Sometimes members of a funding body, like our Board of Supervisors, believe in reform too, but don't have the authority to enact it. Sometimes they anticipate that reform will save money. So they put these components together and decide that if they just cut funding, the school system will of necessity reform itself to handle the cuts. Supervisor Lori Waters in particular has expressed that she will not favor an increase in school funding toward employee salary increases until those salaries are based on performance instead of seniority.
While I agree that the compensation structure needs reform, that is a long-term project that can't be accomplished during a budget season. More importantly, it can't be inspired by budget cuts. Witness California's experience with Proposition 13, which in 1978 limited property taxes. Does the following sound familiar?
A large contributor to Proposition 13 was the sentiment that older Californians should not be priced out of their homes through high taxes.So property taxes in California are now capped, and school funding has decreased. What impact has this had on California schools? Are they paragons of efficiency and reform? I did a little checking.
In a recent study of public school efficiency by the Center for American Progress, California school district scores were from 26 to 94, with only three districts scoring 90 or higher. Virginia schools districts were all ranked between 70 and 95, with 35 scoring 90 or higher. Loudoun scored 93.
Digging more, I found a report by the Rand Corporation called Ultimate Test:
One state, California, serves as an especially compelling case study. Widely regarded as one of the best systems of education in the country as recently as 30 years ago, the California public school system has since become, according to most measures, one of the worst.
By reviewing the recent history of California’s public schools, their precipitous decline, and their potential for revival, policymakers nationwide can learn important lessons about how to manage public schools. Today, for example, the citizens of California need long-term, comprehensive solutions, beginning with an improved financing system that can tap into what the state can really afford and that can then provide the resources that the schools really need.
Whether at the national or at the state level, public education needs both accountability and resources. Although providing resources without demanding accountability can lead to a waste of resources, demanding accountability without providing adequate resources can be an evasion of accountability by setting up public schools for failure. (emphasis mine)Anecdotally, while a number of Loudoun residents have written to say that Loudoun's schools are far superior to those their kids attended in California, I've never had any write to me to say that their schools in California were better.
Candidates for Supervisor Malcom Gladwell and Janet Clarke expressed publicly at a recent public hearing on the budget that the schools must be reformed, and that as officeholders they would use the budget to do just that. This will be the first time but not the last time in this election year that I remind candidates for Supervisor that if they want to reform the school system, they're running for the wrong office. If they want to reform it through budget cuts, they're using the wrong tool. Just ask the current Board of Supervisors, which has cut per-pupil school funding by over 15%, and still have not seen the reforms they hoped for.
The School Board must be the body that reforms Loudoun County Public Schools. It will do so only of its own will, not because of funding cuts. The will comes only if the community asks for reform, not because of funding cuts. If Loudoun, as a community, wants to see reform efforts in its public schools, it must demand it of its School Board. It must elect reform-minded School Board candidates.
In the meantime, it must fully fund its schools, or watch the quality of those schools decline.
Loudoun county must full fund their schools. But according to who? What is meant by fully funding. I don't have a problem providing money to projects and teachers salaries but what about all the extras? My daughter's bus has 1 stop, picks up about 15-20 kids and then heads off to Middle school. Not even half full. That's 1 extra bus, maintenance, gas, oil, and having to pay an extra driver(there are at least 2-3 other buses that come through the neighborhood for the same MS). Since the person in charge of busing can't seem to keep his/her costs down(no incentive), why do they deserve a raise? And this is just one area within LCPS that's inefficient.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this post is a good example of someone who just looks at one piece of a complicated puzzle and declares it inefficient. There are several points to consider here...first, if there are 2-3 other buses that come through the neighborhood, this bus may handle the "extra" students who don't fit on those buses.If there are 15-20 students who don't fit on the exisitng buses, how else would you suggest this be handled other than providing an additional bus? Very often Transportation uses buses like this one (carrying less than capacity) to pick up additional bus stops/students from other stops in case of a breakdown or other problem. Believe me, we (in Transportation) know which buses are under capacity...often they are also in "growth" neighborhoods where we know the student population will be increasing. Bus drivers count their students EVERY DAY and turn these counts into their supervisors who maintain them on a spreadsheet. Said spreadsheet is reviewed frequently, looking for buses that have close-to-capacity student counts and also those that have extra room and adjustments are made throughout the year. I would suggest that Transportation is one of the MOST efficient areas of LCPS. Additionally, most drivers are used for an elementary, a middle and a high school run in order to EFFICIENTLY and completely utilize our drivers. And no, I am not "the person in charge of busing"....just have some knowledge of the actual situation.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately, anon at 10:15 is assuming his/her information. I should have pointed out that at least two other buses that come through the neighborhood aren't full since my daughter rides those to her friends house after school or whenever there is a shortage of bus drivers and her bus is late leaving school. She told me there are more kids but not even close to being full. Also, our neighborhood is not a growth area, since it's been built out several years ago. If anything, there are less kids since a number of homes were either foreclosed or families just moved away. But it's great to hear excuses from school officials. Also, why is a large bus used to pickup the 15-20 kids? Guess it's more efficient.
