Budget Outlook “Tough”

Superintendent Jerry Wartgow this week took a few minutes to discuss the still-developing budget picture.

First, Superintendent Wartgow reminded the Board that it recently approved $11.6 million worth of reductions in the current year spending plan. School budgets were not touched in those cuts. Planning for the 2003-2004 school year, he said, indicates that up to $30 million in savings from the current base spending must be identified to balance next year’s budget. The exact amount isn’t clear because key decisions are still pending in the state legislature.

Central DPS administration is planning to reduce 10 to 20 percent from each department budget, designed to generate $8.5 million in savings. “This is a particularly tough burden on administration,” said Superintendent Wartgow. “It’s going to impact programs and it’s going to impact positions when it comes to the fore. We’re looking at nearly everything.”

The Board has already scaled down summer school programs for 2003 and 2004, delayed 50 percent of the projects funded by the Capital Reserve Fund, and added a tuition component to the Early Childhood Education program (see separate story).

Ultimately, said Superintendent Wartgow, compensation issues will have to be examined – “how many people there are and how much people get paid.” Ideas include adjusting class sizes at the secondary school level and removing professional development and non-student contact days from the work year calendar.

The district must first settle its union contracts and then resolve the budget, said Superintendent Wartgow, acknowledging that schools are facing uncertainty about staffing and planning for next year.

“I expect that we will come up with something that... will have the least negative impact on our three goals,” said Superintendent Wartgow. Those goals are: high expectations for students and staff, improved performance for all students, and closing the gap between better and poorer performing students.

Superintendent Wartgow agreed these are “tough times” for spending in the district – and the state – but said he has “every confidence” that the district’s upbeat momentum will continue.

Tuition-Based Preschool Approved

Faced with a budget shortfall next year ranging up to $30 million, the Board of Education voted 5-2 on Thursday to begin charging tuition for early childhood education (ECE) to save the district $1 million annually. Board members Lucia Guzman and Michelle Moss cast the “no” votes.

“This is one of the most difficult decisions this Board has grappled with,” said Board President Elaine Gantz Berman. “Every single one of us believes in the importance of early childhood education.”

Under the new plan, families meeting the eligibility requirements for the federal free and reduced price school lunch program would not be charged tuition. Families with higher income levels would be charged $185 per month, although the district will set aside limited funding to provide partial scholarships for families near the cut off for free and reduced price meals.

Currently, ECE services are provided free to eligible four-year-olds in every elementary school except Bromwell and Knight Academy. Funding is provided through the state-funded Colorado Preschool Program (CPP), federal Title I and Head Start dollars, and $1.3 million of DPS general fund dollars, the latter paying for 18 percent of the 4,000 preschoolers currently enrolled.

“We’re at a point where something has to give,” said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow. “Denver is the only district subsidizing early childhood education for families who can afford the program.”

“Right now, we’re taking money away from other children – fourth and fifth graders – to fund early childhood education,” said Board member Sue Edwards.

“As we are forced to make cuts in programs that we do receive funding for, we have to be good stewards of taxpayer money,” said Board member Kevin Patterson. “Taxpayers are funding kindergarten through twelfth grade.”

Under the new program, the district will shrink the amount of money for preschool, allocating $300,000 of general fund money to provide scholarships. The Board asked district staff to develop the details for how scholarships will be distributed.

“That $300,000 is limited,” said Eckerling. “We will not be able to provide more than what our resources allow us. We’ll have to look into how we can allocate scholarships based on factors like enrollment levels and free and reduced price lunch.”

While the demand for ECE programs far exceeds the supply, the goal is to continue offering preschool at each school.

“The purpose of this program is to encourage families to take advantage of early childhood education,” said Berman. “Keep in mind there is the potential that rather than decrease the number of people served, we will considerably increase the number of people served.”

Under the current program, schools can offer ECE only to the limited number of students for which they receive funding. By charging tuition, schools could generate funding to fill classrooms to capacity.

CDMs To Link Staff, Parents, Communities In Helping Students Learn

After six months of reviewing the site-based management in Denver Public Schools, members of the district’s Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) Commission walked Board members through the major changes they proposed last month.

“This needed to happen – to have the commission look at CDMs after 10 years,” said Board President Elaine Gantz Berman.

The commission examined the governance, structure, roles and accountability measures of the CDM program.

