Robyne Thompson, assistant superintendent for secondary education, gave the board a report on Rising Scholars, meant to provide support for high-achieving but underserved students. (Photos by the writer.)

The program is meant to provide support for high-achieving but underserved students. It’s a part of the district’s strategy for addressing the achievement gap between different ethnic groups.  The presentation prompted some discussion about the overall goals of the program and the inequitable resources across the three comprehensive high schools. Several trustees expressed their frustration that not much had changed in the past two years.

The board was also presented with three purchase requests – two requests for purchases for new iMacs and new MacBooks for a total of $2,431,700. The computers would be paid for out of the technology bond. If the board approves the purchases, there are additional costs associated with the new computers. New software would also need to be purchased, and the cost of which would come out of the general fund. The third purchase request was for a new artificial turf field at Skyline for a cost of $858,056. The turf would be paid for out of the sinking fund.

Thirteen students, parents, and staff were present during public commentary to speak in favor of maintaining the trimester system at Skyline High School. This came in response to a request trustee made by Christine Stead at a recent meeting to hear from the members of the school community who favored trimesters. The board has in the past heard complaints about the trimester approach and calls for Skyline to adopt semesters, which is the scheduling approach used by Ann Arbor’s other two comprehensive high schools.

Also at this meeting, state representative Adam Zemke was on hand to talk about the impact Governor Snyder’s proposed budget would have on the district. He also heard the concerns of the board regarding changes in legislation.

Rising Scholars Program: Overview

Superintendent Patricia Green introduced the report on the Rising Scholars (RS) program by saying they had wanted to establish a good review of the program, along with some basic archival information. She said that when Robyne Thompson, assistant superintendent for secondary education and career and technical education, was hired on in July of 2012, one of the first conversations Green had with her was about the RS program. Thompson has since then spent time going through files and “beating on doors” to get some of the basic information about the program.

The program began in the 2008-2009 school year. It was a partnership formed with the AAPS Partners for Excellence and the University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach (CEO). According to the CEO website, the RS program is a partnership between the CEO and AAPS, which is designed to reach out to the underserved but high achieving students to decrease the documented achievement gap and prepare them for college. Beginning in ninth grade, a cohort of students from Ann Arbor high schools participate in a summer bridge program that includes academic preparation, leadership development, and team building activities. William Collins, CEO executive director, commended the AAPS board for acknowledging the achievement gap and trying to do something about it.

William Collins, executive director of UM Center for Educational Outreach.

Thompson gave an overview of the program timeline, which included a breakdown of the staffing for the program. While Pioneer High School has had a dedicated 1.0 FTE (full time equivalent) position for RS for the since the program’s inception, Huron and Skyline high schools have not. For the most recent school year, RS coordinator Dawn Richberg has a 1.0 FTE at Pioneer. Coordinator Allen Porter splits his time as a .75 FTE RS and .25 FTE English teacher at Skyline. And at Huron, Brandon Jackson has a .5 FTE RS appointment and a .5 FTE to teach history at Community High. Thompson noted that the staffing falls under the discretion of the building administrators.

Thompson also presented the statistics on the program, which included enrollment in the program,  Advanced Placement (AP) course enrollment, and performance on ACT scores. Total enrollment currently (with the number of students enrolled in at least one AP class in parens) is: 100 (45) Huron; 97 (41) Skyline; and 58 (19) at Pioneer. The aggregate average ACT score for all African American students is 17. But for Rising Scholar African American students, the score is between 22 and 23.

Some problems in the program were highlighted by Thompson, including the fragmentation of communication between AAPS and COE in spring 2011, and the fragmentation of effort among the three comprehensive high schools. Overall, though, she said it was a wonderful program that needed to have its process tightened up and its resources redistributed.

Rising Scholars Program: Inequitable Resources

The trustees thanked Thompson for what trustee Andy Thomas called a “comprehensive and thorough” report. Trustee Glenn Nelson applauded an “orderly description of what has occurred and a plan for the future.” Stead said she had more confidence in what’s going to happen with the program based on Thompson’s report. Many of the trustees, however, expressed frustration about the condition of the program, especially given the disparity in resources across the high schools.

From left: AAPS trustees Simone Lightfoot, Glenn Nelson and Susan Baskett.

Thomas said he was frustrated at the lack of movement that has taken place in addressing some of the challenges Thompson noted. When the performance committee addressed this issue over two years ago, the same problems were brought up then. Parents and other people associated with the program saw that there were different emphases at each high school and that staffing decisions were made in a “siloed” manner, rather than an across-the-board allocation. Resources were not spread equitably across the district – in light of the fact that Pioneer has a dedicated 1.0 FTE RS position, but fewer students enrolled in the program than the other two comprehensive high schools. Those greater resources have not translated to greater success. Thomas said that although the board didn’t want to micromanage the program, he struggled with the fact that things have not changed for the better.

Nelson echoed the remarks from Thomas, saying that the board did not want to micromanage the program. He did question, though, how often it happens that the board says something is a priority, and the “people in the trenches” determine that it does not need to be a priority, and disregard board direction. He said that maybe trustees were making a mistake in talking about RS – because they don’t talk about the English or physics departments in the same way.

