Some committee members push back against superintendent’s view
As stipulated by a School Committee motion at a September meeting, Alison Elmer, the special-education director, reported back to the committee Dec. 14. She found staffing, training and leadership as probable causes for deficiencies as determined by the state’s coordinated program review.
In response to the negative findings of the coordinated program review implemented by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the School Committee passed a motion at the September meeting that Elmer report back about the probable causes for this result. Superintendent Kathy Bodie reminded the committee that the review did not evaluate teaching per se but required reporting. Read the summary from September >>
At the Dec. 14 meeting, Elmer identified three factors that may have caused the high number of issues of noncompliance found in the review:
1.) Staffing problems: the difficulty in recruiting highly qualified special-education teachers because of noncompetitive salary and benefits, retention of staff once hired and higher case loads than other districts.
2.) Some issues with training. While considerable time and effort has been spent on other aspects of special education, she said, “There has not been a specific focus on regulatory compliance” or new teacher training.
3.) Revolving leadership, without consistency in roles and responsibilities led to problems. For instance, the brief tenures of special-education directors since 2006, averaging fewer than three years, has not allowed for developing procedures.
Elmer, who arrived here in March 2014, offered recommendations that included “a focus on compliance training and retention of highly qualified and trained staff.”
In responding to the report, committee member Bill Hayner asked the superintendent if she planned to request funds for next year for compliance training and higher salaries so as to attract and retain special-education staff. Bodie replied that she did not plan to include this funding in the budget because of union rules and, more importantly, because “our focus is on … good teaching,” not on compliance “nitty-gritty.”
Committee member Kirsi Allison-Ampe disagreed with Bodie. After researching levels of staffing, she found that “staffing is way out.” While the state average is 5.3 full-time-equivalent staff per 100 students, Arlington’s ratio is 3.2 staff per 100 students. She proposed that these statistics mean a “big readjustment.”
Committee member Len Kardon commented that he was disappointed in the superintendent’s statement that “We were no different from other districts [in compliance],” since the comparison with other districts found Arlington had one of the highest rates on noncompliance. He requested that Elmer provide additional data: turnover rates in staffing as compared to other districts and comparable data on case loads of team chairs.
Civil-rights response
In other business, the committee heard reports from Assistant Superintendent Rod MacNeal about Arlington’s response to the Department of Education’s review of civil rights issues. That report is responding to the issues reported in October >> Here is MacNeal’s report >>
It also heard Chief Financial Officer John Danizio, who presented the monthly financial report and from Amy Speare and Sarah Burd about the generous donation of the AEF to the Safe and Supportive Schools Program.
During public participation, the committee heard the request of four Peirce Elementary School parents for repairs to the kindergarten playground, which they deem inadequate and dangerous.
After considerable discussion, the committee approved, as part of the consent agenda, the job description for a director of technology. The vote was 4-2-1. Dissenting votes were cast by Hayner and Kardon, while Jennifer Susse abstained. Kardon said it was inappropriate to create a new position as part of the consent agenda instead of the having a discussion as part of the regular committee process.
The committee also voted unanimously to request an organizational chart about instructional technology by its Jan. 11 meeting.
The School Committee then adjourned for executive session.
Sept. 20, 2017: State review of special ed cites 13 issues, draws committee differences
This news summary by YourArlington freelance Jo Anne Preston was published Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017.
