The Perkins Platform

Our guest on May 15 is Dr. Elaine Weiss, National Coordinator-Broader, Bolder Approach (BBA) to Education Campaign at the Economic Policy Institute.  She is co-author of a ground-breaking report on the impact of test-based teacher evaluations in DC, NYC and Chicago.

Some of the Key Findings:     - Test scores increased less, and achievement gaps grew more, in “reform” cities than in other urban districts.  - Reported successes for targeted students evaporated upon closer examination.  - Test-based accountability prompted churn that thinned the ranks of experienced teachers, but not necessarily bad teachers.  - School closures did not send students to better schools or save school districts money. - Charter schools further disrupted the districts while providing mixed benefits, particularly for the highest-needs students. - Emphasis on the widely touted market-oriented reforms drew attention and resources from initiatives with greater promise.

Elaine has been national coordinator of BBA since 2011. Her public policy background has focused on early childhood education, specifically on policy mechanisms to help low-in- come families and children escape poverty. In her role with BBA, Weiss has co- ordinated and led events at the Economic Policy Institute and on Capitol Hill, developed research and advocacy materials, launched a social media presence for BBA, and worked with numerous allied organizations to increase the vis- ibility of comprehensive strategies in education policy. Elaine has a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in public policy from the George Washington University Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Administration.   Join us for a robust discussion of these issues on May 15 at 2pm EST.

Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had some of the worst schools in the nation, rapid superintendent turnover, and a human resources and financial crisis leaving over $3 million in salary and benefits being paid to deceased employees. After Katrina, the city underwent several drastic shifts with the most prominent being the decentralization of the education system and the creation of one of the largest charter school networks in country.  For some, the jury is still out on how successful this round of reform has been, for others it is regarded as the saving grace for the city and still others believe it has been a complete failure.

Our guests in April are educators who have served before and after Hurricane Katrina in district and charter schools.  We will learn candidly about what happened in New Orleans then and now and get a sense of what politicians, community leaders and state policy makers are still fighting about in one of our historic cultural centers.

Join us for another dynamic discussion with those on the front line in what will be known in the history books as the Second Battle of New Orleans.

April 17 - 2pm EST

*Rescheduled Show*

Last week's show was postponed due to technical difficulites.  Please join us for an exciting show discussing the challenges facing urban school boards in today's political climate.  Ms. Minnie Forte-Brown, Chair- Council of Urban Boards of Education is our featured guest.  The troubled political atmosphere in our nation's centers has created a wave of discontent with school board members bearing much of the blame for low performing schools and a lack-luster accountability system.  Prominent members of the business community have suggested that school boards, particular in urban communities, have out-lived their usefulness.  Recently, Mayor Bloomberg of New York City contributed $1M to a school reform coalition in Los Angeles supportive of efforts to "shake up the system of 33,000 teachers". 

This show will be two segments.  The first with a special call-in guest, Steve Zimmer (LAUSD School Board Member) who was the direct target of Mayor Bloomberg's donation.  We will discuss his victory and what the donation signals for what is to come in future elections.  The second segment will highlight the current sentiment among urban school board members and what advocacy and training is happening at the national level to support the work and development of urban school board members.

Minnie Forte-Brown is a member of the Durham (NC) Board of Education and is a retired speech-language pathologist.  The Council of Urban Boards of Education supports school board members in urban communities in sharing best practices to improve student achievement. CUBE is a program of the National School Boards Association.

Currently, there is considerable debate on the sustainability of urban school turn around efforts.  In 2009, the Obama Administration announced its intention to "turn around" 5,000 of the nation's lowest performing schools.  Since that time, school districts have scrambled to find district and school-level leaders who specialize in this work.  Critics say it's not sustainable while proponents say its the only way.

Join us tonight for a special ONE HOUR broadcast at 8pm EST/5pm PST.  This broadcast is happening live from the Annual Conference on Education with the American Association of School Administrators in Los Angeles California.   

Our guests include Mr. David Tokofsy, Stategist - Associated Administrators Los Angeles and Dr. Dewayne Davis, Director of Secondary Instruction-LAUSD.

Join us tonight for this special event!

The guests for the February show will be Drs. Yvette Jackson and Veronica McDermott, co-authors of Aim High, Achieve More How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership (ASCD Press).  We will discuss how expectations impact student performance and success particularly in urban communities.  We will also discuss how leaders cultivate cultures of high expectation in their schools.

 

Dr. Jackson currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, founded at the College Board and Teachers College, Columbia University. She works with school district superintendents, administrators, teachers, and students across the United States and internationally to customize and deliver systemic approaches that enable students to demonstrate high intellectual performances. She bases her work on the principles and practices of the Pedagogy of Confidence, which she created to enable educators to accelerate the intellectual development and academic achievement of their students.  On September 15, 2012 the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences Educators Voice Awards honored Yvette for “Education Policy/Researcher of the Year.”

Yvette has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Columbia University, and Stanford University. 

The public schools of Long Island, NY, served as the launching pad of Dr. McDermott’s career, a career that spans more than 30 years and extended over many roles: superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, principal, district director, dean, and classroom teacher. 

