Category Archives: “education finance”

by | February 20, 2009 · 5:36 pm

Cuts Coming to Salem

sheetmusic1

“We All Love Our School”,  written by 4th grade Salem students in 2007, performed by 2nd and 3d grade students in 2008-9. Click to listen or download.

We All Love Our School

written by 4th grade Salem students in 2007

Salem is Great. It’s the biggest in the state. We all love our school!
White and blue our colors true. We all love our school!
At Salem we’re having fun.
Salem we’ve just begun
Salem students are the best.
We’re a cut above the rest.
A-round every turn, there is some-thing to learn. We all love our school!
A peaceful place puts a smile on your face. We all love our school!
At Salem we learn and grow.
Salem out to recess we go.
Falcon is our name and learning is our game!

Referenda in six districts failed on Tuesday.  That means each of these districts must to scale back their plans in ways that do the least harm to their students.  This is all part of business as usual under Wisconsin’s broken school funding system.

Here is a preview of what is in store for Salem.  The headline in the Kenosha News promises “Deep Cuts,” 17 layoffs and reductions in music and art.  The story offers further details

Cuts approved Thursday include eliminating band for children in fifth and sixth grade, cutting down on the number of gym classes children take each week, cutting back on art, and reducing reading specialty programs. All after-school sports and clubs would be eliminated, and class sizes would climb in grades three through eight. There were cuts in support staff and the administrative staff as well.

The source of the problem is also explained:

Salem has been facing budget shortfalls as it grapples with state school funding regulations that cap the amount of revenue schools can receive. The district has been covering its operating deficit using savings, but faces a deficit of more than $1 million next school year.

Two board members voiced the lament familiar to many around the state:

“This is killing me,” board member Shane Gerber said during the vote, the names of teachers who are targeted for layoff were read off. In the audience, teachers began to cry as names were read off and some walked out of the meeting.

“We as a board are now faced with cutting programs we know are good for kids,” said President Patty Merrill. “We have attempted three referendums, all three failed. The cuts must be made.”

If you haven’t already, listen to the song at the top and then try to convince yourself that  slowing the bleeding via band aids and reshuffles is the best we can do for the children of Salem and Wisconsin.  When you are done, contact the Governor and your legislators and tell them they need to listen to voices of children also; tell them that these children deserve music and art and reading help and all the other components of a full education.  Sign on with the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools and the School Finance Network while you are at it.

Thomas J. Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, education, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Uncategorized

by | February 20, 2009 · 12:59 am

The Man With a “Plan”

94575

After greeting the School Finance Network (SFN) plan with little better than contempt and offering a budget proposal that at best slows the bleeding in school finance (after 15 years of steady blood loss), Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has previewed his own “plan” for fixing school funding.  It may be a good starting point for talking (not as good a starting point as SFN’s work), but I don’t think contains the answers to the financial and other struggles of our schools and I don’t like the way it only provides the  resources needed to “improve student performance” (which unfortunately will likely be defined by the flawed and limited WKCE) to those districts that meet criteria that have nothing to do with education.

Like many policy proposals these days, it uses rewards and punishments, carrots and sticks.  The reward is an opportunity to escape from the revenue caps, to no longer have to cut 1%-2% of educational programing annually.  The punishment is to continue under the system that has eaten away at our schools, limited our students’ opportunities and put our state’s future in danger for the past 15 years.

The rewards are tied to the following ill-defined (at this point) policies:

• Join together for the purposes of negotiating union contracts

• Make employees use the state health plan unless the school district already has a plan that is cheaper

• Require schools to agree to a list of practices that would improve student performance

• Provide compensation for teachers that better reflects the needs of individual schools such as those in rural districts that struggle to attract teachers for some subjects

I’m going to leave the contracts, compensation and health insurance aside for now in order to say a few words about #3, the “best practices.”

Doyle cited the work of Alan Odden as the basis for the kind of practices he has in mind.  The Wisconsin School Finance Adequacy Initiative Final Report for 2007 has some good ideas about “best practices” based on research  and good estimates of the costs of these practices, also based on research.   Some of the things in the Odden report are stronger than others and some would be difficult for many districts, but small classes, formative assessments used wisely, teacher coaches, staff development are all good ideas.

