Some thoughts on merit pay for teachers, tied to test scores.

Teacher quality is vital, but I’m concerned about increases in high-stakes standardized testing (and imperfect tests) to evaluate teachers, influence compensation, etc. Testing and data mining is going to cost a lot of money. Who will pay? What will be the effect on students?

How will the state develop standardized tests for Art? History? Theater? Health? You know there are no state tests for those right now. How long is that going to take? How much more learning will students lose in order to participate in testing? These are just a few of my concerns.

Then I read Dana Goldstein's story in the Daily Beast about high-stakes testing and something called "Campbell’s Law" — the social-science maxim that holds that the reliability of a decision-making tool is inversely proportional to the importance of the decision being made. That is, the more a test score is worth, the more it’s worth cheating on the test. (The story was about allegations of high erasure rates -- cheating -- on supposedly-improved standardized tests in Washington, D.C.)

So that gives me even more worry about placing all this emphasis on state-developed tests.

Did I mention how pretty much every 9th grader in New Jersey failed the state's first Biology test? So now they're back at the drawing board trying to come up with a better test.

And, finally, Diane Ravitch tweeted today, "Imagine putting fate of students and teachers in hands of the testing agencies" like those described in the book, Making the Grades: My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry by Todd Farley, an eye-opening (and frightening) book that I read last year. Another good point, Diane!

What does this mean for Ridgewood? The political pressure in Trenton is forcing a rush to policies for evaluating teacher quality, based on extremely flawed state tests. Eventually, the requirements will hit Ridgewood, we'll be forced to comply (rather than rely on our own education leaders to evaluate our teachers), it will cost a lot of money, it will suck even more time away from our administrators and teachers...like I said, I'm worried.

What is a BOE member's job description?

A resident emailed to ask me what is the job description of a Board of Education member. I advised her to click here on the District website, where you will see descriptions of The Role of the Board, the Role of the Superintendent, some other FAQs, and also the Board Member Code of Ethics, which contains language about what Board members are and are not responsible for.

For a more formal description, you can read the BOE Policy Manual, Bylaws Section 0120. (I'm not going to put a link here because I'm not sure you want to download the 1,633-page document.)

When I sense that someone may have a misconception about what the BOE does, I try to get across two main (helpful) facts:

1) The Board of Education does not run the schools. The Board's job is to make sure the schools are well run.

2) Any single BOE member has absolutely no power or authority, except when acting, by vote, as a member of the five-member Board.

Both of those facts come from the New Jersey statute 18A, which also states that every Board member must all make decisions "based on the educational welfare of children."

Last year I ran across this quote regarding micromanaging by Boards of Ed. It's a helpful perspective:

Democracy does not mean that the people’s representatives — the school board—take over and operate the schools any more than it means that the board members of a symphony play the violins.
-- American School Board Journal, November 2010

An interesting way to put it, but makes sense.

Teen brains are changing...is the way schools teach changing, too?

Really interesting report on the actual physical changes happening in kids brains thanks to digital inputs and multi-tasking. The way we teach should be changing, too. The second video below has more relevant info regarding learning, as the reporter involves his teen children in the discussion.

Fundraising vs. Funding.

I have to say, while I applaud the energetic and well-meaning parents of the RHS Home & School Association, I do wish their Phone-a-thon fundraiser had been scheduled for a time that didn't coincide with the school budget presentations, discussions and upcoming vote. It's potentially confusing for parents, and I think it dilutes both of our messages and efforts. The fact is, our school budget is limited by the state's 2% cap on taxes. Once we factored in the expected increase in our health insurance premiums, that didn't leave much room for anything but the basics. Priorities are developed by the principals and the administration, and only essential items are budgeted. Yes, the District replaces equipment such as microscopes and computers as much as it can, but we have to be very choosy from year to year in order to allocate funds for maximum impact. At all our schools, we are extremely lucky and appreciative of the parent efforts to fund items which are not able to be included in the budget.

Just to be crystal clear: the fundraising drive was conceived, planned and carried out by the HSA -- the parents of Ridgewood High School. I appreciate their hard work, I appreciate those who choose to donate and I respect those who choose not to donate.

Budget and ballot question approved by BOE.

At tonight's Board of Ed meeting, we approved the 2011-12 budget and ballot question for the upcoming vote by residents. The budget spreadsheet and powerpoint with notes & explanatory information will be on the District website shortly.

Following are the comments I made (or intended to make*) after the budget was reviewed:

What a difference a year makes.

