Worcester Strategic Plan update

You can now find it online here.
If you remember, the framework for the strategic plan is:

• culture of innovation
• academic excellence
• welcoming schools
• investing in education
• technology and innovation

Note, first, that most of this presentation isn't new: it's the July presentation with a few "new" items that are sprinkled in. I'd argue that if you are truly going to give quarterly updates on the strategic plan, you need to gauge what has happened over the quarter, not simply continue to add to the same presentation and make it longer.

If you scroll through the presentation, though, the examples don't actually match the goals.
They're lists. They're stuff. But they're helter-skelter, not linked to the benchmarks or the themes. There isn't a report of actual progress towards the culture of innovation (read through and tell me what is innovative!), academic excellence (EXCELLENCE), welcoming schools (the creation of "welcoming books" as the foundational item on what should be a presentation of school climate), investing in education (the Student Opportunity Act didn't make the presentation, though it was mentioned; someone please be sure the superintendent knows that the Governor didn't sign it as yet), and technology (that is accessible and used?) and innovation. 

And the benchmarks aren't connected to any report: there are percentages, but there is no data backing it up. It isn't attached to anything (50% of site councils are operating and representative? based on what? 8% of new hires are "diverse"? How?). 

And the presentation on lack of disciplinary data is simply incorrect: the superintendent stated that they were waiting for data from the state but the STATE GETS THE INFORMATION FROM THE DISTRICT!

And it's this: 

MASC/MASS 19: Transparency: The New Normal

DeLai: you can do more with less but you're not going to get that less unless you improve transparency

Ready for presentation at @massupt @MASCSchoolComm joint conference on Fiscal Transparency with @DRG_mdelai and @MASBONet. Great crowd! #MASSMASC19 pic.twitter.com/mx3ivyOMw7

— Brian E. Allen (@Brian_E_Allen) November 6, 2019

comes not just from ESSA, but the increased public attention to awareness and attention
lack of equity, funding, understanding, communication, and trust
Allen: no secret sauce
things you're doing already and could do better

• ensure a highly participatory budget process
• make budget information accessible to all
• connect dollars to strategic outcomes

What does local accountability look like? Discussion with Ben Forman of Mass Inc

Ben Forman of Mass Inc, who wrote the piece on local accountability recently, came out to talk to me last week about local accountability. We also got into local elections, site councils, criminal justice reform, housing stability, who runs and who doesn't, and turnarounds.
Thanks, Ben!

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday (and staff reports)

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday, August 23, the same day that staff reports; school starts Monday in Worcester.
On the agenda:
Mr. O'Connell has a motion to reconsider adding genetics, military service, mental illness, and sexual harassment to the non-discrimination policy in the handbook. Since legal non-discrimination policies are tightly managed by the state, I'm not sure where this one is going.
There are recognitions (Congratulations, Mark Brophy!) and congratulations.
There are a series of responses to budgetary motions.
There are a series of responses--names and numbers--which don't have public backups (do share!).
The strategic plan is back on; is this just a regular item now? I guess that means that anyone can show up and any meeting and address it.
Administration wants to change the Accountability subcommittee to "Standing Committee on School and Student Performance" (Is that better?)
The annual closing out the fiscal year (making account transfers) item is on, 'though the backup is not.
Miss Biancheria is asking for an update on the Facilities Master Plan and on the accelerated repair projects. I'll do a full post on this, but if the School Committee is doing its job, the city's sudden ability to borrow millions of dollars for a minor league stadium when they haven't had enough to do school maintenance ought to come up. Watch and see if it does. 
Mr. O'Connell wants JROTC to raise and lower the flag in Hope Cemetery.
Mr. Comparetto wants to add public comment to the agenda; wants to create a Public Policy Forum; and requests a report on site councils.
Administration is coming in with a proposed absentee policy which jumps right to truancy without working with parents or the community, written in language that, particularly in an immigrant community, is incredibly draconian.
There's updates on policies (coming from MASC) on JFABE - Education Opportunities for Military Children; JFABF - Education Opportunities for Children in Foster Care; KI - Add the section on Outside Agencies in Schools; and adding "pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions" to the various non-discrimination policies.
It appears the dust-up in the home schooling community over the new leadership refusing plans and threatening families with truancy has reached the School Committee level, as there's an item on that.
The Committee is being asked to approve the MAPLE grant for $47K for the three day MAPLE event (which I think already happened) and the Parent-Child Home Program) Family Child Care Quality Grant for $50K for early learning specialists to visit home child cares.