Stead said that when it seems that board directives have been ignored, she begins to think the Educational Achievement Authority (EAA) is a good idea. While there has to be a balance of allowing administrators to do some thinking and exercise some judgement and the board’s decisions, the communication back to the board needs to be in place. If it is missing, then the board needs to exert control. She said the board is going to continue to ask its administrative leaders to be creative as they embark on an enormous budget reduction, but communication will be a key factor.

At the May 10, 2011 performance committee meeting, the trustees recommended that: (1) the resources used in the RS program in 2011-12 should be equal to those used in 2010-11. The board decision not to make cuts in the program even as most other programs were cut reflects the importance trustees place on the goals and objectives of the program; and (2) the personnel and other resources should be realigned to ensure a human presence at each of Huron, Pioneer, and Skyline.

To shed some light on the discrepancy between board directive and actual staffing decisions, Green said said that in 2011, staffing sheets were completed in March and April, but the board directive came a month later, in May. She felt that board direction was not communicated to the school level, and that  gaps in program leadership had emerged as people entered and left the program. Moving forward, however, Thompson and Dawn Linden, assistant superintendent for elementary education, clearly understand their responsibilities to communicate any board directives about the program to the building principals. Green called the program a “gem” and said if the board wants an FTE at each school, then there will be one.

Thompson assured the trustees that systems and processes are now in place so there will not be the same problems going forward. They have plans to make sure the program is not fragmented from building to building and will work to educate people on what the program is about. Green also told the board that the executive cabinet meets every Thursday to review the board meeting to make sure they know what each person needs to do to move forward. At each meeting, they review the previous meeting to make sure “the loop was closed.”

AAPS trustee Susan Baskett.

Trustee Susan Baskett said she was “beyond frustrated.” She did not accept the idea that the building administrators didn’t know the board of trustees supported allocating resources – as she and trustee Simone Lightfoot had both sent emails. She asked how it was that Huron had the lowest FTE allocation, but the most students. At Huron, she noted, the commitment to the program and the performance was strong.

Baskett also asked about the credentials of the recently-hired Pioneer program supervisor, Dawn Richberg. Baskett indicated that it seemed to her that for Pioneer’s program, whoever got the ball tossed to them was asked to supervise the program. Thompson responded to Baskett by saying that Richberg was hired after several candidates were interviewed, because it was felt she was the best person for the job.

Thompson also acknowledged the frustration felt by Pioneer students, as leadership at the supervisor level has changed considerably over the years. This has led to 11th and 12th graders opting out of the program. Richberg is working to focus on ninth-graders being vested in the program and working to build trust with the students, Thompson said.

Rising Scholars: Overall Goal of Program

Trustees engaged in some discussion about the overall goal of the program. Was the program to help students who just needed some support and resources, or was it for students who would fall through the cracks otherwise?

Baskett said she was nervous about a proposed selection criteria change to the Rising Scholars program, which increases the minimum Lexile reader score for students from 900 to 1,000. [On the Lexile reader scale, a score of around 1600 would characterize an advanced reader.] Setting eligibility at a higher score seemed to Baskett like it made Rising Scholars a program for students who would succeed on their own, not for the kids who would fall through the cracks. It sounds to her like taking the “talented tenth” and giving them more resources. Lightfoot said she, too, was concerned about the change in Lexile score for acceptance into the program. She’s “seen rigor beat children down” unless they have the support to lift them back up. She asked for the basis of the change.

Thompson said that they had found that students in the 900 range sometimes struggled in classes that demand deep reading and comprehension. For example, she said, “You’re not going to put a poor reader in an AP history class.” She also acknowledged that there were some students in the program who would have been fine without RS. The district will be working to reach out to students who may not “self-select,” by explaining to middle school teachers and counselors the kinds of students they are looking for. The district is also building a website so parents have a better understanding of the expectations of the program.

Nelson said that he thought RS originated from a desire to address the problem of top students who were economically disadvantaged. These were the students who were graduating, going to school, not getting into trouble, but who were not achieving their potential. Nelson was “quite apprehensive” to make RS into a program that solves a different problem – of the student who is not going to make it out of high school without it.

AAPS trustee Simone Lightfoot.

Lightfoot responded by saying that she feels such desperation when looking at the abysmal numbers for many students of color. The RS program was “one of the only things they have,” and she feels a desperation to help all of the district’s students. Lightfoot contended that the district did not have a program in place commensurate with RS to assist the students who fall through the cracks. There was “mighty work to do” to make improvement for those students.

Nelson responded to Lightfoot by saying that it was “just not correct” that the district is not doing anything for the other kids. The district has a “two-inch thick document,” [a reference to the Achievement Gap Elimination Plan] on outcomes and programs to improve student achievement, Nelson said.

President Deb Mexicotte reiterated Nelson’s recollection of the initial goals of the program, saying that the program was designed for those students who could do AP and Accelerated Course (AC) work, but for some reason did not – due to lack of mentoring, lack of encouragement, or another reason. They wanted to eliminate those reasons so that band of students could achieve. She said that in a program such as RS, a range of student abilities should not just be expected but be encouraged, so that some students can uplift others.

Rising Scholars: Next Steps

Lightfoot said that because the district now has solid leadership at the top level of the RS program, she wanted to know more about the next steps. She asked if there were plans for a more uniform program across the district.

Thompson said she was working to create a common syllabus, as well as a common recruitment process, to be used by all of the schools.

