Chapter 3 “Improving Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight”

Can you feel the fiscal squeeze? How can school improve during the fiscal squeeze?

Research

Best-practice-based strategies

Reallocation of existing resources

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Redesign + Improve How can school

improve during the fiscal squeeze?

Research + Redesign= Improvement

Best-practice-based strategies

Reallocation of existing resources

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

2 automobile manufacturing companies went bankrupt and what did they do?

They had to redesign and improve the cars in order to compete in the marketplace.

Redesign + Improve Oscar Goldman: Steve

Austin, astronaut: a man barely aliveGentlemen we can rebuild him We have the technology We have the capability to make the worlds first bionic manSteve Austin will be that man Better than he was before Better, Stronger, Faster

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Fiscal squeeze- barely keeping afloat

Stakeholders-we can rebuild it We have the resources We have the capability

to make the worlds best educational institutionCCSD will be that institution Better than it was before Better, Wiser, for the Greater Good

Would money help ? “Studies have found that even when resources increase

substantially, schools frequently do not use the new dollars to strategically improve performance (p. 46).”

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Understanding and Resist the Cost Increase Pressures on Schools Studies show that the

following positively impact student achievement:

Smaller Classes for K-3 (15 students per class) positively impacts student achievement in the short and long haul.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Understanding and Resist the Cost Increase Pressures on Schools Studies show that the

following positively impact student achievement:

More electives (art, music, health, physical education, career and technical education, advanced World language)

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Understanding and Resist the Cost Increase Pressures on Schools Studies show that the

following positively impact student achievement: Automatic pay increase

does not have a positive impact on system performance and costs more yearly by keeping up with the annual increase.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Understanding and Resist the Cost Increase Pressures on Schools Studies show that the

following positively impact student achievement:

Growing costs for pension and health benefits has a huge impact on the year’s budget especially with rising health costs.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Increased costs and flat performance In summary, schools are bombarded by the intense

pressures of:

Smaller class sizes

More electives

Automatic pay increases

Health and pension benefits

*With all of these increase costs, none have significant positive impacts on student learning.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Increased costs and flat performance

“No wonder spending per pupil has risen dramatically in the past three decades while performance has been flat or only modestly increasing (p.50).”

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

How do we move forward?Clear goals must be established

Implementation of a Plan of Action

Clear understanding of the basics needed for the Plan of Action

Strategic budgeting

Principles to guide budget decisions

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

1. Analyze current performance situation

2. Set High Goals

3. Change Curriculum and Define Effective Instructional Practices

4. Core v. Elective Strategy

5. Data Driven Instruction

6. Create Collaborative Groups

Where to begin….. Plan of Action7. Invest in ongoing,

comprehensive, and intensive PD.

8. Use RTI effectively to raise student standards.

9. Distribute leadership

10. Create a professional culture

11. Use an effective observation and evaluation model

12. Embrace a culture of accountabilty

Adapted from slide #9 of Ben Sosebee

The haves and have nots 3 categories of schools:

1- Those that have more funds than what the Plan of Action requires

These schools need to use resources to attain core student assessment goals

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

The haves and have nots 3 categories of schools:

2- Those that are facing budget cuts

Need to determine what cuts will have the least impact on student performance

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

The haves and have nots 3 categories of

schools: 3- Those with

resources significantly less than the Plan of Action

Fund as much as possible for the Plan of Action using 6 macro-strategies

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

1-reallocate staff based on Chptr. 1

2-be flexible with class size

3-implement collaborative time with teachers

4-make Tier 1 effective with the core program

5-provide extra help strategies

6-reduction in instructinalprograms

In sum… The Plan of Action with its formulas and

configurations provides a guide to help estimate necessary funding for the haves and have nots.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Compare/Contrast-Table 3.1 & 3.2

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

More Detail on Strategic Budgeting Raising class sizes

Elective v. core classes

Time for collaboration

Costs of professional development

Provide individual & small group tutoring

Rethink every use of staff in school

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

More Detail on Strategic Budgeting Raising class sizes

Regular class sizes of 15 students K-3 & Class sizes of 25 students 4-12

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

More Detail on Strategic Budgeting Elective v. core classes

Roza (2010) found that expenditures of elective classes far exceed the expenditures of core classes

ex. $36,000 per pupil for chearleading

ex. $20,000 per pupil for jewelry making

ex. $5,ooo to $7,000 per pupil for algebra and biology

What does this mean? Major misallocation of funds and not aligned with the core goals of the education system

*the elective funds takes into consideration of teacher:pupil

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

More Detail on Strategic Budgeting Finding collaborative time

Districts need to train principals on how to organize the school day to help facilitate collaboration.

Making wise use of time while collaborating will entail training.

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

More Detail on Strategic Budgeting Extra help programs for struggling students

Teacher/tutor for Tier 2 intervention

Suggested formula: 1 teacher/tutor for every 200 at-risk students

Staff for extended-day academic help

Staff for summer school

Rethink every use of staff in school

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight

Resources Google Images

Slide #9 from Ben’s presentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7zNY0I5JNI

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071054/quotes

Targeting Resources to Student Learning When Budgets Are Tight