Poughkeepsie and Syracuse schools models for Buffalo what's the beef?

The State Ed folks suggested Buffalo School leaders look at Syracuse and Poughkeepsie schools as models for  good school reform plans. Poughkeepsie was awarded a multi-million dollar School Improvement Grant (SIG) through June 2014. Poughkeepsie High School is a persistently low-achieving school  because of its low graduation rate. They are implementing the Transformation Model, extending the school day by adding another instructional period from nine to ten, increasing professional development, a new staff evaluation system rewriting their curriculum and intervention for failing students.
They are not only enhancing the rigor of the academic program but bridging the gap between the home and school through parent workshops improving technology to train parents to monitor the academic progress and attendance of their children. And educational consultants hired to monitor and evaluate the progress of the reform. Interestingly, the unions both teachers and administrators were involved in the application process that resulted in obtaining the SIG.  After professional development provided staff deemed inadequate will be removed.
Syracuse City School District  focused on systemic wide reform incorporating the Say Yes to Education program and the Rapid Results structural entry process to improve academic achievement. The district didn't achieve AYP in graduation rate   with Latino students lowest 35% followed by African-Americans 49%.
Also, Dr. Sharon Contreras was appointed superintendent of the schools in Syracuse in March.  Dr. Contreras is  an African-American-Puerto Rican-Venezuelan graduate of the Broad Superintendents Class 2010 program.

Buffalo to look at Syracuse city school district and Poughkeepsie for good school plan models

A team of Buffalo Schools  central office administrators along with  principals and assistant principals traveled to  the  State Education Department Office of School Innovation for two days on Monday and Tuesday this week to learn  from a Harvard professor about the turnaround  school reform model commented Debbie Sykes, Associate Superintendent Teaching & Learning at the Board Student Achievement Committee meeting tonight. Mary Pasciak,  Buffalo News education blogger recorded the meeting and the comments of the board members in her live blog in the School Zone.
As usual the State Ed folks are looking for dramatic and comprehensive intervention with a quick rise in student achievement.  Sykes said that all 13 persistently lowest achieving schools (PLA) submitted  new annual performance plans had spent a couple of weeks reviewing the plans  and  had benchmark  where they are at setting targets. So they now have real targets they monitor during the year. 
The State Ed folks to do on-site monitoring visits next week to  Riverside and Burgard High School issuing a report a few weeks later. Sykes commented they are meeting with the seven PLA schools to get input from them on the model.  She said "will conduct a bidders webex." She said, "state has suggested we look at Syracuse and Poughkeepsie for what good plans look like, a variety of approaches, a portfolio." 
This has to be determined because they have to write the plans in November for January deadline. Interim Super Amber Dixon commented it's up to the board to choose the model after presented with the feedback from the schools.  The plans have to be into the State Ed by January 1 and they could approve them as early as this spring for 2012-13.  Dixon said, 

"We're under the gun for these seven. We have until January. We were specifically told by the commissioner if we don't have approved plan for Lafayette by January, he may close that school. Lafayette has had two plans rejected, and that's important to note."

Board President Lou Petrucci asked what is different now than last year about the turnaround model. Sykes responded more time to talk with the Buffalo Teachers Federation regarding the 50% what it would look like---shifting teachers around again.  Dixon commented they have started discussion with Phil Rumore , BTF President about all the models, including looking at the turnaround model through a different lens. At October 12 meeting Sykes bringing copies of the Syracuse and Poughkeepsie models for board members to review.

A "distinguished educator" during Buffalo School superintendent search process confusing folks a bit

The "distinguished educator" is coming to Buffalo Schools as an advisor to interim Super Amber M. Dixon even gets to sit as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Buffalo Board of Education, Buffalo News education blogger Mary Pasciak wrote on Wednesday.  State Education Commissioner John King, Jr. has the power to appoint one for a year with possibly another extension. The state is suppose to appoint 10 of these consultants in schools across New York with the districts picking up the tab.
Interestingly, not only is the district obligated to cooperate fully with this consultant but, 

"Upon receipt of any recommendations from the distinguished educator for modification of a district improvement plan and/or any corrective action, restructuring, or comprehensive plan, the board of education, trustees, or chancellor shall either modify the plans accordingly or provide a written explanation to the Commissioner of its reasons for not adopting such recommendations. The Commissioner shall direct the district to modify the plans as recommended by the distinguished educator unless the Commissioner finds that the written explanation provided by the district has compelling merit."

