The Joint Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on school funding issues Tuesday, May 15. Now is the time to email or call. Talking points here; email addresses here; contact info here. Much more under School Finance and Take Action.
Thomas J. Mertz
Filed under AMPS, School Finance, Take Action
Many of you have been following the budget debate here in Madison over the last two months. Sadly, this is not the first time that MMSD has had to cut the budget, however, it is the most dire, as cuts have come to directly effect schools and their neighborhoods. Parents and community members have spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours lobbying the board to save their school or program. Districts across the state are engaging in similar difficult conversations.
While people are quick to show up at school board meetings when budget cuts are being considered, the public officials most able to address the problem are rarely approached. The revenue for school budgets comes from a combination of local and state taxes. However, school boards have no authority to directly determine the level of local spending. Local districts can only raise additional dollars through the passage of an operating levy, which historically in Wisconsin have a 50/50 chance of passing. The legislature and the governor determine the design of the funding system as well as the level of state contribution. They make the rules of the game and control the majority of the purse strings. Rather than organizing to lobby the school board who can only pick among a collection of unpopular options, citizens need to work at the state level and encourage the legislature and the governor to reform the funding system.
There is growing support around the state to fix the funding system. However, nothing will get done until the legislature feels pressure from its constituents. There are a number of relatively easy actions that can be taken to urge the legislature to solve this problem.
Get educated. While the intricacies of the funding system are mind-boggling, it is not difficult to grasp the concepts behind the system. There are many ways to learn about this problem so that you can speak confidently about the issue. Two easy first steps are listed here.
· Connect with others in Madison who are concerned about this problem. abcmadison is a local group that has formed to address this issue. You can join the group by going to yahoo.com and searching for abcmadison. Fill in the information to get on the e-mail list. Plan to attend the next meeting which is scheduled for May 16th, 6:30 in Room 103 of the Doyle Building.
· Visit the MMSD website, http://www.madison. k12.wi.us/. Click on, “Take Action on School Funding,” under Hot Topics. Among other things, you will find information on legislative issues, links to recent newspaper articles about school funding, and how to write a letter to your legislator.
Talk to your legislators and the governor. The legislators who represent Madison support education finance reform. Let them know that you appreciate this support, but are interested in knowing what they are doing to take a leadership role in reforming the finance system. Furthermore, Governor Doyle has not taken a leadership role to solve this problem. He needs to understand that the people of the state of Wisconsin support public education and want to see the problem fixed and that we expect him to do something about it.
Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors. The problem can only be solved if a grassroots effort across the state develops and pressures the legislature and the governor to act. Public schools are a public good, and we all enjoy the benefits of a strong public education system. While it is obvious that parents and students have something at stake, others in the community need to realize that they too are affected by the quality of public education in the community. Talk to others you know, especially people who live in other parts of the state, and ask them to get involved in their community. Furthermore, reform will only happen when citizens from across the state pressure the legislature. Madison cannot do it alone.
Reforming the funding system is no easy task. It requires a long-term, sustained effort to focus the governor and the legislature to address the problem. The more people express their concerns the better the chances of success. Please take a few moments out of your busy schedule to learn more about how the state is impacting the quality of education in Madison and other communities around the state.
Deb Gurke is a citizen representative of the Madison Metropolitan School District Communication Committee. You can reach her at 608-238-2350 or dgurke@wisc. edu.
Filed under AMPS, Budget, Local News, School Finance, Take Action
Most of the “We Are Not Alone” series offers glimpses of how other districts are suffering. I’m happy today to post an entry that focuses on positive action for improvement in New Glarus. It isn’t much, but these days any signs of hope are good.
Some highlights (full story):
NEW GLARUS — A new name and a focused purpose were the results of the meeting of the Citizen’s Action Committee in New Glarus Wednesday night.
After discussion that covered a variety of topics related to the failed school referendums, the committee set a short-term goal as one step on the path toward its long-term goal: a strong future for New Glarus schools.
To that end, the committee has renamed itself the Concerned Citizens for a Strong School. The committee will remain a group of citizens, rather than being appointed by, and thereby connected to, the school board.
