1 / 56

The Public School Forum of North Carolina

The Public School Forum of North Carolina. Working Together to Make North Carolina Schools Second to None. Public Policy and Education. The Collision of Idealism, Ideology, Organizational / Agency Self-Interest & Politics. EPFP 2010-11.

bianca
Download Presentation

The Public School Forum of North Carolina

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Public School Forum of North Carolina Working Together to Make North Carolina Schools Second to None

  2. Public Policy and Education The Collision of Idealism, Ideology, Organizational / Agency Self-Interest & Politics

  3. EPFP 2010-11 Over the coming months you will have an opportunity to see the Good, Bad & Ugly of This thing called the Policy Arena~

  4. Recognize Some Bias on our Part • We are policy wonks, political junkies & advocates • We respect (although at times it’s hard) the process and believe that good things can, and do, come from an imperfect system • We believe that (for the most part) elected officials attempt to do what is right for kids in North Carolina

  5. Some Refrains You’ll Observe & Hear from a Variety of Quarters • Policy making is all about people & relationships. • It is also about party, ideology and campaign donations. • It is very much about the drive to be re-elected to office. • It is about credibility (for better or worse, you are blessed by or saddled with the credibility of your organization). • It is about personal honesty, straight shooting, and consistency. • Most of all, it is a process. What doesn’t happen today can happen tomorrow. Play for the long haul. Don’t burn bridges over a one-year setback.

  6. You’ll Also Hear, and Following the Elections Possibly Observe: • That power is fleeting (remember Jim Black?) • Surprises happen (remember Jim Martin; or, better yet, who can forget Sarah Palin?) • Urgency makes strange bed fellows (witness the Wall Street Meltdown) • There is nothing like a real or imagined crisis to drive policy (witness the Wall Street meltdown; better yet, think about dropout policymaking) • Policymaking is bigger than education; the interconnectivity of government impacts school policies (i.e. a slowdown in revenue collections, overcrowded prisons, bridges collapsing, hurricane relief, children losing medical benefit coverage, etc.)

  7. Today, Let’s Look Quickly at Major Players in the Educational Policymaking Arena • First, major elected leaders & units of Government The Office of the Governor (bully pulpit, Cabinet, budget proposals & veto) State Board of Education General Assembly (budget recommendations; (power of purse strings & responsible for rules and regulations, frequently pass educational curriculum & testing) policies)

  8. Leadership on Educational Issues Shifts Between the Governor, the State Board of Education & the General Assembly • Smart Start – Governor Hunt • More at Four – Governor Easley • High Schools – Governor Easley • ABC’s System – State Board of Education • SB 2 (1st accountability) – General Assembly • Funding for Poor/Small Systems –General Assembly • School Calendar Bill – General Assembly • Dropout Prevention Initiative – General Assembly • Collaborative Project – General Assembly

  9. If K-12 Policymaking Were that Simple We Wouldn’t Need EPFP Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. It also includes: • UNC • Community College System • More at Four • Smart Start • SOS & Crime Commission programs While publicly these various educational entities are all in it together, there is predictable competition and jockeying for additional funding.

  10. The Role of Non-Governmental Groups In Establishing Education Policy in NC

  11. Categories of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) That Are Active in the NC Educational Policy Arena • Unions & Professional Associations • Broad Public Policy NGOs • Educational Non-Profits • Business Organizations • For-Profit NGOs

  12. Taking a Closer Look. . . Unions & Professional Associations (NCASA, NCAE, NCSBA, NCPAPA, ASCD, Discipline Groups)

  13. Typically: • Narrow Focus • Bread & Butter & Security Issues or Issues Related to Narrow Curriculum Focus • Issues of Control • Frequently Reactive • Poor Record of Improvement Leadership Cutting Differences: • Those with Full-Time Lobbyists & Those Without • Those With PACs and Those Without • Numbers (i.e. potential votes)

  14. Broad Policy Groups Divide Along Ideological Lines

  15. Broad Public Policy Groups (cont.) Liberals Tend to: • Advocate for Disadvantaged, Minorities • Call for New Resources (targeted) • Increasingly Hold Schools Accountable Conservatives Tend to: • Questions Competency of “the blob” • Oppose Calls for New Money • Favor Choice Moderates Tend to: • Inform Discussion with Research • Focus Heavily on Good Government Issues

  16. Educational NGOs • Communities in Schools • Futures4Kids • Teach for America • All Kinds of Minds • Center for Teacher Quality • Center for International Understanding • NC Real • NC Network • NC Teacher & Learning Quality • New Schools Project

  17. Educational NGOs Tend To: Have a Relatively Narrow (and self-serving) Agenda. Identify Legislative Champions Rise & Fall Depending on Legislative Champions Be Competitive for State/ Foundation/ Corporate Support Avoid Policy Arena Except for Own Interests

  18. Business Organizations in the Educational Arena • NC Citizens for Business & Industry • NCBCE They tend to: • Be Pro a Stronger Work Force • Focus on Bottom Line Issues • See Education as an Economic Issue • Are Increasingly Obsessed with Global Competition • Be Ambivalent on Taxes • Frequently be Critical of Government

  19. In All Cases… • Those with lobbyists are more influential than those without. • Those with PACs have more impact than those without. • Those with independent research capacity have an edge. • Those that are seen as school/child focused have more receptivity than those viewed as narrow interest groups. • They use various routes to make policy (Governor, State Board, General Assembly, etc.)

