Saturday, May 18, 2013
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DISD Board President Lew Blackurn wants to postpone Superintendent Miles' performance evaluation until July 15
Blackburn states,"I have spoken with Superintendent Mike Miles about his performance evaluation that is to be completed by May 15, according to his contract. We agreed that the evaluation should be postponed until July 15. However, the Board must agree with the decision..." View the eMail
"Dallas Achieves" leadership warns Superintendent Miles his decisions pose "serious risk" to the DISD
Dallas Achieves leaders Arcilia Acosta, Pettis Norman and J. McDonald Williams tell superintendent Miles on May 4, "...decisions you are making and the manner in which these decisions are being implemented pose serious risks to the future success of Dallas ISD and the nearly 160,000 children in your care."
They go on to say, "We are also deeply concerned about the processes by which you are going about making these changes, and their consequences, and are asking you for explanations. In one of your PowerPoint presentations, you quoted Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in calling for "disruptive" change. Disruptive change does not always produce good results: witness the recent sudden and drastic failures of former J.C. Penney Co. CEO Ron Johnson. Unlike the processes of Dallas Achieves, we do not believe you are being collaborative and inclusive of a broad base of stakeholders, both inside and outside the District. Further, we observe little understanding and respect for the history of Dallas or Dallas ISD. From insiders we hear of a culture of fear and reprisal ("my way or the highway) versus one of collaboration and teaming up to bring forth the best ideas, people and results." View the full letter as a PDF
New Study Says Market-oriented Education Reforms' Rhetoric Trumps Reality
The impacts of test-based teacher evaluations, school closures, and increased charter-school access on student outcomes in Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. - April 18, 2013
The reforms deliver few benefits and in some cases harm the students they purport to help, while drawing attention and resources away from policies with real promise to address poverty-related barriers to school success - View the Report Summary PDF - For the full report, please visit www.boldapproach.org/rhetoric-trumps-reality
KEY FINDINGS:
1. Test scores increased less, and achievement gaps grew more, in "reform" cities than in other urban districts.
2. Reported successes for targeted students evaporated upon closer examination.
3. Test-based accountability prompted churn that thinned the ranks of experienced teachers, but not necessarily bad teachers.
4. School closures did not send students to better schools or save school districts money.
5. Charter schools further disrupted the districts while providing mixed benefits, particularly for the highest-needs students.
6. Emphasis on the widely touted market-oriented reforms drew attention and resources from initiatives with greater promise.
7. The reforms missed a critical factor driving achievement gaps: the influence of poverty on academic performance. Real, sustained change requires strategies that are more realistic, patient, and multi-pronged.
DFPE member Dr. Kyle Renard unopposed for Dallas County Schools Board Commissioner's Precinct #2
Kyle Renard, M.D. will be declared the elected Board Member on March 5, 2013.
Kyle, a former candidate for the District 1 Dallas ISD board position in 2009, served as chair of the Dallas Friends of Public Education in 2010 and 2011. Dr. Renard, who is still very active in the organization said, "I was encouraged by many people to run since I am passionate about the care of children and their education."
Kyle is a board-certified pediatrician. Her husband, Tom, is a pediatric surgeon in private practice. Kyle has three sons, two of whom graduated from Dallas ISD and one from a small private school due to learning differences. Both Kyle and Tom's mothers are retired school teachers and they both grew up with the student viewpoint as well as the teacher's perspective on the classroom experience. Congratulations, Kyle!
Mrs. Laura Bush to Help Celebrate the Contributions of Harryette Ehrhardt at Library Naming Ceremony
Former first lady Laura Bush will lend her support to a ceremony to celebrate the naming of the library at Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Middle School in honor of Dr. Harryette B. Ehrhardt, former Dallas ISD teacher, principal and trustee, and retired state legislator. Dr. Ehrhardt is a founding member of Dallas Friends of Public Education (now retired) and was nominated to have a school named after her by DFPE member, Texas State Senator John Carona. Dr. Ehrhardt was one of Mrs. Bush's professors during her time at SMU, and Mrs. Bush cites Dr. Ehrhardt as an inspiration on her love of children's literature.
The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 9, at the school located at 2939 St. Rita Drive. The program will feature remarks from Mrs. Bush, Dr. Ehrhardt and Dallas ISD District 6 Trustee Carla Ranger, as well as student performances.
The Dr. Harryette B. Ehrhardt Library houses more than 10,500 items and is accentuated by expansive glass walls that overlook the Oak Cliff Nature Preserve.
