Together We Can Transform Our District
At first glance, the right-sizing of the Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD) just feels wrong. It feels wrong to close more schools in struggling neighborhoods; to punish scholars with longer bus rides home; to let teachers go with little more than ‘we wish we didn’t have to’; to take beautiful buildings that used to stand for community and put boards in their windows; to ask families to burden a solution after years of school boards -- which now includes myself -- failing to fix the problems. In the storm of controversy, it is easy to overlookwhat is right in the journey we are on. Beyond all that may feel wrong, there is so much that is 'right' in our district and with the right-sizing plan. We should celebrate that our Superintendent has led a thoughtful and data-driven six-month, 3-stage process to arrive at the plan. - First, hundreds of Kansas Citians defined the process along with the Right-Sizing Taskforce, setting the criteria by which the administration ranked the schools. - Then the administration evaluated every district building, employing a data-driven analysis to reflect the priorities of the community. - Finally, we are in the stage where human realities push back against the unfeeling results of mere data. Now with community input tempering the quantitative analysis, we can also celebrate that what started as the Superintendent's plan has become the community's right-sizing plan -- our plan. Replacing the apathetic yawns of the past with the energized outcries of the right-sizing forums is a huge step along the difficult path to rebuilding. And so we must continue to progress through a painful process. Because our plan is not perfect, the board must work collaboratively with the Superintendent after our plan is approved to create a policy framework for the implementation of our plan. These policies will hold the Superintendent accountable for ensuring that significant issues do not become significant missteps. While there is much about our plan I don't like, I join my neighbors in disliking even more the notion of standing in the way of educational achievement for all scholars. Without our plan, the KCMSD will continue its current pattern of unequally distributed opportunity suggesting that it is appropriate for some scholars to receive all that they deserve while others are largely ignored. No longer can some parts of our district serve as educational deserts while others bask in rich valleys of educational prosperity. If we abandon our plan, we abandon hope for transformation. That is a road I will not travel; I won't do that to our scholars whom I have come to know and admire. So I believe. - I believe our Superintendent and our plan will pave the way for the next leg of our shared journey towards educational achievement for all scholars. - I believe together we can listen to and support our scholars, families and teachers as they change buildings while growing educational achievement district-wide. - I believe together we can close cherished buildings and migrate programs while still retaining our commitment to collective action in our district. - I believe together we can make heartbreaking decisions and still not break our unifying spirit -- there remains something inside so strong. If you believe as I believe, tonight join us at 1211 McGee at 6:30pm to stand united for our scholars. And tomorrow, continue to be part of the transformation of our district by remaining involved, choosing to BE 1! (www.be1kc.org), voting in the April 6th election (www.kcu4ea.org) and doing all we can to create a district that provides educational achievement for ALL scholars. Labels: KCMSD, Transformation
Community Comments from the KCMSD Forums
Twitter use hashtag #kcmsdforums
You also can comment on this blog post by scrolling to the bottom and posting your message.
In this section are comments received after the conclusion of the forums:
Covington unable to answer many of the sch. Board's questions re plan details. Stressed? Yes. Prepared? No. #'s inflated? Yep.
reality clarifying School closings and job losses coming ... just don't call it 'right-sizing'
Covington's list includes shrinking only school with substantial scores and a national reputation rather than beef enrollment.
RT : read the "Covington revises list of schools to be closed to 26"
read the "Covington revises list of schools to be closed to 26"
"Tough audit needed of KC School District" by the Kansas City Star Editorial Board
RT : State audit of KC school district has started
KCMSD Board = well-meaning folks, but arrogant in the belief they can govern the district better than appointed professionals.
The school board could adopt a phased school closure plan as the human and fiscal costs of closure appear on the balance sheet
there are the decisions and then there is the actual work after the decisions, who will do the work? who will stall the work?
I will be attending tonight's Board candidate forum. I will be voting for candidates who support Covington's efforts.
