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Independence Institute 2011 School Board Candidates Briefing

This briefing provides an overview of the various school board candidates and their positions on important topics such as digital learning, district financial transparency, collective bargaining reform, and the advantages of school choice in Colorado. It explores the rise of blended learning and the 10 elements of high-quality digital learning. The briefing also discusses the Douglas County School Choice Task Force and the Blueprint for Choice, highlighting the reforms made in open enrollment policies and the implementation of the Innovation Schools Act. Additionally, it examines the educator effectiveness reforms under SB 191 and the need for teacher compensation reform in Colorado.

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Independence Institute 2011 School Board Candidates Briefing

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  1. Independence Institute 2011 School Board Candidates Briefing Pam Benigno, Education Policy Center Director Ben DeGrow, Senior Education Policy Analyst

  2. Education Policy Center • http://Education.i2i.org • http://www.SchoolChoiceforKids.org • http://www.EdIsWatching.org • http://www.IndependentTeachers.org

  3. Topics • Digital Learning • Douglas County Blueprint for Choice • Innovation Schools Act • SB 191 / Changing Educator Pay • School District Financial Transparency • Collective Bargaining Reform

  4. Advantages in ColoradoThe Wild, Wild West • Local school boards have control over instruction • No state control over textbooks • No state-mandated collective bargaining • No state-mandated teacher union membership • Intra- and Inter-district open enrollment • Strong charter school law • Strong education reform community

  5. Open Enrollment Intra-district and Inter-district The Foundation for Choice

  6. Options • Neighborhood schools • Magnet / Option / Focus schools • Charter schools • Programs within schools • Contract schools • Home school programs • Online schools

  7. Full-time Online Learning • 22 full-time, multi-district programs • 23 single-district programs

  8. Blended Learning • Model 1: Face–to-Face Driver • Model 2: Rotation • Model 3: Flex • Model 4: Online Lab • Model 5: Self blended • Model 6: Online Driver The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning Innosight Institute January 2011

  9. 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning • Student Eligibility • Student Access • Personalized Learning • Advancement • Content • Instruction • Providers • Assessment and Accountability • Funding • Delivery Digital Learning Now!Foundation for Excellence in Education December 1, 2010

  10. Douglas County School Choice Task Force • President and VP spearheaded effort • Open to community: June 2010 • Task force gave recommendations at board retreat: November 2010 • Supportive superintendent • Unanimous board support: March 2011

  11. Douglas County Blueprint for Choice • Charter schools • Home education partnerships • Contract schools • “Choice Scholarships” • Neighborhood school empowerment • Online learning • Open enrollment policy reform

  12. Douglas County Open Enrollment Policy Reform Highlights • Changed “tone” of open enrollment policy to be more supportive of choice • Added a second-round application period • Added a new student choice option • Added an appeals process • Treat family members as a unit in selection process • Increased the number of days for first round period

  13. Innovation Schools Act 2008 • School or group of schools may implement innovations • Innovations may include but not limited to: • Educational services • Budgeting • Personnel administration • Personnel decision making • District may request waivers from allowable statutes and regulations • Requires collective bargaining agreements to allow for waivers of terms with 60% support

  14. Approved Innovation Schools or Districts • Denver: 18 Innovation Schools • Colo. Springs 11: 1 Innovation School • Kit Carson : 2 Innovation Schools

  15. Falcon School District Board’s Unique Reforms • Innovation school district in process • Developed four zones of innovation led by high school principals (three feeder areas and “innovation zone” of virtual, charters, etc.) • Innovation plans to be submitted this fall • Projected savings of $11.8M over 5 years • Reduced administration • Contracted transportation services • “Backpack funding”: money follows student to school / program of choice

  16. SB 191: Educator Effectiveness • Define teacher and principal “effectiveness” • 50% of evaluations tied to student growth • Weaken legal promise of tenure • Gaining & keeping tenure based on effectiveness • Principal consent in direct placement; seniority less factor

  17. Going Forward… • State Implementation • State Board rulemaking (November) • Legislature reviews and approves rules (February) • Pilot period: districts selected (2012-13) • Local opportunities • Replace seniority with performance [“Bargaining Reform”] • Performance evaluations = performance pay

