Governor Scott Walker has now signed Wisconsin's 2011-13 budget into law. We have spent so much energy before the signing to lobby at both the state and federal levels for continued resources for our district. I am taking a moment now to address what comes after.
The immediate fallout from this budget for MPS will be staffing adjustments. We have been warning for months that we will not be able to take an $84 million cut in state aid without the loss of jobs. This week, we will send out layoff notices. Meantime, we have asked the teachers' union to discuss pension contributions of up to 5.8% in the hope that we can restore funding to our budget to, in turn, restore some of the jobs. MPS teachers have been good partners. As a result of provisions in the MTEA contract signed last fall, the district has saved in excess of $3 million a month on health care costs. But the district's needs are growing. I believe we can all agree that our world has changed dramatically since we negotiated contracts last fall.
State Superintendent of Schools Tony Evers is also thinking about the next steps. He issued a statement this week that says it is time to rally around our students and our schools. In past months I have been impressed with how boldly he cried out for support of public education while the state budget debate so polarized legislators.
Evers' latest statement shows he has already turned his attention to a new battle, a fight to address the flawed state system for funding Wisconsin's schools. His full statement is here, but here's a quote: "One step we can take that will build a better future is to improve the fairness and transparency of our school finance system. It is broken. Before the next state budget in two years, we can fix our school finance system by adopting my Fair Funding for Our Future recommendations."
I also think it is worthwhile to see a 10-minute WISN-TV interview on the newly passed state budget. It featured the Governor and State Senator Lena Taylor, and aired Monday morning, June 27. You can find it here. Senator Taylor did a great job. She set a tone for continued dialogue that includes a healthy dose of both skepticism and respect. This is also a part of what comes next: respectfully continuing the fight for resources to make things better for all kids.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Witnessing history
It's a big week, and for two reasons.
The first reason is that we marked the last day of classes for most of our schools, and released thousands of students for their summer break. I was at the door when the dismissal bell rang at our school on N. 52nd Street, Milwaukee French Immersion School.
I saw kids excited to start their vacations, and talked with a few of the parents who were there to pick them up. I wished these families a safe and happy summer break.
We worry sometimes about our kids over the summer. Many live in neighborhoods where there is little to do, and frankly, some of them go hungry. With most of our children living in poverty, I need to use every chance I can to talk about access to meals during the summer. Families should call 2-1-1 to find a location near them. Please spread the word. We also have summer school ready to start later this month. Though we have limited seats this year due to budget challenges, many students will have a safe place to go where they can keep their reading skills sharp or recover the credits needed to keep them on target to graduate. Our Community Learning Centers (CLCs) are safe, fun places to go before and after school, evenings, weekends, and during the summer. CLCs offer educational, recreational, and social activities so that young people don't have to be home alone or on the street. Here's a list of the summer CLC sites.
I saw kids excited to start their vacations, and talked with a few of the parents who were there to pick them up. I wished these families a safe and happy summer break.
We worry sometimes about our kids over the summer. Many live in neighborhoods where there is little to do, and frankly, some of them go hungry. With most of our children living in poverty, I need to use every chance I can to talk about access to meals during the summer. Families should call 2-1-1 to find a location near them. Please spread the word. We also have summer school ready to start later this month. Though we have limited seats this year due to budget challenges, many students will have a safe place to go where they can keep their reading skills sharp or recover the credits needed to keep them on target to graduate. Our Community Learning Centers (CLCs) are safe, fun places to go before and after school, evenings, weekends, and during the summer. CLCs offer educational, recreational, and social activities so that young people don't have to be home alone or on the street. Here's a list of the summer CLC sites.
I said it was a big week for two reasons.
The second reason is that 90 miles away from here, legislators in Madison are putting the final touches on a state budget that is poised to cut millions from MPS specifically and from public education in general. It looks as though the way is paved for a larger expansion of voucher schools. Collective bargaining for public workers is already gone; a separate measure passed this week and the Secretary of State says it will become law June 29. Already, there are lawsuits from unions. You can read about one suit here. I heard that some of our teachers will be headed to Madison on their own time to join a protest in the Square.
