tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post910692469471085800..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Audit Committee Meeting Last WeekMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81684030236577249492010-09-28T12:03:02.743-07:002010-09-28T12:03:02.743-07:00AEIC, I would agree with your assessment of Holly ...AEIC, I would agree with your assessment of Holly Ferguson.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51385610507392735362010-09-28T11:51:52.685-07:002010-09-28T11:51:52.685-07:00Oh! I totally forgot! The Board should also get co...Oh! I totally forgot! The Board should also get comprehensive reports on the progress of the Strategic Plan - reports that update them on every single project, not reports that cherry pick.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-84759826890964803032010-09-28T11:49:46.428-07:002010-09-28T11:49:46.428-07:00Here is the result of some quick research on my pa...Here is the result of some quick research on my part - the sort of research that anyone could do in a few minutes.<br /><br />Policies regarding the annual reports on programs:<br /><br /><i><b>Policy B61.00</b><br />The Superintendent of Schools shall:<br />• Give leadership in the continuing development, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the educational program.<br />• Prepare and present reports on the educational program as required.<br />• Provide annual report on District programs.<br /><br /><b>Policy B46.00</b><br />The Superintendent shall be responsible for developing administrative procedures to implement policies adopted by the Board.<br /><br /><b>Policy C42.00</b><br />It is the policy of the Seattle School Board to provide for the continuous and rigorous evaluation of its educational policies and programs to determine (a) whether such policies and programs are being carried out, and (b) the extent to which they are successful in achieving intended outcomes.<br /><br /><b>Policy C45.00</b><br />It is the policy of the Seattle School District to develop and maintain a high level of effectiveness in each of its schools and programs as determined by multiple measures of improvement and in relation to established standards. A review of all schools and programs will be conducted annually using a process and criteria as approved by the Superintendent.<br /><br />The Superintendent shall have responsibility for the equitable distribution of all programs in order to maximize academic achievement and enrollment.</i><br /><br />Here is a quick version of the list of the annual reports that the Board should require:<br /><br />Student Programs<br />• Academic Assurances<br />• Advanced Learning – APP<br />• Advanced Learning – Spectrum<br />• Advanced Learning – ALOs<br />• Advanced Learning – AP and IB<br />• Athletics<br />• Arts<br />• Bilingual Education<br />• Career and Technical Education<br />• Community Learning<br />• Early Entrance Kindergarten<br />• Family Support Workers<br />• Head Start<br />• Homeless Students<br />• Huchoosedah Indian Education<br />• International Programs<br />• Language Arts<br />• Mathematics<br />• Music<br />• Performing Arts<br />• Physical Education<br />• Pre-school<br />• SPI – Discipline<br />• SPI - Interventions<br />• SPI – Summer School<br />• SPI - Truancy<br />• Science<br />• Service learning<br />• Social Studies<br />• Special Education<br />• Traffic Education<br />• World Languages<br /><br />Internal Programs<br />• Accounting<br />• Assessment<br />• Audit<br />• Budget<br />• Facilities<br />• Capital Projects<br />• Communications<br />• Community Engagement<br />• Customer Service<br />• District Improvement Plan<br />• Enrollment Planning<br />• Enrollment Services<br />• Environmental Health and Safety<br />• General Counsel<br />• Government Relations<br />• Grants and Fiscal Compliance<br />• Health Services<br />• Human Resources - Hiring<br />• Human Resources – Evaluation<br />• Information Technology<br />• Learning Assistance Program<br />• Library Services<br />• Nutrition Services<br />• Title I<br />• Transportation<br />• I -728 Student Achievement Fund<br />• Professional Development<br />• Program Placement<br />• Procurement<br />• Recycling<br />• Risk Management<br />• School-Family Partnerships<br />• Small Business Development Program<br />• The Source<br />• STAR Program<br />• Volunteers<br /><br />There could be additions or deletions from these lists, but this is a good starting point.<br /><br />While the lists look long, I don't think there is more here than the Board should be ready to review.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69603463255733641272010-09-28T09:04:35.820-07:002010-09-28T09:04:35.820-07:00First Arnold, no, thank goodness, it's just $1...First Arnold, no, thank goodness, it's just $1.2M. The issue was raised by the Auditor around the $1.8M spent over the last two years on the program. The district could only identify $600K that benefited SPS projects so that was allowed but the rest has to be paid back.<br /><br />Thanks for pointing that out.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43357444338101766902010-09-28T08:56:28.308-07:002010-09-28T08:56:28.308-07:00"The district will have to pay back "$1...."The district will have to pay back "$1.2M from the General Fund to the Capital Fund." <br /><br />Melissa, I understood $1.8 million was taken from the General Fund to the Capital fund for the small business blunder. Are you saying there was an additonal $1.2 million dollars taken from the General Fund for inappropriate Capital Fund expenditures?The First Arnoldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13100989339523176602010-09-28T08:32:03.693-07:002010-09-28T08:32:03.693-07:00Well thank you for that Eric. I'm such a slac...Well thank you for that Eric. I'm such a slacker.