And besides the commissioner establishing the consulting fee for those appointed to a school district as opposed to a school, the fee is increased "by an additional 10 percent."
But there was some uncertainty and confusion among School Board members at their meeting Wednesday evening about the role of the "distinguished educator" appointed to the district in tandem with the superintendent search. So it was suggested the board contact the state education commissioner and ask what is the role of this consultant.
It would seem the best place for this person to work is out of the district turnaround office rather an advisor to the superintendent in the Buffalo Schools especially during the superintendent search process.
Some in Buffalo wonder if there is too much intrusion from the State Ed folks in the Buffalo Schools for the small amount of money it was awarded  through the Race to the Top funds.

Interim super Amber Dixon chucked the old boy doctor system in the district

Mary Pasciak education blogger for the Buffalo News reported  that interim Super Amber Dixon of the Buffalo Schools headed out of town this week to attend a superintendents pow wow in Saratoga Springs....sure enough she bucked the old-boy network system in the district, the ordained doctors....you know...Dr. so and so and Dr. so and so.
So who did she leave in charge of the Buffalo Schools, while  she went out of town this week? Barbara J. Smith, the chief financial officer.  The CFO's of Buffalo Schools have wielded too much power some say since former Gary M. Crosby who held the titles of both chief financial officer and chief operations officer of the district. Crosby had little formal training in education. Hey, boys the girls can do it just give them a chance, right girls?

Want to eat at the school board buffet, at a school meeting or travel to your favorite conference? interim superintendent Amber Dixon cutting costs

Amber Dixon, the new interim superintendent is  keeping a tight rein on travel to conferences, meals at staff meetings and central office administrators treating themselves to the buffet served to School Board members at Wednesday night meetings Buffalo News education blogger Mary Pasciak reported on Sunday.
Yet, some folks wonder if it's up to the superintendent of schools or the prerogative of the individual School Board members to decide who eats at the buffet. Amber Dixon, interim Superintendent of Buffalo Schools disapproves of the practice of central office administrators partaking in the feast in between the meetings on Wednesdays. So she said, “I’m asking staff not to eat in the boardroom on meeting nights.”
"Taxpayers spend $200 to $300 in a typical week for the meal itself, plus about $100 a week more in drinks and snacks for the boardroom..." wrote the Buffalo News.
And  Dixon is curtailing the conferences and out of town travel  of administrators and staff that had increased during the tenure of  previous Superintendent James A. Williams.  For example the Buffalo News cited that last year in June the former Deputy Superintendent Oladele Folasade and entourage rake up a bill of over $15,000 to attend leadership training at Harvard University, while previously this year in January about 24 administrators and other district staff flew to a conference in San Antonio Texas that cost over $11,000 just for the flight alone.

Buffalo public schools moving to automated lottery and registration process in 2012

Buffalo Public Schools moving to install a computerized electronic paperless automated lottery and registration process different from the tedious manual paper application families currently submit. The new automated system would allow parents with  web access to register at any remote computer whether in the home, library, or elsewhere in English or Spanish as  well as to see if a grade at a particular school is a choice at a specific time. The new automated process allows the district to have real-time accounting of seat availability in each school and grade,  something it currently does not have. The system is a hosted one that would run the lottery as well for the district. Plans are underway to make room to provide computers at School #12 for parents to use in the new automated electonic lottery and registration process.  And those parents helping students to select high schools use the automated system including any attachments requested in the registration and lottery process.The system is expected to start after January 2012.
For the entire discussion on this issue see the Live blog of School Board Committee, September 12, at 5 PM with Mary Pasciak.
I did run into Mary over the weekend with her 5 year old school age son.  When I asked him where he attended school, Pasciak interjected "off limits" question. So we just talked about many other things except where her son goes to school.

