The Independence Institute’s Ben DeGrow says the only impediment to sustainable school reform in Douglas County is the teacher’s union.
A new year is upon us. While many students get ready to wrap up their extended school breaks the disgruntled teachers union leadership in Douglas County continues its smear campaign. And while reform opponents stretch the truth to attack the school board that bid them ‘adieu,’ their attacks also leave behind some collateral damage. They swing and miss the target but end up hitting others.
A Dougco school board community forum one year ago drew a packed audience. EdNews file photo.
A new YourHub piece by the Denver Post’s Clayton Woullard shines some light on the activities of the union’s local front group “Douglas County Classrooms” and its forceful push to resist both expanded choice for families and a more accountable, performance-based school system. Unfortunately, the union-backed group’s self-serving message conflicts with some of the facts:
[Douglas County Federation field representative Mandy Sheets] also mentioned parents and teachers in Douglas County Classrooms are concerned by the amount of time the board is spending in executive session, the increased work load of high school teachers with a new schedule that is meant to save money, she said, while the district continues to grow its general fund balance. District officials have said the balance is at levels it requires in case of emergency.
Seems they’re concerned about a board spending too much time in executive session the same way that a Mafia enforcer might be concerned about his victim spending too much time in the hospital with broken knees. Behind the scenes, DCFT actively supported the ongoing lawsuit against the Choice Scholarship program. The lawsuit has contributed significantly to the board needing to spend decision-making time behind closed doors.
Union leadership also continues to complain about the district’s fiscally conservative practices. Try explaining to taxpayers, though, why they shouldn’t be happy with a stable budget that sustains teacher raises and a consistently high bond rating. After all, DCSD has focused support on students and classrooms, cutting from the central administration annual budget 20 full-time positions and $1.3 million (20 percent) over the past five years. DCFT could be upset because the board slashed 100 percent of taxpayer funds (roughly $300,000/year) used to pay for unaccountable union officers to leave the classroom.
As for the new high school schedule Sheets grumbles about, 90 percent of students surveyed like the change. Without sacrificing overall instructional time, the plan grants more course options and flexibility. The top reason given by the handful who don’t like the change: “Some teachers have a negative attitude.” Hmmm… I wonder why?
Sheets also gripes that a part of the developing performance pay plan, known as “world-class education targets,” provide “no clarity” and ultimately no benefit to students. But the 100 Dougco teachers who have spent weekend hours collaborating to develop these targets certainly would have to disagree. Not only students and taxpayers, but also other teachers, are left under the bus by the union’s indiscriminate attacks.
Meanwhile, a relatively high-performing district continues to shine (19 John Irwin schools of excellence) while striving to build a system of greater excellence and making sure that all students’ needs are served. The high stakes of November’s Douglas County school board elections suddenly have become even clearer.
About the author
Ben DeGrow is senior education policy analyst for the Independence Institute, a free market think tank. Since joining the organization in 2003, DeGrow has focused on collective bargaining, teacher employment and school finance. He oversees the Education Policy Center’s informational website for teachers and coordinates the institute’s outreach to teachers.
Nothing new here. Ben DeGrow, avid anti-union bully, repeats his old and tired attack on the union. It is just empty words. Regardless of the drivel DeGrow is spouting, the community is beginning to wake up to what the DCSD BoE has tried to do in DougCo. Realtors are telling people NOT to buy houses in DougCo because of the crazy school board. Things will change this fall with the election of four new board members who will bring some sanity back to a once-thriving district.
The same tired old talking points, blaming the union for everything. Most of DougCo’s teachers belong to the union. So, let’s just blame our children’s teachers and not their leadership for everything. Prior Boards worked well with the union, this one does not. The Board members show open hostility and disdain for anyone who does not believe in their side, (teachers or the public) or has a different opinion on how things should be run. Prior Boards and this Board at one time supported compensation for union members. It was only recently, when they wanted to strong arm the contract negotiations that the Board used that as a hammer to hit the union.