Bright also said the board is considering holding a referendum in the fall for money that will cover the operations of the schools for the 2007-08 school year.
According to John Johnson, director of educational informational services for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, state statutes allow districts to pass a referendum to exceed revenue caps by Nov. 6 and still have them apply to the current school year.
Bright said the school board made a policy change at its last meeting which will allow the public to more easily voice its opinion at board meetings.
“They (the school board) are going to discuss ways to make themselves more accessible to the community so people have the opportunity to (be heard),” he said.
Thomas J. Mertz
Filed under AMPS, Local News, Referenda, School Finance, Take Action, We Are Not Alone
“Be Thankful for What You’ve Got” (listen) by William DeVaughn
There are many, many things about the process and the results of the April 30, 2007 MMSD Board of Education budget meeting that I am not happy about. From my emails this morning I know that I am not alone. I intend to write about some of these in near future. This evening I want put down a few words on things I am thankful for (in no order).
§ Lindbergh will remain open
This is a school that has achieved much, despite a high “at risk” population and inadequate facilities. I am glad that a majority of the Board recognized how fragile these accomplishments are and decided that the best chance of sustaining them would be by keeping the school open.
§ The alternative programs will no longer be paying rent; Space owned by the district will be used more fully.
I don’t think consolidation was the only way to make this happen, but it is hard to deny that this is a good thing. The consensus I’m hearing is that it is a good space for these programs and the potential benefits of having them together outweigh the potential problems. We shall see.
§ For the most part, the Board members were conscientious and respectful.
That “for the most part” is one of the things I’ll probably write about later. For now, I think that the preparation displayed in many of the questions the Board members asked, the obvious concern for their understanding of what was best for the students and the district, and the respect they (mostly) showed each other and administrative staff should be noted with pride.
§ Board members used the Strategic Plan and the work of the Equity Task Force to guide their decisions.
That is what they are there for and they are good. Read them, you will find it rewarding. Some might be upset that these were employed to further conflicting positions, but I’m OK with that. The point isn’t that these documents make the right decision easy or obvious. Their function is to identify the kinds of things people associated with the district should be thinking about and to give them some guidance on how to think about them. I know the Equity Task Force didn’t think there were any easy answers.
§ For the most part the administrative staff was thorough and professional.
There are some places where I think the information and analyses volunteered and given in response to queries were lacking, but overall the knowledge and talents of the staff were very impressive. I also think their dedication to our children and our community was on display.
§ Some locally funded class size reductions will remain in place.
The benefits of reduced class sizes in the early grades are as well established as almost any educational practice. Preserving a portion of this in lower poverty schools is particularly important because all our schools have children who are poor or are “at risk” for one or more reasons. Low poverty schools get less help from both the federal government and the state (and to declining degree from the district). A poor child in a “rich” school does not have it easy and this will help. Additionally, this should help bolster the faith of middle class families in our schools.
§ There is a growing realization that the primary sources of MMSD’s budget problems are at the state and federal level.
Almost all the Board members and staff described almost all the cuts, fee increases or means of saving as difficult or seeking to do the least harm. This can only help energize the growing activism for reform in Madison and around the state. Lots of local action, please join us, join the ABC Madison list and watch this space for more opportunities.
§ The deeply offensive and patently absurd tactic of painting those who point to state and federal policies as the primary sources of our budget problems as somehow unwilling or unable to govern and budget responsibly is waning.
Ruth Robarts departure has something to do with this, but last night’s budget meeting (like many before) is evidence of the speciousness of this slander. Good riddance.
§ A referendum on the ballot in February of 2008 seems certain.
As long as we have to function under the current state finance system, referenda are the only tools we have to meet the needs and expectations of our community. Madison is a high needs district with high expectations for our schools. Due to this combination we are and will be a “high spending” district. I think we should be proud of this, that we as a community have made education a priority. A referendum will give the electorate a chance to provide the funds to meet these needs and expectations and reaffirm our commitment to education. We are going to need lots of help to make this happen. I’ll be posting updates here.
§ Almost all the good things about our district will continue.
