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August 24,2006 Educational Reform Movements: Middle Schools, Part 3 of 3 The Positive Impact of the Music Coalition This case study detailing the adoption of one middle school concept still astounds me. It’s a clear example of how much power the public wields in the decision-making process and, while I doubt it’s a typical example, perhaps it should or could be! I hope reading it will inspire you and your music coalition to be actively involved in your school district. What follows is a true story. The Problem: Financial Crisis & Staff Cuts Student population in the district was slightly over 11,000 students in grades K-12. The district was trying to rebound from the devastating defeat of an $8 million levy referendum . The district’s request for money had been legitimate: the state legislature had changed the public school funding formula and the district would be forced to eliminate 150 teachers if the levy referendum failed. Unfortunately, at the same time the teachers' union was bargaining for a significant raise in pay. These two financial issues became confused together, and the community voted "no." All 150 positions were cut (none in music), and it took seven years to get all those positions fully funded again. [Note: Fortunately, the powerful and broad-based music coalition successfully lobbied to save the music curriculum during this initial financial crisis. This happened despite the administration’s initial recommendation to eliminate 48% of the band teaching staff and 70% of the orchestra staff, district-wide.] Now the state legislature once again changed the funding formula. This time, the district faced cutting $3 million dollars from the budget and eliminating 75 of the positions they had just managed to reinstate. Asking the community voters for another levy referendum seemed completely out of the question. At the same time, the board and administration was facing an issue of population imbalance. There were too many students on one side of the district and open classrooms on the other side. Changing boundaries would only further infuriate the public. The administration thought changing to a middle school grade configuration might be a convenient way to move students while averting another potentially divisive political bombshell. The Music Coalition: A Positive Problem-Solving Ally The administration saw that members of the music coalition were well organized and actively involved in many areas of leadership in the district and community. Administrators formed a Task Force on the Future of Education in the district, and selected most members from the music coalition. The committee was formed under the following conditions: 1. No one was told of the impending financial crisis. 2. The only charge to the Task Force was "What should this district look like over the next 10-15 years?" Adoption of a middle school concept was one of many topics considered by the Task Force. Members stated that establishing a middle school might help solve the issue of housing students, but they made it clear that their primary concern was the education of students. Their recommendations included the following concepts: 1. The middle school would include grades 6, 7, and 8. 2. Each grade would be divided into three teams (a total of 9 teams). 3. The teams would form a community of smaller schools within the school 4. Teachers on each team would work with the same group of students each day throughout the school year. 5. The school day would consist of nine periods. Core subjects and allied arts would be taught in periods of 40 minutes; and the home base would be 17 minutes in duration. Each student would have a 30-minute lunch period. Core classes would include the following subjects:
Allied Arts classes would be "exploratory" courses lasting for six or nine weeks, except for music performance (band, choir, orchestra). Music performance courses would meet for 40 minutes each day for the entire year. Allied Arts classes would include the following subjects:
The Schedule: Protecting Students’ Ability to Make Music While not ideal, the proposed schedule provided for minimal conflict with student participation in music performance. It also gave students exposure to a wide variety of subject matter. Here is the actual daily schedule adopted by the district:
Small group music lessons or sectional rehearsals were facilitated through teaching teams. It should be noted that the percentage of students participating in music performance was very high. Bad Financial News – and a Surprisingly Good Outcome! After the Task Force members submitted their recommendations to the school board, they were commended for their work. And then, finally, they were informed of the impending $3 million deficit and probable staff cuts. In addition, the administration informed the Task Force that adoption of their proposal would require not only a major campaign to raise funds for the deficit; it would also require an additional $5 million to provide sufficient faculty and facilities to open a third middle school and staff the new curriculum. Are you ready to hear the amazing ending to this story? The members of the Task Force asked the administration and board to stay out of it. They said they would take care of the fund-raising efforts. To do this, they mounted a highly effective word of mouth campaign (ie, they told their friends and neighbors all the benefits to students would only cost $100/district household), and in a few short months the community voted "yes" to an $8 million levy! Why? Because the focus of those fundraising efforts changed completely from giving teachers additional pay to giving children a better education! (By the way, the $8 million went to paying teachers.) Remember: Sometimes success really just requires one important element – a shift in focus……to the students! Until next time, John Benham |
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Organizations:
Artists:
Scott Brady |