Baskett ventured that the district was making the job easier for William Collins, at University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach. So Baskett asked what resources Collins was bringing to the table. Collins responded by saying UM has provided mentors and tutors for the program. They pay for students to lead tours during the summer. And during the summer bridge program, the CEO has faculty open up their labs and classrooms to students. Collins also pointed out that the center’s work is general education outreach. Their goal is to encourage students to do well when they’re in school and to take a rigorous academic schedule. If they do that, he said, they’ll be competitive for all schools.

Outcome: This was an informational presentation. No board action was required.

Adam Zemke on Governor Snyder’s Budget

Adam Zemke, a Democrat who represents the 55th District in Michigan’s house of representatives, spoke to the board about Governor Snyder’s recent budget proposal.

Adam Zemke, a Democrat who represents the 55th District in Michigan’s house of representatives.

The 55th District includes the northern part of the city of Ann Arbor, a portion of the city of Milan, and the townships of Ann Arbor, Augusta, Pittsfield, and York.  Zemke serves on the house appropriations committee. In that capacity, he is a member of the department of education subcommittee; and he’s the Democratic vice chair of the joint capital outlay and community colleges subcommittees.

Zemke gave a brief overview of some of the highlights of Governor Snyder’s proposed budget. In that budget, there would be a 2% increase to K-12 education. Much of that increase would go toward Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System (MPSERS) funding. After that, “the rest is uncertain.” He noted the governor was trying to have the budget sealed by June 1. He said he will be back in front of the board as often as he can.

Zemke: Reactions from the Board

The trustees thanked Zemke for being an advocate for education and for appearing before the board. Baskett noted that Zemke has been very visible in the community. When he’s not available, she said, his staff is. She urged others to give him their feedback.

Thomas clarified that the only adjustments to foundation allowance amounts would be for districts that are receiving the minimum amount. AAPS would not see an increase. Zemke said that was his understanding, as well.

Trustee Irene Patalan asked for clarification of how the state was using money earmarked for K-12 education. She said her understanding was that there was a general fund the state uses to pay its bills, and there was a separate school aid fund. As the general fund coffers are being depleted, the state has drawn from the school aid fund to pay its bills. She asked if conversations were taking place about changing the way schools were funded – because the current way is untenable.

Zemke said the removal of funds from the school aid fund began in 2009, with a larger portion being taken in the 2010-2011 budget cycle. In the 2013-2014 budget, he said there was a doubling of funding for early childhood education, of which 15% will come from the K-12 school aid fund. While the intent of Proposal A was not for the school aid fund to be used in this way, he said, loopholes allow for it.

Stead asked if Snyder was aware that in Ann Arbor, the community where he resides, the district was making do with the same foundation allowance it had in fiscal year 2001. Foundation allowances have not kept up with inflation rates, and two years ago, $470 per student was cut by the state, she said. And 20J districts like AAPS have had their funding cut – to fund the rest of the state’s districts. [20J districts are those districts that had the highest per-pupil revenue when Proposal A was passed in FY 1994]. In addition, districts must contribute 27.43% to MPSERS, which means they have had to spend much less on teachers and students to offset the increased costs of retirement funding. Stead contended that these expenses were only applicable to traditional public schools, not charter schools. She maintained that a lot of talk about “choice” and education reform would be heard from the Snyder administration, and encouraged people to pay attention to what that means, and to ask if it meant better choice. Over 300 bills related to K-12 education have been passed since Snyder took office, and most of them have had to do with funding and mandates, she said.

Referring to the Oxford Association’s rewrite of the School Aid Act of 1979, Stead said that as legislation is being introduced to change school funding, no consideration has been given to the differences in location or educational needs of the students when parsing out the funds. She emphasized that even though taxpayers in the Ann Arbor school district pay 6 mills of property tax, 80% of that does not come back to Ann Arbor. When citizens agreed to Proposal A, she maintained, they agreed to equity – but did not agree to well over 50% of their money going to other districts across the state. Stead said that number will only continue to escalate, and what comes back into the district will only continue to get smaller. As the state tries to move from a traditional manufacturing base to a more tech-based economy, she argued,  a funding model is needed that is equitable but needs-based.

The trustees also presented Zemke with several of the issues they would like to addressed at the state level. Nelson asked if there was any movement towards giving districts more flexibility in using their sinking fund for things beyond capital expenditures. Zemke told Nelson that he has introduced a piece of legislation to address exactly that issue, and the bill is that is moving through the cosponsor process. While other bills have tried to address the issue before, Zemke believes his is different, because it’s more narrowly focussed. He said the sinking fund legislation is in motion on both sides of the aisle in Lansing.

Thomas asked Zemke to work on legislation to address funding of transportation for school districts. One of the solutions many members of the public bring up, Thomas said, is to charge a fee to those who use transportation service, with a sliding scale for low-income students. Thomas said he likes the idea, but under Michigan law, the district is either required to provide transportation to all students or not at all – but the district cannot charge for transportation.

Lightfoot echoed Thomas’s sentiments about transportation, urging Zemke to include the district in the conversation. She noted that they have done fresh research around the matter and could provide valuable insight. Zemke said he intends to have all local bodies involved, as they are the experts.

Mexicotte noted they have watched “with horror and alarm” at the changes that have been happening at the state level. She appreciated that Zemke has taken up education as an issue and said she hoped they could partner with him.

