kansas citians united for educational achievement

Together We Can Transform Our District

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:10:00 +0000

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.

Community Comments from the KCMSD Forums

noreply@blogger.com (Do you see me?) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:53:00 +0000

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:
ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Covington unable to answer many of the sch. Board's questions re plan details. Stressed? Yes. Prepared? No. #'s inflated? Yep.

crossroadskcmo reality clarifying @pitchplog School closings and job losses coming ... just don't call it 'right-sizing' http://bit.ly/aCODo4 #kcmsdforums

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Covington's list includes shrinking only school with substantial scores and a national reputation rather than beef enrollment.

mizzouatheart RT @crossroadskcmo: read the @KCStar "Covington revises list of schools to be closed to 26" http://bit.ly/bSVDle #kcmsdforums #kcstarvoices

crossroadskcmo read the @KCStar "Covington revises list of schools to be closed to 26" http://bit.ly/bSVDle #kcmsdforums #kcstarvoices

crossroadskcmo "Tough audit needed of KC School District" http://bit.ly/95jBfQ @kcstarvoices by the Kansas City Star Editorial Board #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart RT @KCStar: State audit of KC school district has started http://bit.ly/93RgYC #kcmsdforums #KCMSD

kcmsdparent KCMSD Board = well-meaning folks, but arrogant in the belief they can govern the district better than appointed professionals.#kcmsdforums

crossroadskcmo The school board could adopt a phased school closure plan as the human and fiscal costs of closure appear on the balance sheet #kcmsdforums

crossroadskcmo there are the decisions and then there is the actual work #kcmsdforums after the decisions, who will do the work? who will stall the work?

mizzouatheart I will be attending tonight's Board candidate forum. #KCMSDforums I will be voting for candidates who support Covington's efforts.

mizzouatheart Hang tough, board members, and make the tough but needed choices! http://bit.ly/baqB3D #kcmsdforums @airickwest

kcmsdparent Disappointed that our School Board, once again, seems so lame. Appoint the Board! http://bit.ly/baqB3D #kcmsdforums

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums http://www.nbcactionnews.com/news/local/default.aspx Scroll down to find: "Superintendent defends bold statements."

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums: 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

VictoriaRum #kcmsdforums there r over 1000 individual who voiced Save Northeast High School http://bit.ly/91p7kn

buckfever If test scores are good enough for kids, test the teachers and administration on basic skills. #kcmsdforums

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums 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:
ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Student gets standing ovation for saying what adults don't have the guts to say: http://tinyurl.com/yc6vr35 (I'm so proud!)

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Sat. forum passionate but more civil than others. Covington seems to be listening. Closing Lincoln MS will destroy the program

airickwest went to the last right-sizng forum at rogers. smaller audience but good convo. #kcmsdforums

Friday February 18, 2010
Forum Comments
Twitter:
mizzouatheart RT @KrisKetz Re:Covington/closing schools. Says he has board support now. Later-won't say. Points finger @ prev. boards/supers. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart RT @KrisKetz: KCMSD's John Covington on closing schools/taking the heat First News Sunday 7am on KMBC Channel 9. #kcmsdforums

airickwest is listening to the forum at foreign language academy. hundreds sitting. hundreds standing. It'll be a long night! #kcmsdforums

Comments received during the day:
Twitter:
kcmsdparent #kcmsdforums #kcmsdforums Lawsuit brewing over finance inequities among schools in the KCMSD? ACE school 28k per pupil vs. 13k avg. Unjust.

aishareneej @aishareneej #kcmsdforums Will the budget cuts allow for an enhancement in the core curriculum of kcmsd schools?

aishareneej @airickwest #kcmsdforums 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:
MsK07 #kcmsdforums 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!!

airickwest is listening to public comments at paseo concerning right-sizing. very large audience. great energy. #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 School utilization needs major improvement #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 These schools in KCMSD are far too old. They're not energy efficient at all #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 The slides are too small. The could have made larger info with more slides and sectioning each slide and blowing it up #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 When they mentioned there was a team that was assigned to BKCMSD'sdeci decisions it would have been nice to here which cities #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 There is a nice size attendance here at Paseo #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 They've shared that the amount of the spending is surpassing the income #kcmsdforums

