Folks,
Bob Schwartz, an EC resident who loves data and does lots of analysis has put together a pretty interesting analysis of EC property tax data over the years. You can look it over at the following site:
http://www.bobschwartz.us/node/46
Happy New Year to all!
Maria
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Dec. 18, 2008 Work Session on the BUDGET
FYI: This special work session was not well attended by BOE members or staff. Absent were: Comm. Bollinger, Kneer, Craig, G. Butler, Patti Iverson and Jim Kling.
The presentation began with another sobering presentation by Mr. VandeWater about the 5 year budget projections. At the VERY BEST the ECASD faces 5 years of budget shortfalls beginning in school year 08-09 of $1.3 mill., $2.2 mill, $2.9 mill., $4.2 mill., and $5.8 million dollars!!! The 5 year total for this OPTIMISTIC scenario is $16.3 million. This does not include ANYTHING for Facilities or Technology. By varying percentage increases for salaries and benefits or Purchased Services to more likely increases the projected shortfalls increase dramatically and could be closer to $38.2 MILLION over 5 years. All BOE members in attendance were appropriately sobered by this information. (I digress: WHY was this simple accounting exercise NOT done in the past several years???)
(I apologize for the annoying capitalization but I hope readers get the idea that this is real, it is now and it is not going away.)
BOE members held a lengthy discussion for soliciting community input and ultimately support to address this situation. Dr. Leary was not present for the presentations by the outside consulting firms in June who offered a couple of different options for this activity. The cost of hiring professionals would be in the neighborhood of $10,000. It was suggested that the ECASD could seek out a community sponsor for such an activity. Dr. Leary is meeting on Jan. 3rd with Don Liftow (sp?) of School Perceptions to refine the needs of the ECASD. He commented that he only had Comm. Craig's copy of the presentation materials. (Again, WHY was he not given a FULL COPY of all 3 presenters' material from Dr. Klaus who left the week after the presentations??? Is this stuff simple or is it me?)
Comm. Faanes seemed very animated and committed to having the ECASD put together a framework of our needs and then have them respond to our needs. In addition, he said that we should ask about their ability to turn around the request. Excellent! Ken, we need a lot more of your wisdom and participation to get this process activated and pointed in the right direction and moving forward. Comm. Wogahn lapsed back into his "anecdotal mindset" and went on at length about his church conducting a survey with the bottom line being: "Hire a professional." Pres. O'Brien indicated that the participation of the prior committee for the failed referendum (Save our Schools) could be explored. My comment: that was such a hasty hack job that we should not even bother unless certain individuals from the committee have expertise that we can still use now.
Mr. Van de Water then presented a summary of Facilities needs that are still being postponed. Mr. Charlie Kramer indicated that the annual funding for facilities maintenance should be approx. $2.2 million but we have only funded $600,000 in the last few years so that is in a major deficit and building every year. In all, the facilities needs could be $33 million in today's dollars. Mr. Van de Water indicated that his theory is to support annual maintenance and operations and then use bond money for long term capital items.
Comm. Cummins asked when the BOE could schedule a discussion on the capital needs because she still sees some facility items that are simply out of the question that are still on the list. Mr. Van de Water indicated that just because it is on the list does not mean it has the same priority as other items. Mr. V. indicated that due to the declining schedule of past bond issues that the ECASD is in a good position to take on additional debt and continue to have a declining debt schedule. Two alternatives: 1.) borrow a lot of money less often or, 2.)borrow less money more often. He prefers option #2 becuase option #1 does not allow you to re-prioritize as the federal rules of arbitrage require the $'s to be spent of the money earned on interest must be refunded. IF the community would support smaller referenda every few years the ECASD would be better able to manage the projects and priorities. We would need solid justification for each item to get community support.
Comm. Cummins again re-iterated the need to have facility funding linked to programming needs as well as ongoing requests for referenda money would put pressure on legislators to reform the school funding formulas. Pres. O'Brien indicated that rates are low now so maybe we should borrow more $ now. Dan V. reminded him that organizations, just like homeowners, can refinance when interest rates drop. "So we are a little behind the curve here already..." YUP.
Mr. V. put up a possible schedule of election dates and a proposed timeline for communities considering a referendum. The timeline indicated that this discussion begins NO LATER THAN 180 days PRIOR to the election, unlike the 5 week crash and burn program we had last April. This generated a lot of discussion about potential advantages and disadvantages of holding a referendum during a regular fall election when turnout is higher vs. Spring elections or special elections. Dr. Leary indicated that naming the committee is important. Something like "the Committee for Quality Education" is good. (You mean better than SOS(?!?!) which implies that we need the taxpayers to rescue our district?) All members agreed that an April '08 date was not possible which means that the need to cut $2.8 million out of the '08-'09 budget must occur. Comm. Cummins was conserned about the effect of another round of reductions and if a Sept. 08 primary date would be reasonable. Mr. V said it would be "problematic" because of the deadlines for staffing decisions. She indicated that the district was planning to use $3.4 million of the fund balance last year that was not required and maybe that should be a consideration while a community supported referendum is prepared. Mr. V. was concerned about this approach as the Fund Balance is a finite resource. Preferable would be to "reduce the scope of our operation and live within the budget."
Another lengthy discussion about controlling health insurance costs ensued with Comm. Faanes asking how other districts manage these costs. Mr. V. : "I don't know." Dr. Leary commented that the Chippewa Falls district is self insured. This area has lots of possibility for analysis, in my opinion. Comm. Cummins final comment: We need to go back and add teachers not cut more of them.
There was an abbreviated discussion about alternative funding sources such as Naming Rights, etc....Pres. O'Brien said it would be good to explore this but cautioned about the need to not exploit students. There could also be some advertising in school newsletters but, again, caution is warranted. Comm. Faanes cited examples at Carson Park, Hobbs Field, and the gym floor in Stillwater being "sponsored". Comm. Wogahn went on at length about not allowing tobacco products or Coca Cola "although Coke did give my wife a scholarship." (!?!?)
Comm. Cummins noted that it was interesting that all the examples they discussed were for sports and that that would indicate that community funding of athletics is much more feasible than sponsors being willing to fund classes for French or other academic subjects.
Adjourn!!
The presentation began with another sobering presentation by Mr. VandeWater about the 5 year budget projections. At the VERY BEST the ECASD faces 5 years of budget shortfalls beginning in school year 08-09 of $1.3 mill., $2.2 mill, $2.9 mill., $4.2 mill., and $5.8 million dollars!!! The 5 year total for this OPTIMISTIC scenario is $16.3 million. This does not include ANYTHING for Facilities or Technology. By varying percentage increases for salaries and benefits or Purchased Services to more likely increases the projected shortfalls increase dramatically and could be closer to $38.2 MILLION over 5 years. All BOE members in attendance were appropriately sobered by this information. (I digress: WHY was this simple accounting exercise NOT done in the past several years???)
(I apologize for the annoying capitalization but I hope readers get the idea that this is real, it is now and it is not going away.)
BOE members held a lengthy discussion for soliciting community input and ultimately support to address this situation. Dr. Leary was not present for the presentations by the outside consulting firms in June who offered a couple of different options for this activity. The cost of hiring professionals would be in the neighborhood of $10,000. It was suggested that the ECASD could seek out a community sponsor for such an activity. Dr. Leary is meeting on Jan. 3rd with Don Liftow (sp?) of School Perceptions to refine the needs of the ECASD. He commented that he only had Comm. Craig's copy of the presentation materials. (Again, WHY was he not given a FULL COPY of all 3 presenters' material from Dr. Klaus who left the week after the presentations??? Is this stuff simple or is it me?)
Comm. Faanes seemed very animated and committed to having the ECASD put together a framework of our needs and then have them respond to our needs. In addition, he said that we should ask about their ability to turn around the request. Excellent! Ken, we need a lot more of your wisdom and participation to get this process activated and pointed in the right direction and moving forward. Comm. Wogahn lapsed back into his "anecdotal mindset" and went on at length about his church conducting a survey with the bottom line being: "Hire a professional." Pres. O'Brien indicated that the participation of the prior committee for the failed referendum (Save our Schools) could be explored. My comment: that was such a hasty hack job that we should not even bother unless certain individuals from the committee have expertise that we can still use now.
Mr. Van de Water then presented a summary of Facilities needs that are still being postponed. Mr. Charlie Kramer indicated that the annual funding for facilities maintenance should be approx. $2.2 million but we have only funded $600,000 in the last few years so that is in a major deficit and building every year. In all, the facilities needs could be $33 million in today's dollars. Mr. Van de Water indicated that his theory is to support annual maintenance and operations and then use bond money for long term capital items.
