Strategic Doing: Designing and Achieving Measurable Workforce Development Obj...
Creating Consensus in a Crisis: How AUSD Evolved Through Community Engagement
1. In Community We TrustCreating Consensus in a Crisis Presented by Kirsten Vital, Superintendent, AUSD Mike McMahon, Board Member, AUSD Steve Jubb, Director of Innovation and District Redesign at Pivot Learning Partners For the California School Boards Association San Francisco, December 3, 2010
"A challenge is tough when it is complex in three ways. A challenge is dynamicallycomplex when cause and effect are interdependent and far apart in space and time; such challenges cannot successfully be addressed piece by piece, but only by seeing the system as a whole. Yes. Education of kids is like this …. The effect happens years after the cause….. same with adults. A challenge is socially complex when the actors involved have different perspectives and interests; such challenges cannot successfully be addressed by experts or authorities, but only with the engagement of the actors themselves. Welcome to democracy, the worst form of government, etc. Or, they call them PUBLIC schools for a reason. This is the world we live in. And a challenge is generatively complex when its future is fundamentally unfamiliar and undetermined; such challenges cannot successfully be addressed by applying “best practice” solutions from the past, but only by growing new, ‘next practice’ solutions. This is what’s new – the other two have been facts of life for public education since its inception
Clean coal is a best practice solution to the question, “How can we create less emissions when we burn coal to make electrical power?”Solar energy is an innovation that reframes the question to “How can we take advantage renewable energy sources that don’t little impact on natural resources and the environment?”
SJ slide – the distinction between strategic plan and master plan
KV slide – four new faces on the Board team, new K-9 charter opening Sept 09, exisiting middle school at PI4, 10,000 with 10 elementary, 3 middle and 2 comprehensive HS
KV Slide – To support master plan process an informal group of individuals provide guidance to develop master plan timeline and components. In addition, a listening campaign along other efforts to begin a dialog with the community and remove the “outsider” stigma that Alamedans attach to non-Alamedans.
KV Slide – what I found in my first 90 days and it influenced the master plan process
KV Slide – 2008 Measure H passed to generate $4 million, lawsuit filed in August, both parcel taxes worth $7 million sunset in 2012/13
KV slide – three main choices for a master plan – live within our means, charter, true cost of education MAIN POINT: Step One in community engagement, start a conversation that is focused and get feedback from the community before proceeding
KV Slide – Live within our means workshop with the key slide of the fiscal reality of running the school district without a parcel tax. NOTE: This is before the MAY REVISE when school district experience decline in BRL
KV slide – Alameda had three charters and people were being told that charters are more efficient. Workshop focused on presenting research of the challenge of going charter on a district wide basis.
KV slide – Workshop three focused on the true cost of education based on six community values
KV slide – the four strategies to be able to support community values to provide the education the community wants
KV slide – Formal methods to be used to complete the master plan 1.) conscious choice to make all meetings done with Board presentation as opposed to using task forces 2.) training and recruiting of public education volunteers to conduct meeting to gather feedback from community 3.) an ongoing effort to educate public on the complexities of public education policies
KV slide – just to make the point just how many meetings between Aug and November – REINFORCE the educational aspect as well as dialog between community and Board
KV slide – more of the same – if you want to highlight any particular meeting that reinforces community engagement/education this is the slide
KV slide – IN THREE MONTHS this is what was done. You can mention any other efforts in your first year on the job regarding listening and community engagement.
KV Slide – In Feb 2009 – Master Plan document over 60 pages is approved. Scenario A is first path to be taken. ONCE AGAIN bad state budget news turns this into a parcel tax focused document.
KV slide – Consequences of not passing a replacement parcel tax. You can decide on how successful we were in highlighting this part of the Master Plan.
KV slide – two previous parcel tax passed by less than 1% and this one failed by one percent. Possible reasons for failure; Tough economy, 100% increase in residential to $659, issues about the lawsuit, etc etc. Bottom line we need to move on.
KV slide – One week budget adoption – Board gives direction to staff after parcel tax loss. At the meeting a significant number of parents show up asking for another parcel tax.
KV slide – Between June and November staff conducts community workshops and we arrive at these final recommendations for school closures/consolidations.
KV slide – Five large elementary k-5 three K-8 and two high schools
KV slide – budget gap so big that school closure are not enough – here are program cuts that are needed without a parcel tax
KV slide – budget gap so big that school closure are not enough – here are program cuts that are needed without a parcel tax, these reduction include items no longer funded from parcel tax
KV slide – On November 30 the BOE passed a resolution to do another parcel tax –major changes to building square foot, specificity of funds allocation, significant outreach to business community
SJ slide
KV slide – 1.) new, prior success, aggressive, staff, high personal standards, 2.) finance is complex, community does not get it, 3.) building relationship with board members takes time and learning how they act in public versus private is important
MM slide – board workshop levels playing field for information sharing versus task force, when baord members are present communication dynamic is different, PT lessons – BSQFT first, they are forever, first one the hardest, cuts help passage, recognize every one has an interest our job to facilitate dialog among everyone