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August 31, 2005
Scores Soar - Um, or do they?
Great article in the Sac Bee - read this!
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/columns/schrag/story/13498360p-14338937c.html
Tim
Posted by Tim Keaney at 01:43 PM
August 30, 2005
See more C4
While there are many saying that the SVUSD is "cleared" relating to the matter of the "strategically re-allocated" $1.5 million, riddle me this:
Are you concerned that your school district borrowed $1.5 million from the adult-school building fund to cover their spending woes, and then got you to vote for the $1.5 million to pay it back under the guise of "it's for the kids"?
Consider this post a countdown - We're going to update this post every day until the SVUSD complies with the education code. You see, the education code (the LAW) governs the rights, responsibilities and actions of elected officials, in the execution of educational policy.
The SVUSD is currently violating the law in relation to:
As stated in Education Code section 15280 (b):
"The Citizens Oversight Committee shall issue regular reports on the results of it's activities. A report shall be issued at least once a year. Minutes of the proceedings of the Citizen’s Oversight Committee and all documents shall be a matter of public record and be made available on an internet website maintained by the governing board."
Here's the district web site maintained by the governing board. I don't see regular reports or minutes. Do you?
Don't let people tell you "Look, the Bond Committee just wants to spend money that should be going into the classroom". That is code for: "It's OK with me if SVUSD flaunts the ed code!"
Sec. 15278 (5) “Reviewing efforts by the school district or community college district to maximize bond revenues by implementing cost-saving measures.”
The members of the oversight committee are there protecting our tax dollars, and to maximize their use to get the most for the money, as per the ed code. ASK them if they are being asked to maximize bond revenue for cost saving measures.
According to the ed code, the committee should help with:
Mechanisms designed to reduce the costs of professional fees.
Mechanisms designed to reduce the costs of site preparation.
Recommendations regarding the joint use of core facilities.
Mechanisms designed to reduce costs by incorporating efficiencies in school site design.
Recommendations regarding the use of cost-effective and efficient reusable facility plans.
These are your tax dollars, and your kids. Do you know?
SVUSD is in violation of the ed code - The countdown has begun for them to comply with the law. If it's OK to flaunt the law when it comes to construction and maintenance, how are they doing in compplying with educational standards or testing procedures?
Everyone enjoy the first day of school -
Tim Keaney
Posted by Tim Keaney at 09:50 PM
No Cop Outs Left Behind
With apologies to Brian D who thinks it's a biased source (ok - it is - how's THAT for intellectual honesty) here is an important editorial from the Wall Street Journal:
As if we needed another frivolous lawsuit, yesterday Connecticut became the first state to sue the feds over funding for No Child Left Behind. That education reform, which passed with bipartisan majorities in 2001, provided the largest increase in education spending in the nation's history. But never mind. According to state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who filed the suit, it's an "unfunded mandate."
In fact, the money complaint is a red herring used by Mr. Blumenthal, Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell and others to avoid the real issues of accountability and transparency. In return for federal funds, No Child Left Behind requires states to develop academic standards and curriculum-based tests to measure whether students are meeting those standards. The law's requirements were nothing new; they existed under NCLB's predecessor, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The only difference is that the Bush administration, backed by Democrats in Congress, decided to actually enforce them.
Connecticut wants to go back to the days when it could receive federal aid without complying with the law. No Child Left Behind says states must test children annually in grades three through eight, and then disaggregate the data so that parents can discover if a school is educating all students. No more gimmicks like reporting "average" test scores to hide achievement gaps among racial groups. Connecticut only wants to test in grades four, six and eight.
U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spelling deserves credit for not giving into Connecticut and the accountability-averse National Education Association, the teachers union that has been pushing for the lawsuit. Other states have pleaded for "flexibility" (read: exceptions) but she's mostly held her ground. The Bush administration decided correctly that Connecticut was asking too much. If the state wins this suit, students lose.
---end WSJ Editorial---
Next time you hear the "Unfunded Mandate" blather... hand them this...
Tim
Posted by Tim Keaney at 09:45 PM
August 25, 2005
NCLB - Sue or Succeed?
