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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October
October 2006
Shoot for the moon (or Mars)
(Kiser Middle School eighth graders Darran Raglin and Cherelle Smith work in Mission Control during a mock space shuttle mission at the Challenger Learning Center Monday.)
I was wrapped up with my reporting and headed out the door at the reopening of the Challenger center yesterday when Ken Kreitzer, who heads Dayton Public Schools’ radio and television program, grabbed me and asked, “have you seen the launch scenario yet?”
He wouldn’t let me leave until I sat in the row of flight seats, complete with straps and buckles, and went through the simulation that kids who play the astronaut roles get to experience during the “launch” of their missions. A loud voice counted down over a growing rocket rumble and my seat shook as I stared at a flat screen television showing movie scenes of a shuttle launch (they’ll soon replace that film with actual shuttle launch footage).
It was hard to imagine how a an impressionable youngster wouldn’t find that inspiring.
That’s the whole idea behind the Challenger centers nationwide — to inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers. And according to the one actual astronaut at Monday’s event, it’s critical that educators find ways to point smart kids toward careers in science.
One statistic he dropped during his speech was pretty shocking.
Rich Heib, who has flown on three shuttle missions and now works for Lockheed Martin, a large defense contractor, said his company last year hired one out of every 10 new graduates in the U.S. with engineering degrees. That shows how great the demand (and how small the supply) is for home grown math and science experts.
Later I was talking to a PR person for Lockheed Martin who was telling me about the next generation shuttle the company is developing and the goal to use it to go back to the moon by 2018 and then to Mars.
NASA may be an expensive and controversial program in some critics eyes, but at least one benefit of the space program is its ability to inspire kids and help them see the exciting possibilities for careers in math and science.
This put me in mind of a story I did years ago on a visit to the area by astronaut Mae Jemison. Here’s the lead of that story:
“One day in her south Chicago elementary school, the children in Mae Jemison’s class each stood up and said what they wanted to be when they grew up.
`A scientist,’ young Jemison said when it was her turn.
`You mean like a nurse?’ the teacher suggested in response.
Jemison went on to attend Stanford at age 16 and later became the first black woman in space, flying aboard a space shuttle.”
Later in her speech, Jemison said it was the idea of flying in space, inspired by early NASA missions, that made her want to study science. Maybe some of our kids can be inspired by the chance to visit Mars.
(My colleague Tim Gaffney, who writes about aviation, posted about the event at his blog here).
Image credit: Chris Stewart, DDN
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools, My Favorite Posts, Teaching and Learning
The natives are restless
(Immigrants arrive New York in 1887)
Imagine this.
There’s an influx of immigrants into a community. The natives try to help them assimilate, seeking to teach them the skills they’ll need in society. But there’s one problem. None of the native teachers are fluent in the immigrant language.
What’s more, it just may be that the it’s knowledge of the immigrant language that’s key to thriving in the emerging global marketplace.
Sound like some far away place? This may, in fact, describe your home and your children’s classrooms.
Here’s what I mean.
On Friday, my wife and I got new cell phones after two years so I gave the old, disconnected phones to the kids to play with. About half an hour later, electronic sounds drew me away from the frustration of navigating through the features of my new phone to the room shared by my eight and six year old daughters.
I was fairly stunned by what they were up to. One was playing a video game that I never even knew was in the phone. The other had changed the ring to a song, re-arranged the welcome screen, renamed the phone and put her sisters’ names into the address book. Neither of them had ever used a cell phone before.
Folks, let me introduce you to the digital natives. They’re our kids, the ones who have always lived in a digital world. We, on the other hand, are the digital immigrants, the ones learning the language of technology second hand.
Apparently, this isn’t a new idea, but only recently I was passed this great paper from 2001 describing the daunting challenge for our education system. Here’s a taste:
“It is now clear that as a result of this ubiquitous environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors. These differences go far further and deeper than most educators suspect or realize.
“Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures,” says Dr. Bruce D. Berry of Baylor College of Medicine. As we shall see in the next installment, it is very likely that our students’ brains have physically changed - and are different from ours - as a result of how they grew up. But whether or not this is literally true, we can say with certainty that their thinking patterns have changed.”
Which leads to this problem:
” … the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language. This is obvious to the Digital Natives - school often feels pretty much as if we’ve brought in a population of heavily accented, unintelligible foreigners to lecture them. They often can’t understand what the Immigrants are saying. What does “dial” a number mean, anyway?
In some ways, I’m lucky. I sent my first E-mail and joined my first Internet listserv in 1988, long before many people had even heard of the Internet, thanks to a summer job at a university. I loaded my first web page on a work computer in 1995, again ahead of the curve compared to the general public.
But nothing changes the fact that I am a digital immigrant — I’ve learned enough of the language to get along but I’m far from fluent. My kids, even at very young ages, already know some aspects of this digital language better than I do.
