Evidence of Impact - The Best Gift We Can GiveBy Kevin Bruggink, Superintendent, Oostburg School District In today’s educational landscape, the demands on schools continue to grow, stretching our focus and resources. Yet, at the heart of our calling as educators is a moral imperative: to serve all students and equip them to be lifelong learners and positive contributors to society. That imperative, however, often comes with a deep sense of inadequacy. Many educators feel they don’t - and perhaps can’t - measure up to the vast needs of their students. Accountability and data-driven decision-making are often framed as tools to push teachers to meet demands, based on the flawed assumption that educators need external motivation to work harder. But the reality is different. When we begin with the premise that teachers want to do what is best for their students, we recognize that effort and motivation are not the limiting factors. Instead, many educators wrestle with self-doubt, feeling inadequate despite their commitment to student success. This sense of self-doubt can make accountability feel like a burden. In particular, the phrase “teaching to the test” has taken on a negative connotation, leading many to view external accountability as harmful. But the real question isn’t whether we should teach to a test - it’s whether we are teaching to the right test. External measures of learning are not about pressuring struggling teachers or students; they are about ensuring we have meaningful benchmarks that inform our instruction and validate our impact. The weight of our work can lead to protective practices that resist the very thing we need most - evidence of impact. Strong systems of learning accountability don’t exist to expose failure; they exist to affirm that our work is making a difference. When educators receive indisputable evidence of their impact, it combats isolation, reduces resistance to change, and fosters a culture of vulnerability and growth. Seeing clear proof that we are helping students learn allows us to move beyond insecurity and toward a shared sense of purpose. Validation of our impact on learning is the fuel that keeps educators in the classroom at a time when many are leaving the profession. It sustains us when the work is difficult, helps us see our progress, and reminds us that we make a difference. Ultimately, this sense of purpose allows us to move forward together. A rising tide lifts all boats. When organizations embrace external validation of learning, they prevent teachers from becoming isolated on islands of individual practice, reinforcing the harmful narrative that they are not enough. When a school’s culture is built on the belief that educators are the defining variable in student learning, and when progress is made visible through shared goals and collective accountability, momentum builds. That momentum allows us to show students their own growth in ways that dispel their insecurities—just as it does for teachers. In doing so, we give students the same gift our organization provides us: tangible evidence that learning is happening, not by chance, but by design. As educators, we have the power to shape a culture where learning is visible, growth is undeniable, and impact is celebrated. By embracing external validation not as a measure of pressure, but as a tool for empowerment, we can break the cycle of isolation and self-doubt that too often limits our potential. Let’s commit to creating systems that provide teachers and students alike with the evidence they need to see their own progress - not as a product of chance, but as a result of intentional, collective effort. When we do this, we don’t just stay in the profession - we thrive in it!
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