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:
kcmsdparent #kcmsdforums Per pupil expense at many schools over $13k according to rt. sizing report. KCMSD scholars could go to Pembroke Hill for that.

jqhile #kcmsdforums these aren't optional closings. Without them, there is no KCMSD in 3 years. Not about making choices...it's about surviving.

kcmsdparent #kcmsdforums Afrikan Centered program per pupil cost: $15,602 - Elementary $28,642 - 6th grade center absurd! Source: http://bit.ly/cuNo4V

elBryan Dr. Covington needs strong board members' patience and support. There is no short term fix. District needs some consistency. #kcmsdforums

boringgirls This is the only answer to KC's corrupt education spanning over a 100yr history: RADICAL CHANGE: the first step to revolution. #kcmsdforums

Wed. February 16, 2010
From tonight's forum:

Twitter:
mizzouatheart Constance Norton, Oak Park neighborhood leader, praised Covington for focus on saving higher performing schls, offered support. #kcmsdforums

ryankath Teachers tears up at podium, pleas for job. At the end of his speech, he gets standing ovation and hug from Covington #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Constance Norton, Oak Park neighborhood leader, says she's more concerned about improving school performance & offered support. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart ...says the reason other council members are not here is because they don't care, their constituents don't send kids there. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Hon. Sharon Sanders Brooks points out that 3rd District will be even further devastated by this plan. Other council members...#kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart 3rd year teacher in district in tears says he's afraid for his job when he knows other teachers are not doing their job. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart A Faxon Elementary alum who is now a teacher in local charter school suggests using the empty buildings for community use. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart An involved parent commends Covington for making tough choices that past leaders did not make when needed in past. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart An involved parent commends Covington for making the tough choices that others in past did not make when money was plentiful. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart 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 #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart A 4th grade teacher in district expresses concern about moving young students and jarring impact on their education. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Another citizen discussing impact of "redlining" poor black neighborhoods & concern about public $ drained by charter schools. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Citizen claims problem is not $ but district's relationship w/ comm. which will only worsen if schools close in poorest areas. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Citizen very mad about how $ was spent to attract white suburbanite kids in past & now relationship w/ ppl in the city suffers. #kcmsdforums

ryankath Parent gets loud applause with "Problem with district is not money. It's relationship with community" #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart This parent asks what she should do right now. She is considering charter schools. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart ...of the district's middle & high schools are performing well enough academically for her to send her daughter to them. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Heartfelt question from a parent of a 6th grader who is performing well academically & well-behaved. Worried that none...#kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Now moving to question-answer session. Lots of folks with questioners lined up. #kcmsdforums

mograndpa RT @mizzouatheart: None of the schools slated for closure have student bodies with greater than 25% proficiency on #MO standardized tests. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart None of the schools slated for closure have student bodies with greater than 25% proficiency on #MO standardized tests. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart 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." #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart District identified 3 criteria for evaluating schools: 1) academic performance; 2) facility; 3) other (student/neighborhood) #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart District staff now going through census data re: density of school-aged kids & specific schools' academic performance. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart The two elem. schools in our proposed charter school's neighborhood are to be closed w/ one program moving to another bldg. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Re: concerns abt combining middle/high schoolers, staff notes measures like school within school & separate passing times. #kcmsdforums

ryankath District buildings have capacity for 34,000, but enrollment is only about half that. Spending $ on utilities #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart District now addressing shift to 7-12 schools & predicted benefits: increase early opportunities for college prep & other prgms #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Now district is making the case for consolidating schools as enabling the district to better focus $ on intensive instruction. #kcmsdforums

ryankath Another big crowd RT @mizzouatheart: Covington promises to take unanswered written ?s & post answers on district's website #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart If the district continues along current track, the fund balance will be $1.7M in the red with nowhere to turn to get more $. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart Covington promises to either answer all ?s at #kcmsdforums or take unanswered written ?s & post answers on district's website online.

