Comments on: MDUSD to discuss budget and charter’s possible financial impact on Monday

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:10:25 +0000

Bel Air has about $4500 PER STUDENT to spend in 2011/12 school year from the SIG Grant in addition to regular budget monies ! If test scores don’t skyrocket with that kind of money, there is something wrong. I think every underpeforming student could have a private tutor all year round for that kind of money !

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:15:51 +0000

Richards and Lock have been stalling releasing the spending reports on the SIG Grants Cohort 1 for the four schools and the district. They were filed Oct 12 with CDE — by closing Glenbrook, the district LOST an unspent balance for 2010/11 of $273,000 AND a total of $2.1 MILLION for Glenbrook for the balance of the Grant through 2013. Bel Air did NOT spend $593,000 of its 2010/11 Grant but is allowed to carry it over to 11/12 for a total SIG budget next year of $2,000,000 — How can Bel Air possibly spend that much extra money on the items identified in SIG Grant application and CAP next school year ? And you can go through school by school AND the district left unspent nearly 50% of its SIG money of $933,000 so it now has nearly $1.4 million to spend on its identified projects in the SIG grant and CAP.
Looks like the doom and gloom of the state budget crisis, is now SHOCK and AWE at the SIG Schools and Dent Center.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:19:44 +0000

FYI, I have just posted a very indepth recap of the CVHS charter budget meeting held Monday, including the content of the PowerPoint and a comparison of costs at each of the six comprehensive high schools: http://www.ibabuzz.com/onassignment/2011/11/26/recap-of-mdusd-clayton-valley-hs-charter-cost-meeting/
There are also links to video clips of portions of the meeting.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:23:36 +0000

FYI, I have just posted an uplifting look at three award-winning teachers, including excerpts from their speeches at the Warren Eukel Teacher Trust Awards ceremony: http://www.ibabuzz.com/onassignment/2011/11/25/teachers-inspire-at-eukel-trust-awards-dinner/.
One teaches special education at Stanley MS in Lafayette, one teaches PE and dance at Richmond HS and one teaches history at San Ramon Valley HS in Danville.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:44:00 +0000

Just J: I wouldn’t go that far. Seven large school districts were willing to do it, and that says a lot since they must see the value. Also, There are about 81 schools that did SIG grants, Cohort 1 that committed to it, but many like MDUSD had to write Corrective Action Plans and include an agreement with the Teacher’s Union to include in Teacher evaluations test score results. We will have to see if MDUSD follows through with it this year, and how far the District and the Union are willing or else the funding could be lost again. Its the inevitable clash between teachers considering themselves as Educational Professionals who don’t need data evaluation as oppossed to feeling that they are “teaching to the test” rather than educating.

By: Just J

Just J — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:51:47 +0000

Dr. J. This is another issue that California will never get on board with. I am still not sure I understand why everyone is afraid of this…..besides bad teachers will actually have to work.
As long as the people in charge stay this way we will never get out of the mess we have. We will continue to bleed untill we are dead. This is very sad.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:27:35 +0000

Theresa, but I am not aware that the District was willing to tie test scores to teacher evaluations either until they were denied the year two SIG grants. So I think it was a two way street — and as a result the children lost again.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:50:21 +0000

Yes, MDEA has shown more willingness to work toward reform recently.
However, after California’s first Race to the Top application was rejected, the state changed its strategy and decided to work only with those large districts that were on board from the beginning.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:11:33 +0000

@TH #91 The SIG MOU with MDEA seems to suggest that MDEA is willing to tie test scores to teacher evaluations — a requirement of SIG. Or is it just a ruse to get the money ? BTW, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, even those with whom I have policy disagreements.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:02:38 +0000

No, I don’t believe MDUSD was considered because the teachers’ union did not support the original Race to the Top documentation years ago.
This has been one of the big problems in California — its inability to get the teachers’ unions on board.
So, the state chose districts where there was more commitment to implementing the required reforms.