Comm. Cummins asked when the BOE could schedule a discussion on the capital needs because she still sees some facility items that are simply out of the question that are still on the list. Mr. Van de Water indicated that just because it is on the list does not mean it has the same priority as other items. Mr. V. indicated that due to the declining schedule of past bond issues that the ECASD is in a good position to take on additional debt and continue to have a declining debt schedule. Two alternatives: 1.) borrow a lot of money less often or, 2.)borrow less money more often. He prefers option #2 becuase option #1 does not allow you to re-prioritize as the federal rules of arbitrage require the $'s to be spent of the money earned on interest must be refunded. IF the community would support smaller referenda every few years the ECASD would be better able to manage the projects and priorities. We would need solid justification for each item to get community support.
Comm. Cummins again re-iterated the need to have facility funding linked to programming needs as well as ongoing requests for referenda money would put pressure on legislators to reform the school funding formulas. Pres. O'Brien indicated that rates are low now so maybe we should borrow more $ now. Dan V. reminded him that organizations, just like homeowners, can refinance when interest rates drop. "So we are a little behind the curve here already..." YUP.
Mr. V. put up a possible schedule of election dates and a proposed timeline for communities considering a referendum. The timeline indicated that this discussion begins NO LATER THAN 180 days PRIOR to the election, unlike the 5 week crash and burn program we had last April. This generated a lot of discussion about potential advantages and disadvantages of holding a referendum during a regular fall election when turnout is higher vs. Spring elections or special elections. Dr. Leary indicated that naming the committee is important. Something like "the Committee for Quality Education" is good. (You mean better than SOS(?!?!) which implies that we need the taxpayers to rescue our district?) All members agreed that an April '08 date was not possible which means that the need to cut $2.8 million out of the '08-'09 budget must occur. Comm. Cummins was conserned about the effect of another round of reductions and if a Sept. 08 primary date would be reasonable. Mr. V said it would be "problematic" because of the deadlines for staffing decisions. She indicated that the district was planning to use $3.4 million of the fund balance last year that was not required and maybe that should be a consideration while a community supported referendum is prepared. Mr. V. was concerned about this approach as the Fund Balance is a finite resource. Preferable would be to "reduce the scope of our operation and live within the budget."
Another lengthy discussion about controlling health insurance costs ensued with Comm. Faanes asking how other districts manage these costs. Mr. V. : "I don't know." Dr. Leary commented that the Chippewa Falls district is self insured. This area has lots of possibility for analysis, in my opinion. Comm. Cummins final comment: We need to go back and add teachers not cut more of them.
There was an abbreviated discussion about alternative funding sources such as Naming Rights, etc....Pres. O'Brien said it would be good to explore this but cautioned about the need to not exploit students. There could also be some advertising in school newsletters but, again, caution is warranted. Comm. Faanes cited examples at Carson Park, Hobbs Field, and the gym floor in Stillwater being "sponsored". Comm. Wogahn went on at length about not allowing tobacco products or Coca Cola "although Coke did give my wife a scholarship." (!?!?)
Comm. Cummins noted that it was interesting that all the examples they discussed were for sports and that that would indicate that community funding of athletics is much more feasible than sponsors being willing to fund classes for French or other academic subjects.
Adjourn!!
Dec. 17, 2007 BOE Meeting
I was unable to attend this session so Adam Shiel, who is a faithful presence at most BOE meetings, took notes and passed them on to me to post on the blog. Thank you, Adam!
Maria
12/17/2007 Working Session
Review proposed ECASD Charter School Policy.
The proposed policy can be found at
http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/charterschoolpolicy/charterpolicystatement.pdf
This is a summary and omits some of the debate and isn’t in chronological order.
Both Commissioners Cummins and Keener didn’t like point 8. Cummins had gotten several emails saying it would be nice for every other school to have this too and wouldn’t be fair for the charter schools to have an inside track to the school board. This point was dropped from the policy.
Commissioner Cummins thought that point 6 was too vague. Mr. Van De Water suggested changing the wording to “opportunity for resources.” The intent is to have program driven budgeting, which means funding can vary from year to year depending on the needs of the program.
Point 7, regarding providing transportation, was the subject of a lot of debate. Commissioner Faanes was concerned about committing the district to a large financial obligation in the future. There was some discussion as to if transportation would be provided at all, since open enrollment students are required to provide their own transportation. The consensus was that transportation should be provided since it excludes the part of the population that can’t provide their own transportation and charter schools provide a different educational opportunity than a conventional school, where as open enrollment students are choosing between the same program offered at different schools. Deputy Superintendent Buttler recommended that policy say that the area of enrollment for charter schools be the entire district. This wording would cause the least disturbance to the existing transportation policies.
For reference, state law required parochial students to be transported by the district at tax payer expense.
Two items were referred to the administration: have the proposed charter school contract template be reviewed and to verify with DPI as to whether the BoE should be able to appoint members of the charter school boards.
At the end of the meeting there was a brief discussion of some of the charter school guidelines produced by the committee (Not online, as best I can tell), but time ran out and the board needed to have a brief closed session.
12/17/2007 Regular school board meeting
Meeting came to order.
Announcement from close session: four points of Dr. Klauss’ contract were clarified, all retirement related. The rest of the contract remains intact.
There was report on the Flynn Elementary Responsive Classroom. The principal Kim Hill and 3rd grade teacher Amy Detrick gave an overview of the program and demonstration with part of Ms. Detrick class. I’m not sure I can do justice in this space – contact me if you’re interested.
Announcements:
1. Winter break from December 22, 2007 until January 1, 2008.
2. School board nomination papers are due January 2.
3. The appointment of a school board member to the Montessori Board was skipped due to discussion in the previous working meeting.
Deputy Superintendent’s Report:
1. The central office is closed December 24, 25, and 31, as well as January 1.
2. The district received an award for excellence in teacher induction. There were twelve districts in the state given this award. The four criteria used for judging were the support to, the mentoring program, orientation activities, and seminars provided to new teachers. This work is done almost exclusively by current teachers.
Superintendent’s report:
1. Received a request from the Institute for Wisconsin Future for a date to meet with the ECASD BoE, county board, and city board to discuss options and ideas for revenue generation. The other two groups have agreed to meet on January 17th from about 4 to 5PM privately with a public meeting the next day. No site has been chose yet. The public session with be a forum for asking questions and sharing ideas.
2. WASB superintendent search update. The board will review credentials of candidates January 28 and 29, possibly extending to the 30th if needed. Need to choose six. Board members can come in on their own to review the credentials, but the credentials are not available to the public. Interviews will then be in the second week in February. Just for reference, there are 12-15 other districts in Wisconsin looking for superintendents.
No public comments.
Minutes and employment report approved.
Financial report from 7/1/2007 to 11/30/2007 approved.
Payment of bills and net payroll for November, 2007 approved.
Approved motion to extend administrators contracts. This was for the 09-10 school year. It didn’t include financial terms, and I’m not sure it included a commitment for a specific job. There was some concern by a couple board members that this was so far in the future and would limit options for reducing administrative positions. By the current contracts, layoff notifications for 08-09 would have to be given by Jan 1, 2008. With the current contracts, one full time position could be eliminated after the contracts were approved. There are also three probationary principals that could contractually be eliminated.
Approving the contracts doesn’t prevent the restructuring of the administration, but it sounds like any positions eliminated would have to be paid through the end of the contract or some separation package would have to be negotiated.
Adjourned to committee meeting.
Approved three year contracts with the cooks and custodians. There were minor changes to each contract, but the most significant was the increase in salary and benefits (aka total package) the groups agreed to. Both agreed to increase
2.5% for 07-08
3.6% for 08-09
3.6% for 09-10
Both groups had previously approved the contracts, so these are now in effect. Back payments should be made by the end of the year. Commissioner Craig noted that these were below the QEO. President O’Brien thanked the groups for their cooperation.
Discussed public input policy.
1. There’s still a 30 minute limit
2. Community members will be allowed to ask questions, request clarification, or request relevant information from the board after board discussion of “items for discussion”.
3. Language allowing public to provide relevant information as removed.
Needs assessment update will be going up on the web site along with a note of how the data was collected and how to interpret it.
Discussion of community survey:
1. Have talked with two groups that do phone surveys of registered voters in the district.
2. One (and maybe both) would survey 400 people for a confidence interval of +/- 4.5%
3. It’s likely the board would develop the questions to use, but not sure what the right number of questions to use is. Lacross put their survey results up on the web so that might be a useful resource.
4. Not sure on the timeline.
Presentation of staffing decisions at high schools, by the principals (Tim Leibham and Dave Valk? Sorry – I didn’t get their names). The presentation was extensive, and I’m not sure my description here is going to do it justice. Feel free to post corrections, or pass them to me and I’ll try to get them posted.
1. Registration runs from October to December. Staffing decisions are from December to February.
2. 228 courses are offered, the same at each high school. Course changes can be made until sometime in October.
3. After the have enrollment, the principals start with the classes with the smallest enrollments that can’t be combined. I’m not sure exactly when they stop.
