Hiatus

This is the time when schools, staff, etc are off for the holidays. Hopefully, they are enjoying the time with their family and friends -- as well as resting -- for the "dash to graduation" that we inevitably seem to be in -- post January 1.

As such, I too will be spending time with my family -- as they gather from far and wide. I am looking forward to it and want them to see and enjoy Riverside. My plan would be to suspend posting of blogs until Monday, January 4th -- with the possible exception of something that might come up that would need specific attention.

Have a great hiatus and enjoy your family and friends.

Best regards,

Rick

Race to the Top ...of?

Yesterday, our Board met and determined that we were NOT going to apply for the Race To The Top (RTTT) funds -- under the current circumstances. Our meeting was also reported in the press this morning.

We have notified the State of our intent not to apply at this time, but do remain curious as to the RTTT opportunities. In explanation of our rationale for our position at this time we provided a number of concerns that are unaddressed in RTTT and therefore prohibit our involvement.

1. There is not clarity with the Legislative action or intent regarding this matter.
2. We are unsure of what exactly the “top” is in this context.
3. As we have reviewed the documents and listened to the conference calls regarding RTTT, there is a lack of clarity as to what the goal is and what the obligations are for RUSD.
4. Given the current budgetary crisis and the direct actions that we have taken to reduce both administration and staff, we are unsure that we have the organizational capacity to achieve the unspecified goals and assurances that might be involved in a RTTT application.

While we can concur that we can always work to reform and improve schools and the experience for students and parent, however we are unsure that this is the correct solution for us at this time. Possibly one of our Board members said it best when he stated that we are trying to “race to the top” but are doing so while “blindfolded” -- in the case of RTTT.

What is your opinion on RTTT?

Paper is GOOD!!

Paper is good or is it? Papyrus is good or is it? As educators we are trying to "wrap our minds" around the idea that possibly paper (the foundation piece of our modern day institution) may be becoming obsolete.

CK-12 is a non-profit corporation that is providing "digital" textbooks for students ...and their offer is to provide the access for "free." What amazes me is not the digitization of text -- certainly many others have done that. CK-12 provides a "3D" textbook that far surpasses any tradition (paper) textbook that I have seen and many learning options of students. This is a powerful textbook -- even if it is not paper. If you look at it you can see that the teacher can actually modify (improve) the text as well as it can be "updated" quickly for all concerned (we don't need the "new edition")

Nokia presents some interesting ideas about how we are once again making a transition into a new, much different era than before. They call it "the fourth screen." If you are really interested in stretching your mind you can check out the Boston Globe article on preschoolers and iPhone use -- including the video. Me thinks the world has changed before my eyes!!

Tool or Distraction?

Historically, there has been concern in schools about the presence of electronic devices in the hands of the students. As a result there have been a plethora of policies and rules about use, abuse, and confiscation. However, it seems that we live in a NEW era where the cell phone is ubiquitous with all ages -- what is the age of the YOUNGEST cell phone user that you know? As a result of the expectation of instant electronic access and universal deployment of these devices we have a new question in education -- how can (or should) we use these devices in the learning process of our students?

Recently I read two very interesting and competing news articles from two very different places. One of the articles took the more traditional approach of resolving school distractions, etc with the confiscation of student cell phones. The other article was highlighting the productive, if not unique, use of student cell phones as a tool for learning in the classroom.

At the collegiate level there is at least one university that issue these types of devices to all their incoming freshman -- with the notion that it will facilitate learning at their university.

I suspect, given not too much time, we will see more and more creative uses of these devices in the classrooms of schools across the nation. What is your speculation regarding the use of mobile devices and web 2.0 tools in America's classrooms?

So how much IS $37 million

As I am sure you are well aware, we have the task of resolving a $37 million deficit before we can present a balanced budget for 2010-11. But from my view, I have enough trouble trying to really understand how much $1,000,000 is -- so how much is $37 million?

With 92% of our budget going to personnel costs -- that would equate to $34 million in personnel reductions -- if this were to be done proportionally. Looked at another way -- and this is HUGE -- with the $9 million in reductions (from last Monday night) ...if we were to lay off ALL of our valuable classified employees districtwide (we are NOT suggesting this) -- THEN we would be at $37 million. But how would we operate without these and other valuable, critical employees? In similar regard, if we released ALL of of our management/administrative employees, we would be less than 60% of the way to $37 million (we are NOT suggesting this either). The point is, the issue we are facing is HUGE and we are going to have to think differently as to potential resolutions.

We continue to utilize our Budget Advisory Process to review and determine the budget reductions that make the greatest sense (in an insane budget world). It should be noted that the $37 million figure is based on NO more changes from the state. I continue to encourage you to call your local legislators and ask for them to resolve this issue.

Why?

So you are probably wondering -- how can we be losing class size reduction, staff, & many other potential cuts -- while at the same time we are engaged in re-building the Ramona athletic fields, King HS artificial turf, elementary wing additions, etc.? The reality is that money to support the construction projects mentioned and others comes from several specialized sources:

• the local Measure B bond funds,
• state construction bond funds,
• etc.

These funds by both their stated purpose (and therefore commitment to the local electorate) and state law can ONLY be used for construction projects. They specifically canNOT be used for staff or operational expenses (other than directly related to construction projects). While we can use "general fund" dollars for construction (which we try to avoid at all costs), we cannot use construction funds for "general fund" purposes. Hopefully, this helps to explain, "why."

Sacramento

As described previously, we are in serious budgetary trouble with each of our schools and classrooms -- based on Sacramento and the effects of their decisions on all of us. I would continue to urge you to contact your legislators and implore their swift and prudent action. Some might ask -- what do I say when I call or write? I would suggest that you keep it simple -- after all they work for YOU:

• your name and community
• your concern about educational funding AND its impact on your schools and children
• they (those in Sacramento) need to fix the problem (that is why we voted and sent them there)

It is not only important to call -- but keep calling. They need to know they have a friend in Riverside.

On a related note, we "hear" that there is a "plan" in Sacramento to avoid telling us the "bad news" in January (with the Governor's budget) -- but to hold it off until May. BAD idea, that leaves us NO time to respond and plan before our balanced budget is required to be submitted. We would hope that whatever the news is, it would be communicated in January when we still have time to develop a workable plan.

It's Time to Think DIFFERENTLY?

There's a lot going on!! Everyone knows that we have NCLB, that is asking for increased performance every year. As discussed before, we have a shrinking state budget that effects us locally. There is a call from the feds to engage the Race To The Top and improved performance. And then there are global issues and competition.

