Arkansas Blog: A plan for LR schools

I've posted my column this week. It elaborates on a recent topic here -- a growing belief among Little Rock School Board members and others that Superintendent Linda Watson has not yet demonstrated that she's moving the district in the right direction. (That direction would be, very simply, cutting administrative costs and instituting effective steps to close the student achievement gap.)

It's an important week. The School Board meets Thursday. One item on the agenda is the Board's annual evaluation of Watson, as my column notes.

But the item of greater importance may be a proposal from the district's strategic planning committee to hire a top education consulting firm, Picus and Associates, to develop a strategic plan for the district. It's now in the hands of School Board members for review.

Here's the proposal. Fully realized, it would cost $200,000. This would be a bargain. It would bring in a neutral arbiter with a proven track record (solid advice to Arkansas in coping with the Lakeview decision, for one) that wouldn't be entangled in district politics. Picus could make difficult suggestions without fear of stepping on toes, such as by suggesting different ways of spending money (in the classroom rather than at the central office, for example). You need not read far to see that this group doesn't sugarcoat the problems facing the district.

The district is at a critical juncture, as always. The co-chairs of the committee recommending this approach are former state Sen.Jim Argue and Terence Bolden, who has long been a community activist for the cause of at-risk kids. The committee is packed with familiar names of committed public education believers, representing all the key segments of the district. My column may be outdated in one respect. Though Watson appointed this committee, she was quoted as expressing reservations about its work when it became clear that it was taking the project VERY seriously, perhaps even to the point of shaking up the district's administrative ways. I understand she may now be more supportive.

We all should be. This money -- a one-time expenditure -- should qualify for federal stimulus spending. It would be produce a big-picture set of recommendations that could produce millions in more effective spending and, we hope, better educational results. The work could start next month. That's not a minute too soon.

Comments

So Linda Watson can't 'cut the mustard' so we are spending even more money on someonone who can do her job. This makes a lot of sense. I guess when you hire people who aren't qualified you will always have to spend money to back them up and do their job for them. Too bad that we have come to this just to meet our 'affirmative action goals'.

Posted by: arkansan | June 24, 2009 03:27 PM

After the long, smelly, ridiculous fight to save the status quo there is now some mild tisk tisking over the lack of movement in any direction? Puh-leeease spare me.

$200,000 for a proposal that will be ignored in any meaningful way but take the pressure off of the administration for a year or so until the next time?

But, all can act concerned and hope for the best as admin costs go thru the roof and nothing happens. Did someone expect a different outcome?? Please, what was that?

Posted by: GeorgeRastasPeabodyIII | June 24, 2009 03:30 PM

I'm glad to see that Picus and associates are advocates of merit pay:

"Developing a bonus program for principals and teachers based on school wide improvements in student performance and an accompanying reduction of the achievement gap, ..."

Posted by: Severus | June 24, 2009 03:34 PM

Severus, I love you but there is NO way that the LRSD will base pay upon improvement in education. It won't happen in my lifetime. It is much easier just to pay them based upon longevity and leave it at that. LRSD isn't about education and hasn't been for several years. It is about keeping the special interests happy. No one who is a part of the LRSD is going to rock the boat. So many of the patrons who would have been pushing for that are now gone to either other public school systems outside of LRSD or private schools.

Posted by: arkansan | June 24, 2009 03:42 PM

"LRSD isn't about education and hasn't been for several years. " - Arkansas

I'll be nice to you Arkansan. I've posted too many references from the state department of education that prove your statement (and others with it) does not reflect the facts or reality.

It again is a shame that LRSD haters just throw out their vitriolic and venomous rants when over and over research from the state Department of Education shows them to be wrong.

Same goes for merit pay -- latest research has found it to be far less effective than originally touted. Have posted numerous sources on this in the past on this blog. Google Arkansas Times Blog + merit pay + jake da snake if you wish to see them.

Click on name and you will see that I have posted the ADE's NORMES report for LRSD. You have to click on the left side to get Summary, Achievement data, Report Card, etc. If you wish, there are other reports on the site which compare the districts throughout the state. Again, I have posted several references to these in the past and no one has been able to dispute the evidence I have cited from them.

LRSD has some excellent schools and it has a few that need improvement. It faces an ongoing smear campaign from outsiders with little facts to back their allegations; it has competition from charter/private schools; the board and the superintendent have been at odds for several years now (Brooks for altering district data given to the state department and Watson for ignoring repeated requests to reduce administrative positions and costs); the trials and tribulations of desegregation; etc.

Despite these troubles, kindergarten enrollment numbers are increasing way beyond expectation (Fullbright has 140+ more than anticipated), the number of students scoring proficient or above has increased by almost 20% in the past 3-4 years, and LRSD is one of the leaders in the state in producing high achievers (number of scholarships earned, number of merit scholars, number of academic awards, etc.).

The school board is growing more and more united; the Strategic Planning Commission is making headway in finding solutions to LRSD's instructional practices; and LRSD is working on improving their data collection to better facilitate instruction and awareness of the students' needs.

As pointed out (and I've seen it occur in other districts), the recommendations still can be ignored or face political or parental opposition.

LRSD has a banner in its IRC that says something about a leader being the one who has courage others recognize. I disagree with that. A leader has the answers to who, what, when, where, how and why. And if the leader doesn't know all the answers, he or she gets them from thosde who do.

Posted by: Jake da Snake | June 24, 2009 07:31 PM

Arkansas Blog

A plan for LR schools

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