Purchases: Technology

The trustees were briefed on two purchase recommendations for Apple computers. The first recommendation was to appropriate $1,974,100 to purchase 1,900 iMac 21-inch desktop computers to replace the eMac computers currently in use in computer labs district-wide. The eMacs are seven to eight years old. The new computers will be used for Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) testing next fall, according to Randy Trent, executive director of physical properties.

Because the computers will be using Mountain Lion, the newest version of the Mac Operating System (OS), there are some cost implications for software. Some of the software the district owns will not be supported by the OS. Trent said there will be costs of $262,000 for new software, $33,000 for Microsoft Office, and $92,000 for ongoing costs.

While the computers themselves will be paid for with money from the technology bond passed in May 2012, Stead clarified that the additional software costs will have to come out of the general fund – because they are instructional costs, not hardware costs. Green noted that the additional costs were not part of the current budget and would have to be built into it. She said she felt it was important to share that information so the trustees would be able to make an informed decision.

The second recommendation was to purchase 400 MacBook Pro 13-inch laptops to replace the older laptops in one computer cart at each elementary school at a cost of $457,600. The older computer cart laptops will then be used to replace other failing laptops.

Apple, Inc. had initially offered the standard 7% educational discount plus 13%. On Feb. 11, the company approved a larger discount to AAPS, which translates to an amount between 15 and 25% off the list price. The discount was given because the district was interested in purchasing older model iMacs, as opposed to the newest model. The company was also more willing to work with the district to bundle the purchases together to offer more favorable discounts.

Outcome: This was a first briefing. The board will vote on the purchase after a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Purchases: Skyline Turf Field

Trent also presented a recommendation to the board to award a contract to AstroTurf in the amount of $858,056 for a synthetic turf field at Skyline. While Huron and Pioneer both have two artificial grass fields, Skyline only has one. Trent said they were looking to make the Skyline field more playable. An artificial turf can be played on all of the time, and it doesn’t get worn down like grass.

AstroTurf was the lowest bidder out of the four bids received. AstroTurf was recommended not only because it was the lowest bidder, but also because it is the only field that has an antimicrobial product applied at the factory as a standard. The district would not need to apply an antimicrobial every year, as with other field surfaces.

Because this was a large purchase with a high profile, Trent brought it to the board, to make sure trustees were aware of the purchase. Green asked that the district put up a sign that indicates the money was not coming from the general fund – as the district had done the Pioneer High School fieldhouse was built in 2011.

Nelson also wanted to emphasize that the money for this turf purchase was from the sinking fund. Ann Arbor district citizens have been “very good to us in giving us sinking funds so we can have excellent facilities,” he said. However, he noted, they cannot move money from the sinking fund to the general fund. Sinking fund monies are legally separated from the district’s general fund, meaning the money the district spends on construction projects cannot be spent on educational resources or personnel.

Outcome: This was a first briefing. The board will vote on the purchase after a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Purchases: Sound Systems

The board unanimously voted to approve the purchase of 35 mobile sound field amplification systems through REMC, a regional purchasing consortium, for a cost of $27,405. The new equipment will replace systems purchased as part of the 2004 Comprehensive School Improvement Program (CSIP), which are now failing to maintain their battery charges. Trent noted that the mobile units can be used throughout school buildings, in media centers, and in gyms.

Outcome: The board approved the purchase without any discussion after having been initially briefed on the sound systems at its Dec. 19, 2012 meeting.

Skyline Trimesters

Thirteen members of the public spoke in favor of maintaining the trimester scheduling at Skyline High School. The administration is currently looking at the possibility of changing Skyline from trimesters to semesters. Stead had recently asked at a board meeting to hear from people in the community who support trimesters – because the board had previously heard from only people who opposed the scheduling. [For example, the board's Dec. 12, 2012 committee-of-the-whole meeting featured public commentary from four parents opposed to the trimester system.]

Emilie Weisberg, a Skyline junior, argued that the only way to move forward for Skyline was to keep the trimester model. She said there was a higher graduation rate at Skyline than the other two comprehensive high schools. Students were focused on their studies, and there was an increase in educational opportunities and a decrease in behavioral issues. The 72-minute classes provide for a better environment for project-based activities. She also maintained that the magnet program at Skyline was only possible because of trimesters. Without trimesters, she said, the magnet programs could not function. She learned more in her health and medicine magnet than she ever expected to in a high school class.

Jeremy Glick, a Skyline junior, said that students must be part of the process in choosing their own learning environment. With trimesters, classes are longer and allow teachers to complete full lesson plans. Magnet programs would be jeopardized if Skyline switched to semesters. While he appreciates the situation the board is in, he asked that  trimesters be preserved: Why would trustees prevent their children from receiving the best education possible?

Skyline parent Marjorie Dixon came to the board meeting to emphasize the Skyline culture, saying it was different than the traditional model. She saw the students’ level of happiness and the amount of support they were getting from the staff. She asked the board try to appreciate how important trimesters were to Skyline culture. Dixon emphasized that fact that students were able to complete their graduation requirements for science by their junior year, opening them up for more exploration. When the board was looking at potential savings, she said, there should be “an awfully good reason” for any cuts that are made. She said that while her opinion shouldn’t matter a lot, the board should listen to the people who were paid to do the research in the creation of Skyline and its building.