It’s a tough problem. Teachers, like many of us in other professions, have sought out training and experience. But we’re still immigrants and “language learners,” to borrow education jargon.
Any ideas for how to overcome the divide with the natives?
(Image credit: www.latinamericanstudies.org)
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: My Favorite Posts, Teaching and Learning
When kids learn (about beer!)
My oldest daughter turned eight Thursday and we went out to eat at her favorite restaurant — Logan’s, a steak house in Beavercreek. Waiting for our food, my youngest daughter tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to a lighted beer sign on the wall.
“Look! Guinness!” she said.
I looked at the beer sign — a big frosty beer mug with “Guinness” scripted over the top — and turned back to the table.
Wait a minute. I looked back at my four-year-old and remembered something. She can’t read!
“How did you know that was Guinness?” I asked her.
“Because of the “C” in the middle,” she said, pointing to Guinness’ trademark C-shaped harp in the middle of the mug.
And thus began my lesson in the power of marketing and how beer companies subtly encourage kids to think of drinking alcohol as fun and natural.
How do my kids even know about Guinness? Simple. I watch ESPN, a sports network. Guinness advertises relentlessly during sports programs. And their clever and entertaining ads feature cartoonish characters in slapstick scenarios.
Their ads have even become part of pop culture with the signature line “Brilliant!”
My kids fall off their chairs laughing as a bear attacks one of the characters, as they scare away fans with smelly cheese on their heads at a football game, as one of them bursts into flames eating chicken wings. Heck, I’ve even called them into the room to see these commercials because I know they enjoy them.
In theory, those ads are targeting me — the middle-aged male demographic. But the side benefit to beer companies is they appeal also to young children. As I thought about this after the restaurant incident, I realized they’ve asked me more questions lately about beer and drinking.
I don’t really drink beer that often — almost never at home but occasionally at events and restaurants. Now that I think about it, they’ve lately asked me if that beer in my hand is Guinness, what it tastes like and why I drink it. As is usually my policy, I answer them as honestly and completely as I can.
So in a way, I’m doing the beer company’s dirty work — indirectly teaching my own kids that drinking alcohol is a fun, acceptable, even desirable pass time.
What to do now? Well, I’ve resolved from now on to mention the dangers of drinking too much when these questions come up. What about you? What advice do you have for these situations? And do beer companies have a responsibility to make creative ads that are not as appealing to kids? Are Guinness’ commercial characters the T.V. equivalent of Joe Camel?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Young Children
What it’s really like to be a biracial student
Melanie Boysaw is a thoughtful 15-year-old in L.A. who plays basketball and loves a wide diversity of music.
But that’s not how most of the kids at school think of her.
Some think of her as their “half-black” friend. To others, she’s their “half-white” friend. To the ignorant, she’s “oreo” or “whitewashed.” This is a girl who’s grandfather went to his grave without ever meeting his granddaugter, angry that his daughter married a black man.
Can’t imagine the confusion and hurt you’d feel growing up that way? Let Melanie tell you what it was like and why, after all that, she’s glad to be who she is in every way.
Melanie is part of my extended family and I found her essay an inspiration.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Teaching and Learning
Please excuse the mess
Sorry about the untidiness of this blog today and yesterday. Apparently, the tech side of our blogging apparatus is having a template problem. Not to worry. I’ve been told they “know about the problem and are working on it.”
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Breaking News: Ohio charters constitutional
Just got this from the Gongwer News Service regarding the Ohio Supreme Court:
“Justices said in a 4-3 decision that the Ohio PTA and other opponents had not shown constitutional defects in the law that provides state financing for privately owned and operated charter schools. Justice Judith Lanzinger said in the lead opinion that such policy decisions are within the purview of legislative responsibilities.”
Wow, another 4-3 school funding decision. This is a big win for charter schools and school choice advocates. Had one judge gone the other way, the state’s entire program could have been invalidated.
I’ll post more shortly, but please post your comments.
UPDATE: Here’s a little bit more explanation of the case:
A coaltion of teachers unions, parent groups and school boards argued that charter schools violate the state constitution, which requires a “thorough and efficient” system of “common” schools. They argued that the state created a dual system that was unequally funded and held to different standards, diverting money that they said belonged to tradtional public schools.
The court rejected their arguments, saying the legislature has wide discretion in setting education policy and that charter schools are not that different from other sorts of schools — like vocational schools or magnet schools — that may be funded differently and exempted from some state rules. The majority decision also says the charter opponents did not meet a high standard of proof required to win a constitutional case.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The General Assembly is the branch of state government charged by the Ohio Constitution with making educational policy choices for the education of our state’s children. Our personal choices are not relevant to this task. The appellants have not shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the statute is unconstitutional on its face; nor have they met their high burden of presenting clear and convincing evidence of the statute’s unconstitutionality as applied.”
