09/09/2013 – RT3 – PhD Training

Video – Work Session

Video – Business Meeting

Recap – Work Session
Dr. Thompson – The Executive Leadership Academy was started under Dr. Atkinson to support district goal #2 at that time which stated excellence in education personnel. The DeKalb School Board approved the first year of this last year. The academy was designed to prepare potential district leaders for local and district level positions as opportunities were made available.
Requested Action – It is requested that the Board of Education approve the use of Race To The Top (RT3) Funds in the amount of $118,616 for the remaining 2013-2014 session of the Executive Leadership Academy.
Mayfield – How does this fit into our strategy of using RT3 funds? There are 5 categories of focus areas. Which focus area does this address?
[glossary slug=’interim-superintendent’]Interim Superintendent[/glossary] – We want to re emphasize this was an initiative of the previous Superintendent. You all can share what her vision was.
Dr. Jose Boza (Director of the School District Charter Office) – The vision of the previous Superintendent was to address goal #2 under the education and excellence plan which was to look at leadership development in the district and develop a strong succession plan for leaders in the district.
Mayfield – Where there some specific competencies we were supposed to be addressing beyond leadership?
Dr. Boza – This goes back to RT3 which looks at great teachers and great leaders.
Mayfield – What are our post plans for measuring the effectiveness of these dollars?
Dr. Boza – We do. As part of the RT3 funds, we measure each of our leadership academies on a monthly basis and sometimes yearly basis. We are looking at 4 things. The evaluation through Mercer, asking the students how they like the class. Tracking the participants through promotions. Using the leader keys performance standards and the central office evaluation instrument to determine how the participants are scoring in the exemplary range. We make sure the course work and research relates back to the school needs.
Mayfield – When do we expect to have the results of those measurements?
Dr. Bosa – We will have them after the 3rd year.
Mr. McMahan – Are we within the originally allocated budget?
Dr. Thompson – Yes
Mr. McMahan – Are there any guarantees these participants will stay at DeKalb Schools?
Dr. Thompson – As part of the agreement, they have to stay an additional 3 years.
Dr. Carter – Should we determine that we want to discontinue this program, how would this money be redistributed?
Dr. Thompson – We would have to meet with Dr. Beasley to determine where to spend it.
Dr. Morley – This is the 2nd year of the 3 year program?
Dr. Thomson – Yes
Mr. McMahan – What are the consequences if they don’t fulfill their agreement to stay for 3 years?
Dr. Boza – The contract with the participant says they will refund their entire amount if they leave the district early.
Dr. Johnson – Is there any opposition to putting this on the consent agenda? At least 3 people don’t want it on the consent agenda.
Recap – Business Meeting
Dr. Carter – This comes to us as year 2 of a 3 year program. We support the development of leadership, but I’m struck by the dollar amount of this proposal, $118K for 8 people. I have reservations for this expense with limited impact. I’d like to see these resources allocated to the bridge initiative and closer to the school house.
Dr. Morley – I agree in a sense with Dr. Carter. But, we already promised this program to them. There is no morality or ethics in cutting them off in the middle.
Dr. Carter
This is only the second year. If we commit to this, then we are also committing to a 3rd year as well or dumping them in year 3.
Staff – Year 2 is $118K. Year 3 is $99K.
Dr. Morley – Was there a contract with Mercer for 3 years?
Dr. Boza – The contract says we can pull out if we don’t have the funds.
Dr. Morley – Do we have the funds and have we committed those funds.
Dr. Boza – The contract was written per year. Funds cannot be committed over a multi year span.
Orson – We have no legal obligation to continue.
Mayfield – This $350K for the program is 1% of the funds. A part of RT3 is supposed to be for leadership development.
Dr. Boza – We are already spending over $300K. We have 2 academies. One for the New Principal Academy, first year. Another one for new Principals, 2nd and 3rd year.
Vote: Fails 4-5