A titan of technology and one of the most influential individuals of the last 100 years was lost last week when Apple Computer co-founder, creator, and great thinker Steve Jobs passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. Jobs exerted a tremendous influence throughout the globe with his innovations and design, beginning with his efforts that led to a vital tipping point in democratizing knowledge to the masses through the development of his first personal computer. That computer eventually spawned a new niche and expansive market in an industry that made it possible for people the world over to access computer technology. From that platform, the stage was set for the I-Pod and then the I-Pad and many other ideas and opportunities in between.
His sister just published a moving and poignant essay, a eulogy, in which she offers her perspective on her brother and shares his final words.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/opinion/mona-simpsons-eulogy-for-steve-jobs.html?emc=eta1
Imagine, after a life which many would envy and only dream about, producing accomplishments too long to list and generating profits too much to count, his final thoughts were not on inventions, money, or materials but rather the loving relationship he had with those at his bedside - his wife, children, and sisters. Looking at them one last time and uttering, "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."
Tomorrow marks the start of another month. November. Thanksgiving will soon approach. How thankful we could each be if we are able to develop and sustain the wonder and beauty of interactions with others that would leave us with those parting words as a grateful good-bye to those that matter most.
My favorite author, Robert Fulghum, whom I have frequently referenced throughout the history of this Blog, crafted a book of thoughtful, compassionate and humorous essays entitled, What On Earth Have I Done?
http://robertfulghum.com/index.php/fulghumweb/booksentry/what_on_earth_have_i_done/
Fulghum took a phrase that his mother would use as a retort when incredulously confronted by something he had done as a child that confounded logic and rational thought, ("What on earth have you done?") and challenged himself as an older man to reflect on his life and answer that very question. What had he done with his life? Fulghum then encouraged each reader of the book to take stock of what they had in fact done in their life.
How will you be remembered? How will your obituary summarize your life? What will your personal balance sheet reveal? And, in light of the final words of Steve Jobs; What will prompt you to exclaim, "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."
Now, ask yourself what you plan to do today and tomorrow and in all the tomorrows that follow, to write the "Oh wow" ending to your story. Examine your values and beliefs. Orient your direction and select your path into the future. Ask yourself if you are consistently contributing to making a positive and constructive difference in the lives of others.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
I Wonder...
"I wonder...," is a statement that should resonate throughout every school. The phrase echoes an oft quoted declaration regarding education being a window rather than a mirror. Teaching and learning should encourage expanded views and perspectives, new vistas and unimagined possibilities.
Yesterday I attended a conference on Inquiry Based Learning held at Hudson Valley Community College. A small contingent of our teachers was invited to deliver a presentation offering an example of this learning strategy. The aim of the approach is to engender active, engaged participation among all class members as they research answers to essential questions formed around a general objective. In this manner, each individual learner is able to pursue a specific area of interest to them rather than join together with their peers and plod along on a path not of their choice. Don't misunderstand; this isn't a "do your own thing" project. Instead, the teacher establishes the parameters of expectations and standards of performance involved with an objective embedded within the curriculum. The difference is that the individuals can elect which path they take toward attaining that goal. That is, the ends of the lesson, or command and direction, are cast by the teacher as leader. Then, the teacher relinquishes control and becomes a resourceful facilitator. The teacher enables the learner to determine how they wish to research the subject and what medium of technology to employ as tool. The key leverage point is that the learner chooses what issue or subject to examine. This decision allows the individual to assert their interests in a certain area and likely raises the motivation and relevance for the task.
The Heatly School was one of several schools featured in sharing their examples of this practice. The three representatives proved to be skilled in coordinating and presenting the project. They were excellent representatives of our district.
The framework of the conference aroused a concern about the bigger picture, if you will. This teaching and learning strategy by itself clearly appears practical and productive. However, like almost any new idea or practice, no matter how well intentioned and supported by research, Inquiry Based Learning is a single element that must adapt and survive along with other ideas in a complex environment in which many elements compete for scarce resources of time, value, space, money, and, most importantly - institutional accommodation.
Let's imagine an individual teacher, well trained in the technique. It's surely possible that the teacher can successfully implement the strategy within his/her own classroom. The extent of assimilation is impacted to varying degrees by whether the overall school environment or culture will host the practice. Let me explain further.