Permalink | Comments (20) | Categories: Charter Schools and School Choice
What 9.75 mills will cost you
(Board President Gail Littlejohn and Superintendent Percy Mack at Tuesday’s meeting)
There’s some confusion out there about how much the school board’s proposed levy will cost if voters approve it in May.
Treasurer Stan Lucas said Saturday that he estimates a 9.75 mill levy is needed to right the district’s financial slide, but the board has yet to decide for certain they will seek a levy that size. (A board meeting planned for this morning to consider levy options was canceled.)
In today’s story on the financial crisis, I reported the auditor’s estimate for the cost in new taxes of a 9.75 mill levy for the owner of a $100,000 home — $298 a year.
I saw one television station report the cost for that homeowner at $853 a year and a board member complained Tuesday that a different station reported a cost over $900 a year. At least one GOTB reader noticed the conflicting numbers and asked who was right.
When I asked the auditor’s representative to speculate, she guessed that the $853 figure was calculated without reducing the home’s worth to it’s taxable value (35 percent of its real value) and and a couple other adjustments. I’m not sure about the $900 figure. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value of a property. There’s a decent explanation of how it all works here.
The auditor also gave me figures for lower millage amounts, should the board aim a little lower. Here’s what the same $100,000 homeowner would pay in new taxes at:
—5.75 mills: $176.10 a year
—7.75 mills: $237.35 a year.
By comparison, the 8.75 mill bond issue for school construction in Dayton that passed overwhelmingly in 2002 cost the $100,000 homeowner $274 a year in new taxes.
For a recap of the news of Dayton schools’ financial crisis over the past week, go:
-Here for today’s story and Tuesday’s blog post on the board’s vote.
—Here for the proposed cuts to begin in January.
—Here for the list of cuts proposed for July 1.
—Here for Sunday’s story on the cuts.
—Here to add your comments to the debate over the cuts.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Dayton schools move toward layoffs
By Scott Elliott
Staff Writer
DAYTON — — Dayton school officials Wednesday moved ahead with a plan for steep cuts — teacher layoffs, reduced high school electives, fewer sports teams — beginning January.
But Superintendent Percy Mack said the door is still open to avoid some cuts if administrators can cut elsewhere.
“This is the most difficult thing I’ve had to do in 33 years in education,” Mack said. “We have to do the things in this district to balance our budget so we don’t face a takeover by the state of our fiscal affairs.”
The board unanimously adopted a five-year fiscal forecast, with deep cuts this year and next, to stave off a deficit until the 2008-09 school year.
Mack’s plan calls for 58 teacher and 19 bus-aide layoffs among 135 job cuts that would come in January. The plan eliminates many high school and middle school sports teams, reduces high school electives and cuts middle school foreign language, among $9.4 million in total cuts.
Mack said he hopes to revise the plan within two weeks, seeking to minimize layoffs and academic program cuts.
School board President Gail Littlejohn asked the community to rally around the district.
“When I joined this board in 2002 as president I found a neglected school district,” she said. “Textbooks were outdated, many by decades. Teachers and staff were lacking professional development. Our schools were in a major state of disrepair. It’s too important to let that neglect ever happen again.”
As Dayton school leaders seek to curtail classroom cuts, potential labor strife continues to simmer.
Teachers told the Dayton school board this month its offer of a one-year contract with no raise was not enough and gave it until Nov. 1 for a better proposal or they would consider striking. The last contract expired in June.
Union President Pat Lynch was unhappy Tuesday about what she said was a lack of communication from the administration about its proposed cuts.
“Dayton students need every Dayton teacher,” she said.
Lynch said the union was not notified about Saturday’s meeting, in which cuts were first spelled out. District spokeswoman Jill Moberley said the union was mistakenly not notified when an automatic e-mail was sent to a prior union leader. Lynch took office this summer.
School board President Gail Littlejohn said Tuesday the board asked administrators to consider pushing some of the non-academic cuts planned for next year up to January.
About $9.4 million in cuts, to come after schools return from holiday break, is key to a five-year fiscal forecast the board adopted Tuesday.
Another $12 million in cuts next year include closing three schools and 141 teacher layoffs among 198 more job cuts.
Next year’s plan also includes $4.5 million in non-academic cuts, such as layoffs for custodial, grounds, maintenance staff — which could be moved up.
The cuts for next year could be stopped if voters approved a levy the board will place on the May ballot for a projected 9.75 mills. A levy that size would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $298 a year in property taxes as estimated by the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office.
The board is facing a $24 million deficit next year thanks to declining revenues, a situation that accelerated when the board lost a $16 million ruling by the state regarding charter school enrollment. Board members, who were hoping to hold off on a levy until 2008, said that triggered the urgency for cuts now.
The board meets again at 7:30 a.m. today in the Wurlitzer Room at 136 S. Ludlow St., to review options for a levy.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Fordham Foundation: “We were naïve”
In the midst of all the Dayton school news, I didn’t want to overlook the latest in a pretty amazing charter school story going on in Cincinnati and some good reporting by my friends Jennifer Mrozowski and Denise Amos Smith, with their colleague Sharon Coolidge, at the Enquirer.
