Page 10 - BV_Mar-April 2012

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BizVoice
/Indiana Chamber –
March/April 2012
Dr. Eric J. Ban, principal of Crown Point High School, worked in a
Dallas, Texas company developing new models of higher education
before bringing his business experience back home to Indiana in
2008 to lead the 13th largest high school in the state.
C
rown Point High School is at the epicenter of a regional
economic development initiative for Northwest Indiana.
It is working in partnership with the Center of
Workforce Innovations (CWI), Center for Excellence
in Learning Leadership, Northwest Indiana’s One Region One
Vision, Indiana Education Roundtable and the Lumina
Foundation. The U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan,
visited Northwest Indiana on September 8, 2011 on his “back
to school” tour to celebrate the Ready NWI plan!
Ban recently responded to the following questions:
What is it about your background that resonates with
business leaders?
Business leaders seem to connect with my business vocabulary.
Too often we use jargon in education that confuses and
frustrates our stakeholders. Business leaders also comment on
how I use metrics and tons of data in goal setting, reporting
and strategic planning to drive improvement and results.
What are your best lessons learned in business that you
now use in education?
Lesson 1: What you don’t focus on is essential for success!
For example, my athletic department runs building operations
(maintenance and custodial). My learning leaders (assistant
principals) have to focus on improving our core technology –
teaching and learning.
Lesson 2: Hire bright people with a can-do attitude! I
don’t obsess about credentials and licensure. I look for bright
people who connect with kids, love this community and want
to work hard in a team atmosphere. I don’t want people who
are too entrenched as our business is rapidly changing.
Lesson 3: Data infrastructure is critical! We have the same
issue as health care. Just as health care professionals need the right
data at the point of decisions on patient care, educators need the
right data at the point of instructional
decisions for student learning.
What needs to be done in Indiana
high schools to revitalize Indiana’s
economy?
It is a very simple concept – start
with economic development (emerging
best jobs), work backwards with postsecondary partners
(universities, trade organizations, community colleges) and lay
out experiences that provide college credits and 21st century skills
to all students. The concept is simple, but the execution is brutal.
This is where we need our business leaders to help
negotiate the mergers, joint ventures and takeovers to make it
happen. We have made great strides in Northwest Indiana.
CWI is leading a regional team of business, postsecondary,
K-12, community and political leaders to make it happen
across seven counties.
What is the most promising work you see in Indiana education?
I believe the Indiana Education Roundtable has demonstrated
the commitment and focus to transform our high schools. Our
governor, state superintendent and commissioner for higher
education are committed to transparency and results. I have
been helping to develop a common Indiana high school
transcript to document all the experiences and skills that are
valued by higher education and the workforce (common
college and workforce currency). High school principals have
the most immediate impact on the future of the Indiana
workforce. The roundtable is providing the thought leadership
to select the right metrics, data and tools to make it happen.
How have you applied your business skills across the state?
I have helped form the Indiana College Acceleration
Network (iCAN). This is a group of high schools and school
districts using college and workforce metrics from a grassroots
perspective. Our state leaders need bright people out in the field
to develop cutting-edge solutions. I believe in both top-down
and bottom-up leadership. My job is to make sure more kids
succeed in postsecondary education, the workforce and life. I
am energized that more of the right people are sitting around
the table with a focus on the right results for Indiana kids and
families – that is my definition of leadership.
Business-Education Mix
Working to Transform Indiana High Schools
Dr. Eric J. Ban
Crown Point High School Recognition
• Indiana Department of Education “Spotlight High School”
• State of Indiana school address: “Innovative College
Programming”
• WFYI: Featured in “Indiana by Degrees”
• ACT college acceleration research high school (first in
the country)
Education Week:
Innovative dual credit model in partnership
with Purdue University Calumet, Indiana University
Northwest and Ivy Tech Community College has saved
families over $1 million in college tuition costs and is
producing over 7,000 validated college credit equivalents
I N F O R M A T I O N L I N K
Resource:
Dr. Eric J. Ban is a Merrillville High School
graduate who earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
degrees from Indiana University. His complete vision for
economic development through high school transformation
can be found in a new book,
College Acceleration: Innovating
Through the New American Research High School
. More
information is available at www.collegeacceleration.com