Dr. Ehrhardt's grandfather was the first engineer for the (then) brand new Woodrow Wilson High school almost 100 years ago and her aunt was in the first graduating class. Dr. Ehrhardt's five children are Woodrow graduates. Dr. Ehrhardt started school at Stonewall Jackson its second year in existence and her first teaching job was at Preston Hollow 55 years ago. Dr. Ehrhardt served as a DISD consultant with 20 elementary schools prior to becoming principal of Arlington Park Learning Center, then an experimental one-room school. One of Dr. Ehrhardt's outstanding teachers when she was a principal (which was, incidentally, the first year of DISD desegregation) was the late Dorothy Holmes. Rev. Zan Holmes was a regular mentor to Dr. Ehrhardt and she is particularly honored to be a part of his school. Dr. Ehrhardt then served on the DISD Board of Trustees for 5 years and worked for education for 8 years as a member of the Texas State Legislature. While in the legislature Dr. Ehrhardt's legislative office adopted Mount Auburn Elementary School on East Grand, served as principal for the day and donated books to the schools. Dr. Ehrhardt's academic field is children's literature. First Lady Laura Bush publicly credits Dr. Ehrhardt's SMU children's literature course for Mrs. Bush making the decision to become a librarian and her strong interest in literacy. Dr. Ehrhardt and her husband Jack were honored with a private dinner at the White House when President Bush was in office. Dr. Ehrhardt also taught librarians while a professor at Texas Women's University. Last year, Republican State Senator John Carona put forth Dr. Ehrhardt's name to be considered for a new school. It is very appropriate that a library be named for Dr. Ehrhardt especially at Zan Holmes Middle school, a man for whom Dr. Ehrhardt had such admiration.
Dallas TAG Foundation Donation
The Dallas TAG Foundation Board presents a $5,000 donation to Principal Mike Satarino Monday evening, October 22. Members of the Foundation include DFPEs Michael MacNaughton (far left), Dr. Kyle Renard (far right) and Joan Chalkley (third from right).
Donate to the Foundation whose web site design and hosting is donated by DFPE.
Commit! Presentation to the DISD Board of Trustees - October 11
In a nutshell: It takes a village to improve public education - View the 1.82M PDF
Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles Releases List of 32 Major System Problems - October 10
In a nutshell: HR doesn't work, Technology needs lots of money, Contractor and Vendor Information scattered (and, by the way, not very transparent) and my favorite "There is not currently...an effective process for evaluating programs. Programs are not ended even if the evaluation shows that they are not helping to meet District goals or improve achievement." We've been pushing a review of Programs through the Budget Review Commission for two years with little support. - View the PDF
2012-13 Citizens' Budget Review Commission
The Citizens' Budget Review Commission will meet Monday, October 8, 2012, 5:00 p.m., Board Room, School Administration Building, 3700 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX - View the 157 page, 13.8MB, PDF Agenda
Teacher Evaluation White Paper
by William J. Mathis, September 20, 2012
The first in a new series of two-page briefs summarizing the state of play in education policy research offers suggestions for policymakers designing teacher evaluation systems.
The paper is written by Dr. William Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center, housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education.
Mathis summarizes research findings on the effects of teacher evaluation systems, including unintended as well as intended consequences. At a time when teacher evaluation controversies in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and other school districts have erupted-particularly over the issue of evaluations based in part on the growth of students' test scores-understanding the evidence about these issues has taken on new urgency.
Mathis counsels that lawmakers should be wary of approaches based in large part on test scores, because of three problems:
1. The measurement error is large-which results in many teachers being incorrectly labeled as effective or ineffective;
2. Given that only certain grade levels and subject areas are tested, relevant test scores are not available for most teachers; and
3. The incentives created by the high-stakes use of test scores drive undesirable teaching practices such as curriculum narrowing and teaching to the test.
Instead, he advocates systems like peer assistance and review (PAR) that de-emphasize test scores. Such systems are more labor intensive but that have "far greater potential to enrich instruction and improve education." He also advocates balancing summative, high-stakes assessment systems "with formative approaches that identify strengths and weaknesses of teachers and directly focus on developing and improving their teaching."
In any case, "Given the extensive range of activities, skills, and knowledge involved in teachers' daily work, the system's goals must be clear, explicit and reflect practitioner involvement," Mathis says.