4. Then generate staffing sheets. Average class size is now 27, up from 25 previously.
5. There was some concern on the board about a “consumer driven” approach to what classes were run. There hasn’t been any revision in this scheduling system in at least 15 years (when one of the principals joined. He hasn’t done it any other way).
Legislative update
1. A study comparing public versus private school results was published. Both types of schools produced the same results
2. Head start has been reapproved. Eligibility has been increased to 130% of the poverty level from 100%.
The Clear Vision community planning group will meet again January 3 and 24.
Communication to the Superintendent/Board President
1. The public comment session for the Little Red study group will be January 3.
Adjourned to closed session.
Maria
12/17/2007 Working Session
Review proposed ECASD Charter School Policy.
The proposed policy can be found at
http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/charterschoolpolicy/charterpolicystatement.pdf
This is a summary and omits some of the debate and isn’t in chronological order.
Both Commissioners Cummins and Keener didn’t like point 8. Cummins had gotten several emails saying it would be nice for every other school to have this too and wouldn’t be fair for the charter schools to have an inside track to the school board. This point was dropped from the policy.
Commissioner Cummins thought that point 6 was too vague. Mr. Van De Water suggested changing the wording to “opportunity for resources.” The intent is to have program driven budgeting, which means funding can vary from year to year depending on the needs of the program.
Point 7, regarding providing transportation, was the subject of a lot of debate. Commissioner Faanes was concerned about committing the district to a large financial obligation in the future. There was some discussion as to if transportation would be provided at all, since open enrollment students are required to provide their own transportation. The consensus was that transportation should be provided since it excludes the part of the population that can’t provide their own transportation and charter schools provide a different educational opportunity than a conventional school, where as open enrollment students are choosing between the same program offered at different schools. Deputy Superintendent Buttler recommended that policy say that the area of enrollment for charter schools be the entire district. This wording would cause the least disturbance to the existing transportation policies.
For reference, state law required parochial students to be transported by the district at tax payer expense.
Two items were referred to the administration: have the proposed charter school contract template be reviewed and to verify with DPI as to whether the BoE should be able to appoint members of the charter school boards.
At the end of the meeting there was a brief discussion of some of the charter school guidelines produced by the committee (Not online, as best I can tell), but time ran out and the board needed to have a brief closed session.
12/17/2007 Regular school board meeting
Meeting came to order.
Announcement from close session: four points of Dr. Klauss’ contract were clarified, all retirement related. The rest of the contract remains intact.
There was report on the Flynn Elementary Responsive Classroom. The principal Kim Hill and 3rd grade teacher Amy Detrick gave an overview of the program and demonstration with part of Ms. Detrick class. I’m not sure I can do justice in this space – contact me if you’re interested.
Announcements:
1. Winter break from December 22, 2007 until January 1, 2008.
2. School board nomination papers are due January 2.
3. The appointment of a school board member to the Montessori Board was skipped due to discussion in the previous working meeting.
Deputy Superintendent’s Report:
1. The central office is closed December 24, 25, and 31, as well as January 1.
2. The district received an award for excellence in teacher induction. There were twelve districts in the state given this award. The four criteria used for judging were the support to, the mentoring program, orientation activities, and seminars provided to new teachers. This work is done almost exclusively by current teachers.
Superintendent’s report:
1. Received a request from the Institute for Wisconsin Future for a date to meet with the ECASD BoE, county board, and city board to discuss options and ideas for revenue generation. The other two groups have agreed to meet on January 17th from about 4 to 5PM privately with a public meeting the next day. No site has been chose yet. The public session with be a forum for asking questions and sharing ideas.
2. WASB superintendent search update. The board will review credentials of candidates January 28 and 29, possibly extending to the 30th if needed. Need to choose six. Board members can come in on their own to review the credentials, but the credentials are not available to the public. Interviews will then be in the second week in February. Just for reference, there are 12-15 other districts in Wisconsin looking for superintendents.
No public comments.
Minutes and employment report approved.
Financial report from 7/1/2007 to 11/30/2007 approved.
Payment of bills and net payroll for November, 2007 approved.
Approved motion to extend administrators contracts. This was for the 09-10 school year. It didn’t include financial terms, and I’m not sure it included a commitment for a specific job. There was some concern by a couple board members that this was so far in the future and would limit options for reducing administrative positions. By the current contracts, layoff notifications for 08-09 would have to be given by Jan 1, 2008. With the current contracts, one full time position could be eliminated after the contracts were approved. There are also three probationary principals that could contractually be eliminated.
Approving the contracts doesn’t prevent the restructuring of the administration, but it sounds like any positions eliminated would have to be paid through the end of the contract or some separation package would have to be negotiated.
Adjourned to committee meeting.
Approved three year contracts with the cooks and custodians. There were minor changes to each contract, but the most significant was the increase in salary and benefits (aka total package) the groups agreed to. Both agreed to increase
2.5% for 07-08
3.6% for 08-09
3.6% for 09-10
Both groups had previously approved the contracts, so these are now in effect. Back payments should be made by the end of the year. Commissioner Craig noted that these were below the QEO. President O’Brien thanked the groups for their cooperation.
Discussed public input policy.
1. There’s still a 30 minute limit
2. Community members will be allowed to ask questions, request clarification, or request relevant information from the board after board discussion of “items for discussion”.
3. Language allowing public to provide relevant information as removed.
Needs assessment update will be going up on the web site along with a note of how the data was collected and how to interpret it.
Discussion of community survey:
1. Have talked with two groups that do phone surveys of registered voters in the district.
2. One (and maybe both) would survey 400 people for a confidence interval of +/- 4.5%
3. It’s likely the board would develop the questions to use, but not sure what the right number of questions to use is. Lacross put their survey results up on the web so that might be a useful resource.
4. Not sure on the timeline.
Presentation of staffing decisions at high schools, by the principals (Tim Leibham and Dave Valk? Sorry – I didn’t get their names). The presentation was extensive, and I’m not sure my description here is going to do it justice. Feel free to post corrections, or pass them to me and I’ll try to get them posted.
1. Registration runs from October to December. Staffing decisions are from December to February.
2. 228 courses are offered, the same at each high school. Course changes can be made until sometime in October.
3. After the have enrollment, the principals start with the classes with the smallest enrollments that can’t be combined. I’m not sure exactly when they stop.
4. Then generate staffing sheets. Average class size is now 27, up from 25 previously.
5. There was some concern on the board about a “consumer driven” approach to what classes were run. There hasn’t been any revision in this scheduling system in at least 15 years (when one of the principals joined. He hasn’t done it any other way).
Legislative update
1. A study comparing public versus private school results was published. Both types of schools produced the same results
2. Head start has been reapproved. Eligibility has been increased to 130% of the poverty level from 100%.
The Clear Vision community planning group will meet again January 3 and 24.
Communication to the Superintendent/Board President
1. The public comment session for the Little Red study group will be January 3.
Adjourned to closed session.
Dec. 3, 2007 BOE meeting
On Dec. 3rd at 5:30 p.m. there was a special Work Session held to review the Needs Assessment Survey results. You can go to this blog and click on the Label of Needs Assessment to see the original survey document. This was a list of 112 items that were used to survey the following groups and determine priorities for our district. The survey was completed by the 7 members of the BOE (note their responses were given a double dose of priority for scoring so it looks like there were 14 responses), 14 top administrators in the district, 16 elementary employees, 19 secondary employees and the 22 members of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Items were ranked by priority (#1 being the highest priority) and also scored as to their perceived cost (high or low) and whether or not their implementation would involve Management effort. The results of the top 60 items is posted on the ECASD website (transparency!) at the following links:
Interpreting the Survey: http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/distinfo/SurveyReview.pdf
Survey Results: http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/distinfo/SurveywithPAC.pdf
The results were extremely "tight" in that the responses across the groups (BOE, PAC, Admin, etc...) all prioritized the top 15 responses in approx. the same way. Dr. Leary commented that the top 15 items could be broken down into 4 "clusters" in that 5 were related to money, 5 were related to students, 3 were related to schools and the community and 2 were process oriented. The top 30 priorities had 10 related to money, 8 related to students, 5 to school and community relations and 7 related to the process. Dr. Leary said that this "tightness" of response is not common with this number of stakeholders. (So, at least we can stop fighting about what might be priorities and start working on them!)
Comm. Cummins commented that there is some spread between the BOE and the rest of the district and Comm. Bollinger responded that the top 20 responses are "normalized" and it would be scary if everyone was in lock step. There was some discussion about the responses not really including the "community" to which Dr. Leary replied that is was "not possible to get reliable data." Also, I was not certain if the responses from the elementary and secondary groups included teaching and other staff members. Comm. Wogahn indicated that it would be interesting to see the top 60 items put out to the community and maybe distill responses to get the community's top 12 or 15 items. Comm. Craig indicated that Dr. Leary did not want to venture beyond an "internal" assessment at this time so "Now what?" Dr. Leary indicated that a series of 10 to 12 questions could be developed before a referendum went forward to assure that the priorities align with community support. A lengthy discussion followed about whether or not to go back to the Comprehensive Community Planning presenters who had expertise in such matters. BOE members seemed to be in agreement that reliable community data was important enough to use professionals.