mizzouatheart Sup't Covington speaking about the magnitude of problem. Comparing district enrollment #s & # of schools to other districts. #kcmsdforums

mizzouatheart I'm at MLKing Elementary for one of several "Right Sizing the District" forums re: severe budget constraints. Packed house. #kcmsdforums

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

mizzouatheart Me, too! RT @KCJeffro: listened to discussion of kcmsd's right-sizing on KCUR uptodate #kcmsdforums Hopeful with Dr. Covington and his plan

mizzouatheart I look forward to attending a Right Sizing the Distict meeting tonight to show my support for Covington's plan. #kcmsdforums #education

Darrelle1 As the district gets smaller due to the competition of Charter Schools, the reality is there are not a need that many schools #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 I would like to see the superintendent find federal funds to tear down dilapidated schools to build homes on the land #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 All districts are facing tough financial decisions, KCMSD is not excluded from these difficult times. I am a Central High grad #kcmsdforums

crossroadskcmo engage the business community in this discussion, Chamber of Commerce? @kcchamberGOV #kcmsdforums ask for time, talent, treasure, ideas

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums What happened to previous closing plan the community agreed on after hundreds of hours of meetings? Why was that thrown out?

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Schools need to close - agreed. But final approval should wait until after the election when the new board is seated.

ChristineTB @ crossroadskcmo: Biz community WAS involved in prev closing mtg 2 yrs ago. KCMSD ignored committee recs. R U surprised? #kcmsdforums

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Unfortunately - KC charter school performance is as bad or worse than district performance. Not a good alternative for parents.

TonysKansasCity Can we cut to the chase and just close the entire Kansas City, Missouri School District? #kcmsdforums

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The 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

KCJeffro listened to discussion of kcmsd's right-sizing on KCUR uptodate #kcmsdforums Hopeful with Dr. Covington and his plan

airickwest spoke about kcmsd's right-sizing efforts on kraske's show this morning. i appreciated the calls and conversation. thoughts? #kcmsdforums

airickwest is inviting community to comment on the right-sizing via twitter and text message. more at http://www.kcu4ea.org/kcmsdforums #kcmsdforums

crossroadskcmo consider professionals like urban planners, architects, and artists...while you think size, design may help to achieve goals #kcmsdforums

lboogie80 I dont hv enough hours in the day or tweet characters to say how ashamed I am of the #kc & #lawrence school districts. #kcmsdforums!

airickwest covington, in response to community requests, scheduled another forum on saturday. print & pass out: www.kcu4ea.org/kcmsdforums #kcmsdforums

lboogie80 Dear #Lawrence & #kcmsdforums quit worrying about who has the biggest football field and educate those minds!! Keep the schools alive #ljw

airickwest is listening to the right-sizing forum at ne k-8. so far same presentation as saturday. nearly full. translation available. #kcmsdforums

airickwest is moved by the testimony of our scholars. parent comments are valuable as well, but the words of our scholars are powerful! #kcmsdforums

airickwest heard a great quote from a scholar that got applause from the audience: "closing ne high would be like closing the whitehouse!" #kcmsdforums

Darrelle1 I look forward to attending the session at Paseo to learn more about KCMSD decision #kcmsdforums

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Previous school closing committee recs ignored: "Close Brookside, DO NOT open SW". Example of white neighborhood preference?

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Lincoln Prep is underutilized BECAUSE K-5 programs not preparing them for the work. Need to fix problem, not close the school.

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Why force ACE program to go to K-12, but not combine Brookside with Southwest? Political favoritism?

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums Hyde Park/Midtown already littered with vacant school bldgs. Shutting Westport AND Longan will force parents to charter schools

ChristineTB #kcmsdforums 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

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:13:00 +0000

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.

School Consolidations & Reduction in Force (RIF) Policy

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:05:00 +0000

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.

Transforming KCMSD Leadership

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:56:00 +0000

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.

What's Working: KCMSD Student Government

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:06:00 +0000

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!

What's Working: Middle School Mentors

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:19:00 +0000

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.

