Counting ballots . . .

The first count of returned bond ballots was made today. The results are promising because many believe that to be successful there must be a significantly greater return than we experienced in last spring’s levy election. Last year the number of returned ballots about two weeks before the election date was 3,065. Today’s count is 4,102 which is almost 50% of the total turnout last year of 8,259. Obviously, I don’t know the number of yes or no, but for me this is promising as I am one that believes success is only possible with more voters than normal for school elections. Hopefully, the trend will continue.


So, as of today The DREAM is still alive and the anxiety grows as we wait for that first count of yes and no ballots.

Another budget, more issues . . .

The state senate released their budget yesterday summarized in this Seattle Times article. It takes a bigger chunk out of K-12 funding than the house version with some disturbing differences. Most of us understand the need for cuts, even though we may not want to live with them and fall back on the state constitution and successful NEWS lawsuit to warn legislators about further reductions. Well, they did it with the 2010-11 supplemental budget and now with the 2011-13 proposals.


I do not like the across the board cut of 3% to all staff salaries that the legislators know they cannot mandate. It is easy for them to identify the savings with this cut, but the problem has been transferred to the local level. They know that we must reach agreement with our local bargaining units to achieve these savings. Yes, they take away the revenue through the apportionment formula and now we must find how to save that money. I would prefer that they make the cuts they are able to enforce and/or change statutes to allow them to control the cuts that they suggest. Transferring the burden is not what we need. They don’t seem to realize the importance of relationship in our work and the impact on a system’s culture when they make these decisions a local problem.

Though the house budget froze teachers on the salary schedule for the two years of the biennium it may be something that is easier to process than an across the board cut to all salaries. It certainly narrows the scope of the problem for us. Another issue with this budget is the inclusion of an average daily attendance formula that reduces revenue when students are absent for unexcused reasons. Our costs don’t go down when students are not present, but this cut would result in lower revenue. The rationale is that this will force districts to pay closer attention to the truancy issue and increase graduation rates. Once again, we pay close attention to this issue and do not need the threat of revenue loss to monitor and implement strategies to keep kids in school. Unfortunately with this as with many other issues, we do not control all the variables such as families choosing to take vacations on school days.

Now we wait to see how the senate, house, and governor find some common ground for agreement. With only two weeks left it will be difficult to find this point of agreement. I want them to stay and discuss the issues and impact as opposed to deciding that getting out on time is the priority. These are difficult choices they are making and they deserve the kind of attention necessary to understand the short and long term consequences. This may only be possible by extending the session.

With all the changes, there is still little guidance on the impacts to individual districts of these proposed changes. I will share when we better understand how the individual cuts impact us and when we are more confident in the guidance we are being given.

The importance of voting . . .

Ballots for our bond measure were mailed last week, I know I received mine. Now that people have received their ballots and are making decisions, what thoughts do you have on the potential for success of this measure? Given the current economic conditions and the large request, will it receive the 60% necessary for success?


It has been for me a much different experience preparing for and participating in the meetings to share our need and the recommended short and long term housing solutions. Many more people have engaged in the conversations and presentations than I have experienced historically, asking good questions and sharing their thoughts with others in the community. The need for additional space is not debatable. The answer to how we solve it will be determined by those that choose to vote and return their ballots. It is an important time in our community to decide what the future of our schools will be.

I’m both hopeful and skeptical at the same time. Hopeful, because of the tremendous support we have seen from so many in the community. Hopeful, because of the success we are experiencing and the accepted importance of the school system to the success of the greater community. Skeptical, because of the large dollar amount and accompanying tax burden that many will face given the difficult economic conditions. Skeptical, because of the district’s poor history with passing bond measures on the first try. Mostly, however, I am feeling good that we put forth a proposal to continue our work by placing students in quality learning environments with the flexibility to provide delivery models based on research and our learning, not driven simply by how we can house students.

Is it possible . . .

Will the new version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind, not require annual testing?  As I referenced in the prior post and in this article, President Obama has stated that he is concerned with the focus on standardized tests and wants to see the rewrite of the act include additional measures of success with less reliance on tests.