What Odden and SFN both propose is funding these practices for all schools.  Doyle seems think that access to best practices should be a reward available only to those who get all their ducks in order. I guess the New “New Wisconsin Promise” will be “A Quality Education for Every Child Who Lives in District that Joined with Other Districts to Negotiate Contracts and Limit Health Care Costs.”

I want to make it clear that neither Odden nor SFN wants to simply give the schools more money to do whatever they want (although both do show proper respect for the  professional knowledge of our state’s educators).  Both include means of targeting money to research based programs and both also propose “accountability” evaluations.

There are ways to target money toward best practices but still make the resources available to all schools  (the Student Achievement Gaurentee in Education — SAGE — program is a partial example).  You can do categorical aids which can only be spent in certain ways,  you can do grants, you can do reimbursements.  Instead, Doyle ties the resources for best educational practices to his ideas of the best financial and policy (and probably political) practices.  As education policy, this makes no sense.

We’ve had 15 years in Wisconsin under a system of school finance that is based on the politics of tax policies, not education.  As a nation, with No Child Left Behind we’ve been punishing schools instead of helping them.

If Doyle’s plan moves forward, I sincerely hope that education is put first and that the stick punishment is put away;  that the very good ideas about funding promising educational practices are enacted in a manner that will reach all districts, all schools, and all students in Wisconsin.

Thomas J. Mertz

2 Comments

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, Contracts, education, finance, Local News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, School Finance

by | February 18, 2009 · 10:45 am

Primary Election Roundup

politics040408_fullsize_story11

Some quick results and very few thoughts this morning.

Turnout was pathetic.  During the Presidential campaign season we heard a lot about a new political engagement, especially among the young.   February primaries lack the glamor (and resources) of Presidential votes, but going from about 2.9 million statewide voters in November 2008 to about 250,000 statewide voters in February of 2009 does not bode well for our political culture.  Locally, in Madison District 8 — one of the campus districts — the vote total in November 2008 was about 7,500; yesterday it was 528.   One data point does not make a trend, but this can’t be good for our democracy.

Tony Evers and Rose Fernandez survived the Sate Superintendent primary.  Here are the totals:

Schools Superintendent REPORTING 97%
Tony Evers

88,734

 35%
Rose Fernandez

78,830

 31%
Van Mobley 34,534 14%
Todd Price 28,641 11%
Lowell Holtz 22,163 9%

I want to thank Todd Price for his effort and his successes in raising awareness of the continuing crises in school funding, testing and other school matters. Tony Evers now has my full support (and I hope to see more evidence of the aggressive advocacy he has claimed).

All nine referenda failed!

The Appleton referenda lost by a 5 to 4 margin.  According to the Post Crescent this will mean “as many as 30 fewer teachers and larger class sizes next fall, plus delaying safety measures for several school buildings.”

The Clinton referendum asking to fund investments in a geothermal HVAC system failed again, this time by a large margin of 968-576.  This is exactly the sort of infrastructure investments we should be making, but under our current state school finance system they are difficult (more here, here and here).

The Highland request for recurring authority to limit program cuts lost 298 to 158.

Class sizes will be going up in Salem.  There is confusion about the margin.  DPI reports that it was 964 to 654.  The Kenosha News says 664 to 654.  More form that source on what this will mean to the quality of education in Salem:

The increase, officials said, was needed to cover expenses for the upcoming school year. School Board President Patricia Merrill said the result means 19 employees would be laid off for the 2009-10 school year, with layoff notices likely to be announced at Thursday’s School Board meeting.

Also on the chopping block are extra-curricular and after-school programs, starting this fall. Other programs scheduled for elimination include the gifted-and-talented program and technical education. Cuts are expected for music, arts, gym and Spanish. Merrill also said technology upgrades could be halted and staff workshops and travel will be reduced.

Superintendent Dave Milz said class sizes will likely increase.

“I’m not sure how any of these things can be beneficial for the kids,” Milz said. “This will certainly prove to be a challenging experience for the board and community to overcome.”

Referenda were narrowly defeated in Salem last June and September.

The vote in Siren was very close, 156 to 167 (turnout is important!).  There is talk of going back to the voters, but programing cuts are likely.

The votes on the three asks in Waupun were also relatively close.  Out of about 2,700 votes cast, they ranged from 698 in the “ongoing operational expenses vote,” to 26 votes in the “textbooks” and “materials” measure.  There will likely be school closures, and many cuts.

