Director Carr Would Like Input on Budget Issues

I had written to the Board about the lack of engagement during this budget cycle. I had mentioned how Bellevue seemed eager to ask parents for help in guiding difficult budgeting choices. I heard back from Director Sherry Carr. She said that Bellevue had modeled Lake Washington and that they are both a best practices model. (She also noted that Bellevue had started its reform/improvement work over a decade ago and so is in a different place than Seattle.)

June 10th is the next meeting for the Audit and Finance Committee. At that meeting they will be discussing improvements for the 2011-2012 budget cycle and it must include improved community engagement. She is interested in hearing from parents and community on how these improvements might work. Here are some suggested questions to help guide your answers:
  • What about the process worked?
  • What didn't work?
  • What changes would you recommend?
  • Would the process that Bellevue used work?
  • Anything else?
Here is a link for a reference to what was done by SPS this year.

Sherry is the head of A&F; contact her at sherry.carr@seattleschools.org
Peter Maier is also on the Committee: peter.maier@seattleschools.org
Michael DeBell is also a member of the Committee: michael.debell@seattleschools.org

Comments

seattle citizen said…
"(She also noted that Bellevue had started its reform/improvement work over a decade ago and so is in a different place than Seattle.)"

Hmmm....what does THIS mean? Aren't there always budget issues? What has Bellevue "reformed" in its budget process that puts it in a "different" place than Seattle?

Is community outreach a part of "reform," or just something that could or couldn't be done over the years?
dan dempsey said…
WOW!!!!

So Carr votes for dumping vast quantities of other schools money into Cleveland STEM and now wishes public guidance.

Academic coaches for teachers .... research shows have no demonstrated positive effect in any controlled study.

The rubber stampers are looking for ___ ?? (community engagement)

Hope someone can help.

How about Meg Diaz.

=========
(1) Big Budget for more lawsuits...
(2) Settlement account to pay for disparate impact on educationally disadvantaged learners from "SPS malpractice" as this legal class seeks additional remediation (using known effective efficient practices) both prior to and after graduation.
=========
Dan
seattle citizen said…
Budget some money for the Native American education group that lost their grant. Budget twice the grant amount.
Stu said…
How 'bout a hundred thou for someone to come in, fix the computer system, retire the VAX, and move on? Of course, you lose one of your big excuses by getting rid of the VAX . . . hmm, never mind.

stu
Josh Hayes said…
Stu, don't get me going. I know, personally, at least a dozen database professionals who could migrate all the stuff from the VAX to a modern (probably unix-based, but I'm flexible) server solution, for small five-figure amounts. In a couple of months, tops.

The idea that this is some technological Everest is an idiotic fraud. Any competent administrator would have done this years ago. The fact that it hasn't been done, well...
dan dempsey said…
Josh,

Any competent administrator ....

NOW I get it.

Thanks,

Dan
Charlie Mas said…
So, now that all of the budget decisions are made and irrevocable, Director Carr wants input on budget issues.

Great timing.

She should take her budget issue input from the State Auditor's office.
It's a real shame that a
director as weak as Carr should
lead this important committee.
Having already been found to have
acted in an 'arbitrary and
capricious' way in railroading
the Discovery Math selection now
she gets to mess up the budget?.

We are talking about the "Director"
who.....

Used her child's opinion in
making a district wide decision to
adopt Discovery Math. This fact was
entered as evidence in the lawsuit
when the Board tried to "justify"
their "rigorous" approach to the
adoption. Having questioned her
on this she stubbornly refuses to
understand/acknowledge that her
single child's experience/opinion
is statistically irrelevant and
in no way should used to determine
a district wide adoption.

On 3/3 she made a ridiculous speech
to the community to justify her
reasoning to appeal the Spector
decision. To suggest other states
are quaking in their boots to the
Spector RCW decision is laughable.
To suggest that the Spector
decision sets a precedent is just
plain wrong. At times facts mean
little to Sherry; especially when
she tries to dodge accountability
for her apalling actions.

Seems incapable of understanding
that the Superintendent has a
conflict of interest with the
Broad Foundation (being a director
and channeling tax dollars their
way) and refuses to even consider
cutting ties and save the district
money when the interns are paid
fully by the district.

When questioned on the dubious
statements the superintendent made
claiming her Southeast Initiative a
"success" her reaction was simply
to request details from the
superintendent. Case closed for
Sherry, no information back to me
(what a surprise).

Singapore Math (or lack off).
Apparently this was not a funding
issue, simply that the previous
CAO did not implement it. Of course
she promised to follow up on this.
Case closed for Sherry, with no
information back to me.

So in summary, I'm not happy with
her decision making capabilities or
her ability to follow through on
requests for information.
I simply don't believe she has any
interest/ability to make the
required hard decisions that would
offend the Superintendent,
hence I'm not enthralled with the
prospect of her leading this
committee.
dan dempsey said…
This would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

The appeal of the Spector Math decision makes sense only for those who believe the exclusion of evidence in decision making in violation of state law is a good idea.

Ms. Carr is for "the exclusion of evidence".

Now she is seeking guidance from the public in making budget decisions after all the spending decisions are done.

Did not Meg Diaz give her enough budget information on Cleveland STEM and the $800,000 NTN contract?

I am all for recalling Ms. Carr as her performance is pathetic. Look at the District that she supposedly directs .... Misfeasance and Malfeasance are regular occurrences ... are not the Directors ultimately accountable for this?

Has the Board sanctioned their only employee who directs this disaster? No the Board gives her bonuses and votes (4 to 2 on 2-3-10) for an NTN contract that is not there because she recommends it.

REALLY SAD .. not hilarious.

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

Why the Majority of the Board Needs to be Filled with New Faces

Who Is A. J. Crabill (and why should you care)?