The truthin

black and white part II

What you and I can learn from a shoplifting case.

The correlation between the shoplifting case and managing schools is clear.

People are just wondering why someone who makes a decent amount of money ($100,000 + a year) goes around stealing wine?

People are also wondering why a superintendent who is double dipping couldn’t afford to pay his court fees?

For many, this is raising a big FLAG.

The association is clear:

If the school superintendent fails to manage his own personal finances, how can he be able to manage a multi-million educational budget?

When money can’t be use wisely, education suffers.

When the people in charge of managing our public schools lack the basic tools of management every business has, then education suffers:

• the discretion to reward their best staff with higher pay,

• to fire those who are incompetent,

• to allocate funds in ways that will have a maximum impact on student achievement.

The ability to manage money does matter!

Yes!

Why?

Because it is the proper use of resources that plays the key role in outcomes.

It matters when used well.

Murphy School District, however, could make better use of the money they actually have.

Well managed money could help in attracting exceptionally dedicated and gifted administrators and teachers .

Some people believe that administrative payroll at Murphy is padded with friends who contributed nothing important to the education of students.

In their search for better teachers, Murphy School District should be able to raise teacher’s salaries and save money by increasing class size, for instance .

Some of the best schools have large classes, but the teachers are superb.

Students learn more with good teachers.

There is no doubt that high-need schools such as the Murphy Schools, do not have the highest-quality teachers.

Murphy School children are about as likely to have teachers with degrees beyond a bachelors, as well as teachers with considerable classroom experience.

Conclusion:

Poor management translates to underperforming schools or schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress.

Drastic change in the Murphy School system will have to be mobilized at a much higher level than it is now to overcome the enormously powerful forces that buttress the status quo.

Without consequences, neither the district administrators, nor the schools, nor the students themselves will be motivated to do better.

Hey Mr. Tom Horne, aren’t these your schools?

What are you waiting for to take action?

This is the sad story of four schools that have failed to make AYP for more than two years!

Esteemed board members, Are you willing to sacrifice the future of morethan 2,000 students just to protect the job of an individual?

Are you willing to sacrifice the future of your 2,000 students just to protect the job of an individual?Are you willing to sacrifice the future of your 2,000 students just to protect the job of an individual?Are you willing to sacrifice the future of your 2,000 students just to protect the job of an individual?

Without an excellent education, these children are slaves to the world they live in.