"I wonder...," tends to be the starting point for Inquiry Based Learning." But, even if each and every instructor harbors a deep interest in Inquiry Based Learning, if they themselves exist and work in a school culture in which they are not encouraged to "wonder," then their efforts may be muted and dulled to an extent. Organizational culture, best and most easily defined as, "the way we do things around here" (from Terry Deal in his classic, Corporate Culture) then it may be foolhardy for school leaders to expect teachers to engage in Inquiry when the teachers are not so unfettered and able to indulge in Inquiry as professionals. It would be like the classic disconnect of the days when a college professor would "lecture" to an entire class of fifty would be teachers on the virtues and values of individualized instruction. The irony is not lost on others. Similarly, years ago in response to an invitation from the New York State Department of Education to author an essay on the benefits of Cooperative Learning as an instructional practice, I prepared a paper on the subject that was published in The Possibilities Catalog (1992). In that work I explained the dissonance that emerges when school leaders unilaterally direct a teaching staff to use Cooperative Learning. Telling professionals what to do, absent a dialogue and social-psychological support hardly qualifies itself as an example of cooperation.
Noted expert on the principalship, Dr. Roland Barth, once cautioned leaders - "Don't lead where you won't go." In other words, leaders have to walk the talk. Don't direct people to cooperate if their work climate is not cooperative. Don't expect Inquiry Based Learning to be used effectively if the school culture does not advocate and support inquiry among the staff - as in inquiring why we do this, or why we do that. The atmosphere of the school has to encourage and allow people to question practices, people, and programs.
Wonderful schools are often tagged with that term as a result of high performance standards on state tests. That's fine and well deserved. But, I believe schools should be "wonderfull" as in full of wonder - a learning environment that promotes inquiry and permits individuals, young and old, to pursue universally and institutionally accepted goals (the curriculum, Common Core Learning Standards, expected achievement levels,...) within established parameters while following a pace and orientation reflective of their ability and interest - like the way Inquiry Based Learning is designed to be exercised in a classroom.
I wonder.... how many school leaders understand, or even care, about the potential obstacle they might place in the path of change and success with the dissonance and philosophical incongruity that arise between what they say and what they do? I'm sure that I've been guilty of violating this credo over the years. I trust that such lapses have been through unknowing omission rather than conscious commission. I expect to be called out for any such infraction because it damages my integrity as a leader and undermines my capacity to lead effectively.
Yesterday I attended a conference on Inquiry Based Learning held at Hudson Valley Community College. A small contingent of our teachers was invited to deliver a presentation offering an example of this learning strategy. The aim of the approach is to engender active, engaged participation among all class members as they research answers to essential questions formed around a general objective. In this manner, each individual learner is able to pursue a specific area of interest to them rather than join together with their peers and plod along on a path not of their choice. Don't misunderstand; this isn't a "do your own thing" project. Instead, the teacher establishes the parameters of expectations and standards of performance involved with an objective embedded within the curriculum. The difference is that the individuals can elect which path they take toward attaining that goal. That is, the ends of the lesson, or command and direction, are cast by the teacher as leader. Then, the teacher relinquishes control and becomes a resourceful facilitator. The teacher enables the learner to determine how they wish to research the subject and what medium of technology to employ as tool. The key leverage point is that the learner chooses what issue or subject to examine. This decision allows the individual to assert their interests in a certain area and likely raises the motivation and relevance for the task.
The Heatly School was one of several schools featured in sharing their examples of this practice. The three representatives proved to be skilled in coordinating and presenting the project. They were excellent representatives of our district.
The framework of the conference aroused a concern about the bigger picture, if you will. This teaching and learning strategy by itself clearly appears practical and productive. However, like almost any new idea or practice, no matter how well intentioned and supported by research, Inquiry Based Learning is a single element that must adapt and survive along with other ideas in a complex environment in which many elements compete for scarce resources of time, value, space, money, and, most importantly - institutional accommodation.
Let's imagine an individual teacher, well trained in the technique. It's surely possible that the teacher can successfully implement the strategy within his/her own classroom. The extent of assimilation is impacted to varying degrees by whether the overall school environment or culture will host the practice. Let me explain further.
