tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post978013024921959764..comments2024-02-02T08:12:05.367-06:00Comments on Education in Iowa Public Schools: Education Reform 2013: The SequelDr. Anthony D. Vosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-26060911225968701252013-01-23T11:44:12.011-06:002013-01-23T11:44:12.011-06:00Thanks for the reply Anthony.
You launch into a p...Thanks for the reply Anthony.<br /><br />You launch into a political discussion related to allowable growth - the Governor has been clear to point out that he is open to a discussion on increased allowable growth (or the State Aid Adjustment as they are calling it in the new tax structure) but only after something happens on education reform. <br /><br />It is a mischaracterization to say that's a blanket "no" at 0% - though I understand for rhetorical reasons you feel the need to create such a narrative.<br /><br />Further, back to the ed reform bill that was the impetus of your post, this bill provides schools over $160 million annually in new funding - that is far from $0 in my estimation.<br />Jason Glasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695247000771583788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-88550799482809836522013-01-23T10:17:43.239-06:002013-01-23T10:17:43.239-06:00Director Glass:
Thank you for responding to my po...Director Glass:<br /><br />Thank you for responding to my post, I truly do appreciate your comments and clarifications. I invited comments and clarifications in my opening paragraph. However, I still believe the approach in some of this legislation is off base. From where I am sitting, this legislation offers scant funding relief for local school districts. There is no mention of allowable growth, and the Governor has been firm that he doesn't want to talk allowable growth until this matter is settled. You state above that the resources provided account for coverage issues so new staff can be hired to cover the release time. Great! I support that, and can say it makes me feel much better! But, you yourself have made comments in the past that we may need to increase class sizes (if I am misinterpreting previous statements, feel free to correct me). <br /><br />Believe me, I can appreciate the fact that the DE has had a funding cut from a historical perspective. So have the LEAs, but as you point out it hasn't been as drastic. However, in my first year as superintendent, I had to cut over $572,000 from our budget. In a school district this size, that is a lot of money. I had to look this community, these parents, students and teachers in the eye and lay off teachers, cut programs, and increase class sizes. We have some sections now that are upwards of 30 students. That is pretty hard to do! Have you ever had to do that, Director Glass? Have you ever been a superintendent? You are right, it does come with a lot of responsibility and accountability.<br /><br />You point out that the total amount for the DE accounts for less than 1% of the total budget request, and then ask if I think that is unreasonable. When school districts are facing 0% allowable growth, then yes, I do think that is unreasonable.<br /><br />Dr. Anthony D. Vosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04910974493933678362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-75413624557691286562013-01-23T09:24:25.700-06:002013-01-23T09:24:25.700-06:00Part II
Teacher and Administrator Development Sys...Part II<br /><br />Teacher and Administrator Development System – this appropriation goes to cover the development of a statewide framework for evaluation and the creation of a peer-based administrator support system that would provide mentoring for every principal in the state. Again, supports for schools. It does not seem unreasonable to have three individuals at the state level to design and develop that system.<br /><br />But perhaps you think we need 348 different versions of evaluation systems (a different flavor for each district) and no supports in developing principals in the state?<br /><br />Teacher Career Ladder and Compensation – at last you get a point right in that the vast majority of these funds pass directly through to school districts with a great deal of flexibility for how it is to be used. There are some state guardrails for use and there is money appropriated to the Department to support districts (particularly small, rural districts) in putting a system like this in place.<br /><br />But perhaps you think if we just push the money through, these systems will miraculously develop in schools with no supports or connections to places who have done this work before and connections between school leaders who are implementing?<br /><br />You also question the coverage issues created with the release time for teachers. The resources provided to districts account for coverage issues so that new staff can be hired to cover the release time.<br /><br />Maybe you should have done the calculations or talked to someone who understands the bill and the funding mechanisms before opining on this matter?<br /><br />From a historical perspective, the Department was funded with about $9.5 million in state funds about 4 years ago. This is far less than any district in the state of Iowa. Today, the DE’s state funds stand at about $5.7 million. That’s nearly a 40% reduction. No school district in the state has endured such a hit to its budget.<br /><br />The Governor’s education reform bill does contain some new appropriations to the Department to administer the statewide initiatives contained in the legislation. However, the total amount for the DE amounts to less than 1% of the total budget request in this package. <br /><br />Perhaps you think even that amount is unreasonable?<br /><br />In sum, your “calculations” are wrong. The ability to publish this sort of half-baked analysis isn’t questioned. But the prudence and accuracy of it should certainly be put into question as well.<br /><br />You are an Iowa superintendent and that carries with it a greater level of responsibility and accountability. You should have done your homework.<br /><br />Jason Glass<br /><br /> <br />Jason Glasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695247000771583788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-85850338140922148602013-01-23T09:22:51.262-06:002013-01-23T09:22:51.262-06:00Part I -
Hi Anthony,
The ability to conjure up a...Part I -<br /><br />Hi Anthony,<br /><br />The ability to conjure up a narrative, type it up, mash a button and publish it to the world is - on the balance – a positive thing. <br /><br />In this case, however, almost every point you make is incorrect. <br /><br />I’m not sure if it’s carelessness, confusion, or intentional – but there are some things we need to clear up.<br /><br />Let’s set the record straight and get into the details of the points you raise.<br /><br />ILO – there is an appropriation request of $1.5 million a year for three years and then the program transitions to a fee for service model. The DE has operated this program historically using federal e-rate dollars but that limits the number of students we can serve and ILO has a long waiting list. This appropriation isn’t for DE bureaucrats (as you seem to suggest throughout this rant) – it’s to hire Iowa teachers to deliver online course content and expand course offerings. <br /> <br />Interesting, indeed.<br /><br />Teach Iowa – several districts do have online job posting services. The problem is that to apply for a job in Iowa you have to repetitiously fill out the same information over and over again and there is no central place where potential applicants can access all the teaching jobs in the state. This just hobbles our ability to recruit as a state. You seem to be making the argument that instead of having a free option to districts that allows for a high degree of leverage in connecting openings with teaching talent we should have 348 different flavors and a fractured approach. <br /><br />You are also badly confused on the Teach Iowa Scholar Grants. The appropriation for Teach Iowa, through the Department, pays for the Teach Iowa Scholar Grants. There is no burden on local districts – it’s a state funded system. Again, this isn’t money to grow the Department – it’s money that goes directly to high performing educators in our state. <br /><br />Perhaps you think it’s better that we remain disconnected and fragmented in how we recruit and attract top talent because the current model is working so well for us?<br /><br />Iowa Promise Diploma Seals – the appropriation here goes to having the state cover (not districts) the costs of paying for college entrance and career-readiness exams as an option for students. The larger appropriation in later years would cover the creation of an assessment on the Iowa Core Universal Constructs (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, etc) – something that most educators have been clamoring in favor of for years. It would also cover the costs of the state moving to an interstate, common-core aligned assessment like Smarter Balanced.<br /><br />But perhaps you prefer we stick with the Iowa Tests forever?<br />Jason Glasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17695247000771583788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-55896680954503058822013-01-23T07:31:48.405-06:002013-01-23T07:31:48.405-06:00I did hear that the bill is to allow Iowa Testing ...I did hear that the bill is to allow Iowa Testing Programs to administer the SMARTER Balanced Assessments to give the state some way to have those new tests and to address the legislation that passed last year which required ITP to be THE test for summative assessments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8833526299902220178.post-40178424083400677922013-01-23T07:18:31.741-06:002013-01-23T07:18:31.741-06:00Curious-er and Curious-er.Curious-er and Curious-er.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com