  18. The single-salary schedule is unsustainable and unproductive Teacher skills don’t typically improve beyond first 3 to 5 years of experience ZERO correlation between masters degrees and effective learning results Nearly 2% of Colo. K-12 operating budgets spent on “masters bumps” Teacher Compensation Reform

  19. Colo. Compensation Reforms • Merit pay (“First” generation) • Forced ranking systems, bonus pay-outs • Charter variations: Cherry Creek Academy; Liberty Common; Platte River Academy • Strategic compensation: an evolution • Eagle County & The Classical Academy • Merit pay discarded: subjective, opaque • Denver ProComp (Results-based pay) • Some positive results, esp. from newer teachers • Salary schedule kept, some rewards misaligned

  20. Pay Innovation to Watch • Harrison 2 Effectiveness and Results • Performance Pay, NOT Incentive Pay • Comprehensive: principal training; evaluation tools; data systems; smart professional development

  21. Douglas Co. Pay for Performance • Next generation?: Work in progress • Market-based salaries • Objective standards, no quotas • Triangulation of data (tests, evaluation, targets) • High earnings for highest performers • Salary-building, not bonuses • Opt-in with “test drive” / “audit” option • To-do list • Defining details • Common assessments • Data structure

  22. The Goal: Performance-Based System • Don’t limit performance pay & evaluations to teachers • Principals and building administrators • Support staff • Central office • Focus on results, invest in success!

  23. Model Financial Transparency • Expenditures easy to find, detailed and searchable • Expenditures clearly linked to revenue sources • Exemplary Districts • Jefferson County • Douglas County • Adams 12 • Cherry Creek • Subscription service • Archived data

  24. Financial Transparency: It’s the Law! • House Bill 10-1036: Post finances online • Current budget • Most recent financial audit • Quarterly or monthly financial reports • Salary schedules / policies • Expenditures: check registers & purchase cards • Investment reports (starting 7/1/2012) • Other requirements • Post within 60 days • Two prior years’ budgets • Link to CDE site

  25. To Comply or Not To Comply? • Real Accreditation Consequences • Drop to “priority improvement” / “turnaround” • Enforcement Depends on Self-Reporting • Primarily citizen-driven accountability • I.I. Review of District & BOCES sites (7/2011) • 2010 requirements: 24 fully compliant; 36 mostly compliant – out of 193 • 2011 requirements: 8 fully compliant; 36 mostly compliant – out of 193

  26. Loopholes and Other Issues • 60-day issue • What does July 1, 2011 really mean? • Challenges for smaller districts / charters? • CDE template solves most of the problem • Wire transfers & spirit of spending transparency • Aurora sending funds to union (private info?)

  27. Collective Bargaining Reform • Colorado Context • One of nine states with discretionary bargaining • 41 of 178 districts = exclusive union representation • Other districts practice “meet and confer” or have no formal negotiation structure at all • What Reform May Offer • Management flexibility • Fiscal savings • Employee fairness • Academic gains, esp. for low-income students (limited research)

  28. Open Negotiations to Public • Good government: keep contracts in view • Remind employees whose interests they bargain against • Keep citizens engaged in reform process: observe, not participate • Of 41 districts, only Poudre and Colorado Springs 11 ensure open negotiations

  29. Payroll Deduction Power • Automatic deductions = conflicted interests, politics, negotiations • 30 districts: Opt in any time, brief opt out windows (many have to ask union) • 6 districts: Non-union members opt out each year or pay full “dues equivalency”

  30. Real Victims…

  31. Union Release Time Privileges • Release day allotments • Professional development, grievance, negotiations, membership drives, lobbying, political activities? • Jeffco (275 days a year): district pays teacher and sub; days used to lobby against SB 191 • Define and document acceptable uses; require reimbursement for substitutes / end practice • Union presidents and other officers • Poudre: $67,763 taxpayer subsidy (10-11) • Adams 12:$187,000 subsidy for 3 officers (09-10) • 5 districts require union to pay in full

  32. Other Bargaining Opportunities • Remove Seniority from Teacher Placement • “Last In, First Out” (LIFO): costly, ineffective • Neediest students get least effective instructors • Tiebreakers (Jeffco): Coin flip, drawing lots • Equal Access • Many districts give unions exclusive privileges: Emails, bulletin boards, equipment, facilities • Teachers’ “Right to Know” • Bargaining Alternatives • Park County ended agreement • Gilcrest (Weld Re-1) ended meet & confer

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