Speaking of Leading: "When you have a new vision brought in and you have a new direction with the change of administration, it does have an overall effect on student achievement in the district. For administrators to be successful, the data shows they have to be in place at least five years to bring about positive change in student achievement." – William Mayes, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators The Flint Journal 7.27.08
SaginawCounty school districts implement High Schools That Work Program to increase student achievement
Editor’s note: Dr. Gene Bottoms, founding director of High Schools That Work, will be presenting at the MASA Fall Conference on Wednesday, September 24.
When some schools failed to meet adequate yearly progress requirements, Saginaw County superintendents made the decision in 2007 to implement the High Schools That Work (HSTW)/Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) school improvement model to increase student achievement.
Nineteen secondary schools in Saginaw County joined over 1,200 high schools and 300 middle schools in a 32 state network implementing the HSTW/MMGW Goals and Key Practices for improving student achievement.
High Schools That Work is an effort-based school improvement initiative founded on the conviction that most students can master rigorous academic and career/technical studies if school leaders and teachers create an environment that motivates students to make the effort to succeed. HSTW is the nation’s first large-scale effort to engage state, district and school leaders in partnerships with teachers, students, parents and the community to raise student achievement in high school and the middle grades.
It is based on the simple belief that most students become “smarter” through effort and hard work. When schools in Saginaw implemented academic student support interventions in the 2007-2008 school year, they experienced a significant reduction in student failure and a sharpened focus on increased student effort to meet the challenges presented by the new rigorous Michigan Merit Curriculum.
As part of the HSTW/MMGW initiative, Saginaw County teachers and administrators participated in six days of leadership training, six days of literacy training, four days of math training, and a three day training on Restructuring the Ninth Grade Experience To Achieve Success. Participating schools are supported by veteran Michigan educator Gary Bredahl who serves as the coach for the project.
All schools receive four official coaching visits from Bredahl in addition to informal visits and professional support on specific issues. Technical Assistance Visits (TAV) occurred at five schools this year. A TAV is a three-day, team led on-site school visit. The visit includes interviews, classroom observations, review of school data and an exit report of findings. Later a complete written report of the visit is sent to the school that summarizes the findings and recommends actions the school can take to implement the design and improve student achievement.
The mission of HSTW is to create a culture of high expectation and continuous improvement in high school and the middle grades. Twelve additional Saginaw County middle level schools are beginning the Making Middle Grades Work program this fall. The HSTW goals are:
Increase to 85 percent the percentages of high school students who meet the HSTW reading, mathematics and science performance goals on a National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)-referenced exam.
Increase the percentages of all high school students who perform at the proficient level to at least 50 Percent in reading, mathematics and science, as measured by the NAEP-referenced HSTW Assessment.
Increase to 85 percent the percentages of high school graduates who complete college-preparatory course in mathematics, science, English/language arts and social studies and a concentration in an academic area, a career/technical area of a blend of the two.
Increase to 90 percent the percentages of high school students who enter grade nine and complete high school four years later.
Advance state and local policies and leadership initiatives that sustain a continuous school improvement effort.
Have all students leave high school with postsecondary credit or having met standards for postsecondary studies to avoid remedial courses.
Work in the middle grades to increase annually the percentages of students entering high school prepared to succeed in college-preparatory courses.
Dr. Gene Bottoms, Senior Vice President of the Southern Regional Education Board, has spent his entire career in education as a teacher, principal, counselor, state department of education administrator, and leader of the nation’s largest organization for vocational education professionals. As Executive Director of the 50,000 member American Vocational Association from 1977 to 1985, he played a major role in assisting in the development of federal vocational education legislation, establishing, as a national priority, the strengthening of the academic foundation of vocational students.
He is frequently called on as a consultant to U.S. Congressional committees, the U.S. Department of Education, state legislatures, state departments of education, teacher education programs and school districts for his keen insights regarding policies and practices that will improve education and student achievement.
Dr. Bottoms will be presenting at the MASA Fall Conference on Wednesday, September 24. Saginaw County schools have found that High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work Key Practices are effective in improving student achievement when deeply implemented.
Welcome Sadie!
The entire MASA family joins William and Karen Mayes in welcoming their newest granddaughter, Sadie Amanda Farquhar. Sadie joined the Mayes family on July 29, 2008. The proud “papa” and grandma wasted no time in visiting the 4 pound, 14-ounce Sadie, now at home with William and Karen’s son and daughter-in-law. Congratulations!
AASA survey finds rising fuel, energy costs stressing school budgets
Rising fuel and energy costs are taking a toll on school system budgets nationwide, according to the results of a new survey released today by the American Association of School Administrators. The eight-question AASA Fuel and Energy Snapshot Survey asked school superintendents about the effect of rising fuel and energy costs on their school districts. Ninety-nine percent of respondents reported these rising costs are having an impact on their school systems. Further, they reported that conserving energy, cutting back on student field trips and consolidating bus routes are among the top steps districts are taking to minimize the impact of rising fuel and energy costs. Meanwhile, few states are stepping forward to assist school systems struggling to meet escalating these rising costs.
“School systems are making tough and innovative budget choices to meet rising fuel and energy costs, but they need financial assistance,” said AASA Executive Director Daniel A. Domenech. “Education is an investment. State governments and the federal government must step in on behalf of the nation’s children to fill the gaps created by rising costs and shrinking school budgets, including reduced local property tax receipts.”