"I wonder...," tends to be the starting point for Inquiry Based Learning." But, even if each and every instructor harbors a deep interest in Inquiry Based Learning, if they themselves exist and work in a school culture in which they are not encouraged to "wonder," then their efforts may be muted and dulled to an extent. Organizational culture, best and most easily defined as, "the way we do things around here" (from Terry Deal in his classic, Corporate Culture) then it may be foolhardy for school leaders to expect teachers to engage in Inquiry when the teachers are not so unfettered and able to indulge in Inquiry as professionals. It would be like the classic disconnect of the days when a college professor would "lecture" to an entire class of fifty would be teachers on the virtues and values of individualized instruction. The irony is not lost on others. Similarly, years ago in response to an invitation from the New York State Department of Education to author an essay on the benefits of Cooperative Learning as an instructional practice, I prepared a paper on the subject that was published in The Possibilities Catalog (1992). In that work I explained the dissonance that emerges when school leaders unilaterally direct a teaching staff to use Cooperative Learning. Telling professionals what to do, absent a dialogue and social-psychological support hardly qualifies itself as an example of cooperation.
Noted expert on the principalship, Dr. Roland Barth, once cautioned leaders - "Don't lead where you won't go." In other words, leaders have to walk the talk. Don't direct people to cooperate if their work climate is not cooperative. Don't expect Inquiry Based Learning to be used effectively if the school culture does not advocate and support inquiry among the staff - as in inquiring why we do this, or why we do that. The atmosphere of the school has to encourage and allow people to question practices, people, and programs.
Wonderful schools are often tagged with that term as a result of high performance standards on state tests. That's fine and well deserved. But, I believe schools should be "wonderfull" as in full of wonder - a learning environment that promotes inquiry and permits individuals, young and old, to pursue universally and institutionally accepted goals (the curriculum, Common Core Learning Standards, expected achievement levels,...) within established parameters while following a pace and orientation reflective of their ability and interest - like the way Inquiry Based Learning is designed to be exercised in a classroom.
I wonder.... how many school leaders understand, or even care, about the potential obstacle they might place in the path of change and success with the dissonance and philosophical incongruity that arise between what they say and what they do? I'm sure that I've been guilty of violating this credo over the years. I trust that such lapses have been through unknowing omission rather than conscious commission. I expect to be called out for any such infraction because it damages my integrity as a leader and undermines my capacity to lead effectively.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
You're Sitting On Your Ticket!
Robert Fulghum is one of my favorite authors. He has written a number of books, chief among them, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, that offer insightful perspectives on normal experiences. His wry comments prove to be thought provoking and affirming. One such personal essay reflected on an experience Fulghum had while sitting at an airport terminal waiting to board a plane. As he sat there he noticed a young woman slowly grow agitated and distraught while pouring through her purse and other belongings. She suddenly stopped what she was doing and eventually erupted in tears. He went over to her to offer help and discovered that she had misplaced her airline ticket and boarding pass. In between sobs of anguish she exclaimed that she had searched everywhere for no avail. She was hopeless and helpless. Fulghum encouraged her to get up and go get a drink of water to refresh herself and calm down. As she rose from the seat and stood up, Fulghum solved her problem. She had been sitting on her ticket all the while she was crying and rummaging through her purse and carry-on case.
Fulghum used this personal experience to create a "moral to the story." He suggested that too many of us sit and complain about things and about where we're going in life when the solutions to our worries often start with getting up off our backsides and looking where we haven't looked, or thinking about what we haven't already thought.
I will now volunteer an embarrassing admission of similar proportions to the lady at the airport. I have been struggling for a while this evening in search of something worth writing and sharing with others via this Blog. I started down several different paths and soon realized I didn't enjoy the view or wouldn't like where it all ended. I was frustrated. At that point, my wife pointed out that our furnace was apparently not working and the temperature in the house was now 62 degrees. We recently bought a charming but old Dutch colonial house. We have never lived in a house that heats with radiators. I was quickly confounded by all the switches, knobs, and gauges and surrendered to my ignorance lest I make things worse with a miscalculating adjustment. Brenda called the company that services the furnace while I retreated to the office to wrestle with the keyboard with hope of finding an essay or observation to share. That's when I experienced that epiphany of realizing I was virtually sitting on the ticket to my destination and the substance of today's Blog entry.
