Michael F. Shaughnessy
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, New Mexico

Andrew Goldenkranz is Principal/Superintendent of Pacific Collegiate Schools His school was awarded the 2006 California Charter School of the Year.

His school was recognized by Newsweek Magazine as being among America's top high schools In this interview, he discusses the problems his school, and many others like it face with the concept of " highly qualified " teachers and certification in California .

1) Recently, the New York Times ran a story about the fact that you are losing one of your best, most highly qualified (at least in my opinion) teachers. Tell us what happened.

Historically, charters operate under a great deal of independence from regulations covering most schools. One of the NCLB requirements relates to teacher qualifications, which include both content level expertise and state credentialing.Low performing schools have known about this compliance requirement for years because so much of their funding is tied to federal and other categorical programs.We stayed under the radar for as long as we could. When we found out we were held under this policy after all, we explored whether we could put together some sort of in house credentialing program, but we had neither the time nor the critical mass to do so.So I worked with teachers individually and in small groups to make the best of this situation.Three veteran teachers who were doing a great job chose to leave rather than get their credentials.

2) What is going on with some of your other teachers?

Teachers are breaking their backs to participate in credential programs while working here.I've tried to carve out staff development time and work with the credential programs to steer assignments and projects that relate to the work they're doing here.It's a very tough challenge for these folks, many of whom have families with young kids and it's a big sacrifice.

3) How hard do your teachers work?

Our culture is pretty hard working; this is not just our school.A full time teacher typically puts in a solid 50-60 hours per week, 25 of which are in the classroom.Planning, writing lessons, grading papers, meeting with students and families, writing college recommendations, collaborating, engaging in professional development, all these take place outside the classroom. Show me a teacher who shows up at 7:55 a.m. and leaves at 3:05 p.m. and I'll show you a poor teacher in most cases.

Again, this is true in all schools.

4) For teachers who have had 5, 10, 15 or even 20 or more years of classroom experience, why do they have to return to become "highly qualified"?

Because the feds and state say so.It's similar to the state saying that a drivers' license automatically makes me a good driver.In California, there are some limited attempts to grant "eminence credentials", but my understanding is that the state denies almost all of them.I don't think credentialing is a bad idea at all but we need a way to fast track qualified people in with a minimum of fuss.

5) What is No Child Left Behind doing to morale, at least in your opinion?

NCLB has been damaging in practice, even though I think it was not a bad idea in principle.We want all students to be proficient in academic content, and we want highly qualified teachers. The problems have been that this was an unfunded mandate, so there is no way for us to provide the support we need to get the job done.And as to performance, it has created a climate of such high anxiety in many schools that the curriculum and instructional process has become dried out.For us, as a charter, NCLB is all about compliance, and has nothing to do with school improvement.

6) Jefferds Huyck seems to be eminently qualified on many counts. He seems to be a top notch scholar. What does the state think that he is lacking?

A license to teach in a public school.One of the great privileges I have had as principal of Pacific Collegiate School is watching teachers like Jeff work.

7) What happens to students when they lose a teacher with such exceptional skills?

His was a tough loss. We were lucky to find another really good teacher to replace him, but it took a national search.

8) Are many of your outstanding teachers having to return to take classes or get re-certified or procure "highly qualified"status?

About 1/3 of our staff. It's a big drain on their time and energy and money, and also a drain on the school's resources and energy.

9) I have reviewed your web site and find that many of your teachers are truly scholars and Renaissance individuals in their own right. How did you manage to get such a group of eminently qualified individuals?

This is a pretty great school. We were cited as among Newsweek's top schools nationally and we're the top performing school in California except for schools with selective admissions. We have small classes and promote a culture that learning counts for something.We also are in a college town and so have local access to interesting young scholars. And we're two blocks from the beach.

10) What question have I neglected to ask?

Can you have a great school without great teachers?The answer is no.What any school really does is recruit and manage talent. The relationship between teachers and students is the heart of the educational experience.Everything a school or education bureaucracy does should be supporting that!

More information about Pacific Collegiate School can be found at their website:www.pacificcollegiate.com