Are Our Schools In Crisis: What is Board Watch?

People all over America are beginning to question the actions of school board members and members of other boards that are curators of public entities. The general public has questions regarding transparency. It is of utmost importance that school boards observe the rules of the "Open Public Meetings Act" or the Sunshine Law. Boards that spend triple the amount of time in closed session as in public sessions are being held accountable as to what secrets they are keeping from the public that finances their activities. All over America citizens have set up programs that monitor the actions of school boards and other boards that supposedly function by using public funds.

Donald K. Carlisle

When board members depend on others to learn and do what the New Jersey School Board Association expects of them, problems arise. For instance, some districts abdicate all responsibility for decisions to the Superintendent. They leave it all up to the Superintendent. If he does something they don't like or if he does not achieve the desired results, he is simply fired.

This type of board puts the children, the parents and the community in the hands of one man. Many one man boards across the state of New Jersey have been secretly giving money to Superintendents at an alarming rate per year. Our Town Board of Education is guilty of this same behavior. (page 20, 28, )We cannot afford to allow this type of chicanery to continue. They must be put on notice that eyes are open and watching. They must be thrown in the doghouse when they are found to hold their own and the interests of special groups above that of the students. It has been documented that Ethics violation charges very often amount to a little more than a slap on the wrist. Publicizing and telling the public about the deeds speak to character weaknesses that may affect them in their day jobs as well.  Let it be so.

A+ Schools is the most comprehensive and formal of the Board Watch organizations that I have explored.
http://www.aplusschools.org/good_over2.shtml
Board Watch is a grassroots effort involving volunteers who are trained to observe Pittsburgh Public School Board meetings. These volunteers are informed citizens serving as independent observers and evaluators of the School Board’s governance.

What are the bottom line results that A+ Schools hopes to achieve?

 A strong public school system resulting from an open, transparent, accountable and effective School Board and an informed and engaged community with higher expectations for School Board governance.

How will the School Board be graded?

Each Board Watch observer completes a report for each meeting they attend. The report includes notes on the behaviors they observed and a scaled survey for them to indicate the level to which they agree that they observed good governance practices. The responses to the survey are calculated for each meeting and translated into a grade for each of the five indicators. http://www.aplusschools.org/pdf/reportform.pdf

Good Governance Practices

http://www.aplusschools.org/good_practice2.shtml 

School Board 101:What is a school board?

http://www.aplusschools.org/good_sb101.shtml 

I especially like this one. I have even been in contact with the author. I intend to communicate with the authors of other "Board Watches" around the country. 

School Board WatchDog

http://www.schoolboardwatchdog.com/home.html

Follow the links below and discover how other communities are beginning to hold their school board members accountable for their actions or non action.

This school board actually wants a more robust board watchdog

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-28/news/fl-palm-schools-inspector-general-20110625_1_corruption-watchdog-inspector-general-sheryl-steckler-karen-brill

Manatee school board should adopt "watchdog" idea on meetings

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-28/news/fl-palm-schools-inspector-general-20110625_1_corruption-watchdog-http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2012/02/Houston-isd-school-board-extends-superintendent-terry-grier-contract/1328906557.column

Wake County school board member Debra Goldman on becoming the board "watchdog"
Read more here:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/wake-county-school-board-member-debra-goldman-on-becoming-the-board-watchdog 

School Board Watch St. Cloud
http://schoolboardwatch.wordpress.com/

Hosted by Donna Pinard this show will talk about what is going on in the schools and how the school board deals with many of the issues facing our students. http://www.pegondemand.tv/list.html?category_id=3177

School board watch on youtube: Donna Pinard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM75jnyxcKk 

                                                        How are the children?

New Jersey State Department of Education Seeks two Additional Waiver Requests

Request for Public Comment on Additional NCLB Waiver Opportunity The NJDOE is requesting the following two additional ESEA flexibility waivers: The NJDOE is asking for your comments regarding these two additional waiver requests. A Web page has been set up on the NJDOE Web site to accept your comments at: http://www.state.nj.us/education/grants/nclb/waiver/ or, if you prefer, you may mail a letter to:
Office of Title I,
New Jersey Department of Education,
P. O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625-0500.
Comments will be accepted for approximately two weeks from today.

