Interesting Thoughts from Around the Nation

• Digital Education’s Description of a New Partnership Between The Florida Virtual School and Pearson: “The Florida Virtual School and educational publishers Pearson have announced a partnership that will offer FLVS-designed courses through a program called Pearson Virtual Learning… Schools worldwide will be able to choose from one of four options to offer middle and high school content to students. The programs vary based on whether a subscribing school is using its own teachers and learning management system, and whether it is paying for courses on a per-student or a subscription basis. Information provided by Pearson does not include more specific pricing models for the program.” (Digital Education)
• Jay Matthews (Washington Post) questions how we might be more creative with school options including motivation regarding assessment and performance:  ...What would happen if we would only provide an "I" for incomplete rather than an "F" for failing on student report cards or records?  "Would the Washington suburbs [or anyplace else] ever tolerate a system in which families could choose schools with radical approaches, such as insisting students pass the final exam or retake the course? Would any parents expose their children to such experiments?"  (Washington Post)
• On the Opinion Side of the Map ...Friedman cogently comments on the State of the Economy and Role of Education: Friedman provides a very concise, though compelling view, of the triple whammy (i.e., globalization, technology, and superior education) driving our economic situation both from a personal and national (and arguably Riverside) perspective. And then fosters the notion that high-quality education is the way out with the view from immigrant parents that, "learning is the way up." (New York Times)

Thanksgiving

Obviously this is the time of year for Thanksgiving – the holiday. As such we take the week off for students, staff, and families to enjoy the season and their time with each other. However, it is also the time for me to be thankful for all that I have been blessed with, including my family.

I would also like to say that I am tremendously thankful for all of you here in Riverside. We have a great teaching staff that is highly committed to doing the best for students.  Additionally, we have a great support staff that is committed everyday to do what they can to make instruction successful for students.  Frankly, there is NO place that I would rather be than here in Riverside.  What we can do together is tremendous and exciting.

On a more personal note, I am thankful for all of those in Riverside who have befriended us since our arrival.  In the true Riverside spirit you have welcomed us.  Indicative of that spirit, 2 years ago when we arrived on Christmas Eve (literally), we were greeted by Gary and Collette Lee along with warm soup and a small Christmas tree.  That same spirit by many others has prevailed since our time here.  I am thankful.

So How Exactly DO We Get A State Budget?

As referenced earlier in the week – we are into a new budget creation process again 30 days after the conclusion of the last round. However, this go around promises to be a bit different – as indicated by the Press Enterprise (amongst many others).

Given the passage of Prop 25 the democrats would appear to be in charge and can pass the budget with a simple majority (50% + 1) rather than the previous supermajority (2/3). From that view, they probably think things are improved as they don’t have to get any consensus or votes from Republicans. However, the 2/3 requirement for ANY tax increase more or less cuts off the revenue sources that they were counting on. The election also eliminated many of the mechanisms the Legislature has used to raid local funds for state purposes (e.g., Redevelopment funds).

So, from my view, the Democrats now have the power and responsibility to deliver the state budget for both this and next year. However, there is loss of power to access revenue sources which only leaves reduction of programs as a solution for their (our) budget problems – both this year and next. Obviously, that puts schools and districts at the center of attention – yet this is philosophically in contrast to the principles of the Democratic Party (who have typically supported schools and sought revenue enhancements rather than budget reductions).

A simple majority vs. a supermajority requirement for passage of the budget is likely to have a number of “unintended consequences.” I suspect that other propositions are likely to have similar impacts that may fundamentally modify our budgetary system in California.

Budget? What Budget?

Remember 33 days and one election ago when the Legislators and Governor in Sacramento approved (October 8th) the state budget 100 days late? Well, that was then and this is now. Apparently they were surprised to find out that they had overestimated the revenue by over $6 Billion. This $6 Billion added to the existing $19 Billion deficit for next year adds up to being $25.4 Billion short for the next 18 months. So says the non-partisan LAO (Legislative Analyst Office) report. By the way, the total existing state budget is $86.6 Billion – so this equates to 22% of that total.

So the news outlets from Sacramento to San Diego and nationally is alive with the news that the Governor has now (November 11th) called his 18th Special Legislative Session to resolve the issue. The interesting part is that the Special Session starts on Monday, December 6th (after all the new legislators are sworn in). So the session essentially begins less than a month before the new Governor is sworn in on Monday, January 3rd. So by my calculation, the legislature probably has about 2 weeks working time before the new Governor arrives. To add to the drama, newly-elected Governor Brown has a legal responsibility to issue his budget plan for 2011-12 about a week after he is sworn into office.