“Without adequate funding, our schools cannot fully meet children's needs,” said AASA President Randall Collins, superintendent of schools in Waterford, Conn. “While school systems are working hard to limit programming cuts, the sharp increase in costs will have a negative impact on children, especially disadvantaged children, unless the states and federal government act quickly to provide relief."
Only three percent of superintendents responding to the survey said their districts are moving to a four-day school week, but 15 percent said their districts are considering moving to a four-day school week.
When asked if their states are doing anything to assist their districts with rising fuel and energy prices, 77 percent of respondents said no, 14 percent said they were not aware of state actions and nine percent said yes.
SET encourages wellness with employee benefit plans
SET, your source for employee benefits, cares about the health and well-being of our members. By partnering with carriers such as Blue Care Network and Priority Health, we can offer employee benefit plans that promote wellness and reward individuals who commit to making smart lifestyle choices. As a result, employees are held accountable for their health, which should contribute to a reduction of overall costs.
Blue Care network developed Healthy Blue Living, a plan that helps participants save money on their deductible and copayments when they actively commit to adopting healthy behaviors.
Priority Health designed HealthbyChoice Rewards SM, an employer-driven wellness program, as well as HealthbyChoice Incentives SM, a consumer-engaged health plan combined with a wellness program.
How the plans work
Healthy Blue Living participants are eligible for two benefit levels with cost-
sharing options:
Enhanced benefit level with lower deductibles and copayments; and
Standard benefit level with higher deductibles and co-payments.
When participants and covered spouses choose to work toward or achieve quality-of-life goals, they receive an enhanced benefit level. Benefit levels are determined by six high-impact health measures.
HealthbyChoice Incentives SM features two levels of benefits: Choice or Standard. Both benefit levels offer the same coverage, but the Choice level reduces co-pays, deductibles/out-of-pocket costs and co-insurance. To maintain the Choice level of benefits, employees must meet certain criteria for health indicators or agree to lab testing and follow a health care provider's treatment plan.
Why participate?
Through both carriers, participants and their spouses automatically receive the higher benefit level for their first 90 days of coverage. If they actively maintain or adopt a healthy lifestyle, they can continue to receive the higher level of benefits. Otherwise, they will receive the lower level of benefits.
Both plans assist in achieving wellness by offering smoking cessation and weight management programs.
Employees are encouraged to make healthier lifestyle choices, which should reduce costs!
Learn more about SET employee benefit plans! Contact your SET SEG Account Executive!
1-800-292-5421
University of Michigan to explore link between pollution and K-12 performance
Is there a link between air pollution and student performance in K-12 schools? That's what University of Michigan researchers said they hope to discover as they embark on a three-year research project to determine correlations between air quality and performance benchmarks like absenteeism, test scores, and dropout rates.
The researchers, operating out of U Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), said that adequate information about the links between pollution and student performance does not exist at present, despite children's vulnerability to pollution.
Researchers will be using census data, air quality data, and information supplied by Detroit Public Schools to look for links between student performance and the environment. The study will cover 194 schools and more than 100,000 students enrolled in the 2007-08 school year. They will also model data from the 837 other public schools districts in Michigan to create a more complete picture of the links between pollution and student performance.
School Nurse Managing Asthma Triggers (MAT) Program Call for trainers
Applications due: September 8, 2008
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is seeking 18 School Nurses to become trainers for the 1-day School Nurse Managing Asthma Triggers Program (MAT). This program is supported by a grant from the EPA. Eighteen trainers will be selected from various locations around the U.S. to participate in a Training-of-Trainers (TOT) program in December 2008 in Washington, DC. For more information and to apply online, go to www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=433.
FIRST pilots restructured student robotics competition in Michigan
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is piloting a new structure for its student robotics competition in Michigan. For the 2009 FIRST Robotics Competition, local competitions will be held in 16 districts leading up to the finals. FIRST said the new structure is designed to provide additional opportunities for students by creating additional competitions and making the competitions more accessible to a wider range of students.
In order to handle the restructuring, FIRST has established a new non-profit in Michigan called FIRST in Michigan.
"Michigan's youth needs innovative skills and creative thinking to be able to navigate in a 21st century workplace increasingly characterized by global competition," said Francois Castaing, director of FIRST in Michigan and a member of the FIRST board of directors, in a statement released Wednesday.
The 2009 FIRST season begins in January and runs through March, leading up to the April final. The new Michigan competition districts include Western Upper Peninsula, Eastern Upper Peninsula, Lake Huron North, Lake Huron Central, Grand Traverse, West Michigan, Saginaw Bay, Greater Genesee, Macomb County, Oakland County, Detroit, Western Wayne, Washtenaw County, Greater Lansing, Greater Monroe, and Southwest Michigan.
Retirees - Mark your calendars!
MASEL Luncheon – September 16, 2008
The 43rd annual luncheon of the Michigan Association of Senior Education Leaders (MASEL) will take place on Tuesday, September 16 2008 at the Kellogg Center, MSU, East Lansing.
Reservation information will be mailed to all retired members on the MASA mailing list in August.
Rose Memorial Service at Fall Conference, Sep 25
For more than three decades, MASA has honored those members who have passed with an annual memorial service. In an effort to continue the tradition, the Planning Committee has once again scheduled the service following the luncheon on Thursday, September 25, 2008 in Traverse City, Michigan. The presentation of roses to honor our deceased members will be included in the service, and the roses will be displayed at the general sessions through the rest of the conference.
