June 12th

Resource Management, Decision Making ·         Budget Development ·         Case Study – Student Presenters ----Guest Speaker mr. Geraly McLaughlin, business manager

Managing Conflict ·         Time Management ·         Managing Conflict ·         Current Event ·         Case Study – Student Presenters

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (Good Article)
Ailing Financial Conditions of School Districts Likely to Continue, Says Hartman
Expect financial hardships of school districts to continue, says Penn State's Bill Hartman.

by Joe Savrock (July 2011)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - School districts nationwide are experiencing unprecedented financial hardships, and the situation is likely to worsen in the coming years, says a Penn State researcher.

William T. Hartman, professor of education leadership at Penn State, gave an analysis of the critical fiscal crisis facing Pennsylvania’s school districts during a recent presentation at the National Education Finance Conference in Tampa, Fla. In his paper, titled “Train Wreck Ahead: Financial Conditions Facing School Districts,” Hartman provided an overview of key economic, political, and educational factors that impact school districts' financial operations.

On the revenue side, Hartman pointed out that all three major sources are limited or declining. “Local tax increases will be difficult due to tax limitation measures and local resistance from taxpayers,” he said. “State funding for education is now being driven by lack of state revenues from state deficits, a political ideology to cut spending, and a general hostility to public education from some politicians. Extra federal funding from the stimulus money is now gone and will not be replaced.”

Without adequate revenues to maintain or expand programs, districts are forced to turn to expenditure reductions to balance their budgets. While this would be difficult enough in normal economic times, many of the district costs are mandated by the state and federal government. “Costs of required pension increases alone will consume most of new district revenues in the coming years,” Hartman said. “This necessitates both educational program and staffing cuts, which can be painful and have serious implications for availability of adequate education for all students.”

All the while, there is no letup in the state and federal mandates for student achievement. No Child Left Behind requires districts to have all of their students at a proficiency level in basic subject areas by 2014.

“The rising and somewhat uncontrollable expenditures and the limited or reduced revenues have led to a serious structural fiscal imbalance for many districts,” said Hartman. “Continuing on the same path, annual deficits are inevitable and will increase beyond manageable levels in very short order. Any fiscal reserves the districts have will be quickly consumed. The result will be district bankruptcy.

“Administrators and school boards are faced with new realities, the likes of which they’ve never had to deal with,” continued Hartman. “It’s a whole new ball game—it’s no longer business as usual. The focus is on survival.”
What is needed, said Hartman, is a concept he calls RESET—that is, to reset a district’s expenditure level down to available revenues. “The concept is easy to understand, but it is extraordinarily difficult to achieve while maintaining the educational integrity of the district, reaching mandated student achievement levels, and meeting community expectations,” he said.

“Of necessity, the focus will be more on what is required under the school code, rather than what has been offered in the past,” said Hartman. “The list is both surprising and disheartening if even partially implemented.”

Among the academic areas that are not mandated are vocational education, business education, home economics, computer science, art, and music. The list for potential elimination goes on: elective courses not required for graduation, libraries, student services (guidance counselors, school psychologists, school nurses), extracurricular activities (athletics, band, chorus, student government), and any limits on class size.

“For each area,” said Hartman, “a series of questions can be asked: Do we want to offer the program at all? Can we offer a different amount—for example, less often or to fewer students? Can we provide it in a different, more efficient, less costly way? The first round of budget cuts and adjustments for the 2011-12 school year introduced this new reality to most school districts.”

In future years, the primary concern for school districts will be to determine their educational and fiscal future. “This means looking forward to what is possible, not backwards to what used to be,” explained Hartman. “On the fiscal side, this means finding efficiencies and cost savings to meet budget limitations and operate within available funds. On the operations side, it will encourage school administrators to look at restructuring instruction and support services. This is best achieved through a careful and inclusive process to establish district priorities and plan their resource allocation decisions.”

At the conference, Hartman was presented with a Distinguished Fellow Award. This lifetime award is given to individuals who have gained national visibility and who have distinguished themselves by their exemplary research and/or practice in the field of public education finance, both at the elementary and secondary level, as well as in higher education.

June 12th Discussion

-Make this our current event discussion tomorrow:

-I read this and found it interesting....
   In Financing Education in a Climate of Change (Chapter 9), as well as the Legal Issues and Finance Part 1 power point, it occurred to me that maybe we are not following the Equal Protection and Taxation Clause. In the opening sentence the book (p. 211) cites, “Without judicial action equal educational opportunity will never exist”. I remembered seeing a You Tube video during my school law class about Brown v BOE Topeka Kansas and included the link below.

   It is such a fine line however, as local taxes in depressed areas, which usually include many African-Americans have a very limited tax base, or the rate of collection is very sparse. In addition, they suffer the most from tax cuts.