Please comment on each waiver separately using the comment box at the bottom of each of the waivers. All public comments submitted during the comment period will be promptly read, taken into consideration and submitted to the USDE. On February 9, 2012, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) received notification that the United States Department of Education (USDE) approved the state's application to waive certain statutory and regulatory requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Subsequent to this approval, the USDE issued notice of two additional ESEA flexibilities available to states with approved applications. Prior to submitting its request to the USDE, the state must provide notice and information regarding the waiver request to the public in the manner in which the state customarily provides such notice and information to the public (ESEA section 9401(b)(3)(A)(iii)), such as through a public website.

Specifically, the NJDOE is requesting the following additional ESEA flexibility waivers:
 1. Waiver of Requirements to Determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Sections 1116(a)(1)(A)-(B) and 1116(c)(1)(A) and the corresponding regulations require the NJDOE to determine AYP for all schools and districts. 
 The NJDOE is seeking to waive this requirement. The NJDOE believes that continuing to determine AYP would be inconsistent with the state-developed differentiated recognition, accountability, and support system described in New Jersey's ESEA flexibility request. In particular, New Jersey's approved flexibility request created differentiated categories of schools, identified as Priority, Focus, and Reward schools, based on total school-wide and subgroup academic performance, measures of student growth, and graduation rate. Additionally, New Jersey's model includes the provision of a wide variety of data including school and subgroup-based Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) that must be analyzed in all schools for identification of areas of need and the development of improvement plans. This holistic performance assessment is counter to the concept of adequate yearly progress, which viewed student performance on the state assessment as the primary indicator of a school and district's success and did not look at the actual college and career readiness indicators across the school. 
http://www.state.nj.us/education/grants/nclb/waiver/RequirementsDetermine.htm

 2. Waiver of Requirements to Serve and Allocate Funds to Title I Schools in Rank Order of Poverty Sections 1113(a)(3)-(4) and 1113(c)(1) of the ESEA and the corresponding regulations require a district to serve eligible schools under Title I in rank order of poverty and to allocate Title I, Part A funds based on that rank ordering.
The NJDOE is seeking to waive this requirement. Under a waiver, districts would be able to use their Title I, Part A funds to serve a Title I-eligible high school with a graduation rate below 60 percent that the NJDOE has identified as a priority school, even if that school does not rank sufficiently high to be served in accordance with section 1113(a)(3)-(4). This waiver would benefit those high schools identified as the lowest performing in the state even though their poverty percentage may not be as high as other Title I schools that are eligible to be served. The infusion of Title I, Part A funds would enable these high schools to better increase the quality of their instruction and improve the academic achievement of all their students, concurrently increasing their graduation rates.
http://www.state.nj.us/education/grants/nclb/waiver/RequirementsServe.htm

Stop Throwing Our Administrators Under the Bus!

Stop throwing our Administrators under the bus...

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, Dr. Carlisle openly accused Principal Joseph Bell of being negligent in his duty to parents of students in the Eagle program. Parents in the district did not know that the students from Liberty School are in the process of being moved to St. Cecilia school. They say that it is a temporary move. No long range plan has been revealed to the public. It was not mentioned that a 5 year lease has been signed and voted in by the board on January 19, 2012. This is a  reminder to the Board of Education. You voted to accept the terms of that lease...The one that is on line right now. If you did not know the conditions of the lease, why was it signed and why did you vote yes?

Parents were not happy with the decision to move students now. They wondered why the move was being so rushed. They spoke about the poor condition of the building and that more time should be put into making the building ready. I wonder the same. We had been told that the students would move at the beginning of next school year. Glenn Garrison reminded the parent that she should be glad that they have a better place planned for her child.

Stop throwing our African American Administrators under the bus...

The majority of the audience was extremely aware of the fact that Principal Bell was being blamed for something over which he had no power. He did not have the authority. Permission for a move of that magnitude would come from the Superintendent of Schools in a written directive. The parents deserved a letter home from the Superintendent himself. Principal Bell spoke up for himself, but it was obvious that Dr. Carlisle intends to keep his foot about the neck of the staff in this district. 

Stop throwing our African American Men under the bus...

Mr. Bunch, another parent spoke up for his nephew. It seems his nephew was caught up in an incident in which a BB gun was allegedly used. Other versions of this story allege that this was a child's plastic toy that propelled a plastic projectile of some sort. This young man was placed in the Alternative school without his mother's permission. It seems that we should not be in the business of increasing the number of children who are exiled into the Eagle program. We should commit ourselves to not placing more children there against the will of the child and the parent. We should be about improving the prospects of the children who are already there. Where is the hope? Where is the inspiration? We admire what Dr. Bell has been able to do with the school, but we are also cognizant of the fact that the more children they move out of Dwight Morrow High School, the more children they may bring into the district as School Choice. We shall not allow the displacement of our children in order to accommodate more students of a complexion that suits the board. More attention should be given to what curriculum  is being followed and whether or not the equipment used by the Eagle program will have a place to be set up workshop fashion ready to produce in the new location. We need to see that facilities plans are being implement with the primary object being to increase the level of student achievement throughout the district. If one reads the strange lease signed with St. Cecilia, one understands that this was a facilities decision made because we needed to vacate Liberty School in order to get the rest of the 5.8 million dollars that is being used to help EPSD dig its way out of a financial hole. 

Stop throwing our children under the bus by outsourcing support staff...

Mr. Bunch referred to himself as an African American Man several times.  Glenn Garrison was obviously threatened by this man standing up for himself and his nephew.  He felt it necessary to hold up his flip phone and tape the man's passionate speech.  It is obvious that African American men with degrees and who demonstrate even a little individuality are under attack. It does appear that the board was over zealous in the punishment of this young man. Why? 

Stop throwing our female Administrators under the bus... 

Meanwhile, another item on the agenda was clearly marked as district employee, yet Glenn Garrison proclaimed that 23 lunch aides were stationed at Quarles school. He suggested that some of them should be let go. Marsha Howard, principal of Quarles had to stand and set the record straight. She found herself speaking from beneath the bus. And the board found themselves authors of another communication problem with the principals that run the schools.

Stop pretending you care and get about the job that we are paying you to do. Stop copying and  pasting important information. We caught that one.

Stop playing judge and jury. The punishment should fit the crime.

Do your homework. Take some responsibility for your own actions. It was your responsibility. Focus. Stop trying to get more money than you are worth. Earn cap. You were responsible for the lack of communication with the parents of students in the Eagle Program. 


Board of Education. It is time to evaluate the person you have chosen as Superintendent. The evaluation form should be public. Where is it? I would like to see the criteria that you are using to assess his effectiveness as a Chief School Administrator. You have not demonstrated by word or by deed that you understand that there is a legal process that shall  be followed in dealing with the Superintendent. While you are at it, it really is time to decide exactly what Mr. Hunkin and Mr. Harris are certified to do.

Stop throwing people under the bus. Stop throwing people under the bus. 

Governor Christie Commits Additional $14.2 Million to Expand School Choice for NJ Families

Number of Students and Districts Participating in the Christie Administration's Interdistrict Choice Program Increases for 2012-13 School Year Governor Commits an Additional $14.2 Million to Expand School Choice for New Jersey Families

Trenton, NJ - Demonstrating a continued commitment to the expansion of the Interdistrict Choice Program, student enrollment in the program has tripled over the past three years to a projected 3,356 students in 73 districts in 2012-13. To support the continued growth of the program, Governor Christie has dedicated an additional $14.2 million for the Interdistrict School Choice program in the FY 2013 state budget, as part of a $212.5 million increase in K-12 state aid and a total of $7.8 billion in K-12 formula aid - the most in New Jersey history. In the current 2011-12 school year, there are 2,131 participating students in 71 districts. For more information: http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0314choice.htm

$14.5 Million Federal Grant to Support Expanding NJ High Quality Charter Schools

Christie Administration Announces $14.5 Million Federal Grant to Support Ongoing Efforts to Expand High-Quality Charter Schools Funding Award furthers Administration's Commitment to Increasing Choice for Students Who Need It Most 

Trenton, NJ - New Jersey is one of three states to be awarded a grant today by the US Department of Education to support the expansion and replication of high-quality charter schools in New Jersey, the Christie Administration announced today. The State will receive nearly $14.5 million through the federal Charter Schools Program to strengthen the quality of charter school options in New Jersey. 

The award recognizes the aggressive work done by the Christie Administration to strengthen accountability for charter schools in the state and therefore improve the quality of options for students. Under the leadership of Governor Christie and Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf, the Department of Education has greatly expanded and improved its Office of Charter Schools - strengthening the charter application process, the rigor and transparency of performance contracts with charter schools, and putting a focus on oversight and accountability for authorized charters. 

For more information: http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2012/0313grant.htm