Truancy Reduction Program Supported; Other Budget Changes Eyed

During a work session, the Board of Education agreed in principle to restore $330,000 for the district’s Truancy Reduction Program, covering most of the deficit left when the city of Denver and the federal government recently dropped their share of support for the program.

The $330,000 will “bring us back to almost the full program,” said John Leslie, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. All but two middle schools with the highest attendance rates would receive support from the truancy program, he said, and those two schools (Hill and Merrill) would receive other support to help with truancy issues.

Leslie told the Board that truant officers would serve three schools instead of two in the future.

During its look at the proposed $865.5 million budget for the 2002-2003 school year, Board members also considered other requests including $339,000 to upgrade technology systems to enhance human resource data and financial systems to support the schools and the Pay for Performance Pilot; $200,000 to provide $50 per teacher for school supplies; $133,500 for professional development for principals; $135,000 to provide an athletic trainer in each high school; and $41,000 to provide access to the district’s large collection of costumes.

To the request from the Department of Technology Services, Board members asked for more detailed examples of the kinds of data that could be provided with the systems upgrades.

“I don’t yet understand what this is buying,” said Board member James Mejía.

“Itemize the three different scenarios,” added Board member Sue Edwards, “so we can get our arms around it a little better.”

Superintendent Jerry Wartgow said the money to support principal professional development would come from unexpended funds left over from last year’s administrator pay for performance plan. Dollars were left on the table because the district did not meet its goals on growth in CSAP scores.

“For where DPS is now, this would be a good investment,” said Wartgow.

Board member Edwards lauded the “symmetry” of using the leftover performance money to improve principal skills.

Superintendent Wartgow said the $200,000 for teacher supplies is only a gesture – and he wishes it could be six times more. It’s “embarrassing,” he said, that teachers must scrounge for pencils on sale at discount stores. “Teachers are frustrated by the system,” he acknowledged.

Board members asked Superintendent Wartgow to develop plans for how best to fund the new budget requests, including a $200,000 proposal from Board member James Mejía to develop a plan for boosting minority student participation at the Denver School of the Arts.

At the monthly public hearing, members of the District School Improvement and Accountability Council applauded the effort to reduce the district’s reliance on one-time sources of money but said the staff could have been even more aggressive.

The report, delivered by SIAC member Jesse Sutherland, criticized the lack of an “evaluation component” in the district’s new literacy program. Board member Les Woodward responded that the CSAP results will provide thorough feedback about the program’s impact.

The SIAC report criticized the lack of rationale for across-the-board 1.5 percent reductions in department spending and urged “targeted” cuts to get at less efficient departments.

As a public document, however, the SIAC report lauded the “much improved” budget format.

Response To Civil Rights Commission Underway

Superintendent Jerry Wartgow told the Board of Education this week that the district’s response to the Civil Rights Commission report on the achievement gap between white and African-American students needs to be done in close concert with the entire community in order for real progress to be made.

“I think we want to enter this with all stakeholders standing side by side,” said Superintendent Wartgow. The plan must be developed in such a way, he said, that establishes “positive relationships” with all those groups and individuals impacted by the issue. The strategies selected for attacking the problem, he said, must be agreed upon by all involved – not just DPS.

“We have a serious gap here that needs to be closed,” he said. The steps ultimately put in place need to be systemic and thorough, said Wartgow, not “been there, done that.”

The Civil Rights Commission issued a report May 23 after conducting research and gathering data at four high schools – Montbello, Manual, East, and George Washington. (See May 24, 2002 Board News.)

Rev. Aaron Gray, Director of Community Relations, echoed Superintendent Wartgow’s analysis of how to proceed.

Gray said strategies that are ultimately adopted would likely serve as a template for raising achievement “across the board,” not just for the African-American population. “We want every child to be about meeting the district goals,” he said.

“We have already talked about how we can broaden the report that is here, to work with feeder schools,” he added.

A “fundamental change” is needed, said Gray, if progress is to be made.

Superintendent Wartgow said DPS staff would work “diligently” to bring forward a “responsible recommendation…We look forward to seeing the input from everyone as we try to determine and define what needs there are and how to proceed to meet those needs.”

Citizens Ad Hoc Committee To Be Formed; Resolution Paves The Way For Possible Bond Election In 2003

Faced with rapid growth throughout the city, the Board of Education unanimously approved formation of a Citizen’s Ad Hoc Committee on Facility Needs that could lead the way to a possible 2003 bond election and a new wave of school construction and facility improvements.

The resolution calls for the committee to “assist staff collaboratively in developing a plan” that will address:

• Necessary new school construction and classroom additions resulting from enrollment growth;
  
• Capital needs and costs associated with educational program improvements;
  
• Capital needs and costs to support educational and business technology requirements;
  
• Maintenance of high quality facilities that meet code compliance
  
• Potential efficiencies in the use of educational facilities, support facilities, and systems.
  
