Building a Collaborative for Economic Growth in Rural Maryland

1. MISSION: Be the economic engine for the eastern shore of Maryland by graduating students who are college and career ready. Contact: esmec@qacps.org

2. Building and Launching a Rural Collaborative Finding Partners; Identifying Common Needs; Creating Governance Structure; & Sustaining and Growing

4. Framework for Presentation: • Brief Overview of Maryland Public Education in Maryland • Brief Overview of ESMEC • Why was ESMEC created? • What is the source of funding? • Who does ESMEC serve? • Evolution of Initiatives • How has ESMEC changed over time? • Current Activities • What types of services are currently provided by ESMEC? • Successes • What have been the major areas of success?

5. Framework for the Presentation: • Challenges • What challenges has ESMEC faced? • How has ESMEC addressed the challenges? • What potential future challenges will ESMEC need to address? • Creating a Collaborative: Process in Action • How do we get started? • How do we identify common needs? • How do we create a decision making process? • How do we sustain the collaborative?

6. Public Education in Maryland: Very Brief Overview of Structure • Governance – State • State Board of Education • Appointed by Governor (5 year term) • Adopt Education Policy and Regulations • Appoint State Superintendent of Schools

7. Public Education in Maryland: Very Brief Overview of Structure • Governance – State • State Superintendent of Schools • Appointed by State Board of Education (4 year term) • Provide Leadership to Public Education, Libraries, and State Corrections Education and Training

8. Public Education in Maryland: Very Brief Overview of Structure • Governance – State • Local School Systems • Total of 24 School Systems that follow geographic borders of Counties and Baltimore City • Range in Size from 2,500 students to 160,000 students • Local Boards of Education (Elected or Appointed or Combination Elected and Appointed) • Fiscally dependent (funding sources – state formula and local government) • Appoint local Superintendent of Schools (4 year term)

9. Brief Overview: Why was ESMEC created? Who does ESMEC serve? What is the governing structure of ESMEC? How is ESMEC funded? (Budget)

10. Why was ESMEC created? • Formed 1986 • Joint purchasing • Influence over state education policy • Common needs and challenges of rural school systems

11. Who does ESMEC serve? • Eastern Shore of Maryland • PA; Delaware; Virginia; Chesapeake Bay • Agriculture (Chickens) • Nine rural public school systems • 65,000 students • FARMS 52% • Diversity 36% minority • Single Parent or Grandparent 50% • 130 Schools • Smallest 11 Students – Largest 1,250 Students

12. What is the governing structure of ESMEC? • Bylaws • Nine Superintendents of Schools Serve as the Governing Board • President of ESMEC ‘rotates’ • Monthly meetings • Executive Director • Part-Time - Contractual • Appointed by the ESMEC Governing Board • Provide Leadership to ESMEC • Six Committees • Instruction Transportation • Human Resources  Food Services • Fiscal  Facilities

13. How is ESMEC Funded? • Member school system pay ‘dues’ ($11,000 per school system = $99,000 total) • Administrative Services for State Superintendents’ Association and Energy Trust • Corporate Support • Grants • Current Budget = $128,333

14. Evolution of Initiatives: How has the services provided by ESMEC changed over time?

15. How has the services provided by the ESMEC changed over time? • From Joint Purchasing, to: • Incubator for Shared Ideas • Superintendents Forum • CRAB • Committees • Facilitator for Building Capacity in Leadership • Board of Education and Superintendent Conference • Leadership Conference • Advocator for Public Schools • Economic Impact Study • Legislative Initiatives • Reducer of Costs • Energy Trust • Health Insurance • Special Education

16. Current Services: What types of services arecurrently provided by ESMEC?

17. What Types of Services are Provided by ESMEC?

18. Successes: What have been the major areas of success for ESMEC?

19. What have been the major areas of success for ESMEC? • Provides a Process and Platform for Collaboration • Provides a Voice for Rural School Systems in an ‘Urban’ - ‘Suburban’ State • Provides Services to Save Funds and/or Reduce Cost Increases • Provides a Means to Share Opportunities, Challenges, and Solutions

20. Challenges: What challenges has ESMEC faced? How has ESMEC addressed the challenges? What potential future challenges will ESMEC need to address?

21. What challenges has ESMEC faced? • Loss of State Funding • Turnover of Superintendents • Changing Political Atmosphere • Changing Demographics

22. How has ESMEC addressed the challenges? • Loss of State Funding • Superintendent Turnover • Changing Political Atmosphere • Changing Demographics • Pursued Grants, Corporate Partnerships, and Reduced Services • Executive Director and School System Staff Sustain Initiatives • Advocacy and Education • Education (Beacon Study)

23. What potential future challenges will ESMEC need to address? • Anticipating Needs and Providing Supports • Advocating for Rural Education • Evolving as an Organization

24. ESMEC Summary • Formed in 1986 • ‘Bottom-Up’ Initiative (NOT ‘Top-Down’) • Governance – Superintendents – Meet Monthly • Evolved Over Time • Mutual Benefits • Forum for Collaboration • Platform for Advocacy

25. Building a Collaborative:

26. Finding Partners: Existing Relationships AND/OR Common Challenges

27. Two Pathways: Existing Relationships: Common Challenges:

28. Identifying Common Needs Selecting One or Two to Build Cooperation:

29. Creating a Collaborative: Identify Common Needs Identify a Common Need or Challenge: Potential Collaborative Response: Joint Purchasing Common Application Regional Professional Development • Expenditures/Savings • Recruitment • Building Capacity: Teachers/Leaders

30. Governance Structure: Memorandum of Understanding OR Bylaws

31. Memorandum of Understanding: • Letter of commitment signed by all Superintendents representing school systems in the collaborative. • Possible model of MOU is an interscholastic association agreement.

32. Governance Structure:Bylaws Bylaws: Questions to Answer: What is the intent? Who can join? What is the commitment? Who provides leadership and process of selection? How will decisions be made? How does a school system exit? • Purpose • Membership • Obligation of Members • Leadership of Collaborative • Decision Making Process • Opt Out Provision

33. Sustaining and Growing:

34. Keys to Sustainability: Value Added: Examples: Monthly Superintendent Meetings Committee Structure Energy Trust/Health Insurance Alliance Common Challenges Teacher Shortage/ Assessment Task Force Lobby Decision Makers • Leadership Support • Buy-in from Staff • Platform for Sharing Solutions • Collegiality • Joint Response to Emerging challenges • Voice for Rural Schools

35. Final Thoughts: • Find leaders who want to work together with geographic similarities • Identify one or two common challenges • Mutual solution • Create a letter of understanding (MOU) • Bring the right people together to address challenges • Develop a plan • Implement the plan • Celebrate! • Next challenge?

36. Examples: Challenge: Solution: Aspiring Leaders: Regional program for aspiring educational leaders Economic Impact Study • Enhance the pool of educational leaders to address Principal shortage • Build support for public schools

37. Questions?

38. Contact Information: Dr. Jon M. Andes, Executive Director EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM 202 CHESTERFIELD AVENUE CENTREVILLE, MD 21617 Phone: 410-758-4885 or 410-758-2403 x 132 Fax: 410-758-0046 Email: esmec@qacps.org Website: www.esmec.org