Blogger John Fensterwald adds to the excitement by adding his understanding of the LAO’s comments that there is an “easy fix” for almost $2 Billion of the issue – by taking back the money we just received in schools – one month ago. Fensterwald said:

• “But the LAO did say that the Legislature should consider reneging on funding $1.8 billion that it added to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s May revised budget. That money is to be deferred to next July, after the start of the next fiscal year, but cutting it would erase about a third of this year’s estimated budget deficit. And it wouldn’t make much difference anyway since “most districts have been cautious in increasing 2010-11 program support as a result of recent deferrals.”
• Which is a diplomatic way of saying, Go ahead, legislators, and take it back, because most districts were smart enough not to trust you in the first place.”

We have and do fully expect the State to take back these funds they just delivered to us – and required us to modify our local budgets. Hang on tight!

In Tough Times -- This is Good News

This past week, I was pleased to hear (via the RCTA and CSEA negotiations update) that the joint negotiating teams from both the union and the district arrived at a tentative agreement. This was true for both the CSEA and RCTA groups. Essentially, the agreements (subject to ratification) do the following things:

• Freeze all existing agreements/MOUs in place – including the 5 furlough days
• Freeze all RCTA / CSEA employee positions (NO layoffs) for the remainder of this year and for all of the next school year (2011-12)
• Increase the district contribution to medical benefits from $9,000 to $9,500 for a one year period (with the hope that things will improve in the interim)
• And a few other tweaks and twists

Bottom line, if we can save jobs (and families) and provide confidence to them for the coming holiday season and new year – THAT would be fantastic. I applaud our combined teams and the critical, time-sensitive work that they have put into these proposed agreements.

Kudos to all!! Hopefully, this happens and things improve so that we NEVER need to undertake layoffs again.

Elections and Budgets

Interesting times!! The election is over we now know who the Governor is along with the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI). We also have the opinion of the electorate on issues of taxation, etc. Needless to say, there are lots of news articles, bloggers, and political pundits weighing in on what it all means.
Where there seems to be absolute clarity is with the idea of the budget – both current year (2010-11) and next year (2011-12). While all seem to understand the influence of special interests in the entire election process – there is a gorilla in the room that must be dealt with {an unfunded budget}. As such there seems to be all kinds of signs that there will be a mid-year modification of the current budget that is likely to affect us all. Governor-elect Brown has already indicated that he is reluctant to raise taxes without an affirmation of the people AND they just said (Prop 21) they aren’t interested in an $18 fee on their car registration.

As if this is not enough of a challenge for Governor-elect Brown and Superintendent-elect Torlakson, there is an issue of common core national standards. Clearly, and legislatively, California is committed to those common core standards. The challenge is that with a NEW set of standards – there is NO money to actually impement those standards. Implementation would probably at a minimum require: new textbooks, new training, and an entirely new state assessment system – ALL of which would require a substantial injection of dollars to support this development and deployment at the state and local level.

Again, realizing that all guesses are correct – some are just a bit closer – here’s mine. I am thinking that Governor-elect Brown acts quickly and creates a mid-year reduction for schools AND others to do what he can to reconcile a huge and growing (?) budget deficit. Followed by a rather draconian budget proposal for the 2011-12 budget year. Why? Because he “inherited a tough situation” and he believes it is his job to “fix it.” From a political view, if he doesn’t resolve it now it becomes “his” problem – if he resolves it now it is an “inheritance” issue.

Another view is that we have been focused in the last several years on the “Big 5” and their negotiations of a budget deal that is then ratified by the Legislature. Given the Prop 25 change (50% +1 to pass the budget) of the budget process, are we now faced with the appearance of a “Big 5” but the reality of a “Big 3?” There is no longer a functional need of Republican support to approve a budget – SO it would be entirely possible for the Governor and the Democratic leadership in the Assembly and Senate to determine a solution (“Big 3”) without much discussion or concurrence of the Republican representatives.

The Governor-elect still has some time before he is inaugurated into office – however, the race has begun.

Don't Forget To VOTE!!

Tomorrow is Election Day – and I hope you are planning and preparing to vote. I have already voted via mail. Clearly tomorrow’s activity and our various votes are critical, based on our system of governance. Additionally, there are very important issues to be resolved including the leadership of our state for the next 4 years, along with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and 1/3 new legislators to determine our laws. We also have important initiatives that are likely to have long-term impacts (one way or the other) on us and our state.


I hope you find the time to make sure and vote your conscious on these important matters.