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The Wisconsin Assembly approved a new two year state budget early this morning by a 56-40 vote. Spending increases 6.4%, while the percentage of funds generated by sales taxes goes up 9.9%. Governor Doyle proposed a 16% (!) increase in road projects to 4.4billion. Republicans added $93M to that, creating a 18% increase in road […]
Sandy Cullen summarized last evening’s Madison School Board meeting where: Board members approved an administrative staff hiring freeze (5-2 with Bill Keys and Juan Jose Lopez voting against it) Voted to use 200K in excess district insurance funds for elementary art, music and gym class sizes at 15 students in SAGE schools. (4-3 with Bill […]
Doug Erickson, WI State Journal reporter, writes about Nuesstro Mundo, MMSD’s bi-lingual charter school – Two-language school is seen as muy bueno
Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Page (this link will go away soon as the WSJ takes them down…): State lawmakers once again faced a tough job with few easy answers when Gov. Jim Doyle handed them his state budget request four months ago. Credit the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee for resisting a borrowing binge and for […]
The Cap Times published two articles today on East High: Lee Sensenbrenner interviews new Principal Alan Harris Pat Scheider writes about East High United, a new parents advocacy group.
Patrick Marley, Steve Walters and Stacy Forster: The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee adopted a budget early today that tightly limits property taxes, cuts the gas tax by a penny and phases out taxes on Social Security benefits. The budget includes $458 million more for schools, less than half what Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle proposed in […]
School-funding update JFC budget for public schools even worse than expected Contact your legislators about anti-public education budget Opportunities to fight against Finance Committee’s budget Help WAES spread the school-finance reform message School-funding reform calendar The Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools (WAES) is a statewide network of educators, school board members, parents, community leaders, and […]
Cristina Daglas: A smaller-than-expected contract for Madison teachers would leave about $400,000 for the School Board to spend on cash-strapped programs, although critics say more was available. Superintendent Art Rainwater and board President Carol Carstensen would not speculate Tuesday on what programs could benefit, but board member Ruth Robarts said maintaining the Open Classroom program […]
Lee Sensenbrenner: Board member Ruth Robarts said the mistake was “clearly (Price’s) responsibility” but added that it was unclear whether he would face any real consequences for it. She mentioned a case a few years ago when the district fired several custodians because Price charged them with “stealing time,” or checking out before their assigned […]
Mary H. Fisher, “Tax Worries Didn’t Justify a No Vote” and Rick Berg, “Taxpayers made rational choice with ‘no’ votes on referendums”:
Tuesday’s Madison Schools Referenda results continues to generate comments: Tracey Bietz James Nikora Arlene Silveira More here
Here’s a brief roundup of post Referenda voter comments: Channel3000 video interviews with Fitchburg Voters William Barnett Lewis Matt Brandrup Madison School Board Member Bill Keys and Parent/Activist Arlene Silveira appeared on WORT’s 8 o’clock buzz this morning. Unfortunately, I only heard the last 12 minutes. MP3 Audio WORT is starting to stream online – […]
Here is an excerpt from the article in this morning’s State Journal that deserves comment: Matthews said it was worth looking at whether layoffs can be avoided, but he was less optimistic about finding ways to achieve that. He said MTI’s policy is that members have to have decent wages, even if it means some […]
Sandy Cullen: Madison School Board member Ruth Robarts wants fellow board members to delay today’s vote to lay off about 20 teachers next year in order to ask the Madison teachers union if it would agree to smaller wage and benefit increases to avoid the layoffs. … “Before you do something as severe as layoffs, […]
Yesterday’s Madison School’s Referenda generated quite a bit of local coverage. Check out these links: Channel3000 Lee Sensenbrenner Lee on this site’s “influence” WKOWTV Bryan Smith Jon Burack Ed Garvey Dana Bruck on the District’s pending layoffs Sandy Cullen | Budget Reduction List (the Madison District’s budget is still going up, just not by as […]
I took a quick tour around the websites of Madison’s traditional media. These sites have a bit more than the usual coverage: Channel 3000 The Capital Times Wisconsin State Journal I’ve posted a set of links to those who support and oppose the Referenda questions here.
