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November 15, 2006
Mayoral takeovers: Boston, D.C., and Seattle style
BoardBuzz has a certain interest in mayors taking education into their own hands. We've covered the story here, here, and here. Additionally, The Washington Post has been closely following Mayor-elect Adrian Fenty's plans for a possible takeover in Washington, D.C.
Fenty has made no secret of his desire to take control of the city's schools, and Fred Hiatt recently offered him some advice straight out of Boston, citing, among other things, the cities' similarities in "number of students (58,000 vs. 65,000), schools (145 vs. 167), poverty, diversity and fractious history." Hiatt offers a fair and balanced view of mayoral takeovers, citing what Mayor Thomas Menino has accomplished in the city since 1993.
The good news is that "this fall Boston won the Broad Prize for Urban Education, awarded annually to the city school system that has made the most progress overall and in reducing achievement gaps among ethnic and income groups. Test scores have risen, and more students are going on to college." But Boston is not without critics.
Even after 13 years of consistent commitment from the top, of smooth cooperation among mayor and superintendent and advisory board, of emphasis on teaching skills—after 13 years, in other words, of conditions as close to ideal as any city is likely to find—only 16 percent of Boston's fourth-graders test proficient or better in reading, and only 22 percent do so in math.
That's a lot better than it was (the math score leapt 10 points between 2003 and 2005), and a lot better than in Washington (11 percent in reading, 10 percent in math). But it's low enough to cause some critics to say that Menino and Payzant were too methodical, too stability-oriented, not revolutionary enough—and others to say that the job of big-city schools is simply impossible.
In contrast to the Hiatt editorial is this piece, also from the Post, which details the growing opposition to Fenty's plans. Incoming Board of Education President Robert C. Bobb "spoke out forcefully against a takeover last week." Fenty has yet to take office, and the focus of his administration is quickly becoming a board takeover. Interesting for a man who has his own children in private schools.
Fenty has assembled a team of education consultants to develop the takeover proposal. By the end of next month, he said, the group will deliver a detailed report about how the 58,000-student school system might improve if it were restructured so the school superintendent reports to the mayor's office instead of the nine-member school board.
While BoardBuzz doesn't doubt Fenty's sincerity or tenacity in wanting to improve schools, a school board takeover may not be the best approach. "The concept has not gone over well with school leaders. Last week, Bobb vowed to fight Fenty and said he would rally public support for the school board. Bobb, Williams's city administrator for three years, hailed his own school improvement plan, which focuses on early childhood development and boosting literacy." Additionally, Superintendent Clifford Janey,
said he does not support the elimination of an elected school board, lest the city descend into "civil war" over the loss of the public's right to vote for members.
But, Janey said, certain aspects of a mayoral takeover are "attractive." For example, he said, Fenty could help by improving the speed and ease by which other government agencies, such as the Health Department, provide services to the schools.
NSBA noted that very point in its resolution passed earlier this year that opposes mayoral takeovers and instead, urges mayors to focus on other factors that influence student success.
Enter Seattle. Washington State School Directors Association incoming President Cindy McMullen penned an op-ed piece in yesterday's Seattle Times arguing against a possible mayoral takeover there.
School boards are the heart and soul of the public education governance system in Washington state. They provide a direct link between the community and its schools. They are an independent, nonpartisan voice of advocacy for public education, with no other interest but the welfare of school children. They have a single, overriding mission—to govern their districts in a way that promotes success for all students.
Mayors have myriad responsibilities and scores of departments to manage. By turning the keys over to City Hall, the school district becomes another one of those departments rather than an independent governmental body with a single focus.
And the beat goes on. Have an opinion on mayoral takeovers? Let us know by submitting a comment.
Posted November 15, 2006 11:56 AM |
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