I reflected on the number of times each day and each week that I encounter information or policies calling out for higher performance levels on newly constructed assessments, and the hue and cry of the new Common Core Learning Standards - both echoing earlier clarions for the "all Regents diploma" and ultimately designed to elevate achievement and graduation rates. One of the rebuttals to these pleas for universally raising the bar has come from those who question why everyone must take all Regents classes and exams and subsequently attend college and beyond. Is this really considered necessary if you desire to follow a parent's footsteps in a business, like a young man wishing to sustain his father's farming business or auto body shop? Must you acquire a Regents diploma if you have long wanted to assume a full time role in the family bakery or landscaping company?
Here I am, sitting comfortably in my chair typing in my home office where the diploma I received for my doctorate hangs on the wall next to me, and I am awaiting the arrival of a well trained and experienced furnace repairman, who likely has not received a college education, to arrive and solve our problem before the house becomes even colder. His service charge will not pale in comparison to bills many college graduates would tender for work they performed in their field of employment. That reminded me of the expert mechanics who fix and maintain my car, the skilled painters, the efficient plumbers, and the many other occupations and trades that are vital to sustain our daily life and do not require a college diploma.
I'm not indicting or devaluing a college education at all. I just question the need for a swelling and sweeping call to arms in the form of requiring everyone to accept the challenge of attaining a particular and ordained level of higher education. It seems like an awkward imposition of values and beliefs foisted upon the populace. Certainly, a high school diploma should represent a minimum and realistic benchmark in our society, but there are many interesting and attractive occupations that provide more than adequate compensation for people who have acquired specific skill sets and experience without earning a college diploma.
.
*****
I am returning to the keyboard after our rescue by the repairman. Now that I have received the bill for the furnace repair, I can unequivocally assert that the position of furnace repairman is well rewarded despite the absence of a need for a college diploma.
There, I discovered something to write about when I got up off my seat!
Fulghum used this personal experience to create a "moral to the story." He suggested that too many of us sit and complain about things and about where we're going in life when the solutions to our worries often start with getting up off our backsides and looking where we haven't looked, or thinking about what we haven't already thought.
I will now volunteer an embarrassing admission of similar proportions to the lady at the airport. I have been struggling for a while this evening in search of something worth writing and sharing with others via this Blog. I started down several different paths and soon realized I didn't enjoy the view or wouldn't like where it all ended. I was frustrated. At that point, my wife pointed out that our furnace was apparently not working and the temperature in the house was now 62 degrees. We recently bought a charming but old Dutch colonial house. We have never lived in a house that heats with radiators. I was quickly confounded by all the switches, knobs, and gauges and surrendered to my ignorance lest I make things worse with a miscalculating adjustment. Brenda called the company that services the furnace while I retreated to the office to wrestle with the keyboard with hope of finding an essay or observation to share. That's when I experienced that epiphany of realizing I was virtually sitting on the ticket to my destination and the substance of today's Blog entry.
I reflected on the number of times each day and each week that I encounter information or policies calling out for higher performance levels on newly constructed assessments, and the hue and cry of the new Common Core Learning Standards - both echoing earlier clarions for the "all Regents diploma" and ultimately designed to elevate achievement and graduation rates. One of the rebuttals to these pleas for universally raising the bar has come from those who question why everyone must take all Regents classes and exams and subsequently attend college and beyond. Is this really considered necessary if you desire to follow a parent's footsteps in a business, like a young man wishing to sustain his father's farming business or auto body shop? Must you acquire a Regents diploma if you have long wanted to assume a full time role in the family bakery or landscaping company?
Here I am, sitting comfortably in my chair typing in my home office where the diploma I received for my doctorate hangs on the wall next to me, and I am awaiting the arrival of a well trained and experienced furnace repairman, who likely has not received a college education, to arrive and solve our problem before the house becomes even colder. His service charge will not pale in comparison to bills many college graduates would tender for work they performed in their field of employment. That reminded me of the expert mechanics who fix and maintain my car, the skilled painters, the efficient plumbers, and the many other occupations and trades that are vital to sustain our daily life and do not require a college diploma.
I'm not indicting or devaluing a college education at all. I just question the need for a swelling and sweeping call to arms in the form of requiring everyone to accept the challenge of attaining a particular and ordained level of higher education. It seems like an awkward imposition of values and beliefs foisted upon the populace. Certainly, a high school diploma should represent a minimum and realistic benchmark in our society, but there are many interesting and attractive occupations that provide more than adequate compensation for people who have acquired specific skill sets and experience without earning a college diploma.