Deceased MASA members who will be remembered at the memorial ceremony include:
Bruce Barrett, Wayne RESA Dr. Kenneth J. Cooper, Laingsburg Community Schools Clayton Lee Cory Albert Deal, Kent ISD Gerald DeGrow, Port Huron Schools Ralph W. Grimes, Ypsilanti Public Schools William Horie, Ed.D, Eau Claire Public Schools Robert Irvin, Berrien Springs Public Schools Walter Jenvey, Jr., Lincoln Schools Dale Edwards Kaulitz, Van Buren Public Schools R. William Kidder, Northwest Rural Agricultural Schools Roger Oberg, Oxford Area Community Schools Don Pobuda, Harper Creek Community Schools William A. Poppink, Sault Ste Marie Schools Eugene A. Randall, Fruitport Public Schools John E. Savel, Clintondale Community Schools Dr. Ronald S. Strolle, Menominee Area Public Schools
Please contact us if you know of any individuals who should be added, or if you identify an error in our listing. We would also like to hear from any MASA member who would be willing to participate in the ceremony by carrying a memorial rose. Please contact Kristy Warner at the MASA office at 517.327.9262 no later than September 12, 2008.
2008-09 Directory under way
Will your colleagues be able to contact you?
Now is the time to check last year’s MASA directory to see if your listing is accurate.
We want to be sure we have your most current address, email, and direct phone number so colleagues and MASA staff can contact you this year.
There are three ways to update your data:
Haul out last year’s print directory and check your listing
Review this summer’s renewal form and note any changes before sending back to MASA.
If you’ve moved or you have new contact information, contact Susan White at swhite@gomasa.org or 517.327.9266. Please consider sharing your direct extension with us so our staff and your colleagues can reach you or your voicemail more easily.
Highlighted Service
Who ya’ gonna call? New Superintendents eligible for mentors
As members of MASA, superintendents who are new to the career are eligible to participate in a range of services. One of those services is the volunteer mentor program.
Each year, MASA facilitates mentor relationships through each region’s Membership Services Committee representative. Superintendents who are new to the profession are paired up with experienced volunteer mentors who remain available to meet regularly, answer questions, and offer advice when difficult decisions arise.
MASA’s Mentor Toolkit warehouses documents, resources, and links to articles and information that can help ease the transition during a superintendent’s first year on the job. The toolkit also contains helpful advice for mentors on how to make the most of this unique relationship.
If you would like to participate in the MASA mentor program, either as a new superintendent or as a mentor, contact your region Membership Services Committee representative or contact Linda Wacyk at 517.327.9268.
Donald Spencer joins Winners Cirlce
At this year’s MASA Distinguished Administrators’ Luncheon, 13 new MASA members were inducted into the Winners’ Circle. These members were honored by the Membership Services Committee for initiating a unique, successful program or implementing an innovative idea that has had a significant, positive impact on their school districts that can be used by other districts across the state. This year’s inductees include:
Donald Spencer, Monroe County ISD, Region 8
Local History via Virtual Field Trips
The Local History via Virtual Field Trips Program Local History Via Virtual Field Trips is an innovative partnership between the Monroe County I.S.D., local school districts, and Monroe County Historical Museum offering students the chance to "live" Monroe County 's history via technology. Supporting materials such as lesson plans, assessment tools, and classroom artifact kits add depth to the interactive experience made possible through the cooperative IVN (interactive video network). Students travel back in time to the earliest days of recorded history in Monroe County to experience battlefield raids, hand-to-hand combat, and heroic rescues along the River Raisin. Dressed in period garb, students learn key democratic ideas about local involvement in the War of 1812. History comes alive!
As a result, more than 2,000 students in 4th-8th grades participated in the initial schedule of virtual history field trips focused on local events of the War of 1812. Monroe County is the site of significant battles of that era. As the region moves toward bicentennial observances of the War of 1812 and the Massacres of the River Raisin, local students and educators will have many opportunities to engage in learning about specific parts of those events. Many projects have evolved from this first round of virtual field trips. Students have moved beyond the classroom activities to volunteering at the Museum, signing up to participate in upcoming special events, and pursuing local history resources available through the Museum and the Monroe County Library System. A "backyard history" club at a local school district has gained members. The summer archeology camp presented by the M.C.I.S.D. will be offered again by popular demand. The students are embracing these opportunities to learn more about their extended community and its history. Developed during a Summer Institute for social studies teachers, all lessons are aligned with the Michigan Merit Curriculum and grade level content expectations.
This afternoon, Achieve, Inc. released a national report on its American Diploma Project (ADP) and the need to align high school curriculum standards with what is needed for success at the college and university level, and for the workplace as well. Michigan is one of the states highlighted in the Report. It validates the commitment by Michigan ’s State Board of Education, Governor, Legislature, and Department in recognizing the need for higher standards and developing a focused curriculum on what is necessary for all students to succeed in the 21 st Century.
Michigan’s rating on alignment to ADP core
Michigan received good or excellent alignment scores on all ADP Core Benchmarks showing MI students will be well prepared for post secondary education and the workplace.
Achieve has recognized Michigan as a leader in state high school reform efforts.
Subject Scores
ELA - Michigan received an average of 2.94, nearly a perfect score of 3 and was rated 2 nd behind TN.
Math – Michigan had near perfect scores in Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. We also had good scores in both Numerical Operations and Math Reasoning, both of which are being reviewed by Achieve to ensure high school content included in our middle school GLCEs and updated Reasoning skills included in our final High School Content Expectations were recognized.
