The Governor's budget proposal (House 1) is certainly not the final word on State funding --- but it's a good indication of trends --- and two interesting ones jumped off the page at me. (Actually one sort of "hopped", the other "vaulted" off the page!)
Tuition RECEIVED by Sandwich for incoming School Choice Students increased from $85,000 to $115,000. This means the number of incoming students from other towns increased by 35% this year. Since these are empty seats that we essentially sold to other Towns' students there are very minimal costs associated with these openings. This is revenue that we just started capturing last year. That's a good thing.
But then ...
Tuition PAID by Sandwich for Choice and Charter Schools increased by $480,000 to almost $1.3 million -- an increase of almost 60%!! This is money paid by the Town of Sandwich to other Towns and Charter Schools for kids whose families would prefer to send them elsewhere. The financial impact of this is reduced somewhat by a $287,000 increase in State Charter reimbursements -- but the fact that the cost for Sandwich students fleeing to other public schools grew by 60% this year should be a definite attention-getter!
You would think that the School Committee would have been waiting for these numbers so they could begin discussing WHY students are leaving the District for other public schools.
Nope.
These numbers were discussed with the Superintendent at last week's Board of Selectmen's meeting. Dr. Johnson was very circumspect in her explanation. She probably didn't want to antagonize her own Committee by saying that people are fed up watching the mud wrestling contests that pass for School Committee meetings or, reading about union leaders who behave like spoiled 9 year-olds. She was far more polite and said something to the effect that people don't like uncertainty and there was much uncertainty in the District last Spring and Summer.
People are also fed up with watching a group of professional educators with advanced degrees be batted around by a group of folks (many with no educational experience or credentials) whose only qualification is that they were willing to support the special interest that elected them -- whether its the Community School, or the Teachers Union.
People want stability for their kids' education. They don't want to be reading a constant stream of anti-school propaganda being fed to an over-eager local "media" by people protecting their own self-interests. They are even (I shudder to say) sick of reading, or hearing about blogs that try to provide more coverage of local events.
People want to feel good about their choice of school systems. If you talk to school administrators from Brookline or Plymouth who have spent time touring the District and studying the literacy program, there is much here to be pleased about. If you look at the most recent budget, the fact that the District was able to sustain cuts in both State and Local aid, yet managed to maintain most programs by making "surgical" budget cuts and bringing certain costly services in-house, is a credit to the Superintendent and her Administration.
Nomination papers are now available at the Town Clerk's office for two seats on the School Committee. I hope the only special interest groups represented by this year's elected members are the kids and the taxpayers. The only way this will happen is if some people with professional management experience decide that they are "mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore!"
24 comments:
So now the Town is responsible for this unexpected increase yet the schools get to keep the dollars coming in from school choice. That doesn't make sense! Setting that aside, the Union is getting ready like they did a few years back to start with their "job action" nonsense. We can expect to see teachers leaving the building with their students with their coats on and keys in hand. All extra curricular activities will cease and we can expect to see a parade of teachers filling the seats and standing area of the SC meetings as a show of solidarity. That should really slow down the flood of kids leaving Sandwich for other schools! Those numbers that Bud received don't even reflect the number of kids heading to private schools. And our illustrious SC will never be able to grasp the magnitude of this issue -- I imagine they will attribute it to "all of the change" in the District because we all know "change is bad!" To heck with drugs -- we need an "anti-literacy" program! God help us all!
Excellent article Bob. I'm with you 100%. To represent the kids/families and the taxpayers would be novel for the School Committee since it seems very clear many of their decisions since May have been ungrounded in these two principals. I'm glad you brought out the two trends about who wants into our schools and who wants out. In 2000 we had no payment for out of school assessment I believe and in 2004 it was only $10,000.
Another point about that is this money comes out of the municipal operating budget. The School Committee not only needs to be aware of it but it would be good for SC members to work with the BOS, Town Manager, and Fin Com to talk about how to account and plan for it. So might I add to your list of qualifications for people who run for School Committee, a willingess to work with other town boards in planning for the future of our schools.
The teacher’s union, local press and various others have spent months (maybe years) tearing down Dr. Young and then Dr. Johnson and her initiatives. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
The Selectmen and Finance Committee (and State) have cut school spending dramatically. And, the Town Manager, Selectmen and Finance Committee regularly criticize the schools finances and suggest the schools are over resourced. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
Independent Auditors have suggested that vital and limited school resources are being spent on pool operations instead of text books and teachers and yet nothing gets done or said to fix this. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
School Committee members argue to save social studies teaching jobs and cut literacy teaching resources despite shrinking social studies class sizes and an obvious need for literacy resources at the High School. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
After 3 maybe 4 years of flat or negative overall school budget growth the Teacher’s Union shows up at the table to press for additional wage increases. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
Sea faring peoples have always know that its women and children first when a ship begins to flounder. Is it really any wonder that attentive, involved parents and children are fleeing the District?