Hang tough, board members, and make the tough but needed choices!
Disappointed that our School Board, once again, seems so lame. Appoint the Board!
Scroll down to find: "Superintendent defends bold statements."
: Found raw footage of Covington on KSHB's website. 13 minute unedited interview in local section. We're on the same page. :-)Kcmsdforums you are wrong to close all these schools have a heart for these kids keep carver open
there r over 1000 individual who voiced Save Northeast High School
If test scores are good enough for kids, test the teachers and administration on basic skills.
I agree. There are many good teachers in KCMSD. But some that aren't. Every time we get perf stds in place the admin changes.
Saturday February 19, 2010
Forum Comments
Twitter:
Student gets standing ovation for saying what adults don't have the guts to say: (I'm so proud!)
Sat. forum passionate but more civil than others. Covington seems to be listening. Closing Lincoln MS will destroy the program
went to the last right-sizng forum at rogers. smaller audience but good convo.
Friday February 18, 2010
Forum Comments
Twitter:
RT Re:Covington/closing schools. Says he has board support now. Later-won't say. Points finger @ prev. boards/supers.
RT : KCMSD's John Covington on closing schools/taking the heat First News Sunday 7am on KMBC Channel 9.
is listening to the forum at foreign language academy. hundreds sitting. hundreds standing. It'll be a long night!
Comments received during the day:
Twitter:
Lawsuit brewing over finance inequities among schools in the KCMSD? ACE school 28k per pupil vs. 13k avg. Unjust.
Will the budget cuts allow for an enhancement in the core curriculum of kcmsd schools?
I am concerned with what happens to the neighborhoods especially the 3rd and 5th districts with vacant buildings.
Thursday February 17, 2010
Forum Comments:
Text messages:
Kcmsdforums i was just wondering about the fundings for closing and merging schools together. Will it have an effect on the education for the students or not?
KCMSDFORUMS Knotts made AYP. Our buliding is in excellent condition. Why close a buliding that is making progress? Twitter: is hoping these forums don't split the district. After the decision is made we've got to make it work for us not against us!! is listening to public comments at paseo concerning right-sizing. very large audience. great energy. School utilization needs major improvement These schools in KCMSD are far too old. They're not energy efficient at all The slides are too small. The could have made larger info with more slides and sectioning each slide and blowing it up When they mentioned there was a team that was assigned to BKCMSD'sdeci decisions it would have been nice to here which cities There is a nice size attendance here at Paseo They've shared that the amount of the spending is surpassing the income
Comments received today:
Text messages:
kcmsdforums Im extremely disappointed that ACECC may be changed. My son has attended since the opening. Im 100% against re-sizing! Keep ACECC as it is!
Twitter:
Per pupil expense at many schools over $13k according to rt. sizing report. KCMSD scholars could go to Pembroke Hill for that.
these aren't optional closings. Without them, there is no KCMSD in 3 years. Not about making choices...it's about surviving.
Afrikan Centered program per pupil cost: $15,602 - Elementary $28,642 - 6th grade center absurd! Source:
Dr. Covington needs strong board members' patience and support. There is no short term fix. District needs some consistency.
This is the only answer to KC's corrupt education spanning over a 100yr history: RADICAL CHANGE: the first step to revolution.
Wed. February 16, 2010From tonight's forum: Twitter: Constance Norton, Oak Park neighborhood leader, praised Covington for focus on saving higher performing schls, offered support. Teachers tears up at podium, pleas for job. At the end of his speech, he gets standing ovation and hug from Covington Constance Norton, Oak Park neighborhood leader, says she's more concerned about improving school performance & offered support. ...says the reason other council members are not here is because they don't care, their constituents don't send kids there. Hon. Sharon Sanders Brooks points out that 3rd District will be even further devastated by this plan. Other council members... 3rd year teacher in district in tears says he's afraid for his job when he knows other teachers are not doing their job. A Faxon Elementary alum who is now a teacher in local charter school suggests using the empty buildings for community use. An involved parent commends Covington for making tough choices that past leaders did not make when needed in past. An involved parent commends Covington for making the tough choices that others in past did not make when money was plentiful. Same teacher also worries she won't be able to communicate well w/ her students's previous teachers due to splits of K-2 & 3-6 A 4th grade teacher in district expresses concern about moving young students and jarring impact on their education. Another citizen discussing impact of "redlining" poor black neighborhoods & concern about public $ drained by charter schools. Citizen claims problem is not $ but district's relationship w/ comm. which will only worsen if schools close in poorest areas. Citizen very mad about how $ was spent to attract white suburbanite kids in past & now relationship w/ ppl in the city suffers. Parent gets loud applause with "Problem with district is not money. It's relationship with community" This parent asks what she should do right now. She is considering charter schools. ...of the district's middle & high schools are performing well enough academically for her to send her daughter to them. Heartfelt question from a parent of a 6th grader who is performing well academically & well-behaved. Worried that none... Now moving to question-answer session. Lots of folks with questioners lined up. RT : None of the schools slated for closure have student bodies with greater than 25% proficiency on standardized tests. None of the schools slated for closure have student bodies with greater than 25% proficiency on standardized tests. Bottom line: the district needs to cut $50M to survive. Now Covington is wrapping up. "If I could do it any other way I would." District identified 3 criteria for evaluating schools: 1) academic performance; 2) facility; 3) other (student/neighborhood) District staff now going through census data re: density of school-aged kids & specific schools' academic performance. The two elem. schools in our proposed charter school's neighborhood are to be closed w/ one program moving to another bldg. Re: concerns abt combining middle/high schoolers, staff notes measures like school within school & separate passing times. District buildings have capacity for 34,000, but enrollment is only about half that. Spending $ on utilities District now addressing shift to 7-12 schools & predicted benefits: increase early opportunities for college prep & other prgms Now district is making the case for consolidating schools as enabling the district to better focus $ on intensive instruction. Another big crowd RT : Covington promises to take unanswered written ?s & post answers on district's website If the district continues along current track, the fund balance will be $1.7M in the red with nowhere to turn to get more $.
Covington promises to either answer all ?s at or take unanswered written ?s & post answers on district's website online. Sup't Covington speaking about the magnitude of problem. Comparing district enrollment & # of schools to other districts.
I'm at MLKing Elementary for one of several "Right Sizing the District" forums re: severe budget constraints. Packed house.
Here are comments that have come in during the day:Schools prob need to close, but I'm concerned abt class size & mid/high grade interaction. I should prob attend #KCMSDForums to learn more KCMSD should lease the newly closed school buildings out to businesses to raise revenue to support the district #kcmsdforums RT @PaulaMarieKC: KCMSD should lease the newly closed school buildings out to businesses to raise revenue to support the district #kcmsdforums Me, too! RT : listened to discussion of kcmsd's right-sizing on KCUR uptodate Hopeful with Dr. Covington and his plan
I look forward to attending a Right Sizing the Distict meeting tonight to show my support for Covington's plan.
As the district gets smaller due to the competition of Charter Schools, the reality is there are not a need that many schools
I would like to see the superintendent find federal funds to tear down dilapidated schools to build homes on the land
All districts are facing tough financial decisions, KCMSD is not excluded from these difficult times. I am a Central High grad
engage the business community in this discussion, Chamber of Commerce? ask for time, talent, treasure, ideas
What happened to previous closing plan the community agreed on after hundreds of hours of meetings? Why was that thrown out?
Schools need to close - agreed. But final approval should wait until after the election when the new board is seated.
@ crossroadskcmo: Biz community WAS involved in prev closing mtg 2 yrs ago. KCMSD ignored committee recs. R U surprised?
Unfortunately - KC charter school performance is as bad or worse than district performance. Not a good alternative for parents.