There are a series of prior fiscal year payments:

• $2,330.58 to the MTA for the printing of the Unit A Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• $29.98 for in-state travel reimbursement for a teacher.
• $189.31 for in-state travel reimbursement for the Manager of Curriculum and Professional Learning.
• $1,500.00 to the Grenier Company for services rendered in FY18.
• $22,426.60 for the LIUNA Pension Fund.
• $767.05 made payable to a teacher at Burncoat High School for a hotel reimbursement to attend the Advanced Placement Summer Institute which was held in Fairfax, VA in FY18.

There are a series of donations: 

- to support the Exhilarate Worcester Initiative at Woodland Academy: - $875.00 from various donors
- $125.00 from Flying Dreams Brewing Co, Inc.
- $250.00 from Coghlin Services Fund
- $500.00 from Cornerstone Bank
- $500.00 from Bollus Lynch, LLC.
- $120.00 from Basil & Spice, LLC
- $100.00 from Engineering Design Services, Inc.
- $500.00 from Mackintire Insurance Agency
- $500.00 from Rigali Roofing and Exteriors
- $250.00 from Seder & Chandler, LLP
- $125.00 from Smokestack Urban Barbeque and
- $250.00 from Tierney & Dalton Assoc., Inc.
- $250.00 from WEDF to Burncoat Preparatory Elementary School
- $7,684.80 from Clark University to support the purchase of Chromebooks at Claremont Academy

There is an executive session at 6 for two negotiations, two grievances, three workers' comp cases, deployment of security, and...

To discuss a potential lawsuit against the Commonwealth for the purpose of fully funding the State’s Foundation Formula Budget.

Testimony on FY19 in Worcester

The video of last Monday night's public hearing on the Worcester Public Schools' budget is posted.

• The presentation begins at about 3:50
• Mr. Comparetto's question about the funding of police is at 27:10
• Public comment opens at 32:40

An exchange that was remarked upon was Superintendent Binienda's remarks about police in schools; you can find that at 54 minutes in. 

Accountability and Student Achievenment : accountability plans

You can find the agenda here. 
We have the ones (from last year) from Burncoat High, Claremont, and Forest Grove. Reminder that by Mass General Law we may review, but do not approve, School Improvement Plans.

Accountability plans
(we're looking at last year's plans; this year's plans are being developed)
drafted by principals with instructional leadership; they take it to the other principals; brought to school site councils; then to central admin
process runs pretty smoothly
sometimes get questions about their not being as comprehensive as they should be
should be aligned with goal areas for the distrct
keep plans as managable as possible
Biancheria (speaking specifically about Burncoat): when we look at action steps and best practices, is there a way that the district can gather best practices that work?
Perda: not specifically from school accountability plans themselves, more the conversations that take place at district meetings
benchmark assessment started by Vernon Hill, carried to district from their success
material that could be done to start the conversation
is there a report that comes back to admin at the end of the year?
Yes, came in last Friday (started writing at the end of the year) to Perda's office
student achievement measures "are heavy on the MCAS" thus are due after the tests come out
Biancheria: concerns me, as "more than just one test"
can people view the plans?
Yes, they're on the district website
Biancheria: asks that there be a hard copy at each of the schools
O'Connell: Burncoat lower number of students who don't graduate
any sense of how Burncoat is informing site council as a means of informing
Perda: have a review of the accountability plan
formal mechanism for providing feedback
"to be sure the priorities truly represent the values of the school community"
O'Connell: almost have the council is from outside the school
going beyond the school improvement plan
Biancheria (on Claremont): interesting how they reviewed what they were interested in
more students take Clark classes: terrific opportunity, look at how we prepare students for college courses
acronyms used: have a resource page for them
Perda: glossary, so anyone can look it up
O'Connell: middle school MCAS scores
Perda: something that was just being discussed at senior staff
Claremont had some terrific progress in their schoolwide data
also seeing transition points from grade 6 to 7 and 8 to 9
"is it a little easier in a place like Claremont where they aren't changing buildings?"
what are the best practices and can they be replicated elsewhere?
Novick: exemplar in actually being comprehensive in their needs analysis
looking at it as a school-wide chance to evaluate all (not just MCAS) is going on in the building
Monfredo: looking at chronic absenteeism
Biancheria (on Forest Grove): reaching every family
student mentoring program with teachers
middle school, not easy for them to make adjustments, not only as how we move them along, but from each other
O'Connell: intermural after school program
math programs
Perda: connecting back to connecting with parents; drop off from elementary to middle to high
the extent to which we can stem that tide would ease that transition
engage in every facet of their children's education
Novick: how to make this oly about MCAS scores, but about more broad based questions of school functioning
Perda: would be hard pressed to see a school that isn't looking beyond MCAS for their strength and weaknesses
Novick: how do we communicate that other information should be shared?
Perda: make this a shared document? Geting it into a wider audience, wider readership
Monfredo: submit best practices on school climate or school environment
sharing ideas with one another