It’s a story that has the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, perhaps the most respected and influential voice for school choice in the nation, trying to explain how it was hoodwinked.
You might recall that a couple months ago the W.E.B. DuBois Academy, a charter school admired by nearly everyone who came in contact with it for going into a low income neighborhood and dramatically raising test scores with a tough, high expectations program, nearly closed when the state began questioning its finances. Fortunately, the school ultimately was saved.
On Tuesday, the Enquirer reported the financial problems were more than just a funding dispute with the state — the school’s well-regarded founder Wilson Willard was indicted on theft and fraud charges.
Willard was a Fordham poster child for everything that was good about charter schools — he and other DuBois staff were frequent speakers and guests at Fordham events promoting school choice — and when Fordham became a charter sponsor in Ohio, it jumped at the chance to take over management of the school.
But even Fordham, which is deeply plugged in, politically well connected and known for it’s critical eye and tough love as a charter sponsor, missed the financial games Willard apparently was playing and were unaware of a long-running state investigation of the school.
Fordham’s Dayton-based vice president, Terry Ryan told the Enquirer Fordham ran a background check of Willard that showed nothing.
“We thought we were taking over what was the top (charter) school in Ohio,” he said. “It’s fair to say we were pretty naïve.”
UPDATE: Terry Ryan clarified the timeline for me. Fordham takes over sponsorship of DuBois in July 2005. The criminal investigation of Willard begins in autumn of 2005 and Fordham learns of it in December of that year when it has trouble obtaining past audits for the school. In June DuBois’ funding problems become public and Willard is demoted. He later left the school. Criminal charges against Willard finally came last week.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Charter Schools and School Choice
School cuts stay in place, with wiggle room
The Dayton school board met this morning and unanimously voted to submit a five-year forecast to the state that includes deep cuts and 58 teacher layoffs in January.
But there’s still a chance the layoffs and other classroom cuts could be avoided.
Board members emphasized that Tuesday’s vote was required to submit the financial forecast to the state. The numbers in the forecast will not change, but Superintendent Percy Mack is still working on shaping the details of the budget cuts.
President Gail Littlejohn said the board asked Mack to consider moving some of the non-classroom cuts for next school year forward to January. If enough new cuts are found that way, the layoffs and classroom cuts could be pulled out of the plan. Mack said he should have final answers about whether there would be layoffs and other classroom changes within two weeks.
Other highlights of the meeting:
—There was a debate about procedures and protocol. Board member Joe Lacey began by arguing that the board, by design, is not able to vote on the cuts. This goes back a couple years to a change in the district’s budget process. The board used to approve budgets down to the specific line items for each department. Now it approves big picture numbers and allows Mack and his team to manage the line item details. Lacey prefers the prior method.
Lacey also complained about the board’s process for crafting the plan for budget cuts, which he said unfairly gave some board members special privileges. Three board members — Littlejohn, Vice President Yvonne Isaacs and finance committe chair Lee Massoud — met with Mack last Monday to review the budget cuts presentation that the full board heard Saturday.
Littlejohn and board member Mario Gallin said the meeting was proper under board rules and Littlejohn said the presentation did not change substantially from Monday to Saturday. Lacey argued the presentation did change and that it was unfair for selected board members to have extra influence guiding the budget cut process.
—Mack, Littlejohn and other board memebers placed the blame for their budget woes squarely on the Ohio legislature and complained that charter school funding unfairly hurt Dayton schools. “They’re trying to fund two public school systems out of one pot and they’re not doing a very good job of it,” Littlejohn said of lawmakers.
—Teachers’ union leaders meet with Mack this morning to discuss the budget cuts and their ongoing labor dispute. The union has given the board until Nov. 1 to make it a better offer than the no-raise deal it has presented so far or it says it will consider striking.
—The board will meet again Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. to hear a presentation on its options for a May levy. The board has told Treasurer Stan Lucas it wants more information about what types of levies it could seek and how long the levy should last.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Dayton school cuts will come early
The Dayton Board of Education has cancelled a meeting it had planned for today and instead will meet at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Wurlitzer Room at 136 S. Ludlow St. (across from the district’s main downtown headquarters).
The Monday meeting was planned in case the board wanted to hash out details of the planned cuts one more time, but as they left Saturday’s meeting, board members agreed to continue their discussion informally by phone and E-mail and only convene for the Monday meeting if there was a major concern about the plan that needed to be aired.
This is an open public meeting that anyone can attend.
For more background on the proposed school cuts, go:
—Here for the proposed cuts to begin in January.
—Here for the list of cuts proposed for July 1.
—Here for Sunday’s story on the cuts.
—Here to add your comments to the debate over the cuts.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Details of Dayton schools’ proposed cuts
To help everyone get a better handle on what exactly Dayton school administrators have proposed for cuts, I’m spelling out everything they discussed Saturday here at Get on the Bus. The cuts proposed for January 2007 can be viewed by following the “continue reading” link. Go here for the cuts proposed for July 2007.