ReplyDeleteWhy do middle schools need 3 deans(each has their own secretary)? Are the middle school kids that bad? what do the 2 assistant principals do? How come the High Schools don't have/need deans? Have to laugh at John's email, basically if you don't agree with John, you're a hater....I really wonder if there is anything in the current budget that if he could, John would cut out?
ReplyDeleteJohn Stevens: you are still not listening and not getting the message. Hard working Loudoun Taxpayers are no longer willing to fund a bloated LCPS organization with annual tax increases. You should implement "reform" within your existing annual $700 MILLION budget! It is insane that you continue to request more money for taxpayers for every idea that enters your head: salary increases, electronic whiteboards, new schools, "living wage" increases for custodial staff, reform initiatives, etc...
ReplyDeleteEven if one runs and is elected to the school board, the many others on here would still overrule the budget cuts 1 School Board member would make. By the way, there was a great editorial in the washington post called "What the school reform debate misses about teachers". Made a lot of sense and with all the degreed people overseeing public schools you'd think they'd be able to come to some agreement on how to make it happen. Unfortunately, nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteEven for something as basic as salary increases, I'd like to see some change. I'd like for the board to start with school based staff. These are the people that we depend on to educate our children and keep them safe. Losing good young teachers who have never had a raise doesn't benefit anyone. But giving a 3% raise to supervisors, and this includes SpEd supervisors, who are not responsive to the classroom or building needs of students, staff, parents and taxpayers is a waste. I have seen some of these supervisors in the school every week, but some of them don't show up unless there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteI do like the dean/secretary for each grade in middle school set up. Each of them has been helpful to us and our child this year, and they know him by name. I can call and get or give information, and the dean has prevented some situations from escalating in the locker area, cafeteria and outside.
Re California schools--I would venture to say that, as significant as funding may be, an equally significant factor in the decline in California schools is probably the changing demographic profile of those schools over the past 30 years. This is the same type of demographic change occurring in a number of schools in the eastern part of the county--with the same deleterious effects.
ReplyDeleteYou all miss the point of the original post. Using budget cuts to change the management of a organization DOES NOT WORK! It might feel good at the time, but the results do not bear out the intent! The Boards (School and Supervisors) must manage the organizations, then the budgets will follow and the results will be as desired by the community (The majority of the community not just the knee jerk vocal minorities).
ReplyDeleteAmusing post. Can John or anyone else point to any real reform demanded by The School Board?
ReplyDeleteI agree. with previous poster. If anyone speaks up, they're quickly shot down for not supporting the school system. What reform has come out of LCPS since the current school board has been in charge?
ReplyDeleteIt continues to amaze me that people with no job experience in education, child development, FAPE etc...make judgements based on their assumptions. For example-What do assistant principals do anyway? Should we rid the schools of assistant principals and/or deans b/c no one knows what they do? Follow them around for a week and then post your comments.
ReplyDeleteOh, Happy Pi Day (although Tau is mathematically more elegant)...
ReplyDeleteAnon@12:07 is right on two counts—
Firstly, the editorial by Joel Klein ("What the school reform debate misses about teachers") is spot on, especially that in our focus on teachers as either the heroes/martyrs or scapegoats, we're missing the point. Secondly, that nothing will ever change.