Jennifer Dixon, Skyline junior, said she was initially skeptical about the importance of trimesters when she first arrived at the school as a freshman. She wasn’t sure it would have a major impact. She realized, however, that trimesters help foster the community Skyline was built on. Without trimesters, Skyline students would not benefit from the opportunities trimesters made possible. She noted that this year as a junior, she has more flexibility to choose classes she’s interested in, because she had already completed several of her graduation requirements. That’s because trimesters allow for 15 credit hours per school year, as opposed to the more common 12. Dixon contended that the highest achieving students at Skyline achieved as much as the highest achieving students at Pioneer and Huron, while the lowest achieving students at Skyline achieved more than the lowest at the other two comprehensive schools.

Pat Jenkins, the communication, public policy, and media magnet lead teacher at Skyline, told the board that in October of 2005, she joined a group of teachers to research best practices of schools where teaching and learning is different. Skyline’s approach was a result of that research. She asked that the trustees avoid the temptation to break something that is working extraordinarily well for the students at Skyline. Referring to a recent survey that was given to Skyline families, she wondered if the survey results were based on a balanced random sampling of the Skyline community. Or were they weighted more towards families who had the time to take such surveys. She said the real question that should have been asked on the survey was: Do you support best practices that support students or do you support cost savings? Jenkins also asked that more reporting be done on how changes in transportation have affected enrollment at Skyline.

Skyline senior Sam Keller said that he succeeded academically at Skyline because of the trimester scheduling. It allowed him to delve more deeply into material. Because final exams took place every 12 weeks, there was a shorter time between learning and testing. He said he appreciated the flexibility trimesters offered when meeting graduation requirements. It is possible to finish science requirements in only two years, which allows for more exploration in the later high school years. He also questioned how the effectiveness of the trimester system could be evaluated after graduating only one class of students.

Jeffrey Yuen, senior at Skyline, said that the business, marketing, and information technology magnet program at Skyline changed his life. He started his own DECA chapter and started his own business. He credited these opportunities to the magnet program and the trimester scheduling, which makes the magnet programs possible. He said he loved the trimesters, because he was able to take more classes and find his passion. With more classes, he said, students will never be bored.

Alex Kaldjian, Skyline senior, said that Skyline was built and designed to offer a different kind of learning than the other comprehensive high schools. It is imperative to allow Skyline to do what it was intended to do, he said. While he acknowledged that scheduling problems do arise, those challenges provided the opportunity for problem solving on the student’s part. He said that the magnet programs give students the chance to learn more, and that he has been able to use the knowledge he’s gained in his magnet class internships. Ann Arbor does not need another Huron or Pioneer, he said. Removal of the trimesters and magnets creates just another generic school, which would not be in the district’s best interest, he concluded

Shoham Geva, an AP student at Skyline, said that while she does not enjoy scheduling at Skyline, she saw that it can be a learning experience for students. Because it can be frustrating and messy, sometimes students have to learn to make hard choices. Moving to semesters won’t fix that. She said that trimesters allow for mastery learning and offer students more credit recovery options. Stead asked if there was a vocal community of people who support trimesters, and Geva answered that saying, “Yes, there is that community, and we’re pretty vocal.”

Skyline parent Amy Brewer noted that when Skyline was first developed, best practices of education were referenced. She herself did some searching on the Internet and found that longer class times increases academic success and decreases behavioral issues in school. She said that the community spent a lot of money to develop Skyline as the kind of school it is and cautioned the trustees to be careful as they think about possible cuts. Brewer also noted the passion and enthusiasm her son has for his magnet program.

Skyline magnet program teacher Jeff Bradley.

Jeff Bradley, the health and biomedical sciences magnet teacher at Skyline, argued for the magnets, saying they were great opportunities for students. He said that in his magnet classes, students have been able to diagnose cancer and look at DNA. This was possible because of the trimester system. Trimesters, he argued, helps him to care for all of his students. Skyline High School was set up to create a loving, caring environment for students, he said.

Michelle Trent told the board she is not a traditional student – in part because she takes online courses. She chose Skyline because of the longer classes, which allows her to be able to take music. Without the trimester schedule, she would not be able to graduate on time. She asked the board to “keep Skyline different.”

Skyline student Terra Trent said if Skyline dropped trimesters, the very basis of the school would be overturned. The foundation of the school and the very architecture of the school was built around the magnet programs. Magnets resonate with every aspect of the school, she told the board.

Belinda Overstreet-Dance, a mother of a junior at Skyline, asked that the board not end the trimester system. She said her child was a student who fell through the cracks before attending Skyline. At Skyline, he now has a 3.25 GPA and is interested in attending either the University of Michigan or Northwestern University. Before he attended Skyline, she had been told he wasn’t college material, but now he is succeeding. She said, “If you want to mess with the system, mess with Huron or Pioneer,” and switch those schools to the trimester schedule.

Skyline Trimesters: Board Remarks

Later in the meeting, trustee Andy Thomas said said he was very moved by compelling arguments for trimesters put forth by the students of Skyline. He also said that he could go down the list of possible budget cuts for this next year, and he could see groups who could make equally as impassioned arguments for their own case. He asked them to frame the question as this: how many teachers am I willing to sacrifice from my school to keep whatever program it is that I want to keep? The default position to balance the budget, he said, is that they reduce the number of teachers, increase class size, and eliminate electives. He acknowledged there were there were a lot of tradeoffs, and he suggested that people should be thinking about those tradeoffs.