We are witnessing history, aren't we? My sincere hope is that steps taken in Madison this week do not do irreparable damage to the hopes and the opportunities for Milwaukee's already fragile and under-supported children.
The second reason is that 90 miles away from here, legislators in Madison are putting the final touches on a state budget that is poised to cut millions from MPS specifically and from public education in general. It looks as though the way is paved for a larger expansion of voucher schools. Collective bargaining for public workers is already gone; a separate measure passed this week and the Secretary of State says it will become law June 29. Already, there are lawsuits from unions. You can read about one suit here. I heard that some of our teachers will be headed to Madison on their own time to join a protest in the Square.
We are witnessing history, aren't we? My sincere hope is that steps taken in Madison this week do not do irreparable damage to the hopes and the opportunities for Milwaukee's already fragile and under-supported children.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Extra funding?
In an opinion piece in Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Professors John Witte and Patrick Wolf, researchers associated with the privately-funded School Choice Demonstration Project based at the University of Arkansas, made a curious claim. If you care to read the article, you can find it at this link.
Here's the claim that most concerns me: "Public schools have both strong incentives to classify students as requiring special education, because they receive extra funding to teach such students and well established protocols to do so."
Really? Can they honestly believe that?
The implication is that within public school districts there is somehow a profit to be made by having an increased number of students with disabilities.
That is simply not correct.
The fact is this: Due to low and declining levels of reimbursement from the federal and state levels, the costs associated with providing needed services to students with disabilities far outpace any so-called "extra funding". In the 2009-10 school year, using the most conservative method of calculating special education funding, Milwaukee Public Schools incurred unreimbursed special education costs of $42.2 million.
Whatever the merits of the Arkansas group's research might be, it takes little investigation to determine that a loss of $42.2 million cannot be described as a "strong incentive".
With all the loud rhetoric and confusion about funding for public education, it does not help to have opinions such as this one added to the dialogue. Don't be fooled. Look for the facts.
As for MPS' special education students, who now make up almost 20% of our school population, we will continue to do our best to provide the educational services and supports that they need.
Here's the claim that most concerns me: "Public schools have both strong incentives to classify students as requiring special education, because they receive extra funding to teach such students and well established protocols to do so."
Really? Can they honestly believe that?
The implication is that within public school districts there is somehow a profit to be made by having an increased number of students with disabilities.
That is simply not correct.
The fact is this: Due to low and declining levels of reimbursement from the federal and state levels, the costs associated with providing needed services to students with disabilities far outpace any so-called "extra funding". In the 2009-10 school year, using the most conservative method of calculating special education funding, Milwaukee Public Schools incurred unreimbursed special education costs of $42.2 million.
Whatever the merits of the Arkansas group's research might be, it takes little investigation to determine that a loss of $42.2 million cannot be described as a "strong incentive".
With all the loud rhetoric and confusion about funding for public education, it does not help to have opinions such as this one added to the dialogue. Don't be fooled. Look for the facts.
As for MPS' special education students, who now make up almost 20% of our school population, we will continue to do our best to provide the educational services and supports that they need.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
In the midst of it all, the kids do amazing things
You will hear a lot in the next few days about legislative action regarding state funding for education and the expansion of voucher schools in Milwaukee and across the state. I am headed for Madison this morning with Board President Michael Bonds in the hope of contributing to the discussion.
An expansion of the voucher option would have an impact on so many Wisconsin public school districts, such as the district in Green Bay. Here is a look at how that district is telling its parents about the voucher issue. Click here for an email sent out on the Green Bay Public Schools' listserv yesterday. As you will notice, Milwaukee is referenced.
There is a new report out that shows school districts in Wisconsin facing a budget gap greater that $300 million next school year under the state budget proposed by the governor, even after districts impose some of the proposed labor concessions. As you may recall, potential givebacks do not apply to MPS and we continue to struggle with what we anticipate will be $81 million less in state funding for next year.
I met recently with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. In the face of our funding challenges, he was positive about the academic progress we have made and was supportive of our reform efforts.