During Achieve’s American Diploma Project ( ADP ) research, college faculty and employers highlighted two categories of critical shortcomings in the preparation of many recent high school graduates. One is deficiencies in the specific and narrow foundational skills typically taught in middle school. The other is a lack of complex and conceptual competencies acquired late in high school that take students several years to develop.
Based on these insights and their experience in evaluating state standards, Achieve content experts identified within the ADP benchmarks a core set of essential understandings that states must include in their standards if they are to address critical gaps and ensure that their graduates are well prepared for college and careers.
This report presents an analysis of the college- and career-ready standards for English in 12 states and in mathematics in 16 states and their alignment to an ADP common core.
The common core reflects the reality of the world—that there is fundamental knowledge in English and mathematics that all graduates must know to succeed and that is not bound by state lines—but the common core also respects the traditional role of state decision making in education.
ADP core
There are 22 ADP Core English Benchmarks that cut across the eight strands of the ADP Benchmarks: language, communication, writing, research, logic, informational text, media and literature.
There are 34 ADP Core Mathematics Benchmarks that cut across the five ADP strands: number sense and numerical operations; algebra; geometry; data interpretation, statistics, and probability; and mathematical reasoning. The ADP Core in mathematics calls for students to master the foundational computational skills and to recognize and solve problems that can be represented by various types of equations.
How alignment was measured
In conducting each standards review, three to four recognized content experts used professional judgment to respond to a set of guiding questions focused around the issue of alignment.
Achieve’s content experts rated the strength of the “match” of each state standard statement to the best fit in the ADP Core. For each individual standard reviewed, Achieve reconciled any discrepancies among the ratings assigned by the individual content experts to produce a consensus rating.
Rating scale
Aligned standards were rated a 3 (excellent) or 2 (good)
State standards not aligned received a rating of 1 (weak) or 0 (no match).
Achieve then produced an average rating for all of the state standards collectively to calculate the overall strength of their alignment to the ADP Core.
MAISA news:
2008 MAISA Summer Conference highlights
The MAISA Summer Conference was held June 18 and 19, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The theme of the conference was “Creating a World Class Education: An International Perspective.” Approximately sixty MAISA administrators from across the state attended the conference.
Conference Presenters included:
Dr. Dongping Zheng, Assistant Professor, Confucius Institute, MSU Dr. Chun Lai, Assistant Professor, Confucius Institute, MSU Dr. Paul Conway, National University of Ireland, Department of Education, Leeholme Robert Purcell, General Motors, Vice President of Global Strategic Planning-Powertrain
Insights from China tour Participants heard from a panel consisting of three State Board of Education members, the executive director of MASA and a MVU administrator who also works with MSU. All of these panelists had participated in a study tour of China’s education through Michigan State University. They discussed their insights about China’s education system and the implications for Michigan.
Conference Panel Members included:
William Mayes, Executive Director, MASA/MAISA Dan Schultz, MVI-MSU Kathleen Straus, State Board of Education Elizabeth Bauer, State Board of Education Carolyn Curtin, State Board of Education
Gaining a global perspective The participants engaged with professors from MSU-Confucius Institute and Ireland to better understand the education direction and planning process used by both China and some European countries. Then they heard a presentation and interacted with an expert on global strategic planning from General Motors Corporation.
Mapping the future—for Michigan and for MAISA MAISA conferees were asked to share their views of what Michigan needs to consider in order to create a world class education system and what MAISA needs to consider to provide support creating that system.
This summary was drawn from workgroup discussions, and may include information critical to the future success of Michigan public education and therefore to the economy of Michigan.
KEY LEARNING AND NEXT STEPS
In order to assure the children of Michigan receive an excellent and equitable world class education, Michigan will need to define “word class.” A definition might include such components as:
Cognitive development
Acquisition of 21 st century essential knowledge
Logic and critical thinking
Problem solving skills
Creativity
21 st Century learning skills and strategies
Technological literacy
Civic development
Once the definition and components are agreed upon, Michigan will need to assess its current strength in delivering each component and benchmark its success against best practice domestically and internationally.
The use of researched best practices, benchmarks, and a gap analysis would then provide a basis of knowledge from which to create a plan of improvement for Michigan’s public education system.
It is important to know that China and some European countries have already developed a strategic plan for their public education system based on the research of international best practices. Their approach is consistent with the teaching of Dr. Deming who would point out that setting direction without a basis of knowledge is not leadership but is tampering, which is dysfunctional and harmful to a system.
The participants of this MAISA conference expressed their interest in and support for developing a research process resulting in verifiable data/best practice that could be used by Michigan policy makers to guide the development of future strategic direction for Michigan’s public education system.
As strategist Bob Purcell noted in his presentation, a successful strategy requires:
A plan; and
A will to execute the plan
Our Association believes our state leadership has the will to improve our education. The challenges we face are:
Lack of a rich research-based resource as the foundation from which to develop a strategic plan for public education in Michigan
Lack of a collaborative process involving all stakeholders to develop and implement a strategic plan for Michigan.
MAISA co-hosts Systems Assessment and Design Group
In late June, MAISA joined MDE in hearing ideas for improving Michigan ’s Statewide System of Support (SSOS) for Title I High Priority (HP) Schools. That’s when participants in the Systems Assessment and Design Group, representing diverse education stakeholders, gathered at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing to review SSOS progress so far and develop ideas and suggestions for enhancing the process going forward.