We can try to keep doing what we have ALWAYS done or we can begin to "think differently." Well what exactly is "thinking differently" -- it's a real stretch issue!! As an example -- and I am NOT necessarily advocating this solution -- what if we PAID students for performance? You say that's crazy and possibly it is -- but that is exactly what they have done in New York City. There is another program ("Earning by Learning") in Dallas, TX where students are paid for each book that they read. What if we paid our employees based on performance and then bonuses for enhanced value-added contributions? On the other hand, there are other views on this issue.

Again I am not suggesting any of these pay/incentive programs -- BUT in what way will we create different solutions in Riverside? -- HOW will we think differently and create better solutions?

Light amidst the dark

Okay even in the darkest of times, there are good things happening. Yesterday, a broad representation of our Riverside community met at Longfellow Elementary to introduce the new STAR program that will support students and families in character education, job issues and acquisition, and gang-alternative strategies. Once again our community comes together -- working to sustain and enhance the experience and options of our students. The program is supported by Riverside County DA (Rod Pacheco), the City of Riverside, Riverside Opportunity Center (Rev Jerry Lowder), Riverside PD, and ourselves.

The program through the afterschool program will provide capacity and empowerment to our students and their families. While there have been other programs like this across the U.S. -- this is a first -- given the age of the students. Based on successful models it works not only with the students but with their parents in the empowerment process. Good job Riverside -- once again!

A Time of Great Sadness

Last night was horrible, as the Board and the District set about trying to resolve its $37 million deficit. NO one enjoyed or was supportive of any of the reductions that we had to take. This is horrible!! And it affects our kids and community -- and will continue to do so for a very Loo...ong time. After the actions we had a total of about $9 million in budget reductions for the coming 10-11 school year. BUT this is less than a 1/3 of the way we have to go to close the budget gap. While we hope for a miracle from Sacramento (and certainly have not been receiving those of late), the 3 actions taken that have HUGE impact on our schools and classrooms included:

1. We took another $2.6 million in Tier III flexibility -- that means $2.6 million in program reductions at schools. These were reductions that were recommended last year by our Budget Advisory Committee -- but did not implement at the time.
2. We eliminated the class size reduction (CSR) program from the 3rd grade. That means class sizes will be at 30:1 in our 3rd grade classrooms. This action is based on the fact that Sacramento removed that code section and funding that allowed our 3rd grade CSR.
3. We essentially eliminated K-2 CSR, which will take our primary classrooms from 24 to 1 to 30:1.

Please, please call your/our representatives in Sacramento and let them know of the horrific reductions that we are undergoing -- and then KEEP calling them until something changes. We cannot make sense of this anymore.

So the Budget Improvements Start

I was in San Diego on Thursday and amongst other things heard Jack O’Connell along with others speak about our state budget. Pretty interesting!! In 2008, the State budget was $103 Billion. In 2009, it is $84.5 Billion – a fairly significant decrease. But the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) recently released his projection (non-partisan) and said that there would be another $20.7 Billion lost in the next 18 months. So using my 6th grade math – that would mean we are looking at $63.8 Billion – quite a loss from $103 Billion!!

So what does that mean to us? Using just our current numbers before the LAO’s numbers “kick in” we have to come up with $37 million in savings/budget improvements for the 2010-11 school year. Last year, to provide some perspective, we were looking for about $25 million to close the gap. Further, as of tonight we are filing a “qualified” interim financial report with our Riverside County Office of Education. Also, as of tonight, we will begin the actual budget changes in preparation for next year. While NONE of us like the task ahead, we must make these moves in a timely manner to “balance the budget” and to attempt to move us back into a “positive” financial certification with RCOE.

All should know that while we are and will do everything in our power to reduce the impact on our students – schools will NOT be the same in this coming year. PLEASE don’t forget to call or write or email or communicate with our local legislators. That is the ONLY way out -- other than impacts on every aspect of our operation.

In times of trial -- our COMMUNITY rises to the occasion

I had the pleasure of another great Riverside tradition and demonstration of the sharing of "social capital" (to use Mayor Loveridge's term). On Tuesday, I was privileged to attend a bicycle safety presentation at Woodcrest Elementary along with some Board members. While the "purpose" of the gathering was to have officers from Riverside PD help students understand the need for bicycle safety -- and we all learned about the ABCs (can't remember what was the C again?) -- the reality was this was also an occasion where 20 fortunate students received brand-new bicycles through the East Hills division of the Chamber of Commerce. They too were in attendance to see this great exchange.

Everyone in the room was excited and thrilled with what was happening -- but there were 20 that absolutely could not believe their good fortune. I know that several of these students have NEVER had a bicycle. By the way, I am not sure I could tell who was more excited the 20 kids or the parents with tears in their eyes.

Good job East Hills Chamber!! Good job Riverside!!

World Class according to some

So you are probably wondering – what is the largest newspaper in the world and what does that have to do with us?

Well, recently we had some reporters (Tatsuhito Iida and Angela Perone) visit from Yomiuri Shimbun (読売新聞,). Yomiuri Shinbun, is Japan’s largest newspaper and reported to be the largest newspaper in the world (with a circulation in excess of 14 million), visited Mici Orona’s honors biology class (at Arlington HS) to watch students using the Intelligent Papers textbook readers as part of our digital textbook pilot program. It seems that we are unique in our implementation of digital textbooks. How did they find out about us? The reporters found us when they did an Internet search for California school districts using this digital technology. We currently have 25 teachers and more than 1,200 students across the district now benefiting from the resources available through the Governor’s Free Digital Textbook Initiative. We hope to expand that list soon.

Tatsuhito and Angela shared that the Japanese population is highly interested in bringing such technology to their students as well. It is exciting to see this kind of validation that we in RUSD are, indeed a world class school district!


Coincidentally, there is another article also regarding digital text in Riverside found at the Educated Guess blog found at the enclosed hyperlink.

Budget impacts begin to take effect in schools and classrooms

The issues of budget continue to plague us as we have a responsibility to resolve a $37 million deficit for next year’s budget (2010-11). Most of us in Riverside County were given “conditional approval” by the County Office – including the requirement to take action before the end of this calendar year – in an attempt to resolve these issues. All of this before the state resolves the budget deficit that we have discussed repetitively – which is about a $20 billion problem. It is our belief that while we are NOT likely to suffer any reductions mid-year – which is great – we will suffer even a greater deficit once the Governor and Legislature start balancing their budget.

Unlike last year’s budget reconciliation, there is NO stimulus to bail us out and salvage the situation. The amount we have to resolve is larger this year than last year. Further, we have attempted about all the “tricks” and “gimmicks” that we know. What we have left are classrooms and BASIC educational programs. This year we have no option other than to impact where 92% of our budget resides – employees. Each one of those employees fills a critical role in our current education system. I can see no way to avoid the further regression of “class size reduction” and utilization of Tier III flexibility with state categorical funds.

