Thinking of A Run...

Diane Brumback:  I'm uncertain why I was contacted by a new person who is going to file for school board very soon & maybe others have been contacted as well. Regardless, I find it exciting that folks want to be a part of positive change. HOWEVER, also want to caution that Covington easily may be finding themselves no better off than what you have right now should voters not recognize the need for change....

Research has clearly demonstrated that public school boards can - and do - play a significant role in their district’s student achievement. This concept needs to be elevated in the mind's of Covington voters during the next few months so they vote for folks who will focus on academic excellence for the children of Covington.

With names & interest in running for the school board surfacing daily, I wanted to provide information for those considering a run to keep in mind... There are Eight identified Characteristics of “Effective” School Boards. Here is characteristic number one:
  1. Effective school boards commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality instruction and define clear goals toward that vision.
Is this something you can support, articulate & embrace if you are elected?

National research now includes notable studies comparing the practices of boards in high-achieving districts & contrasting those with practices of boards in lower-achieving districts. Here is characteristic number two of an Effective School Board:

2. Effective school boards have strong shared beliefs and values about what is possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the school district and its ability to teach all children at high levels.
If you are considering a run, will you be able to express this belief in the learning ability of all Covington's children & support it through your actions as a board member?

Effective school boards in high-achieving districts hold the superintendent & administrative staff accountable for progress. Board members issue the charge to the Superintendent, ‘These are the results we want to see; you are in charge of how to do it.’ Characteristic number three of an Effective School Board:

3. Effective school boards are accountability driven, spending less time on operational issues and more time focused on policies to improve student achievement.
As a school board member, will you embrace your role as a policymaker & make decisions accordingly? Will you support dismissing administrators who do not meet performance standards as identified by the school board?

In high-achieving districts, school board members can provide specific examples of how they connect & listen to the community, & are able to identify ways they promote this involvement. Characteristic number four of an Effective School Board:

4. Effective school boards have a collaborative relationship with staff and the community and establish a strong communications structure to inform and engage both internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving district goals.
If you are planning on running for the school board, will you commit to respecting & working with community members as well as district staff? Will you recognize the need for findings & research to be shared among all board members?

School Boards in high-achieving districts are not afraid to confront negative data & in fact, use it as a basis to improve teaching & learning. These same Board members are not shy about discussing trends on dropout rates, test scores, & student needs, & request this information on a regular basis. Characteristic number five of an Effective School Board:

5. Effective boards are data savvy; they embrace and monitor data, even when the information is negative, and use it to drive continuous improvement.
If you are considering a run for the school board, will you acknowledge the poor academic performance & seek solutions?

School Board members of high-achieving school districts do not simply provide funding for staff professional development – they can cite specific examples of staff development activities & their link to improvement plans. Characteristic number six of an Effective School Board:

6. Effective school boards align and sustain resources, such as staff development, to meet district goals.
If you are planning on running for the school board, are you willing to educate yourself so that you have a clear understanding of the characteristics of quality professional development & a belief in the importance of improving the knowledge & skills of educators in order to improve student outcomes?

In successful districts, school boards define an initial vision for the district & hire a superintendent who matches this vision. LESS successful districts have boards & superintendents that are not in alignment, as the superintendent “may develop solutions without board involvement.” Such boards also do not hold superintendents accountable for goals. Characteristic number seven of an Effective School Board:

7. Effective school boards lead as a united team with the superintendent, each from their respective roles, with strong collaboration and mutual trust.
If you are interested in running for one of the three seats in November, will you refine the Boards' vision, assess district strengths & weaknesses & build a relationship with the other board members & superintendent?

And finally, School board members of successful school districts participate in activities in which they learn together as a group. They can cite frequent work & study sessions with opportunities for questions & discussion before making a final decision. Successful boards do not just rely on district staff reports…They obtain information about programs in different ways & from different sources, & seek opportunities to interact directly with administrators & teachers.

8. Effective school boards take part in team development and training, sometimes with their superintendents, to build shared knowledge, values and commitments for their improvement efforts.
As you continue to decide if serving on the school board is the direction you're going, will you participate in workshops alongside your board members other than KY's required training hours?