   The Serrano decision in 1971 found the school finance system to be unconstitutional. This ruling occurred in California Supreme Court and a precedent was set and other states also complied. But two years later in the San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Texas school finance plan against an equal protection challenge. As cited on page 212, “Though education is one of the most important services performed by the State, it is not within the limited category of rights recognized by this Court as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution,” according to Justice Lewis Powell and the 5-4 vote in his court room.

   The book explains three waves of school finance litigation. I see a “fourth wave” emerging from the first three, the voucher, and or school choice system. The first wave dealt with challenges of inequitable and unfair state funding schemes under the 14^th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The second wave claimed inequitable finance systems were unconstitutional under both the Equal Protection Clause, as well as educational articles of the state constitution. The third wave came about due to claims of inadequate funding, hence being unconstitutional.

   I see it as very interesting that it appears that these waves laid the foundation for the voucher and school choice programs. Needless to say, NEA and PSEA are against both! While I will continue to challenge the credibility of most charter schools, and allowing school choice, I am beginning to develop a better picture of the, “Everything happens for a reason”, statement.

   Through the budget cuts, accountability of all schools and teachers has raised dramatically. If they pass the bill allowing furloughs of teachers despite their seniority that would be another step in the right direction. But, they would need to go a step further and give schools the right to replace certain teachers, instead of being forced to call them back if an opening exists.

   The problem does still exist and I am still puzzled about “equal and equitable” funding. What if every district across the Commonwealth had the same per pupil dollar amount to educate children?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daHYY1d9W4s&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

Itinerary June 5th class

Curriculum Development/ Alignment (Part 1)

Accountability/ Improving Student Achievement

·         NCLB/RTII

·         AYP/Accountability

·         Data Driven Instruction

·         Case Study – Student Presenters

·         Principal’s Role in Curriculum Development

·         UBD/LFS

·         Formative Assessment

·         Field Experience Discussion

5-31 Itinerary

       Current Event- Bullying

*Communication, Collaboration, Decision Making

·         Scheduling

o   Master Scheduling/Student

o   PSSA/Benchmark Scheduling

·         Case Study – Student Presenters

·         Field Experience Discussion (#3)

      

Think about: The three theories discussed in class and the strengths and weaknesses of each theory.

Reflective Journal Prompt #6

Prompt #6:  What theory do you think would be the most effective theory for increasing student achievement? 

·         Part 1: Support your choice

·         Part 2: As an administrator could you put the theory you selected into practice?

o   If yes, how?

o   If no, what barriers would prevent the application of the theories principles?

Classic Theory	Social Theory	Relationship Theory
Scientific	Whole & Interrelated Parts	Participative
Management	Internal Environment	Distributive
Bureaucratic	External Environment	Facilitative

o  

Sidebar: What Makes an Effective Principal

·        Understands how children and adults learn.

·        Analyzes instruction and student learning through regular classroom observations and provides detailed feedback to teachers that supports instructional improvement.

·        Uses data to measure student learning and instructional improvement and to drive planning.

·        Develops and communicates a shared vision and common understanding of effective classrooms and instruction and organizes the school on it.

·        Understands the achievement gap and implements explicit strategies to close it.

·        Creates a collegial environment in which leadership is shared, professional practice is made public, risk taking and innovation are supported, and consistent high-quality instruction is paramount.

·        Creates a school community devoted to social justice, high expectations for all, and equity in students' opportunity to learn.

·        Understands the needs and assets students, parents, and the community bring to schools and builds strong relations with all constituents.

·        Uses the school budget, the human resource function, and other resources strategically to support improved student learning.

·        Develops and maintains a safe and disciplined learning environment and manages building operations in support of student learning.

·        Reflects on practice and continually refines leadership based on learning and experience.

Source: Boston School Leadership Institute

Understanding the Transitions to Common Core Standards

Common Core FAQ

When the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core Standards on July 1, 2010, it charged PDE with the responsibility to complete a full alignment study of PA Academic Standards to Common Core Standards - in terms of both content and rigor.  That work would define a transition plan and provide clear direction for districts to implement Common Core Standards. 

The proposed three-year transition plan, concluding with full implementation of Common Core for the 2013-2014 school year, includes the development of crosswalk documents and professional development to assist districts in aligning their curriculum with the PA Common Core Standards.

Frequently asked questions concerning implementation are as follows:

Are the PA Common Core standards an exact duplicate of the posted Common Core standards (http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards)?

PA's Common Core standards include all of the national Common Core standards verbatim; however, states may add additional statements to the standard set to incorporate any PA standards not addressed in Common Core.  As analysis and alignment studies continue, there is a possibility of limited additions to the Common Core Standards in the future.

What is the status of work to date on the transition to Common Core Standards?

English language arts and mathematics educators from across the state have met for three extended sessions to accomplish the following:

• Completed an alignment study for grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 comparing content and rigor of Common Core Standards to the PA Chapter 4 grade level standards. 
• Expanded the initial alignment study to include all grade levels and course standards currently available on SAS.
• Developed documents to illustrate the relationship (including gaps) between PA's current standards and the Common Core Standards.

In light of Common Core, how should districts move forward as related to writing and revising curriculum?

Districts are encouraged to continue with their curriculum review cycles and use the chart below to guide curriculum work. 

Transitioning to Common Core Standards
2010-11 District Responsibility

• Curriculum and instruction based on the current PA Academic Standards  
• Spring 2011 PSSA based on current eligible content aligned to PA Standards
• Attendance at PDE/IU staff development sessions to begin transition planning

2010-11 PDE Responsibility

• Common Core transition teams complete alignment study and develop PA Common Core framework.
• Continued development of Keystone Exams based on eligible content aligned to the Common Core Standards.
• Professional development offered for districts to begin transition plans

2011-12 District Responsibility

• Curriculum and instruction based on the current PA Academic Standards
• Create instructional redesign cycle and begin modification of board-approved curricula in English Language Arts and Mathematics through initial study of Common Core Standards alignment documentation provided by PDE.

2011-12 PDE Responsibility

• Ongoing professional development to assist districts in creating transition plan and beginning initial efforts to align curriculum and instruction to PA Common Core standards 
• Standards Aligned System (SAS) fully aligned to PA Common Core Standards

 2012-13 District Responsibility

• Continue with curriculum rewrites, with July 1, 2013, target date for full implementation of PA Common Core

2012-13 PDE Responsibility

• Ongoing professional development to support full implementation in PA schools

What will be available to assist districts in transitioning to Common Core?

The December 2010 SAS Institute will offer sessions for educators to provide direction in transitioning from PA Standards to PA Common Core.  In December, all crosswalk documents, revised Assessment Anchor materials, and supporting materials will be posted on SAS under the Clear Standards tab. 

As the year progresses, IUs will receive training to share with local districts.  Full implementation of Common Core is required for the 2013-14 school year.  During the 2010-2011 school year, staff development sessions will be held to assist districts to begin planning while realignment/modification of curriculum may begin in 2011-2012.  IUs will be poised to offer assistance to districts in planning and implementing the new standards.

In light of Common Core, how should districts move forward as related to Keystone Exams?

Adoption of the Common Core will have minimal impact, if any, on the content of the Keystone Exams.  Keystone Exams Assessment Anchor and Eligible Content booklets (http://www.pdesas.org/Assessment/Keystone) detail the Standards, Anchors, and Eligible Content to support curriculum alignment to prepare students for success with the assessments.

Specifically, in English language arts, the alignment of the Keystone Exams to Common Core is strong, and as districts evaluate their curricula to ensure students are prepared for the Keystone literature and composition assessments, the Assessment Anchor booklets are a solid design tool from which to evaluate course content.

In mathematics, the Keystone Exams are organized around the contents of the typical Algebra I, Algebra II, and geometry courses. These course categories are independent of grade level designations and therefore fit with Common Core very well.

Will PSSA test items change as a result of adoption of Common Core standards?

There are currently no plans to alter the content of the PSSA tests.

If a district is in the midst of a curriculum rewrite in English Language Arts or Mathematics, should Common Core Standards play a role?

At this time, districts should use the revised PA Standards and the Assessment Anchors/Eligible Content, as appropriate.   Also, the learning progressions developed by PDE and available in SAS should provide guidance in course development.

Those anxious to gain a sense of the focus and direction of Common Core in English Language Arts might look at the Common Core College and Career Anchor Standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language (http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards). Anchor Standards capture the "big ideas" in each of the four domains, and they are the standards from which all grade levels are derived.

In mathematics, it is recommended that district teams consider the Common Core K-12 Mathematical Practices Standards that overarch all of the K-12 mathematics content standards (http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/mathematics/introduction/standards-for-mathematical-practice/).These Mathematical Practices Standards articulate the description of the behavior of truly competent mathematics students and users. Once any curriculum design is completed, it is recommended that teams use these Mathematical Practices Standards to gain insight into the quality of their instructional strategies.

Are there any plans for Common Core Standards in science and social studies?

A draft version of national science and engineering standards has recently circulated in the science community; however, they have not been released in any draft form by the Chief Council of State School Officers (CCSSO), the sponsoring organization of the Common Core initiative.