This time last year, we were struggling to make millions of dollars in cuts (following a prior year of even more cuts). It was painful – and the District is still coping with the fallout. But we’re coping relatively well. Thankfully, a last-minute promise of some funding from the state, combined with good planning and efficiencies from school principals and Ed Center administration, headed off additional cuts for 2011-12.

I agree with Charlie – this is a bare minimum budget…

As a parent, I appreciate this budget that keeps our educational programs and staff intact – and includes a minimum amount for capital projects.

As a taxpayer, I thank the administrators for this budget that contains the smallest tax increase in decades.

And as a Board member, taxpayer and parent, I encourage anyone with questions as to what this budget means for their schools and classrooms, to speak to us tonight during public comment, email your questions to budget12@ridgewood.k12.nj.us, or please attend one of the three informational sessions that are scheduled. Everyone is invited to attend – not just parents – and the first one is this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at GW Middle School.

Don’t just vote blindly on the budget…Get the information, the real information, from Dr. Fishbein, from the Board, or from your school’s principal.

It’s impossible to know what the future holds, but we can make a pretty good educated guess. Budgeting is going to get more difficult, not less. And the pressures to find creative ways to deliver education excellence will increase, not decrease. I believe this budget puts the District in a good position to face whatever comes at us next year and beyond.

I support this budget for 2011-12, and I hope Ridgewood residents will vote “yes” to approve it on April 27.

(*These are the notes I intended to read, but I think I paraphrased a bit during the meeting.)

Somerville students make 1,000 paper cranes on behalf of Japan victims

The following is reprinted from Voice of America.com. Click here to read and also to watch a cool video:

Among the worldwide efforts to help the people of Japan following the recent earthquake and tsunami are school children who are reaching out in various ways. One New Jersey school is taking a unique approach to help, and teach its children empathy for the victims in Japan at the same time.

There are nearly 40 Japanese-American students at the Somerville Elementary School in Ridgewood, New Jersey. But all of the school's 525 students have heard about the disasters that hit Japan. They have decorated their school with a veritable flock of paper origami cranes. In Japan, it is said folding 1,000 paper cranes confers the right to make a wish, and the Somerville students are engaged in an effort to translate their empathy for victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami into a wish for a speedy recovery.

Art teacher Samantha Stankiewicz says it gives students a way to express empathy for victims.

"For children, the folding of the cranes has been a really positive way for them to feel like they're actively engaged, even though the cranes are symbolic," said Stankiewicz.

These students thought out loud as they folded cranes in the school library.

BOY: "The crane is a symbol of hope, so we try to have a lot of hope for those people in Japan."
GIRL 1: "It makes me feel really happy that everyone's caring for another country."
GIRL 2: "I feel sad for them; like really sad for them. But I also feel happy for us, because we are really trying to help out."

That help consists of contributions from students to disaster relief agencies. Principal Lorna Oates-Santos says children at the school have donated nearly $2,000.

"We will be donating that money to the American Red Cross and Save the Children," said Oates-Santos. "They are two groups that are ready, on the ground in Japan to help the people of Japan."

Joining the assistance effort is the school's television club, which produces weekly programs on a variety of topics. Fourth grade teacher Gabrielle King runs the club.

"When the earthquake happened, the children wanted to know what they could do to inform other students and raise awareness for the people in Japan," said King. "So, we decided to do a show on the earthquake, and to also making the cranes; the origami cranes."

Somerville Elementary made 1,000 cranes and a wish for the people of Japan to have a prompt recovery.

Support our parent groups: Go shopping!

Lord & Taylor is holding its annual charity shopping event on April 7, and all Ridgewood residents are invited to participate. How does it work? You purchase a ticket for $5 and then you receive 15% off or 20% off all day long on April 7. The group you're supporting receives a donation from Lord & Taylor. It's a win-win! The Ridgewood LSHSA (Learning Services Home & School Association) and RHS Project Graduation are two of the local groups your shopping can support. The LSHSA raises funds to help provide Special Services teachers and therapists with items on their "wish lists” that aren't in their budgets, along with funding "Teacher of the Year" awards and two Special RHS scholarships for graduating seniors. Project Graduation funds the event that keeps our young people safe on graduation night. To purchase tickets online, click here: Use the drop down box and click on "Learning Services Home and School " or "Ridgewood HS Project Graduation" as your charity. Order before April 3 to receive your tickets on time.

(Honestly, there are dozens of charities you can choose to fund with your shopping purchases...scroll down the long list and choose your favorites. Just wanted to let you know we have a couple of school groups on the list.)

More information: www/lordandtaylor.com/dogoodridgewood

Public hearing & community forums on 2011-12 budget.