(If you want to add your two cents on this issue, take a look at the conversation going on here.)
Cuts proposed for January, 2007
Curriculum and Instruction
—Reduce high school electives for the second semester and eliminate 52 teachers.
Rationale: High school enrollment tends to decline in the second semester.
Savings: $1.2 million
—Reduce adjunct staff at Stivers and Colonel White high schools by 25 percent, affecting about 28 adjuncts.
Rationale: Saving can be made by cutting specialized arts services, like one-on-one lessons.
Savings: $101,000
—Reduce all Curriculum and Instruction budgets by 11 percent.
Rationale: Programs, including some teacher training, would be reduced.
Savings: $337,900
—Eliminate middle school foreign language and cut five teachers.
Rationale: Dayton had begun adding language teachers for grades 6 to 8 at each newly opened elementary school in hopes of building language skills before high school. This would end that program, but board members Saturday asked administrators to try to find a way to keep it.
Savings: $108,000
—Abolish administrative jobs of director of pupli services, executive director of grants, associate director of fine arts and associate director of ELA.
Rationale: Other administrators in curriculum would assume the workload.
Savings: $334,517
—Moving costs of nurses for handicapped kids and mental health workers for emotionally disturbed kids to grant funding.
Rationale: Saves general fund dollars.
Savings: $1.3 million
—Close the automotive program at Patterson Career Center.
Rationale: The district would find an alternative for its 15 students
Savings: $81,000
Total curriculum and instruction savings: $3.2 million
Superintendent’s office
—Reduce catered food
Rationale: This cuts food for events that do not involve students.
Savings: $26,000
—Cut two positions — associate director of human resources and a secretary.
Rationale: Won’t fill two open positions.
Savings: $142,029
—Reduce advertising
Rationale: Cut construction news updates and mailings.
Savings: $45,000
Total superintendent’s office savings: $213,029
—Realize workers’ compensation savings.
Rationale: Treasurer Stan Lucas said improvement in the district’s workers’ compensation rating and changes in the way the program is administered should results in a savings.
Savings: $3 million
Total Treasurer’s office savings: $3 million
Facilities Management
Utilities
—Natural gas costs lowered
Rationale: Lower prices should result in a savings. Negotiations are underway.
Total utilities savings: $900,000
Groundswork
—Lay off one groundsworker and reduce equipment maintenance.
Rationale: Reduce mowing to once every seven days instead of five.
Total groundswork savings: $38,164
Custodial
—Lay off 11 assistant custodians,15 substitute custodians, four night assistant custodians, one area manager and reduce overtime.
Rationale: Reduce service to “priority cleaning,” focused on trash removal, sweeping and bathrooms.
Total custodial savings: $562,795
Maintenance
—Eliminate contracted service and create two new HVAC positions on DPS staff. Reduce overtime. Conserve supplies.
Rationale: Reduce response time for some repairs.
Total maintenance savings: $336,057
Total facilities management savings: $1.8 million
Nutrition services
—Lay off six part-time food workers, hold off on point-of-sale equipment purchase, buy some cheaper food products, reduce cash reserve for kitchen repairs.
Rationale: Will slow down packaging time and delay repairs.
Total nutrition services savings: $252,632
Transportation
—Cut one body shop mechanic, 19 bus aides for special education bus routes, delay tire purchases for non-buses.
Rationale:Longer turnaround in repairs and less student supervision. Could result in disputes with labor unions.
Total transportation savings: $254,850
Safety and Security
—Delay hiring of second security officers for Kiser and Cornell Heights schools and eliminate one school safety liason.
Rationale: Reduce security coverage at those schools.
Total safety and security savings: $93,594
Athletics and Intramurals
—Cut high school golf, tennis, cross country, soccer and swimming, eliminating 27 coaches. Cut middle school track, softball, cheerleading, wrestling, and soccer, eliminating 29 coaches. Eliminate annual transfer of general funds to athletic budget.
Rationale: The district wants to maintain high interest sports and those that bring in revenue, epsecially football, basketball and volleyball. There was some talk Saturday of district-wide teams for some non-revenue sports that otherwise would be cut, an idea that could end up in the final proposal the board votes on.
Total athletics and intramural savings: $543,093
Business Operations
—Discontinue lease for extra parking under St. John’s Church next to the administration building.
Rationale: other extra parking is available nearby.
Total business operations savings: $14,000
Total overall savings: $9.4 million
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Dayton school cuts for 2007-08
Here’s the second half of the cuts the school board has planned for July 2007. Just follow the “continue reading” link at the bottom.
The board is planning a 9.75 mill levy for May and if it passes, most of these cuts likely will not be implemented. The cuts for January are expected to go pretty much as described if the board approves this plan Tuesday.
