MyPositiononDr.

PadalinosRedistrictingPlan
JamesF.Shaughnessy,Jr. Wehaveacrisis,anditisbotheducationalandfiscal.Wehaveto addressbothaspectssimultaneously,orwewontsolveitatall.Iam infavorofDr.Padalinosredistrictingplan.Itisaboldandvisionary solutiontomanypartsofthecrisis.Wecantaffordtowaittomakea decisionuntileveryquestionabouteverypotentialproblemis answered. Thebiggestquestionis,Willitwork?Ifweneverstart,theanswer willbe,No. In1961,PresidentKennedychallengedthenationtoadoptthegoalof landingamanonthemoonandreturninghimsafely.Makingthe decisiontodoitcamebeforesolvingalloftheproblemsinvolved. Andinspiteofsetbacksalongtheway,thegoalwasachieved. Wherewehavebeen Theelementaryredistrictingprocessbeganoverthreeyearsagoin 2009withadecisiontofindawaytoeliminateinequitiesinclass

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sizesacrossourelevenelementaryschools.Dr.PaulSeverskywas hiredthroughtheNewYorkStateSchoolBoardAssociationto conductanElementaryProgramDeliveryStudy.Hedidnotmakea recommendation;hedevelopedoptionsforthedistricttoconsider. ThestudywasdeliveredtotheboardinSeptember,2010.Theboard expandedtheMasterPlanFacilitiesCommitteetoevaluateand recommendanoptionfromthestudy,butitdidplacerestrictionson whatcouldbeconsidered. Therewereshortcomingsinthatstudyandprocess.Dr.Seversky didntanticipatechangestoprogramassignment.Buildingswere presumedtocontinuetobeusedinthesamewaytheywerethen beingused.Forinstance,KennedySchoolhadfiveselfcontained specialeducationclassrooms,andincalculatingbuildingcapacity, thatusewaspresumedtocontinue.Severalbuildingshadunused fullsizedclassroomslabeledmultipurposeroomorconference roomorresourceroom,anditwasneverconsideredtheycouldbe usedasregularclassroomsindeterminingbuildingcapacity.Also, thestudydidntlookbeyondgrade5.Theimpactofourelementary programonourmiddleschoolprogramwasneverconsidered.The ExpandedMasterPlanFacilitiesCommitteewastolditcouldnt considerclosingmorethanoneschool.

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Significantly,whileDr.Severskypreparedenrollmentprojections though20192020,hewasneveraskedtoprepareanyfinancial projections.Theimplicitassumptionwasthatthedistrictwouldbe abletoaffordwhateveroptionitselected. Thatassumptionturnedouttobefaulty.Withtheprolongednational economicrecession,significantreductionsinstateaid,andmost recentlytheimpositionofacaponpropertytaxincreases,thedistrict cannotaffordanyoftheoptionsthatDr.Severskypresentedtous. ThemostimportantlessonthatIlearnedfromDr.Severskysstudy wasthatweneedtolookatpersonnelcapacityandwellasphysical buildingcapacity.Itisobviousthatweneedtoknowhowmany studentsourbuildingscanhold.Wealsoneedtoconsiderhowmany studentsourteacherscanteach.Ifwehave15studentsina classroomthatwillaccommodate25students,wearenotusing40% ofthatphysicalcapacity.Ifwehave15studentsassignedtoateacher whocanteach25students,wearenotusing40%ofthatpersonnel capacity.Whiletherearesomereasonswemaychoosetodothat,the choiceneedstobemadeexplicitlyandnotwithoutconsideration.In

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theprivatesector,oneofthequickestroutestobankruptcyisto maintaincapacitythatisnotnecessaryorused. WemadethedecisiontocloseMeagherElementarySchool.Idont thinkwecanequalizeclasssizeandeducationalresourcesoverthe remainingtenbuildingsthatvaryincapacityfromapproximately230 studentstoapproximately550students. Wherewearegoing Weneedtomakethedecisionaboutwhichschoolsourstudentswill attendsothatwecanconcentrateonwhatandhowtheyaregoingto betaught.Dr.Padalinosplanallowsustodothat.Ithas educationalandfinancialbenefits. Fourandonehalfmilliondollarsisalotofmoney.Thatsavingswill allowustomaintain,enhance,andaddeducationalprograms.Itwill alsohelpuslimitfuturepropertytaxincreases. Largerelementaryschoolscanprovidebettereducationaloutcomes. Wewillbeabletoaffordfulltimeservicesateachschool.Librarians, musicandartteachers,socialworkers,andpsychologistsnowspread