Hikone Student Presentation

The 2012-2013 student delegation to Hikone, Japan gave the board a presentation about the Hikone-Ann Arbor educational exchange program. Ann Arbor has been a sister city with Hikone since 1969. There has been reciprocal exchange of students since 1979 when the first delegation of Japanese students was hosted by AAPS. The district has sent middle and high school students every other year since 1985. The purpose of the program is to encourage international understanding among youth.

Hikone exchange students wore their Hikone shirts to the board meeting.

Jenna Bacolor, director of community education and recreation, introduced the students and also gave special recognition to Larry Dishman for his 18-year tenure as the coordinator for the program. Elyse Bairley and Tonya Dildy, project directors, were also present at the board meeting.

The students gave an overview of the program, explained the application and training processes, and shared some of the highlights from their experience. Several students thanked the board for funding the program, saying it was a transformative experience.

Bacolor clarified that no general education funds are used for the program. The exchange program is part of the Rec & Ed budget, and is supported by many in the community. Student ambassadors also contribute towards their trip.

Several of the trustees expressed their thanks for the presentation and commended the program. Both Thomas and Stead cited the program as one of many examples of the unique and rich experiences AAPS offers students.

Executive Session: Teacher Contract Terminated

After an executive session before the regular meeting, the trustees unanimously passed a resolution to terminate the contract of a teacher in the district. No other information was given.

Communication and Comment

Board meetings include a number of agenda slots when trustees can highlight issues they feel are important. The board invites regular reports from a set of community and school groups. Every meeting typically includes public commentary on subjects not necessarily on the formal agenda or that are not covered elsewhere in The Chronicle’s meeting report.

Comm/Comm: Association Report – AAPAC

Mary Duerksen reported for the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education (AAPAC). She noted that the organization is hearing concerns from its members about removing levels in self-contained classrooms, as well as concerns about the status of the resource rooms. They look forward to hearing the results of the special education program when it is presented to the board.

AAPAC also asked for the support of SISS and the general education administration to strengthen and spread the Disability Awareness Workshops they hold for fourth graders to all elementary schools, as well as to the middle schools. She encouraged the trustees to attend a workshop to experience what it’s like to be a student or community member with disabilities.

The January parent meeting focused on transition planning – planning for a student’s life after high school – and included a presentation by Deak Swearingen, adaptive physical education coordinator. Swearingen presented on adaptive PE programs and shared his vision for an exceptional physical education experience for all students. Monthly meetings take place on the first Monday of the month from 7-9 p.m. at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District Teaching and Learning Center. The board and members of the public are welcome to attend.

Comm/Comm: Association Report – PTOC

Amy Pachera updated the board on the efforts of the Parent Teacher Organization Council (PTOC) to help district PTOs with fundraising efforts. As the district budget shrinks, PTOs are working to pick up more of the slack. Pachera reported that they recently conducted a survey about fundraising – and  22 of the PTOs responded. The survey showed that schools that make a direct appeal bring in about 75% of their fundraising dollars that way. The more schools are up front about their fundraising, she said, the more likely families are to donate. They are working to help PTOs work smarter, not harder. Their next meeting is on Feb. 25 at Balas Administration Building where the topic will be: “What’s so special about specials.”

Comm/Comm: Association Report – AAEA

Linda Carter reported for the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA). She invited the board to Orchestra Night and also invited them to go “building hopping” with her. She encouraged them to talk to students to get a better sense of what’s going on at each school.

Comm/Comm: Superintendent Evaluation Timeline

During “agenda planning,” Stead asked that a review of the timeline for Green’s evaluation be placed on the agenda.

AAPS superintendent Patricia Green

It was decided that it will be included as a special briefing item at the Feb. 27 regular meeting.

Comm/Comm: Superintendent Report

During her superintendent report, Green recognized Presidential Scholar candidates, a semi-finalist and a finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search, Scholastic Gold Key winners, top math students, among others. She also recognized the music programs at Community, Huron, and Pioneer, along with the efforts of kindergartners at Mitchell to build community. Finally, Green also noted the success of the adult education program, as well as a variety of staff accomplishments.

Comm/Comm: Remembrances

During “items from the board,” several prominent members of the community who recently passed away were remembered. Coleman Jewett, former educator at Tappan Middle School, passed away on Jan. 23. Glenn Nelson said it was particularly fitting that Jewett’s memorial service was at Skyline High School, as Jewett continued to serve the schools even after he retired. He was part of the team whose legacy includes Skyline and the Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center. Mexicotte remembered the “Mayor of the Market” and thanked the Jewett family for sharing him with the AAPS community. She also thanked the Skyline administration for making the memorial possible.

Rose Martin, who passed away on Jan. 22, was also remembered. Martin was one of the founders of Peace Neighborhood Center and served as the executive director for over 30 years. While Martin “didn’t work for us, she worked with us,” Baskett noted. A memorial for Martin  was held at Pioneer High School.

Victor Turner, an AAPS educator, passed away on Feb. 8. Baskett said she would miss his wonderful smile and his great spirit. Turner’s wife, Hazel, was the district’s first African-American administrator.

