Superintendent Tata Discusses Strengthening Schools
April 8, 2011 - Superintendent Tony Tata talked with reporters and photographers today about his use of the budget to strengthen schools, the concerns he has heard about under enrolled year-round schools and the work of his student assignment task force.Listen to Superintendent Tata's news conference 23 minute mp3 file |
Use of the budget to strengthen schools
Tata offered his thanks to the school board for its continued support of his proposed budget including approval by the board at its meeting Tuesday to support five under enrolled elementary schools. The board agreed to approve five schools receiving extra funding for months of employment for teachers and to receive the three full time specials teachers for physical education, art and music. The schools that may receive this assistance include Aversboro, Bailywick, Hilburn Drive, Jeffery's Grove and Root.
Tata said schools have until April 18 to apply to become part of the STEM and Global Schools Networks. He said WCPSS Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens will lead an evaluation committee to recommend 10 schools, six elementary, two middle and two high schools.
The evaluation committee will use a five-categories to evaluate the applications. These guidelines include whether the school has the capacity to hold more students and whether being part of the network will help the school to be in high demand.
The STEM Schools Collaborative Network is of a group of schools with dedicated programs focused on science, technology, engineering and math. These schools partner with the NC STEM Collaborative. WCPSS currently has 11 schools with a STEM theme, but needs five more to complete the network.
The Global Schools Network consists of schools dedicated to programs promoting global awareness, language learning and international exchange. These schools have a partnership with World View as well as other districts that are part of the NC Global Schools Network. WCPSS currently has 12 schools with a global theme and has availability for five additional schools.
Concerns about under enrolled year-round schools
Tata told reporters about the concerns he had heard from principals and parents in his visits to under enrolled multi-track, year-round schools. He talked with the school board in a work session on Tuesday about the possibility of providing these schools flexibility of moving to a single track.
He said principals at the 14 under enrolled year-round schools will be asked to survey parents, staff and students. Then the school system will use that feedback in making decisions about changing these schools to a single track for 2011-12.
“Those schools are currently under enrolled and we are simply looking at can we use that capacity better, can we save money and can we better serve parents and students,” said Tata.” No decisions have been made. And I will not make a decision until I have all the feedback in.”
The 14 schools are Alston Ridge, Ballentine, Banks Road, East Garner, Harris Creek, Highcroft, Lake Myra, Rand Road, River Bend, Timber Drive, Wakefield and West Lake elementary schools and East Cary and Holly Grove middle schools.
Work of the student assignment task force
Tata said he met every day this week with the student assignment task force. He appointed the six-member task force to recommend a process for student assignment. The group is looking at six courses of action that range from the current assignment of students by the school system to the proposed Wake Choice Plan where parents choose a school. The group has 15 evaluative criteria as they consider the six courses of action.
“We are deep into the modeling of different courses of action,” said Tata. “We have reached out to other school districts that have a variety of different student assignment plans. We are looking at best practices. We are looking at why some student assignment plans did not work and we are trying to make sure we learn the lessons from those.”
Tata reviewed the AdvancEd report with the reporters. He discussed each of the seven action steps in the report. AdvancED is the accreditation division of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
“We take very seriously the report that AdvancEd brought to us. I asked Dr. Elgart to please provide us that report within 30 days so that I could include it in my listening tour and as part of my strategic plan,” said Tata. “We owe it to our students to ensure that the diplomas that they earn are recognized and welcomes by colleges and universities across the country.”
Tata said the creation by the school board of a mission, vision and set of core beliefs will provide the foundation for the creation of a strategic plan, one of the action steps in the AdvanEd report. Tata said the school system will continue to work very closely on these directed actions.