I’ve been thinking about posting something longer on an essay by the educational historian David Tyack called the “A Conservationist Ethic in Education Reform.” Tyack’s point is that in search of the new and better, reformers often lose track of the need to preserve what is good and working. Tyack has certainly informed my unwillingness to embrace “innovation for the sake of innovation.” At this time I also think it serves as a reminder that despite the losses many in our community are feeling, there is much good that remains in place.
I’m sure there is more we should be thankful for (please add your thoughts to the comments). As I said at the top, I’m not at all happy with many of the things that happened, but I’m trying to temper my anger and disappointment and looking for things to be thankful for seemed like a good way to start.
Thomas J. Mertz
Filed under AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, Equity, Local News, Referenda, School Finance, Take Action
Citizens gathered to lobby their representatives for school funding reform on April 25th at the Capital.
Robert Godfrey
Filed under AMPS, School Finance, Take Action
A couple of local actions in the works, mostly on the consolidation plans.
Thomas J. Mertz
1. Kennedy Heights Community Center with the support of many other individuals and groups is organizing a walk from Kennedy Heights Community Center to Gompers Elementary School to raise awareness about the potential closings of Lindbergh Elementary School and Black Hawk middle school. Neighborhood Schools are a community resource for the children and families in Kennedy Heights and the northside; closing the schools would negatively impact our neighborhood, our community center, and the families that live here. Please come and walk with us to keep northside schools open.
The walk will start at the Kennedy Heights Community Center at 4:00 PM on Monday April 23rd – we will walk together from Kennedy Heights to Gompers Elementary school about 1.3 miles. At Gompers their will be a brief discussion and Popsicles for kids. All are welcome please distribute widely.
PS I know that school board members have a meeting at 5:00 PM, but I hope you can join us
for the beginning of our walk.
2. Join a grassoots rally: “An Hour For Marquette” – On Friday, April 27, from 1:30 – 2:30 come to Marquette and pull your Marquette student from class to protest the proposed consolidation (All concerned parents, students, and other community members are welcome to join in). We will rally at the school. Bring a sign that expresses your feeling about Marquette. We will be working to get press coverage and a visit from the Mayor. If you are interested in attending the rally e-mail Dea Larsen Converse at dealarsen@yahoo.com or Maria Moreno at mcmoreno@tds.net so we can give a head count to the papers.
(Note that this is not a PTG sponsored event)
It’s not over yet! Let’s keep the pressure on!
Filed under AMPS, Budget, Local News, Take Action
Lots of grassroots action on school funding issues happening locally. One I particularly like is from my son’s Language Arts and Life Skills teacher, Jon Hawkins. Jon has set up two letter writing workshops to help “anyone who is involved in the lives of our children and concerned about the future of their education…[to] speak out” more effectively. The workshops will be held at JC Wright Middle School Thursday April 26th (6:00 to 7:30 PM) and Saturday April 28th (12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM). More details here, including an offer to try to secure childcare and translation services.
My understanding is that students are encouraged to attend and write letters. Those of us who were at the Sondy Pope Roberts press conference know how effective the voices of students can be.
I don’t know if this is officially part of the “social action” component of the Wright charter, but I do think it is appropiate that a Language Arts and Life Skills teacher help others use language to participate in the legislative process. This is civic education of the best sort.
Thomas J. Mertz
Filed under AMPS, Best Practices, Budget, Local News, School Finance, Take Action
The Board meeting on the evening of Wednesday, April 25 will be at 6:30pm at Wright Middle School. The purpose of the meeting is to outline a long-term advocacy strategy, empower community members to move this forward, discuss best ways of communicating. This will be an interactive meeting with the community. The agenda is below:
1. Update of legislative activities since the March 29 meeting (come and share any info you have on your advocacy efforts and responses from legislators or other community members)
2. Planning for long-term legislative advocacy to change the revenue limit law for K-12 public schools (break into small groups to talk about different strategies and prioritize our top issues)
3. Identification of people who would continue to lead the process of advocating to change the revenue limit law (does anyone ant to take a role in leading the different strategies we outline)
4. Next steps and action items
WHAT YOU CAN DO BEFORE THE MEETING?
