Issue #8 Long-term Planning

Problems:

The district ignored its own 2003 sustainability report in key areas, including the construction of new facilities and configuration changes that would have prevented the big deficit in 2010.  While well-documented funding shortfalls accounted for some of the money woes, the school district spent money and expanded board office staff between 2003 and 2009 as if the enrollment decline was a surprise. Paying the piper, as it was said, was held off until 2010.

The district’s own planning process is not working as intended. The current district plan for student success includes elements simply copied from previous plans that are not longer correct and report on work already underway. The district technology plan and district technology committee have been suspended (2005 and 2009 respectively), and the School Planning Council model has fallen apart without teacher involvement. We need to look positively at the next 10 years of student, teacher, school, and district growth plans.

Solutions:

Sustainability discussions need to happen regularly, perhaps on a three year cycle, and not just in response to crisis. On open model of consultation, similar to the way city plans are developed, and a public review of draft plans should be used. The process used to arrive at cuts in 2010 should not be repeated. Any committee charged with finding savings or building for the future can’t just include board office staff, it needs to include trustees, parents, teachers, administrators, and other partner groups.

The district has to decide what it wants to get out of its District Plan for Student Success. If it is to be more than just a report, there has to be a more robust feedback cycle used, and it should go for editing and review by partner groups. If the district is unwilling to build a new technology plan, it should be included in the annual achievement contract. Again, as with issues #6 and #7, listening and responding plainly to the teachers and administrators who are meant to do the work of district plans is crucial for success.

Learn from other organizations and school districts on how to use the district website for a much more involved level of interaction with educators and the public. We keep hearing about "21st Century" technology skills - to take this seriously we need this modeled at all levels in the school district.