The School Board should not have to be in executive session every single meeting for such a long period of time, no matter the legal questions surrounding the illegal voucher program. The District’s highly paid (nearly a million dollars so far) lawyers should be able to handle what’s happening now without the Board being involved. The issue has been through Appeals Court, and there has been no decision yet. Planning on what they’re do to get the issue to the State Supreme Court and beyond seems a little premature at this point– not to mention costly and time consuming. If the million dollar payday so far has yielded only what we’ve seen, I’d have to say the Board might consider switching lawyers.
More than half (or better) of the voters in the District do not support the current Board’s obvious mission to privatize education. That is why there is talk of supporting better candidates in the next election. There is unrest in the community, and the Board should shoulder much of the blame for creating it.
They were elected to represent everyone. And, when more than half of your constituents have a problem with you, maybe you should reconsider your direction.
Sue, I appreciate that you’re invested in undermining this board’s reform agenda as much as I am invested in supporting it. It’s certainly your right to criticize and tear down district leaders, if you choose to do so, but it’s easier to dismissively call names than to substantively refute facts.
Which realtors “are telling people NOT to buy houses in DougCo because of the crazy school board,” and what has been the effect? Ed News reported yesterday on a new nonpartisan legislative analysis that says “Metro growth will be strongest in the Brighton, Denver and Douglas County districts” in 2013-14 & 2014-15 (http://www.ednewscolorado.org/2013/01/02/54247-continued-student-growth-predicted).
Let’s look at the growing fund balance of $20 million dollars per year over the last three years.
Let’s look at the cuts at the high school level, middle schools, and elementary schools.
Let’s look at the TABOR plus 1% fund balance of approximately $20 million dollars.
I am upset as a taxpayer of the funds you mention in your OP that are not being utilized right now on the public schools they are intended for.
That equals about $80 million dollars. $60 million that should be used in schools today. Why can a group, no matter who they are, not question the board of education and district leaders in Douglas County Schools and not be called names?
Education is priceless. Finding out how this school district does not utilize its funds to pay for our schools and student’s education and question the entity does not make anyone against reform, it makes them informed and educated.
As stated by the above post, the voters voted down the proposed performance pay plan in the last mil/bond election in 2010. This is correct, is it not?
If Mr. Degrow, you know that the Executive Sessions have been spent behind closed doors because as you stated, “Behind the scenes, DCFT actively supported the ongoing lawsuit against the Choice Scholarship program. The lawsuit has contributed significantly to the board needing to spend decision-making time behind closed doors.” you must have some special privileges to know this information.
As a resident of Douglas County, I do not have access to the same information. But would love to have it.
As for 90% of high school students liking the new 6 of 8 schedule; how many students took the survey, what grades are they in, and what track are they taking? If candy is given to children and 90% of them say, “I love it” do we cave and continue on the same line of thinking? I think not. People are becoming educated on the dismantling of Douglas County Schools and I will not roll over for that mind-set.
I am becoming more and more educated about nuances of this school district and the more I become educated, the more I am shocked by the ill-behavior of those that do not like questions being asked or mistakes being pointed out. No pushing needed, I educate myself.
The fund balance increased at the end of 2012, in anticipation for the 2012-2013 school year. $6.4M of that money does go back to schools for the 2012-2013 school year. At least $8M is carry over funds for individual schools, money those schools have saved. $2.2M is the PERA increase the district is paying so teachers don’t have to, $5.6M is compensation for staff. $13M is TABOR, which needs to be set aside by law I believe. The details can be found here. Where categories should the $60M be taken from to go back to the schools? http://dougcoparentalliance.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/a-closer-look-at-the-dcsd-fund-balances/
Kevin:
1. Re funds and fund balances, here is a good primer: http://dougcoparentalliance.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/a-closer-look-at-the-dcsd-fund-balances/ — It’s become almost comical to see how much this issue of the fund balances has been misportrayed by union officers and sympathizers even after it has been clearly explained on several instances.
2. Any group has the right to criticize the school board and district leaders, and anyone has the right to call names. Though neither calling names (as the first commenter on this piece has done) nor making claims loosely based on facts helps to advance a cause.
3. In 2011 (not 2010), Douglas County voters rejected a tax increase, from which a significant amount of the proposed revenue increase was to be used to finance the infrastructure of a performance pay system. Did DCF actively support that tax increase or not? At the same election, voters also elected 3 of the 7 current Board reform majority.