The 37 participants came prepared to work and remain engaged long into the afternoon as they recounted their experiences—both positive and frustrating—with the SSOS. They learned more about the background and framework of the SSOS from Michigan Department of Education representatives, including Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Sally Vaughn and Office of School Improvement Director Betty Underwood.
Jan Urban-Lurain, of Spectra Data & Research, Inc facilitated a discussion among the participants on their first-year experiences with the SSOS, moving later to recommendations they would make to improve the process moving forward.
Benefits cited Participants were enthusiastic in their praise for the benefits already recognized through the SSOS. The features appreciated most included:
Process mentors: accountability at the district level; great teacher involvement and peer accountability; positive, collaborative feedback from buildings; development of professional learning communities; budget awareness at the building level; staff unity around academic goals; focus on data-driven effective teaching for all students.
Money: ISDs were given adequate money for working with buildings to make changes
Having a process and the plan for continuation: Consistency in using School Improvement Planning in all aspects of the work; Created an environment for reflection
Other features of the SSOS that participants value include:
Principal support; networking through the fellowship
Relationship building
Enhanced communication
Flexibility on how to spend funds and “space” to design services, especially work with coaches
First-year experiences Despite their praise of the process, participants did experience some “issues” that prevented them from being as successful as they had hoped to be. Some of these first-year issues included:
“System” Issues: timely and clear communication; too short a timeline; incomplete information; inconsistent reporting; delays; insufficient awareness and understanding of purpose; too much paperwork; stretched staffing
Lack of District/Building Accountability: Insufficient/inconsistent district commitment, support, representation, accountability; Districts failing AYP; High Priority schools are embedded within dysfunctional districts; Inconsistent expectations for schools, students and teachers.
Insufficient Cohesion and Alignment: Role and responsibility; Using SIF as the conceptual organizer; Connecting the audit findings; Key findings; Goals and strategies; Interaction; Monitoring
Desired enhancements Participants expressed an interest in seeing the following enhancements to the SSOS moving forward:
Keep the process mentors and streamline their paperwork
Build and support a peer-to-peer network as well as enhance the formal coach/expert model
Support interactions/linkages between the components of the system
Have both horizontal and vertical communications in place as well as distributed data access
Use technology to support enhanced communication
Support greater accountability; bring districts (i.e. superintendents and Boards), teachers, and other stakeholders more directly into the system
Intervene earlier; emphasize prevention and achieving success
Staff and planners for the SSOS will continue to review the participant’s feedback and look for ways to incorporate their recommendations for 2008-09. Questions about the SSOS or the review process can be directed to the project managers:
Michigan has the worst graduation rate in the nation for black males, while Detroit Public Schools has one of the worst rates among all districts, according to a national report issued July 25.
The study shows Michigan graduates just 33 percent of black males compared with 74 percent of white males, according to the report "Given Half a Chance: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males."
Detroit Public Schools graduates 20 percent of black males. The district has a lower rate of graduating white males —17 percent — exemplifying that the low rates are more a matter of inequality in resources than a matter of race, said John H. Jackson, president and CEO of the Cambridge, Mass.-based Schott Foundation for Public Education.
To improve graduation rates, officials should ensure those students have equal access to necessary resources to achieve high outcomes, Jackson said.
When placed in schools where they have the proper resources, they can meet the benchmarks, he said. When white students are placed in schools that also lack resources, their level of performance is similarly low.
"The low numbers of black, Latino and Native-American males who graduate from high school is a major concern," said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. "It's obvious that the way we've been trying to educate these students is not working, and we have to look at other ways to reach them. Governor Granholm's small high school initiative is an important strategy to build greater relevance and relationships with schools and students. We have confidence this, combined with a more challenging curriculum required by our new graduation requirements, will help make a difference."
As companies keep downsizing, economists say many future jobs will require extra education.
When the economy rebounds, whether in one year or five, experts say the labor market will call for certain skill sets that future workers should start developing now.
Even as manufacturing jobs wane in the state, employers are demanding more engineers, accountants and information technology pr ofessionals, among other occupations, experts say. Most fast-growing professions require math and science skills, if not a bachelor's degree.
For example, health care jobs are expected to increase by 19.8 percent, or 4 million, between 2006 and 2016, twice as fast as the average for all other occupations, according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. An upturn in the use of assistants and technicians to perform tasks normally assumed by doctors and nurses means that many of these new health care jobs will not require a four-year degree.
“More jobs will require more education in the future," said Arlene Dohm of the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, "but there will still be jobs for people without a college degree."
Positions for physicians and surgeons are expected to increase by 14 percent, compared to 23 percent for nurses and 27 percent for physician assistants. Baby boomers will be the primary beneficiaries of medical care, with the population 55 years and older expected to rise at an annual rate of 2.7 percent to reach 87 million by 2016, the report said. Changing demographics, coupled with advances in medicine and gene mapping, will add jobs across the spectrum, from heart surgeons to home care aides.
However, most economists say that advanced degrees and specialization will be key to career growth.
"Today more and more people have to go to college if they expect to earn a wage like their parents did in a factory," said Richard Hill, an economics professor at Central Michigan University .
N.J. lawmakers move to curtail school superintendents' perks
For years, the state did little to regulate salaries and perks of superintendent contracts, many of which exceed the $175,000 salary authorized for the governor's job. The cushy days, though, may be over.
Public outrage and state government concern over contracts packed with lucrative benefits and "golden parachute" buy-out provisions have led to a series of laws and regulations that aim to curtail school spending, especially for administrative salaries.