Obama, who is pushing a rewrite of the nation's education law that would ease some of its rigid measurement tools, said policymakers should find a test that "everybody agrees makes sense" and administer it in less pressure-packed atmospheres, potentially every few years instead of annually.

Do you believe that the new law will have less focus on standardized tests even though the government is spending $350 million on two testing consortia, PARCC and SBAC, that are developing assessments aligned with the new common core?  Or, do you believe that statements such as these may be designed to bring teachers back into the fold as the campaigning for president begins?

Could our way be the right way . . .

I just can't keep up with the changing education scene at the federal level.  In this short Forbe's article Secretary Duncan takes on Wisconsin Governor Walker for the recent legislative changes to collective bargaining.  This follows the President's recent remarks criticizing standardized tests as boring and punitive.  And, these are the same guys pushing charters and the need to be number one in the world in math and science international competitions.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan pointed out that the Wisconsin Education Association Council had proposed reforms such as performance pay and evaluation reforms, which Walker praised just days before introducing a bill to sharply restrict their bargaining.


“What was stunning to me is where folks are showing vision and courage and being forward-minded, we support those efforts,” Duncan said at the Education Writers Association conference in New Orleans. “For him to go in that direction after the leadership that the union had shown simply made no sense to me. It was nonsensical.”
 
Later in the article he refers to the need for management-union collaboration focused on student performance and tying student growth to teacher and principal evaluation.  Could it be that our focus on consensus and collaboration just might be the right way to move forward?  Certainly consensus is not a word often seen in the current education debate.  It is one of the attributes that sets our system apart from most others and I believe one that will be necessary to create and sustain the changes necessary to prepare young people for future success.
 
 

House budget released . . .

The feedback on Facebook was cautionary - it can become a time killer.  This is something I don't need more of, but I am still going to have Walt give me a lesson on it next week. 

Something of greater concern is the release this week of the budget by the state house.  The majority democrats unveiled it today showing how they would make up the $5 billion deficit.  A WASA summary can be found here.

No surprises include the following:

• Suspension of both I-728 and I-732, the class size and cost of living measures.  This was expected as they were cut in the supplemental budget passed this year.
• Reducing K-4 funding, again a repeat of the supplemental.

Some surprises at least for me include the following:

• Fully funding local effort assistance (LEA), something that we fully expected to see reduced.  Lobbying by smaller districts that rely on this funding was a factor in this decision.
• Funding highly capable, a small amount of money that has a big lobby behind it.
• Reducing instead of cutting funding for the national board certification program.
• Funding the revised pupil transportation formula without changing the depreciation schedule.

The budget also freezes teachers on the state teacher salary schedule for the biennium. Teachers will not receive experience or education credits for the next two years, meaning they stay in the same cell on the salary schedule.  Given the current economic situation and the national discussion on teacher quality, the legislators are seeing this as something that will be accepted  and perhaps expected by many.

Some of this hurts and some helps our situation.  There is still much to learn as the Senate version is still to come and the House version is very different than the Governor's budget.  I'll let you know when the Senate version is released including a comparison of the three budgets and the negotiations that must follow.  Time is running short if they are to conclude their work within the allotted time for the regular session.

Birthday wishes prompt learning . . .

I had a birthday on Saturday and woke up to multiple birthday messages from people who have friended me on Facebook.  As I have shared before, I signed up long ago for an account, but have done nothing with it and couldn't remember my password or sign in.  Well, the birthday messages embarrassed me into some sort of action.  I actually reset my password so now I can at least access my page.  Have not yet done anything, but I am going to start.

My concern is getting caught up in yet another time consumer.  This morning I had about 140 blog posts on my RSS feeds and about 45 e-mails.  What will Facebook add?  I guess its time to find out.  Look out Walt, here I come.  We can add this to the support I need getting the hang of the ipad and actually setting up an account at the Apple store.  World, here I come.  See, even at my advanced age it is not too late to learn.  Oh, in case you want to know I am now 63.