What's Working: Scholar-Led Conferences

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:45:00 +0000

Visiting the schools of the KCMSD is a rewarding experience. At Gladstone, middle schoolers have taken over their parent-teacher conferences. Apparently Gladstone tried to do scholar-led parent-teacher conferences last semester and it didn't work out so well. I mention this because in order to create the district our scholars deserve, we must be a learning institution which means being prepared to make mistakes, learn from them and try again.

Learning from what didn't work last semester, the middle school refined their approach and tried scholar-led conferences again this semester. The results have been breath-taking. From the scholars that shared with me how they are taking responsibility for their own learning to the tear-inducing, hand-written letters in multiple languages from parents to their scholars describing how proud they are of their accomplishments and how they will always be there to support them, the qualitative evidence suggests that having scholars take the lead in describing what's working, what's not working and what strategies they'll use next to improve their academic performance is itself a strategy that is likely to produce quantitative results as well.

What's Not Working: Schools or the Streets

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:36:00 +0000

According to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, high school dropouts are three and one-half times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested, and more than eight times as likely to be incarcerated. Throughout the country, 68 percent of state prison inmates have not received a high school diploma. According to researchers, 10 percentage-point increases in graduation rates have historically been shown to reduce murder and assault rates by approximately 20 percent. Increasing graduation rates by 10 percentage points would prevent each year 25 murders and 1,700 aggravated assaults in Kansas, and more than 70 murders and 4,400 aggravated assaults in Missouri.

We have choices to make concerning what we want for our community and the reality is this: the choices we are making as a community are perfectly organized and structured to create the community we have now. Or said differently, we have exactly what we want. If this were not so, we would be making new choices.

We'd be choosing high quality, universal PreK programs (the KCMSD is doing this but currently the State provides no funding for it), we'd be choosing comprehensive birth-to-school models (similar to the Harlem Children's Zone), we'd be doing everything in our power to increase teach quality (as suggested by the New Teacher Project), we'd be choosing to personally engage in the lives of our scholars (like with BE 1!), we'd be choosing to walk away from the socio-economic self-segregation that has come to typify America's urban/suburban dyad. As a community, the choice for our scholars is in our hands: school or the streets. We choose.

Links to experts/research: EdTrust -- Teacher Quality, Center for Public Education -- PreK, Harlem Children's Zone, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids -- Early Education, The New Teacher Project -- Missed Opportunities, BE 1! -- Choose to BE 1!

What's Working: Engaging with Scholars

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000

As part of my campaign for the school board, I committed to visiting every school in the district. Having visited every one (and having gone classroom by classroom through most of them) and having been included in many other activities as a result, I'm in a privileged position to share some of the amazing things I've come across in my first year in office. In my first year, I:

danced with 3rd graders at James
argued board policy with 5th graders at Weeks
was laughed at by pre-Kers eating breakfast at Milton-Moore
was greeted in Mandarin Chinese by Kindergarteners at Trailwoods
read to 3rd graders at Blenheim
read to the K-3rd graders (all at once) at James
was grilled on MAP test scores and their meaning by 8th graders at Westport
conducted mock interviews with scholars from Manual & Lincoln
theorized about why some cars go further than others down a ramp with pre-Kers at Scarritt
cheered for the scholar-athletes on the basketball team at Milton-Moore & West Rock Creek
congratulated the robotics contestants from ACE, Central and Northeast
danced with (and been giggled at by) 4th graders at Border Star
discussed school boundary politics with 6th graders at James
discussed the relationship between self-esteem and admitting mistakes with scholars at Fairview
built box planters in the garden with K-5th graders at Attucks
was trained in Montessori methods by children's house scholars at Holliday
watched scholars create video projects at Paseo
won a pickup game of basketball with scholars from Central
was nearly peed on by a PreKer at Banneker
was moved by discussions of racism and sexism with scholars at Northeast
was sung to by elementary scholars at Bryant
marveled at the video production talents of scholars at Manual
trained with the members of our district-wide student government
taught how to double dutch by scholars from Garcia (who went on to win at State!)
got kicked out of the meeting (along with all of the other adults) of the district-wide student government (they got a lot more done with us gone, btw)
tried to keep pinatas away from stick-armed middle schoolers at James
danced with the faculty at Longfellow (suddenly noticing that we do a lot of dancing in this district)
was high-fived by sticky handed pre-Kers at Woodland
was invited to judge the 5th grade Spelling Bee at Attucks
was laughed at (discreetly) for having 'high water' pants by scholars at Fairview
explained what a web developer does to politely interested 1st graders at Faxon
was interrogated about the value of uniforms at Troost
was invited to participate in a poetry reading with 6th graders at Franklin
heard scholar-written prose delivered powerfully at Paige
was invited to go skating with 4th graders at James
met a 3rd grader who knows as much and maybe more about physics and quantum mechanics theory than I do at Woodland (seriously!)
shook the hands of our graduates as they walked across what must have felt like the largest stage in their lives