In your advocacy efforts, if you have encountered questions that you could not answer, please let us know in advance of the meeting. We will prepare answers to these questions if possible.
If there is information you need to better advocate, please let us know. If it is something we should prepare in advance of the meeting, please let us know ASAP.
Start thinking about advocacy strategies that you can share at the meeting.
If you have any information you want to share with the group beforehand, please do so.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Thanks to all who attended the Sondy Pope-Roberts press conference on Thursday. MMSD had a great turn-out!!!! People are starting to listen.
VISIT THE CAPITOL on APRIL 25th
The Lowell parent group is organizing a trip to the capitol on April 25th at 3:30pm. Visit legislators and show support. If you need more information, please contact Lynn at 242-9355, Jill at 249-4377 or email Jack @ mjtrudell@charter.net
Thanks.
Arlene Silveira
Filed under AMPS, Pope-Roberts/Breske Resolution, School Finance, Take Action
The Wisconsin Assembly has referred the Pope-Roberts resolution to reform public school finance by July 2009 to the “Education Reform” committee, chaired by Rep. Don Pridemore of Hartford in Washington County.
People should be contacting Rep. Pridemore (267-2367, Rep.Pridemore@legis.wisconsin.gov) to push for a Legislative hearing on school finance reform.
People in Pridmore’s district ESPECIALLY need to be contacting him.
Here’s a map of his district.
If any of you have contact to the Waukesha parents yesterday or know of people in Rep. Pridemore’s district, please pass on his phone number to them and have them call his office. This is the time to exert some pressure to push for a hearing on school finance. A hearing is a way to push the issue to the top of the pile of issues the Legislature must address.
Beth Swedeen
Filed under AMPS, Local News, Pope-Roberts/Breske Resolution, School Finance, Take Action
The Assembly Parlor was PACKED today for Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts’ press conference calling on the Legislature to reform school finance by July 2009. Speakers came from the Florence School District up north, Waukesha, Madison and Milwaukee. Madison West Senior Jacinth Sohi did a FABULOUS job putting a human face on what the budget cuts have meant to Madison students. Great job, Jacinth and the Madison Student Council! (Look at the picture in today’s Cap Times to see how our students created a visual image of school funding problems).
So, next steps??
— Contact the two legislative chairs of education and ASK FOR A HEARING ON SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM. (Brett Davis in the Assembly Rep.Davis@legis.wisconsin.gov or 266-1192; John Lehman in the Senate at Sen.Lehman@legis.wisconsin.gov or 266-1832. This can get the ball rolling on encouraging the Legislature to put something concrete into action to reform school finance.
— Contact every member of the Joint Committee on Finance to ask them for increased funding this year for Categorical Aids (special education: $45 million this year; $55 million this year to put the state more in line with its two-thirds commitment to districts to fund special education) and renewed commitment to SAGE Funding in line with the Governor’s recommendations. Joint Finance contact info here and email contacts here.
— Write your letters to the editor:
wsjopine@madison.com
tctvoice@madison.com
edit@isthmus.com
— Attend the April 25 6:30 meeting of the MMSD Legislative Action Group (location to be determined) Contact Ken Syke at MMSD for more info at ksyke@madison.k12.wi.us or Arlene Silveira at
— Meet with Lowell School Parents at 3:30 iApril 25 n the Capitol Rotunda to visit Sen. Mark Miller (joint Finance) and Lowell parent Rep. Joe Parisi. If other parents meet, they can probably split up and visit other key legislators as well. For more info, contact Lynn at 242-9355, Jill at 249-4377 or Jack at mjtrudell@charter.net Find out who your legislators are by going here.
More info on the MMSD website, including sample letters and all Joint Finance contact info.
And for specifics on school finance reform, read “Death by a Thousand Cuts” at the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools site.
Thanks!!
Beth Swedeen
Filed under AMPS, Pope-Roberts/Breske Resolution, School Finance, Take Action
Fund a Classroom Project in Madison
AMPS 