Work Session adjourned.
Regular Meeting of the BOE called to order.
No action from Closed Session reported by Pres. O'Brien. NOTE: The ongoing closed session Agenda item labelled "Compensation Issue Involving District Employee" has been the source of much outrageous speculation. Immediately prior to attending the Work Session detailed above I received an amazing phone call from our former Superintendent, Dr. Klaus, who attempted to explain the situation to me. The only comment from my husband (who heard the phone conversation as well) is straight from the movie "The Big Lebowski": "Dude, new s*#t has come to light." Much more on this to come.
More announcements about other Work Sessions scheduled on Dec 17th and 18th, the dates of the schools Winter Break and WASB convention.
Dr. Leary's report consisted of an update on the Superintendent search which he characterized as "either the most popular or least wanted position" in the state since there are so many districts on the hunt. Dennis Richards from WASB will do a statewide compensation analysis. The ECASD position will be posted starting today until the deadline of Jan 18th. Comm. Craig commented that based on the salary data she looked at the wages are phenomenal and quite intimidating for a district like Eau Claire. Then there was an announcement that the ECASD has been honored by some organization for their Annual Report.
Public Comments: Gretchen Beckstrom, a teacher at Northstar and North HS extended an invitation to BOE members to come and visit classrooms. She noted that Commissioners Craig and Cummins are planning to attend and hoped others would choose to visit as well.
A couple of people (Todd Pauls and Dr. Dwight Watson) were appointed to the Montessori Charter School Board.
Jim Kling indicated that the Administrator contracts must be extended for the 08-09 and 09-10 school years. Comm. Craig had a few questions about how this approval might be affected if budget reductions are needed in this area. Kling responded that the Board is approving the position, not the $ amount.
There was a discussion about the Public Input guidelines that Comm. Craig asked to modify to allow citizens to ask clarifying questions after a presentation or discussion (not an action item). Mr. O'Brien indicated that if BOE members agreed they could modify the guidelines that night and then approve. Comm. Cummins noted that the Montessori discussion was respectful and open. Mr. Kling indicated that that was a "Report to the Board". Comm. Craig indicated that her motion would include Reports to the Board as well as Action and Discussion items. Members decided to rework it and bring it back next meeting.
Legislative Issues as reported by Pres. O'Brien included the information that sales tax revenue is down and counties and cities depend on that for their budgets. However since Gov. Doyle is very "pro" education he could help in some way. (Sorry that I am a really bad secretary!) On a federal level, Pres. Bush vetoed funding for Labor and Health and Human Services so if there is no override there is a lot of money lost for Special Ed., Title I and services to the poor.
Comm. Cummins gave an update on the Clear Vision Planning process and said they are doing the community "scan" of trends and conditions. Lots of information on the web at: clearvision eauclaire.org
She said that the region is experiencing only 1% growth and enrollment projections are only approx. 500 students in the next 10 years. The population is becoming more elderly and there is uneven growth with the south and west sides of EC growing more than others. The top employers in the community were Menards and the ECASD and also UWEC and CVTC were in the top 10. But only ECASD depends on the voters for money. Also our community has higher than average poverty levels. None of these indicators bode well for additional $'s for the district.
Comm. Bollinger asked that Board Docs be a future agenda item and he asked about an update on the Little Red committee (isn't Comm. Bollinger on that committee??). Comm. Craig said that they are done gathering info. and have met 5 times and can't just view Little Red in a vacuum since there are so many other impacts on the south and west sides of the city. She said they will begin deliberations on Dec. 6th, have follow up discussions on Dec. 13th and on Jan. 3rd there will be a Public Hearing. Comm. Craig indicated that she has been very impressed with the quality of the conversations and that final action on this will be no later than Feb. 4, 2008. All meetings are open to the public and comments can be made on the link on the ECASD website. Pres. O'Brien thanked her and all the participants for their hard work.
Adjourn!
Interpreting the Survey: http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/distinfo/SurveyReview.pdf
Survey Results: http://www.ecasd.k12.wi.us/distinfo/SurveywithPAC.pdf
The results were extremely "tight" in that the responses across the groups (BOE, PAC, Admin, etc...) all prioritized the top 15 responses in approx. the same way. Dr. Leary commented that the top 15 items could be broken down into 4 "clusters" in that 5 were related to money, 5 were related to students, 3 were related to schools and the community and 2 were process oriented. The top 30 priorities had 10 related to money, 8 related to students, 5 to school and community relations and 7 related to the process. Dr. Leary said that this "tightness" of response is not common with this number of stakeholders. (So, at least we can stop fighting about what might be priorities and start working on them!)
Comm. Cummins commented that there is some spread between the BOE and the rest of the district and Comm. Bollinger responded that the top 20 responses are "normalized" and it would be scary if everyone was in lock step. There was some discussion about the responses not really including the "community" to which Dr. Leary replied that is was "not possible to get reliable data." Also, I was not certain if the responses from the elementary and secondary groups included teaching and other staff members. Comm. Wogahn indicated that it would be interesting to see the top 60 items put out to the community and maybe distill responses to get the community's top 12 or 15 items. Comm. Craig indicated that Dr. Leary did not want to venture beyond an "internal" assessment at this time so "Now what?" Dr. Leary indicated that a series of 10 to 12 questions could be developed before a referendum went forward to assure that the priorities align with community support. A lengthy discussion followed about whether or not to go back to the Comprehensive Community Planning presenters who had expertise in such matters. BOE members seemed to be in agreement that reliable community data was important enough to use professionals.
Work Session adjourned.
Regular Meeting of the BOE called to order.
No action from Closed Session reported by Pres. O'Brien. NOTE: The ongoing closed session Agenda item labelled "Compensation Issue Involving District Employee" has been the source of much outrageous speculation. Immediately prior to attending the Work Session detailed above I received an amazing phone call from our former Superintendent, Dr. Klaus, who attempted to explain the situation to me. The only comment from my husband (who heard the phone conversation as well) is straight from the movie "The Big Lebowski": "Dude, new s*#t has come to light." Much more on this to come.
More announcements about other Work Sessions scheduled on Dec 17th and 18th, the dates of the schools Winter Break and WASB convention.
Dr. Leary's report consisted of an update on the Superintendent search which he characterized as "either the most popular or least wanted position" in the state since there are so many districts on the hunt. Dennis Richards from WASB will do a statewide compensation analysis. The ECASD position will be posted starting today until the deadline of Jan 18th. Comm. Craig commented that based on the salary data she looked at the wages are phenomenal and quite intimidating for a district like Eau Claire. Then there was an announcement that the ECASD has been honored by some organization for their Annual Report.
Public Comments: Gretchen Beckstrom, a teacher at Northstar and North HS extended an invitation to BOE members to come and visit classrooms. She noted that Commissioners Craig and Cummins are planning to attend and hoped others would choose to visit as well.
A couple of people (Todd Pauls and Dr. Dwight Watson) were appointed to the Montessori Charter School Board.
Jim Kling indicated that the Administrator contracts must be extended for the 08-09 and 09-10 school years. Comm. Craig had a few questions about how this approval might be affected if budget reductions are needed in this area. Kling responded that the Board is approving the position, not the $ amount.
There was a discussion about the Public Input guidelines that Comm. Craig asked to modify to allow citizens to ask clarifying questions after a presentation or discussion (not an action item). Mr. O'Brien indicated that if BOE members agreed they could modify the guidelines that night and then approve. Comm. Cummins noted that the Montessori discussion was respectful and open. Mr. Kling indicated that that was a "Report to the Board". Comm. Craig indicated that her motion would include Reports to the Board as well as Action and Discussion items. Members decided to rework it and bring it back next meeting.
Legislative Issues as reported by Pres. O'Brien included the information that sales tax revenue is down and counties and cities depend on that for their budgets. However since Gov. Doyle is very "pro" education he could help in some way. (Sorry that I am a really bad secretary!) On a federal level, Pres. Bush vetoed funding for Labor and Health and Human Services so if there is no override there is a lot of money lost for Special Ed., Title I and services to the poor.
Comm. Cummins gave an update on the Clear Vision Planning process and said they are doing the community "scan" of trends and conditions. Lots of information on the web at: clearvision eauclaire.org
She said that the region is experiencing only 1% growth and enrollment projections are only approx. 500 students in the next 10 years. The population is becoming more elderly and there is uneven growth with the south and west sides of EC growing more than others. The top employers in the community were Menards and the ECASD and also UWEC and CVTC were in the top 10. But only ECASD depends on the voters for money. Also our community has higher than average poverty levels. None of these indicators bode well for additional $'s for the district.