I wist the attentive, involved parents had not fled the voting booth. If they had shown up, there would have been a chance of getting some committee members who really represented the community.
we have an opportunity to right some wrongs in may...these involved attentive parents need to all come to the voting booths and "throw the bums out". And bring their friends and neighbors and encourage them to do the same. Apathy caused this catastrophe and now we need to FIX IT!!!!!!
If you think there is a high number fleeing the district now, just wait until:
1. The Sturgis Charter School opens a second campus and the kids on the wait list are offered a spot;
2. The court makes a decision on Dr. Johnson's case. If she is not sucessful, the numbers are sure to go through the roof.
School Committee - good luck balancing the budget next year!
It is clear that the School Committee needs to change. It is clear that the collaberation between the SC, BOS, Fin Com, Superintendant office, Town Manager, School Business Manager and Town's HR plus financial office needs to improve tremendously. Strategic planning needs attention all around. Those managing our town/schools and those making policy about that must become more professional. It is easy to assign blame, continue the divisive language, kick the can, etc. But how about proactive professional cricital thinking and problem solving taking up some time.
Right now we have local elections before us. What kind of skills do we need in people who will be moving into these arenas? What kind of personal responsibility are we each going to take to attempt to improve the situation. Bob goes out on a limb each day. Love the blog or leave it, what are the rest of us doing to do. Writing on the blog really doesn't count. It is an exchange of ideas. How are you going to change this negative situation?
The Truth Maker would ask integritycounts how about we start with the Board of selectman first.
You know that without leadership from this board, that long range plans will never be carried out. You can talk about this till dooms day and hell freezes over, which seems to be the mantra taken the past few years.
How many times does it take to discuss any subject matter before it even gets started?
Where was the leadership from the Board of Selectman when it came to all the school issues? Did you see any?
Some on the present board like to talk, why, just to hear themselves, some would say.
Why is this present board not leading the charge for better operational discussions with the School Committee? Does it really matter that a few conflicted school board members have affected the progress in economic development, let alone the educational learning here in Sandwich for the next generation of children?
Oh thats right, they are victoms. Perhaps we all should bury our head in the sand and hope it all goes away.
Then lets look at the leadership of the present Finance committee, where have they been in the process to make decisions that affect the whole town?
Do you really think that the present chair would make a better selectman then he has, as a member of the Finance committee.?
I would appreciate your opinion in the above matters.
we all need to get out to the school commitee meetings and let our voices be heard at public forum....The current power crop thinks they can do whatever they want.....we need to show them that this is NOT SO!!!!!
TM, I can't speak for the BOS. But I do know that in accordance with Mass. General Law their role in relationship to school management is strictly defined. The School Committee is not under the BOS. The BOS approves the town's budget. They can't micro-manage the school department from their table. The BOS has to work with the SC. How can they stick their noses into this without potential damage to important relationships that, regardless of current issues, still need to be professional.
On the Fin Com: Their role is defined as well in terms of what they should be doing. They are not a policy board. I think the Fin Com has been doing a good job trying to make sense and helping with the financial needs and complexities for the town. Their recent meetings have good discussions on policy, procedure and how best to gain understanding. Their new members bring insight and professional language to the table. The chair does an excellent job in my view. I admire that Fin Com is evolving.
When you consider our charter has only existed for a decade, and our town has grown from around 5,000 people in the mid-1970's to 23,000 today, all our government is a work in progress. The communication and policy piece will continue to evolve. It still strikes me that an ongoing sub-committee between the three major policy and budgeting groups, SC, BOS, and Fin Com would serve the town well. Frankly though I get why people see committees as counter productive at this point. The people involved in the leadership are slightly burnt-out. Plus if a group is not well run with time sensitive deliverables, goals, etc. it is just another group of talking heads. And you are right TM, you don't get very far just on talk.
Integrity writes like a Washington insider - with each sentence begining or ending with: policy this, process that. Its Polictical Science nerd speak.
Why does the Finance Committee and Selectmen remain silent and make no public comment on school committee foolishness?
That board members do nothing is shameful.
Their public silence speaks volumes about their willingness to lead.
Silence is acceptance.
"strikes me that an ongoing sub-committee between the three major policy and budgeting groups, SC, BOS, and Fin Com would serve the town well"
6:24 -- That's a BIG switch from when you fought vociferously against exactly such a sub-committee.
Under the current SC regime, even the monthly meetings between the Chair & Vice Chairs of the SC and BOS have been discontinued.
"When you consider our charter has only existed for a decade"
The Charter means nothing for day to day business. Nobody gets a decade-long learning curve in the real world.
All excuses and double-talk aside, the problem is that far too many people with no experience or abilities are running for office -- and those who are qualified and have relevant experience have stopped paying attention because they are sick of the flea circus of inflated egos and special interests which has brought local government to a standstill.
I caught the very end of last week's SC meeting last night. I have to say the music over the end credits says it all. Paul Simon at his best...