You could show your support for public education by attending a march and rally on June 4. It is sponsored by various organizations including the Parent Teacher Association. It starts at 11:00 a.m. Here is the flyer, which will provide you with more information.
In the midst of all this debate on budgets and vouchers, our kids continue to do amazing things. I went to the Festival Hispanico late last week. That is a dance presentation held by Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School. Principal Yvette Martel and her staff got into the action, too. They did their own dance! I was so deeply proud of the students. Children as young as four delighted us with their moves. I used to be able to move like that!
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled throughout the district. Have you made your plans yet to take in the festivities? Here is a list of dates, times and locations. We will soon publish all the names of the valedictorians and salutatorians as well.
Our students are performing well on stage and in their classrooms. With all that is going on in Madison and elsewhere, let's take time to appreciate that fact.
An expansion of the voucher option would have an impact on so many Wisconsin public school districts, such as the district in Green Bay. Here is a look at how that district is telling its parents about the voucher issue. Click here for an email sent out on the Green Bay Public Schools' listserv yesterday. As you will notice, Milwaukee is referenced.
There is a new report out that shows school districts in Wisconsin facing a budget gap greater that $300 million next school year under the state budget proposed by the governor, even after districts impose some of the proposed labor concessions. As you may recall, potential givebacks do not apply to MPS and we continue to struggle with what we anticipate will be $81 million less in state funding for next year.
I met recently with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. In the face of our funding challenges, he was positive about the academic progress we have made and was supportive of our reform efforts.
You could show your support for public education by attending a march and rally on June 4. It is sponsored by various organizations including the Parent Teacher Association. It starts at 11:00 a.m. Here is the flyer, which will provide you with more information.
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled throughout the district. Have you made your plans yet to take in the festivities? Here is a list of dates, times and locations. We will soon publish all the names of the valedictorians and salutatorians as well.
Our students are performing well on stage and in their classrooms. With all that is going on in Madison and elsewhere, let's take time to appreciate that fact.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Faces and stories
 |
| Mother and son listening. |
I know that some of you have not been able to make it to the public hearings on our proposed FY12 budget, because of family or work commitments. That is why I want to share some of the faces and stories of those who came Tuesday night, May 10, to the Board meeting. It was packed! We saw one mother who sat on the floor of the auditorium with her young son for almost two hours. More than 60 people took turns at the microphone, giving testimony. That mother and her little boy sat quietly and listened to dozens of them.
We had parents and students in our audience, along with art and music teachers. Each one had a story about the potential impact of our proposed cuts, and sometimes the stories were heartbreaking. I heard more anger than I've heard in the past hearings. It is anger directed at Madison and at the governor. I told our Board and the audience that I had recently spoken with the governor and that he was cordial and seemed receptive. The proof will be in the final state budget. I can tell you that doing more with less is getting old.
Families are starting to see the real cost of this year's $81 million in proposed cuts at the state level.
 |
| Shantrese |
Jasmine Alinder is an MPS parent. Her testimony was riveting. She told of writing to state lawmakers about the governor's proposed cuts. Only one legislator wrote back. He shocked her with his response. He told her that public education had become a social welfare agency. Ms. Alinder quoted the state statute on equal access to education and framed our battle as a civil rights issue. Click here for the full text of her comments.
 |
| Riley and Ella |
Some children made us smile with their testimony, but others had us in tears. We are haunted by the worries of the mother who described the fragile medical condition of her son, who needs medical support during the school day. His school is one that will be without a nurse next year. We are fighting for restoration of state money that had supported 21 nursing positions.
This was a hearing that no local reporters attended, or wrote about for the late newscast or the morning paper. A writer with the Los Angeles Times stayed the entire five hours, but he is mostly focused on potential impacts of the governor's budget on labor unions.
