Hurricane Joaquin Reaches Category 3

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Our schools do so much more than educate our children

The below comment was left on my Reps. Facebook Page under the post: Funding Student Success Working Group Meeting – Update. 

It’s important for legislators – and tax payers/citizens – to understand that our schools have been asked to do so much more than educate our children. That has huge impacts on teachers, administrators, budgets, and communities. Are we willing to do that as a nation? Do we need to rethink priorities and expectations? How can we create stronger families, neighborhoods, communities, and towns so that our teachers and students can truly focus on learning?

The comment and  questions are spot-on. Do folks really understand what is happening in our schools today? Educators are not just teaching, they are doing so much more. I have seen first-hand what teachers do for Delaware students; it is not just about reading, writing and arithmetic.

State of Delaware Office of Auditor’s Releases Audit Report PCard Issues with Kuumba and Delaware College Prep Charter Schools

Read entire report here.

Funding Student Success Working Group Meeting – Update

A Washington Post story reported in January the following:

• For the first time in at least 50 years, a majority of U.S. public school students come from low-income families, according to a new analysis of 2013 federal data, a statistic that has profound implications for the nation.

The article goes on to say:

• It also means that education policy, funding decisions and classroom instruction must adapt to the needy children who arrive at school each day.

Today was the Funding Student Success Working Group meeting at Baltz Elementary School.There were 13 committee members present and 2 members of the public.

Most think that Delaware’s Unit funding system is functional but lacks the necessary funding for Spec. Ed Basic Students kindergarten through 3rd grades, funding for English Language Learners (ELL) and students of poverty. Our system is primarily based on a unit system with some weighted funding for Special Education students, Basic 4th – 12th grades, Intensive K – 12th grades and Complex K – 12th grades, see § 1703 Unit of pupils.

The committee handed out an Analysis of Funding for Poverty Units which provided 10% to 15% of additional units based on a weighted % of poverty in a Red Clay. The group discussed adding bands to the analysis. For example: if a school had 60% of low income students they would receive a higher weighted percentage than a school that had 20% of low income students. They are looking at whether to focus on grade level poverty or focus on schools that have a higher concentration of low income students.

• They are going to put together an additional analysis for Christina School District.
• Connect with the other WEIC sub-committees and coordinate to see what other state agencies could provide to schools with high numbers of low income students.
• Have IPA look at best practices of weighted funding formulas for ELL and low income students.

Amplify Education Laid Off an Estimated Two-Thirds of Staff and Delaware Gave Amplify Millions

Read the entire article here.

Multiple sources inside and outside the company said that most of its staff lost their jobs today, effective immediately, at around 10:30 a.m.

He said, “This is like the cold, inhumane hand of capitalism at work, and it seems wrong that they could stay in the shadows.”

Amplify is the education subsidiary of News Corp launched in July 2012. Amplify Insight was formed out of Wireless Generation, the educational company bought by News Corp in 2010, and focuses on assessment and analytics for data-driven instruction. Amplify Learning develops a digital curriculum based on the Common Core State Standards. Amplify Access focuses on a tablet-based learning platform for students and teachers.

Delaware’s Checkbook shows payments to Wireless Generation which is now Amplify.

FY 2014 $809,613

FY 2013 $4,148,952

FY 2012 $3,989,400

FY 2011 $972,477

Consultants vs Paying Folks a Good Salary

In an earlier post, I published that the state has spent over a half a billion dollars on consultants over the last five years with regards to consultants. You can view Delaware’s Checkbook.

I am sure there are worthwhile consultants and ones that are a waste of money. The question that came to mind.

We always hear folks say we need to pay people a good salary so we can attract or retain the best people. If we are paying top dollar to retain the best people, why do we need to spend over a half a billion dollars on consultants as well?