Comm. Bollinger asked that Board Docs be a future agenda item and he asked about an update on the Little Red committee (isn't Comm. Bollinger on that committee??). Comm. Craig said that they are done gathering info. and have met 5 times and can't just view Little Red in a vacuum since there are so many other impacts on the south and west sides of the city. She said they will begin deliberations on Dec. 6th, have follow up discussions on Dec. 13th and on Jan. 3rd there will be a Public Hearing. Comm. Craig indicated that she has been very impressed with the quality of the conversations and that final action on this will be no later than Feb. 4, 2008. All meetings are open to the public and comments can be made on the link on the ECASD website. Pres. O'Brien thanked her and all the participants for their hard work.
Adjourn!
Friday, December 7, 2007
High School Reform
This is an article from my college alumni magazine, The Carleton College Voice. How can we begin this discussion here in the ECASD? Comm. Cummins has brought it up multiple times at the BOE Meetings but it never goes beyond that. Anybody out there who would like to begin to make some of these changes here in Eau Claire?
Maria
Redefining the American High School
By Elizabeth Larsen
Designed for a different era and economy, our outdated high schools are leaving far too many young people ill equipped to face the future. But a growing trend shows promise: Educators and communities are creating dynamic learning environments designed to prepare all students for success in today's world.
In Rebel without a Cause, Grease, The Breakfast Club, and other movies, the iconic American high school is portrayed as an institution where the smart get smarter and those who struggle take shop or drop out. When language arts teacher Jennifer Budenski '94--who currently teaches at the Hopkins Alternative Program in Hopkins, Minnesota--started teaching at a suburban Twin Cities high school in 1998, she realized that this is not just a Hollywood plot device.
"The curriculum seemed to prepare the talented students for college and to house the other kids," Budenski says, referring to the school's one- to four-star rating system that spelled out which courses were for the brains and which courses were for kids who simply were trying to graduate. "Struggling students would sign up only for one- or two-star classes because they were choosing the easiest possible way to get through high school. But then they were bored and often would get in trouble. The system was most damaging to the kids who didn't have the family support, value system, and experience to choose to challenge themselves."
The result can be a bleak future for the young people who fall through the cracks. As the gateway to college, the workplace, and life, American high schools must prepare students to succeed in a global economy and to become responsible citizens. Whether they go on to college or join the workforce, all young people need basic analytical and communication skills. To develop these skills, high schools must not only stay in step with the innovations and changes in the culture at large but also nurture students' ability to interact with others productively and respectfully.
In the past, many states didn't track those outcomes adequately. But since 2005, when the National Governors Association adopted a common formula to measure graduation rates, the quality of state data is improving. The facts we now know are sobering: The United States has one of the lowest graduation rates in the industrialized world. A 2006 report states that each year almost one-third of U.S. high school students drop out, and nearly 50 percent of African American, Hispanic, and Native American kids never get their diplomas. Those who drop out are at greater risk than their peers to be unemployed, live in poverty, receive public assistance, go to prison, and become single parents of children who themselves drop out of high school.
Those who do graduate, both top-performing and average students, complain that their education is not challenging or relevant to their interests. Nationally, more than a quarter of high school graduates who continue on to college have to take remedial courses in their first year, and some students find themselves ineligible for appropriate post secondary education because they failed to take prerequisite courses.
The failure of high schools to prepare students adequately for college is one reason the United States also is falling behind other industrialized nations in the percentage of young adults with a college degree. And the number of engineering, math, and science degrees awarded in the United States has declined by about a third since 1960, threatening our nation's ability to satisfy the demands of an expanding economy.
The ranks of Carleton alumni are filled with large numbers of high school teachers and administrators. Those we spoke with have much to say about the state of America's high schools, and they are invested in finding solutions to this crisis.
The Dropout Epidemic
Joe Nathan '70
Title: Director of the Center for School Change at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota
Skills Set: “Research has shown that participation in what we call extracurricular activities—debate, drama, journalism, speech, music, or the arts—is a key factor in predicting success as an adult. By relegating these activities to after school, we downgrade their importance in developing life skills. They should be integrated into what we do in the mainstream day of a high school.”
Education policy experts have their own perspective on why so many students fail to graduate. "There is a myth that suburban high schools are doing a great job," says Joe Nathan '70, director of the Center for School Change at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. "In many cases they are doing a good job with the top 20 to 25 percent of students. But the current structure of high school was designed when we did not expect all students to graduate with strong skills because many middle-class jobs required only a high school diploma. Today many schools operate much like they did 15 to 20 years ago, even though most middle- and upper-income jobs now require at least some education beyond high school."
Nathan says these problems are compounded by the fact that many educators believe that there is relatively little they can do with students from low-income and troubled families, despite numerous examples of schools that are producing terrific results with such students. (See sidebar on page 36.) "In too many cases, educators have not had the opportunity to learn about schools that have been successful with low-income and limited-English-speaking students," says Nathan. "Teacher and administrator preparation programs sometimes contain too much theory and not enough practice. Educators often comment that they wish they had learned more about how to manage and motivate students."
Another challenge facing high schools, says Nathan, is the fact that our society gives more acclaim to sports stars than to those with academic or artistic accomplishments. This gives young people the wrong messages about what's important.
That assessment rings true to Jane Youngquist Berliss '68, an English teacher at the United Nations International School in New York City. "The United States doesn't value teaching," she says. "Every teacher has heard 'Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.' Therefore, it is difficult to attract teachers and, because our salaries are so low, many teachers can't afford to stay in the profession."
And what do the dropouts themselves have to say? In a recent report on perspectives of high school dropouts, students cited a number of reasons for not finishing school, including family challenges, a need to make money, and having a baby. But many students also said their school experience failed to interest or inspire them.
Time for a Change
Microsoft founder Bill Gates says American high schools are in need of a serious overhaul. "Training the workforce of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. It's the wrong tool for the time," he told the nation's governors at the National Education Summit on High Schools in February 2005.
In an effort to spur innovation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested more than $1.5 billion to improve high school education since 2000, including support for more than 1,800 high schools around the country. The money is aimed primarily at redesigning the "one size fits all" model of enormous, district-wide high schools. Grants fund the start-up of new, smaller schools as well as the conversion of large high schools into more personalized learning communities so that families have more options within public school systems.
A recent report on the first seven years of the Gates Foundation's education grantmaking finds that results take root most quickly in new schools, while changes in the expectations and culture of struggling schools happen more slowly because they require the collaborative effort of students, teachers, parents, and leaders. Additional findings show that schools need comprehensive support from their districts to succeed and that supportive federal and state policies are essential for lasting school change. Future grants will focus on expanding the impact of the most promising approaches and solving the remaining problems.
Using funds from the Gates Foundation, the Center for School Change worked with the Cincinnati school district to improve high school graduation rates. After seven years of collaborative effort, the district's graduation rate increased from 51 percent to 79 percent, says Nathan, and the graduation gap between white and African American students, once more than 20 points, has been eliminated. "Cincinnati is not nirvana, and no one is satisfied with a 79 percent high school graduation rate," he says. "But the progress is encouraging."
Despite the challenges, some schools have identified workable solutions, and education reformers are looking to them as models for the future.
The Smaller the Better
Whether by reducing the overall size of schools or by shrinking class size within larger school settings, educators want to create intimate learning communities where teachers and students can develop personal relationships that foster individualized education and accountability. Studies show that students in smaller schools are more motivated, have higher attendance rates, feel safer, and graduate and attend college in higher numbers.
St. Paul Open School English teacher Leo Bickelhaupt '90 endorses the concept of smaller learning communities. For a public school, Open School is small--approximately 400 students in grades K-12. Students call teachers by their first names. Report cards replace traditional letter grades with narrative evaluations in which teachers discuss a student's ability to write a news lead or analyze how Brave New World relates to real life. Each student chooses an adviser, who acts as both homeroom teacher and guidance counselor and has a say in the student's curriculum choices.
"Students don't feel anonymous here," says Bickelhaupt. "We consider our students carefully and on an individual basis, and we think about what they need both academically and emotionally to succeed."
Nathan, who helped start and worked for seven years at the St. Paul Open School, points to considerable evidence that shows that among similar groups of students (comparing urban-urban, suburban- suburban, rural-rural), most students do better in smaller schools.Larger schools--which may offer more amenities, extracurricular activities, and diversity than smaller schools--are fostering intimacy by creating schools within schools. The students at Crosswinds East Metro Arts and Science School in Woodbury, Minnesota, a year-round public school that follows the academically challenging international baccalaureate (IB) program for sixth through tenth grade, are divided into six "houses" that share a gym, auditorium, and cafeteria. The approximately 50 tenth-graders take core curriculum courses with the same four teachers.
