If you visited these classes and didn’t look at the sign over the door of the school, you might think you were in an elementary school, or a middle school at best. But such classes are not atypical in large urban high schools, where, except for the Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes, much of the classroom work is below grade level.
On one trip to a Midwestern city, I found one out of eight assignments at grade level in two high schools. A colleague popped in on about 40 English classes in the course of a day at a West Coast high school and found one — just one — class where real learning was going on.
This is the dirty secret in the wars over teacher quality: the low level of academic work at all levels in far too many schools. The consequences of low-level work are seen in poor test results: Students given only work that is below their grade level cannot pass standardized tests about material they have never seen.
Madison Schools Budget Update
Three Madison School District 2004 – 2005 Budget Documents:
- Summary of the 2004-2005 Budget Process: Discussing cuts before we see a budget: [71K PDF]
- MMSD Budget Numbers [65K PDF]
- Proposed Budget with Expenditure Constraints for 2004-2005
(A Place to Start Budget Discussions) [48K PDF] - East High Booster Club March, 2004 Letter to the Board regarding proposed athletic cuts. [59K PDF]
A Priority Driven Budget
Model Cycle for Priority-Driven Budget
Purpose: Student achievement priorities drive budget allocations.
Administration uses specific, measurable goals to review student achievement inprior year according to district?s ?Strategic Priorities?. For example, it reviews reading, math, social studies, science curriculum for all student groups as well as programs aligned to district standards. Administration should ensure that suggestions for change come from the staff level that will implement the changes. Board committees, such as Performance & Achievement, monitor the review throughout the year.
Opportunities for public, staff input
Administration reviews facility, maintenance and non-instructional departments for prior year seeking efficiencies. Board committees, such as Budget & Finance and Long Range Planning, monitor the review throughout the year.
Opportunities for public, staff input
Before January, Administration recommends curriculum & program changes to improve student achievement. Appropriate committees review recommendations before sending them to full Board.
Opportunities for public, staff input
In January, Administration recommends budget for the next year allocating resources based on its analysis (connection between curriculum and programs and desired student achievement).
Opportunities for public, staff input
Where recommended budget exceeds revenue forecast for coming year, Administration presents funding alternatives including private partnerships or changes in fees.
Opportunities for public, staff input
Administration recommends modifications and cuts necessary to balance budget for coming year.
Opportunities for public, staff input
Board reviews recommendations for modifications and cuts, adopting or revising administrative recommendations.
Board approves budget for coming year. If budget exceeds revenues, Board considers referendum or further cuts.
Model based on recommendations in Team Leadership for Student Achievement, Ellen Henderson et al., National School Boards Association & American Association of School Administrators, 2001.
[40K PDF]