New superintendent Amber M. Dixon challenges ahead

Amber M. Dixon, former executive director for evaluation, accountability and project initiatives stepped into her new role as interim superintendent of the Buffalo Schools.
She earned $109, 000 in her old post now  $179,000 as interim superintendent $45,000 less than predecessor James A. Williams  $220,000 salary. Her contract has no set end date just 30 days notice when either she or the district terminates it.
With the exception of two board members who didn't vote for Dixon for interim,  at large Florence Johnson and new East Ferry Rep. Sharon Belton Cottman, she has the support of the other members and there is a likelihood if she does well she'll be a strong candidate for superintendent of the Buffalo Schools when she applies for the post if she is interested.
Dixon more than Williams spent ten years working as a math teacher unlike Williams who had a business degree, pupil personnel background and limited experience as a classroom teacher mostly as a substitute. If she is able to negotiate the outstanding contracts in the district from teachers to administrators while she is an interim superintendent undoubtedly she'll be a leading contender for the post as the Buffalo Board of Education already embarked on the process to search for a permanent superintendent for the Buffalo Schools.
Some of her greatest challenges ahead:

• negotiating the expired union contracts, 
• fortifying a relationship with Albany bureaucrats in the state education department to obtain Race to the Top funding for the persistently lowest achieving schools, 
• trimming the exempt employees among the Central Office staff many of them her former colleagues, 
• establishing relationships with the unions,  
• developing a relationship with the school board that doesn't pit one against the other,  
• establishing a new administrator selection process that is fair to the candidates interviewing for leadership positions in the districts, 
• appointing a diverse leadership team at the school building level including administrators from the English Language Learner student population,
• appointing a diverse  superintendent advisory cabinet representative of the school and community, 
• recreating the Attendance Department and appointing a director of attendance with similar rank as a principal of a school to ensure attendance policies followed and implemented district-wide, 
• revisiting the social promotion policy and its impact on overage students in the elementary schools
• developing a rapport with the community especially parents.

Massive exodus of Indiana public school children in voucher program

Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett called the massive exodus  of public school students in Indiana's schools to private ones receiving vouchers as "off to a great start" this week in what he described as:

"...the biggest first year school choice program in the history of the U.S., with 3,685 students receiving vouchers to leave public schools in favor of private schools."

The Indiana State Teachers Association challenged the legality of the voucher program, as well as, the controversial evaluation system grading schools same as students from A to F.

No child on earth should ever have to sleep... hungry or die hungry

In an opinion article as he "Remembered a Hungry  Childhood" Peter Kimeu wrote,  "Hunger is an unforgivable disease because it is the easiest one to cure. Hunger is dehumanizing. It is a traumatizing situation as a young child to be without food. It is incumbent on all of us to band together and fight this very curable disease. No child on earth should ever have to sleep like that."

Third World country famine unacceptable as the "First World" profits from it through the predatory lending policies of the International Monetary Fund.

Superintendent James Williams buyout mentioned in outgoing superintendent of Philadephia of school story

Arlene C. Ackerman, Ed Week credit

The buyout of Superintendent of Philadelphia Schools, Arlene C. Ackerman,  on August 22 made  headline news across the nation. Education Week published a story on August 26 even mentioned the buyout of Superintendent James A. Williams. Although Ackerman settlement with the district included

"... a lump-sum buyout of $905,000 with health, dental, vision, and prescription-drug benefits through June 2013, as well as up to $6,000 toward a $500,000 life-insurance policy through June 2013."

Williams, Buffalo Superintendent of Schools got a better deal less money, (a mere $110,000, including $8,000 vacation days, and a $10,000 consulting fee) but received life's-time health care benefits while Ackerman's only runs through June 2013.
Ackerman operated a public relations team paid through district funds to promote and protect her image  at the tune of $440,000.
Interestingly, Arlene Ackerman was a board member of the Broad foundation and she vigoursly defended charter schools. So Ackerman is another  "broad" Foundation ally gone awry  ousted from an urban school district.

Assistant superintendent Buffalo schools continues on paid leave escorted out office last week

Deborah Buckley an assistant superintendent in the Buffalo Board of Education grants department in City Hall was escorted from her office last week put on an administrative leave, a move warranted by the outgoing Superintendent James A. Williams, the Buffalo News disclosed yesterday.

The Buffalo school board met several times since the incident happened though some frustrated about the pace it's taken to resolved the matter according to West District member Ralph Hernandez  interviewed after the latest board committee meeting yesterday and  a decision  left  for  next week's board meeting.

And there are questions of asking an outside auditor to review the grants department. Interestingly, the matter can not be sent to the board's ethic commission because the term of six of its members expired that records showed the Buffalo News disclosed.