To anon@5:35PM, It amazes me that people attempt to justify school positions just because, without giving out job duties/descriptions. I believe the dean positions were on the chopping block last year? But they decided on furlough days. If a positions is a must, then that position would never even be considered one to cut. Can you explain that? Walking the halls and looking for dress code violations isn't an important part of an education. And if they are such an important part, why aren't they at the Elementary schools? And High Schools?
ReplyDelete@Anon at 8:18
ReplyDeleteDress code violations absolutely do affect education. If my 13 year old son, at the height of puberty with testosterone flooding his brain, has to look at 13 year old girls dressed like streetwalkers with all of their parts hanging out for all to see, I think he just might be distracted from his Algebra equations. How students dress is a simple matter of personal decency and respect and is absolutely vital to a good climate for education.
The middle school deans do a good job and have an important role in middle schools. This is the time when so many kids easily get into trouble that will affect them for the rest of their lives. I, for one, am willing to pay for these positions and I believe they are a good investment in our future.
if they're so important, then why were they on the hit list last year(and previous year)? So, teachers, assist principals can't handle a minor dress code infraction? Instead we have 3 deans with 3 secretaries at 13-14 MS in Loudoun(78-84 positions). You have to be a dean or married to one. Heck even Dr Hatrick and the School Board have those positions as the first to get cut if there is any substantial budget cut. Oh, and I highly doubt middle school girls are dressed like streetwalkers everyday.... Next thing you'll be telling me is every first grade teachers works 13 hour days correcting tests and planning after hours. Once again, you get someone crying wolf!
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of items on the three tier list of possible cuts that are "important" to different constituencies. I am the mother of a middle school student and have subbed in the middle schools, and yes the Deans are important. You sound like one of those "crying wolf" about how all of the poor taxpayers of Loudoun County are going broke (PUHLEEZE look out your window or take a drive around and look at all the McMansions, BMWs and huge gas guzzling SUVs around here) You are probably just one of the public school haters who like to blog here.
ReplyDeleteNope not a public school hater. Just someone that sees LCPS budget skyrocketing without making any sacrifices/cuts. I don't have a problem giving the teachers a raise but hearing some teachers claim to be working 10-12 hours day because so many students in their classes, sounds like we need more teachers, more classrooms and more schools.
ReplyDeleteI drive around Loudoun and see businesses and many homeowners either selling or houses vacant. Gas prices have gone up 30-60 cents in the area in about a month and it's not even the summer where gas prices will probably hit $4.25+. And the last two years I've paid an average of $700+ in fees(might get reimbursed for 3 AP tests from last year).
By the way, I see a lot of condos, townhouses and regular single family homes, very few so-called McMansions(their property bill is probably around $14000+/year), if not for them, the tax rate would be around $1.50 or more.
I agree whole-heartedly that teacher's pay must be based on merit, not tenure. I seriously considered career-switching from technology to teaching a few years ago, but -- even with many years of experience in which I did a LOT of corporate training -- my pay would have been the same as a teacher fresh out of college. With kids and a mortgage, it was a complete no-go for me. There are plenty of talented potential teachers out in the workforce, but until we can pay them commensurate with their experience (and not years of teaching), we are missing out on a tremendous talent pool. Additionally, those of us with a different experience pool will likely bring our experience to bear in the organization as a whole, perhaps suggesting alternative approaches to which others may never have been exposed.
ReplyDeleteOn a completely different note -- I follow this blog regularly, and I'm rather distressed at the tenor of many of the responses. Perhaps requiring an actual name instead of "anonymous" would encourage posters to post replies that they would say in person. We're all neighbors here, who all clearly want the best for ourselves and our children. It seems to me we can have open discourse respectfully.
Why does Loudon County need $4.5 million in interactive boards? Are you guys in budget woes or not? Since when is spending $4.5M but laying off teachers a good choice?
ReplyDeleteLooking over the budget, I see $385,000 in GPS for these said buses mentioned in the comments.
Where does the spending stop? When the money runs out for pensions, are you gonna be wishing you had saved that $4.5M + $385K for supporting penions and teacher pay?