Site Councils

O'Connell: does administration intend to provide the report as presented?
in fact some site councils have not yet been constituted
Rodrigues: have surveyed all our schools, except two: one this week, one November 10
reported that they have scheduled throughout the year
most have a regular schedule
O'Connell: when are they meeting? Can people who work 9-5 go?
Rodrigues: schools vary; they have surveyed their composition
O'Connell: when the site council is assembled at 8:30 in the morning are asked when they can meet, those there can meet at 8:30
will pursue this further independently
Rodrigues: principals typically survey parents as they are approached to be added to site councils
Boone: didn't want to give a partial report
will provide full information

Novick: have we updated website? We'll check.
give contact information for representatives on council, as well

Accountability report

Mr. O'Connell asking, in addition to his request from the subcommittee meeting regarding distributing the law, for a report on the make-up and first meeting time of site councils at the second School Committee meeting of September.

School Accountability Plans

reminder from Biancheria that we don't approve or make changes
We have the ones from Gates Lane, Burncoat Prep, and Tatnuck Magnet tonight
Perda: "pretty much random, except I tried to get some distribution across the accountability levels"
all schools stick to the district-provided template for providing plans; all aligned to district accountability plans:

• student achievement
• safe and secure schools
• parent and community engagement
• communication

in cycle of reflection ahead of developing plans next year

Biancheria: do they speak with parents on developing?

dates and times? due to admin, but presentation to school site councils at the time

still tweaking of document that takes place: peer review by other principals

reviewed by accountability office, and quadrant office both on measurements and on interventions

then posted online in late fall

Perda: preliminary ELA MCAS data released to schools today for schools to start looking at 

"whether or not the instructional piece that they've put into place is working"

O'Connell: very specific role "in order to ensure consistency with the district accountability plan and three year action plan"

role of parents: parity of members of staff in school on site council, some achieved that

reminder to principals ensure that when site council convene that they have parity (Ch. 71, sec. 59c); thus follow composition of site council and makeup of them

site councils often meet at times that parents cannot make; of concern

Novick: do they ever not use MCAS?
Yes, but not often.
So what will we do next year? ...still to be determined...
concerned that we are lowering or raising the number rather than reaching the outcome wished for
(You can lower the number of student office referrals; that doesn't necessarily make the school any safer)
Not everything important that happens in a school fits in the box; concern with making something go up or down a number, not with what that means for the child, the school, or community

Note from NEASC on South High

Bit of an update from NEASC on South High: they're pleased by a number of the issues they'd raised being dealt with (including an instructional leadership team and a site council).
They're also interested in hearing the results of our application to MSBA.

Us, too!

Site Council training!

Under the Ed Reform Act of 1993 (chapter 71, section 59C), every public school in the Commonwealth is to have a school council, which:

 shall meet regularly and shall assist in the identification of the educational needs of the students attending the school, make recommendations to the principal for the development, implementation and assessment of the curriculum accommodation plan required pursuant to section 38Q 1/2, shall assist in the review of the annual school budget and in the formulation of a school improvement plan, as provided below.

If you're on a school/site council, are interested in being on one, or just want to know how all of this works, CPPAC and the Worcester Educational Collaborative is bringing in the Mass Association of School Committees for a training session:

May 6th 6pm-8pm

Fuller Conference Center

Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 

Space is limited. 

Please register April 28th by calling Margaret LeRoux at 508-757-5631 ext.222 

or by e-mail at mleroux@wecollaborative.org
A light supper will be served. 

Site Council training: coming up!

Site Council Training

with the

Massachusetts Association of

School Committees

May 15th 6pm-8pm

Fuller Conference Center

Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

25 Foster Street, Worcester, MA

Please register May 10th by calling Jamese Tatum at 508-757-5631 ext.222 

or by e-mail at jtatum@wecollaborative.org

Speaking of parent power!