Sandy Cullen talks with a number of local players, including Art Rainwater, Roger Price along with both supporters and opponents of the 5/24 Referenda vote. Cullen also mentions the very high taxpayer cost for these initiatives, due to the State’s equalization formula. For each $1.00 in new spending, the District must tax Madison homeowners $1.60! […]
The Madison City Clerk’s office has posted Pre-Special Election Campaign Finance Information for the 5/24/2005 Referenda: Get Real PAC: $2,636.00 Raised Madison Cares: 33,483.31 ; $15,580.31 Raised before the filing deadline + Late Contributions of $500 from Carstensen for School Board, $1,000 from Wisconsin Teachers Solidarity Fund, 1,500 from the Carpenters & Joiners Local no […]
Lee Sensenbrenner picks up much detail (great work!): Later in the night, when the board was going back and forth over whether it might keep kindergarten art, music and computer class sizes from doubling next year – a move that would have saved around $270,000 – Robarts said she was struggling to understand how that […]
Beth Zurbuchen isn’t the only pro-referenda advocate who cannot understand referenda opponents who support quality schools but will vote no to force the board and administration to consider better budgeting, management, and curriculum. Bill Keys said, quoting a Cap Times article: To school board member Bill Keys, “the people who have doubts about the referendum […]
In Thursday’s Capital Times article titled “Strings program is still not safe” by Lee Sensenbrenner, the Superintendent said, “It doesn’t matter what Johnny thinks!” Mr. Winston responded strongly. “I would like to see the strings program continued somehow, some way,” Winston added. “I think the community wants that. I think that’s loud and clear.” Mr. […]
Lee Sensenbrenner provides a useful look at the different approaches to Madison School District spending taken by Board members Bill Keys & Ruth Robarts.
In a Cap Times story on Thursday, May 12, the superintendent seems to be trying to: 1. Control the news by telling the paper how to report on board action. 2. Tell Johnny Winston, Jr. that what Johnny thinks is irrelevant to the superintendent. 3. Put the board in its place by telling it that […]
(The Capital Times, Strings to play on in city’s schools by Lee Sensenbrenner) reported that I “…admitted to calling Winston “a jock,” but said she meant the board was favoring athletics while it dealt with budget cuts..” Not exactly with the name-calling, but I have been critical of the District Administration’s handling of cuts to […]
Jim Koloen (appeared in the Capital Times): Dear Editor: It is perplexing that the Madison School Board can approve a labor contract without actually having read it except through a summary provided by the administration. Why bother with a board at all if it simply behaves as though the administration and the board are one […]
Lee Sensenbrenner disects Carol Carstensen’s committee assignments, including the “exiling” of Ruth Robarts to the Legislative Committee.
Lee Sensenbrenner summarizes Monday’s Madison Schools Board of Education Meeting. Sensenbrenner also mentioned that one of the panelists on the East High School Search Committee was told that she cannot speak with the “press”. Finally, Superintendent Art Rainwater introduced the District’s latest Strategic Plan (PDF here).
Read the story in the Capital Times online. Ed
Tom Scullen (Scullen is superintendent of the Appleton Area School District, which has 10 charter schools. He also is president of the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association.): Charter schools are playing an increasingly important role in that success story. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster, at a recent state charter school conference, said charter schools […]
Lee Sensenbrenner: But several parents in an audience of about 50 said they have little hope that the May 24 referendum to build a new school will pass. Meanwhile, they said, school district officials need to reconsider their plans if the school isn’t built, and also, perhaps, consider alternative building plans. ….. But she said […]
On Monday, April 25, the Madison School Board will hold a special session to vote on a plan that affects hundreds of west side families and six to eight elementary schools in the event that the May 24 referendum to build a second school on the Leopold site fails. Options before the Board do not […]
Samara Kalk Derby: The award that Tina Murray received Sunday may not go far in helping fund a new environmental project she started last week at Shabazz City High School, but it was gratifying nonetheless. Murray, who has worked as a technology teacher at Shabazz for seven years, was one of 10 Dane County teachers […]
Dear Editor: As a parent of children at both Madison East High School and Sherman Middle School, I am thankful for the hard work and significant positive contributions that Lawrie Kobza and her husband, Peter, have made to both of these schools. Perhaps those apprehensive at the election of Lawrie Kobza to the Madison School […]
Cliff Miller on recent management changes and the redevelopment plans at Fitchburg’s Ridgewood Apartments. This complex is very close to Madison’s Leopold School. Any changes at Ridgewood may affect Leopold along with the planned expansion.