Lots of talk nowadays about States suing over NCLB. The WSJ says these states want the funding, but not the testing. Here's another take from a district that seems to have gotten it right...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9068363/
Tim
Posted by Tim Keaney at 01:26 AM
August 24, 2005
Something has to change...
We've talked before in this arena about HIgh School, and how it's not preparing kids for College. Now, Education Week has confirmed our worst fears. Here is an unedited article from their August 17th edition:
Student Preparation Seen to Fall Short of College Expectations
By Debra Viadero
Even though more than 80 percent of the 80,000-plus high school students responding to a recent survey expect to go to college after graduation, far fewer are shouldering the kind of academic preparation they need to succeed there, the survey results suggest.
The survey found, for instance, that:
Half the students devote more than four hours a week to preparing for their classes. That’s about half the time that a similar proportion of respondents spend socializing with friends each week.
Almost three-fifths said most of their classes were regular- or general-track courses, rather than college-prep or college-level studies.
Only 53 percent of the students said they put “a great deal of effort” into their schoolwork.
The survey, released at a time when national attention is focused on improving high schools, is the latest in a series of reports suggesting a mismatch between the work that students do in high school and their postsecondary ambitions.
Indiana University researchers cautioned, though, that their survey respondents were not scientifically sampled. Schools and districts in 19 states volunteer for the study, which was begun in 2003, in order to use the feedback to make improvements in their own high school programs. The national statistics are intended to provide a backdrop to help local communities determine how they measure up.
Still, with a 70 percent response rate and a demographic mix that seems to mirror the national high school population, the survey may provide a rough indicator of the climate in most high schools, according to Ms. McCarthy.
Gender Differences
The study also found significant gender differences in the degree to which students were engaged in their schooling. “Almost down the line,” said Ms. McCarthy, “women studied more, valued the things they did more, and took more pride in their work.” Of students who strongly disagreed that teachers supported and respected them, 65 percent were male.
See Also
Read the related story, “ACT Scores Suggest Students Not Ready for College.” Asked to choose an area that their schools emphasize, more of the students chose athletics than academic excellence. Seventy-two percent said that their schools place a “substantial” emphasis on athletics, and 63 percent chose academics.
“I think if you asked teachers that question, they’d say, ’Oh, that’s not true,’ “ Ms. McCarthy said. “But, in focus groups, students said, ’Well, if you look at trophy cases, you’ll see all the athletic trophies, but you won’t see one for the quiz bowl.’ “
The researchers said they were surprised to find that just 55 percent of students reported feeling safe at school. The proportion was especially low for African-American girls, only 39 percent of whom said they felt safe.
For the record - what would you do to correct this in America today?
Tim Keaney
Posted by Tim Keaney at 08:25 AM
August 22, 2005
Thanks Mr. Gus!
School is almost back in session. While lots of articles are turning to buying the best supplies or getting the best laptop for your kid, I think it's important to remember some of the great teachers we have teaching our kids, and to remember those that influenced us as we were growing up.
Do you remember your best teacher? Do you remember one that had a dramatic influence on your life, or your education? Did one teacher make a difference for you? Please comment and tell your story about them here...
I had several:
Don Gustafson was my High School music (voice) teacher. Mr. Gus had a passion for teaching kids how to sing, and he took me, a drummer all my life, and turned me into a first tenor in my 12th grade year. Don was so passionate, and knew his stuff so well, that he was able to teach me to sing well enough to get me accepted into college on my singing voice (trust me, my GRADES had nothing to do with it). I hear Mr. Gus is still with us, and I hope he's doing well. Mr. Gus - I think of you and those lunches in your classroom to this day.
Another music teacher I had (sensing a theme?) that is no longer with us, was my 9th grade Band Teacher, who later became the band instructor at Canoga Park High - His name was Ivan Eugenio. Ivan lost his life to cancer many years ago, but Ivan taught us and treated us as adults, even when we were 14 & 15. He wanted us to be passionate about music, about the fundamentals, about the feel of what jazz should feel like when it's played. He would be firm, but not authoritarian. Bright, funny, compassionate and charming, I will never forget my last day of junior high, when he was saying goodbye to his band, and he stopped and hugged me - My BAND teacher. Ivan was the man - thanks for being my friend, my mentor and my teacher. Rest in peace.
