School Administrators of Montana Fall Superintendents Conference September 17, 2012

1. School Administrators of MontanaFall Superintendents Conference September 17, 2012 Benny L. Gooden AASA President Superintendent of Schools Fort Smith Public Schools Fort Smith, AR

2. Elvis and Superman Have Left The Theatre

3. Two Icons of Americana What Do They Represent Today Relative to Public Education?

4. Conditions As They Were: 1962 • Fewer than 50% completed high school • Disabled were excluded from schools • Society in America was more homogenous and unitary in terms of race, religion, language and economics • Discrimination was prevalent and accepted • Jobs were readily available for the uneducated and unskilled

5. The Result: 1962 • Academically talented stayed in school • Select students entered higher education • Majority entered the work force • Marriage and family were the norm • Church affiliation was part of routine • Jobs were available regardless of education or skill level • Success was available for all who would work

6. Schools Were Successful? • Valued by Parents • Supported by Business • Praised by Politicians • Provided Focus to Community • Center of Youth Culture

7. It was a different era which has given us a nostalgic perception The Elvis nostalgia keeps our memories like the 1960’s

8. Will Rogers was correct—maybe not in grammar, but in wisdom • “Things ain't what they used to be and never were.” • “The schools ain't what they used to be and never was.” • “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.” • “ Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.”

9. Elvis’ Songs are timeless, but the society which popularized them has changed dramatically and schools have not • School Governance • Financing for Schools • The Instructional Calendar • The Curriculum • Expectations for Improved Performance while continuing existing systems • __________________

10. Elvis has left the theatre

11. The Condition: 2012 • 90% complete high school diploma or GED equivalent • 75% or more enter higher education • Technical skills are at record levels • Family structure is often unstable • Church participation in decline • Population increasingly diverse • Gap between economic classes widening

12. Schools are Failing? • Criticized by Parents • Challenged by Business • Condemned by Politicians

13. “Where you stand, depends upon where you sit?”

14. …Or, upon your involvement and information base.

15. Do America’s Schools need a new “superhero”? Or is it? Charter Schools Home Schools Private Management Smaller/Larger Schools ____________________

16. The hero is not likely to come from Krypton

17. Another Will Rogers Truth: “It don’t bother me what people don’t know. What bothers me is what they know that just ain’t so.”

18. Do We Really Know This? • Competition will make all schools better. • Teacher pay based on test scores yields better results. • More testing with higher stakes will make schools better. • Reductions in pay and benefits for educators will improve education. • School choice options make performance soar. • Competition for funding benefits both “winners” and “losers.”

19. But what about these “truths”? • Poverty doesn’t matter. • Money spent on education doesn’t make a difference—nor do differences in expenditures between states, districts or schools.

20. To whom should we listen…and Who really knows? • Political advisors • Congressional staffers • Foundation-supported Policy Analysts • “Think tanks” supported by wealthy Americans—or their foundations • Business leaders • Elected (or want to be elected) Politicians • University Researchers

21. What about practitioners? What about school leaders? What about teachers?

22. Are we truly waiting for Superman or another miracle? Superman has left the Theatre

24. AASA GOALS • Advocate for public education and the AASA legislative agenda, including the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. • Focus on the professional development of our members to help current and aspiring school system leaders sharpen the skills that will allow them to excel in their jobs. • Expand our public relations campaign to make clear the message of what is right with public education in America. • Increase our membership and align with other administrative groups to expand our influence and voice in the nation’s capital. • Increase the capacity of school system leaders to address the education of the total child by meeting their health, developmental and academic needs.

25. Advocacy Topics • ESEA • Funding-REAP, E-Rate, JOBS • Seclusion & Restraint • Charters • Bullying • IDEA Funding • Sequestration Factual information about public education in a local, state, national, and global context.