The Wisconsin teacher brain drain

Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature in Wisconsin passed a law that took effect on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, that caused a major brain drain of veteran teachers from public schools across Wisconsin. The Associated Press obtained documents, showing twice the number of public school teachers jumped ship in the first half of 2011 than in the two preceding years. What has been called a mass exodus is a brain drain of veteran teachers, happening when the federal government under President Barack Obama introduced school reform measures requiring highly qualified teachers in school districts across the nation.
A teacher in Green Bay, retiring after 24 years said:

"You can't get experience through a book, you've got to teach," she said. "I think a lot of talent has been lost."

 While, a superintendent of schools in Beloit said:

"It's a significant loss to our system, it's a significant loss to education...We lost a whole bunch of talent and a whole bunch of talent all at the same time. It disrupted the normal cycle."

And already some boards of education around Wisconsin took  punitive measures certainly to continue the teacher hemorrhage from the schools.
In Walker's union  busting bill:

The law takes away the right of teachers and other public workers to collectively bargain over anything except salary increases no greater than the rate of inflation. It also disallows the automatic withdrawal of union dues from workers' pay checks and requires unions to vote annually on staying organized, making it tougher for public sector unions to stay viable.

The Wisconsin teacher brain drain

Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature in Wisconsin passed a law that took effect on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, that caused a major brain drain of veteran teachers from public schools across Wisconsin. The Associated Press obtained documents, showing twice the number of public school teachers jumped ship in the first half of 2011 than in the two preceding years. What has been called a mass exodus is a brain drain of veteran teachers, happening during a time when the federal government under President Barack Obama introduced school reform measures requiring highly qualified teachers in school districts across the nation.
A teacher in Green Bay, retiring after 24 years said:

"You can't get experience through a book, you've got to teach," she said. "I think a lot of talent has been lost."

 While, a superintendent of schools in Beloit said:

"It's a significant loss to our system, it's a significant loss to education...We lost a whole bunch of talent and a whole bunch of talent all at the same time. It disrupted the normal cycle."

And already some boards of education around Wisconsin took  punitive measures certainly to continue the teacher hemorrhage from the schools.
In Walker's union  busting bill:

The law takes away the right of teachers and other public workers to collectively bargain over anything except salary increases no greater than the rate of inflation. It also disallows the automatic withdrawal of union dues from workers' pay checks and requires unions to vote annually on staying organized, making it tougher for public sector unions to stay viable.

Questions arise about control of schools in promise neighborhood project

There is still some confusion about control issues surrounding the Buffalo Schools in the federal Buffalo Promise Neighborhood grant under the Westminster Foundation.
The President of the Buffalo Federation of Teachers, Phil Rumore resigned from the Westminster Foundation board recently.
Buffalo News reporter Mary Pasciak wrote because foundation wanted the district to commit too much of its  funds and cede control of the schools under the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood project.  The two schools are Highgate Heights Elementary School and Bennett High School essentially, adopting a model similar to Westminster  Community Charter School.
Eleven years ago in 1993, M&T Bank started a partnership with Buffalo Public School #68.  One year later in 1994, Dr. Yvonne Minor-Ragan was recruited and appointed principal, the named changed to  Westminster Community School in 1995, and ten years later in 2004, it was converted to the Westminster Community Charter School .  In its charter school phase the Buffalo Board of Education had to deposit the school funds into  M&T Bank responsible for operating the school including staffing it. And  its charter was renewed for another five years in 2009.
The plan is to open an early childhood center on Bailey Avenue and Amherst Street to serve as a feeder school into the Westminster Community Charter School,  Highgate Heights and Bennett High School that Yvonne Minor-Ragan called a pipeline. She said, "Our goal is to take them through this pipeline and have them go on to college and careers."
There are about 12,000 residents in the 14215 area expected to bring in another 14,000 from adjacent communities to include in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood project. Buffalo applied and obtained a planning grant that only 21 communities out of 339 received across the nation.
There is confusion regarding if Highgate Heights and Bennett High School  don't meet Adequate Yearly Progress AYP that Westminster Charter can availed itself of remedial options that caused Rosalynd Taylor, the Board of Ed East District Rep to ask she hopes its in consultation with the district. Also, West District Board Rep. Ralph Hernandez asked a question re the budget saying, "getting back to the issue of the budget. Is it safe to assume when we're talking about your budget (it) will exist within our budget. Once we pass a budget, your budget is approved, right?" Then,  David Chamberlain from the Westminster Foundation responded, "That's correct." 
Chamberlain added that part of the Promise Neighborhood funds extend beyond the schools so,