This is certainly NOT consistent with my philosophy or prior practice – but we are left with no choice.

Welcome back

I had a great Thanksgiving holiday and “weekend” in Riverside. The family and I had the customary turkey and family hospitality on Thursday. Friday we joined 40,000 other people for the Festival of Lights downtown. Being new to Riverside -- What a great event! Of course there were the lights and the “throwing of the switch” along with the fireworks. But the spirit of the crowd was fantastic and engaged. An added bonus was the BIG screen presentation of the Riverside Ballet in front of the Convention Center along with live dancers.


Next we were off to the Arlington HS playoff game at Ramona Stadium. Great game played well by both teams – culminating in a double overtime finish. Ultimately Norco HS won the game. However, great credit goes to Coach McCarthy and the Arlington Lions as they played extraordinarily well and at some point overtimes have to end – though not as we had hoped.

Have a great holiday!

The budget issue continues to heat up -- with no foreseeable resolution in Sacramento. The Legislative Analyst Office provided his non-partisan analysis this week -- which was not good news. I hate to provide this information during this time, but it is what it is. Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee provides a good synopsis of our budget conditions in California.

As this is the week when all of our schools are out and on vacation (starting with last Friday), I will not be posting any blog items during this week. We will take up our discussion next week. Enjoy the holiday, family, and don't forget to give thanks for our blessings.

Gubernatorial Candidate #2 in the Series

I had the opportunity on Monday, along with many others to go to the Chamber Luncheon with Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Poizner. Certainly Poizner is an accomplished person with a successful career in the high tech sector and then more recently serving as the California Insurance Commissioner. Overall his strategy seems to be a rational, common-sense approach (including his 10-10-10 plan) to the problems of California – though there might be many that would argue with his particular solutions.

Poizner clearly makes public education a central part of his plan though he has a long history with charter schools. He advocates for a return of educational decisions from Sacramento and Washington, D.C. to local communities and school boards. Specific to his plan seems to be the consolidation of small school districts and schools (an old strategy) and elimination of categorical funding in favor of core funding. Further his advocacy is for elimination of positions that are not directly connected to the classroom. As a former statewide advocate for charters, he suggests that we should give all schools and districts the liberties of charter flexibility and then hold ALL accountable for the results.

The Chamber is focused now on completing this series and hosting Jerry Brown as the 3rd candidate in this race. It is certainly interesting and informative to have these candidates in Riverside and speak directly to us and our issues.

And HOW short are we?

Another aspect of the state budgeting process is that we seem to be on a five-month budgeting cycle -- and so we arrive at a new budget in January (not July). The deficit that is being advertised on the street in Sacramento is $7 billion. The whisper on the same street is that the true shortfall that has to be resolved is $12 billion. And those that have been accurately calculating this business all the way along, say that they deficit will be $20 billion when we arrive in January.

Regardless of January's resolution, all of this will obviously impact the budget for the 10-11 year and our spring budget planning.

How can we have a budget if we don't have money?

The Governor has made several statements this past week about the state water bond as well as the state budget. It was most interesting for me to be in Sacramento last Monday and talk to a variety of the representatives of key decision-makers. Overall, the message in Sacramento was very dismal with not much hope for any change in the state budget in the next 3 years. There was good news about the economy recovering and getting stronger all the time -- including over the three year period. However, the "tricks" and "borrowing" that has been going on the past couple of years by the State will limit budget recovery for some time to come.

The LAO (Legislative Analyst's Office) should be releasing their November report this week on state finance. The report has typically been very good and very helpful as it is non-partisan and essentially non-political. The LAO report typically tells all of us the genuine status of the state budget. We will see.

Change in the Air?

There seems to be an increasing discussion at all levels in our state and nation about the need to make changes in our public education system. I would also observe that this is the FIRST time I have seen this type of galvanization around this issue. I would also offer that I have great confidence in our teachers, administrators, and staff in Riverside Unified -- but that is not the issue. The issue is our system -- certainly in this state as well as beyond. There are too many students that are not successful. I am not ready to blame anyone as this is a system issue, not a person issue.

It was interesting Sunday morning to see a very interesting trio of politicians (i.e., Education Secretary Arne Duncan, out-spoken Republican and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and out-spoken Democrat Rev. Al Sharpton ) gather to discuss public education on Meet the Press. If you wish to watch the portion directly related to this discussion it begins at 19:25 in the approximate 45 minute tape. Part of their description of the issue includes statements like: "results problem in public education" and "huge achievement gap." Their promise of solution seems centered around the one-time funding of Race To The Top.

While I don't necessarily agree with their conclusions, it is an interesting and thought-provoking piece. I do agree that it will take all of us to do the right thing for our children and students in this 21st century. Ultimately, this is about who we (the adults) are as a community, as a state, and as a nation.

I do hope that you enjoy and consider the tape and the discussion beyond the TV program.

Green is Good?

Our food service director, Rodney Taylor, and his staff have been working on GREEN -- that is vegetables -- for some time with their farm to table program (starting on April 15, 2005 at Jefferson Elementary). Yesterday, they opened another salad bar operation -- this one at Castle View Elementary. This is the 29th implementation of the salad bar in our 31 elementary schools -- just 2 to go. During the time of its operation we have served over 1.3 million salad bar meals since its inception. I have watched students in these salad bar lunch operations and -- Kids do like vegetables!

In an era when there are lots of questions being raised in various media outlets about the "health" of school cafeteria meals, we can be sure that our staff and students are getting nothing but the best and developing lifelong habits of a health lifestyle. Thanks to ALL of our staff that work together to make this program work in our elementary schools.

Why athletic facilities?

So as we move forward with the design and construction of athletic facilities in RUSD, some might ask WHY are you doing this in the middle of academic needs?

While there may be LOTS of answers and responses to those questions including the inclusion of our performing arts groups in and on those same facilities -- possibly Dr. Douglas Reeves (national speaker) at the RCOE Education Summit had the best answer! His contention and data indicates that WHEN students are involved in extra-curricular activities (not just athletics) there is a positive association with student academic performance (as measured by their Grade Point Average). As you can see from the graph below, when a student has no (zero) extra-curricular involvement they do not do well academically (GPA = 1.9). However, as the involvement goes up to 3-4 activities we begin to max out on the GPA effect (i.e., 3.5 GPA). Past that point, it becomes questionable if there is much positive effect. Overall there seems to be clear message that providing extra-curricular activities, in fact, IS supporting the academic performance of schools!

Veterans Day

As we arrive to the holiday designated as Veteran's Day, I hope we go beyond just "vacationing" and taking "holiday" time -- to reflecting on the reason for the day and the recognition of our veterans and those that serve admirably in the armed service of our nation.

