Leading Schools in an Era of Declining Resources

Ron WilliamsonEastern Michigan University

Howard JohnstonUniversity of South Florida

Download Presentation from:http://ronwilliamson.com/Resources.html

The New Normal“I am here to talk today about…the New Normal. For the next several years…educators…face the challenge of doing more with less. [T]his challenge can, and should be, embraced as an opportunity to make dramatic improvements. [E]normous opportunities for improving the productivity of our education system lie ahead if we are smart, innovative, and courageous in rethinking the status quo. It's time to stop treating the problem of educational productivity as a grinding, eat-your-broccoli exercise. It's time to start treating it as an opportunity for innovation and accelerating progress.”

- Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education

The New Normal

Or, Put More Succinctly…

“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

- Ram Emmanuel, Chicago Mayor

Features of the New Normal1. Fewer general funds resources2. Resources are targeted or program

specific3. Increased accountability at lower levels

of system4. More competition from alternative

school organizations5. Loss of job security, stepped salary

increases, union protections

What Probably Won’t Work• Waiting for things to get back to “normal.”

This is it – the New Normal.• Getting more funding from traditional

sources. –1960 ~70% households had kids in school–2010 ~20% households had kids in school

• Moving to another state. (Well…maybe Wyoming or North Dakota)

Opportunity Knocks?I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Thomas Edison

I hate the fact that we have less money, but this current [budget] crisis does give us some leverage to do things we’ve wanted to do…needed to do…but lacked both the internal and public support, and, frankly, the political will, to do.

Florida Superintendent

The Four Rs• Reduce – Making necessary cuts in a fair,

reasonable, transparent and humane manner• Refine – reorganize, streamline, or improve

efficiencies without harming the school’s core mission

• Re-Prioritize – Link activity to core mission and provide for review as finances change

• Regenerate – generate additional resources or find new sources of funding for innovation and growth

The Four Rs in PracticeREDUCE

1. Irrigon - Used Kindles and iPads; recovered costs first year by reducing textbook purchases (Got grants for the technology.)

2. Reedsport Charter - Had to reduce elective staff; used "registered" teachers – lay folks with temporary permit to teach a class or two

3. Stanfield - moved to 4day week; saved on transportation/heating/food service. Used Friday for PD and for staff planning

The Four Rs in PracticeREFINE

2. LaGrange Park, IL – integrated exploratory units into core subjects and made core classes 90 minutes. (STEM units are now in science; art in language arts; music in social studies; health in math).

3. Florida – ELL software and technology provided for students and their families.

1. West Desert – Use online classes to meet needs of specific students (advanced mathematics, languages, sciences, AP prep).

The Four Rs in PracticeREGENERATE

Powers, Myrtle Point, Coquille, Camas Valley – hire one Spanish teacher, advanced science and math teachers; streamed instruction into the four districts. Some face-to-face time in each school

Yoncalla ES/MS – sought external funds to support greenhouse and hands-on projects for students; used greenhouse as basis for more grants & partnerships.

The Four Rs in PracticeREGENERATE 2

Elkton JHS/HS – sought grants to build and staff a science/math center and then became a charter to attract students from other districts

Ann Arbor Pioneer HS – sought cell phone towers for grounds; provided access for both students and staff; moved toward BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) initiative to improve instruction

The Four Rs in PracticeRE-PRIORITIZE

Kansas – Changing demographics boost need for ELL programs. (1) content-based ELL courses offered in core subjects; (2) re-designed exploratories are ELL rich.

Oregon – Double periods of math and English provide grade level instruction and need-based tutorials.

Flipped Classrooms – use technology for information delivery; class time is used for practice, tutorials, and coaching.

Leadership Skills for the New Normal

• Visionary• Inspirational• Strategic• Disciplined• Confident• Action-Oriented and Decisive• Ethical• Entrepreneurial

For Additional Information

J. Howard Johnstone-mail: hojofl@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/seced/Faculty/Johnston.html

Ron Williamsone-mail: rwmson214@aol.comWebsite: http://ronwilliamson.com