We heard you, though. And we will listen again during the public hearing on Thursday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is in the Central Services Auditorium. I hope you can come. I hope you will not have to sit on the floor or wait for hours to testify. But as Miguel Salas told us Tuesday night, it is important to be an advocate for public education and for MPS. Miguel is a product of MPS and has a child in one of our schools. "Speak truth to power," he said. Like Miguel, I hope that the "power" in Madison is listening.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Speaking out
Tonight we had the second public input session on our proposed FY12 budget. I wish I could personally thank each of the parents, teachers, school nurses and retirees who took time to come to the meetings and spoke about their concerns. Board Directors and members of the Administration are taking careful note of what is said, and we are endeavoring to answer all questions that have been raised. It has been heart-breaking to hear the worry in the voices of the mothers who came out tonight to support our nurses, some of whom face potential layoff because of the governor's proposed elimination of the state money that supports them. And the nurses who spoke this evening gave the audience a clear idea of how much they do for children in our schools.
Let me take a moment to direct attention to a couple of budget documents we have on our portal. They may shed some light on what the challenges are. First, here's a link to our Companion Guide for Parents. I really like this document for its clarity. The final page of the Guide is actually a form that our parents can use to write about their concerns and then either mail or fax it back to us.
Here's the direct link to the Finance Department's budget pages on the portal. Be forewarned: the Line Item document is 510 pages long. Reading it on the web is a better option than printing it!
Consider coming to one of our meetings. The statutory public hearing is May 19, at Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet Street, in the Auditorium. Here is the full list of meetings.
I hope to see you, and frankly, to hear your voice during our process.
Let me take a moment to direct attention to a couple of budget documents we have on our portal. They may shed some light on what the challenges are. First, here's a link to our Companion Guide for Parents. I really like this document for its clarity. The final page of the Guide is actually a form that our parents can use to write about their concerns and then either mail or fax it back to us.
Here's the direct link to the Finance Department's budget pages on the portal. Be forewarned: the Line Item document is 510 pages long. Reading it on the web is a better option than printing it!
Consider coming to one of our meetings. The statutory public hearing is May 19, at Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet Street, in the Auditorium. Here is the full list of meetings.
I hope to see you, and frankly, to hear your voice during our process.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Some changes
I have missed updating you, as my family and I took some time over the spring break to be together. My granddaughter visited me here in Milwaukee. I was proud to show her around the city. My son and I took in a Brewers' game. Glad to see our Brew Crew beat Houston on a Saturday night at the ballpark. I still love my Phillies, though the Brewers are my solid number two team!
Meanwhile, it's been a process of tying up the loose ends of our budget for next school year. We adjusted our projection for how large the state's proposed budget cuts are in terms of impact on MPS, from $74 million to $81.6 million. You can see why we had to go back to our departments for more reductions.
I have two budget items to share with you.
First, summer school will look different. Fewer locations will be offered for the elementary grades. We had to scale back the number of sites to save money, but we found a way to triple the value. That's because the sites for elementary summer school will be locations that also serve summer meals and programs run by MPS Recreation.
Second, we have closed the book on school closings, mergers and relocations for the year. This is it, as I have told our principals. We will make no further adjustments to the roster of schools for 2011-2012. The Board has approved closing seven schools and relocating six others. Additionally, a total of six schools are merging. Look here for a draft list of all the changes.
We are preparing a Companion Guide for Parents on our budget proposal. It should be ready in days. More on that later.
Meanwhile, it's been a process of tying up the loose ends of our budget for next school year. We adjusted our projection for how large the state's proposed budget cuts are in terms of impact on MPS, from $74 million to $81.6 million. You can see why we had to go back to our departments for more reductions.
I have two budget items to share with you.
First, summer school will look different. Fewer locations will be offered for the elementary grades. We had to scale back the number of sites to save money, but we found a way to triple the value. That's because the sites for elementary summer school will be locations that also serve summer meals and programs run by MPS Recreation.
Second, we have closed the book on school closings, mergers and relocations for the year. This is it, as I have told our principals. We will make no further adjustments to the roster of schools for 2011-2012. The Board has approved closing seven schools and relocating six others. Additionally, a total of six schools are merging. Look here for a draft list of all the changes.
We are preparing a Companion Guide for Parents on our budget proposal. It should be ready in days. More on that later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)