4.11.2005 Capital Times Editorial: Newcomer Lawrie Kobza surprised a lot of people with her win in Tuesday’s voting for the Madison School Board, which saw her upset incumbent Bill Clingan by a comfortable 53-47 percent margin. Her win is being read as something of a municipal Rorschach test. Some members of the current board majority, […]
Angela Bettis: It�s official, Madison homeowners will be asked to vote on three school referenda in late May. School Board President Bill Keys said, �This community is at a crossroads. This will determine what type of schools we want.� But one man opposed to the referenda thinks Madison residents can keep good schools if the […]
Lee Sensenbrenner has been busy, posting several articles today on the April 5, 2005 Madison School Board Elections (Vote! – find your polling place here: Madison | Fitchburg | Maple Bluff | Shorewood | Town of Madison) Seat 6: Lawrie Kobza vs. Bill Clingan Seat 7: Carol Carstensen vs. Lawrence Winkler Money, Power and the […]
Janet Morrow says that the “fact” that the public has lost confidence in the Madison Board of Education is a “lie”. She points to the Boards reaction to the District Administration’s recent proposed Boundary changes as an example of their listening and acting on public input.
Lee Sensenbrenner: In a departure from their usual procedure, the two sides are first considering all the changes in contract language put forward by Madison Teachers Inc. This proposal, covering such changes as whether teachers would gain free access to after-school events and intellectual property rights to the curriculums they design for the classroom, was […]
Lee Sensenbrenner summarizes last night’s Madison School Board meeting where the board approved going forward with the third of three planned May referendums.
Freeculture.org sponsored blogshine Sunday, a day when news organizations run stories and editorials in support of public access to government information. The internet has substantially improved citizen’s ability to see who is funding elected officials directly and indirectly. The Madison City Clerk conveniently posts campaign finance information on their website. I took a quick look […]
Rob Zaleski: Among its many features: Twelve students per class, each equipped with their own laptop computer. Classes meet not in huge buildings but in small rented sites scattered throughout the area. “The idea of sending 400 – or 1,400 – kids to a central site, as we have now, is madness,” Parish told me […]
Anita Weier writes a great article on DPI Candidate Gregg Underheim’s appearance at a Madison Public Library (The candidate interacts with a retired teacher). Regardless of where you stand on this race, I give Underheim credit for getting out and talking with voters.
Strings Plucked: Once again, District administrators attack elementary music and art to the tune of nearly $800,000, including total elimination of the elementary string progam. Their pitch is off and their song is out of tune. Keys and Carstensen have no plans to reach out to fine arts students and teachers for their support – […]
The Madison School District’s Administration announced a series of 2005/2006 budget changes (eliminate some programs, reduce the increase in others, eliminate some positions). The overall budget will increase by about 10M+, from 316.8M in 2004/2005 to 327.7M in 2005/2006 (via Roger Price’s recent budget presentation. [slides pdf]). Barb Schrank looks at where the money went […]
Lee Sensenbrenner chats with current Madison School Board Members on the upcoming referendums.
Margaret Krome on a middle school talent show.
Lee Sensenbrenner on Tuesday night’s northside candidate forum (“Forum ignites sparks”).
The proposed Leopold Expansion discussion continues: Visiting with some Leopold Parents at a recent event, a number of points were discussed: Parking is currently a problem and will be worse as the school expands. “We keep taking away their playground space. Where are all of the children going to play? They need space to run […]
Bill Keys, President of the MMSD School Board, chose to attack Ruth Robarts today in The Capital Times saying she was not the first board member to be concerned about the taser incident. Bill Keys’ letter seems to be unnecessarily spiteful and misses the point that was raised in The Capital Times’ editorial on February […]
Lee Sensenbrenner writing in The Capital Times on February 22, 2005: “You’re manipulating my vote,” said Mary Kay Battaglia, who has children at Crestwood Elementary and Jefferson Middle School. “You’re giving me a choice to move my child and 1,100 others or to vote for a referendum I don’t think is necessary.”… …Board member Bill […]
Madison School Board President Bill Keys letter to the editor. Here’s the editorial Bill Keys refers to in his letter.