"It's fair to say that this is definitely a new day," said Lucille Davy, commissioner of the state Department of Education. "If you are paying them reasonably and responsibly for doing the job, then there's no reason to give a parachute or a parting gift, or another half a million at the end because you thought they were nice people."
Lawmakers are also pushing to restrict what they term excessive payments. "Some school superintendents have taken the mistaken view that money meant for the classroom would be better spent financing their personal, diamond-encrusted, taxpayer-provided nest eggs," said Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, D-Union, sponsor of a bill that would tamp down large retirement payouts. "The residents of New Jersey are rightfully outraged at seeing their tax dollars used to provide departing superintendents with these offensive payouts."
In the past, it wasn't uncommon for top administrators to be paid tens of thousands of dollars at retirement for unused sick days. Now, the new laws cap accumulated sick pay at $15,000. The laws also require school districts to detail administrators' total benefit packages on their Web sites, and advertise any changes to superintendent contracts at least a month in advance of a public hearing.
The post of executive county superintendent has been created in each county. He or she must review all employment contracts over $75,000, and reject any that have excessive costs.
A reform bill sponsored by Cryan passed the Assembly 76-4 last month. If it becomes law, the bill would ban large severance packages for both current and future school superintendents and other high-ranking school officials, regardless of the terms of an administrator's current contract, a provision that could be challenged in court.
Education lawyer Vito Gagliardi said the Legislature has focused on superintendent contracts even though they are a small percentage of a district's total budget. "There is no talk about teachers' salary and benefits, but there is a lot of talk about superintendent contracts," Gagliardi said.
The more stringent regulations have some school superintendents wondering who will be interested in pursuing administrative jobs in the future. With 608 superintendent posts in the state, the demand for superintendents can outmatch the supply, which in turn can drive up salaries.
Toms River Regional Superintendent Michael J. Ritacco said that the public focus on superintendent's compensation does not include any discussion of the value a good school leader brings to a community.
Some in the education community wonder if the new regulations have gone too far. "Our organizations urge state leaders to avoid overreaction through unnecessary and restrictive legislation or regulation," Marie S. Bilk, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, and Richard G. Bozza, executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, wrote in a recent letter to school boards and superintendents.
The school boards association and the administrators group have formed a joint task force to study superintendent compensation and make recommendations on contract development "that are fair and reasonable and meet the expectations of the citizens of New Jersey." School Boards Association spokesman Frank Belluscio said boards of education are moving away from nonsalary compensation and trying to make all compensation for administrators "as visible as possible."
Superintendent pay has been rising, within [Wisconsin’s] 426 school districts the average pay for a superintendent is $147,550 per year in salary and benefits. In 2003, the average full-time administrator was paid $123,142 in salary and benefits.
"I think like everything else, the price is going up," said Dennis Richards, a search consultant for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.
According to Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction data, school districts in the area and of comparable size that have recently hired a new superintendent will pay the person more than the position's predecessor. In addition, each of the new hires will be paid more than they made in their last district.
"It's certainly market driven. Right now there are a lot of qualified candidates for some of these positions," Richards said. "As a result, salaries are going higher. I certainly expect that a candidate would want (a salary) that someone in a similar district doing similar work (is getting)."
"Practically speaking, these are big businesses," said Richards, who is a retired superintendent. "It's sometimes not recognized that you are talking hundreds of employees and a million dollar budgets. With the comparables that Oshkosh is going to have to look at, $120,000 won't look like a lot of money."
As a very general rule, Richards said, the larger the district is, the more a superintendent should probably make. Further, Richards said Wisconsin superintendents generally are paid less than those in surrounding states.
"The last person's salary is a variable but it's not as high of a variable as what the person is currently making," he said.
Psychologist warns against turning bullies into criminals
Bullies are the new group everyone loves to hate, and can hate with impunity.
School psychologist Israel “Izzy” Kalman finds this state of affairs not merely bizarre, but dangerous to children — really dangerous, and in several ways.
Throughout his early career, Kalman specialized in healing interpersonal conflict, especially sibling rivalry. But after the 1999 shootings at Columbine High, he found himself in the awkward position of advocating for bullies — not bullying, mind you, but the kids labeled and punished as bullies.
In a phone interview, Kalman said, “We only care about the so-called victims. But every kid thinks he’s the victim. The parents want the schools scrubbed of aggression. Schools can’t do that. They promise they will, but they can not deliver.” But they can pretend to be on top of the problem by bullying the so-called bully.
Kalman says that 90 percent of bullying is name-calling and insults. … The other 10 percent is pushing and shoving that cause no actual hurt. Fighting is natural. Aggression helps humans survive and achieve. Fighting between kids teaches them coping skills, the benefits of negotiation, the limits of force and the natural consequences of hurting one another.
Kalman teaches kids to ignore name-calling. And he teaches adults to ask his “magic questions.” He says, for example, “If you’re my student and you tell me that ‘Johnny called me an idiot,’ I ask: ‘Do you believe it?’ Most of the time the kid quickly answers ‘no.’ Then I say ‘good,’ and the problem is over.
Kalman’s Web site — bullies2buddies.com — is eloquent about the protection of children’s First Amendment rights.
So he’s freaked about what he considers to be our culture’s bloodlust for bullies. “Both the far left and the far right can hate bullies, because everyone thinks the bully is the other person. But the bullies are us. How many people do you know who never upset anyone else?”