“We’re proposing the major purpose of CDMs be school improvement,” said John Leslie, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services. “That means looking at school programs that increase student learning and structuring budgets to support those programs.”

Under the proposed changes, CDMs would not be involved in day-to-day school operations or personnel issues, but rather in supporting school improvement plans. CDMs might focus instead on ways that parents and the community can come together to support a school’s literacy plan, for example.

“CDMs shouldn’t be worried about teacher working conditions,” said commission member Debb Mumford. “They should be concerned about student achievement. They should be involved in making sure what’s in the school improvement plan gets done – in taking the plan off the shelf.”

“We need to help these new CDMs focus on the meaningful effect they can have on students in schools,” said Lyman Ho, a South High School parent who served on the commission. “Most successful schools do have a focus. They get everybody in the building organized around that focus.”

If the Board approves the changes, district staff will be charged with framing a policy around CDM. Currently, CDM is part of the negotiated agreement between the district and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA).

The commission recommended that all language referencing CDMs be removed from the negotiated agreement and that those issues that are no longer under the purview of the CDM be addressed during negotiations.

The recommendations also include a possible name change from Collaborative Decision Making to Collaborative School Enhancement Committees as a way to signal the change and the true focus of the committees.

Overflow Plan Reduces Use of Modular Units

Only two modular units will be used in Green Valley Ranch under a new plan to address enrollment pressures in Far Northeast Denver. An earlier proposal suggested up to eight modular units might be needed.

Under the new plan:

Current students who have been reassigned for the 2002-2003 school year because of lack of capacity will be projected back to their home school for 2003-2004. Parents may choose to have their children remain at the current (overflow) school under the district’s ‘Choice’ program with no transportation provided.
One modular unit will be placed at Green Valley Elementary School and one unit at Marrama Elementary School.
Students will be enrolled at all other Montbello and Green Valley Ranch schools on a revised plan that allows for more students to be accommodated at each school.
Non-resident applications to attend Far Northeast Denver schools won’t be accommodated until August or later.

School Climate Improvements Linked To Boosting Achievement

"When teachers feel good about their work, research shows, student achievement rises.”

With that over-arching conclusion from an American School Board Journal report, the Task Force on School and District Climate presented initial findings this week.

The task force is a joint effort of the district and the teachers’ association. The effort grew out of last year’s contract negotiations.

The first round of ideas focused on two themes – recommendations to restore an atmosphere of professional pride, trust and respect; and identification of key leadership characteristics that enhance the recruitment and retention of employees.

The task force recommended:

That the district and DCTA use a new “star” graphic that symbolizes major themes of – Respect, Relate, Respond, and Rites and Responsibilities.
That the Board and administration develop a set of core cultural values that reflect what the district stands for and how the district wants to be perceived by the community.
The adoption of a joint proclamation declaring that improving school climate is a high priority.
That the district identifies a set of behavioral expectations needed to support the district’s cultural values.
That a communication plan be developed to promote the cultural values and behavior expectations adopted by the district.

GLEAC Forwards Recommendations

In a report to the Board of Education this week, the Gay and Lesbian Educational Advisory Council (GLEAC) identified future needs and recommendations.

The council advises the Board on issues of youth who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The council works to offer support and monitor progress in protecting students from harassment and, among other charges, to provide training to ensure compliance with the Board’s anti-harassment policies.

The council acknowledged past support from the Board and asked for its “active support” to encourage all schools to participate in training sessions and in Gay Straight Alliance conferences. The council also asked to extend harassment protection to students and staff who exhibit gender variance.

Board members said they welcomed the ideas and said existing policies would be studied for possible changes.

“One of the most important strengths of a school system is to teach students in a very diverse environment,” said Board member James Mejia. “This adds to that diversity.”

Added Board President Elaine Gantz Berman: “We will examine the (existing) policy... and see where we should improve.”

Board Notes...

In other action this week, the Board of Education:

Approved the selection of M+O+A Architectural Partnerships for a new school at Stapleton, to be designed with an eye toward energy efficiency through possible solar, wind power or geothermal systems.
Read a Denver City Council resolution that lauded the East High School Constitutional Scholars team and teacher Edna Sutton. The team recently won the state championship and has had repeated success at the national level.
Approved a resolution declaring support for Initiative 100, a proposal on the May 6 city ballot to improve funding for the care of those with developmental disabilities.

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 Mejia, Board Member at Large
Les Woodward, Board Member at Large

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