.
*****
I am returning to the keyboard after our rescue by the repairman. Now that I have received the bill for the furnace repair, I can unequivocally assert that the position of furnace repairman is well rewarded despite the absence of a need for a college diploma.
There, I discovered something to write about when I got up off my seat!
40 Years On a School Board
Yesterday's Blog entry shared a news article expressing concern about the infusion of over $600,000 in a city-wide school board election campaign in Denver, Colorado. The story cast a bright light on the hidden potential for outside interest groups to forcefully and dramatically intervene in a local forum, distorting issues and overwhelming people who actually live and vote in the district. Today's Blog offers a far different perspective. It focuses on the dedication of an individual pledged to make a viable and lasting difference in his community by respecting and reflecting the interests and principles collectively embodied in the populace. And he was repeatedly elected to his post without any advertisement or fanfare, without any campaign funds, but rather on the basis and promise of his reassuring smile, warm handshake, and disarming personality.
Forty years serving as an elected official on a school board of education. Sounds like a sentence in prison, doesn't it? This is especially impressive when you consider all of the meetings, all of the workshops, and all of the public forums were attended without any financial compensation. More accurately it reveals a tremendous dedication to a community and a willingness to contribute energy and effort in the best interests of others.
I am privileged to have a friend who has devoted himself to building the future of thousands of people over his forty plus years as a school board member, first at the school district level and later (and currently) at the regional level at a BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). There is no better definition of a public servant than what this man has demonstrated in his capacity as a school board member.
Last evening my wife and I attended a reunion of sorts involving an expansive group of people who had participated in a long-running cultural exchange program between schools representing a small town in upstate New York and a similarly sized village in Bavaria, Germany. We were pleased to renew our friendship and accept an offer to be his guest for dinner. As always, he demonstrated a cordial and accommodating attitude and extended care and compassion in his words and deeds.
Throughout his tenure on the two different boards of education he has been fully vested in forging pathways to success for learners of all ages and all stages. There were difficult decisions over the years where interests of various parties competed for scarce resources and conflicted over values and beliefs - but there were also significant advances in collaborating with diverse constituent groups toward common goals. There were financial constraints that limited possibilities and brought people and programs to the depths of despair - but there were also opportunities and possibilities born of hard work and sweat. There were both tragedies and triumphs. The full spectrum of emotions and experiences were evidenced through the years, and he could be counted on as a dependable and reliant stalwart of the public good no matter the circumstances.
After working with a number of different school boards over my many years as a school leader I remain in awe of this person. He has distinguished himself through his resilience and conviction, his sacrifice and success. He has been committed to making a difference in the lives of others - for over forty years. His legacy is assured and it will be extended and enriched by the benefits realized by those impacted by the many decisions he made as a school board member.
Too many communities show too little understanding and appreciation for the contributions of their fellow residents who willingly assume the responsibilities of acting voluntarily as stewards of the welfare and future of the community. Our society needs more people who will step up and serve others by making a difference and sustaining hope for the future - not for fame and money, but for altruistic reasons and noble purposes.
Forty years serving as an elected official on a school board of education. Sounds like a sentence in prison, doesn't it? This is especially impressive when you consider all of the meetings, all of the workshops, and all of the public forums were attended without any financial compensation. More accurately it reveals a tremendous dedication to a community and a willingness to contribute energy and effort in the best interests of others.
I am privileged to have a friend who has devoted himself to building the future of thousands of people over his forty plus years as a school board member, first at the school district level and later (and currently) at the regional level at a BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services). There is no better definition of a public servant than what this man has demonstrated in his capacity as a school board member.
Last evening my wife and I attended a reunion of sorts involving an expansive group of people who had participated in a long-running cultural exchange program between schools representing a small town in upstate New York and a similarly sized village in Bavaria, Germany. We were pleased to renew our friendship and accept an offer to be his guest for dinner. As always, he demonstrated a cordial and accommodating attitude and extended care and compassion in his words and deeds.