And I've cried -- because while I've seen a great deal of what works in this district, I am scared by the fair measure of what I've seen that is not working in this district.

These experiences -- observing hundreds of classrooms and visiting with scholars, families, teachers and administrators and spending time with our scholars outside of the classroom -- are making me a stronger school board member. To those that have invited me into their buildings and classrooms, I thank you for the education in education. And to those who do not yet know the incredible joy that comes from investing in the lives of KCMSD's scholars, I invite you to come experience it for yourself (www.be1kc.org).

What's Working: KCMO Partnership

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Sat, 16 May 2009 07:42:00 +0000

City streets outside of schools can be busy, unwelcoming and even dangerous places. Twenty-fourth & Agnes outside of Wheatley preK-7 was no exception. Parents and family jockeyed for places to pause their vehicles near the door long enough for ornery 4-year olds and rambunctious pre-teens to slide in. Recently, too many cars have simply parked, unmoving, in front of the door to the school blocking the way of vehicles coming to pick up scholars and forcing our scholars instead to venture into the street in search of their transportation. After a few days of this scenario, Wheatley parents and faculty decide they've had enough.

When City Councilmembers Melba Curls (3rd District At-Large Representative) & Russ Johnson (Infrastructure & Transportation Committee Chair) get the first message about the situation outside Wheatley, they immediately contact the appropriate city staff. Within a few hours -- at the beginning of this week -- Wheatley School Advisory Committee members have the information they need. By the end of the week, city staff have placed "15 Minute Loading Zone" signs all along the Wheatley side of Agnes without charging any cost to the school or parents.

This is the kind of responsive partnership -- between KCMSD and KCMO -- that makes any resident proud. When combined with the many other ways that KCMO supports KCMSD (PIAC funds helping to purchase playground equipment, laying/replacing sidewalk adjacent to school buildings, passing a Resolution of support for BE 1! thanks to Councilwomen Circo & Curls and more) this is also the kind of partnership that is working to make this community a better place for our scholars.

What's Working: Drop-Out Prevention Calls

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The NAACP has been leading an effort in partnership with LULAC and several other organizations to call KCMSD scholars that research suggests are more likely than their peers to drop out. I stopped by the other day and participated in the phonebanking. This is a remarkable project that is making a difference, that demonstrates what is possible when we stand united behind the success of our scholars and that is worthy of our accolades. In a time where we regularly hear big talk about zero tolerance policies that typically further alienate our scholars, here's a collection of community groups that have their own zero tolerance policy: zero tolerance for abandoning our scholars.

What's Working: Community Engagement

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Walking into the Foreign Language Academy gymnasium, it is immediately apparent that the fire marshall hasn't been invited. Chairs fill the massive space with the exception of very narrow rows against either wall and down the middle. Parents, family members, neighbors, siblings, administrators, teachers and, of course, scholars are everywhere as the room buzzes with excitement. Exactly on time, the principal steps to the mic to welcome the crowd. Then the curtains retract and an adorable ensemble of brightly clad kindergarteners take the stage dancing in their tiny, clumsy manner. At their conclusion, the room erupts in shrieks and applause while the young scholars look on, seemingly unaware of what the commotion is all about.

