Ask Pam

What is the role of a school board member?

The role of a school board member is to lead the district as the elected representative of the community. This involves hiring and supervising the superintendent, planning strategically for the future, creating and implementing policy and constantly interacting with the community about the schools (listening as well as sharing the board’s perspective).

School Board members should play a leadership role in rallying broad support for increased funding at the legislature by a) being at the legislature frequently (in a way that is coordinated with the district’s lobbyist), b) involving the mayor and city council in a coordinated effort, c) involving parents and other city residents in communicating with legislators. Further, we should work in partnership with other school boards across the state.

What is the role of the school board in the district's long-range strategic planning process?

The board’s role in strategic planning is to set the parameters of the discussion, to hire professional staff to conduct the planning process, and to provide multiple opportunities for input from students, staff, community partners and the public. Once the input and data are collected, the board needs to articulate the choices before the district and then ask citizens to evaluate those choices and make recommendations. Ultimately the board will have to make clear, and often difficult, decisions about the future of the district, explain those decisions to the public and ensure that they are implemented.

How will you involve citizens in decision making and maintain communication with the community?

I have been a community organizer for 30 years and have trained thousands of people in the skills of civic engagement and citizen participation through my work at Wellstone Action. The first lesson of any organizer is to listen, to continually share information and to build consensus and trust among different constituencies. The school board needs to be present in the community and the schools, talking to students, families and staff. It needs to schedule discussions in advance and invite the public to participate. It should better utilize new technology to communicate. Finally it should create a climate of openness and dialogue.

What qualities and qualifications will you prioritize in the next superintendent?

The next superintendent will need exceptionally strong leadership skills, as well as an interest in and capacity to build relationships with staff, unions, parents, public officials and the general public. He/she will need a depth and breadth of experience as a manager of a large urban district. The superintendent must be able to hire and inspire excellent staff. The person must be uncompromising in their commitment to instituting rigorous academic programs that address the needs of poor children and children of color, while attracting and retaining middle class families of all races and circumstances.

What fundamental changes does the district need in order to address the achievement gap?

High expectations, adequate school support and excellent classroom instruction are critical for all children to succeed. Due to segregated housing, health disparities and lack of early childhood education, many poor children enter kindergarten at a disadvantage. MPS must put razor sharp focus on the needs of these children. We need to dramatically expand early childhood education, foster community partnerships and provide incentives for the most experienced teachers to teach in the most challenged schools.

Increased student achievement requires:

• strong leadership in the schools that supports teachers and children;
• well trained teachers who are committed to continually improve their skills through professional development;
• high expectations of all children;
• a focused core curriculum with clear expectations for grade level achievement;
• exposure to the arts, critical thinking skills and healthy emotional and physical development; and
• safe and secure environments for learning.

At the same time we are focusing on meeting the needs of children in poverty, MPS must also attract and retain middle class families by providing an exciting curriculum that challenges all students to do their best. Our goal should be a racially and economically integrated school system where all children excel.

The Minneapolis School District has had declining student enrollment for the last several years. How would you address this critical problem?

Student enrollment is declining due to a variety of factors: competition from charter schools, private schools, parochial schools and other districts. The Choice is Yours program for metropolitan desegregation is also attracting significant numbers of MPS students.

Because parents in the Minneapolis Public schools have a number of choices and high expectations, they are prepared to find what is best for their children in private, parochial or charter schools. Whether we like it or not, this means that public schools must compete with other school options. To address the issue of declining enrollment, Minneapolis Public Schools must:

• Interview families that are leaving the district and understand why we are losing students. We have no systematic way of knowing why families choose other options.
• Restore full funding to our schools through legislative action to bring the necessary resources back into the system. We can’t deliver a world class education without adequate funding.
• Develop excellent academic programs that are attractive to families and give them a reason to stay in the district.
• Provide full day kindergarten to all incoming kindergartners and their families to attract them to Minneapolis in the first place.
• Develop a marketing plan to tell the success stories of the district and attract people back to the system.
  

What is the role of the School Board vis a vis the employee unions, in particular contract negotiations?

The School Board has the responsibility to build a working partnership with the unions that represent district employees. The board should listen actively to worker’s concerns and suggestions, and be willing to explain their own positions and concerns. As a school board member I would have an open door policy, and I would urge the development of district/employee committees where none exist. One idea would be monthly meetings across employee groups to surface issues and share perspectives.

Such an ongoing practice of dialogue and mutual respect would lay the foundation for productive contract negotiations. Then, based on its strategic vision and the economic realities of the district, the Board would set guidelines for the negotiation process and monitor progress as they proceed. The current “hands off” approach is not productive and ultimately does not help the district function well on behalf of the children it serves.

What is your position on seniority in the case of lay-offs or reduction-in-force?

Massive cutbacks from the state and declining enrollment have had a serious impact on the Minneapolis Public Schools in the last several years. Schools have been closed. Newer teachers (including many teachers of color) have been laid off, well trained teams have been broken up and reassigned, some teachers are working in programs for which they are not trained, and there has been discouragement among families and professional staff about the seemingly constant chaos in our schools.

