School Information System: (in)Flexibility for Madison's Next Superintendent?

May 12, 2012

(in)Flexibility for Madison's Next Superintendent?

The Madison School District Administration (PDF).

Two year administrator contracts have been the norm for some time - matching the term and perhaps benefits of the teacher union contracts. The composition of future teacher arrangements (more) may change in Madison, or not. Should the new Superintendent have flexibility in staffing?

What are the student achievement implications of continuing this "status quo" or "same service" practice? Perhaps the District's long standing reading problems are a place to think differently.

UPDATE, via several kind readers:

I compared Madison's proposed Administrator contract hours (PDF) with Sun Prairie's HR document and Waunakee's HR guidelines. The result is the chart below:

I've emailed the local school board seeking additional information and will post if and when I receive a response. Perhaps summer and vacation days are different between the Districts? Or, not. Posted by Jim Zellmer at May 12, 2012 9:04 PM
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Comments

I have updated this post with information forwarded to me on neighboring District administrative contract days. I've also emailed the Madison School Board and Superintendent for information on the differences, if any. It would be useful to compare Madison's practice, results and economics with those in Green Bay, Middleton, Milwaukee, Verona and Monona Grove.

I will post any responses.

Posted by: Jim Zellmer at May 13, 2012 9:10 PM

I received this email from Superintendent Nerad:

"The reason our contract duration is so much shorter is because our contracts are for days of work only (except for Martin Luther King Day). A normal work year is approximately 260 days, but that includes holidays and vacation. Our contracts do not include these days. These other districts include these days in their contracts. Our longest contract is 225 days which is year-round work and our shortest is 197 days which is the school year only.

Please let me know if you have further questions on this. Dan"

Posted by: Jim Zellmer at May 14, 2012 2:12 PM