By Nicole Achs Freeling
Greatschools.net Correspondent
- Small Schools Policy Adopted
- Proposed Bayview Charter Denied
- New Round of Union Negotiations Begins
- Public Input Sought in Superintendent Search
Small Schools Policy Adopted
After several years of controversy over how much to support small schools, the board adopted a comprehensive policy Tuesday night that lays out a framework for creating and supporting small schools by design. These are schools characterized by limited enrollment, personalized instruction and unique educational approaches. Through the policy, existing schools or groups hoping to start new schools can apply to develop a small school by design (SSD). SSDs will have greater autonomy in budgeting, staffing and developing curriculum than traditional schools.
The policy passed Tuesday night was a broad yet detailed document that laid out specifics of how the schools would be defined, established, supported by the district, assessed and governed, and what level of autonomy they would have in relation to the district. A last-minute change that would have given the superintendent greater control over small school policy caused a dust-up with many of the community members involved in developing the proposed policy.
"Don't, at the 11th hour, remove the teeth, the details, that make this policy effective," said Shane Safir, chair of a task force of community members commissioned to draw up the policy. She urged the board not to cede authority over development of small schools.
However, the level of specificity in the policy led some to question whether it exceeded the board's reach. Commissioner Jill Wynns, in particular, was concerned about the policy. She has often questioned whether the cash-strapped district can afford small schools.
A push by Wynns to adopt the superintendent's version was rebuffed, and the board ultimately unanimously approved the original version. They did agree, though, to have further discussions as to the authority of the superintendent in regulating SSDs. Many board members hailed the policy as a breakthrough that will serve as a model for districts across the country. "This is a big culture shift for us," Commissioner Hydra Mendoza said.
The push for small schools began five years ago when board members, including current commissioners Mark Sanchez and Eric Mar, began championing them as a way to close the achievement gap and recruit more students. Others, however, including Wynns and former superintendent Arlene Ackerman were less enthusiastic. In 2005, the district's lukewarm support led the Gates Foundation to pull funding it had offered to develop small schools.
Last June, however, the board passed a resolution stating its support for small schools and establishing a task force to develop a small schools policy. That task force used best practices culled from urban districts like Boston and Philadelphia to develop the policy the board adopted.
Proposed Bayview Charter Denied
The board voted to deny a charter for the proposed Bayview Essential school of Music, Art and Social Justice, asking the community members who had supported the school to try to develop it as a small school within the district instead. In just the first two months of this year, the district has considered three new charters. It has denied them all so far.
District staff, which recommended denial, said the school, with signatures of 23 proposed students, didn't demonstrate it had the support to build the class sizes it wanted. There was also concern about how adequately the school could meet the needs of English language learners, envisioned as making up about half the student body, and whether there would be enough local leadership of a school operated by CES, a company that develops charter schools nationwide.
Supporters of the charter says CES has a history of running successful small schools that help under-performing students. A CES representative said the school came with $400,000 in grant funding, considerably more startup cash than most charters. "We're offering an opportunity to create a model of small school practices."
Board members instead urged the community to create the school within the framework of the district under the new small schools policy.
New Round of Union Negotiations Begins
With memories of tense negotiations that almost led to a teachers' strike less than a year ago, the district opened a new round of negotiations with the union for a contract to cover 2007 to 2010. The initial proposal laid out few specifics other than to begin the negotiations; however, several members of the teachers union appeared to ask for one specific change: that paraprofessionals be given the same rights as teachers with regard to paid time off for jury duty, bereavement leave and binding arbitration to protect jobs. The board has established a Committee on Labor Relations to help smooth negotiations. It will meet Thursday, March 1, at 4 p.m.
Public Input Sought in Superintendent Search
District leaders are working to gather public input that will help them select a new superintendent. Search leaders are holding public meetings, convening focus groups and collecting questionnaires that will be used to draw up a "leadership profile" of the qualities the community would like to see in the new superintendent. The board hopes to interview candidates in April and make an offer by the end of May.
The district has posted a questionnaire on its Web site that people can fill out to express their opinions. The form asks what people value in the schools, what needs to be changed, and what qualities they feel are most important in a district leader. The questionnaire is also being sent to every household with students in the district. The district will be gathering input at community meetings:
- March 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thurgood Marshall High School in Bayview
- March 17, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Martin Luther King Middle School in Bayview
- March 17, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., School of the Arts in Twin Peaks
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