In closing, I hope the information I provided below is helpful.

The role of a school board member has been elevated across Kentucky & the nation.
National research studies are now documenting the value that school boards add to academic achievement. Much of this research contrasts boards in low-performing & high-performing districts, thereby providing best practices for board members. It is increasingly clear that board members in high-performing districts have attitudes, knowledge & approaches that separate them from lower-achieving districts.

... Based on studies, school boards in high-achieving districts hold a high, shared vision about the capabilities of both students & staff—they believe that more is possible & are motivated to improve results for students. They are policy & accountability driven, focusing their time & energy on actions related to student achievement & classroom instruction. They engage in goal-setting processes that can drive action in the district to improve. They align resources—including staff professional development—around those goals. They are data savvy—using data to both diagnose problems & to monitor & drive continuous improvement efforts. They communicate with & engage staff & community & work well together as a team & in collaborative leadership with their superintendents. And, they commit to their own learning, building the knowledge & skills it takes to be a school board member during a period of educational reform.

If you are going to run for school board, will you be a part of providing an important blueprint for student success? If so, then the best of luck to you!! If not - then please do not file for re-election if you are presently on the board or are one considering to file. The children, their families & the city of Covington only deserve the highest quality of education possible!

Katie Krogmeier Brass: I have debated joining this group for a while now. I would like to say that while I am a member now, I am not certain how long I will remain. My son attends Sixth District Elementary in Covington and I have had the most positive experience! I have attended private school my entire life and have never experienced the type of professionalism and dedication the team at Sixth District has shown me and my family (and every other family). My son is thriving and while he is only in the first grade his test scores put him at the 5th grade level.

I understand there are concerns about the district and if there are any questions I can answer I would be happy to do so. For example, the post about how much is spent per child. I can answer that question for you and also explain how the numbers are calculated.

I have spent the past year learning about the public school education system and CIPS. I absolutely adore this school district and truly believe positive things are happening. I believe there is a power in a positive voice and I think many more things would happen if this school district had more support.

Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion.

PS - I no longer live in Covington. I live in Edgewood and my son is enrolled out of district.

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Jeff Murden Before graduating from a Kentucky public high school, a student shall meet the minimum content requirements established in the Kentucky core academic standards... key word... SHALL http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/704/003/303.htm  Looks like there are some changes starting with this year's class of 2012: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/704/003/305.htm Even the super gets to go to school. You better have a heck of a resume to be a superintendent: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/704/003/406.htm

Jon Ryker Notice, this is all accounting....nowhere in there is there anything monitoring actual LEARNING....box-checking.......  The benchmarks are being met, they just don't mean anything....4 years english, 3 years math, 3 years science...blah, blah, blah....the Holmes students meet all those requirements for graduation....nothing in there requires LEARNING anything....meaningless measurements, none of which reflect on quality....just quantity....the professional ed bureaucracy in general (with a minority of exceptions) actually have no idea how to run a decent school....they just know the bureaucracy they came up in....there isn't sufficient expertise there, because the system has gone forever without accountability....just because they've done their time doesn't mean they've ever successfully educated anybody.....faith in those people and their systems is a serious mistake....we must follow the regs.....we should not have faith that following them will have anything to do with educational quality...

Jeff Murden I've heard your issues until we are blue in the face... what do you bring as a fix? Don't bring an issue if you don't have a solution. The standards are NOT being met. Period.

Jon Ryker If you've been listening, then you know that the solutions are local....they rest in a dedicated staff who don't sell kids short, and a board that manages the money well and upholds high standards, and taxpayers who pay attention to all of it......there are no tricks....there are no gimmicks....there are no regulations that provide this....the state has no constructive role in this....don't look to them for a solution....they don't have any....we, however, right here...do.....it starts with putting the board in place who is going to hire a superintendent who will, over time, produce and support that dedicated staff....as to the taxpayers role, you've now started to do that....keep it up....just don't look to the state for help...trusting them got us here....