Grade after grade takes the stage each performing a dance native to the country that their class has been studying all year. Directly in front of the stage, family members crowd together on the ground with a dizzying collection of digital cameras and video equipment. This is FLA's annual Dia de Cultura Hispana and with this level of community support, no one is shocked that 13 eighth graders earned college credit in Spanish from UMKC prior to leaving for high school. This is merely a taste of what's possible with wide-spread community engagement.

What's Working: Scholar Ownership

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:57:00 +0000

As I visit each classroom at the Afrikan-centered Education Campus, a scholar immediately comes up to me, welcomes me to their learning community and asks how they can be of assistance. This practice is notable for two reasons. First, the scholars really take pride and ownership over their learning environment. Second, the teachers never take their attention away from the instruction of the entire class because the needs of the visitors are addressed without their involvement. In most classrooms, scholars are working collaboratively with their fellow classmates and being coached by the teacher. This type of team-based, project-centered learning environment is exactly the sort of education this district wants for all of our scholars.

What's Working: Data-driven Instruction & Observation

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:41:00 +0000

There are a group of Garfield K-7 teachers engaging in a grade level meeting with the Vice-Principal. This is their weekly gathering to discuss instructional practices and it relies heavily on scholar data available from teacher assessments and district assessments. In a setting where educational private practice is analogous to educational malpractice, Garfield is abolishing isolation-oriented teaching.

Further evidence that instruction is a team process at Garfield: the Vice-Principal and I walk into each classroom with absolutely no fanfare. In my naivete, I am almost offended until I remembered what this signaled: these classrooms are well acclimated to routine observation. Teacher, after teacher, after teacher, when pushed, describe that the most effective professional development they receive -- other than the shared planning/grade level meetings -- is when a respected instructional leader observes their instructional practice and then visits with them about what worked for their scholars and what did not work for their scholars. When done in the spirit of professional growth, scholars' educational achievement and best practice formation, instructional observations develop the craft of teaching -- and our scholars benefit from it. Observing this in action is a remarkable perspective into the culture of faculty & administration at Garfield.

What's Working: Collaborative Learning

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Anyone walking into this Lincoln College Prep classroom immediately knows that they are entering an eruption of high drama. On one side of the room, scholars are furiously conferring with one another clearly preparing for a counter-offensive. On the other side of the room, a group of scholars are cheering on a classmate who stands barking arguments at the other half of the class. The setup quickly becomes clear: one side is Senator McCain, the other Senator Obama. One at a time, scholar after scholar stands to try their hand at portraying their Senator whenever the specific policy strain they have researched comes up. It is clearly collaborative, active-learning in action. This is the type of educational environment our scholars deserve.

Cultural Transformation (part 6 of 6): What's Next

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:27:00 +0000

Transforming the KCMSD into a district that works to provide educational achievement for all scholars isn't a fantasy that well wishing and positive thinking will make appear. But it is a reality that we have the collective power to create. To unleash that potency, we must first be aware of the current results and acknowledge our role in their creation: 1 in 4 KCMSD scholars is literate and numerate at grade level and we are responsible for having created that. Only when we fully own where we are (the current conversation & current results) can we then create where we want to be (the new conversation & new results).

As we accept responsibility for our district, the new conversation grows. Our scholar engagement, community engagement, faculty & administration, and governance cultures transform -- and along with them, new possibilities for each of our scholars emerge. Across the district, classroom by classroom, neighborhood meeting by neighborhood meeting, board meeting by board meeting, we hear the new conversation's urgent whisperings. As it grows louder, we see clearly "what's working", "what's not working/what's next" and hear the cultural transformation inherent in each.

You now have a choice: contribute to the dominant conversation by doing what you're already doing and, in so doing, ensure that we continue to create more of what we already have. Or commit to the creation of the new conversation -- the only path that leads to the transformation of our schools, our community and our region.

Cultural Transformation (part 5 of 6): Governance

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Finally, in the meetings and discussions of the school board, there are two competing conversations: "I am not to blame for what is not working in the district" and "We are fully responsible for everything that is working and not working in our district." One of these conversations inspires a sense of accountability for each and every one of our scholars and the other does not. One works to create a culture that is scholar-centered, achievement-focused, research-based and accountability-empowered and the other does not. These conversations reveal themselves in both the speaking and the actions of school board members. If we want something other than what we have now, we must begin to transform both.

