly understand the role politics is playing on the system at the national, state and local levels and the power (or lack thereof) of a superintendent to build programs that are internationally minded and foster a wider understanding of the world at large when faced with the close-minded and paranoid mentalities of the masses. I understand how families are struggling to meet the basic needs of their children and I understand how that shows up in classrooms. I understand that educators are fleeing the sector faster than ever before. It’s sad to see America crumble in this way. I don’t wish stress on any education system of any country. We all know how vital quality education is. So rather than continue the thread about how “shocking” American schools are and how fast everyone wants to leave them, I asked my original question to ascertain if there are any small pockets of hope, anywhere in the US.

Here’s my question again, for reference:

Which American school systems have international educators found SUCCESS in, stateside? Which school systems move beyond a simple sentence on their website and genuinely value diversity and actively work to dismantle inequities to promote inclusion and belonging? Which school systems really embrace internationalism, promote multilingualism and look to the future as core values of their daily operations?

I would love to hear from any educators with this lived experience!

As to not wanting to engage with Psyguy, his “two cents” added zero value when I faced a difficult situation in China a few years back. He offered his “armchair expert” advice but then months later, backpedaled on his own advice and said “he knew” the alternative to be true from the beginning. So yes, I tire of his commentary on situations he has not directly lived and experienced. Click on my name and read the history if you’d like.

Additionally, as I said in my reply to him above, this has been a historical issue on this forum. See the following, going back to 2012:

Seriously psyguy, what gives?

https://www.internationalschoolsreview. ... f=1&t=2833

—-

Our ISR Forum is not about PsyGuy. *ISR is about all of us trying to help each other make informed choices.*

https://www.internationalschoolsreview. ... f=1&t=2183

[PsyGuy]

@smile2017

I find your lack of faith disturbing.
I know Im helpful, Ive been thanked on numerous occasions for my contributions.
Sticks and Stones...
No it states more about your mindset and attitude than mine. Many of your ilk take similar routes of ad-hominem attacks when others dont agree with you. You have a certain mindset and anyone who disagrees with you is racist or misogynistic or trans-phobic, or some other debased character assault and deserves whatever vitriol you can muster.

You offered nothing in the way of hard numbers, your single data claim is "On their system-wide school climate survey, more than 4,500 secondary students answered "yes" when asked if they've ever seen physical altercations on their campus due to arguments over race, cultural identity, country of origin or language.". 4500 is in that category of numbers that sounds a lot like a convenience quantity, its too much of a guesstimate and lacks any real precision, and this is in addition to being from a climate survey which are little more than preference questionnaires. Even if it had validity and reliability, so what. Water is wet. American kids fight, American kids fight each other because they are different from one another. They have been doing so since the Irish and the Italians of New York City met after Ellis island a hundred years ago, and probably before than and likely will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Kids in ISs outside the US and outside of ASs hit each other as well. What are they supposed to do, hit each other over not being different from one another.
The rest of your observations are only that they arent hard numbers "Leaders are either White or Black, in a county that can benefit from Hispanic, bilingual leadership as they have been completely overwhelmed by migrants getting bussed up to Maryland (approximately 6,000 students arrived to Maryland, many of whom are SLIFE - students with limited or interrupted formal education).". This is just your opinion that bilingual leadership would be a benefit because of non-English speaking immigrants. Theres no hard numbers or concrete anything.
None of your claims support the conclusion that ignoring DEI issues leads to dysfunctional learning environments. You just claim they do because some kids report seeing fights based on students being different than one another. This is a conclusion fallacy.

Youre welcome to post your insight, as much as I am welcome to post my insight.
I dont need your permission or invitation to post my insights, observations, etc.

Again, just because others dont agree with you, doesnt make them wrong.

Superintendents as a group in US DOE dont care that much about internationally minded edu. Its just not a priority for most of them. There are some that have that as their particular pet project, but emulating IE or developing internationally minded edu isnt something they care a whole lot about beyond those few. Why should they. America is the greatest country in the world, what could they possibly gain but integrating foreign ideas and concepts except to make them less American.

Im getting the impression that "quality education" means something different for you than it does other edus. You believe edu should be the way you want it and anyone who doesnt agree with you is at best wrong, and at worst evil.
Its because of this differentiation in what quality edu is that you describe it as some quality that you hope exists in some small pocket. Many edus dont feel the same way as you do and consider themselves quit successful. They just dont have the same goals and objectives that you have, or to put it another way youre more experienced with "so what, now what"

So Im right, you just want to hear from other edu who share and agree with youre already preconceived ideas.

[smile2017]

@psychoguy

Give it a rest.

Thanks for hijacking a thread that was meant to open discussion.

Your pessimistic attitude does nothing to add value to the profession.

[PsyGuy]

@smile2017

It was and is an open discussion, you just dont like the direction it went because what you really wanted was a closed discussion aligned with your preconceived ideas.

[Thames Pirate]

I don't have a direct answer for you, but I would look at college towns or super diverse areas. I would imagine there might be some hit-or-miss, too--a whole district might be average, but individual schools could be great. But definitely my gut would be near a college campus, particularly in a liberal area.

Don't mind the perpetual-last-word-derailer. Just ignore and hope people have ideas for you. And if you find any, let us know!

[secondplace]

Consistently aspects of international education you describe are what US colleagues have said they like.

And that they can't find at 'home'.

So maybe that says something?

[PsyGuy]

If ballpark suggestions are what you want, forget college or uni towns go for the cities with a high enough international presence that there are ISs in the local vicinity.

[Thames Pirate]

Sure, a place like NYC has international schools. But those are mostly private schools. But you were looking for districts (public schools), right?

And sure, communities with heavy immigrant presence would mean those influence the districts. But as immigrants often live in grouped communities, you would have a heavily [whatever immigrant community] influenced school that may or may not be internationally minded.

I stand by my statement. For a MINDSET, choose places where education and liberalness and open-mindedness are at the forefront. That often means college towns.

[PsyGuy]

@Thames Pirate

And I stand by my position if your looking for internationalness search into already established international enclaves and communities with a heavy international presence. Texas A&M is the largest Uni by student body at around 75K students and its not very international at all by any meaningful definition.

[Thames Pirate]

And I maintain that you are deliberately obtuse when you confuse internationally minded with international. Also, it isn't generally the university students who are in the district. It is faculty and uni employee kids who are in the local school district. So the makeup of the student body of the uni is somewhat irrelevant.

[PsyGuy]

@Thames Pirate

I maintain youre deliberately being evasive in conflating international with internationally minded, or whatever words youre brain puts together.
Students, faculty, staff, it doesnt matter Texas A&M is very much not international, internationally minded, etc. any type of descriptor that has, relates to, or has some semblance of international attached to it.