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Show Utah State officials must mandate school reform and unless principals are given the freedom and authority to lead their schools to higher levels of performance. perfor-mance. This reform movement is different than almost any we have ever had, for the major portion of it is focused at the local levelthe school site. "Let's hope as we start develop ing strategies for national education excellence, that we don't fall into the trap of believing that mandates make a real difference. If we do, this movement will go the route of so many others. And, a big difference differ-ence will exist this time our nation, our standard of living, our quality of life could be the ultimate victims." While national education goals hold great potential for improving America's schools, state officials must forgo previous efforts to mandate man-date school reform if improvement is to succeed. This message comes from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Davis County educators who belong to the organization. "After 214 years of nationhood, it's exciting to at long last have national education goals," said Timothy J. Dyer, executive director of NASSP, writing in a recent newsletter. "The governors have very honestly hon-estly and forthrightly approached this issue, recognizing how important impor-tant education is to the welfare of each of our 50 states. ' ' Dyer fears, however, that as implementation begins this school year, state officials will mandate actions ac-tions to achieve reform. "If they do that, the goals won't be achieved," he predicted. "Mandates from on high have been tried for eons, and we all know they just don't work when it conies to human behavior and student performance. per-formance. "You cannot mandate excellence; you must earn it!" Dyer points out that legislators and regulatory bodies have mandated man-dated longer school years, longer school days, and more graduation requirements since the early 1980s to meet the call for school reform. Those mandates, however, did not lead to increased achievement by students. "Mandates do not produce increased in-creased student learning, and we must understand that if we expect the goal process that we are now entering to be successful," the NASSP CEO said. "We will not achieve our goals unless there is involvement at the building level and the district level, |