Can we cut to the chase and just close the entire Kansas City, Missouri School District? Tuesday, February 16, 2010The first KCMO School District Forum on the "Right-Sizing" the District was held this evening. KCU4EA has offered all who are interested the chance to have their comments captured and shared as part of the experience of attending the forums. All text message and Twitter comments will be shared here. Text Messages text to 95495 Start the message with KCMSDFORUMS Kcmsdforums this is an important step for the KCMSD. If we don't right-size, we won't be able to adequately provide for our scholars.
KCMSDFORUMS Consider more academic options, broader extracurricular activities, parent support/connection programs, more teachers assist in classrooms to
Kcmsdforums are awesome
this was actually 8 text messages...
KCMSDFORUMS as a student in the kcmsd, I think that the plan is wrong all around. Perhaps its time to focus on the schools that arent working and leave fla and lincoln alone. What is the point of messing with a school that is doing what it needs to and doing it right. There is no room at lincoln high for for the middle school to move in. Longan should not move into fla because fla is a school that has established itself and perfected its program. It would be wise of the board to start running its other schools like its successful ones. Also, if we had better academic materials, it would help out your district students. I'm a senior at lincoln and some people ask why all this is important to me since I will not be here. I am involved and concerned because I still have family and friends that are in these schools and who will be joining these schools. Everybody deserves to have an excelent educational opportunity like the one I had. Please show some compassion and listen to your students and perhaps you will see that it helps. Who knows what the students need better than the students, no one. Take it from me, a student of the kcmsd since kindergarten. Rita Lopez
Twitter "tweets" Use hashtag: #KCMSDFORUMS
listened to discussion of kcmsd's right-sizing on KCUR uptodate Hopeful with Dr. Covington and his plan spoke about kcmsd's right-sizing efforts on kraske's show this morning. i appreciated the calls and conversation. thoughts?
is inviting community to comment on the right-sizing via twitter and text message. more at
consider professionals like urban planners, architects, and artists...while you think size, design may help to achieve goals
I dont hv enough hours in the day or tweet characters to say how ashamed I am of the & school districts. !
covington, in response to community requests, scheduled another forum on saturday. print & pass out:
Dear & quit worrying about who has the biggest football field and educate those minds!! Keep the schools alive
is listening to the right-sizing forum at ne k-8. so far same presentation as saturday. nearly full. translation available.
is moved by the testimony of our scholars. parent comments are valuable as well, but the words of our scholars are powerful!
heard a great quote from a scholar that got applause from the audience: "closing ne high would be like closing the whitehouse!"
I look forward to attending the session at Paseo to learn more about KCMSD decision
Previous school closing committee recs ignored: "Close Brookside, DO NOT open SW". Example of white neighborhood preference?
Lincoln Prep is underutilized BECAUSE K-5 programs not preparing them for the work. Need to fix problem, not close the school.
Why force ACE program to go to K-12, but not combine Brookside with Southwest? Political favoritism?
Hyde Park/Midtown already littered with vacant school bldgs. Shutting Westport AND Longan will force parents to charter schools
What criterian will be used to fire 285 teachers? Will there be community input and forums? Incentives for best to stay?