At the same time, we have JROTC groups at 4 of our high schools. These groups are comprised of typically 100 or more of our students that are engaged in a wide variety of learning activities including investigating a career in the military. We are proud of the work that they do and the service that they are pursuing. We were honored in our November 2nd Board meeting when they presented the colors and led us in the salute to the flag.

Please take time to reflect on the contribution of veterans and current military personnel as you go through your day.

Sacramento is still here but the money is gone!

I spent the day in Sacramento and was involved with a variety of discussions with Legislative leaders regarding the status of the State Budget and its potential impact on local school funding -- including RUSD and other Riverside County school districts. Overall, the news remains bad with BUDGETARY recovery several years away (Economic recovery -- which is different -- is much sooner). The larger question at this point is, what is the form and circumstance that the new reductions will come to us at the local level:

• Though everyone agrees that flexibility has saved jobs -- Will we continue to have flexibility and will the flexibility be extended so that we don't have problems with our "Interim Reporting" to the county?
• Instructional Materials Fund flexibility has assisted all districts and allowed for good instructional decisions of local school boards, but will the State Board of Education usurp that authority and if so what is the legal basis of such a decision?
• What will be the form and notification of additional deferrals from the state -- that postpones the payments that are owed to local school districts by the state?
• Is there any relief for districts on the "mandated cost" money that is owed -- or is there an alternative resolution to this long-standing issue?
• Will the state resolve its structural budget problems or ...kick the can down the road to another time and another Legislature?
• AND a variety of other issues.

Ultimately I would agree with the sentiments of one of the legislative representatives that stated that, "we have been dismantling the social infrastructure" in California. Public education is included in that social infrastructure -- and it has impact NOW and probably even more importantly in the FUTURE. The Governor's budget presentation in January will be an important indicator of where we are going in the coming year and beyond.

Important Input

The City of Riverside has been undergoing a "visioning" process that is interested in what our aspirations are as we go into the future (e.g., 20 years from now). The resulting vision will guide the efforts of the City for some time to come. As such, the committee responsible for all of this is very interested in gaining multiple perspectives on the vision for the future.They are seeking the thoughts, hopes and dreams of others. Therefore, they are asking all of us to take a few minutes and complete the survey. The survey is anonymous and will be combined with all of the other surveys for an aggregated response. All surveys must be completed by noon on Thursday, November 12, 2009.

The survey can be found at: http://survey.riversideca.gov/default.aspx. Please help our community to consider its future.

More Congratulations!!

I could NOT have known the relevance of my words yesterday when I was "bragging" on the great teachers and staff that we have in RUSD. However, this morning we were greeted with the news that one of our great teachers has been selected as one of the California TEACHER OF THE YEAR recipients. Our California Teacher of the Year is Amber Carrow who teaches at Chemawa Middle School on Magnolia Ave.

We were able to join a cadre of teacher leaders from RCTA this morning along with our School Board President, Kathy Allavie -- in congratulating Amber and sharing the news with her students and the Chemawa Middle School community. Amber will now move on to the National Teacher of the Year process. We think she wins that recognition as well. Congratulations Amber!! Congratulations Riverside.

California Distinguished Schools

We in Riverside have had a history of recognition with the California Distinguished School program. Most recently, King High School was recognized last year with this prestigious recognition. The program which is operated by the California Department of Education recognizes middle & high schools one year (last year) and elementary schools in the next year (this year). I was notified yesterday, that again we have several schools that are eligible to apply for and be reviewed for this award. While this is only the beginning of a review process, it is certainly noteworthy to be on this list.

The elementary schools that are eligible this year, according to state criteria, are: Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, and Woodcrest. We congratulate those schools for their accomplishment and will assist in any manner we can as they progress in this process. Thank you to the staff of each of these schools. It is my opinion that when they get recognized, the fact is, that at the same time other teachers and schools are contributing to that success -- as we are a team. We should all feel proud. The other point I would make is that while we continue to be in state budgetary crisis, we have GREAT teachers, principals, and staff members in this District -- on a daily basis they make a difference in the lives of our students. Congratulations and thank you!!

Congratulations

Thank you to ALL that took the time and voted in yesterday's election. It is one thing to have the right to vote, it is quite another to actually exercise that right -- and vote. Our democracy counts on the exercise of that right.

Congratulations to Kathy Allavie and Dr. Chuck Beaty on their successful election to the office of School Board Member last night. I am looking forward to 4 more great years with them engaged in the very important work of this District. Special thanks also to the two challengers Chris Lorenz and Mark Swartz for their courage and work in running in this campaign.

My congratulations also to Ron Loveridge for his successful election for a 5th term as Riverside's Mayor. I have enjoyed working with Mayor Loveridge and appreciate his leadership. I look forward to that continued relationship for the collective benefit of our Riverside community.

Election Today

Don't forget to VOTE today as we are electing to Trustees to our Riverside Unified Board of Education AND the Mayor of Riverside. Participation and engagement in this important process is critical to our democratic process -- it doesn't work very well if you don't vote. Don't forget to vote today -- tomorrow won't count!!

What IF ...every student had a laptop?

As we continue to consider what the future might hold for public education in California and Riverside, one wonders about the possibility of every student having access to a laptop and to the Internet. Obviously, we are much closer to the Internet scenario than some might imagine given the presence and deployment of SmartRiverside. What you may not be fully aware of is the option of every student with a laptop is somewhat foreseeable -- given the availability of "netbooks" and very good pricing. There is some recent discussion of the netbook option and how it might compare to laptops. Essentially for a few hundred dollars we could have a 1:1 relationship between students and technology. A few hundred dollars sounds like a lot of money -- until we compare it to the cost of textbooks. At current prices one netbook equals the approximate cost of 2 textbooks -- which by the way are now offered in a digital format as well.

Clearly, the next question is how would we utilize such a powerful deployment of technology to enhance the learning of students? What I find even more intriguing is the idea of students using their cell phones as technology devices in the 21st century classroom -- which is also being explored.

We have a NEW address, but we aren't moving

Don't know about you, but it seems that many of our colleagues, friends, and neighbors have difficulty with our web address: rusd.k12.ca.us -- which seems difficult to remember and somewhat problematic to type without error. As a result we are implementing a new web address that we hope will be easier for people to find us. We are still located in the same place and everything will still work as always, we just have another way to get there. The new address will redirect from the new site to the existing rusd.k12.ca.us site -- without any fuss or muss. Our new web address, that will redirect you to our website is: www.RUSDLink.org.