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theirtimeovertwoorthreebuildings.Alargernumberofstudents andmoreteachersateachgradelevelenhancesopportunitiesfor collaborationandprovidesflexibilityforstudentplacement. Italsoprovidesmoreopportunityfordifferentiatedinstruction. GeorgeWashingtonhadthreefirstgradesectionswhenmydaughter wasastudent.Theteacherswereabletopullseveralstudentsfrom eachsectiontoformanadvancedreadinggroup.Thisgavetwo teachersmoretimetospendwithotherstudents,enhancingresults forbothgroupsofstudents.Allstudentsdeservetobechallengedat theirlevelofpotential. 5thGradetomiddleschools TheK4,58,912gradeconfigurationplanistheunanimous recommendationofthesuperintendentstaskforce.Thetaskforce wascomprisedofthesuperintendent,theassistantsuperintendents, twosecondaryprincipals,onesecondaryassistantprincipal,and threeelementaryprincipals.Itrustthemtohavemadeawell studiedandthoughtfulrecommendation.

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Thereareparentsonbothsidesonthisissue.Someparentshave expressedconcernabouthaving10yearoldsinthesamebuilding andonthesamebusesas14yearolds.Otherparentsseean opportunityforacademic,athletic,andotherextracurricular activitiesthattheir10yearoldswouldnothaveinaK5elementary school. Iaminfavoronmovingfifthgradetothemiddleschools.Iwould havelikedmydaughtertohavehadherfifthgradeatmiddleschool. Herlastyearatelementaryschoolwasconsumedwithsocialand emotionalissueswithherclassmates. Middleschoolistheplacewherestudentstransitionfromchildhood toadolescence.Itneedstobeaplacewheresupportforthatphysical, emotional,andsocialchangeisattheforefront.Middleschool studentsneedthatsupporttobeacademicallysuccessful.

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PolicyStatementsandResearchon5thGradeinMiddleSchool Academicpapersgoingbacktotheearly1970srecommend assigning5thgradetomiddleschool.1In1987,theCarnegie CorporationofNewYorkformedtheCarnegieCouncilon AdolescentDevelopmenttoidentifyapproachesforimprovingthe educationof10to15yearolds.2TheNewYorkStateBoardof RegentsPolicyStatementonMiddleLevelEducation,SupportingYoung Adolescentsfocusesonages10to14inmiddlegrades,5through8.3 ThepositionpaperoftheAssociationforMiddleLevelEducation, formerlyNationalMiddleSchoolAssociation,isentitledThisWe Believe:KeystoEducatingYoungAdolescentsandidentifiesthemas10 to15yearolds.4Theseorganizationsallpremisetheirpositions withearlyadolescencestartingat10yearsold5thgrade. TheAlbanyInstituteforResearchinEducationatSUNYAlbany recentlypublishedastudyonBestPracticesforHighPerforming

URL: http://www.edulink.org/msconfig.htm I inquired of Dr. Combs for more detailed citations on the 1970s articles mentioned on this web page, and he replied that he had lost many of them in a hard disk crash. He did send me a more recent bibliography. 2 Turning Points 2000 Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century Anthony W. Jackson, Gayle W. Jackson Teachers College Press p.2 3 URL: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/mlepolicy.html last updated May 14, 2009 4 URL: http://www.amle.org/portals/0/pdf/about/twb/This_We_Believe_Exec_Summary.pdf