KCMSD Board Passes Comprehensive Policy Governance Reform
The short of it: - board members will not attend administrative (epegs) meetings (update BCE)
- all standing board committees will be removed (update BCE, repeal BCE-R1 & BCE-R2)
- we will work to set a governance calendar with Covington (update BDA)
- there will be an agenda/review meeting on the 2nd Wednesday (update BDA)
- there will be a governance/policy meeting on the 3rd Wednesday (update BDA)
- a vote of the board will be required to cancel the governance/policy meeting (update BDA)
- there will be a legislative/business meeting on the 4th Wednesday (update BDA)
- the Superintendent's spending authority will be raised from $25k to $50k (update DJDB)
The shorter of it: we have handed the management powers of the district to the Superintendent and have created a stronger governance process for ourselves. Our scholars are the beneficiaries of both. Labels: KCMSD, Transformation
School Consolidations & Reduction in Force (RIF) Policy
This conversation originally took place on my public facebook wall (www.facebook.com/airickleonardwest/) but is worth sharing. It actually started on my twitter page (www.twitter.com/airickwest/) with a tweet I posted: "airickwest loves the scholar-focused, achievement-focused nature of the board's conversation. superintendent covington's presence makes a difference!" Two insightful and curious readers responded: - Roxana Shaffe I'm sorry - but I don't understand how the board and district are being scholar focused and achievement focused when schools are closing and teachers are being let go. It seems to be a contradiction. I am willing to accept that I am missing something...can someone explain further? - Beth Stroud I agree with Roxana! We have teachers in my building that are incredible and several that shouldn't have any contact with children. Guess who got pink slips last week??? It is hard to be positive about a district that lets their best teachers go three weeks before school is to start. What are they supposed to do for income when it's too late to get a position in another district? When will the district see that great teachers are the foundation of great schools? Instead of celebrating the teachers doing the work the district rewards them with a pink slip. Go figure. My edited response is below: Roxana & Beth, The questions you ask are extremely appropriate and I'll try to be responsive to them here. Should I fail in my effort, please don't hesitate to email or call me at any time. There are two very different issues being raised: school consolidation and RIF policy. Concerning school consolidation, I believe that the school closures and layoffs are EXTREMELY scholar-focused. Consider it this way: if you spent the entirety of your monthly budget paying the mortgage and the utilities, how would you pay for food, healthcare and other family needs? This is effectively what we've been doing for years. This district has more than enough resources but it's hard to tell because so much of it is going into facilities. Most school districts with our number of scholars fit them into 24-30 buildings. We've been using more than 60 instructional sites. Last year, one of our buildings that was built to hold 800+ scholars housed fewer than 80. It's not possible to run schools at 50% capacity AND provide the resources our scholars deserve and teachers need. Does school consolidation have a negative impact on the adults in the system? Yes, it can. But our loyalty can never be to the needs of adults ahead of the needs of our scholars. Ever. Concerning RIF policy, there is no excuse. As a board member I failed to ensure an appropriate policy framework for how the RIFs would occur. What was done in June and July SHOULD happen in January or February. I asked for that to happen last fall but without the full board pushing for it, it didn't happen. Our RIF policy should require that these decisions are made sooner. Just because scholars take precedence over adults in decision making (which must be the case) doesn't make it appropriate to unnecessarily damage adults in the process. But we did and there's no excuse for it. I voted to support the consolidation and would do so again, but moving forward, we must adopt a policy framework that is respectful of our adults while making the hard choices our scholars require of us. The other shortcoming in our RIF policy is that it considers seniority ahead of performance. That's a union contract issue and a teacher evaluation issue. We allowed this to be in the contract -- because our teacher evaluation processes are inadequate -- and must now abide by it. Again, as a board member, I have not served our scholars (or you) well by not working harder for something better. I will work towards the policy reforms I've mentioned above. On this issue, I won't quietly fail you again. Labels: KCMSD, What's Not Working, What's Working
Transforming KCMSD Leadership
The Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD) is on a journey of transformation. As a school board united, we reached a major milestone for our scholars: the unanimous hiring of an excellent Superintendent in Dr. John Covington. The next success markers on KCMSD's path are professional and stable leadership. During decades of having stifled power under desegregation, the school board devolved into a mire of inappropriate practices that Michael Casserly of the Council of Great City Schools referred to as "micromanaging." These practices have included as many as 14 board-related meetings per month, a managerial committee structure, a neutered spending cap of $25k that results in board items being re-approved two or three times and Superintendents that have an average lifespan of less than two years. Under "business as usual", Dr. Covington will not succeed and we will fail our scholars. On our new path, we are professionalizing KCMSD's leadership team -- the Superintendent managing and the school board governing -- by abandoning "business as usual." We are restoring the authority of the Superintendent and implementing a governance model where the school board governs through policy and the Superintendent is held accountable for delivering results. We are stabilizing KCMSD's leadership team by entering into a long-term Superintendent contract. We are aligning Dr. Covington's evaluation/incentives with our mission/vision and we will host regular public meetings to demonstrate the urgency and unity of KCMSD's convictions. While Dr. Covington is extremely competent, he cannot be expected to work miracles or to be successful in isolation. Our scholars deserve the professional and stable leadership team that top-performing schools require. This will only occur as we, the school board, move to relinquish our managerial controls over the district and instead pursue policy-governance along with community & corporate engagement. The first steps have been taken. Labels: KCMSD, Transformation, What's Working
What's Working: KCMSD Student Government
Several scholars in business-casual attire shuffle towards the microphone to address the school board. Clearly nervous, the first speaks. Instantly, the room fills with the potency and urgency of her message. One after another in perfect orchestration and flawless oration, members of KCMSD's district-wide student government -- now completing its first year of existence -- step to the mic to share a piece of the larger story. Before taking their seats, they share these priorities: Schedule - Daily schedule for high school shouldn't start till after 8am; 7:10am is too early and contradicts national research concerning high school start times.
- Annual schedule should be adjusted such that the first semester ends before Christmas break, not after. Having it split in two by Christmas break promotes non-retention of material that is then tested on immediately after returning.
- A winter term -- of similar design to the summer term -- should be considered.
Disruptions - Disruptions in class by tardies can be reduced by having later school start times.
- Electronic disruptions can be reduced by enforcing existing policies concerning student possession of electronic devices in classrooms.
- Violent disruptions can be reduced by sponsoring extracurricular activities such as boxing, wrestling, forensics, chess, model UN and drama. Where students desire to learn, the school district should provide support.
School environment - Food service needs to be improved to include more choices such as salad bars, more fruit and pasta bars.
- Cleanliness can be improved by allowing a disciplinary alternative: instead of being suspended for minor offenses, have student perform custodial work to clean facilities
- Incentives/rewards should be provided for students that are doing excellently in the areas of grades/behavior/attendance. These might range from longer trips to Washington DC to day trips to St. Louis Arch, Lewis & Clark Trails or Cahokia.
It's difficult to know where to begin in response to such a list. Perhaps the most obvious observation is that this district is comprised of remarkable scholars that have the intellect, creativity, curiosity, discipline and drive to learn to high expectations -- and in this case to demand that the adults involved step up to our obligations to ensure that this happens. Also obvious is the wise, research-based nature of their concerns. I could go on and on but suffice to say: it was a breath-taking presentation. Having been the school board member present at all of the meetings of this group, I can assure you that the adults didn't run this group (the student government meetings are for, by and about scholars so adults have to sit in a different corner, can only speak if called upon by the student serving as presiding officer and, on three different occasions, the adults were politely instructed to leave the meetings entirely). When these scholars return to the school board to demand that a representative from their group be appointed to serve as an ex-oficio member of the school board itself, my vote will be YES! Labels: KCMSD, What's Working
What's Working: Middle School Mentors
As part of the practice of visiting all of our schools classroom by classroom, I ran across a remarkable group of sixth and seventh graders at Gladstone K-7. Several of them are engaged in a peer mentoring project where they, as middle schoolers, take responsibility for mentoring and tutoring second graders. This project has been implemented as a dropout prevention strategy aimed at engaging scholars that may otherwise not see a place for themselves at school. Nationwide, our scholars are making the choice to dropout in middle school and before. And not because they aren't doing well in school or because home life is too tough; they drop out because they don't feel a sense of belonging. Whether through sports or clubs or special projects or mentoring, the construction of belonging through the intentional creation of school communities is a critical part of our education system. This concept is doing just that for a very special group of scholars.
Labels: KCMSD, What's Working
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