ACT Finds Most Students Still Not Ready for College
DISD Teachers Blog Gets National Attention from Diane Ravitch
In an article published August 11, 2012, entitled "The Inside Scoop on the Texas Miracle", Diane Ravitch revisits the history of NCLB and the major part that Texas played in the process. In the article Diane points to the DISD Teacher's Blog article entitled "Slouching Toward Bethelem - Part 1".
Latest DISD Strategic Technology Plan
Released to members of the Community Technology Focus Group, August 10, 2012 - View PDF
Texas Studies Suggest Test Design Flaw in TAKS!
"... a glitch embedded in the DNA of the [Texas] state exams that, as a result of a statistical method used to assemble them, suggests they are virtually useless at measuring the effects of classroom instruction." N.Y. Times, July 29, 2012
**Updated: 438 478 DISD Employees Retire
Attached is a listing of the 478 employees retiring at the end of this school year. We are losing 273 290 teachers and 9 10 principals as of June 18 July 19, 2012.
2012-2013 CRBC Final Budget Recommendations
The Citizens Budget Review Commission has presented its final recommendations to the Board of Trustees of Dallas ISD.
Read the final report as a PDF.
It has been a privilege to work with the DISD administration and fellow commission members to continue the process we began last year to review each department within DISD and make recommendations for current budget cuts, short-term goals and long-term strategies and projects.
What has been most revealing and rewarding is that as the Commission asked questions and made suggestions throughout the year the Dallas ISD Administration under the leadership of Alan King often began implementation of recommendations so as to have them completed before this final document was prepared. Thanks again go to Steve Korby and Dr. Jim Terry who were patient with our questions and forthcoming with our information requests.
In my personal opinion, the district is in a better financial position than it has been in many years. There are many struggles ahead, though, including....READ MORE
Congratulations!!
To newly elected trustees:
Elizabeth Jones, District 1
Dan Micciche, District 3 and
Bernadette Nutall, District 9
DFPE is looking forward to working with you in the coming years.
Proposed budget for the 2012-2013 school year
The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees has received the first budget proposal from district administration for the 2012-13 school year. The budget reflects that the district will receive $100 million less from the state due to cuts from the Legislature during the 2011 session. Key points of the budget include:
In addition: the following programs are recommended to meet the board's priority of offering a variety of opportunities to engage students in a challenging and rigorous curriculum:
The board of trustees is scheduled to vote on the 2012-13 budget at its regular meeting in May.
Download the Proposed DISD Budget v2.6 as a PDF
Budget Review Commission Update: Recommended Changes to DISD Custodial Services Department
At the April 2, 2012 CBRC meeting, L & S Associates provided us with two very well-researched options for a complete reorganization of the Custodial Services Department. (Begins on page 22 here, http://budgetreview.org/Portals/0/
documents11-12/meeting8/CBC-DRAFT-040212.pdf). Option One featured a reduction from 998 FTEs (Full Time Employees) to 901 and a lowering of the average wage from $15.08 to $12.50 combined with a regorganization of the management structure and a rescheduling of custodian hours especially during the night shift would yield an estimated savings of $9,026,335. Reducing summer staffing by 25% for six weeks and lowering the starting wage from $9.25 to $8.00 per hour (there is almost NO turnover in custodial ranks) would save an additional $943,035 for a total estimated... READ MORE
TASBO 2012 Budget Ideas
Ideas for generating revenue and cutting expenses gathered at the 2012 Texas Association of School Business Officials Budget Academy Meeting
March 6, 2012 - U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection includes DISD
Contrary to 17 out of 20 of the nation's largest districts, DISD pays teachers more in schools with the highest enrollment of African American and Hispanic students -
February 15, 2012 - Draft: Dallas ISD 2012-2013 District Improvement Plan
School Ratings, 2012 Trustee Plan, DISD Check Register
- DISD AEIS school ratings were released July 29, 2011. The number of Exemplary schools fell from 63 to 30 and the number of Academically Unacceptable campuses jumped from 15 to 33. View the DISD results summary as a PDF.
- View the slideshow (below) or Download the 2012 Trustee Focus Plan presented by President Dr. Lew Blackburn at the June 23rd, 2011 Board Meeting. The document proposes a new Committee Structure, the continuation of the public Budget Review Commission and the creation of several new public commissions including: Blue Ribbon Education, Star Employee, Communities Relations and District Enhancement.
- Special report: Check register reveals extravagant spending at Dallas ISD
Unfortunately most of these articles are behind the DMN pay wall. However, the database of the DISD check register is located HERE.
Save DISD Schools