Parents Across America is proposing a school governance structure based on Chicago's Local School Councils:

To provide the opportunity for such authentic parent involvement at the local school level, PAA recommends adoption of a school governance model based on Chicago’s Local School Councils. 
LSCs are duly elected, parent-majority bodies at nearly every Chicago public school. They have real power – including hiring, evaluating and firing a school’s principal. LSC’s oversee a school wide process of program and budget evaluation, planning, and monitoring that offers the kind of collaborative effort researchers say is needed to make local reform succeed.

 (Briefly: this are a bit like Massachusetts site councils, except they are thoroughly duly elected, majority-parent boards, with broader powers, including evaluating the principal.)

What's a site council?

I got this question this afternoon at the Worcester Government 101 panel put together by the Worcester Free School. I try, as I get questions that seem like others might have them to post them here. And send those along! I'm always glad to field them.
When we refer back to the Ed Reform Act of 1993 in Massachusetts, we're usually referencing two things: the MCAS or the foundation formula. Both are a result (direct or otherwise) of that Act. There are a number of other things that happened them (School Committees stopped directly hiring most of the employees of the schools, for example): among them was the creation of site councils.
Because another aspect of the Act was to move an increased amount of control back to the school (from the district) level, the Act set out a group of people to assist in the leadership of the school. While the principal was given increased autonomy in budgeting, policy, and staffing,* the law set out an advisory council for the principal, to ensure that those with a vested interest in the school had a voice in running the school.
Each site council consists of parents (generally at least two), teachers (again, usually two), community members, and (at the secondary level) a student. They are public meetings, so anyone can attend.
Thus the site council serves as an advisory council to the principal on matters of budgeting--they are required to review the school budget--and policy. In Worcester, site council members commonly are called on by the district when it comes to hiring a new principal for the school.
Site councils meet monthly and the meetings are statutorily required to be public. The dates and times are posted on both the city website and the Worcester Public Schools website. Any member of the public may attend any site council meeting, and if you're interested in what's going on with a school, I'd enthusiastically recommend you do so!



*in theory if not in practice, always.

site council training

to come from Mass Association of School Committees
wait til you see the power they have!

School Councils

Massachusetts Association of School Committees presentation on school councils
Ed Reformers:

• don't believe what they say about parent empowerment
• huge measures of condescension
• at some levels, condescension rises to abject contempt
• that contempt is extended to local government

"how often have you been told by Doctor somebody who never took anyone's appendix out that this is what's right for your child"

Site/Governance Council trainings

Sorry, I am way behind on posting this!
There are two remaining trainings for Governance/Site Council members:

• Today, 9-10 am, Quinsigamond School
• Monday, 7-8pm, Forest Grove School (and childcare is available at this one, if you let CPPAC know ahead of time: Info@cppac.org)

I'm heading over to the Quinsig one this morning, and I'll take notes to post later today.

suggestions

having City Councilors come to meetings (note the conflict of meeting time)
get more parents on CPPAC
get more parents on site councils


...which brings up nominations for co-chair

CPPAC last year

...a rundown of speakers (a year ago they welcomed Boone in her first month)...events (the roundtable in January)...successes (working on the community meetings on tone and content)..and what comes next...

What do you think and what do you think we ought to do?
Site councils...legal mandates: "there are others where we have to get the parents who want to do it but don't know how"
accountability: "I don't think most schools are even aware of how their implicated in all of this"
"how do we engage the community in the role of parents on site councils"
Biancheria says that she spoke with parents who had no idea what they were supposed to be doing with site councils: asks that a definition of site councils be sent to the schools...would be a tremendous help
(I should perhaps mention that Monfredo and Biancheria are here as well as myself)

very informative trainings: cooperation with district and Worcester Educational Collaborative

fall push on site councils
spring parent institute

community advocacy on local and state leve: "it's moving, it's out there, and at this point, it's a fight that will always have to be fought"

"what does it mean to be in Worcester, to be in a city that has so much education...but what about our schools, when we barely live above foundation? A subcommittee to organize around funding issues...I don't know what the solutions are, but I feel like it's time...we can't keep whittling down and whittling down"
"it's not just for the survival of our children, it's for the survival of our city"

RTTT MOU: O'Connell

O'Connell: "if we are granted the support of the state...really is crucial that we have...open process"
involve EAW
how it could be best used
public monitor what's taking place, offer advice and input
CPPAC, SpedPAC, site councils, teachers, principals, employees
concerns are truly some storm clouds overhead: reps have gone out of their way to understand and help us
only most recent effort

editorial comment on the new members: first week you have had have been extraordinary compliments from O'Connell on the time and effort spent this week by new members on this issue