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Trustees briefed on school consortiums
By Conner Hammett, chammett@starlocalnews.com
When it comes to working for the interests of students and educators, local school districts don't have to go at it alone.
That was the message at Tuesday night's board meeting as trustees were given an update regarding school district organizations to which Plano ISD belongs.
The groups range in size from small, North Texas-based organizations to large-scale consortiums that include seven western states. But the districts they represent are drawn together by common goals and interests, including changes to state accountability and funding systems and the development of best practices that can be developed as a shared resource.
With the 15-member Regional Consortium for Innovation, the district is helping develop a local alternative to state accountability standards. This would be achieved by extending success indicators beyond test scores and measuring progress at the transition years from fifth to sixth grade and eighth to ninth grade.
Place 5 Trustee David Stolle said it is important to note both the North Texas Regional Consortium and the Consortium for Innovation share a focus on accountability measures in the state.
"We are not alone in our frustration [with what the state's doing]," he said. "We all know this, but the message for our constituents and our parents -- those who have kids anywhere -- is that these are grassroots efforts that are changing education for the better, and it's incumbent upon you all as well to not necessarily support these groups, but find where you can support as well, because the legislative session's coming up, and this is your opportunity to be heard."
The Western States Benchmarking Consortium, comprised of districts in Kansas, Washington, Arizona, Texas and California, looks to research and evidence as the basis for its aim to improve campus leadership and instructional quality, Hirsch said.
Patty Meyer, associate superintendent for campus services, said that consortium is currently focusing on systems leadership, specifically with regard to its impact on instruction.
"The consortium is really focused on principals as that key, or the fulcrum in changing teaching and learning in the student capacity," she said.
The district also continues its involvement with the Texas Association of School Boards and the Texas Association of School Administrators. The latter group's platform not only asks for state funding to be restored but expresses a strong disapproval of the voucher system, a position of which Matkin was supportive.
Chief among Matkin's concerns is how the system would be funded. In Plano ISD, only 8 percent of students are outside the public school system, and if they were to receive vouchers equivalent to current public school funding levels, it would cost a total of $26 to $28 million, he said.
"We certainly don't oppose school choice," he said. "That's what we're looking at within our own district. My main concern is, how are they going to fund those who are currently outside the system?"
One group which Plano ISD is not fully involved with yet is the American Association of School Administrators. The nationwide group sent Plano and 19 other districts a membership invitation, and Plano ISD is hopeful that participation will allow them to spread their message of legislative change at the federal level.
While federal funding for local districts is significantly less than that of the state, local districts still receive federal Title I funding and money through the Free and Reduced Lunch program, Matkin said.
"We need to talk more with our federal legislators, he said. "We need them to understand our issues, because you do get federal dollars and there are federal initiatives, and there is No Child Left Behind, which has a standard that 100 percent of kids will be college ready by 2014."
The idea of joining AASA drew support from board members. Board President Tammy Richards said aligning with eastern districts would be beneficial, especially since districts close to the beltway would be able to speak to legislators with a "very loud voice."
Missy Bender, Place 7; Marilyn Hinton, Place 6; and Carrolyn Moebius, Place 2, expressed similar sentiments, giving staff members the green light to respond to AASA's invitation and join the group.
Plano ISD board of trustees will meet again for a work session Oct. 16.
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