Throughout his tenure on the two different boards of education he has been fully vested in forging pathways to success for learners of all ages and all stages. There were difficult decisions over the years where interests of various parties competed for scarce resources and conflicted over values and beliefs - but there were also significant advances in collaborating with diverse constituent groups toward common goals. There were financial constraints that limited possibilities and brought people and programs to the depths of despair - but there were also opportunities and possibilities born of hard work and sweat. There were both tragedies and triumphs. The full spectrum of emotions and experiences were evidenced through the years, and he could be counted on as a dependable and reliant stalwart of the public good no matter the circumstances.
After working with a number of different school boards over my many years as a school leader I remain in awe of this person. He has distinguished himself through his resilience and conviction, his sacrifice and success. He has been committed to making a difference in the lives of others - for over forty years. His legacy is assured and it will be extended and enriched by the benefits realized by those impacted by the many decisions he made as a school board member.
Too many communities show too little understanding and appreciation for the contributions of their fellow residents who willingly assume the responsibilities of acting voluntarily as stewards of the welfare and future of the community. Our society needs more people who will step up and serve others by making a difference and sustaining hope for the future - not for fame and money, but for altruistic reasons and noble purposes.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
A $600,000 School Board Election (Not Here In Green Island)
What elected office can be more low key than a seat on the local school board? After all, there's no need for a robust and expensive campaign chock full of pricey ads in all forms of the media. No lengthy political campaigns and debates. And, if you win - there are long hours of work, sleepless nights spent worrying about how to balance the needs of learners and the interests of taxpayers during economic decline, little appreciation for your efforts, and countless meetings, phone calls, and emails - all for no pay!.
Then why are more than $600,000 dollars involved in a school board race in Denver, Colorado. Okay, it's a big city, but still... In a twist of the oft quoted "Think globally, act locally," this school board race is a clear example of national interests and the motives of profit oriented businesses from outside of the Denver and the state of Colorado jumping in with mountains of money to influence a city school board election with the intent of advancing their own causes.
Read on -
http://www.thenation.com/blog/164122/big-money-bad-media-secret-agendas-welcome-americas-wildest-school-board-race
After I read this I found myself thinking about some of the strands of concerns expressed by those people involved in the Occupy Wall Street protests. Among the many issues associated with this movement appears to be a contention that corporations are exerting a disproportionately high amount of influence in social and political policy and receiving inordinate benefits as a result. I don't really know, nor do I have the facts. But, operating on the premise that perception is one's reality, it does seem like this contentious school board race in Denver (see article above) has reached well beyond the limits of the local community.
School boards are among the last bastions of local control, a forum where residents can discuss matters of importance to their community and its future. The long reach of both state and federal department's of education grows each year and approaches a level of suffocation, particularly when the local school districts must contend with unfunded mandates that may not be philosophically consistent with the value and beliefs of a community and beyond the capacity of the district to financially support the mandates. This slow form of strangulation is exacerbated when corporations, outside lobbyists, and political groups external to the district enter the fray because school board candidates, at least in Colorado, do not have to operate under a cap on campaign donations like those donating to political office.
This article presents a scary view of the future unless policies are developed and enacted that seek to limit outside interests from swallowing up the "conversation and discussions" of local residents with personal and financial investments in their school district.
Then why are more than $600,000 dollars involved in a school board race in Denver, Colorado. Okay, it's a big city, but still... In a twist of the oft quoted "Think globally, act locally," this school board race is a clear example of national interests and the motives of profit oriented businesses from outside of the Denver and the state of Colorado jumping in with mountains of money to influence a city school board election with the intent of advancing their own causes.
Read on -
http://www.thenation.com/blog/164122/big-money-bad-media-secret-agendas-welcome-americas-wildest-school-board-race
After I read this I found myself thinking about some of the strands of concerns expressed by those people involved in the Occupy Wall Street protests. Among the many issues associated with this movement appears to be a contention that corporations are exerting a disproportionately high amount of influence in social and political policy and receiving inordinate benefits as a result. I don't really know, nor do I have the facts. But, operating on the premise that perception is one's reality, it does seem like this contentious school board race in Denver (see article above) has reached well beyond the limits of the local community.
School boards are among the last bastions of local control, a forum where residents can discuss matters of importance to their community and its future. The long reach of both state and federal department's of education grows each year and approaches a level of suffocation, particularly when the local school districts must contend with unfunded mandates that may not be philosophically consistent with the value and beliefs of a community and beyond the capacity of the district to financially support the mandates. This slow form of strangulation is exacerbated when corporations, outside lobbyists, and political groups external to the district enter the fray because school board candidates, at least in Colorado, do not have to operate under a cap on campaign donations like those donating to political office.