4. Re executive sessions, I am privy to no more info than you or any other Douglas County resident (or DCF union negotiator, for that matter). You can consult Board agendas to see the topics covered (http://eboard.dcsdk12.org/). Consulting for legal advice on the lawsuit is a regular topic, but not the only matter.
5. Do you have more quantifiable info about the issue of high school scheduling besides the student survey cited? It might be helpful to have more evidence, but all I’ve seen is a talking point used as a bludgeon with which to attack.
6. Finally, you say people are “becoming educated on the dismantling of Douglas County Schools.” Based on the evidence, this seems like a wildly unsubstantiated claim. If you meant to say “the dismantling of the Douglas County teachers union,” that would be fair and understandable, given your position. But the two cannot be conflated.
The tactic of what you describe as educating people on the supposed “dismantling” of the school district goes beyond merely asking questions and pointing out mistakes, but rather looks more like creating an atmosphere of angst and crisis to justify the need for union power and perks.
Enough with the childish, playground-style bullying and name-calling. The hard-working members of the Douglas County Federation will continue this year to push for school reform that is sustainable, holds teachers and students accountable in a fair and comprehensive way, and improves teaching and learning. We also will press the school board to be far more accountable and transparent. Taxpayers have a right to watch the school board conduct its work in public, not hide behind closed doors, so that they can decide for themselves if the board is focusing on the right school reforms that will help every Douglas County student be well prepared for their next grade, college and/or career.
What reform, Mr. DeGrow? What has this regime done to improve education in Douglas County?
Thanks for another wonderful piece of hack journalism, Mr. DeGrow. I needed a good laugh this morning. The real facts, however, tell a much different story. It isn’t just “union leadership” who are unhappy about the inordinate amount of time this board spends in executive session. The lawsuit over the unconstitutional and illegal voucher program notwithstanding, there is no valid reason for this public schools board to spend over half its time behind closed doors discussing matters of public interest.
Why don’t you try explaining to taxpayers why their kids are missing out on opportunities due to budget cuts, parents are paying for bus rides to and from school, and fees have increased while we continue to see the fund balance grow by tens of millions of dollars?
As far as the high school schedule is concerned, I find it interesting that you deem a survey of roughly 40 students valid while your friends in DCSD deemed a survey of almost 4,000 parents invalid-a survey that emphatically showed parents are not happy with the direction of this school district. Of course these kids like the new high school schedule. High school students in Douglas County go to school on a part-time basis. What kid wouldn’t like that? The truth is that this schedule is not good for kids, it has reduced instructional time, it has reduced planning time for teachers, and it is wildly unpopular with parents.
The evaluation system that the DCSD regime decided to go with in lieu of the state system that actually was developed in collaboration with teachers is so poorly designed that none of us, including administrators who are evaluating teachers, have any idea what is expected of us. The bottom line is this-the evaluation system is not complete and the benchmarks have not been defined. Nobody seems to know what these “World Class Targets” are, so I’d say Sheets is right on when she says that the evaluation system provides no clarity. It’s clear as mud. This district continues to shine in spite of this school board and because of the great teachers we still have. However, we can’t continue to see a 42% increase in teacher turnover from year-to-year and sustain our excellence.
The good news is that your pals on the Douglas County School Board are their own worst enemy. They continue to anger the parents in our district at nearly every turn. Next year the voters in our county will have the opportunity to elect 4 new board members who will return the focus back to our kids. I have been attending house parties with parents and we have been hearing from realtors that prospective home buyers are asking them not to look for homes in Douglas County. This affects every homeowner in Douglas County.
This doesn’t have anything to do with the teacher’s union. This is about kids, and teachers and parents are working on ousting this regime so that we can return the focus back to our children.
All the voters have to do is ask themselves one simple question before next year’s election…is this school district better off than it was four years ago? The answer to that question will lead to the election of a new slate of school board members in 2013.
Before every executive session the reasons are given. Everyone knows what is discussed in executive session. They don’t know the details, that are protected by law. This is what is listed on the BOE agenda.