Over time we would hope to expand our redirect to an actual renaming of our website using the new domain name (www.RUSDLink.org). Obviously, that has not happened yet, and it will take some work to accomplish that. When that happens (months from now) the website will no longer be the redirect but will in fact be the actual website. In any case, wanted you to be the first to know! Try the new address by clicking on it and then bookmark the new web address.

Budget promises or hopes?

Budget continues to be a priority across the state and here in Riverside. The coming question is what happens in January? We know that the state is "short" $12-20 Billion in January. Typically our "share" is 40% -- which is obviously a huge hit to us in the mid-year. However, current theory coming from Sacramento is that we can have "no more cuts in 09-10" due to federal maintenance of effort (MOE). MOE essentially says that unless you want to pay back all of the "stimulus" in California, the state must keep paying education the same amount as they did before. In the current circumstances, we have essentially reached the MOE "floor" -- therefore we can't have further cuts. A similar argument gets made for the 10-11 year; however, there are several of us that have the belief that when the "chips are down" and California is severely limiting its social programs and has further economic risk -- the feds will relent and not hold CA to the MOE.

As a related matter, there was a good article in the last Time magazine regarding California. Similar to the point I made at the end of the blog on 10/16, the article points to the economic strength and recovery of California. Meanwhile, the article also points to the continuing crisis of the budget and governance in the state. There is a difference between the two, and while things truly are getting better for the economy, many of us are caught in the issues, problems, and dilemmas of the continuing budget issue -- which will not be solved easily.

I Know it's October but Budget Time is upon us

As the conversation has continued about the state budget, we are now in the time when we MUST start our process to allow the Board of Education to make their reductions and modifications by December. As such, our BAC (Budget Advisory Committee) met this week and have their website up and operating to both provide information to you as well as provide an opportunity for you to provide information to us. We are blessed with the same membership from last year which allows for the group to leverage prior learning and not lose time on this important work.

I appreciate the leadership of Mike Fine and the willingness of this important group of stakeholders to help us solve the budget dilemmas that we face given the state economic situation and the decisions that are being made in Sacramento. We would continue to remind ALL that we need to call and communicate with our Sacramento representatives and hold them accountable for the results.

Time for Reform?

I was struck by last Sunday's article in the LA Times regarding "value-added" attempts in San Diego. While I am not here to defend Terry Grier or San Diego, I do think the concept of "value-added" is of worth. Further, I don't believe that it is an anathema to "unions" and teachers. I first got engaged with the concept value-added with William Sanders 7 or 8 years ago. When he introduced the model in Tennessee, it was essentially a growth model that allowed schools to be recognized for the great work that had been done while it pointed out those that had been "coasting" (often affluent schools that were "good" but didn't add value). Sanders focus was on schools NOT teachers Per Se.

The LA Times article had an interesting juxtaposition with a recent Friedman article (also this week) that makes a case that economic recovery MUST include educational recovery. While anyone might reasonable take issue with parts or the whole of either article, it does seem clear that as an educational system we need to take stock of where we are and more importantly where we are going. There would be many of us that would defend the efforts in schools and districts that have brought us to this point, while at the same time advocate that it is now time to undertake fundamental reform of the system.

Connected in a Digital World

It is great to be located in a community that is forward thinking and creative in their approach. Smart Riverside is certainly evidence of that -- as it allows many of our citizens (including students) access to the Internet from their homes. Further it works on "digital inclusion" that mitigates the digital divide that exists in many communities between those that have/have not access to digital resources. It is no surprise, that the City of Riverside was recently listed as one of the top communities in the U.S. and the world in terms of their connectedness. Riverside is there along with communities from 13 countries and every continent except Africa. There are 5 communities in the U.S. named. Good job Riverside!!

Thank you to Target Corp and their helpers!!

Outstanding example this past week of the community in action!! Target Corporation chose Victoria Elementary for an "extreme makeover" of their library. They have been engaged with this project for the past 6 months and brought to completion on Friday afternoon. In addition to the thousands of dollars in support of the "makeover" there were 200 Target volunteers that participated in the project including the final production on Friday. What excites me most of all is that ALL of our students went home from school on Friday with 2 brand-new books that now belong to them -- thanks to Target. Additionally, for every child that showed up with their family on Friday afternoon, they got an additionally 5 books, plus 5 books for each sibling. My observation from other times and places is that it is a HUGE gift for a child to receive and possess their "own" book. Between the "makeover" and the books directly into student's hands for their keeping -- Target has clearly advanced the cause of literacy in the Victoria Elementary neighborhood. Thanks to Target! Thanks to ALL of their 200 volunteers that helped make it happen!!

Special thanks to all of our Board members for their attendance and support at this event.

The BUDGET continues!!

Though we have all been on a bit of a hiatus with the budget discussion -- it has not gone away. This week Dan Walters, long-time Sacramento Bee columnist and Capitol observer pointed out that surprise, surprise the next 5 month budget cycle is on-track with the announcement that July's budget assumptions didn't quite work out as planned or announced. This would be consistent with our contention since July that the next budget reduction for schools will be announced in or around the December-January timeline -- which is mid-year for us.

While there continues to be evidence of economic recovery nationally and to some degree in California, that does not necessarily resolve the structural budget problems and dilemma of the state budget. There should be a clear separation in the minds of all between the health of the economy -- and the health of the California budget. While the economic slide ends and improves -- it has little to do with the budget circumstance that we are engaged with in Sacramento.

Science in Riverside

Had the great privilege to go over and participate in the STEP 10 (Science and Technology Education Partnership -- Year 10) conference offered in the Riverside Convention Center. The program is coordinated by Dr. Pam Clute of UCR along with many other sponsors. A great day for students to engage in science at lots of different levels. Clearly, by all measures, we in the U.S. need more scientists and science trained citizens as we progress in a global economy in the 21st Century.

STEP 10 exposes students to great science experiences and the positive aspiration, "What kind of scientist do you want to be?". I saw flight simulators -- for students to actually fly -- how cool is that? I also was able to go into the science show which was "crazy cool" and involved:

• several Airzukas that blew 12+" perfect smoke rings across the room,
• cooking hot dogs with electricity, and of course
• the pickle light bulb.

Riverside is blessed with many resources including Institutions of Higher Education that want to be involved and make a difference with our students and community. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin will be at STEP tomorrow (Thursday).

Student "engagement"

Kudos to the Poly HS administration and staff for hosting a "student engagement" with their students. This is a two-day activity where all the "voices" in the room are students talking about their school and the facilitators / listeners are all of the adults. The idea is to discover the thoughts and concerns of students regarding their school and their relationships within the school -- for the purpose of improving the school, relationships, and the experience at school.

This particular activity has been previously provided at North HS. The activity is and has been facilitated by the Eastside Think Tank along with support and facilitation from the Riverside Policy Department. Though this kind of activity can be a bit anxiety producing (as you never know what people will say), it promises to provide long-lasting improvement for the student experience at Poly HS. Kudos to all.

JROTC

Interesting interaction this afternoon with the instructors from our JROTC units across the RUSD District. I was most surprised to find that we have the oldest (1916) JROTC High School unit in the country with Poly High School. We have a diversity of services represented with the Army at Poly, Air Force at Arlington, Marines at Ramona, and Navy at King. Each program has in excess of 100 students with Poly taking the prize at 142 students.

There is an emphasis on academic preparation and preparedness as well as the normal military topics that one would expect. Based on the flexibility of the PE waiver, there are 400 minutes (or more) of physical activity being guaranteed every 2 weeks along with supporting PE curriculum regarding health and nutrition. The JROTC is a great program that is assisting our students and our country. We should be pleased and thankful for this fine option for our students.

English Language Learners

Interesting review of our English Learner (EL) student data over the past several weeks with our "principal summits." Each school and principal has a little different setting regarding their EL students and needs. We have schools where 70% of their students are EL and on the opposite end of the spectrum we have schools with 2% of their students with the need to acquire English Language. It is not a surprise that the vast majority of our EL students are Spanish speakers; however, within the mix of our schools we have some situations where the majority of EL students are NOT Spanish speakers but come from various other languages and cultures (there are approximately 40 different languages we serve with EL students).

What I found most interesting was the fact that of our 8,095 EL students 82% of them were born in the U.S. (and probably Riverside). Obviously, those same students began school with us in Kindergarten and the 1st grade. I would hope that we can extend the gift these students have with capacity in English. It is a tremendous asset to them individually and our economic community to be bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate in a global economic society.

Innovation is HERE!

Riverside Unified School District Board of Trustees voted uniamously on Monday night to adopt open source digital textbooks in high school math and science -- as referenced earlier. I appreciate the proactive leadership of the Board and the Governor in attempting to create new and innovative solutions that will be more efficient and effective in this new century. I suspect that given time with this new option, we will look back at this innovation with an understanding that it "saved money" while at the same time provided more and better instructional options for our students and staff. Innovation always requires a certain amount of courage and leadership -- I appreciate both with the action of our Board.

The Cost of What IF…

As we enter into the “age” of digital textbooks in RUSD, I am sure that several are asking the question – in an era of budget cuts and a clear lack of adequate funding, HOW can we buy digital textbooks, etc. to make this work? Great question! In the current situation, the digital textbooks are being provided by the State of California (that is the texts are free). While there is currently no cost to these digital texts, it is likely that there will be cost over time – in a coming adoption cycle. However, costs even then are likely to be VERY much reduced as there is no paper or printing involved. The other costs associated with this matter are the equipment needs to utilize the digital texts. Currently, we have a great deal of infrastructure in place, as well as Smart Riverside has provided community development to reduce digital divide issues. Additionally, we are able to utilize a small portion of our Instructional Material funds (which is provided for the purchase of textbooks) due to flexibility that has been provided by the State of California. Bottom line, we are NOT taking money from our general program operations accounts.

While there is essentially little or no expense at this time, even in the long-term we are likely to have MUCH reduced costs with this option.  I believe that everyone wins with this digital option.

What IF... Becomes now

Our journey with digital textbooks continues. We met this week with a representative from Intelligent Papers (there is NO sound on this video) who demonstrated a small, color-capable device that would hold a multitude of digital textbooks. The most interesting part of this presentation was the fact that a student could "write" on the book and "highlight" relevant sections that would meet the individual needs of the student. The battery provides a minimum of 8 hours before recharging and most importantly is durable such at it can withstand the bumps and bruises of life -- including an occasional spill.

The overall idea is that we in education need to begin to adapt to the needs of students (the future) rather than asking the students and parents to adapt to our schools (the past). It will be interesting to see this digital textbook initiative evolve.

City of Arts and Innovation

My wife and I had the opportunity to share a bit in what we offer in the City of Riverside ...relative to "arts and innovation." We attended the Riverside Philharmonic for a great performance. While there are other venues that might offer some similarity in the quality of music -- it is rare that you would have the intimacy of the setting at Riverside Municipal Auditorium. It's great to be here.

Riverside College & Career Fair

Great job by the Chamber and our staff in producing the College/Career Fair on Wednesday night (watch the hyperlinked video). As I understand it there were over 7,000 people in attendance and I can attest to the fact that it was standing room only. Special thanks for organizing all of this (on the RUSD side) to Dr. Jenny Hirst.

It was great to have representation from Historically Black Colleges, which speaks to the issue that we have struggled with state/nation-wide. Many of our students (i.e., "students of color" or "minority" students) have been greatly underrepresented both at HS graduation time and when it comes to matriculation into college or post-secondary opportunities. Attached is just one representation of that data with the SAT scores by ethnicity. As we move forward we need more events like the College/Career Fair to engage our students, as well as more support and engagement every day with our students to ensure their success.

The Race is On!

An interesting day yesterday with Gubernatorial Candidate Meg Whitman in town and speaking at a noon Chamber of Commerce event at the Convention Center. Whitman clearly is a small business advocate but has an interesting set of goals. Her intent is to be focused on 3 goals and not be deterred by other distractions (a good strategy many of us could learn from).

1. Creation of Jobs and streamline regulations that thwart that effort.
2. Reduction of Governmental Spending and the State workforce.
3. Improvement of K-12 Public Education.

Relative to the K-12 education solution she again has a 3 step approach:

1. Institute an A-F grading system for schools that provides information to parents regarding the quality of their student's school. She provides Florida as an example where this has been successfully implemented.
2. We should have more charter schools. Her contention is that charters are more successful and that we currently have a cap on the number of schools possible.
3. We should move authority and accountability for schools back from Sacramento to local school districts and communities.

While I would inclined to debate some of the specifics of her arguments regarding schools, I think she has the right ideas/principles/values in this area. IF we could have:

• a clear, simple accountability system that could be communicated to the public,
• provide for choice of schools within our era of choice, and
• move back to local control

-- we would all be better off.

What IF...

So this weekend, I have been reading and thinking about math and Algebra in our District (and all districts for that matter). Algebra Algebra is a CRITICAL competency (not “course”) for ALL of our students. Clearly it provides access to high school success graduation as well as access to post-secondary opportunities (including trades). Without it, a student and therefore our citizens are severely limited in tough economic times, as well as generally. There are articles for parents parent articlesregarding the importance of Algebra in California today (including a Spanish version).