Cuts proposed for July 2007
Curriculum and Instruction
—Close two elementary schools and one middle school.
Rationale: The district will move to consolidate more aggressively in preparation for new, larger schools to come online.
Saving: $4.4 million
—Consolidate Montessori programs at Franklin Elementary School.
Rationale: This allows for the elimination of extra teacher’s aides at Jefferson and Horace Mann schools who assist with Montessori programs. The district has plans to eventually have one Montessori school at the Patterson Career Center site on River Corridor Drive.
Savings: $643,500
—Abolish administrative jobs of executive director of secondary education, assistant superintendent for pupil services, legal liason, one position in the accountability office, one principal, associate director of elementary initiatives and one teacher on special assignment.
Rationale: Several of these jobs will be vacated by retirement. Workload will be shared by other administrators.
Savings: $710,439
—Eliminate non-essential summer school programs.
Rationale: Will offer only summer school programs required by No Child Left Behind.
Saving: N/A
—Eliminate intervention program during fall break.
Rationale: This program is designed to help kids catch up who need extra help during an October break.
Saving: $30,000
—Reduce adjunct staff at Stivers and Colonel White high schools by another 25 percent.
Rationale: Saving can be made by cutting specialized arts services.
Savings: $202,233
—Cut high school electives by another 25 percent.
Rationale: Schools will build master schedules that focus on basic subjects with fewer elective choices.
Savings: 518,400
—Eliminate either vocal or instrumental music at elementary schools.
Rationale: Cuts a program offering both at elementary schools. Reduces each school to one music teacher
Savings: $665,415
—Move one administrative position to grant funding
Rationale: Reduces general fund budget costs.
Savings: $87,301
—Eliminate all five high school nurses.
Rationale: One remaining nurse will rotate among the high schools.
Savings: $216,000
—Raise class size to labor contract maximum (25).
Rationale: Expected to result in 21 teaching jobs cut.
Savings: $943,326
—Eliminate 10 elementary school assistant principals and three teachers on special assignment in elementary schools.
Rationale: Schools will operate with less supervision.
Savings: $1.1 million
—Reduce high schools to one assistant principal.
Rationale: Each high school will have just one assistant principal.
—Eliminate the job of principal at Colonel White High School’s academic magnet program and teacher on special assignment at the school.
Rationale: Magnet program for high achievers will operate with less supervision and leadership.
Savings: $174,000
—Seek grant funding for general fund programs.
Rationale: Reduces costs to the general fund.
Savings: $500,000
Total curriculum and instruction savings: $11 million
Facilities Management
Engineering
—Cut purchased services.
Rationale: Reduce previously planned purchases.
Total engineering savings: $25,000
Groundswork
—Lay off two groundskeepers.
Rationale: Will push the mowing cycle from once a week to every 10 days at schools and every two weeks for vacant lots.
Total groundswork savings: $89,859
Custodial
—Lay off five night assistant custodians, five substitute custodians and one area manager.
Rationale: Expand “priority cleaning,” focusing on basics like trash removal and sweeping, to more sites. Fewer supervisor visits to buildings.
Total custodial savings: $360,024
Maintenance
—Lay off eight maintenance workers
Rationale: Reduces response time for repair requests.
Total maintenance savings: $571,933
Total facilities management savings: $1 million
Transportation
—Cut one budget inventory technician, five bus aides, one router and one dispatch. Also, eliminate RTA bus passes for high school students.
Rationale: Longer turnaround on repairs, no student field trips, reduced bus supervision, no out-of-city travel for middle school sports.
Total transportation savings: $3.5 million
Logistical support services
—Lay off stock clerk
Rationale: Processing time for school supplies will double.
Savings: $29,460
Safety and Security
—Lay off security officers at Belle Haven and Wogaman schools.
Rationale: Newer schools have more cameras and safety features and can be monitored without security. Some board members asked administrators to reconsider this move.
Total safety and security savings: $72,467
Athletics and Intramurals
—Eliminate annual transfer of general funds to athletic budget.
Rationale: Turf at Welcome Stadium will be replaced with funds provided by a state grant, reducing the need for the transfer.
Total athletics and intramural savings: $5475,000
Superintendent’s office
—Reduce catered food, consultant services, travel, supplies, printing, professional group association dues and memberships, equipment rental.
Rationale: Cuts do not impact academic programs
Savings: $53,000
—Reduce advertising
Rationale: Cut student recruitment materials and mailings.
Savings: $25,000
Total superintendent’s office savings: $78,000
—Close down and shut off utilities for Roosevelt High School, the former First Street administration building, two elementary schools and one middle school (the schools have not been named)
Rationale: Save general funds.
Total building closure savings: $1.5 million
Additional reductions still needed
—Workforce reductions.
Rationale: To meet the 2007-08 budget without a new levy, the board must significantly reduce spending beyond the cuts already listed.