Comm/Comm: Principal and Counselor Recognition

In honor of principals’ week (Feb. 10-16) and national school counseling week (Feb. 4-8), the board passed two resolutions in support of both the district’s principals and counselors.

The resolutions were supported enthusiastically by the board. Nelson said trustees know from personal experience and research that building principals are very important to the success of a school. Stead said that although the role of principal is sometimes thankless, every principal she has had the privilege of working with has an impressive body of knowledge and should be thanked. Educational leadership matters, Mexicotte said, because leadership matters.

Several trustees offered their own personal stories about how they had been helped by counselors in the district. Baskett spoke of the impact Mr. Bradley, her counselor, had on her as a high school student. Lightfoot said Bill Radcliffe, her counselor in school, “saved her life.” The beauty of counselors, she said, was that they understand the needs of each student.

Several trustees shared stories of how their families have been helped by district counselors. Patalan said that her son’s counselor helped her grow as a parent. Mexicotte said that RaShonda Jamerson, her daughter’s counselor at Huron High School, was a lifesaver for her daughter and her family. Lightfoot described how the counselors at Clague Middle School have been instrumental in helping her as her daughter transitions from elementary to middle school.

Taking a different tack, Thomas said that he had virtually no experience with his son’s counselors, positive or negative. To him, that shows that counselors in the district are stretched incredibly thin. They are not able to offer the level of counseling services the district had 20 years ago. He thanked the counselors for doing “a yeoman’s job” of covering way more work than they should. He expressed his distress when looking at the budget, as one of the cuts being considered is reducing the number of counselors. It is an underfunded role, an understaffed role, and a very important role, he said.

Green also took the opportunity during the superintendent report to thank the principals and counselors of the district.

Comm/Comm: Around the District

During “items from the board,” several trustees commented on happenings around the district. Baskett noted that she got to know the principal at Ann Arbor Tech when she recently visited for a problem solving issue. Ann Arbor Tech is in great hands, she said.

Stead shared some of the highlights from the Forsythe Science Fair that took place over the second weekend of February. Over 90 parent volunteers assisted, and 60 judges considered and offered commentary on each project. Four hundred and seventy five students participated, with over 400 projects completed. The school’s science fair has a more than 30-year history. Stead noted the important STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) work the district was doing with its students.

Patalan reported on a visit she made to Mitchell Elementary School, with Green and Baskett, to see firsthand the work being done with the Mitchell Scarlett Teaching and Learning Collaborative. They were able to observe University of Michigan students working with fourth-graders. She said the work was “wonderful.”

Nelson also invited the public to attend Orchestra Night, on Feb. 14 at Hill Auditorium. He said if anyone was interested in orchestral music or just wanted to see the product of good education, they should attend the free concert performance by ensembles from the district’s middle and high schools.

During public commentary, Adam Baillio spoke in support of theater at Skyline. He was recently hired as the stage manager and technical director, but his is not a full-time position. He said that since being hired, he has had the privilege of influencing the education of about 40 students, as well as the 150 theater students at Skyline. He asked that the board support the theater program at Skyline and maintain the wonderful facility.

Comm/Comm: Community

Thomas said he was continuing to meet with community leaders to discuss the district’s budget and priorities. He again put the call out to his fellow trustees to help him with the undertaking.

He also mentioned an article he forwarded to the members of the board regarding the situation in Muskegon Heights, where the state-appointed emergency manager subsequently hired Mosaica Education, a for-profit company, to convert the school district to a charter school system. Since the company took over, teacher turnover has been 25%. It was recently discovered that over 10% of the teachers in the district are not certified to teach in the state of Michigan. According to Thomas, the vice president of Mosaica who is in the charge of the district has stated that he does not think it is necessary for them to be certified in Michigan.

Nelson reported on the most recent meeting of the Washtenaw Educational Alliance (WAE). After talking through the possible directions of the vision work they were doing, they placed their focus on preschool and high school education. He was pleased to see that President Obama addressed the same areas of focus during the State of the Union. Nelson said that it might just be possible there might be some federal grant money available to encourage particularly good work in those areas, given it is a federal focus.

Patalan thanked the Dicken Elementary third graders whose handmade cards made it into a packet delivered to Patalan’s home. She said it was a nice change from the large packets of information she usually receives from the district.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Christine Stead, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Glenn Nelson, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Irene Patalan.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, 7 p.m., at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 South Fifth Ave. [Check Chronicle event listings to verify time and place.]

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Trustee Christine Stead directs a question to superintendent Patricia Green while trustee Glenn Nelson looks on. (Photos by the writer.)

The proposals ranged from digital billboards on district property to enrolling international students into the district. Board reaction to the proposals was mixed.

Trustee Christine Stead described the proposals as creative, but requested the opportunity to see “both sides of the ledger” – both revenue enhancements and cuts. Trustee Andy Thomas said he was “underwhelmed” by the revenue projections.

After a special briefing on a resolution to re-fund the 2004 Building and Sites Bond, the board unanimously approved the resolution. The re-fund, or “refinance,” of the bond would mean a slightly reduced millage rate for taxpayers. The re-funding will only go through if market conditions remain favorable.

Revenue Enhancement Proposal

In advance of the budget discussions scheduled to take place in April, the board heard a presentation on a revenue enhancement proposal from top AAPS administrators – deputy superintendent for operations Robert Allen, deputy superintendent of human resources and general counsel Dave Comsa, deputy superintendent for instructional services Alesia Flye, and director of communications Liz Margolis.