26. ESEA Reauthorization • AASA asked for: • State control of accountability, assessment and consequences • Greater focus on content • Greater flexibility in local program control • Both Houses and Senate Committees included those policies in their bills Advocacy Succeeds

27. Funding • AASA has pointed out the terrible impact of the great recession on public schools. • Last year the $10 billion in Ed Jobs funding can be tracked directly to data gathered by AASA. • AASA continually reminds Congress that federal funding—though relatively small—is very important to many school districts as the great recession continues into its fourth year. Advocacy Succeeds

28. Rural School Support • AASA asked that the unique conditions of small rural school districts be considered when any education legislation is considered. • Small rural school districts have been funded and considered in every instance. • REAP began as an AASA initiative. Advocacy Succeeds

29. E-Rate Funding • AASA successfully led efforts to oppose the use of E-Rate dollars to fund a Digital Literacy Pilot. • AASA member comments helped end FCC-support for administering the Pilot through E-Rate capacity. • AASA advocated for the inclusion of education technology in the ESEA bills, supporting ATTAIN in the Senate bill and leading changes to the House bill. Advocacy Succeeds

30. Seclusion and Restraint • AASA has succeeded in convincing every Senate office to NOT SUPPORT S.2020 on Seclusion and Restraint. • AASA’s reports on Seclusion and Retraint were featured in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and many other publications. • So far, AASA has prevailed and state policy is developing without impossibly high new federal standards or new compliance monitoring. Advocacy Succeeds

31. The Seclusion and Restraint Report

32. Bullying Legislation • AASA asked that states be given time to develop a bullying policy which • Avoids the conflict in federal definition of bullying, and • Focuses on improved local policy and practice rather than compliance with federal rules. • So far state policy has been allowed to develop without new federal requirements. Advocacy Succeeds

33. Delaying Sequestration • Sequestration would make 7.8 to 9.1% cuts across all programs – unless Congress acts. • From December 2011 to July the Administration provided no information on how and when cuts would be made. • July 10th AASA released a survey from 1060 school districts detailing cuts that will be made. • July 19th 300 elementary principals (NAESP) and superintendents (AASA) went to the capitol urging action on sequestration. • July 20th the USED released the first information on when and how cuts would be made Advocacy Succeeds

35. Key AASA Staff for Advocacy Dan Domenech Executive Director Bruce Hunter Associate Executive Director Sasha Pudelski Legislative Specialist Noelle Ellerson Assistant Director

36. New Advocacy Initiatives

37. AASA Status Report • Membership • Finances • Governance • Initiatives • Change Advocacy

38. Total # of Members 2007-08 - Present

39. State Rebates 25% ON ALL NEW MEMBERS! Above current levels

40. Increasing membership 10,255 8,948 We can do it together!

41. Functional Consolidation with NAESP • Not a merger, but a consolidation of back office operations and a co-sharing of facilities. • Association identities are maintained. • Current governance structures are maintained. • Purchasehalf ownership of NAESP Building at 1615 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA • Negotiated early release from lease at 801 North Quincy in Arlington, VA • Move and Consolidation in November 2011

42. Facilities Expense Reduction Due to Office Move (fiscal years)

43. School Solutions Center Revenue (fiscal years) (fiscal years)

44. February 21-23, 2013 Los Angeles, CA Jim Collins Linda Darling-Hammond Deb Delisle Yong Zhao

45. AASA Governing Board WA ME MT VT ND Region 3 Region 7 OR Canada NH MA ID MN WI NY SD MI RI Region 1 WY CT PA NJ IA AAIE Region 6 NE IN NV IL OH DE UT Region 4 WV MD CO VA KS MO CA KY Region 2 NC TN AZ Region 5 SC OK NM AR AL GA MS TX LA FL AK HI

46. AASA Officers Patricia E. Neudecker Past-President Oconomowoc WI Benny L. Gooden President Fort Smith AR Amy Sichel President-Elect Abington, PA

47. Executive Committee Leadership Rob Slaby Virginia City, Nevada Thelma Melendez De Santa Ana Santa Ana, California Garn Christensen East Wenatchee, Washington Region 1

48. Governing Board Leadership Montana Ronald C. Whitmoyer East Helena School District 9 Jule Walker Plevna School District 55

49. Keeping our Focus • Remember the principles upon which AASA is founded. • Support our members as they work at the local, state and national levels. • Our opponents today may be our allies tomorrow. • It is all about relationships.

50. Elvis and Superman have left the theatre… But AASA members are still on stage!