Superintendent Finalist Discusses The Challenges of Change

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In an effort to take Pearland schools to the exemplary rating they would eventually attain, Dr. Bonny Cain looked to challenge assumptions and uncover answers behind peculiarities in the ratings system.

They found answers to questions in a number of places. Teachers have a large amount of demands on their time, certainly. The "just one thing" program that Dr. Cain mentioned was designed to eliminate elements that got in the way of teaching students. But they also dug deeper to determine how teachers could be more effective across the board, and the study found some areas where many teachers needed to increase their effectiveness. Dr. Cain talks about the process of getting everyone to buy in to change, and at the same time overcoming resistance to it.

We'll continue our week-long visit with Dr. Bonny Cain tomorrow as she analyzes more of the steps that lifted Pearland I.S.D. to an exemplary rating. You can hear more of our interview as well as prior stories on her selection online at KWBU.org. For KWBU News, I'm Derek Smith.