Work has been crazy of late, so I am running a bit behind on my blogs. However this one is worth discussing. Historically 281 Exposed has been a bit controversial, in my opinion they have been improving their content and tone. And this post marks a great turning point, they discuss some excellent ideas.
281 Exposed A Way Forward
They seem pretty rational and business like to me:
- We can’t spend more than we have
- Get out of defined pensions
- This is a tough one, but perhaps we need to consider making some cuts permanent.
- Negotiate Merit Pay
- Get rid of steps but not lanes
- Shorter referendums
- End tenure
- Simplify the formula
- Level the playing field and end some mandates
- Get rid of some school districts
- Competition
- Federal Funding
On an unrelated topic, I owed folks a list of some key things I would change in order to improve public education. Here they are:
- Ensure Teacher's are evaluated based on subjective (ie Principal, Peer & Parent/Student feedback) and objective (typical student academic improvement during the year as compared to other similar classes with similar demographics/challenges) criteria. Then set their compensation and responsibilities accordingly. No steps or lanes, since advanced degrees and experience hold no value if they do not improve capability and performance.
- Discontinue tenure and provide serious Employee Opinion Survey and Upward Feedback systems. Actively use these to address the employee's concerns and improve their engagement. Bad managers, peers, systems, processes, etc must be removed or improved if the employees are to be highly motivated and highly energetic. (ie one questionable Mgr can stifle a whole school) The Mgr must value and compensate the best Teachers, not just try to meet the budget. Besides who needs tenure, that's why we have age discrimination laws...
- Me and 281E part ways here. Create ~20 std national curriculums that work for different situations (ie economics, population, culture, etc) and get rid of at least 50% of the districts. We live in one country, let's get some common education and economies of scale going on. We do not need 360+ different districts, boards and admins creating unique curriculum in Minnesota alone... Give me a break
- Schools need to embrace competition instead of fearing it. The motivation, energy and creativity it can create within your organizations can be incredible. Besides the "burning platform" may help you sell required changes to the status quo folks. And the community's kids can only gain from adults who are working harder to improve and teach them. (ie instead of resting on their laurels)
Thoughts?
8 comments:
Both you and 281 exposed have good ideas but I disagree that we need to create "national curriculums." The last thing I want to see is our central planners in Washington and St. Paul create more requirements and mandates. They can create the standards and parameters but leave the flexibility and the details to the locals. Maybe that's more or less what you mean.
I'm also intrigued by the issue of more competition. However, I'm curious to know what your definition of competition is? Is choosing between Forest and Meadow Lake competition? Is choosing between Osseo and Robbinsdale competition?
Let me reverse this first... What benefit do you see in 360+ school districts in Minnesota researching, quoting, choosing, buying and implementing their own text books, teaching materials, etc?
Then multiply that by 50... What is the benefit of 18,000 school districts doing this activity? Creativity is good... But do we really want 36,000+ school employees working on the same challenge for similar kids ???
I'd rather have another ~36,000 teachers in the classroom teaching the std curriculum in a personalized manner...
The upside of the current state is that it does provide a lot of jobs in the educational curriculum business segment of the economy...
Though intradistrict and interdistrict competition is good, I think we probably need some significant non-union competition to drive significant changes. The union contracts and public school districts seem too similar to drive any real "burning platform" that will promote change.
When the big three automakers ruled the American auto market, nothing changed because they were the status quo. Only when something significantly different, less expensive and better was available did the big three take change seriously... Where would our cars be if the Honda and Toyota were not allowed to compete in America??? (ie expensive, unreliable, fewer features, etc)
By the way, RAS keeping Beacon out of the vacant district buildings just meant that only the middle class and above could afford that choice... They are the only ones who could get their kids to the school. Same for the interdistrict and intradistrict, the trapped stay stuck and the better off move. Maybe we need another charter in the Lakeview building...
Sorry for the slow reply... I am travelling for business... Good night from beautiful Illinois...
I don't have a problem with teachers picking their own textbooks, whichever best fits their style. I suppose there must be an overall budget limit, and I would have the principal approve. Nationalize it and politics is sure to enter, e.g. creationism in Texas.
All public pensions should be converted to 401k or equivalents. The only variation I would make is for "combat pay" situations, primarily the police, to accelerate toward an earlier retirement.
All public pensions should be converted to 401k or equivalents. The only variation I would make is for "combat pay" situations, primarily the police, to accelerate toward an earlier retirement.
You've go on and on about about the benefits of competition. The benefits to let charter schools into your district.
If this is the case, why aren't your kids at a charter school? If charter schools are so great, why don't you send your kids to Beacon or Prairie Seeds, etc?
As a parent, mostly I am satisfied with RAS and the education the girls are getting... Just a few questionable teachers out of the 40+ we have worked with. By the way, my oldest started in Creative Play and is now in 10th grade.
As a tax payer, I am pretty certain there are a lot of inefficiencies in the system. Should we generate pressure (ie competition) to drive improvement and prioritization, or should we just keep raising the taxes of those fixed income residents...
Does this help explain my rationale?
By the way, if RAS is confident that they are the best option. Then there is no downside to having another charter in the community...
You've exposed the Big Lie in one quick sentence there. If RAS is the best they can be, why are they so determined not to face competition that would prove it? Answer: They know they are not and are scared witless of real competition.
J. Ewing
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