Say you're an educator and you had an opportunity to save money, do something beneficial for the environment and provide an excellent teaching opportunity for students.
It would be a no-brainer, right?
So why isn't every school district in California racing to imitate Irvine Unified's successful solar panel project?
The answer is that too few school districts are run like IUSD. That is, they lack the vision, flexibility and willingness to experiment, and the entrepreneurial framework. And yes, I'm using the word "entrepreneurial" in reference to public schools, for it is a quality considered rare in any public-sector setting, but which all districts would do well to encourage.
In an age of extreme austerity and discord in our public school system, Irvine Unified's solar panel project provides a clear example of what can be accomplished by a group of smart, committed employees who have been set free to figure out a better way to do something and are given the support they need to make it happen.