<br /><br />First of all, the district had the opportunity to TELL the auditor about this policy during the audit and didn't. My solution is for the district, as the audit points out, to know their OWN policies and procedures. <br /><br />Second, is this key phrase "for certificated and classified school <br />employees." You may not have followed the whole story but you see there is an organization for retiring long-term SPS employees. They put on their own modest luncheon every year (which the district does not fund but SEA and PASS generally contribute). They pay their own way. They have invited the Superintendent for the last 3 years and she has never attended. For whatever reason (and I think it was because of Cheryl Chow retiring, the Superintendent decided to have a fancy party. She did NOT invite all long-term retirees. And, the district has stated that they will continue having parties but ONLY for certificated long-term staff who retire. I guess the classified staff don't count.<br /><br />My solution, in alleged hard times, is what I told the Board and the Superintendent. Have the Superintendent attend the luncheon put on by the organized group, stand by the door and shake every retiree's hand and thank them for their service. That's probably worth more than a fancy party.<br /><br />Charlie, they did that work on the white board after I left.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20706172717572312202010-09-28T08:27:12.385-07:002010-09-28T08:27:12.385-07:00Anyone concerned that Holly Ferguson is tasked wit...Anyone concerned that Holly Ferguson is tasked with this work? She is one who often tells the Board what to do, and last I checked, her educational background and experience is law. If the failures are around legal compliance, I have to wonder how much of that is over reliance on her and a misplaced belief in her legal knowledge.<br /><br />AICEAEICnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52514167166009570822010-09-28T07:37:16.032-07:002010-09-28T07:37:16.032-07:00Brilliant Eric M, the solution is "hiring so...Brilliant Eric M, the solution is "hiring somebody better" as a superintendent? Wow! You mean, it's just the same solution we need for getting rid of all the crappy teachers? Incredible. It's all so simple!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />XYZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-37586410489539714522010-09-28T07:05:40.062-07:002010-09-28T07:05:40.062-07:00I caught the end of the Curriculum and Instruction...I caught the end of the Curriculum and Instruction Policy Committee meeting in the Board room on Monday, and there, on the whiteboard, was an outline of the Board response to the audit.<br /><br />I gotta tell ya, it looked pretty good. If they really mean what they wrote on that board, then they are on the right path.<br /><br />I couldn't write it all down - there was too much and it seemed inappropriate - but the focus was correct. It stayed on the governance side of the line but completely covered oversight. The part I liked best was about getting annual performance reports on all District programs. I spoke, briefly, with Director DeBell about the stuff on the whiteboard and told him how much I liked it. He said that it was the product of his and Ms Ferguson's work that day. I encouraged him to include academic programs in the list of annual reports. Sure, reports on transportation, nutrition services, and facilities, but also on the quality and efficacy of Special Education, ELL, and each of the advanced learning programs.<br /><br />So, as far as solutions go, there are some on the horizon and, at least at this range, they look pretty good.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21773448587080360542010-09-28T06:38:46.806-07:002010-09-28T06:38:46.806-07:00Hey, Eric. That true-ism about "well, unless ...Hey, Eric. That true-ism about "well, unless you've got solutions, don't criticize!" You're ridiculous.That works for kids on a playground, but not for a billion-dollar a year mismanaged public trust. <br /><br />Here's why.<br />a) We taxpayers PAY a lot of people at JSCEE a lot of money to find solutions. Bloggers here are raising obvious, glaring problems. FOR FREE. They're supposed to do everything??? Really? It is a full-time job for a phalanx of auditors to daylight SPS operations. <br /><br />b) The solutions are, in the case of this audit, completely obvious. Learn, Know, and Follow the law, state and federal. Learn, Know, and Follow district policy. Prioritize the basics: compliance & counting, over pie-in-the-sky Central admin projects.<br /><br />There, see. There's some solutions. So instead of everything being negative and nasty, it's sunshine and unicorns.<br /><br />And I bet you haven't read EVERYTHING, either. No-one could.<br /><br />How about this for a solution? Dump the Superintendent (it turns out, if she's fired, we only owe her one year, not 3, so a total bargain). Clean out her Broad minions. Then take a deep breath, and begin the work of restoring the damage she's wrought.Eric Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17663977355241677800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49653935456180378102010-09-28T00:10:03.117-07:002010-09-28T00:10:03.117-07:00Thanks Eric. Says that monetary awards cannot be g...Thanks Eric. Says that monetary awards cannot be given with public funds. So what about the three $100 gift cards?Dorothy Nevillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17108759281089768738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34471409819236612382010-09-27T23:36:27.482-07:002010-09-27T23:36:27.482-07:00Hi, Here is the said policy under F13.00 regarding...Hi, Here is the said policy under F13.00 regarding the retirement party.<br /><br />http://www.seattleschools.org/area/policies/f/index.dxml<br /><br />You people should read the Policies. I know there's a lot to read, but I did it. And you'd be better informed if you did.<br /><br />I mean I appreciate you pointing out the problems, but where are your SOLUTIONS!?Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04097438981362003610noreply@blogger.com