My fellow citizens, along with the challenges presented by probation,
comes opportunity. We can either leverage that opportunity to
fundamentally change and reinvent education in DeKalb or things will
remain the same. The board or administration can be removed but the
deep systemic problems will continue, and possibly worsen in the short
term, despite the false hope this action might give. The persistent and
intractable problems that have plagued DeKalb for more than a decade
will erupt again. Look at the outcomes where accreditation and various
state actions have temporarily given relief and hope; only to see the
systems plunge right back into the same quicksand. But there is a way
out.
Here are my solutions:
- Consent Decree – The current or newly appointed DeKalb Board must
enter into a consent decree with the State that contains provisions for
addressing the “required actions” in the AdvancED report. This decree
must do more than offer a weak promise to implement yet another plan and
another round of stakeholder engagement meetings. It must demand that
DeKalb reinvent the way public education is delivered and governed. The consent decree must demand that we push governance and autonomy to each individual school or cluster of schools. This approach is called The Portfolio Strategy. Using the Portfolio Strategy approach:
• The district can meet the required actions listed in the AdvancED
report and ensure that the district retains accreditation;
• Design a new governance system that minimizes the risk and footprint of financial malfeasance;
• Eliminates the governance, policy and advocacy conflicts that entangle all layers of the district and;
• Provides a robust and authentic community engagement process that
yields results to meet the unique demands of a diverse set of
communities.
- Georgia needs to adopt a model for accrediting schools and/or
districts based on the merits of their work. Accreditation should not
be linked to anything but results for children and prudent financial
management for the taxpayers. The state of Texas does this and we can
too. Check out the value the Texas Education Agency adds
to their systems. The state continually monitors and works with their
systems and does not cede their oversight role. It is a transparent
system based on student results and financial stability. Read how Texas determines accreditation for schools and districts. And, it has generated results. Read the news on their graduation rates.
The Texas model has worked.
• Number 1 with
Asian students with a graduation rate of
95 percent. (Georgia 79%)
• Number 1 for
white students with a graduation rate of
92 percent. (Georgia 76%)
• Tied for 1 with a graduation rate of
81 percent for
African-American students. (Georgia 60%)
• Has the 3rd highest graduation rate for
all students with a rate of
86 percent. (Georgia 67%)
• Number 2 for
Hispanic students with a graduation rate
of 82 percent, behind only Maine. (Georgia 58%)
• Number 2 for
children with disabilities who graduate at a rate of
77 percent. Only South Dakota had a higher rate. (Georgia 30%)
• Number 2 for
economically-disadvantaged students who graduate at a rate of
84 percent, behind only South Dakota. (Georgia 59%)
• Number 26 for
limited English proficient students who have a graduation rate of
58 percent. Those who become proficient in English are removed from the limited English proficient category. (Georgia 32%)
The Portfolio District
According to the Center for Reinventing Public Education,
“A growing number of urban districts
including New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, and
Baltimore are pursuing the portfolio strategy. The portfolio strategy is
a continuous improvement model for districts that aims to dramatically
affect student outcomes at scale. The strategy, built around 7 key components,
creates diverse options for families in disadvantaged neighborhoods by
opening new high-performing, autonomous schools; giving all schools
control of budgeting and hiring; and holding schools accountable to
common performance standards.” Most recently, the Cleveland Plan has been set in motion to reimagine and improve public education.
Click here to read about their plan.
The Portfolio District strategy acknowledges the realities and
complexities of a large, diverse community. The strategy allows the
district to jettison the notions of “one size fits all” and “top down”
implementation of policy, procedures, curriculum, hiring and more.
This model removes the intractable governance issues by changing the
function of the district from a unit responsible for all policy,
budgeting, curriculum, HR decisions, etc. to a purely supportive role.
Schools and communities around the district are given autonomy and then
held accountable for their results. The district would simply be a
conduit for funding and could provide other services at the request of
individual schools. Innovative districts around the nation are using this strategy. You can read more about it by visiting the website of
The Center on Reinventing Public Education.
The Portfolio District strategy also establishes a partnership with
the community, business leaders and foundations. This public-private
partnership helps guide the implementation of the strategy; ensuring
that all communities receive the choices and support they need. This
partnership is critical to reestablishing credibility with the citizens
and parents. It will provide for
authentic stakeholder
engagement that will yield the results each community wants; rather
than the false hope of surveys, task forces and commissions long
ignored.
Parents, teachers, citizens, I hope that you will join with me in
asserting your ownership of the school district. For too long, the
bureaucrats have controlled and affected your communities while your
voice carried little authority to demand change. The mantra of
accountability sadly has held almost no one to account. Don’t let this
opportunity leave us with false hope. Let’s leverage this situation to
bring about meaningful reform in DeKalb and our state.
Please join me in asking The State Board of Education and Governor
Deal to return power to the parents and the school communities. If we
don’t make this structural change now, I fear that we’ll limp along with
ambiguous plans to “do better” or with a new board that either plays
the same game or gets rolled by the educrats. You deserve a seat at the
table that determines how your school is run. You know what is best
for your child and you should have a governance system that allows you
to use the tools, strategy, calendar, schedules, budgets and staffing
models that work best for your specific community.
Please request that the State Board and Governor decree that
DCSD must take immediate steps to begin converting our district into a
Portfolio District. Ask them to study the Texas model for
accreditation. If you agree with my approach, let them know. Let’s use
this opportunity to take back our schools, empower parents and give
every child in DeKalb the education they deserve.