One question, when explored without offering justifications or becoming defensive, that can begin to transform the conversation: to what extent do I see myself as the cause of the problem I'm committed to fixing? And after that: what promises am I willing to make to my peers? These questions, when pursued with the affirmation of their intent rather than the condemnation with which they can be interpreted, empower us to create the transformation we seek.

Cultural Transformation (part 4 of 6): Faculty & Administration

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Within the faculty and administration discussions concerning the school district, there are two competing conversations: "I will teach those students that want to learn" and "We are responsible for the educational achievement of all of our scholars." One of these conversations generates a culture where anything is possible for our scholars and the other does not. One works to create a culture that is scholar-centered, achievement-focused, research-based and accountability-empowered and the other does not. These conversations reveal themselves in both the speaking and the actions of our faculty and administration. If we want something other than what we have now, we must begin to transform both.

One question, when explored without offering justifications or becoming defensive, that can begin to transform the conversation: how do I benefit from the KCMSD being the way it is now? And after that: what assumptions would I have to let go to create the learning environment my scholars need? These questions, when pursued as an access to opportunity rather than as an indictment of the past, create new openings for action and inspire us towards the transformation we seek.

Cultural Transformation (part 3 of 6): Community Engagement

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Embedded in the community conversation about our school district, you can hear two competing conversations: "I see no hope for that district" and "We believe in what is possible for our district's scholars and we will act on that belief." One of these conversations leads to a culture of excellence for our scholars and one does not. One works to create a culture that is scholar-centered, achievement-focused, research-based and accountability-empowered and the other does not. These conversations reveal themselves in both the speaking and the actions of our community -- at work, at church, in our neighborhoods and in our homes. If we want something other than what we have now, we must begin to transform both.

One question, when explored without offering justifications or becoming defensive, can begin to transform the conversation: how have I contributed to us having the KCMSD we have now? And after that: what gifts do I have that I have not been using to support the scholars of the KCMSD? These questions, when seen through the spirit of restoration with which they're shared (rather than a spirit of retribution), empower us to assume ownership of our school district rather than endure the experience of being a victim of it.

One movement that seeks to inspire these very questions is rapidly gaining speed: BE 1!

Cultural Transformation (part 2 of 6): Scholar Engagement

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:14:00 +0000

National research describing what is required to bridge significant gaps that exist between subgroups of scholars point to similar conclusion with a key one being this: scholar engagement. Without a highly motivated learner, the entire process of education begins to breakdown. Our entire system of education must be transformed such that the lust for education inherent in all children is nurtured and encouraged. Scholars must tap into their motivation to engage and own their educational experience -- and as the adults in the system, we must reorganize our system of education to accommodate this need. The need for scholars to be highly engaged, highly motivated learners underscores the first of four cultural transformations necessary to turnaround our district. The culture of scholar engagement must transform from "I am not responsible for what happens in this building" to "We are engaged in this school and it is engaged in us." One group that has taken ownership of this transformation is the recently formed KCMSD Student Government. Honor their ownership in this way: when they call you, answer the call.

We must always remember that whatever cultural norms our scholars have, they inherited from us. They are not the cause of what's not working in this district. We are. So whether or not our scholars create this cultural vision as their guide, all adults that live, work, worship or play within the boundaries of the KCMSD must create cultural transformations of our own.

Cultural Transformation (part 1 of 6): The Conversation

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Listening to our scholars, our teachers, administrators, parents, union members, neighborhood leaders, community residents, businesswomen and men, civic leaders, titans of industry and more, you can hear the same thing: the precursors to wholesale cultural transformation. The cultural norms surrounding this district must be transformed to provide educational achievement for all scholars. That transformation is coming in four key sectors: scholar engagement, community engagement, faculty & administration, and governance. When the conversations guiding these four areas are transformed, we will be a district and a community that consistently provides our scholars with all that they deserve. As our school district returns to workability, so too will our local and regional economy. The fates of our communities and our entire region are inextricably interwoven with the fate of the Kansas City Missouri School District. We can choose to restore both.