Closing the two outlying schools is a ticket item that would address about half of the budget deficit. No other suggestions presented could put a dent into it as closing Alto and Fox Lake elementary schools.

School board president Cathy Loomans said, “The business we’re in is about putting teachers in front of students. So the majority of our budget is staffing, and unfortunately, when you make these kinds of cuts, they have to come from staffing and that’s going to directly affect class size. There’s no way anymore to insulate the students from making these kinds of cuts.”

“Looking at what cuts we’re going to do, we have to look at what’s best for all the students to give the students across the district an equitable education,” Anne Kraintz, school board member, said.

For more information on the situation in Waupun (from one perspective), check out this site.

All around, not a great day for the future of education in Wisconsin.

Thomas J. Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, Equity, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Uncategorized, We Are Not Alone

by | February 17, 2009 · 10:06 am

Vote Today! – Today’s School Votes

Today’s election is very important.  Wisconsin will decide which two candidates for State Superintendent of Public Instruction will be on the April ballot; districts around the state have significant referendum questions and there are a couple of local Aldermanic races in Madison where there are candidates who I think deserve support (there are also some other primaries for judges and Board of Education and other Aldermanic races around the state).  The projected turnout is only 6%-10%, so your vote may make the difference.

First and foremost, Todd Price is the clear choice for State Superintendent.   Price has a thorough understanding of the difference quality public education can make in the lives of individuals, the health of our communities and the future of our state.  He also has correctly diagnosed and offered solutions to the problems of our state school finance system, our testing regimen, NCLB and more.  Most importantly, Todd Price has brought an urgency to this race that others lack.   We don’t need another state superintendent who accepts the continued erosion of our schools under a broken state finance system, underfunded programs for our highest need students and the misplaced priorities of NCLB and WKCE.  We need a State Superintendent who will challenge our governor, our legislators and our local school officials to do better.  Todd Price will be that State Superintendent.  Vote for Todd Price.

There are nine referenda in six districts on the ballot today.  The districts are Appleton, Clinton,  Highland,  Salem, Siren and Waupun.  I don’t have time this morning to fully explore these measures (if possible, I will add some links later), but essential things like preserving smaller class size (Appleton and Siren), investing in sustainable energy (Clinton), keeping neighborhood schools open (Waupun), paying for books, technology and other learning materials and avoiding further programing cuts will be decided.  I hope they all pass.

I am going to offer some quotes from a Todd Price press release and interview on these measures and the system that has led 151 referenda votes since January 1, 2008, most simply to preserve  or limit cuts to current programs, maintain or upgrade facilities, or build needed schools.

Price characterizes the need for these votes as “a regrettable symptom of a school finance system that has been harming our students, our communities, and our state for far too long.”…

“Referenda are band aids, temporary fixes. Our districts keep asking for more band aids just to stop the bleeding. It is time to address the real problem; it is time to fix Wisconsin’s broken school finance system.”…

“These campaigns to provide an adequate education for all children divide communities and distract from the essential task of working together for the education of all children,” Price explains. “One neighborhood is pitted against another, people on fixed incomes who can’t afford tax increases but know education is important are frustrated, educators and boards of education spend too much time trying to pass referenda instead of working to improve education; parents and concerned community members end up volunteering on campaigns instead of in the classrooms.”…

Racine Unified is a good example. The district struggles on an annual basis to balance its budget without making significant cuts to programs or going to referendum for extra money. It’s led to a contentious relationship between the district and the public, left schools in disrepair and resulted in relatively poor student performance.

Last, voters in Madison District 2 need to keep one of our city’s most Progressive and hardest working Alders in office — vote for Brenda Konkel.  In District 8, newcomer Katrina Flores is the best choice and as a grad student in the School of Education a sure friend to the schools.

Thomas J. Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, Best Practices, education, Elections, finance, Local News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action, Uncategorized

by | February 13, 2009 · 2:28 pm

Wisconsin State Superintendent Forum Video

Here is a video from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction forum hosted on February 12 by the Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools.

There hasn’t been much media coverage on this important race and most of the candidates cannot afford extensive campaigns.  Please take this opportunity to see and hear Todd Price, Rose Fernandez, Lowell Holtz, Tony Evers and Van Mobley.

I think that once you learn about the candidates, you will join me in supporting Todd Price.

Vote February 17th!

Update

I just found these links: The League of Women Voters guide and Q&As from the Appleton Post Crescent.