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MiddleSchools.TwooftenhighperformingNewYorkStatemiddle schoolsspangrades5through8.5 Researchpublishedin2011bySchwartz,Stiefel,Rubensteinand Zabelfoundthatthelongerstudentsareintheschoolbeforehigh school,thehigheristheireighthgradeacademicachievement.A grade58schoolleadstobetterresultsthanagrade68oragrade78 school.6Apaperhasbeengiventotheboardwhichfindsthat movingstudentsfromelementarytomiddleschoolin6thor7thgrade causessignificantdropsinacademicachievement.7Thisisnot inconsistentwiththepreviouspaperandsupportsmovingaway fromagrade68,orgrade78configuration. Thesuccessofachangetoagrade58middleschoolconfiguration dependsonoureducationalstafffromsuperintendenttoprincipal toteachersandclassroomaidestoothersupportstaff.Iamconfident thatourstaffwillbesuccessful.Theschoolboardwillneedtobe vigilantthatitis.IwillproposetotheBoardofEducationthatit
Best Practices from High-Performing Middle Schools, Kristen C. Wilcox and Janet I. Angelis, Teachers College Press 2009 p.84 6 The Path Not Taken: How Does School Organization Affect Eighth-Grade Achievement? Amy Ellen Schwartz, Leanna Stiefel, Ross Rubenstein and Jeffrey Zabel 2011 American Educational Research Association http://epa.sagepub.com/content/33/3/293 Stuck in the Middle: Impacts of Grade Configuration in Public Schools, Jonah E. Rockoff and Benjamin B. Lockwood, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, 2010 URL: http://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jrockoff/papers/Rockoff%20Lockwood%20JPubE%202nd%20Revi sion%20June%202010.pdf
7 5

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establishaCommitteeonCurriculumandInstructiontomonitorthe implementationandperformanceofnewandongoingacademic programs,andmakeregularreportstothefullboard.This committeewouldbesimilartotheAudit&FinanceCommittee, whichmonitorsthebusinessandfinancialperformanceofthe district. PropertyValues Somepeoplearesayingthatitisobviousthatpropertyvalueswill decline.Idontknowthattobeobvious.Ifwehavetocutmorestaff toreachabalancedbudget,willthatresultinalesserimpacton propertyvalues? Whatwouldhappenifabudgetdidntpass?Wewouldnotbe allowedtoincreasethetaxlevy,andwewouldbeforcedtomake draconiancutsandimplementtheminafewweeks. IfmoneyfromDr.Padalinosplanallowsustoenhanceeducational programsandperformance,willthatattractnewpeopleintothe district,increasingthetaxbaseandraisingpropertyvalues?That seemsafeasibleoutcometome.

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Conclusion ImadethefollowingPostItwhenIwasparticipatingintheAuditof CurriculuminFebruary,2009.PPIMisamnemonicforthemajor componentsofdevelopingandexecutingaplan.

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WithregardstoDr.Padalinosredistrictingplan,theBoardof EducationisatthePolicystage.WemustadoptDr.Padalinosplan oranotherplan.Notalloftheproblemsaresolvedbeforethepolicy isadopted;infact,thepolicyisadoptedtoenablethedistricttomove forwardtothePlanning(20122013)andImplementation(2013and beyond).Problemsolvingwilltakeplaceonanongoingbasisfrom thetimethepolicyisadopted.Therewillbeproblemsthatarisethat wedontanticipate.Thatisnormal.Itwillbetheresponsibilityof theboardtoMonitortheplanningandimplementationtoensurethe resultsweanticipateareachieved. IdothinkthattheeducationalbenefitsofDr.Padalinosplanareat leastasgreatasthefinancialbenefits,andthefinancialbenefitsare large.Foralloftheabovereasons,Isupporttheplan.

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Appendix ChildrenaregrowingupfasterthanwhenIwasingradeschool.I dontneedaPh.D.inchildhooddevelopmentorbeapracticing pediatriciantobeconfidentinassertingthat.Icancomparemy daughterschildhoodtomyownandknowthattobethecase. Mymotherwasahomemaker.Idontrememberthetermstayat homemom.Somemomshadjobsastelephoneoperators.Every phonecallwentthroughtheswitchboardsinthetelephonebuilding. WehadblackandwhiteTVwithABC,CBS,NBC,andChannel13. RadiowasAM.OzzieandHarrietwenttosleepinseparatetwin beds.OnAmericanBandstand,girlsworedressesandboyswore jacketandties.Thosedaysarenotgoingtoreturn. Insixthgrade,mydaughterhadthemathproblem,Whatis2raised tothezeropower?IdontthinkIhadthatproblemuntilatleast tenthgrade. Ourchildrenarematurebeyondwhatwewereaschildren,andin manywayswedemandit.