You are 100% dead-on Anon 12:02! In a nutshell, literally and figuratively! Intelligent, hardworking people with "real jobs" don't have time to pea-shoot with the special interest groups in this town. Frankly, most people working a regular 40 - 60 hour work week prefer to spend time with their families. There's a very select group of people who have the time to do battle in that flea circus!
4:18 & 6:24 We have already done what you are suggesting. 9 Months of many taxpayers, teachers pleading with these women to stay on the Dr. Johnson programs. Fab four totally tuned out 9 months ago to everyone but their interest groups.
Too many sub committees puts a huge burden on volunteer elected officials, plus details get lost sometimes in communicating back to the full boards.
BOS FIN and SC tri board meetings didn't accomplish much other than saying Sandwich needs more revenues to continue on the path it's on.
Sherry Marshall stopped working with these boards years ago when she stormed out of one of those meetings. Sherry has been tuning out all those boards as well as taxpayers, parents and teachers.
Sherry is Chair again,so she has her power back and believes she capable of running the schools too. The four of them also interfer with the Superintendants duties and undermine Dr. Johnson every chance they get.
When did Sherry get her superintendants license?
It's the Sherry Marshall Show Don't Ya Know!
The only way to clean this mess up is to get the two strong candidates for s.c. and vote Sherry Marshall off the board in May!
Start spreading that all around town, so people will network and tell all their friends and families and hope for large voter turnout to bury the special interests groups efforts.
The Bos and Fin Com can't tell the SC what to do. That is not there role. Plus with law suits going on, that makes things more difficult. Anon 10:28, if you want to discuss your point about a sub-committee, give me a call.
The Charter absolutely has impact on day to day. The charter tells BOS they can't call up Department heads and tell them what to do for example. The charter has no stipulation for how often the school committee is to meet other than to say it will meet regularly. Timly decisions have to do with the day to day.
Bob is right though good comunication and management skills are most important when it comes to committee members.
Agree with you 100% anon 1:59, the only way to clean up this mess is two good candidates.
Since Ms. Marshall does not seem very concerned with the numbers of "fleeing" students or the inappropriate comments from Union reps at public meetings, perhaps we need to enlighten the public with what she is concerned with. I've been hearing all kinds of petty antics coming out of the Admin office that she has insinuated herself into the day-to-day activities that take place there. From undermining staff to underhanded manipulation. Perhaps it's time to start a running list of "what Sherry does". I think that considering she's up for re-election this Spring (for the 50th consecutive yr -- ok I embellished, perhaps it's only the 22nd year), it would be interesting to see where she focuses her time and energies as an SC member. Bring it on Bob -- let's see what makes the time bomb tick!!!!
re: parents sending their kids to charter schools. I do know several parents who have their kids in charter schools in Barnstable - their decision to do so has nothing, zippo, to do with the supt or the sc per se. What I hear is they like the philosophy of the charter school system and they tend to have problems with the rigid curriculum in Sandwich schools.
julie
Julie,
I agree with you. The parents I know who have sent kids to charter schools have a variety of reasons, but the Superintendent/SC is not one of them. I do think that financial difficulties and the threat of program cuts does impact decisions to look elsewhere (charter, school choice). We saw this during the override of 2005... I can tell you that I fully support public education and my children have been very happy and successful in Sandwich schools. However, if it looks like the town will not continue to support a quality education and extra curricular activities, I will look elsewhere too.
Mrs. Beasley
I believe Sherry works a full time job so Iam not sure how she can be in two places at the same time. So maybe the super is giving you some half truths. Which Bob nevers post according to him.
to Mrs Beasley,
I like your idea!!!! Bring it on BOB!!!!!
Who told the Secretary not to advertise the Budget hearing? Not the Supt.
The Truth Maker would comment to integritycounts.
It goes without saying that when the town has issues of a financial nature that it is the board of selectman who carry the ball. We can can all state that the school is a seperate enity all by itself and under the law we can not determine where they spend the money they recieve. We can also state that the selectman can not get invloved with school business. We can also remind every one that the town charter is very weak in terms of what the school committee can get away with and does. That is just like the present Department of Natural Resource answer when asked to do a job he is getting paid to do. [It is not my job] The board of selectman have severel tools within there power to have a positive conclusion come about.
One is to renogiate the Memorandum of Understanding, which should be done each year, but it is not. This process can provide some leveling tool in the towns budget and how the school district gets to rethink actions they may have taken. One control center for all expences, incurred by both the school and municipal. In a simple and precise manner, where the average person cAn see for themselves where all the problems may lie. Pressures can be asserted in a manner that is more benificial to every one.
But, noone wants to be the bad guy in this process. Speaking out in public about the desicions and actions taken by the school committee in my opinion is part of the responsiability of being a selectman. By not speaking out you will be telling every one that you agree with the actions they have undertaken and we do not have any issues.
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