Ridgewood residents are invited to learn more details about the 2011-12 school budget, which will be up for public vote on April 27. The following budget events are open to the community, and questions or comments are encouraged:

Official Public Hearing on Budget @ BOE Meeting
Tonight, 7:30 p.m. Ed Center, 3rd Floor
Watch on Cablevision Channel 77 or live webcast (click here to link live).

Community Presentation
Thursday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.
GW Middle School Auditorium

Coffee with the Superintendent
Tuesday, April 12, 9:00 AM
Ed Center, 3rd Floor

Community Presentation
Wednesday, April 20, 7:30 p.m.
BF Middle School Auditorium

Don't feel like attending a meeting, but have questions? Email budget12@ridgewood.k12.nj.us

Most recent budget activity:
At the Board meeting on March 21, the BOE had a Joint Meeting with the Ridgewood Village Council, to present an overview of the proposed 2011-2012 budget and to engage in a discussion. Assistant Superintendent for Business Angelo DeSimone presented to the Village Council an updated budget spreadsheet. Revenues are flat, with the exception of the proposed tax increase of 2%. Basically, the budget is a 0% increase from this year to next year, with no personnel cuts or cuts in programs. Utility costs are projected to increase 5%. The largest increase on the line items is the 12% projected increase for Employee Benefits, which includes medical insurance. The proposed 2011-2012 General Fund Tax increase of $1,594,572 is at the 2% cap. The total projected General Fund budget is $86,775,809, representing an increase from this year of $363,441.33. The tax impact of this budget would be $23.94 per $100,000 valuation, or $190.90 on the average assessed Ridgewood home of $797,422.

Opinions, authority, and who's in charge?

I wanted to share a little bit about a couple of aspects of "Boardsmanship" that are interesting, possibly eye-opening, and at the very least illustrate a little sliver of life as a member of the Board of Education.

For me, being a member of a Board is challenging in a lot of ways. One of them is in the balance of “me” vs. “board.” By design, and by law, no individual Board member has any authority or power or influence over any part of the school district. In state-mandated training by the New Jersey School Boards Association, and in books I’ve read, like The Five Habits of High-Impact School Boards, The Essential School Board Book and The Secrets of School Board Success (yes, I’m the kind of person who researched and read things like this…early on in my tenure), Board members are cautioned against the dangers of “micro managing.” For someone who, as a parent, had no problem emailing a principal or superintendent with my opinion of how something could be done better, it puts me in a strange, seemingly less-empowered place as a Board member.

Within the Board, obviously we all have our own approaches to our responsibilities and we all have opinions about various issues. But the actual authority of the Board only exists as that group of five people.

Early on, I got some advice from a previous long-time BOE member and a veteran of many corporate and philanthropic boards. He said, once the Board makes a decision, that’s it. Individual opinions must be put aside, and members must support the Board’s decision and advance the Board’s efforts accordingly. Infighting and public Tuesday-morning quarterbacking are dysfunctional. I believe that. I also know that we all still have plenty of ways to communicate our alternate views, if we have them, with each other.

But…back to the Board’s authority. What does it mean? It may be news to some residents that the Board of Education does not run the Ridgewood Public Schools. It’s true and it’s the law. I know I’ve written about this in the past, but it bears repeating. The BOE is not responsible for running the schools, but the BOE is responsible for ensuring that the schools are well run. (That’s the way they present it at the NJSBA.) How are we supposed to do this? By setting policy and goals that guide those who actually run the schools, namely the superintendent and district staff. All day-to-day decisions are the superintendent’s decisions to make. The superintendent, in turn, is the only staff person that the BOE supervises. We evaluate his performance in a formal way every year, with detailed feedback, action plans, goal-setting, etc.

At this time of year, when citizens pay more attention to what Board members think and how Board members perform, I think it’s important to keep these facts of boardsmanship and Board responsibilities in mind.

When students rule the school?

Really interesting short film (15 minutes) about some students who created a school-within-a-school at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Called The Independent Project, the students designed their own curriculum and determined -- together -- how various subjects would be learned. In the end, a group of students who had been marginalized, unengaged and unenthused became engaged, active students interested in taking more responsibility for their own learning. And they learned the material, too!

A journalist who followed them wrote an interesting op-ed piece in the New York Times. She said:

The students in the Independent Project are remarkable but not because they are exceptionally motivated or unusually talented. They are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that are possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience, when they learn things that matter to them and when they learn together. In such a setting, school capitalizes on rather than thwarts the intensity and engagement that teenagers usually reserve for sports, protest or friendship.

Check it out.