Kalman admits that many school staff and mental-health professionals don’t buy it. They complain that bullies have to “be held accountable” and shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it. Kalman says, “What’s better? That the victim got away with getting the bully punished? … Where is compassion? We’re pleased to take a whole class of children and treat them like criminals? This is a failure of our profession. We want the legal system to solve this problem for us. Now anti-bullying psychology is just law enforcement.”
The National Conference on Education, Feb. 19-21, 2009, in San Francisco, is the only national conference aimed at your unique role leading K-12 school systems. Discounted registration is offered to AASA members July 1-14 at www.aasa.org/nce. General registration is now available.
Please be advised that a dedicated room block is available for our members at the Westin St. Francis hotel. These rooms are available from July 1 – September 29, 2008. A valid user name and password is required to make any reservation in the state block. Please use the following when you register online:
State: Michigan
User ID: Mayes
Password Gold09
In order to keep rooms accessible to Michigan members only, please do not share the user name and password with individuals outside of our state association.
Registration and Housing Information:
To make housing arrangements, you first must be registered to attend the 2009 National Conference on Education (NCE). Save Time and Secure Housing Immediately - Register online at www.aasa.org/nce.
Once your online registration is complete, you will automatically be linked to the housing site. If you choose to secure housing at a later date, your registration confirmation letter will contain the necessary information to obtain housing for the NCE. L
AASA regrets that it is unable to accept requests for housing prior to receipt and verification of payment in full for registration fees or purchase order numbers. Registrations with P.O. payments must be mailed or faxed and registrations with check payments must be mailed. Use of the registration form will delay receipt of your National Conference on Education registration confirmation ID required to access online housing. We suggest you send both the registration and housing forms together to expedite the housing process. Forms can be found at www.aasa.org/nce.
Note: Mailing/faxing of forms (for purchase orders and checks) will take several days to process, and registration IDs will not be immediately available. A confirmation will be sent directly from the registration company with this information. If a confirmation is not sent within 20 days, please call 1-866-229-3691.
NCE Registrations and housing reservations cannot be taken over the phone.
If rooms are sold out or you have questions about the state’s block, please contact Mandy Diroff at 517.327.9262.
ONLINE REGISTRATION AND HOUSING RESERVATION INSTRUCTIONS
All state association hotel reservations must be made on-line. Please follow the directions below to register and make housing reservations:
1. Have a credit card available for your registration and housing reservation(s) fees
2. Go to www.aasa.org/nce and choose Register Now! from the left navigation bar.
3. On the welcome page, click “State Association Registration and Housing” link (near bottom of the page)
4. On the State Selection page, choose your state from the pull down menu
5. On the State Association Registration page, enter your state’s user ID and password and click continue.
6. Enter your AASA member ID number (found on your AASA membership card) and last name to begin your registration process. Upon completion of your registration, the housing options will automatically appear.
7. On the housing page, click “Search for Hotels”
8. On the Room Search Page, use the pull-down menus to choose:
a. Hotel (only your state’s designated hotel will appear, however, you must still choose it from the pull down menu)
b. Arrival date
c. Departure date
NOTE: Available hotels are indicated with a circle before the name below. A red W means that rooms are not available in that hotel / category and a waitlist is not allowed. If a hotel shows 'waitlist only', this indicates that one or more nights during your requested stay are not available at this time. You may view more waitlist details by clicking on the words 'waitlist only' on the hotel list, or you may choose to alter your arrival/departure dates and perform the hotel search again below. Waitlist requests and rooms will be monitored carefully until September 28, 2007. Experient will clear waitlists as rooms become available. To continue with your waitlist reservation, click “Continue with State Block Housing Reservation”.
9.Click “Book Now”
10. Continue and complete each page to finalize your reservation.
Deposit Information: No hotel reservation will be processed or confirmed by AASA Housing without a credit card to guarantee the reservation. Hotel/AASA Housing will charge one night’s room & tax (per room reserved) immediately upon making reservations.
Deposits are non-refundable after January 19, 2009. Failure to abide by the January 19, 2009 cancellation policy will result in forfeiture of your room deposits charged to your credit card.
Changes and CancellationsAll Reservation changes and/or cancellations must be made in writing through AASA’s Housing Bureau (see contact information below). DO NOT contact the hotel directly. Changes must received by December 31, 2009.
Need Online Technical Assistance or Have Questions about State Block Housing?( To speak to an AASA Housing Service Consultant, call between 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m., CST. 800.974.9833 (US & Canada) or 847.282.2529 (International) or email Jennifer Moore at Jennifer.Moore@experient-inc.com or Brenda Howe at Brenda.Howe@experient-inc.com.
research reports:
Our Money, Our Schools: Top 10 Education Findings
What do parents and teachers really think about what's going on in our schools? Is the work too hard? Too easy? And how about high school: should would-be grads have to take an exit exam? Check out the answers to these questions and more, in this Top Ten list of findings from education opinion research by Public Agenda.
Two recent reports by the Center for American Progress, made possible with support from The Eli and Edy Broad Foundation, aim to help policy-makers and practitioners make practical and informed decisions on expanding the school day and year to create more opportunities for students to learn.
The first, “Expanded Learning Time in Action—Initiatives in High-Poverty and High-Minority School and School Districts,” reports on whether and how high-poverty and high-minority schools and districts are rethinking the school calendar. The report identifies more than 300 current initiatives in high-poverty and high-minority schools across 30 states, implemented between 1991 and 2007. It also offers snapshots of school and district initiatives that incorporate additional learning time into the school calendar.