Classroom and school stability are essential for the success of children. Every single entity in the district – parents, staff, administrators – have a stake in restoring stability to our children’s education experience. In order to solve the problem we must put the needs of the children first. A partnership between the board, the teacher’s union, administrative staff and parents will be needed in order to find creative solutions to issues that have recently been in tension: seniority and classroom stability. I believe it is possible to find a solution that works for kids, while protecting jobs and ensuring quality instruction.

The current teacher’s contract made some important steps in balancing the seniority rights of teachers and the needs of the classroom. I applaud the steps taken and encourage the district and the union to continue the discussion openly and honestly. When I am on the board, I pledge to work for a real partnership with the union to achieve the changes that are needed to bring greater stability to the classroom. There is still much work to be done and it will require the commitment of all parties.

As a member of the School Board, how would you advocate for increased state funding for public schools?

School Board members should play a leadership role in rallying broad support for increased state funding for education by a) being at the legislature frequently themselves (coordinating with the district’s lobbyist), b) working the mayor and city council in a coordinated effort on behalf of our schools, c) inviting parents and concerned city residents to join us in advocating at the legislature. Further, the Minneapolis School Board should work with other school board members across the state to demand that the legislature adequately fund public education.

As the first state director of Save Our Schools (now known as Parents United Network) I have experience building and maintaining a statewide coalition of parents to advocate for increased funding for our schools. For three years parents and their allies have organized to remind the legislature and the governor of their obligation to our children. We need to support this and other initiatives in order to restore funding for education imposed by the tax cuts in previous sessions. It is time to quit playing games with our children’s future. I am willing to take my experience with SOS/Parents United Network to help school districts speak with one voice to the legislature.

What ideas do you have for cutting costs withinthe system or making the system more efficient?

I joined the Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee a year ago and have been working hard to understand the MPS budget and the allocation of resources. I am by no means an expert but am committed to learning the facts and understanding how the money is spent. We owe it to the public to be able to explain our budget decisions and the choices that are made.

One thing is clear, after several years and more than $135 million dollars of cuts, there is no fat on the bone. Budgets are at a bare minimum. Everyone is stretched and stressed in central administration, as well as in the schools. The situation in some schools is at a crisis point.

Minneapolis does a good job of focusing funds in the classroom, but that alone is not sufficient. We also must attend to the needs of the whole child which includes a comprehensive program of social workers, counselors, nurses and other support staff. We must get more money back into the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Do you favor a renewal of the levy to raise money for the Minneapolis Public Schools?

I favor a renewal of the levy to support either increased operating funds or to reduce class size in MPS. However, I am deeply concerned about the state’s reliance on increasing the local property tax, rather than a more progressive income tax, to solve the funding crisis in our schools.

Before the district goes to the public, it will have to get its house in order. This means having a board that communicates well and gains the confidence of the public, a strong superintendent who is moving the district forward, evidence of long term planning and accountability for the way funds are managed.

Do you support the new state law that allows the school board to change the way directors are elected, so that six are elected from districts and three are elected at-large?

The citizens of Minneapolis want a school board that is accountable, responsive and which represents all stakeholders. I favor convening an independent commission to study what will make our school board more effective and accessible. In addition to looking at how the board is elected, the commission would examine how to recruit and develop high quality school board candidates, the effect of the current pay and support structure, and the expectations of the public. It might also analyze highly effective urban school boards elsewhere. I am willing to consider a full set of recommendations once that commission presents its findings in early 2008.

What should be the policy and process regarding school closings?

It all comes down to communication, communication, communication. When the district needs to make difficult decisions like closing schools, it is imperative that they be willing to listen to the affected communities, especially those whose voices are least represented. They must be transparent about their criteria for closing schools and willing to do what is right for the district, not what is politically expedient.

The district does not have a good track record in handling important decisions such as school closings. In some cases we have allowed schools that should be closed to remain open; in other cases we have not taken the time to understand the long term implications of a school closing and in other cases, we have not sought solutions and partnerships with communities that would be affected. All of this must change with the new school board.

What is your opinion about No Child Left Behind?

Despite its lofty name, No Child Left Behind was designed more to punish poor-performing schools and disadvantaged students, than to help them to improve and succeed. NCLB has never been backed up with adequate funding and its regimen of endless testing has narrowed the curriculum and demoralized teachers and students. Despite these facts, staff in MPS has done an admirable job attempting to meet the requirements of the legislation and to truly assist those schools who perform poorly. I have been impressed with the district’s commitment to meeting the needs of the children and schools identified as failing by NCLB.

What is your position on charter schools?

First all of us must recognize that charter schools are here to stay. Whether we like them or have reservations about them, charter schools are a part of the educational system in Minnesota. The district must actively cooperate with the charter schools in order to ensure accountability and the best possible outcome for children.

This is particularly true for charter schools that the district sponsors. MPS currently sponsors five charter schools – Harvest Prep/SEED Academy, Oh Day Aki (Heart of the Earth), Cedar Riverside Community School, Friendship Academy, and Cyber Village Academy. I believe we must forge a new partnership with district charter schools in order to learn what is and is not working for children. The goal must be to create a dialogue so that all schools might learn and improve.

What is your position on using public funding for vouchers?

I am opposed to the use of public money to support private K-12 education. In particular I oppose any policy initiatives that would divert public funds into a voucher program at the state or federal level. The aim of many of the political forces supporting vouchers is to dismantle public education and replace it with a system of private choice. This would be a disaster for our country and our children. Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy.