Get the Schools Right, Get the City Right.

The issues facing our public schools are not dissimilar from those facing our city. As I explained on my home page, most of our political leaders are driven by personal ambition, greed, or ideology, usually for the benefit of a few special interest groups, instead of listening to their constituents. Vision and direction are important, but not as important as the will and voice of the majority. After all, if the people are not on board with a vision or ideal, no matter how compelling it may seem, it will not succeed. With that in mind, I would like to discuss the issues below.

1) School Budget

In my opinion, balancing a budget is simple: you spend less than you earn. Any viable household or business knows this basic rule. The reason why our city or public schools cannot get this right is they treat the taxpayers’ money like it’s not their money. Therefore, our politicians become like teenagers with access to their parents’ credit cards, having no concept of the spending limits or constraints associated with the card. To prevent misuse of the card, any wise parent would closely monitor or place controls on how or what the child spends money on. We must execute a similar strategy with the budget. This means asking questions of the Superintendent, city employees, contractors, etc. who are using our budget to buy and pay for things that may not be aligned with the best interests of the stakeholders (taxpayers), which includes, more notably, the parents, teachers, and students. Therefore, there are three core elements to getting the budget right:

a) Stakeholder Engagement : This consists of having regular, open, and honest dialogue with the stakeholders to see what is important to them. For example, is it important to learn the basics, such as math, reading, and writing? What about including more of the arts, such as drawing, painting and crafts? And to round the curriculum out, how about including classes that teach practical life skills, which are often overlooked in schools, such as mechanics, culinary arts, wood shop, home economics, financial education, and civics? If you are a parent, teacher, or student, and you are reading this, please contact us and let us know what is important to you. We would love to hear from you.

b) Develop A Budget: After we establish what’s important, whether it’s through parent & teacher meetings, student interviews, written surveys, informal discussions, etc., then we are ready to decide how much we want to spend to implement these items. How much staffing do we need? Do we require new staff? What about basic supplies and equipment, such as books, pencils, paper, chairs, desks, laptops, whiteboards, etc.? Do we require any special supplies or equipment, etc.?

c) Execute & Follow Up: After we develop our budget and plan to stay within the budget, we seek approval and execute it. We monitor it closely, just as a parent would monitor the spending limits on the child’s credit card. The child is not allowed to go over the spending limits and neither are the schools. This is probably the most important and difficult piece of a balanced budget: accountability. The lack of accountability seems to run rampant in our city, and until policy makers are held responsible for their decisions and actions, I am afraid we will continue to overspend and face budget deficits.

As a member of your school board, I will make it a priority to work with other members and the stakeholders to plan, manage, and execute a balanced budget. I did this successfully while I owned and managed Lascaux Academy, and am confident I can do this on a larger, albeit more complicated, scale with our school district.

2) Student Enrollment

By balancing the budget and offering the type of curriculum and classes the stakeholders deem important, then it’s only natural that teachers will stay engaged, and parents would want to keep their children enrolled in our schools. That’s why it’s imperative to do everything it takes to involve the stakeholders in the budget making process, and to ensure their needs are being met and cared for with sensible, responsible decisions. And not with lofty ideals or fanciful vision statements that sound good on paper, but often over-promise and under-deliver. This will only frustrate parents and cause them to search elsewhere and enroll in other schools.

3) Use of Technology

Most of my career has been spent in either the technology or education sectors, and so I understand how technology can be implemented and used effectively in and outside the classroom. We live in the tech capital of the world and so we have access to resources to build a public school system that is second to none. And so when I heard about the payroll glitches that plagued our schools and resulted in teachers and staff not being paid or not being paid accurately, I was concerned. When I ran Lascaux Academy, we used state of the art online software for all of our payroll, accounting, and invoicing needs. People’s livelihoods depend on being paid on time and with no errors, and so is something not to be taken lightly. There are several good payroll options available in the marketplace and the software can be set up and put into use very quickly. Further, the software can be scaled to include multiple school locations, and so with the help of technical experts, I am confident we can implement a dependable, robust system for our district.

Further, the use of automation tools in the classroom to assist teachers cannot be overlooked. I don’t believe technology should be a replacement for old-fashioned, face-to-face instruction between people, but it does have its place in aiding both the teacher and the student in the instruction. For example, over-crowded classrooms seem to be a common problem for public schools. In this case, children who learn well with video instruction, such as YouTube or Khan Academy, should be allowed to do so. This will free up valuable time for the teacher to focus on other students who do not care for videos and require more one-on-one attention. In fact, more independent learners can watch the teacher on a remote monitor or screen instead of having the teacher physically near them. Of course, if these students have questions, they can always ask for help. And again, there is no replacement for face-to-face instruction between the student and the teacher, but if it’s not possible given the circumstances, then technology does present options to be considered.

In conclusion, I would like to say that any statements I make are not iron-clad or set in stone, but merely my suggestions. If, after discussing with the stakeholders, they believe there are other, more viable solutions, then I am more than happy to hear them out and incorporate their suggestions into improving our schools. So again, if you are reading this, and would like to share your thoughts or comments, please let us know below..