Mr. Chapin, Mr. Ehlers, Diane Essert (I remember you!) at Moorpark College - thank you all for your hard work and dedication.
While I am at it - Many thanks to the following teachers at Knolls - Mrs. Weiss, Mrs White, Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Clark & Mrs. Joyce - We appreciate all of your support of our kids...
When you drop your kids off at school next week - remember to thank their teacher - and don't forget to somehow, thank your own.
Share your stories...
Tim Keaney
Posted by Tim Keaney at 06:35 PM
August 12, 2005
C4 -
I always thought it was ironic that the Bond Measure for the Simi Valley Schools was named C4. C4 is a known plastic explosive - and it seems indeed like the oversight of C4 is indeed getting explosive.
In February, 2004, the Trustees of the Simi School District unanimously selected a group of community volunteers to be the Independent Oversight Committee provided by law for the school facilities Bond, Measure C4 which was on the ballot a month later. The oversight committee was selected before the bond was even passed by the voters, because the Trustees and Campaign Committee both felt it was important to have these volunteers in place and ready to go to assure voters that the proper oversight was in place. This committee was made up of people who were willing to give of their time to see that the bond money be spent wisely, and includes parents, business owners, elected officials, seniors, school volunteers and others.
The state education code requires school districts to allow these oversight committees the independence to inform the public about the progress of bond funds, to ask specific and probing questions of district staff and requires district staff to provide full and accurate answers to inquiries, as well as material and technical support; such as site visits and a website for communication to the public. According to the law, these are to be provided to the oversight committee at the expense of the district.
To date, there is no way to see, either through the district web site or any other means, the progress of the C4 bond funds passed almost 18 months ago. Minutes from committee meetings are not available online, nor are bids, construction contracts or any other material that should be made available to the public as provided by the law. One need look no further than the Moorpark Unified Web Site, or the LAUSD Bond Oversight site to see the progress of construction, long-term plans and committee meeting minutes.
I call on Simi Unified to give the Bond Committee the respect and tools they deserve to fulfill their mission, and to help the district fulfill the promises made during the campaign for C4.
Here are how other districts are handling it:
These sites are provided by the districts as required by law, and provide complete transparency into the dealings of their respective bonds.
Citizen Oversight Committees came about because of the lowering the threshhold for a bond to pass to 55%. They are also an outgrowth of various bond projects throughout the state that went bad due to poor oversight, inefficient and sometimes corrupt use of tax dollars, and no accountability. Flouting of this law should raise concerns any time it happens.
This is a no-brainer. If SVUSD wants their management of the bond money ($145 million) to be beyond reproach, then they must give the oversight committee the resources it needs, and the taxpayers the information they deserve.
Tim Keaney
Posted by Tim Keaney at 05:13 PM
August 11, 2005
Greetings From Sienna Crossing
A few days ago, I toured the elementary school of my nephews. It's in a rapidly growing suburb of Houston, Texas. Sienna Crossing is a K-5 school with over 850 students. What a great way to compare schools, districts and priorities. I enjoyed every minute of the tour, and wanted to share the highlights:
1. The school is 8 years old, but you would never know it. It looked, acted and smelled brand new.
2. The school was contructed with the library (staffed with librarian, open all day and through the summer) as the center of the school. Everything grew out from the center, which is the library.
3. The walls were painted with murals about history, culture, animals and the like. The colors of the hallways made you want to keep touring.
4. The library has a trophy case that faces out - to the hallway where 1st and 2nd graders walk by all the time. Instead of trophies; books and music are displayed like the best merchandising in a store. Emphasizing how important reading and music is.
5. There were no portables, and teacher to student ratio is 13
6. The kids couldn't wait to show us how proud they were of their school.
My point is - it was a wonderful day, and it was so much fun to see the kids enjoy their public school so much. They were proud of the campus, their classrooms and their library. Kids are enthusiastic about learning if you can make it something they are motivated by and about.
Kids taking pride in their learning environments was quite the lesson for me.
Tim
Posted by Tim Keaney at 03:37 PM
August 03, 2005
Great Article from Sac Bee
I encourage you all to read this article:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/columns/schrag/story/13345458p-14187386c.html
Tim Keaney
Posted by Tim Keaney at 09:47 PM
