Commissioner Robinson Resigns

Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson visits Pensacola, 2011

Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson resigned today, effective August 31st.

Tampa Bay Times has a good story on the resignation, along with the letter submitted by Robinson to Governor Scott.

When Robinson came to Pensacola last fall to tour Warrington Middle School and meet with District Board Members and Staff, I was encouraged by his positive attitude and passion for education.  At that time, I still wondered why Eric Smith had been pushed out.

But we had a new Commissioner in town.

But then one problem after another happened with the FCAT scoring.

Scores were adjusted up and down like a yo-yo.  Goal posts were moved after the kick.

 Expectations were not clearly articulated to schools in advance of the changing test.

Problems multiplied, and many lost faith in the DOE;  Many see the DOE as extremely dysfunctional, more so now than ever before.

After fumbling to explain problems with testing and scoring,  Robinson next  unfairly and inaccurately blamed local districts for the plethora of tests foisted on students yearly--which simply was not true.  Shifting blame unfairly is weak;  When you run the DOE and mandate all the testing, own up to it!

Then Robinson attacked the Florida School Boards Association for sponsoring a petition expressing concerns over the number of high stakes tests students had to take yearly.

With all of the problems in the DOE over the last year, many were perplexed and surprised that this commissioner was still in place headed into the new school year.  My sense is that if it were anyone else, they would have been gone long before now.

It will be interesting to see who is next in this slot.....Given this latest round of problems, I almost feel sorry for the next person picked for this job.

Is it Time to go “ALL IN” for the Nanny-State Model at Certain Schools?

Like the protagonist in the X-files, Fox Mulder, I want to believe.

 I want to believe that an extra hour of intensive reading at  selected, high poverty schools is what it takes to get these schools back on track academically.  I want to believe, so I voted for the expenditure of $2.4 Million dollars for a handful of Escambia County elementary schools to provide an extra hour of reading instruction each school day next year.

A part of me has grave reservations about whether or not this will work.  We’ve tried lots of different strategies at schools like these, and we’ve been unable to sustain consistently acceptable academic achievement long term.  We’re told it’s the high poverty—but that’s not really the root cause; everybody knows this but nobody says so.  It’s all about Parents.

More seat time, new facilities, computers, smart boards--still we have several very low scoring schools. 

Tutors, mentors, excellent leadership, great teachers, committed community partners—and still we’ve got low scoring schools.

What we need are committed families working with us!  But this isn’t occurring in many schools…

So if this latest $2.4 Million effort fails-we need to have the

Tentative Millage Rates for 2012-2013 for Escambia County School district are Going Down

This backup is being provided to School Board Members ahead of the Monday Morning Budget meeting.  The total proposed millage rate is less than last year's rate--which is a good thing.

Budget and Millage Rate Picture Improving for 2013

After what can be best described as an austere outlook  (particularly on the maintenance side of the ledger) was presented to the School board last Tuesday-today's news was quite welcome.  The budget outlook, while still not great, is improving.  The below email was sent to board members yesterday afternoon:

"Based on certified tax roll and millage rates of the 2nd FEFP calculation:

The district is in position to levy the full 1.5 mills for capital outlay without advertising a "Notice of Tax Increase" as total mills will not exceed current year rolled-back rate.  In addition, total mills will be less than total mills of 2011-12 (including full 1.5 CO millage).

The amount of 1.5 mill capital outlay to be raised at 96% will exceed the amount proposed at the budget workshop by $2.8M.  Budget details will be revised for Monday to approve for advertisement."

Terry St. Cyr

Assistant Superintendent

Finance and Business Services

Escambia County School District

75 North Pace Boulevard

Pensacola, FL  32505

In addition to this email, a copy of the entire 2nd calculation was sent to board members today.  The document can be accessed here

Excellent Ruling in an Arbitration Case

Members of the School Board received the below email this afternoon referencing a big victory in a costly battle against the teachers union.  Our attorney in this matter, Mr. Leonard Dietzen, of Rumberger, Kirk, and Caldwell in Tallahassee, did an outstanding job in representing the district and having the termination of a teacher upheld.