  20. Major Clashes Among NGOs • Tax/Resource Issues • School Choice versus Strong Public System • Faith in the System versus Suspicion of Government • Narrow Self-Interest Agendas versus Broad Improvement Agendas

  21. Where Does the Forum Fit In This Mix?

  22. It’s an Educational Non Profit, but… Rather a Chameleon • No members • No annual legislative priority list • No political action arm

  23. Goal is to Be… • Not just another special interest group • Viewed as a resource/collaborator • Trusted source of information • Willing to speak the truth

  24. Forum’s Key Initiatives Include: • Teaching Fellows Program • Project Teach • The Collaborative Project • North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) • Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) • NC Institute for Educational Policymakers • International Studies Program • Education: Everybody’s Business Coalition • Columbia Group • NC Partners

  25. Let’s Wrap Up With Some Lessons Learned About Influencing Public Policy

  26. Good Lobbying: • Is a combination of passion and good data • Is predicated on a belief in the system • Is all about people and relationships • Is a marathon, not a sprint

  27. “…only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible.”

  28. You’re in EPFP at an Exciting Time: • Mid-Term Election year– First time in 113 years (1998) both houses will be Republican Majority • Revenue picture still gloomy – more cuts likely; end of stimulus money just around the corner • Increasing focus on results (or lack thereof) – Race to the Top • Major issues coming to a head (i.e., No Child reauthorization, testing in NC, etc.)

  29. Race to the Bottom

  30. While the Glow of Winning The Race to the Top Competition Is Still There . . . Another competition is about to begin

  31. We Could Be Poised to win… The Race to the Bottom

  32. Deficit Estimates Currently Range From $3.6 Billion to Over $4 Billion

  33. Federal stimulus funds are slated to end - $738 Million for K-12 Education Alone

  34. Currently K-12 Education Represents 35% of the State Budget… If K-12’s portion of the $3.6 billion deficit equaled 35%, it would mean a loss of $1.26billion.

  35. Recently the Governor Made Two Announcements: No extension of temporary taxes will be in the Governor’s budget All state agencies are to submit plans for 5, 10 and 15% cuts

  36. What could that mean for k-12 education? 5% = -$394,485,753 10% = -$788,971,506 15% = -$1,183,457,259

  37. Cuts of that magnitude coupled with a loss of federal stimulus dollars would represent…

  38. Even factoring in Race to the top revenue (which can’t be used to supplant existing costs), the size of the potential cuts remain severe.

  39. If we take the most optimistic scenario and presume that only $100 of the $300 million federal jobs funds (to protect teacher positions) will be spent this year, leaving $200 million to buffer cuts, the impact remains severe . . .

  40. Where would that leave North Carolina? At or near the bottom on per pupil spending

  41. North Carolina (contrary to the opinion of some) is a low-spend state: Based on the most recent NEA rankings, North Carolina is 42nd on per pupil spending

  42. 2008-09 Per Pupil Expenditures National Average = $10,190

  43. Depending on the Severity of Cuts, North Carolina could end up at or near the bottom of national rankings on per pupil spending

  44. It’s safe to presume cuts in the Magnitude of $500-$1,000 per student (ie. $720 Million to $1.44 Billion)

  45. Consider what that means For an elementary school of 600 students… Cuts equaling $300,000-$600,000 How to Find it: • $20 - $40,000 from books / materials / staff development • 2 Teacher jobs (give you roughly $100,000) • 3 Teacher Assistants or Clerical Staff (give you $100,000)

  46. For a High School of 2,500 Students… Cuts equaling $1.25 Million - $2.5 Million

  47. It’s Not a Pretty Picture…

  48. It’s Worse when you consider the following… State funding has been cut $638 million in the last two sessions. All state funding for staff development has already been cut All state funding for mentoring new teachers has already been cut Most local schools have already made “the easy” cuts (administration, etc.) 15,000 students have lost afterschool care

  49. Our Real Dilemma Program cuts impacting instruction and staffing quality (ie. staff development, class sizes, new teacher mentoring, foreign language programs, Advance Placement courses) will not come back for years. When state revenue begins to rebound for the 1st and probably 2nd years all new money will (in all probability) go to catch up salaries – which will have been frozen for 4 consecutive years – and restoration of jobs that are essential. Instructional program restoration will be years away.

  50. Are there options? Of Course: Extend the temporary sales tax (cuts deficit by $1 billion) Consider additional revenue measures Better yet, revamp our antiquated taxing system

More Related