Lee Sensenbrenner and Sandy Cullen on Monday’s Madison School Board Long Range Planning Meeting.
Janet Morrow weighs in on the current school finance system.
From the editorial page: The Madison Metropolitan School District administration, which seems to be determined to offend every supporter of public education in the city and surrounding communities, was recently forced to back off from a foolish proposal to close two east side elementary schools and a middle school. But the administration is still recommending […]
Cap Times Editorial on Madison Board of Education Member Ruth Robarts concerns about the use of tasers in our schools (a taser was recently used on a 14 year old at Memorial High School).
The Capital Times thinks an Yvarra-Burmaster DPI race would be interesting and useful. So do I (they take Underheim to task for not shaking the race up). Underheim, to his credit, did participate in a Madison Candidate Forum (Burmaster did not). Learn more about the candidates here.
Lucy Mathiak adds to the Leopold referendum discussion. More here.
The money being tossed around in this race reflects the growing partisan nature of a purportedly non-partisan position (Burmaster was on stage at the recent Kerry/Springsteen rally). Dave Zweifel also weighs in on the changing nature of this elected position. The DPI Candidate primary is Tuesday, 2/15/2005. Vote – perhaps for Yvarra or Stelzel, two […]
Lucy Mathiak: Dear Editor: I am writing in response to Bill Clingan’s Jan. 27 letter regarding the second Leopold School. A second school is long overdue. It is the right thing to do. While there is no doubt that Mr. Clingan will be a vocal advocate for the Leopold referendum, one wonders where his passion […]
Fox 47/WKOW 27 broadcast a report on the Madison Schools planned maintenance referendum Tuesday night [3.9MB Quicktime Video] The story included an interview with Superintendent Art Rainwater and ACE’s Don Severson. Lee Sensenbrenner has more here and here. UPDATE: Aubre Andrus has more on the recent board meeting.
In an editorial in today’s Capital Times, School Board unity is identified as a key factor before deciding on going to a referendum. I couldn’t agree more with this editorial. At this point in their deliberations, MMSD’s School Board is not ready to make a decision to go to referendum(s), because they have more work […]
Patricia Simms and Phil Brinkman Wisconsin State Journal January 13, 2005 Gov. Jim Doyle on Wednesday used his State of the State speech to put forward a potent “education agenda” for Wisconsin. It included: � Increasing math and science requirements for high school graduation. � Giving school districts more money for 4-year-old kindergarten and for […]
By Lee Sensenbrenner, The Capital Times December 11, 2004 A hiring freeze has been declared in the Madison Metropolitan School District, as Superintendent Art Rainwater tries to deal with a possible $1 million shortfall in the utilities budget. Rainwater made the announcement Friday in a letter to board members and the district’s management team. It […]
Can Wisconsin cover the real expenses of schools without raising overall taxes? With each passing year of neglect, the task becomes more daunting. Wisconsin schools will collect 7.3 percent more this year in property taxes, the largest boost in more than a decade, the state says. Wisconsin’s 426 school districts expect to levy $3.61 billion […]
MTI Executive Director John Matthews on LaFollette Principal Mike Meissen’s basketball coach selection process.