Crosswinds drama teacher Tinne Rosenmeier '83 thinks the small-school structure nurtures relationships between students and teachers, which in turn allow teachers to push their students to challenge themselves academically--a key factor when it comes to the rigor of the IB curriculum. "Our students are incredibly focused," she says.
Below the Surface
It's not just size that matters. Reformers insist that in an era when many jobs require analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, high school students must know more than a set of facts about a variety of topics: They need to learn how to explore subjects at greater depth. That's not an easy task when you consider that testing has become paramount to determining a school's success and, ultimately, funding. But even the rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) programs have been called into question because they emphasize breadth over depth. "The National Academy of Sciences has criticized some AP classes for focusing so much on the end-of-course exam," says Nathan. "Some courses are a mile wide and an inch deep. They don't always prepare young people for the challenges they will face in college."
A recent American College Testing program survey shows that nearly two-thirds of college instructors across the country say that state standards prepare students poorly. College instructors expect deeper understanding of fundamental skills in a few key disciplines--such as math basics, science process and inquiry, reading proficiency, and basic grammar and usage--while high school teachers tend to emphasize knowledge of specific content across a broader range of skills and topics.
Social studies teacher Amie DeHarpporte '95 supports this challenge to motivate her upper middle school students to think independently and do more than the rote work necessary to earn an A. At the Blake School in Minneapolis, a private college preparatory school, DeHarpporte and several of her colleagues embrace a pedagogy called Teaching for Understanding, an approach that forgoes the memorization of dates, facts, and minutiae in exchange for deeper conceptual understanding of big ideas, themes, concepts, and skills.
"What you have to do is go deep instead of broad," she explains. In her ninth-grade world cultures class, DeHarpporte has thrown out large chunks of the traditional curriculum in favor of a yearlong course organized around the theme of conflict and compromise. "We look at examples of conflict--from the conflict between Islam and the West to the ethnic struggles in South Africa and Tibet--and ask big questions: What are the roots of conflict? Why can't we get along? What would enable people to reach solutions? What can we do to get along better?" DeHarpporte's students know their way around an essay test, but they also earn marks by simulating South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission or by running a peace conference.
"At the end of the year, we will be able to give the students a new conflict that they know nothing about, and they will be able to research it, ask intelligent questions, and draw conclusions about why it occurred and how to solve it," says DeHarpporte. "That is the test of true understanding--when you can approach a novel situation and conquer it in an intelligent way."
The concept of in-depth exploration is taking off in some public schools. At Boston Arts Academy, which specializes in the arts, and the School of Environmental Studies, located at the Minnesota Zoo, and High Tech High in San Diego, students learn critical thinking skills by pursuing their interests.
"Many high school kids don't see much connection between their school's curriculum and the world in which they live," says Nathan. "The majority of kids who graduate from specialized schools don't go on to pursue careers in the arts or zoology or biology. But the schools engage students in something that interests them and allows them to broaden their skills and knowledge."
Nathan endorses programs that allow students to explore their personal interests while they're learning how to research, analyze, and organize data. But he also notes that there are some things that all teenagers need to know "to be active citizens in our society. For example, they should understand the evolution of American history, key struggles, and debates over things like civil rights and liberties, both resolved and unresolved."
It Still Takes a Village
In an age when emotional intelligence is essential not only to land a job but also to live a happier life, communication skills matter. "We don't have enough going on in high schools to help students learn how they can make a difference in the world and work cooperatively with other people," says Nathan. To that end, he advocates putting public high schools not on self-contained campuses but in multipurpose facilities that informally connect schools with social services, day care centers, nursing homes, and even businesses. Shared facilities not only support students' emotional and physical needs but also give them opportunities to interact with people of different ages in a community setting.
While it's not part of a multipurpose facility, Loudon Valley High School in the small town of Purcellville, Virginia, has the community support that Nathan envisions. "The school is a rallying point for the town," says Susan Ross '80, Loudon Valley's principal. Ross credits the community's high level of support and involvement for the fact that 80 percent of Loudon Valley students go on to college. Elderly community members attend football games and plays. High school students mentor kids at the local elementary schools. "Our school is a point of civic pride, and that pride translates to the students," says Ross. "Our coaches and teachers make it very clear to the kids that they are representing the school to a wide variety of people in a variety of situations."
While Loudon Valley is successful in preparing its students for college, staff members don't overlook the kids who choose a different path. To make sure those students graduate with skills that make them employable, Loudon Valley gives juniors and seniors the option to take classes at the district's technology center, where they can study anything from prenursing to baking to automotive repair skills. The center also offers on-site programs in prearchitecture, small-business ownership, and graphic design, which allow postsecondary students to forgo a four-year degree in favor of a two-year option.
The strategy addresses the reality of the current economy. "The high-paying, low-skill jobs that were outsourced to other countries probably will not be coming back to the United States," says Nathan. "Therefore, some education beyond high school is critical if people want a middle-class life. A student's goal should not be just to graduate from high school, but to prepare for some sort of postsecondary education, whether it's a four-year or a two-year program." Ross agrees: "These programs help students understand that what they're learning will apply to life after high school," she says.
Although schools that embrace the Loudon Valley model exist in districts nationwide, they are few and far between. Experts say the key to fixing the high school crisis in the United States is to ensure that all young people receive the best education possible. And that means educators, communities, and legislators must be willing to think creatively and strategically about how to serve an increasingly diverse population and meet the challenges facing our nation in the future.
According to Gates, "The success of one school is not an answer to this crisis. You have to be able to make systems of schools work for all students. . . . If we can focus on three steps--high standards for all, public data on our progress, turning around failing schools--we will go a long way toward ensuring that all students have a chance to make the most of their lives."
America can't afford to settle for less.
Elizabeth Larsen is a freelance writer who lives in Minneapolis.
KIPP It in the Budd
Education reformers say it's time to retool American middle schools, too.
Kelly Wright '96 was teaching fifth grade at a San Diego public elementary school when she learned that 0 percent of the students at the local middle school had passed the state aptitude test. "That alarmed me because it meant that all of the hard work we had been doing [in grade school] would be lost once our kids got to middle school," says Wright.
Wright's solution was to found the KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy, a charter school in San Diego for grades five to eight that is free and open to all students who apply. The instructional program is based on the success of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) model, a national network of free, open-enrollment public schools in underfunded communities whose mission is to put students on the college track.
KIPP was founded in 1994 when two teachers launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston after completing their commitment to Teach for America. In 2000 the teachers formed a partnership with the founders of Gap Inc. to replicate the success of the original KIPP Academies across the country through the nonprofit KIPP Foundation. Currently, 57 KIPP public schools in 17 states and the District of Columbia enroll more than 14,000 students.
Begun in 2003, KIPP Adelante takes the view that sweating the small stuff prevents larger problems down the road. KIPP students wear uniforms. They walk to class in single-file lines. Homework planners have to be signed by a parent or guardian every night. No junk food is allowed on the premises.
Visitors comment on how calm the school is, Wright says. That atmosphere allows teachers and students to focus on learning instead of discipline. The 7:30-to-5:00 school day provides time for enrichment classes as well as a mandatory foreign language program and a string orchestra. An end-of-the-year trip to San Francisco or another city combines sightseeing with tours of local colleges.
The KIPP formula--based on the principle that all students can achieve when schools set high expectations, demand results, and provide opportunities for students to excel--is working. When the school's first eighth-grade class graduated last spring, 47 percent went on to local college preparatory high schools and 43 percent earned scholarships and other financial aid to attend high-performing schools outside their districts. "We have tried to create a small, supportive atmosphere where it is okay to work hard and care about your studies," says Wright. "Our students feel safe here, and they can be who they want to be."
--E.L.
Maria
Redefining the American High School
By Elizabeth Larsen
Designed for a different era and economy, our outdated high schools are leaving far too many young people ill equipped to face the future. But a growing trend shows promise: Educators and communities are creating dynamic learning environments designed to prepare all students for success in today's world.
In Rebel without a Cause, Grease, The Breakfast Club, and other movies, the iconic American high school is portrayed as an institution where the smart get smarter and those who struggle take shop or drop out. When language arts teacher Jennifer Budenski '94--who currently teaches at the Hopkins Alternative Program in Hopkins, Minnesota--started teaching at a suburban Twin Cities high school in 1998, she realized that this is not just a Hollywood plot device.
"The curriculum seemed to prepare the talented students for college and to house the other kids," Budenski says, referring to the school's one- to four-star rating system that spelled out which courses were for the brains and which courses were for kids who simply were trying to graduate. "Struggling students would sign up only for one- or two-star classes because they were choosing the easiest possible way to get through high school. But then they were bored and often would get in trouble. The system was most damaging to the kids who didn't have the family support, value system, and experience to choose to challenge themselves."