To understand the culture of an institution, you need to listen to the conversations that describe it. As we transform the conversations, the behaviors and actions of the people within the district will be transformed as well. Over the next four posts, I'll share the conversations that can be heard surrounding scholar engagement, community engagement (our families, neighborhoods and civic leaders), administration & faculty (our curricular and instructional leaders) and governance (our elected board of education leaders that serve as the connectors between community engagement and faculty & administration). In the final post, I'll begin to discuss what's next for us as a community if our choice is to create a school district that works for all scholars.

What's Working: BE 1!

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:59:00 +0000

BE 1! -- Kansas City, Missouri School District's (KCMSD) grassroots, organizing effort to engage caring individuals in the lives of our scholars -- is predicated on two core beliefs:

Yes We Can! When we choose to stand together, we already have all of the resources, all of the talent, all of the energy required to restore this district and

Yes They Can! Our scholars already have everything within themselves they need to succeed: the intellect, curiosity, ambition, discipline, desire, aspirations.

With these as core assumptions, restoring the KCMSD is less a matter of altering externalities and more a matter of choosing to be "the village." BE 1! will improve the educational achievement of our scholars AND transform the conversation, perception and reality of the KCMSD by ensuring that each of our 20,000 scholars are supported by at least 5 caring relationships -- 100,000 parents, teachers, mentors, advocates and tutors. To accomplish this, hundreds of volunteers across the region are hosting BE 1! meetings at their homes, places of work, places of worship, neighborhood meetings, SACs, PTAs and more.

As Kansas Citians open their homes and their lives to a new conversation about what is possible for our scholars, our collective focus becomes less about adult issues and more about the scholars. In time, BE 1! envisions a community so personally invested in the affairs of our individual scholars that the distractions of the past become secondary. Our scholar's achievement becomes primary.

If this vision of what is possible for our scholars, our district and our community speaks to you, join the movement today by visiting www.be1kc.org and contacting the BE 1! organizers to setup your BE 1! event at your home or organization: one@be1kc.org.

Why I Choose the KCMSD

airick@kcu4ea.org (airick leonard west) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:55:00 +0000

I am the guardian of a 16yr old in the Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD). A friend that knows me well understands my passion for public education. Despite this understanding, she still recently asked the all too familiar question, 'why is he in a KCMSD school?' Here are some facts:

I could send him to a private school
I could send him to a charter school
I could homeschool him (though we might kill each other)
The KCMSD has challenges
As a whole, the KCMSD is not doing well
As a community, we deserve to be angry about this injustice
Anger won't restore the KCMSD; engaged Kansas Citians will
The KCMSD has several very good schools
It is very possible to get a solid education from the KCMSD
I am willing to do whatever is required to ensure that he gets a great education no matter which school -- public or otherwise -- that he attends

Given this lineup of realities, I choose to stand in solidarity with the multitude of families that have chosen the KCMSD for their children as well. Whether through the Afrikan-centered Campus, Lincoln Academy or the collection of strong academic institutions within the district, learning for deep understanding and high achievement occurs here every day. While some progress has been made, obviously, we have a long way to go. Better is still never good enough. It will require great effort to transform our district into an oasis of opportunity. But the same effort will be required to turn our neighborhoods into communities of choice. If we are strong enough to commit to one, then we would be wise to commit to both -- indeed, I do not believe either will occur apart from the other. To succinctly convey my perspective on this topic, I say this:

To those who have chosen to give up on public education: Though I have heard your pain and understand many of your concerns, I will not stand with you. Public education is the last hope for too many of our neighbors. I cannot see a way to divorce myself from them without allowing all else that I believe in to become estranged as well.

To those who are thinking of giving up on public education: Hold hope. There is no end to what is possible when a community of people choose to BE 1! We must join the legion of sisters and brothers that are creating new possibilities for our schools. Collectively, we will find our way through this darkness. And the light we bring will shine brightly on all Kansas Citians.

To those who choose to stand for a viable school district: I proudly stand with you.