In presenting these initiatives, this report explains why schools and districts choose to expand learning time, how that time was added to the calendar, and what the reform means for schools and students. This report also begins to consider the impact of more time on student achievement.
Based on this research, the report points to a few key findings:
Schools are extending their learning time. Charter schools lead the effort, significantly expanding learning time.
Time on task is added through a longer school day, school week, school year, or a combination of these options.
There is great diversity in the ways in which schools are utilizing additional learning time. Approaches vary in terms of focus, content, and structure, with schools tailoring their programs to meet their students’ needs.
The second report, “Taking Stock of the Fiscal Costs of Expanded Learning Time,” provides guidance for district policymakers on how to evaluate various costs that result from expanding the length of the school day. Specifically, it provides a framework for policymakers and practitioners to identify the key cost components involved, cost out core design elements and compare these costs against other reform initiatives. Finally, the report looks closely at external factors affecting efforts to extend learning time, such as existing funding sources and other trade-offs and strategies that must be considered.
Michigan tax system outline reflects major changes
Adoption of the Michigan Business Tax in 2007 was the most significant, but hardly the only, change in the Michigan tax structure reflected in the newly-revised Outline of the Michigan Tax System, released today by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. CRC has maintained the Outline since 1962.
The Outline of the Michigan Tax System contains summaries of all taxes levied by state and local government in Michigan. It contains a wealth of information on tax bases and rates, credits and exemptions, tax administration and reporting, and provides a statistical and legal history for each major tax. It also provides links to state agencies in order to provide the user with easy access to statutory provisions, tax forms, and rules and regulations issued by the administrating agencies. Finally, it contains summaries of recent tax legislation.
In addition to the creation of the MBT, other tax legislation provided major property tax relief to Michigan-based businesses. Statutory changes were made to exempt commercial and industrial personal property from a number of state and local property taxes, including the 18-mill local school operating property tax, the 6-mill State Education Tax, and the Industrial Facilities Tax. The new MBT also provides a 35 percent credit for personal property taxes.
The Personal Income Tax was increased from 3.9 percent to 4.35 percent, effective October 1, 2007. The increase will be phased out between October 1, 2011, and October 1, 2015.
You'll see a new look, new features and new ways to explore today's issues at the redesigned Public Agenda Web site. The new "beta" version of PublicAgenda.org is set up to provide both citizens and leaders with tools to tackle tough problems. You’ll be able to get the facts, consider the choices and current public opinion, and learn about new ways of working together on fundamental problems facing the country.
Public Agenda offers different portals for various populations:
MASA partner and contractor give back-to-school support to local communities
Many counties, cities, school districts and non-profit agencies know about the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance through the Office Depot office and school supplies contract. Local governments that use this competitively bid contract know it offers the best government pricing and high-quality office products delivered the next day (in most locations).
But there is something many of those same agencies may not know: Office Depot gives back to the communities it serves.
National Backpack Program
Since Fall 2001the Office Depot Foundation has donated backpacks filled with school supplies to help deserving children get ready for school.
On the first day of school, new backpacks are filled with rulers, crayons, glue sticks, a pen, a pencil, a pencil sharpener and an eraser. Designed to meet students’ needs in grades K through 5, the colorful backpacks feature two front pockets, a net pocket on the side, and wide padded straps for comfort and support.
In 2008, the Office Depot Foundation and Office Depot’s Business Solutions Division will donate 300,000 backpacks to a variety of non-profit organizations and schools across the U.S. and Canada . The recipients, in turn, will provide the backpacks to the children through their programs or in their classrooms.
This year, the Office Depot Foundation is partnering with national non-profit organizations to distribute backpacks, including:
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association
Feed The Children
Kids In Need Foundation
National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL)
Nourish America
The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation that serves as the primary charitable giving arm of Office Depot. www.officedepotfoundation.org.
MASA’s partner U.S. Communities provides a national purchasing forum for local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education and non-profits nationwide by pooling the purchasing power of over 87,000 public agencies. For more information visit www.uscommunities.org.
When some schools failed to meet adequate yearly progress requirements, Saginaw County superintendents made the decision in 2007 to implement the High Schools That Work (HSTW)/Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW) school improvement model to increase student achievement.
Welcome Sadie!
SET, your source for employee benefits, cares about the health and well-being of our members. By partnering with carriers such as Blue Care Network and Priority Health, we can offer employee benefit plans that promote wellness and reward individuals who commit to making smart lifestyle choices. As a result, employees are held accountable for their health, which should contribute to a reduction of overall costs. 
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is seeking 18 School Nurses to become trainers for the 1-day School Nurse Managing Asthma Triggers Program (MAT). This program is supported by a grant from the EPA. Eighteen trainers will be selected from various locations around the U.S. to participate in a Training-of-Trainers (TOT) program in December 2008 in Washington, DC. For more information and to apply online, go to www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=433. 
Donald Spencer, Monroe County ISD, Region 8 
In late June, MAISA joined MDE in hearing ideas for improving Michigan ’s Statewide System of Support (SSOS) for Title I High Priority (HP) Schools. That’s when participants in the Systems Assessment and Design Group, representing diverse education stakeholders, gathered at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing to review SSOS progress so far and develop ideas and suggestions for enhancing the process going forward.
The 37 participants came prepared to work and remain engaged long into the afternoon as they recounted their experiences—both positive and frustrating—with the SSOS. They learned more about the background and framework of the SSOS from Michigan Department of Education representatives, including Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Sally Vaughn and Office of School Improvement Director Betty Underwood.
Benefits cited