Thomas J. Mertz

1 Comment

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, Equity, finance, Local News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, School Finance, Take Action

by | February 7, 2009 · 12:48 pm

Todd Price for State Superintendent

img_2654_2

I hope to find the time to do a fuller analysis and endorsement, but meanwhile here is my letter to the editor version.

As State Superintendent of Public Instruction Todd Price will be the uncompromising advocate for our students and our schools that Wisconsin needs.

Each day that we continue to accept reasons to resist change is a day that Wisconsin’s commitment to excellence in public education is in jeopardy.  Our way of funding education is broken.  Merrill has laid off 10% of their staff; failed referenda this Spring in Appleton, Salem and elsewhere would bring larger class sizes; Holmen and other districts can no longer afford to participate in the proven but underfunded Student Guaranty in Education (SAGE) class size reduction program; Madison gutted locally funded class size reductions two years ago and there is no official talk of restoring them.  Todd Price is committed to fixing this broken system not finding excuses to preserve the status quo.

On school finance; testing and accountability; green, sustainable schools; proactive school climate and safety, the failures of No Child Left Behind; and other pressing school matters, Todd Price is the only candidate who will work to find and implement solutions immediately.  The future can’t wait.  Vote for Todd Price.

Here is a message from Todd’s campaign telling how you can help:

We’re lucky to have such a viable candidate running for Wisconsin State Superintendent of Schools in the February 17th election. The campaign needs your help to get Todd Price elected! Visit Todd’s website.

Here is what you can do:

***Donate! Because of the wonders of the internet money can be transmitted, and used on web advertisements very quickly. . If we can raise enough in the next week, we qualify for $98,000 of State Election Fund dollars! Every dollar helps.

***Invite your friends to join the Facebook group and post it to your profile by going to the group page and clicking Share+ on the right-hand side and select Post to Profile.

***Write a letter to the editor.

***Part of an organization that will endorse Todd? Let us know at: Contact@toddprice.org

***Oh yeah, vote for Todd Price February 17th!

An AP wire story speculated that turnout might “barely break double digits,” so every little bit of help could be the difference in a crowded primary. So please help if you can.

Thomas J.  Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, nclb, No Child Left Behind, Referenda, referendum, School Finance, Take Action

by | February 3, 2009 · 9:44 am

School Finance Network Releases Funding Reform Proposals

sfn_logo_option_b

The School Finance Network (SFN), a coalition of nine organizations “committed to strengthening our system of public school funding,” will be presenting their plan to the public and the media today and Wednesday (2/3 and 2/4).  Their website is up.

Locally, there will be a press conference with Madison School Board Member Beth Moss and State Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts at today at 12:30 p.m., Glacier Edge Elementary School, Verona.

SFN has been at work on this for a long time.  They have produced a very good set of proposals.  Check it out, get involved, take action.

CAST is working with SFN coalition members and others to make sure that school funding is addressed in a positive way this legislative session.  Contact CAST: madisoncast@sbcglobal.net.

More here from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and an earlier statement from Rep. Pope-Roberts here.

Thomas J.  Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Best Practices, Budget, education, finance, Local News, Pope-Roberts/Breske Resolution, School Finance, Take Action

by | January 29, 2009 · 4:09 pm

Education in Doyle’s “State of the State” — The Road to Ruin

GOV Gov-6

I’m having some trouble understanding what Governor Jim Doyle meant to communicate about education and education finance in his State of the State speech.

There was at least one good thought on the topic, I’ll give him that:

A second grader is not going to be able to come back when the economy is better and pick up where she left off if we fail her today. An older person can not check out of a nursing home and come back in a few years. There are basic needs our state has always met, and just as our predecessors met them in the most difficult times, we have a responsibility to meet them today. yesterday.

But there was also a rephrasing of his new oxymoronic slogan:  “Staying even is the new increase.”  I wonder how that formulation would be scored on a WKCE Reading or Math test?

To make matters worse, after stating that schools are among his top priorities and mislabeling the effective cuts of stable dollar funding as an increase, he continued:

And I am not going to say education funding is off limits. But I will not allow cuts that ruin the quality of our classrooms (emphasis added).

This is the new standard — anything short of “ruin” is OK.  Talk about setting the bar low.  Remember when we used to talk about quality education for all.  I do.

Hell, I remember when Doyle did:

It means fixing our broken system of school funding, and making an ironclad guarantee to every Wisconsin child that this state will give you a good start in life a quality education that enables you to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.