This article presents a scary view of the future unless policies are developed and enacted that seek to limit outside interests from swallowing up the "conversation and discussions" of local residents with personal and financial investments in their school district.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Running From The Bear
It seems that two friends were out camping up in the Adirondacks. One morning as they sat and relaxed over their first cup of coffee they heard a great commotion in the brush not far from their campsite. They were startled, having just been aroused from sleep and not yet fully dressed. It soon became obvious that the noise that shattered their peaceful morning was a bear approaching them with a quickening pace. As one man was overcome by anxiety and fear he noticed his friend calmly putting his shoes on. He couldn't believe the lack of fear and response from his camping partner. "Why are you wasting your time putting your shoes on? You're not going to outrun that bear!" he exclaimed. At that point the other man casually informed him, "I don't have to outrun the bear," he said as he looked at his barefoot colleague, "I just have to outrun you."
Morbid humor? Perhaps. However, this story came to mind as I thought of our future school budget. It might surprise you that so soon after we began the school year we're already developing a framework for financial projections on a budget that will be in place for July 1, 2012 and end on June 30, 2013 - a full year and a half from now!
The impending and imposing tax LEVY cap (not the often mentioned misnomer of a 2% tax cap) sets some rather firm parameters for planning a budget. Given the expected costs of utilities, materials and supplies, and the calculated expenditures for people and programs, at a time when the national, state, and regional economy is still gripped by restraint and uncertainty, public schools are in a vise that grows tighter each month. With limits on the ability to generate revenue from taxes, reductions in financial aid from the state, more and more unfunded state mandates, and increases in costs, it's only a matter of time until a school district becomes bankrupt. It's more a case of when, not if.
Small school districts like Green Island suffer more from the impact of the variables noted in the preceding paragraph than their counterparts in the suburbs. Oh sure, all schools will experience cuts and each one will be painful. But, it's a matter of degrees of pain and tolerance. For instance, Syosset (in Suffolk County on Long Island) had to make dramatic decreases in programming due to the loss of state aid. Yes, they actually had to reduce the number of foreign languages they offer in kindergarten!!
Here's a New York Times article contrasting the effect of state aid cuts on two very different school districts, the aforementioned Syosset and Ilion (in the Mohawk Valley). Check for yourself on the lack of equity in this scenario. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/opinion/27sun1.html?pagewanted=all
If our school system went broke I suspect that someone in Albany would simply dismiss it with a call to merge with another adjacent district. What's one less school district when there are approximately 700 in the state? Besides, it's a tiny district.
Sadly ( and a bit morbid as well) our best hope (and I'm sure we're not alone in this reasoning) may be to acknowledge that we can't outrun the bear (the state aids cuts from above) but we may survive by outrunning other schools who fall victim to the cuts and declare an equivalent form of bankruptcy. Maybe then the state will do something - like enact the court approved equitable distribution of funds that resulted from the successful litigation by the group, Campaign For Fiscal Equity http://www.cfequity.org/home.php. CFE sued on behalf of children throughout the state who were not receiving the free and fair education accorded to them by virtue of the state constitution. The lawsuit stemmed from the New York Adequacy Study http://www.cfequity.org/static_pages/pdfs/costingoutfinalppt.pdf.
I am supportive of the effort of the CFE, not only because I represent a district that would truly benefit if financial aid from the state was distributed equitably according to need and ability to pay, but also because I was among the small group of educators who assisted in examining the determination of what constitutes equity in school funding formulas.
I wouldn't want any school district to "go out of business" for lack of funding the necessities and meeting state mandates, but I'm afraid it will take a dramatic outcome like that to provoke decision makers to comply with the court ruling and help schools in need.
Morbid humor? Perhaps. However, this story came to mind as I thought of our future school budget. It might surprise you that so soon after we began the school year we're already developing a framework for financial projections on a budget that will be in place for July 1, 2012 and end on June 30, 2013 - a full year and a half from now!
