Some thoughts on the EER.

As a candidate for the Board of Education, I would like to take a moment and share my response to the Excellence and Equity Report.  If you have not had a chance to review it, the link for the document is: Excellence and Equity: The Impact of Racial Inopportunity on Student Development and Achievement at Windsor High School

First, I think the report was incomplete in several areas. It was unfortunate that Dr. James did not request an extension of time to complete the study.  In his opening comments, at the meeting last month, he indicated he was under a tight time-frame so information was missing such as parental input.  I realize that the community felt this contract was initiated without the proper vetting process and that the division may not have presented the best environment to conduct research but I wish Dr. James would have asked for an extension to complete the study.  

It has clearly been documented that we already know what the youth think.  At bottom of page 7 of his report, Dr. James noted 

" …the district shared results from two recently conducted surveys of Windsor high school students. These surveys were the Student Voice Survey (2011) and the Comprehensive School Climate Inventory: Measuring the Climate for Learning (2012 and 2013)… The results will not be included in this analysis but were examined on the final day of data collection, and confirmed many of the concerns that students voiced in this work."

Again time management interfered with this research.  By waiting until the “final day of data collection” to read our reports, in which he confirmed what we knew with regards to student’s viewpoints.  The more interesting information, was missing.

This report reminds me of the definition of a consultant that goes: "A consultant is someone you pay, to tell you what you already know.”  So far unfortunately we have little new information.

In his report Dr. James states that they interviewed “60 educators/leaders, and 50 parents and community members”.  All the time and money that was taken to complete this report and 30% of the people that were interviewed did not have their input documented.  Isn’t this a report about how we, “the adults”, need to fix our achievement gap.  I hope that the Board of Education will request the raw data so that we may examine their responses.

I will preface my next statements with “I am not a researcher.” However, I am concerned with the first section of the report because it contained no adult responses.  They are arguably at least several legs of this stool, and they are missing.  I believe many would agree with me that the adults are the ones who must be held accountable.  It is the attitude of parents and professionals that will create an equalizing environment for our students.  Changes in behavior begin with pre-contemplation of those changes – this is where the adults need to begin.

I think the real question for the community is whether you are pleased with the direction that the current Board of Education and its leadership have taken our town over the past 20 plus years?  If nothing else the last 18 months have shown us a few things:

1. The lack of adherence to policy and procedures;
2. The leaderships, ‘What I say goes’ attitude especially in the face of clear issues;
3. Lack of community involvement in discussions;
4. Poor decision making;
5. Lack of respect for the taxpayers as we had to go through multiple referenda, and,
6. After 20+ years of attempting to fix the achievement gap, it still remains a problem.

I am not speaking for all Republicans but I am speaking as a father who has had many of my own struggles with the Windsor Public School System.  I am ready for a change.  I am ready for more accountability among the leadership, and a commitment to implementing policy as well as practice that will lead to a better future for ALL our children.

“The research team observed within the Windsor community an energy fueled by sincere concern for its children’s academic experiences... that focuses the collective energy and resources of the Windsor community to be the First Town to settle the achievement disparities among and between its children.” – Dr. James

I completely agree with the above statement.  

The voters most concerned with this issue must ask themselves, if the party in power [Democrats] have spent millions of your dollars, and 20 years, or put another way, almost 2 school generations (K-12) trying to solve this problem, and failed, why give them 2 more years to fail.  Our kids do not have time!  We do not have time!  We need a new approach and the current majority is clearly not that approach.  It is time to vote in a new and different majority.

I and the other Republican Candidates look forward to engaging the community and leading the charge to bridge the achievement gap, after all – a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

As always I am open to respectful comments and discussion.