Governor Jim Doyle, 2002 victory speech

It gets worse.

Doyle apparently still sees a need for school finance reform, but his prescriptions are out of whack, or maybe just whack.

We can change school funding in a way that encourages the hiring and retention of good teachers, provides for high standards and encourages efficiencies in our school districts. We can take these steps to make sure our kids get a great education.

The first sounds like “merit pay,” which means asking cash strapped school districts to spend more on (some) teachers.  Explaining how “high standards” will fix school funding is beyond me (and I would guess beyond Doyle to0).  This brings us to the vaunted efficiencies.

For 15 years Wisconsin districts have sought and found efficiencies in order to balance budgets under  broken system based on a structural gap between mandated costs and allowed revenues.  Any reader of AMPS should know that in most districts the vast majority of potential savings via efficiencies has been long exhausted and that for years the cuts have been harming, if not ruining “the quality of our classrooms.”

If you want further evidence, just look at the operating referenda scheduled for this Spring and what districts are asking for.

  • Bowler, Herman, Loyal, Medford, Reedsville , Siren and Waupun aren’t very specific, only asking something like Siren’s “sustaining operating expenses with which to maintain the current level of operations.“
  • Waupun also asks for funds  “for non-recurring purposes consisting of acquiring educational resources including textbooks and classroom support materials.”
  • Ripon also wants to fund “replacing textbooks” and in addition for “updating curriculum, updating technology, performing maintenance and replacing vehicles.”
  • Middleton-Cross Plains wants funds for “acquisition of instructional materials and instructional technology” and “operating expenses of a new elementary school.”
  • Salem’s ask is clear: “for non-recurring purposes which would prevent further cuts to student’s educational opportunities and prevent an increase in class sizes.”

Books, class size, technology, maintenance…As a state we should do everything in our power to make sure that these basic educational expenses are met.  We don’t.

Governor Doyle knows that and his two-faced “prioritizing” of education while doing nothing to fix a system he himself has called broken is leading us down the road to ruin.

While on the topic of leadership I want to add that the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Tony Evers both praised Doyle’s remarks on education.   I know all about catching more flies with honey than vinegar, but I think that in this case those who have spent too long in the royal court can no longer even tell when the emperor has no clothes.  Or maybe they can tell, but just won’t.

Thomas J. Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Accountability, Best Practices, Budget, education, Elections, finance, Local News, Referenda, referendum, School Finance

by | January 24, 2009 · 10:42 pm

Jim Doyle, a Governor for 1984?

doylefestivus

“Not getting cut is the new increase in this budget.”

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle speaking to the Wiscosnin Association of School Boards Convention.

1984, David Bowie (click to listen or download)

There were lots of rumors about Doyle seeking a position in the Obama administration.  Since that didn’t happen it appears that he is angling for a gig with the Ministry of Truth, who gave us such slogans as “War is Peace” and “Ignorance is Strength” in George Orwell’s 1984.

Thomas J. Mertz

Leave a comment

Filed under "education finance", Budget, education, Elections, finance, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, Quote of the Day, School Finance

by | January 23, 2009 · 11:04 am

Andy Hall, Moving On

2410935952_732ff04a9c

Andy Hall, long time education reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal is leaving the paper to start a nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Andy is a fine reporter and will be missed.

Andy writes clearly and always does his homework.  Part of the project at AMPS has been to improve understanding of education issues by addressing the failings of the media coverage; I don’t think we’ve ever seen a need to use one of Andy’s stories as an example of what’s wrong.

Beyond consistently excellent coverage of the Madison schools, he derserves special praise for his 2007 “Squeezing Schools” series, which has had a statewide impact by doing much to enhance comprehension of Wisconsin’s broken school finance system.

This is the kind of thing we need journalists to do more of.  A couple of quotes from Andy indicate that continuing this sort of work is the mission of his new undertaking.

“Mainstream journalism is in economic trouble, but the needs of our democracy are greater than ever,” said Andy Hall, executive director of the center and its sole initial employee.”

…”He said the mission is to protect the vulnerable, expose wrongdoing and seek solutions to pressing problems.”

We wish Andy and the Center the best!

Thomas J. Mertz

1 Comment

Filed under "education finance", education, finance, Gimme Some Truth, Local News, School Finance, Uncategorized