• Opportunities for entering into partnerships with state and local agencies to develop multi-purpose facilities.

Board of Education President Elaine Berman clarified to the public that this was not a vote to hold a bond election but a resolution to begin a process of studying whether a bond is needed and, if so, what would be included in that bond.

“This is a very important next step in attaining our goals,” said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow.

“We will be working with district staff and community members regarding district facilities. I look forward to this collaborative effort.”

The Committee – including representatives from the business community, the city, and parents – will present an interim report to the Board of Education in November of 2002 and a final report next June. The Board could then decide to place a bond election on the November 2003 ballot.

In 1998, voters approved a $305 million bond to keep up with the district’s surging growth and make major improvements at dozens of schools.

Pay For Performance Pilot Gears Up For Final Stretch

The Design Team overseeing the district’s Pay for Performance pilot presented the Board of Education with seven new initiatives designed to bring the pilot to a successful close over the next two years.

In its third annual report to the Board, the Design Team also announced an organizational move. At the request of Superintendent Jerry Wartgow, the team will now report to Chief Academic Officer Sally Mentor Hay.

Superintendent Wartgow said the shift would bring the Pay for Performance work to the “mainstream” of the district’s work.

The Pay for Performance pilot – now in place at 12 elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and the Manual high school complex – is studying ways to build a professional compensation system that links pay for teachers with the academic achievement of their students.

The seven initiatives, presented by Design Team member Brad Jupp this week, are:

• Move forward with the new Denver Classroom Teachers Association agreement, which calls for the development of a new teacher evaluation form to integrate student achievement results.
  
• Assist the Joint Task Force on Teacher Salary as it develops a different teacher compensation system based, in part, on academic achievement.
  
• Improve the district’s assessment system so it is more closely connected to both classroom practice and the Colorado Student Assessment Program.
  
• Continue improving the objective setting process and begin using it in schools outside the pilot.
  
• Provide teachers and principals with better access to student achievement data.
  
• Link teacher objectives to school improvement planning through a set of school performance indicators.
  
• Begin a communication effort that will connect with every school at least four times in the next 21 months.

Teachers are scheduled to vote on the concept in March 2004.

In the interim, the Joint Task Force on Teacher Salary will make its final recommendations in fall 2003. In early December 2003, the Community Training And Assistance Center will present the final portion of its study of the pilot. Following that, DPS and DCTA will make a recommendation for a new salary system that will be considered by teachers at the March 2004 election.

DAEOP Contract Approved

The Board of Education this week approved a new contract for members of the Denver Association of Education Office Professionals (DAEOP).

Features of the contract include $65.00 per person per month for Benefit Allowance Supplement; $25.00 per month stipend for English Language Acquisition designated positions; $25.00 per month stipend for earning a student-health related certificate (elementary/middle schools without full-time nurses only); and an increase in salary range for Secretary I and II because the current maximum was below market. Finally, the new contract also combined Bookkeeper I and II positions into one classification.

Hundreds Of DPS Employees Attend Summer Institute

Summer has arrived but training for the new Denver Public Schools Literacy Program is still in progress. The Summer Institute has Principals, Area Superintendents, Area Specialists, Building Coaches, Lead Teachers, and other employees in an intensive training that started on May 29 and will go through August 15.

This schedule includes a Summer Institute for Middle and High School principals, teachers, and coaches, as well as, a Math Institute for fourth- and fifth-grade coaches and platoon teachers. If you plan to attend, please check your calendars for exact days as the schedule is staggered during this time to meet the needs of your area of expertise.

Annual Bike To Work Day June 26, 2002

Help the environment while you enjoy some fresh air and exercise!  You can register through Joel Bradley-Hess at 720-423-3723 or online at www. ridearrangers.org. Free breakfast will be available at more than 30 bike stops around Denver.

(Note: This item was inadvertently left off the printed version of Board News.)

Two More Principals Named

The Board of Education approved two additional principal appointments:

• Katherine Salaz, Gilpin Elementary School
  
• Linda Torres, Baker Middle School
  
  
  
  

Denver Public School
Board of Education

Elaine Gantz Berman, President
Lucia Guzman, Vice President
Sue Edwards, Secretary
Kevin Patterson, Treasurer
Michelle Moss, Board Member
James Mejía, Board Member at Large
Les Woodward, Board Member at Large

BoardNews is published after each Board Meeting. For a free subscription contact the DPS Public Information Office 900 Grant St., Room 402, Denver, CO 80203

Phone: 720-423-3414 • TTY/TTD: 720-423-3741 • Fax: 720-423-3413