In Radical Equations, Robert Moses argues for a number of things, but most compelling is the essential nature of Algebra in our global, “knowledge-based” society. Algebra (along with science and beyond Algebra mathematics) is as essential in our “knowledge-based” economy as literacy was in the manufacturing era. For students to have access to our economy, they must be competent in Algebra, as well as its math and science successors. The other interesting observation is that failure of public education to step up to this challenge clearly sets up and sustains a class system where there are “haves” and “have-nots.”

So do we begin to emphasize Algebra and its kin in the next 10 years, like we have emphasized literacy in the past 10 years?

Time to be INVOLVED

Tomorrow night is a GREAT event! We are having the 5th annual Riverside College and Career Fair at the Convention Center, starting at 5:00 p.m. in the Convention Center downtown. The uniqueness of this event is that it is sponsored and operated by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce. The recounting of prior events has indicated that they have been fantastic opportunities for our students to connect with their future. It is also great for parents to see and discuss the options with their young people. What's the cost? It's really inexpensive -- free!!

Thank you Chamber and I will see you all there tomorrow night.

Measure B

Recently we had a report from our Citizens Advisory Committee -- certainly a routine matter.  And it was well done and and informative -- No suprise as we have great folks helping us out that committee.  What WAS a surprise to me and very non-routine was a very interesting factoid.  In reviewing the Measure B funds that have been allocated and raised by this community, we have spent $106 million to do many projects.  What is pretty unusual is that we have a 3:1 effect ...that is for every dollar raised through Measure B we have had $3 in capital improvements.  This has been done by leveraging the Measure B funds with State and other monies that are available.  Congratulations to our staff from smart use of our funds for the benefit of our students and community.  In you are interested in the entire report you can find it on our website:  http://www.rusdmeasureb.org/documents/2008AnnualCOCReport.pdf.

The "community" makes the Difference

I am continually amazed at the commitment and resourcefulness of our collective community here in Riverside. At our last Board meeting, we had the REEF (Riverside Educational Enrichment Foundation) Board present some of the great things that they are doing to raise money to support our teachers and students. The funds go directly into the classroom and directly support the learning of students. All those "little" contributions make a huge difference in this effort -- particularly during these times. As a result of those "little" gifts, REEF has been able to leverage a larger gift, in the form of a donation from the E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation in the amount of $55,000. On behalf of our students (as it is all about them), our deepest appreciation for the initiative and efforts of REEF and the generous contribution from the Carpenter family.

What IF...

As we continue to think about the "school" system of the future, we must seriously consider the issue of the "digital divide" that often times exists between the "haves" and "have nots" in our society. Having grown up in a home that would be better represented as economically "have not," I am very clear that there would NOT have been a computer and other technology in our home or available for my access. That is not a criticism of my family or any other -- just a reality. Fortunately, we live in Riverside and there is and has been an on-going effort to address this problem aggressively through Smart Riverside. Smart Riverside is working on "Digital Inclusion" to address both the frequent lack of equipment and technology training in some homes. Additionally, they have deployed wireless availability across 75+% of the community making Internet available. Both of these efforts provide a huge leap toward closing the "divide."

As we think about the same "divide," we are continually looking for new solutions that are both cost-effective and workable. We think we are now at a price point with "netBook" computers that will provide our students (and even families) with a relatively low-cost alternative to computing and the digital world and at the same time give them Internet access via the Smart Riverside wireless system. There are other strategies, but overall we are working on closing this significant gap -- it is imperative to our deployment of digital texts but more importantly it is the health and well-being of our community.

Sacramento vs. Riverside at the Helm?

An interesting editorial in our local Press-Enterprise regarding the state dilemma and what should be done.  Probably the last line captures it best with the idea that public education via the Sacramento intrusion "needs a thorough overhaul, not a costmetic touchup."  The editors rightly point to the on-going insanity in Sacramento.  I would totally concur that the real issue is the need to "start by giving local districts more power to make decisions."  That is not a statement of arrogance on my part, rather a statement that I believe in our local citizens to hold our local school District and board members accountable for the well-being of their students -- THAT scenario is much UNlike our existing governance via Sacramento (with limited accountability) chaos.

Tell Me ONE More Time, Why Do We Have Sports?

So I am back from the Ramona vs. Jurupa Valley football game this evening. A great game with an excited crowd. Ramona prevailed with a score of 47 to 7 -- way to go Rams! That's great, but then there is the story behind the story -- the story that rarely gets told. Athletics ultimately is not about winning (which I really like the winning part), but about the growth, development, and teamwork of the young men and women involved.

In this case, the football team took it upon themselves to invite special guests (Life Skills Academy) to their game and then played hard for them. You can check out the article on the Ramona HS website. More importantly, there are lots of excited football players, and Life Skills students tonight with the "win" at Ramona. What more could we ever ask from our coaches and athletes than what they delivered today? Great job to the total Ramona community.

What IF...

Another "move" to the future is the provision of the State of California an opportunity for digital textbooks. We are currently proceeding on this particular direction in partnership with the state. Currently, we only have these state-adopted texts in our higher level math and science classes at the high school level. We would hope to have available to our students these digital resources by the middle of October. Digital texts (beyond reducing the weight limit of backpacks) would offer teachers and students the choice of MANY resources and options for their learning rather than the customary one that we have had in the past. As an example, a teacher could choose one chapter from one book and another chapter from another text based on which was BEST for their classroom. Additionally, students that might have difficulty understanding a given concept in one text could easily review another version in a different text -- all with a few clicks of the "mouse."

More information about the specifics of the digital texts and how they are aligned to state curriculum standards, etc. can be found at the CLRN website. At that same website, there are links to the actual textbooks for the high school math/science classes. No matter how good and how many -- we should be clear that teachers are still the key to the facilitation of student learning.

What IF...

In the era of system reform and questions that have been raised by budget shortfalls and the economic climate, the question becomes if not this -- then what? Within that regard, it would seem that an interesting, if not productive, conversation might occur between interested stakeholders regarding the triangulation between three books and sets of ideas. In no particular order, I would suggest:

• Disrupting Class by Clayton Christensen (Disruptive Innovations)
• Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirkey (Organizing without Organizations)
• The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (Loss of Borders)

While this is not the definitive set of book topics, I do think it would be interesting. It might be equally interesting to know the three that you would use to triangulate between!?! Finally, it is of limited value if we do not discuss our practice and system within that triangulation discussion. In any case, change like this always involves LOTS of discussion.

Race to the Top -- October 1st??

The clock ticks down on the Governor's imposed deadline of October 1st for the Legislature to write and pass legislation to address the issues outlined in the federal Race to the Top program. In fact, we have essentially 2 weeks left. Meanwhile there are two proposed Senate bills that might accomplish the task (SB X5 1 and SB X5 2).

