I make no secret of my support for Andy. If any other school board candidates would like to be interviewed on the podcast, I would welcome the opportunity. Just give me a call, and we will schedule an interview.
Providing an efficient, high-quality, and sustainable education program in a rural Florida county is a difficult task. It requires dedicated professionals who are flexible and innovative. Administrators must manage situations largely beyond their control while still taking responsibility and making the system work. Too often, people outside the daily operations criticize without fully understanding the details. Being a school administrator is not for the faint of heart.
In my interview with Andy, he described his journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming an influential voice in education and politics. He emphasized education as a path out of poverty and shared his perspective as a rural county representative on the State Board of Education. He supports a classroom-centered approach, project-based learning, and helping educators and students understand the “why” behind educational practices. He also stressed the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship, strengthening leadership, retaining teachers, engaging students through practical learning, and giving teachers adequate planning time. While highlighting the strengths of the Highlands County education system, he also discussed its challenges and the need for community support to make meaningful improvements for the future.
I wrote some thoughts about the challenges our school district is facing on June 19th. It is worth reviewing some of the thoughts.
The budget crisis has been tied to declining enrollment as students move to alternatives such as homeschooling, private schools, and charter schools. New legislation now gives parents access to state funds for those options. I support giving parents choices in how their children are educated. For many years, most families had few realistic options beyond public schools. That is no longer true.
Public school systems can reasonably object to how school choice affects their enrollment and finances. The impact is real and substantial. But school choice itself is not the problem; the deeper issue is how public schools are educating our children.
Public schools are now competing with alternative education options. To remain viable, they must provide something equal to—or better than—those alternatives. That will require a major shift in thinking and a significant overhaul of the public school system. Continuing the same practices while expecting different results will only extend a crisis that is failing our children.
As we elect new School Board of Highlands County members, I hope we will find leaders that will find meaningful solutions to our challenges. It will not be easy or quick. It will require all involved to make sure we have the right people, in the right place, doing what is right for our students. Andy’s podcast can be viewed using the link below.
John Rousch is a columnist, podcaster, and a 58-year veteran educator. He can be reached at 863-273-0522 or johnrousch73@gmail.com. Check out “Flightlines – The Stories Behind the Stories” on YouTube. Website: flightlinestories.com