That the Board of Education convenes in Executive Session (a closed session) to discuss:
• Real Estate pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(a), e.g. the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or other property, specifically:
- Acquisition/Lease of school’s site in Parker
• Legal Issues to hold conference with the Board’s attorney to receive legal advice on specific legal questions pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(b), specifically:
- Cabinet contracts
- SB 191 requirements
- Legal obligations under CORA
- DCFT Request for Intervention
- LaRue v DCSD
- Review of Professional Services Contract(s)
• Negotiations pursuant to C.R.S. § 24-6-402(4)(e), specifically:
- ATU Between the CSS lawsuit, the DCFT negotiations, the complaint the DCFT filed with the Colorado State Department of Labor and Employment.
It would appear distraction and misinformation will continue to be the norm Mr. Degrow.
1. A primer is not needed when the school district balance is at a minimum of $83 million dollars. The numbers do not lie. Ms. Betz was the person on numerous occasions that stated, “It is easy to hide money.” This can be found in district notes and the audiophiles of open Negotiations. A non-supporter is neither a bully, name-caller, or sympathizer.
2. Any group has 1st amendment rights. Name calling was done in the OP and misdirecting attention to the reply to the OP is unprofessional at best.
3.So the failed attempt of the mil/bond was 2011. Thank you for the correction. As for the DCF support, there was support, even if the intentions by the district later proved to be untrue. I speak of the direction with the performance pay as it was laid out versus what is now happening.That is misrepresenting oneself. Whether intentional or accidental with a half a billion dollar budget, that is incomprehensible.
4.Let’s call a spade a spade Mr. Degrow, since that is what you insinuated with me being a DCF negotiator. I know no more information than my neighbors, but that has not stopped them from becoming informed of the direction of this district’s intentions. However, you seem very confident in your OP about knowing what is going on in closed door executive sessions. Just because we are told what is being discussed does not make it so. I have no hidden agenda, nor do I work somewhere that does not support my local school district. My goals are to ensure the long term educational objectives meet and when possible, exceed the very goals put in front of me for the sake of students. Education means more to me than money, fame, and my ideas being the ideas used for anyone’s agenda. I believe in public education.
5.No bludgeon, however, I have been trained on how to read and instruct how to read data and implement it. I question the few students that “love” the new schedule. As I originally posted, please look at the long term detriment this district is causing students by having less required classes/credits for graduation, less instructional time, and less collaboration working with peers. I would be happy to do a survey to get at the bottom of the barrel of questions, but that is for administration to do, as I am not the one with access to students.. I am a classroom teacher focusing on making the future of all children better, not cutting off the chance for greater opportunities to learn. I suppose touche could be spoken in regards to you wanting more quantifiable data, just like the staff would like any quantifiable data re: market based pay, cutting off of benefits, larger class sizes, more classes taught, and bonuses to Dr. Fagen’s administration. Who is responsible for the cuts? The district leaders and Board. Who will not listen to the community or its own staff? The district leaders and Board. Please, stick to the facts.
6. Let’s be clear Mr. Degrow, I did not mean what you want me to say re: the dismantling of our once great school district vs. the Douglas County Federation of Teachers. This is not about any Union/Anti-union sentiment that you will not let go of. When one has to re-hash an issue that was created for one’s cause, it does not help divert attention away from the fact that Douglas County families are becoming enlightened of the mismanagement of funds of this school district. Contrary to what “reasons” are given, posted, or boasted about. So if you expect me to roll over for you too, you will be sorely disappointed. It would seem some of the Board’s agenda reflected poor decisions by the district when the district released private information to a group that tried to smear people’s names. It would seem this Board has created some of the need for them to be in closed session. It is time for them to come out of the cave and be transparent. Cabinet contracts should be discussed openly for all to give input, not the select few to decide. When Mr. Carson boasted of being the most transparent school district in the state when he was selected to lead this board he spoke of being open and honest with how every last dime is spent. That has not only not happened, but more money is moved around and diverted for what appears to be projects unrelated to the schools begging for supplies. The same supplies Dr. Fagen boasted of having last year, which by the way, was because of our huge surplus of pencils, paper, and other office/classroom supplies. So before you try to pigeon hole me into one of your beat upon groups, look at the actions and words of the district leadership. I know I am. Neither they nor you will intimidate me or the people that deserve what is best for our public schools.