The result can be a bleak future for the young people who fall through the cracks. As the gateway to college, the workplace, and life, American high schools must prepare students to succeed in a global economy and to become responsible citizens. Whether they go on to college or join the workforce, all young people need basic analytical and communication skills. To develop these skills, high schools must not only stay in step with the innovations and changes in the culture at large but also nurture students' ability to interact with others productively and respectfully.
In the past, many states didn't track those outcomes adequately. But since 2005, when the National Governors Association adopted a common formula to measure graduation rates, the quality of state data is improving. The facts we now know are sobering: The United States has one of the lowest graduation rates in the industrialized world. A 2006 report states that each year almost one-third of U.S. high school students drop out, and nearly 50 percent of African American, Hispanic, and Native American kids never get their diplomas. Those who drop out are at greater risk than their peers to be unemployed, live in poverty, receive public assistance, go to prison, and become single parents of children who themselves drop out of high school.
Those who do graduate, both top-performing and average students, complain that their education is not challenging or relevant to their interests. Nationally, more than a quarter of high school graduates who continue on to college have to take remedial courses in their first year, and some students find themselves ineligible for appropriate post secondary education because they failed to take prerequisite courses.
The failure of high schools to prepare students adequately for college is one reason the United States also is falling behind other industrialized nations in the percentage of young adults with a college degree. And the number of engineering, math, and science degrees awarded in the United States has declined by about a third since 1960, threatening our nation's ability to satisfy the demands of an expanding economy.
The ranks of Carleton alumni are filled with large numbers of high school teachers and administrators. Those we spoke with have much to say about the state of America's high schools, and they are invested in finding solutions to this crisis.
The Dropout Epidemic
Joe Nathan '70
Title: Director of the Center for School Change at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota
Skills Set: “Research has shown that participation in what we call extracurricular activities—debate, drama, journalism, speech, music, or the arts—is a key factor in predicting success as an adult. By relegating these activities to after school, we downgrade their importance in developing life skills. They should be integrated into what we do in the mainstream day of a high school.”
Education policy experts have their own perspective on why so many students fail to graduate. "There is a myth that suburban high schools are doing a great job," says Joe Nathan '70, director of the Center for School Change at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. "In many cases they are doing a good job with the top 20 to 25 percent of students. But the current structure of high school was designed when we did not expect all students to graduate with strong skills because many middle-class jobs required only a high school diploma. Today many schools operate much like they did 15 to 20 years ago, even though most middle- and upper-income jobs now require at least some education beyond high school."
Nathan says these problems are compounded by the fact that many educators believe that there is relatively little they can do with students from low-income and troubled families, despite numerous examples of schools that are producing terrific results with such students. (See sidebar on page 36.) "In too many cases, educators have not had the opportunity to learn about schools that have been successful with low-income and limited-English-speaking students," says Nathan. "Teacher and administrator preparation programs sometimes contain too much theory and not enough practice. Educators often comment that they wish they had learned more about how to manage and motivate students."
Another challenge facing high schools, says Nathan, is the fact that our society gives more acclaim to sports stars than to those with academic or artistic accomplishments. This gives young people the wrong messages about what's important.
That assessment rings true to Jane Youngquist Berliss '68, an English teacher at the United Nations International School in New York City. "The United States doesn't value teaching," she says. "Every teacher has heard 'Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.' Therefore, it is difficult to attract teachers and, because our salaries are so low, many teachers can't afford to stay in the profession."
And what do the dropouts themselves have to say? In a recent report on perspectives of high school dropouts, students cited a number of reasons for not finishing school, including family challenges, a need to make money, and having a baby. But many students also said their school experience failed to interest or inspire them.
Time for a Change
Microsoft founder Bill Gates says American high schools are in need of a serious overhaul. "Training the workforce of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. It's the wrong tool for the time," he told the nation's governors at the National Education Summit on High Schools in February 2005.
In an effort to spur innovation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested more than $1.5 billion to improve high school education since 2000, including support for more than 1,800 high schools around the country. The money is aimed primarily at redesigning the "one size fits all" model of enormous, district-wide high schools. Grants fund the start-up of new, smaller schools as well as the conversion of large high schools into more personalized learning communities so that families have more options within public school systems.
A recent report on the first seven years of the Gates Foundation's education grantmaking finds that results take root most quickly in new schools, while changes in the expectations and culture of struggling schools happen more slowly because they require the collaborative effort of students, teachers, parents, and leaders. Additional findings show that schools need comprehensive support from their districts to succeed and that supportive federal and state policies are essential for lasting school change. Future grants will focus on expanding the impact of the most promising approaches and solving the remaining problems.
Using funds from the Gates Foundation, the Center for School Change worked with the Cincinnati school district to improve high school graduation rates. After seven years of collaborative effort, the district's graduation rate increased from 51 percent to 79 percent, says Nathan, and the graduation gap between white and African American students, once more than 20 points, has been eliminated. "Cincinnati is not nirvana, and no one is satisfied with a 79 percent high school graduation rate," he says. "But the progress is encouraging."
Despite the challenges, some schools have identified workable solutions, and education reformers are looking to them as models for the future.
The Smaller the Better
Whether by reducing the overall size of schools or by shrinking class size within larger school settings, educators want to create intimate learning communities where teachers and students can develop personal relationships that foster individualized education and accountability. Studies show that students in smaller schools are more motivated, have higher attendance rates, feel safer, and graduate and attend college in higher numbers.
St. Paul Open School English teacher Leo Bickelhaupt '90 endorses the concept of smaller learning communities. For a public school, Open School is small--approximately 400 students in grades K-12. Students call teachers by their first names. Report cards replace traditional letter grades with narrative evaluations in which teachers discuss a student's ability to write a news lead or analyze how Brave New World relates to real life. Each student chooses an adviser, who acts as both homeroom teacher and guidance counselor and has a say in the student's curriculum choices.
"Students don't feel anonymous here," says Bickelhaupt. "We consider our students carefully and on an individual basis, and we think about what they need both academically and emotionally to succeed."
Nathan, who helped start and worked for seven years at the St. Paul Open School, points to considerable evidence that shows that among similar groups of students (comparing urban-urban, suburban- suburban, rural-rural), most students do better in smaller schools.Larger schools--which may offer more amenities, extracurricular activities, and diversity than smaller schools--are fostering intimacy by creating schools within schools. The students at Crosswinds East Metro Arts and Science School in Woodbury, Minnesota, a year-round public school that follows the academically challenging international baccalaureate (IB) program for sixth through tenth grade, are divided into six "houses" that share a gym, auditorium, and cafeteria. The approximately 50 tenth-graders take core curriculum courses with the same four teachers.
Crosswinds drama teacher Tinne Rosenmeier '83 thinks the small-school structure nurtures relationships between students and teachers, which in turn allow teachers to push their students to challenge themselves academically--a key factor when it comes to the rigor of the IB curriculum. "Our students are incredibly focused," she says.
Below the Surface
It's not just size that matters. Reformers insist that in an era when many jobs require analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, high school students must know more than a set of facts about a variety of topics: They need to learn how to explore subjects at greater depth. That's not an easy task when you consider that testing has become paramount to determining a school's success and, ultimately, funding. But even the rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) programs have been called into question because they emphasize breadth over depth. "The National Academy of Sciences has criticized some AP classes for focusing so much on the end-of-course exam," says Nathan. "Some courses are a mile wide and an inch deep. They don't always prepare young people for the challenges they will face in college."
A recent American College Testing program survey shows that nearly two-thirds of college instructors across the country say that state standards prepare students poorly. College instructors expect deeper understanding of fundamental skills in a few key disciplines--such as math basics, science process and inquiry, reading proficiency, and basic grammar and usage--while high school teachers tend to emphasize knowledge of specific content across a broader range of skills and topics.
Social studies teacher Amie DeHarpporte '95 supports this challenge to motivate her upper middle school students to think independently and do more than the rote work necessary to earn an A. At the Blake School in Minneapolis, a private college preparatory school, DeHarpporte and several of her colleagues embrace a pedagogy called Teaching for Understanding, an approach that forgoes the memorization of dates, facts, and minutiae in exchange for deeper conceptual understanding of big ideas, themes, concepts, and skills.
"What you have to do is go deep instead of broad," she explains. In her ninth-grade world cultures class, DeHarpporte has thrown out large chunks of the traditional curriculum in favor of a yearlong course organized around the theme of conflict and compromise. "We look at examples of conflict--from the conflict between Islam and the West to the ethnic struggles in South Africa and Tibet--and ask big questions: What are the roots of conflict? Why can't we get along? What would enable people to reach solutions? What can we do to get along better?" DeHarpporte's students know their way around an essay test, but they also earn marks by simulating South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission or by running a peace conference.