Savings still needed: $9.3 million
—Non-payroll reductions
Rationale: To meet the 2007-08 budget without a new levy, the board must significantly reduce spending beyond the cuts already listed.
Savings still needed: $2.9 million
Grand total proposed cost savings: $30 million
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Teacher layoffs, sports part of $8.3M in cuts
By Scott Elliott
Staff Writer
Dayton school leaders Saturday proposed $8.3 million in cuts that could come in January, including 58 teacher layoffs, as part of a plan to head off a budget deficit next year.
School board members said this month they will seek a levy in May. In a special Saturday meeting, Treasurer Stan Lucas estimated that the levy will be for 9.75 mills, which would raise $14.3 million annually. The board still has to decide what type of levy to seek.
Meanwhile, the board must submit a five-year forecast to the state this week, and that forecast spells out a worst-case scenario if the levy doesn’t pass.
The school board expects to vote Tuesday on the full plan, which would include even deeper cuts next year such as closing three schools and cutting 141 teachers as part of $18 million more in reductions. And that’s not the end of it. Administrators said they will still need to find $12 million more next year to stave off a deficit.
“This is not a pretty picture,” Superintendent Percy Mack said.
The proposed cuts for this school year amount to 3.6 percent of the district’s $225 million budget. For next year, a 14.6 percent cut would be needed to avoid a deficit.
School board President Gail Littlejohn said when she joined the board in 2001 school officials were projecting a levy by 2005. She said the district instead reduced administrative spending and focused spending on academic reforms.
“We did make a conscious decision to take every penny we could find and put it behind reform,” she said. “We knew it would cost a chunk of money and it did. We are now spending down our reserves at a pretty fast clip. But we knew this day was coming.”
The financial crunch will force some hard choices.
The district, which has not sought a tax levy since 1992, began spending its $45 million reserve this year and the school board had hoped to delay a levy until 2008. But financial losses accelerated when the district lost a dispute over charter school enrollment. School leaders said a 9.75 mill levy was likely in May.
About $5,500 in state money is re-routed from the district for each student who enrolls in a charter school. Dayton and other cities had negotiated a deal with the state to reduce the amount taken for charters after a dispute over how those kids were counted.
But in May, Ohio legislature wrote a new rule making the state education department the final arbiter of financial disputes, and the department backed out of the deal. Cincinnati schools are suing the state over that dispute.
School officials said while they hope to still get settlement money if Cincinnati wins the suit, they must plan as if no new money will come from the suit or a new levy.
If a May levy fails, cut for next school year are even deeper than those considered for this year. Superintendent Percy Mack and his staff offered these explanations on those cuts:
School closings and job cuts: About 80 percent of the district’s budget is personnel. The only way to save significant money is to reduce personnel, school leaders said.
With 13 new, bigger schools opening this school year and next, the district would seek to consolidate more quickly. Class size would grow to 25 from 20 and 22 at early elementary grades. At high school, fewer electives would allow for fewer teachers. Adjunct staff members to teach private music lessons at Stivers and Colonel White high schools would be curtailed.
Nurses, and music or language programs may be cut, although board members Saturday said they hoped to maintain some of them. Principals would be asked to do more with less support. Montessori instruction would be offered at one site — Franklin Elementary School — instead of three.
Athletics: Teams with low participation that don’t generate revenue through ticket sales would be eliminated. A $50 fee would be instituted to play on the remaining teams.
Maintenance: Strategies to reduce staff include mowing grass less often, sticking to the basics for cleaning.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: My Favorite DDN Stories
Deep cuts proposed for Dayton schools
In a meeting this morning, Superintendent Percy Mack’s staff proposed deep cuts for the school district to try to head of a deficit next year. What may catch some off guard is that the board will consider $8 million in cuts starting January, and some of them — including teacher layoffs and eliminating some sports teams — would be painful. The board votes on these proposed cuts Tuesday.
Here’s a brief summary of what’s proposed. Look for more in Sunday’s Dayton Daily News.
Proposed cuts starting in January
As a pre-emptive move, the board Tuesday will consider $8.3 million in immediate cuts. Among them, the board would:
—Cut 135 jobs including 58 teachers
—Reduce the number of high school electives
—Eliminate foreign language in grades 6 to 8
—Reduce hours or eliminate 28 adjunct faculty at Stivers and Colonel White high schools
—Close Patterson Co-op High School’s automotive program
—Layoff 19 school bus aides for special education buses
—Eliminate high school golf, tennis, cross country, soccer and swimming
—Cut all middle school sports except football, basketball and volleyball
—Reduce groundskeeping, maintenance, food and custodial services
Proposed cuts starting July 1
The board said Saturday it intends to seek a 9.75 mill levy in May. If the levy does not pass, $18 million cuts will be instituted on July 1. Among them, the board would:
—Eliminate 198 positions, including 141 teachers
—Close two elementary and one middle school
—Strip Montessori programs from Jefferson and Horace Mann schools
—Eliminate all summer school not required by No Child Left Behind
—Cut high school electives by another 25 percent
—Cut adjunct faculty at Colonel White and Stivers by another 25 percent
—Eliminate either vocal or instrumental music at elementary schools
—Lay off all high school nurses
—Cut all elementary school assistant principals
—Cut one assistant principal at each high school
—Deeper cuts in maintenance, groundskeeping, food and custodial services
Even after all these cuts, school leaders say they still need to find another $12 million in cuts to balance 2007-08 budget.