Join us for what will be a dynamic show for policy makers, teachers, superintendents and principals.

The January guest was scheduled to be Dr. Joshua Starr, Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools-Maryland. Dr. Starr began his tenure as Montgomery County Public Schools’ superintendent of schools on July 1, 2011, after having been the superintendent in Stamford, Connecticut.  In the middle of major curriculum revision, Dr. Starr has called for a 3-year moratorium on standardized testing in the state's largest public school system.  At the time of broadcast, Dr. Starr was required unexpectedly to travel to Annapolis (MD) to meet with the governor.  His deputy superintendent, Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez adeptly served as a replacement.

Dr. Beth Schiavino-Narvaez is the Deputy Superintendent for School Support and Improvement for the Montgomery County Public Schools, where she is leading an effort to strengthen central office service and support to principals and schools. Prior to joining MCPS, Beth Schiavino-Narvaez was the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Springfield (MA) Public Schools. Beth began her career as a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea, where she taught English at a Korean public high school.

Our December guest is Mr. Jean Claude Brizard, former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools.  Recently, Mr. Brizard and the CPS Board of Education were in the media spotlight with the 2012 CPS teacher strike.  Prior to his appointment in Chicago, he was Superintendent of Schools for the Rochester City School District (Rochester, NY), a position he held for three years.  Our conversation will focus on the political aspects that both facilitate and hinder leadership and progress in urban contexts.

The Chicago Public Schools serves approximately 409,000 students in more than 670 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school system. Every child brings a wealth of talent, gifts, and potential to us,” Mr. Brizard says. “They also bring dreams, aspirations, struggles, and needs. We must embrace that talent and potential and equip every student with an education that draws forth their unique talents (the masterpiece) that lies within each of them.

Mr. Brizard’s experience also includes a 21-year career as an educator and administrator with the New York City Department of Education. He served as a Regional Superintendent, supervising more than 100 K-12 schools serving over 100,000 students in three New York City geographic districts.

The November Special Edition (1 hour) will feature two special guests who are the chief architects for the ongoing merger of Shelby County and Memphis City Public Schools - David Pickler and Martavius Jones.  The unification is considered to be the largest school district consolidation in American history. Fraught with historical tensions, issues of race and equity, this is a consolidation ambitious both in scale and momentum. Actions by members of the Memphis and Shelby school boards, local city councils, a 2011 referendum, and ongoing lawsuits have divided the local landscapes along political lines.  

Discussions about a possible consolidation occurred as far back as October / November 2010, spurred by a proposal by  David Pickler (SCPS) to authorize special district status to Shelby School District. In response, Martavius Jones (MCPS) proposed the city of Memphis relinquish its charter. What followed has proven to be a hugely influential series of efforts to reform two very different school districts, the implications of which may reverberate in school districts across the USA.

 

However, the move has divided community members, parents, and local residents due to the significance of the logistical, legal, and community challenges such a substantial consolidation process poses. Some of the issues it raises for those directly affected include, but are not limited to:

Memphis teachers are unionized, Shelby County’s are not.

The county owns its buses, the city has historically relied on a contractor.

Both use different textbooks and different curriculums

Each district implements different teacher evaluation systems.

Median family income in Memphis is $32,000 a year vs. suburban average of $92,000.

85 percent of students in Memphis are black vs. 38 percent in Shelby County are black.

Join us for what will certainly be an amazing discussion.

The October Guest is Ms. Betsy Landers, President – PTA.  We will discuss how the PTA encourages parents to participate in the educational process and the ways in which school leaders can better engage parents to be active participants in their child's educational program.

From the moment she joined PTA® in 1989, Landers’ dedication to PTA has been unwavering. When she encountered challenges with her first PTA experience, she stayed with the group to ensure future volunteers had a better experience. When her children transferred to a new school, she helped form its first PTA and served as unit secretary. When her children transferred yet again, she helped form the first PTA in their new school, this time as president. She took on increasing responsibilities for Shelby County Council PTA, and then for the Tennessee PTA Board of Managers. Her goal was to help foster a widespread culture of excellence throughout the PTA local units in her state.

Landers has a special devotion to children’s safety. She dedicates time to the National Emergency Medical Services to Children (EMSC) Partnership for Children Stakeholder Group, the Tennessee EMSC Foundation, the Committee on Pediatric Emergency Care, and the Trauma Care Advisory Committee of Tennessee.

Although she occupies the highest office in PTA, Landers is quick to point out that the real power of PTA lies at the local level and plans to make a “back to basics” approach cornerstone of her tenure as National PTA President. “It’s the parents who dedicate themselves to improving their children’s education, PTA members who are committed to advocating for all children—those are the people who make a real difference.”

The September 2012 broadcast of The Perkins Platform will focus on the challenges that school board members across the nation face to insure high quality education experiences to all children.  Recent challenges to the need for school boards  have placed many board members on the defense and left many fighting to stay relevant.  Our special guest will be Dr. Anne Bryant - Executive Director of the National School Boards Association.  Dr. Bryant will discuss some of the important issues being faced by her membership and share her insights on why school boards are important to public education.