"At the end of the year, we will be able to give the students a new conflict that they know nothing about, and they will be able to research it, ask intelligent questions, and draw conclusions about why it occurred and how to solve it," says DeHarpporte. "That is the test of true understanding--when you can approach a novel situation and conquer it in an intelligent way."
The concept of in-depth exploration is taking off in some public schools. At Boston Arts Academy, which specializes in the arts, and the School of Environmental Studies, located at the Minnesota Zoo, and High Tech High in San Diego, students learn critical thinking skills by pursuing their interests.
"Many high school kids don't see much connection between their school's curriculum and the world in which they live," says Nathan. "The majority of kids who graduate from specialized schools don't go on to pursue careers in the arts or zoology or biology. But the schools engage students in something that interests them and allows them to broaden their skills and knowledge."
Nathan endorses programs that allow students to explore their personal interests while they're learning how to research, analyze, and organize data. But he also notes that there are some things that all teenagers need to know "to be active citizens in our society. For example, they should understand the evolution of American history, key struggles, and debates over things like civil rights and liberties, both resolved and unresolved."
It Still Takes a Village
In an age when emotional intelligence is essential not only to land a job but also to live a happier life, communication skills matter. "We don't have enough going on in high schools to help students learn how they can make a difference in the world and work cooperatively with other people," says Nathan. To that end, he advocates putting public high schools not on self-contained campuses but in multipurpose facilities that informally connect schools with social services, day care centers, nursing homes, and even businesses. Shared facilities not only support students' emotional and physical needs but also give them opportunities to interact with people of different ages in a community setting.
While it's not part of a multipurpose facility, Loudon Valley High School in the small town of Purcellville, Virginia, has the community support that Nathan envisions. "The school is a rallying point for the town," says Susan Ross '80, Loudon Valley's principal. Ross credits the community's high level of support and involvement for the fact that 80 percent of Loudon Valley students go on to college. Elderly community members attend football games and plays. High school students mentor kids at the local elementary schools. "Our school is a point of civic pride, and that pride translates to the students," says Ross. "Our coaches and teachers make it very clear to the kids that they are representing the school to a wide variety of people in a variety of situations."
While Loudon Valley is successful in preparing its students for college, staff members don't overlook the kids who choose a different path. To make sure those students graduate with skills that make them employable, Loudon Valley gives juniors and seniors the option to take classes at the district's technology center, where they can study anything from prenursing to baking to automotive repair skills. The center also offers on-site programs in prearchitecture, small-business ownership, and graphic design, which allow postsecondary students to forgo a four-year degree in favor of a two-year option.
The strategy addresses the reality of the current economy. "The high-paying, low-skill jobs that were outsourced to other countries probably will not be coming back to the United States," says Nathan. "Therefore, some education beyond high school is critical if people want a middle-class life. A student's goal should not be just to graduate from high school, but to prepare for some sort of postsecondary education, whether it's a four-year or a two-year program." Ross agrees: "These programs help students understand that what they're learning will apply to life after high school," she says.
Although schools that embrace the Loudon Valley model exist in districts nationwide, they are few and far between. Experts say the key to fixing the high school crisis in the United States is to ensure that all young people receive the best education possible. And that means educators, communities, and legislators must be willing to think creatively and strategically about how to serve an increasingly diverse population and meet the challenges facing our nation in the future.
According to Gates, "The success of one school is not an answer to this crisis. You have to be able to make systems of schools work for all students. . . . If we can focus on three steps--high standards for all, public data on our progress, turning around failing schools--we will go a long way toward ensuring that all students have a chance to make the most of their lives."
America can't afford to settle for less.
Elizabeth Larsen is a freelance writer who lives in Minneapolis.
KIPP It in the Budd
Education reformers say it's time to retool American middle schools, too.
Kelly Wright '96 was teaching fifth grade at a San Diego public elementary school when she learned that 0 percent of the students at the local middle school had passed the state aptitude test. "That alarmed me because it meant that all of the hard work we had been doing [in grade school] would be lost once our kids got to middle school," says Wright.
Wright's solution was to found the KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy, a charter school in San Diego for grades five to eight that is free and open to all students who apply. The instructional program is based on the success of the KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) model, a national network of free, open-enrollment public schools in underfunded communities whose mission is to put students on the college track.
KIPP was founded in 1994 when two teachers launched a fifth-grade public school program in inner-city Houston after completing their commitment to Teach for America. In 2000 the teachers formed a partnership with the founders of Gap Inc. to replicate the success of the original KIPP Academies across the country through the nonprofit KIPP Foundation. Currently, 57 KIPP public schools in 17 states and the District of Columbia enroll more than 14,000 students.
Begun in 2003, KIPP Adelante takes the view that sweating the small stuff prevents larger problems down the road. KIPP students wear uniforms. They walk to class in single-file lines. Homework planners have to be signed by a parent or guardian every night. No junk food is allowed on the premises.
Visitors comment on how calm the school is, Wright says. That atmosphere allows teachers and students to focus on learning instead of discipline. The 7:30-to-5:00 school day provides time for enrichment classes as well as a mandatory foreign language program and a string orchestra. An end-of-the-year trip to San Francisco or another city combines sightseeing with tours of local colleges.
The KIPP formula--based on the principle that all students can achieve when schools set high expectations, demand results, and provide opportunities for students to excel--is working. When the school's first eighth-grade class graduated last spring, 47 percent went on to local college preparatory high schools and 43 percent earned scholarships and other financial aid to attend high-performing schools outside their districts. "We have tried to create a small, supportive atmosphere where it is okay to work hard and care about your studies," says Wright. "Our students feel safe here, and they can be who they want to be."
--E.L.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Early Childhood Education
Excerpt from a recent press release by
the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
For a pdf file of the complete report with charts and graphs go to
http://www.wccf.org/pdf/making_the_grade.pdf
The last quarter century of research on brain development
suggests that the nurturing and learning
experiences available in the first few years play a
strong role in shaping a child's development. Babies are
born with a remarkable intrinsic ability to learn. The foundation
for a child's intellect, personality and skills is established
in the first five years. Today, a vast majority of
Wisconsin's children under the age of six have all parents
in the workforce, and early care and education have become
a routine part of many children's young lives.
A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that investing
in the education of our youngest learners may be
one of the most promising ways to prepare children for
school and strengthen the future economic position of
states and the nation.
A series of longitudinal studies have
established that high quality early education is a cost-effective
investment, yielding the highest returns when children
from disadvantaged backgrounds are targeted. The
largest expense in any early care and education program,
and the one that research has shown has the most significant
impact, is human resources: the adults who guide and
teach young children.
Why do we think teacher qualifications are the key to
quality? Researchers have found that education and training
of the adults who guide children's development in out of-
home settings changes the way they relate to children.
They are more responsive to children, provide active learning
experiences, interact more, focus on each child's
progress, and intentionally design their programs to enhance
healthy development and learning.
It makes sense to expect that better educated teachers have
more knowledge and skills to individualize lesson plans and
analyze and solve problems. Better-educated teachers are
likely to expose children to a richer vocabulary and to provide more
stimulating learning activities and environments.
Most studies have found that teachers with two- or
four-year degrees, combined with specialized training in
early childhood development, provide significantly higher
levels of quality for children in their care, as measured by
positive interactions with children and stimulating learning
environments.
the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
For a pdf file of the complete report with charts and graphs go to
http://www.wccf.org/pdf/making_the_grade.pdf
The last quarter century of research on brain development
suggests that the nurturing and learning
experiences available in the first few years play a
strong role in shaping a child's development. Babies are
born with a remarkable intrinsic ability to learn. The foundation
for a child's intellect, personality and skills is established
in the first five years. Today, a vast majority of
Wisconsin's children under the age of six have all parents
in the workforce, and early care and education have become
a routine part of many children's young lives.
A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that investing
in the education of our youngest learners may be
one of the most promising ways to prepare children for
school and strengthen the future economic position of
states and the nation.
A series of longitudinal studies have
established that high quality early education is a cost-effective
investment, yielding the highest returns when children
from disadvantaged backgrounds are targeted. The
largest expense in any early care and education program,
and the one that research has shown has the most significant
impact, is human resources: the adults who guide and
teach young children.
Why do we think teacher qualifications are the key to
quality? Researchers have found that education and training
of the adults who guide children's development in out of-
home settings changes the way they relate to children.
They are more responsive to children, provide active learning
experiences, interact more, focus on each child's
progress, and intentionally design their programs to enhance
healthy development and learning.
It makes sense to expect that better educated teachers have
more knowledge and skills to individualize lesson plans and
analyze and solve problems. Better-educated teachers are
likely to expose children to a richer vocabulary and to provide more
stimulating learning activities and environments.
Most studies have found that teachers with two- or
four-year degrees, combined with specialized training in
early childhood development, provide significantly higher
levels of quality for children in their care, as measured by
positive interactions with children and stimulating learning
environments.
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