The federal program has received press in a number of places including Time magazine. Arne Duncan, Sec. of Ed has suggested, "Is California going to lead the race to the top, or are you going to lead the retreat?" The essential requirements that California would have to meet to qualify for the Race to the Top funding would include two things:

• Linking student achievement to evaluations of educators
• Addressing the performance needs of the lowest-achieving 5% of the schools in the state

Other issues that seem to be "on the plate" both at the state and federal levels and have some linkage to Race to the Top, include such items as:

• Open enrollment options (statewide) for parents that have students in low-performing schools
• Possible reconstitution of individual schools and districts that don't appear to be performing well
• Raising the "cap" on the number of charter schools allowed
• Sharing of data between educational agencies
• Adoption of national curriculum standards (rather than state)

These are obviously all public policy issues that have "far-reaching" effects. October 1st seems awfully close to have a reasonable debate on these matters -- for the potential of one-time federal funds. Stay tuned!!

The Importance of our REEF Organization

In these very difficult economic times, charitable foundations such as REEF (Riverside Educational Enrichment Foundation) are relied upon more and more to bridge the gap in school funding, helping schools to continue to provide high-quality learning opportunities to our students (e.g., music programs, athletics, clubs, etc.). That issue becomes increasingly important this year with the continuing state budget problems and our need to comply with the state law regarding not charging individual student fees for various student activities. Donations and support programs like REEF can help support our students and programs as the funding situation has changed.

Last year with RUSD employees, we raised $17,000 in RUSD contributions to support this significant cause. We are a “community” in RUSD and we are a “community” within Riverside – and we care about each other and have a collective interest in our students. Economically, things are tough for all – whether you are in schools, private business, etc. My approach to REEF and ultimately the benefit for our students is that we need participation of everyone not necessarily large gifts (though those are certainly welcome. As an example, we have approximately 5,000 permanent employees in RUSD. If ALL of us were to each contribute $1 per month – we would raise over $60,000 for this important effort (compared to $17,000 last year). How much more could we do if we just had everyone in Riverside contribute their $1? I would ask for your participation and the encouragement of all of your friends/neighbors in this effort that will directly support our students and programs. It only takes participation to make a BIG difference. You can find contribution information on our website at: http://www.riversideschoolsrule.org/

Fritts does it again

Continuing with their long-standing tradition of supporting our RAD (Riverside Against Drugs) program, Fritts Ford held a unique fundraiser today.  Drop by and you get a FREE lunch, a Free car wash, and if you test drive one of their cars -- there is a $20 contribution made to the RAD program.  Pretty amazing deal, pretty amazing support!!  It was great to see many of you out there and involved along with students, community members, and staff.  Well done Fritts Ford!!

By Name and By Need

As we seek to make sure that EVERY student is successful and proficient in our school system, it is clear that we need to know everyone of them by name and by need. While knowing all of my students "by name" can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, it is possible -- particularly if we share strategies. One of my colleagues shared a recent article that address this issue well. The focus is elementary, but there is the possibility of adapting it to secondary situations. I have used some the techniques (adapted) at even the graduate level where the same needs apply.

Knowing "the need" for each student is the next challenge. We often have data and information to support that effort, but it requires diligence, curiosity, and careful listening on the part of the educator. In fact, sometimes we need to "get beyond" the data to fully understand the need of the student. Our RUSD staff is daily in pursuit of these challenges.

Algebra II???

With the issues of Algebra there are lots of questions about the data and how we should adjust to provide better learning and performance for our students. We need time to study our data and even gather more information about what others are doing that would seem to be successful (best practice?). We owe it to our students to “rethink” Algebra and our current practices. With a “rethinking” will obviously be a time when we will need to take “risks” in attempting what may not have occurred before (though within the confines of good professional judgment on the parts of educators). With “rethinking” we also will probably need to “weed the garden” and consider elimination of practices that have not provided our students with the greatest leverage in learning the essential elements of Algebra. There may be multiple ways to “deliver” Algebra – including those that may currently be “non-traditional.”

One issue is abundantly clear with lots of evidence over time -- If we fail to assist our RUSD students in acquiring the competencies of Algebra, they will be limited in our high school curriculum and more importantly they will be limited in both their collegiate and career choices.

Algebra

As we reflect on the educational challenges before us, we certainly need to address the issue of Algebra for our students -- which tends to be a gatekeeper and either allow or deny a student access to any number of options (either in school or BEYOND school). Historically, Algebra has been a High School course, but increasingly is seen as a necessary element for all students to complete 8th grade and move forward to high school. In this past year, our middle schools met that target with 20% of our students. In reviewing our various middle schools there is a diversity of competency varying from about 17 to 34%. We have also surveyed our neighbors around us and we exceed some of them while we can learn from others.

We have a GREAT staff that is focused on helping every student succeed in Algebra. Even today, we have a group of teachers in our building actively engaging this important topic. Watch our performance grow in this important area of the curriculum.

My Apologies

Please accept my apologies to all of you, for not posting as regularly as I would expect with this blog. But I, as well as many of you, have been overly engaged in the past couple of weeks. This past week, in addition to the normal start of school issues, we have been dealing with the happy news and complications of the return of Jaycee Duggard along with the response of the nation and public chaos of the upcoming message to students from President Obama.

I will commit to do better in the future.

Race to the Buck

I had the opportunity to participate in a second statewide conference call with the Governor's staff as he tries to secure passage (another "special" session) that would allow California to engage in the "Race to the Top" federal program.  While the goals of Race to the Top MAY be good (depending upon your view), I find it most curious that the Governor seems most interested in the money attached to the program.  As any number of infrastructure issues that need to be addressed (e.g., the test, the data, turning around low-performing schools, open enrollment, etc.) to authentically move us forward in the Race to the Top program as well as the "Race to the Top" global reality.  In the call, the answer to those issues was repeatitively, "we aren't worrying about that right now, we just need to do this because the 'feds are requiring it'" -- a compelling rationale?  I always thought that, at least on a Constitutional basis, education was a State's Rights Issue.

It is also clear that California's solution and compromise with CTA will be to make the minor adjustments to the law (to qualify for Race to the Top) with a clear mandate that local school districts don't really have to change anything -- they can negotiate all of those issues with their local CTA chapter (which is pretty much where we are already).  In fact, SPI O'Connell has already stated that there is no prohibition of using data in evaluations (which seems to be the key element of this debate) and has cited Long Beach as the example.

I am fundamentally FOR reform of our system to better address the needs of ALL of our students in all of our communities.  I am NOT for legalese that qualifies us for ONE-time funding (Race to the Top) and only stalls and exacerbates our current state systemic issues, which I think was Sec of Ed Arne Duncan's point.