The focus has been and will always be about the kids and the future of the state of education in Douglas County Schools. That Mr. Degrow has been and always will be my mantra. Look at all of the notes from the past twelve years of committee work I have been involved with and you will see this for yourself. I am sure a CORA could be requested by you, your institute, or PLR.
Enough with the posturing.
For those who are interested in the growing fund balance in DCSD and other issues we are dealing with in Douglas County, please visit StrongSchoolsCoalition.com for more information. The Strong Schools Coalition is a group of parents, teachers, and community members who are concerned about the actions of the current school board regime in Douglas County. This is a summary of parent and employee surveys conducted in Douglas County over the last couple of years:
http://www.douglascountyclassrooms.com/storage/SSCTalkingPoints-July2012.pdf
Given the disatisfaction of parents and employees in DCSD, the next school board election can’t come soon enough.
Brian, I already responded to this same comment you left on http://education.i2i.org.
Kevin, your passion and dedication clearly shine through. I’ve already written my piece. While I find your remarks ultimately unpersuasive (perhaps you have another audience in mind or more evidence to share), what you and others have written here is truly informative. To characterize what I’ve written as “name calling” is the least persuasive of all. Intelligent, fair-minded readers can make that determination for themselves. More importantly, though, is how well AFT can persuade Douglas County voters of arguments like yours and that the election isn’t about restoring their power. I’m done “posturing” for now so I can help put my kids to bed.
You didn’t respond to much of anything I said, Ben. That’s understandable, though, because you have no factual basis upon which to stand. Your constant attempts to paint every teacher or parent who disagrees with the regime in Douglas County as “pro-union” is laughable. You never have anything of substance to add to any discussion and your extremely thin résumé as it relates to education is evident in everything you write.
I can’t decide if your feelings have been hurt because the voucher program in Douglas County was found to be illegal and you were no longer needed to run the sham charter school the district created, or if you are genuinely this ignorant of he issues in DCSD. Either way, I can’t imagine anyone who has children in Douglas County schools really takes you seriously.
Your analogy is so strange. I have searched the Internet for your background and education. What makes you an expert when it comes to education? Were you a teacher? Do you have any degrees that give you expertise in education issues. You are not even a part of the Douglas County community. Why do you think anyone should listen to you?
Ben DeGrow typifies the public voice against teachers’ unions, or any unons for that matter. According to these thinkers, teachers’ unions are obstacles to “education reform” and impede student achievement. Of course, these thinkers ignore reality. Charter schools were the brain child of the late Al Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers. Following years of experimentation in New York City, he and the AFT abandoned the idea. As to student achievement, it is higher in those states where teachers are most unionized and lower in those states where teachers are least unionized. Teachers’ unions do not obstruct, they innovate. What’s being accepted as “reform” lacks scholarship and would likely receive a low evaluation if submitted for a college level research project.
Mr. DeGrow often questions people’s motives for speaking out publicly about DCSD and its BOE. But, one thing all of these people have in common is that they are stakeholders in DCSD. Mr. DeGrow is not a stakeholder in DCSD. Why is he so invested in a district he has no ties to? Just maybe, it is Mr. DeGrow who has ulterior motives and is being guided by a political agenda.
Maureen, Ben Degrow was a substitute teacher for a year (or was it six months, Ben?) in Michigan. I guess that makes him qualified to be an education policy analyst for the Independence Institute.
I thought the Douglas County Board of Education stopped negotiating with the DCF union last summer. I’m not sure then how they have the power to impede anything.
If we want to see the genesis of “name calling” in this post, we need look no further than Mr. DeGrow’s labeling of honest disagreement as “smear tactics.”
As an educator and taxpayer, it’s hard to take seriously any think tank or school board that supports public funding for schools that teach that the earth is 6,000 years old. What kind of public policy organization would support policies that promote such ignorance? The Independence Institute (and their partners, including the Daniels Foundation) apparently disagree with the idea that an educated populace is necessary for our democracy (or Republic, if you prefer) to thrive.
But perhaps I need to rethink my position – maybe ignorance is a “choice” that should be more readily available to all.