While nothing has been announced in social studies, the National Council of Social Studies reports strong support for the project and is poised to support initiatives to develop better, deeper, and clearer standards for all states.

If a district has a specific question related to Common Core, to whom may it be directed?

Questions may be directed to PDE at ra-gradreqs@state.pa.us.

5-29 Itinerary

-Ice-Breaker

Handbook for Life

Health:

1.             Drink plenty of water.

2.             Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

3.             Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

4.             Live with the 3E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

5.             Make time to pray.

6.             Play more games.

7.             Read more books than you did the year before.

8.             Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

9.             Sleep for 7 hours.

10.          Take a 10 to 30-minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11.          Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12.          Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13.          Don't over do. Keep your limits.

14.          Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15.          Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16.          Dream more while you are awake.

17.          Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

18.          Forget issues of the past.

19.          Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

20.          Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

21.          Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

22.          No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

23.          Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

24.          Smile and laugh more.

25.          You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

26.          Call your family often.

27.          Each day give something good to others.

28.          Forgive everyone for everything.

29.          Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 and under the age of  6

30.          Try to make at least three people smile each day.

31.          What other people think of you is none of your business.

32.          Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

33.          Do the right thing!

34.          Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

35.          GOD heals everything...

36.          However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

37.          No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

38.          The best is yet to come.

39.          When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

40.          Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

-Current Event
-Problem Solving Steps (Five Stage Process)
-Student Presentations
-Complete unfinished items from last class
-Review and discuss homework- Prompt #5

5-24

       Principal’s Professional Development

Learning Organizations/Self Perception

·         Case Study – Student Presenters

·         New Principal Activity

·         Current Event

·         Instructional Leadership

·         In-Basket Activity

·         Guest Speaker (Mr. Grantier, Superintendent of Schools)

Prompt #5 (Refer to info provided last class)

Part 1 - From the perspective of a building principal, explain why communication is important and how it supports ISLLC Standards 1 & 2. 

Part 2 - Explain some of the processes and pathways which can be used to effectively communicate to the faculty and staff.  Also explain some of the barriers which can impact effective communication and how these barriers can be overcome.

As understanding of autism increases, so does the number of children diagnosed

Published May 20, 2012, 09:19 AM
Autism — which affects the ability to communicate and interact with others to varying degrees — is a hot topic, with Hollywood celebrities publicizing their children’s diagnoses, and the HBO movie “Temple Grandin” launching its real-life subject onto the national speaking circuit.
By: Jana Hollingsworth, Duluth News Tribune

• Denfeld student

Denfeld junior Jacob Guldner has an after-school job working at an auto-body shop. “I have a very weak social filter,” he said. “I know that it’s wrong; I am inappropriate at the wrong times.” (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

Talk about it

More...

• Students with autism
• Autism in Duluth school district

When Peg Ferguson started work as an autism teacher for the Duluth school district in the late 1980s, she was one of three who did that work. Today, with a smaller school population overall, there are 12 autism classrooms and teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In 2001, 63 students in the Duluth school district were diagnosed with an autism disorder. This year, there are 162.
“It’s been a steady increase,” said Ferguson, now the district autism resource specialist. “We’ve gotten better at identifying kids.”
Autism — which affects the ability to communicate and interact with others to varying degrees — is a hot topic, with Hollywood celebrities publicizing their children’s diagnoses, and the HBO movie “Temple Grandin” launching its real-life subject onto the national speaking circuit. Grandin spoke in February to a sold-out College of St. Scholastica audience in Duluth.
Still, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shocked many in March when it came out with data showing the proportion of 8-year-olds in the U.S. with an autism disorder climbing to 1 in 88 children, from 1 in 110 children two years earlier.
“At this point, everyone knows someone with autism,” said Dena Filipovich, who has a second-grader with autism at Laura MacArthur Elementary School. “People are wondering, ‘What is it?’ Which is good, because it means help for children.”
The more people talk about it, said Filipovich, who is treasurer of the Autism Association of Northern Minnesota, the higher the chance that money goes to research to study the various disorders, which have no known cause or cure.
“The research money is not there,” she said. “We’re one of the highest-diagnosed childhood disorders and it’s not getting its fair share of funding because it’s not a fatal disease.”
As diagnoses increase, Ferguson said, so does confusion. That’s why someone like Temple Grandin, an animal science professor at Colorado State University, has been so helpful, she said.
“Temple Grandin is so well-known and articulate,” Ferguson said. “The changes in her have been so neat. People want to hear it first-hand from someone who has gone through it because some can’t articulate it.”
Teachers opened their classroom doors and parents and children shared their experiences with the News Tribune recently with the aim of increasing public understanding of what it means to be autistic, and how it is to teach children at widely varying places on the autism spectrum.