Professionally, I live near the intersection of education, technology and policy.  Currently, the P-12 policy climate is dominated by the standards and accountability movement.  The codification of that movement came via federal legislation named the No Child Left Behind Act (hence, the name of this blog). Here’s how educational accountability works: We (the states) tell you (the schools) what your students need to know and be able to do (the standards).  You (the schools) tell us (the states) how you (the schools) are progressing towards the goal of 100% proficiency.  If you (the schools) don’t progress satisfactorily, we (the states) will punish you and maybe even eventually take you (the schools) over or reconstitute you (the schools).

In other words, schools are held accountable to their states for demonstrating consistent improvement in student achievement (measured by state tests). Schools and students are “measured” regularly and those that fail to make adequate (yearly) progress are punished formally.  Often, the informal punishment is worse than formal sanctions.  The local newspapers publish the list of “failing” schools.  Residents and parents complain.  Etc.  It’s a nightmare for any school leader.

You see, it’s a lot like Weight Watchers.  Sure, the basic nutritional aspects of WW are based on sound principles for weight loss.  However, for many, having to weigh in weekly is a tremendous motivator.  In fact, on the WW website, it says, “Many people find the accountability of being weighed by another person helpful to their weight-loss efforts and the structure of going to a Weight Watchers meeting each week is a way to keep commitment strong.”

I’ve done many of the major commercial (and non-commercial) diets in the past.  The ones that worked best were the ones where I had to go “public” with my progress; i.e. where I had to weigh in with someone other than myself.  In other words, I’ve been most likely to lose weight when I feel accountable to someone other than myself.  Thus, this blog is born.

For now, it’s just me.  But, I’m hoping to add additional authors; others who want to go public with their weight loss trials and tribulations.  They may be educators; they may not.  We’ll see.  Should be quite a journey.