Permalink | Comments (31) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Define lazy
Blogger/teacher Get Lost, Mr. Chips says his kids really are lazy … when they’re in school.
When they’re out of school? Not so much. That’s when they work — and they work hard.
Could these two issues be related?
Back in April, I wrote about some intriguing research — a paper that argued American kids work too much and it’s part of the reason they’ve fallen behind the rest of the world when it comes to academic work.
While we romanticize teen-age jobs in the U.S. as character builders, there’s at least some evidence that these jobs, such as slinging burgers, don’t really translate into usable skills. But the energy spent on those fast food jobs and the like is energy not used on school work, which could perhaps be more important?
This also put me in mind of the recent stories about how kids who are good at math also hate math. (Alexander Russo critiques the media coverage of that story here).
At least one theory bounced around in the news stories about why kids who do well in math hate it is that, like exercise, only a certain type of kid enjoys the reward of the punishing work it takes to get better.
It’s interesting so many of our kids decline to learn math and yet appear not to mind grueling fast food work. Isn’t there some way to channel that energy and dedication back into challenging subjects like math?
(Image credit: www.youthink.com)
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: My Favorite Posts, Teaching and Learning
“Tag you’re it,” and other dangers
Sorry for the sparse posting. Major computer problems required me to get a new laptop.
Lots of education news out there this week. I was somewhat tickled to see this Boston Globe story about a school that banned kids from playing tag getting tons of media and blogosphere buzz.
It’s funny because this is a pretty old story that’s been reported in several other cities. I even blogged about it back in February.
As I said back then, I thought this was a joke until I started asking educators. Indeed, they are afraid of kids being injured playing tag. My own daughter’s school forbids kids to even chase each other! Jeez, what’s more natural for young grade school kids than to chase each other around?
It’s another example of our society’s fearful and litigious nature. It’s ruining the fun for our kids.
(Image credit: http://everydaymusings.blogspot.com/)
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Student Health and Safety
Mack is national superintendent of the year
(Percy Mack)
Dayton school board president Gail Littlejohn announced tonight that Superintendent Percy Mack was named national superintendent of the year by the National Alliance of Black School Educators. The group has not yet formally announced he is the winner but he recieved notification by mail.
Just a couple weeks ago, I wrote her that Mack’s star was on the rise and that could become a sought-after candidate for superintendent jobs in bigger districts.
If we thought he was likely to get noticed before, imagine what’s going to happen now. I wonder if other districts who might be interested in Mack will come offering a zero raise like he got this year?
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Taking the fight to an attacker
Forget locking the doors and hiding under desks. In one Texas school district, an intruder alert means something altogether different. It’s a call for the kids to attack.
And as crazy as that sounds, they might be right.
Could these recent violent school incidents do for school safety what the 9/11 hijackings did for air safety? That is, turn compliant victims into fighters?
After 9/11, I would be surprised if you’ll ever see an airliner hijacked again without a fight. Remember the shoe bomber, Richard Reid? A few months after the terror attacks he tried to light a bomb built into his shoe on an overseas flight and was quickly attacked and subdued by other passengers. Sept. 11 taught us that sometimes your only chance is to fight when you have the chance.
The way these latest school shootings have gone down, it’s not outlandish to suggest a school’s best chance in a threatening situation is to use its advantage — the attackers are always going to be outnumbered. A school staff and student body trained to attack at the first sign of trouble might actually prove effective at heading off a bigger tragedy.
Or, it might turn a situation that could be diffused without violence into one in which innocent victims are unnecessarily harmed?
Teacher-blogger Chem Jerk says this idea is insane, comparing it what he says is an equally crazy idea — allowing students and staff to pack heat.
What’s your take? Is the attack-first posture justifiable?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: School Violence
Sir, yes sir! Mr. Superintendent sir!
(David Brewer)
Wow. Out in Los Angeles, they’ve named a retired Navy admiral as superintendent. L.A., the nation’s second largest school district, now becomes by far the largest to experiment with a military leader running its schools.
David Brewer has little education experience and was virtually unknown as a candidate for a top superintendency, but beat out a parade of well-known educators. School board members told the L.A. Times they were impressed by his leadership skills.
In a way, L.A. is behind the curve. There were a couple high profile ex-military superintendents in the 1990s — a mini-trend that then seemed to mostly run its course. By my count, there were 10 military superintendents over the past decade or so. How’d they do? Well, it was 50-50. About half worked out well and the other half mostly bombed