"All we're requesting is what you currently fund those two schools at and what you would fund similar schools." It appears the  partnership is  with the Superintendent of the Buffalo Schools not the Buffalo Board of Education, Chamberlain responded they structured the project that way. If $4 million to $6 million allocated to the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood project with M&T Bank fully matching the grant, including raising another $9 million privately as it stated through Chamberlain, the bank becomes a key player in the project. The Buffalo Board of Education has to grapple with the issue of  funding the budget for and control of these schools in the Buffalo Promise Neighborhood project.

Teacher rescind, recall and Promise Neighborhood grant updates

As per Barbara Smith, Chief Financial officer of the Buffalo Schools at the Buffalo Board of Education meeting today, Friday, September 2, there were 14 teachers and 12 aides reinstated Mary Pasciak wrote in her School Zone Blog for the Buffalo News live chat.
The money to reinstate these laid-off employees came from the $1.2 contingency funds the board had allocated previously that included $505,000 to reinstate the laid-off attendance teachers.  The classroom teachers were reinstated in their tenure areas even if they were laid-off literacy coaches.  They get placed on the seniority list in their tenure area as they are reinstated.
Interesting to know some of the literacy coaches were hired first in this area and have no tenure area to fall back to. And teachers who were given a 30-day laid-off notice effective on September 30th, they come back to work in September and laid off again though Eileen Fleming, Executive Director of Human Resources said that could change. The latest figure is 51 teachers and 80 aides being laid off but again Fleming said that could change too if enrollment, teachers going on unemployment compensation, etc.. then a recall happens.
West District Board Member Ralph Hernandez commented the Superintendent Williams said there was a 500  enrollment deficit while he reported a 300 to 400 English Language Learner enrollment increase, so is it a zero-sum game he asked.
Kapsiak, from Central District mentioned her concerned about the probationary teachers who have not gotten laid-off notices yet. She said one enter her classroom and there was another teacher sitting in her classroom. Fleming  said that has something to do with placement while another central office administrator commented there's lots of movement of teachers going on now and they are working on this issue all week.
A teacher commented she has been reinstated but not placed yet wonders what is going to happen to her. And Pasciak responded in the live chat Kapsiak Central District board member investigating this point. Licata, at-large board member brought up the issue of 16 reading teachers laid off,  Fleming responded the numbers he has are the most recent.
Taylor from East District mentioned concerned about the large kindergarten classes numbering 33 in a classroom at one school. Taylor advised the schools fully staffed by the opening of school with certainty by high level central office administrator.
Board President Lou Petrucci sounded frustrated at the number of call he received from community members who wanted a specific teacher replaced, but it's done through seniority. At the same time he mentioned the public has the perception the criterion based schools--those requiring testing to get in get more resources and he looked into it and said it's not true in fact they were sometimes the lowest funded per capita and schools funded based on highest need, he said. But one wonders if City Honors a criterion based school gets less resources.
Promise Neighborhood discussion:
Buffalo one of 21 groups to get a planning grant out of 339 applicants nation-wide to implement the Promised Neighborhood concept zone. The application has to be out to the Feds by September 6, 2011.The Fed  to grant four to five grants of $4 million to $5 million each one for five year period. Pasciak commented it's a concept similar to the Harlem Children's zone where wraparound services are provided to children from birth to college age. Medical services offered and housing improved in the zone areas.
A David Chamberlain from the Westminster Foundation talked about the Memorandum of Understanding, the MOU and a community needs assessment.  Buffalo Schools received a $500,000 federal grant and M&T  Bank contributed $150,000  and Oishei Foundation $100,000 matching it, while M&T raising another $9 Million privately.
Chamberlain said  the goal is at least 60% of seats in the Promise Neighborhood School Zone reserved for the children in the zone area zip code 14215. Chamberlain mentioned the partnership is with the Superintendent of Buffalo Schools, so the program structured that way for the schools in the Promised Neighborhood Zone that is Highgate Heights and Bennett High School. Westminster Charter School M & T Bank has  operated since 2005.