The impending and imposing tax LEVY cap (not the often mentioned misnomer of a 2% tax cap) sets some rather firm parameters for planning a budget. Given the expected costs of utilities, materials and supplies, and the calculated expenditures for people and programs, at a time when the national, state, and regional economy is still gripped by restraint and uncertainty, public schools are in a vise that grows tighter each month. With limits on the ability to generate revenue from taxes, reductions in financial aid from the state, more and more unfunded state mandates, and increases in costs, it's only a matter of time until a school district becomes bankrupt. It's more a case of when, not if.
Small school districts like Green Island suffer more from the impact of the variables noted in the preceding paragraph than their counterparts in the suburbs. Oh sure, all schools will experience cuts and each one will be painful. But, it's a matter of degrees of pain and tolerance. For instance, Syosset (in Suffolk County on Long Island) had to make dramatic decreases in programming due to the loss of state aid. Yes, they actually had to reduce the number of foreign languages they offer in kindergarten!!
Here's a New York Times article contrasting the effect of state aid cuts on two very different school districts, the aforementioned Syosset and Ilion (in the Mohawk Valley). Check for yourself on the lack of equity in this scenario. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/opinion/27sun1.html?pagewanted=all
If our school system went broke I suspect that someone in Albany would simply dismiss it with a call to merge with another adjacent district. What's one less school district when there are approximately 700 in the state? Besides, it's a tiny district.
Sadly ( and a bit morbid as well) our best hope (and I'm sure we're not alone in this reasoning) may be to acknowledge that we can't outrun the bear (the state aids cuts from above) but we may survive by outrunning other schools who fall victim to the cuts and declare an equivalent form of bankruptcy. Maybe then the state will do something - like enact the court approved equitable distribution of funds that resulted from the successful litigation by the group, Campaign For Fiscal Equity http://www.cfequity.org/home.php. CFE sued on behalf of children throughout the state who were not receiving the free and fair education accorded to them by virtue of the state constitution. The lawsuit stemmed from the New York Adequacy Study http://www.cfequity.org/static_pages/pdfs/costingoutfinalppt.pdf.
I am supportive of the effort of the CFE, not only because I represent a district that would truly benefit if financial aid from the state was distributed equitably according to need and ability to pay, but also because I was among the small group of educators who assisted in examining the determination of what constitutes equity in school funding formulas.
I wouldn't want any school district to "go out of business" for lack of funding the necessities and meeting state mandates, but I'm afraid it will take a dramatic outcome like that to provoke decision makers to comply with the court ruling and help schools in need.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Huh???
Spoiler alert! A commonly held myth is exposed in an article found on the front page of the Albany Times Union last Sunday.
You don't have to look very far for a newspaper or website splashing the latest criticism of schools and their poor performance. Everyone knows that our public schools are inadequate. Oops! Here's an interesting article (click on the link below) highlighting the rather significant progress made in Kindergarten education over the last couple of decades. How can that be? How can we simultaneously publicize that present day Kindergarten learners routinely leave their first year of schooling with the ability to read books while also holding onto contentions that schools are not preparing learners for success. Huh???
http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=16192624
While we're talking about Kindergarten (I must admit a bias - I am married to a long time Kindergarten teacher) let's look at a recent article from the New York Times for a research based perspective on the tremendous value of early intervention programs designed to close the achievement gap that is typically discovered in later years within schools that lack the resources and supportive programs (click on the link below)
r=2&hphttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/opinion/occupy-the-classroom.html?_r=2&hp
Maybe we need to think again about that old adage - "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."
You don't have to look very far for a newspaper or website splashing the latest criticism of schools and their poor performance. Everyone knows that our public schools are inadequate. Oops! Here's an interesting article (click on the link below) highlighting the rather significant progress made in Kindergarten education over the last couple of decades. How can that be? How can we simultaneously publicize that present day Kindergarten learners routinely leave their first year of schooling with the ability to read books while also holding onto contentions that schools are not preparing learners for success. Huh???
http://albarchive.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=16192624
While we're talking about Kindergarten (I must admit a bias - I am married to a long time Kindergarten teacher) let's look at a recent article from the New York Times for a research based perspective on the tremendous value of early intervention programs designed to close the achievement gap that is typically discovered in later years within schools that lack the resources and supportive programs (click on the link below)
r=2&hphttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/opinion/occupy-the-classroom.html?_r=2&hp
Maybe we need to think again about that old adage - "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."
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