New Board Action Report

Have you noticed the new format of School Board Action Reports?

They have some new sections. Each Action Report now has a section for each of several basic bits of information. They are:

Date
From
Lead Staff
Strategic Theme/Focus Area
Title and brief description with introduction and action dates
Timeline for Implementation
Recommeded Motion
Issue
Best Practices
Research and Data Sources
Policy Implications
Fiscal Impact/Revenue Source
Community Engagement process
Conclusion/Recommendation
Attachments

This is TOTALLY COOL! We cannot make data-based decisions unless we bring the data to the decision point. If people are going to be held accountable for doing community engagement, then we need to document when and how it was done. These action reports are WAY better than what we had before. Congratulations to those who created the new format. Good job!!

Comments

Dan Dempsey said…
Charlie,

I agree Great Form -- now will it be followed?

I would love to see this filled out in regard to the Everyday Math adoption of May 2007.

Perhaps this can end some of the fraudulent practices.

Hopefully a wonderful step in the right direction.

Dan
9/14/07, 2:37 PM
Dan Dempsey said…
Charlie,

Now if the SPS would give some lead time on many of the issues rather than Introduction and Slam-Dunk Adoption 2 weeks later after ignoring public comments. This could really be an improvement.

It is the ignoring of relevant data that I find fraudulent. This outfit continues in this regard - watch the school board meetings. Things may be a bit better than under rogue Supt. Manhas but not much so far.

This could be a vast inprovement or just another smoke screen. Time will tell.

Dan
9/14/07, 3:39 PM
Charlie Mas said…
Dan, and like-minded others, I absolutely agree that documenting the data, research, best practices, and community engagement (or lack of them) doesn't guarantee that they will be used, but it does document their absence. You will note for a few of the items on the Board's agenda there either is no community engagement or really weak community engagement (along the lines of "our committee meetings on this topic have been open to the public"). I expect that people will be able to use the documented lack of community engagement (or data, or research) as part of their cogent and convincing arguments against the adoption of some action items.
9/14/07, 6:07 PM
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