Scottsdale Unified School District No Dream Too Big . . . No Challenge Too Great

The Governing Board unanimously approved a resolution calling for an M&O (maintenance and operation) budget override question on the March 11, 2003, ballot. The detailed resolution adopted by the Board Oct. 22 was part of the official agenda for the meeting and is available on the District's Web site.

The resolution adopted by the Board states: "Funds derived from the Override shall be used to accomplish some or all of the following objectives:

1. Continue to provide enough teachers to maintain class size standards. Failure of the Override could require the reduction of as many as 179 teachers. This would cause the class size in the District to increase to more than 32 students per classroom.
    
2. Maintain programs in art and music, as well as exploratory classes and the gifted program. Without the Override, classes may be limited to the core curriculum (reading, English, math, sciences, and social studies).
    
3. Continue to provide a variety of athletic and co-curricular opportunities."

Board members spoke of the need for the M&O override at the Oct. 22 meeting, and pledged to work for its passage during the coming months. Scott Barker, president of the SEA, pledged the support of the teachers association; and Joan Agostinelli, president of the Scottsdale Parent Council, expressed support of parents. Other individual parents, school board and legislative candidates, also stepped up to the podium during the public comment portion of the meeting to speak in favor of an M&O override.

One person spoke against the override and the timing of the March election. He asked the Board not to spend all the money it receives from the state, and instead, look at eliminating programs. He also asked the Board to delay the ballot measure until the next general election in November 2004.

In the work/study portion of the meeting, 2002 benchmark results were discussed, along with school improvement and student achievement.

Dr. Barbara F. Erwin, superintendent, introduced the discussion by noting that the Scottsdale school community developed a mission statement and goals for the District 2½ years ago. Since then, administrators, principals, teachers, and other staff members have focused on all students, and have used data disaggregation to pinpoint areas for improvement.

The Governing Board approved benchmarks for each of the District's goals in June. Benchmarks represent a measurable objective and set a minimum standard, noted Ann Boyle, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Ms. Boyle reviewed what has been achieved, and what is to be achieved under each of the benchmarks.

Separately, Dr. Joanne Bauman, director of research and assessment, reviewed for the Board achievement indicators and how the District uses data, specifically test scores, to investigate strengths and areas for improvement in curriculum, instruction, teacher training, teacher performance, textbooks and supplemental materials, student preparation, and individual student performance.

In addition to explaining the process used for analyzing data, Dr. Bauman presented 2002 test data and the recently released Arizona LEARNS School Achievement Profiles. (Test scores are available on the District's Web site at: http://www.susd.org/district/assess/testresults.asp and School Achievement Profiles are available at: http://www.susd.org/district/assess/achievementprofiles.html)

In other work, the Board:

• Approved the award of RFP #3046 for bond underwriting services to Stone and Youngberg, for existing bond debt. According to Bob Flach, chief financial officer, with the changes in the interest rates since previous bonds were issued, refinancing current debt will save the District interest payments.
   
• Accepted gifts valued at $60,936.99. Gifts were received from Kiva PTO, Copper Ridge Elementary School PTO, Anasazi PTO, Laguna PTO, Mountainside Middle School PTO, CHAPTS, Arcadia Baseball Boosters, Chaparral Firebird Football Foundation, Desert Mountain High School Baseball Club, Saguaro Sabercat Football Foundation, Doug Zuber, Chuck Kozlowski, Kent McGuire, Pepsi Bottling Group, Target, and General Mills Box Tops.
   
• Approved and adopted a variety of supplementary materials for the English Immersion Studies program, for all grade levels. Included in the materials are reference dictionaries in more than 100 languages, teachers' guides, student texts, audiocassettes, and workbooks.
   
• Approved calling for bids for additional school buses, including those used to transport special education students. Traffic congestion has dramatically increased the time students are spending on buses, according to Bob Flach, chief financial officer. Additionally, there has been a rapid growth in the number of special education students who need transportation. Funding for the buses would come from soft capital.
   
• Approved a Settlement Agreement and Release in the matter of Scottsdale Unified School District adv. Pencek. According to the terms of the agreement: "In exchange for the District foregoing a claim for reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, Pencek agrees to abandon and relinquish any and all claims, against the District."
   
• Approved an increase of $125,482 in the contract for construction work at Cocopah Middle School. According to Dr. Bill Johnson, chief of facilities and operations, during the renovation of Cocopah, several items not contained in the construction documents were required to be replaced because of unforeseen conditions and/or by request of the city of Scottsdale or Rural Metro. Among these items are: Installation of a new fire lane across Cholla Street, additional fire alarm devices, revision of stainless steel coiling doors between the cafeteria and the kitchen, and the modification of a fire sprinkler system in science classrooms.
   
• Approved an underground utility easement to SRP in order to provide electrical service to Supai Middle School.
   
• Approved two principals and two assistant principals as Qualified Evaluators: Marianne Bursi, Daniel Cooper, Gregory Sackos, and Kristin Samson.
   
• Approved the issuance of an RFP (request for proposal) for worker's compensation insurance. The District currently is self-insured for worker's compensation insurance and contracts out administrative services. The RFP will seek worker's compensation coverage, as well as claims management.

Additionally, David Goldstaub, clerk of the Board, responded to recent news and media coverage about the superintendent's remarks regarding the state legislature's failure to adequately fund education.

"Local control of public education is an American institution. Unfortunately, in Arizona, it is more myth than reality," Mr. Goldstaub said. "Funding for education is controlled, not by local school boards and communities, but by the state government. Our community needs to understand that the state legislature determines how much is spent to educate our children-not local school boards. The meager funding Arizona provides for education impacts Scottsdale just as it does the rest of the state," he said.

"I believe in accountability. School districts should be held accountable for the academic achievement of students. I do not believe that accountability should apply only to school districts. Over the last many years, our governor and our legislature, and their predecessors, have managed to grossly underfund education and create a $1 billion deficit that could lead to cuts-not increases-in future education spending. Many fine people serve in the legislature, just as they do on school boards. But, legislators should be held accountable, just as school boards and superintendents should be held accountable," Mr. Goldstaub said.

"The bottom line is this: If we are to achieve the improvements in public education that this board, our superintendent, and our community desire, it will require the support of our governor and our legislature," Mr. Goldstaub said. "For at least the last decade, that support has been sorely lacking. I hope that will change. Though I chose different words to express my views, I want to make sure that everyone knows that Dr. Erwin has my complete confidence and support."

Board member Tom Carey thanked Mr. Goldstaub for his remarks and said that Dr. Erwin expressed the state funding situation accurately.

The next Governing Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Education Center.
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