Lee Sensenbrenner writes: Board President Bill Keys said any talk of closing a school is “very preliminary” and rests on enrollment forecasts for 2010. He said, though, that it was important for people to know that a school closure is among the options the district is putting forward. “It might be necessary,” he said, “but […]
“Madison School District parents could face a difficult community discussion next spring over whether to close one of the district’s 30 elementary schools. Superintendent Art Rainwater said Thursday that all options, including closing a school, must be considered to deal with an expected shift in student population from the city’s East and North sides to […]
Norm and Dolores Mishelow gave an informative presentation Sunday on their successful Milwaukee Barton School and 27th Street school reading programs. Background 3.7MB MP3 – ideal for your MP3 Player/iPod | Quicktime Video Transcripts to Follow. DVD copy is also available – email me if you’d like one: zellmer at mailbag dot com In a […]
Interesting timing, given Jeff’s post below about West’s intention to drop advanced biology. Doug Erickson on Madison Country Day School’s expansion announcement: Madison Country Day School broke ground Thursday on a $4.8 million expansion that will add a gymnasium, a performing arts stage and 13 classrooms. The addition, which will house the private school’s middle […]
Amelia Buragas: Don’t be afraid to be involved – even intrusive – if you want to keep your kids off drugs, a Middleton High School student advised parents at a forum Tuesday night. More than 250 people packed the school’s cafeteria to ask questions and get information from a panel that included school officials, social […]
On Friday, October 15, Madison School Board members received an e-mail from Superintendent Art Rainwater announcing that the district will withdraw from a federal program known as Reading First. In subsequent interviews with local newspapers, Rainwater estimated that the decision means forgoing approximately $2M in funds for materials to help students in the primary grades […]
Lee Sensenbrenner on Art Rainwater’s recent decision to turn down up to $2M in federal reading funds. I have several comments: 1. I have no doubt that some state and federal regulations are non-sensical. 2. I have to agree with Ruth Robarts that this issue should have come before the board. 3. I find it […]
Aaron Nathans on the local Milken Award.
The Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Page addresses 4 year old kindergarden: Early childhood education works: Children in a Madison kindergarten program for 4-year- olds made substantial literacy gains during the pilot project’s first year, UW- Madison researchers say. But if financial realities don’t prevent more kids from reaping the clear and obvious benefits of 4-year- […]
The problem of insufficient staffing at LaFollette makes me wonder how Dr. Rainwater will find enough staff for a new school. Here’s the beginning of an article from the WSJ: “Tseoin Ayalew says her dreams of becoming a doctor are in jeopardy because a shortage of teachers at La Follette High School means she’s wasting […]
Barb Schrank collected video & audio clips from last nights Madison School District Board of Education Meeting: Don Hunt: Retired West High School Art Teacher Fine Arts Statement [MP3 1.4MB] [Quicktime Video] [Transcripts: html | PDF] Barb Schrank Fine Arts Presentation [MP3 1.6MB] [Quicktime Video] [Transcripts: html | PDF] Mariel Wozniak Fine Arts Presentation [MP3 […]
Jamall Abdul-Alim: The number of Wisconsin schools and districts that failed to make enough progress to satisfy federal law rose, according to statistics released Friday, prompting renewed concern over whether schools can meet the increasingly tough standards of the “No Child Left Behind” era. According to state Department of Public Instruction figures, 123 schools were […]
Barb Williams forwarded this article by Diana Jean Schemo: The data shows fourth graders attending charter schools performing about half a year behind students in other public schools in both reading and math. Put another way, only 25 percent of the fourth graders attending charters were proficient in reading and math, against 30 percent who […]
The WSJ editorial page asks some questions about the MMSD’s plans to cancel contracts with the YMCA and After School Inc. to run child-care programs at Frank Allis, Falk and Midvale schools. Parents and taxpayers are still waiting for a persuasive explanation from administrators and board members. The editorial raises a number of useful questions […]
The WSJ Editorial page, in a wide ranging piece, discussed social promotion and the utility of summer school: That’s because the get-tough approach – flunking students – isn’t realistic: Repeating a grade does more harm than good. Such students are much more likely to cause behavior problems, skip school and eventually drop out. And simply […]
Wisconsin DPI just released statewide third grade reading test results: DPI Superintendant Elizabeth Burmaster’s comments: (6 page pdf) Sarah Carr: Still, at the state level, educators need to work on closing a persistent achievement gap between students of different races and socioeconomic classes, said Joe Donovan, state Department of Public Instruction spokesman. This year, 64% […]
Lee Sensenbrenner on the MMSD’s recent board discussion regarding after school services (The District is attempting to replace privately funded after school services with those paid for by Madison taxpayers – via Fund 80, which is not capped by state revenue limitations.).