At issue was the termination of a teacher for inappropriately contacting a 14 year old student on multiple occasions via text message. Some of the text messages were extremely inappropriate, to put it mildly.

This employee was terminated 18 months ago.  I asked if I could release the ruling and our Board Attorney said it was a public record and was okay for release.

This ruling is thirty five pages, and I must caution that some of the information is difficult to hear and disturbing--particularly if you have children in our schools.  

I find it amazing that the local teacher's union would take this case and defend it so vigorously--it is an example of this union putting their own interests and their contract and collective bargaining agreement ahead of students and student safety--- It really is that simple.   And it upsets me greatly.  In addition to putting their association and members ahead of the student in this instance--because the union dragged this out it will cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees.  Disturbing on multiple levels.  

I'm glad the union lost this case and will be eating the associated legal costs for the defense of this former employee.

They knew what this guy did, they read the text messages-- they should have passed on defending this one.....

From:	Donna Waters		Tuesday - July 17, 2012 1:18 PM
To:	Goshorn, Sharon; School Board Members; West, Linda; jhammons@bellsouth.net
CC:	Dietzen, Leonard; Scott, Alan; Thomas, Malcolm
Subject:	Excellent Ruling in an Arbitration Case
Attachments:	aydelott.ruling.pdf (1906 KB)	[Open] [Save As]

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS - DO NOT ‘REPLY ALL’ – RESPOND  ONLY  TO ME

Good Afternoon:

We just received a ruling in the William Aydelott arbitration matter. Mr. Dietzen represented the District in this matter; he should be congratulated for getting an excellent result, upholding the teacher's termination. I have forwarded the ruling to the members of the FSBAA, and I anticipate that it will be quoted in similar cases statewide.

I am attaching the ruling for your information. 

Donna

Donna Sessions Waters

General Counsel

Escambia County School Board

75 North Pace Boulevard

Pensacola, Florida 32505

Hiring the Best, Most Qualified Candidates Regardless of Race is the Right Thing to Do, Part II

Recently the Escambia County School District has come under fire for not hiring enough administrative, professional, and instructional employees that are ethnic minorities.  Specifically, we’re being taken to task because the percentage of black employees does not mirror the percentage of blacks in our community and in our schools.

District administration wrings their hands and shrugs their shoulders at meetings-- and laments the fact that we don’t have more black employees.

I look at the situation differently, though.  If the goal is not to check boxes and meet quotas, but rather to hire the BEST candidates for students and taxpayers-then why does it matter if the percentage of certain employees does not match the percentage of certain students?  What difference does that make?

Pseudo-scientific anecdotes are being tossed around as facts in this district and are driving a push to hire more blacks to teach blacks—as this is somehow purported to improve performance of black students. 

But this whole idea seems quite backwards and I have multiple issues with this. 

Where are the studies that show that same-race students do better with same-race teachers?  The recent study I read from the University of Houston flatly contradicts this theory. 

Constituent Email of Frustration, Concern....

Received the below email recently from a constituent--not specifically addressed to me, so it was probably a blast to many recipients.  I thought it merited inclusion.  I totally know and can sense the frustration through this email.  I've XXXXX'd out identifiers in the email........

To whom it may concern:

If the Florida Education leaders are telling parents not to rely on FCAT, then WHY are some schools being punished with an extra hour?  “Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson said changes to the testing program resulted in some lower scores, but said the results shouldn't be interpreted as lower performances by students, teachers and schools. “  Rick Scott also has acknowledged FCAT is not doing what it is supposed to do any longer.  Then why waste the money on some schools going extra hours?

Do you really believe that extending school hours is going to help 5 schools make progress?    Have you read research studies?  Do you realize WHERE these schools are?  No amount of extra teaching is going to affect these children until their PARENTS get involved.  Faculty can’t make them care or get involved.  Those students come to school behind-they have no life experiences.  Most don’t care, they are simply trying to survive parents involved in drugs, murder, alcohol, abuse, jail,  etc.

Will these teachers get an extra break, no lunch duties, extra planning, and extra pay, earn extra time off?  I highly doubt you’ve thought of other