In her introduction, superintendent Patricia Green said that while other districts were looking at consolidation because of budgets, AAPS is looking at all ways of enhancing the revenue streams. The board did not vote on the potential revenue enhancements. The presentation was considered informational, to be used during the future budget talks.

Board reaction to the proposals was mixed. All the trustees thanked the presenters for their hard work and their efforts in trying to find money “in all directions,” as trustee Irene Patalan put it. Trustee Christine Stead said the proposals were creative, but requested the opportunity to see “both sides of the ledger” – both revenue enhancements and cuts. Board president Deb Mexicotte appreciated the “piling up [of money] that can occur when you dig deep.”

Trustee Andy Thomas, on the other hand, said he was “underwhelmed” by the revenue projections. While he acknowledged revenue generated was money that could be spent on teacher salaries, he also said these plans were really “a drop in the bucket.”

Trustee Glenn Nelson warned that by pursuing some of the proposals such as billboard advertising, there was the possibility of losing something in “our community engagement that would come back to haunt us in the big multi-million dollar things.” Compared to bonds passed by the public, he said the “scale is completely different. We need to remember that.”

Revenue Enhancements: Billboards

Margolis introduced the possibility of billboard space working with Adams Outdoor Advertising. The proposed digital billboards would be located on three properties: Huron High School, Pioneer High School, and Wines Elementary School. She assured the board that, when pressed, Adams came back with a proposal that would guarantee an annual $100,000 return. She also highlighted the fact that the billboards could be used for emergency purposes and to promote AAPS events.

Thomas spoke strongly against the billboard proposal, declaring that “putting a billboard at [the Huron High] location is repulsive,” because the school is in a scenic part of town. He also expressed his discontent with the Pioneer location.

Mexicotte echoed the sentiment of Thomas, saying she initially had the same “horrific” reaction to the billboard proposal. She amended her statement by saying she was “willing to consider it as a way to partner more closely with our local business community.”

Stead took a different approach to the billboards, questioning the safety of a lit billboard in a relatively unlit stretch of highway if it were placed in the highway ring of M-14 behind Wines. She took less issue with the Huron and Pioneer locations since both schools already had lit message boards. She also said they would not be the biggest billboards around, referring to the University of Michigan football stadium scoreboards.

Trustee Susan Baskett said she was neutral on the issue of billboards and could be persuaded one way or the other. She said she was pleased that Margolis pushed for more revenue from the deal, and that Margolis returned with more.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot also registered a neutral reaction to the billboards. She did question the length of a 20-year contract, saying she also still took issue with the length of the cell tower contracts on district property.

Revenue Enhancements: Website

Margolis also pitched the board the idea of allowing advertising on the AAPS website. She said AAPS has been monitoring Alternative Revenue Development (ARD), a group of former Detroit advertising people committed to helping public schools, and has seen them focusing on banner advertising on district websites as a revenue stream. The district would get a percentage back from ARD. Margolis offered a quarterly estimate of $37,000 in revenue that could be earned.

Patalan had a word of caution about website advertising bought by businesses outside of Ann Arbor. “Anything that looks like it’s pulling support from our local businesses,” she said, would be of concern. She noted how supportive local Ann Arbor businesses are of the school district.

Nelson noted these “advertising schemes” have an impact on local citizens’ views of the district. He cautioned against venturing into something that gives the district a direct infusion of money, but that ultimately has a negative impact on people’s opinions of the district. He expressed uneasiness at the idea that visitors to the district website would see commerce as the first thing.

Mexicotte also conveyed her struggle with the idea of advertising on the district website. She again mentioned she could be open to it, if it involved partnering with local businesses.

Because people are accustomed to seeing advertising on websites, Thomas said that proposal was fine for him. Baskett urged caution with any kind of advertising scheme.

Revenue Enhancements: Increasing Enrollment – Schools of Choice

Allen explained to the board that the district would again offer the Schools of Choice (SOC) program, which the district has offered for the past two years. For the 2012-2013 school year, 170 spaces will be made available in kindergarten through 6th grade, with an approximate $1.1 million increase in revenue. The increased revenue comes from the per-pupil allocation that students generate from the state.

Green mentioned the administration is evaluating in-district transfers at the secondary level to see if SOC could be opened up to middle and high schools as well. She said the district would be “remiss” if they didn’t take a look at what they’re doing.

Trustee Glenn Nelson at the March 21, 2012 meeting.

Nelson appreciated Green’s introduction, but noted that attracting more of the students in the district to stay with AAPS would result in getting $2,000 more per pupil, because of Ann Arbor’s greater foundation allowance. He emphasized not losing sight of “being the school of choice for students in the Ann Arbor district area.”

Mexicotte noted the district has been doing things to bring in local [in-district] students. She cited the Early College Alliance, the Options Magnet program, and Ann Arbor Tech as being part of that effort.

Stead expressed concern that bringing in 170 additional students for the 2012-13 year was “ambitious,” given that since the inception of SOC, the district has brought in a total of 170 students. Lightfoot also voiced a similar concern. Jane Landefeld, AAPS director of student accounting and research services, stated that enrollment from SOC has grown each year.

Baskett brought up the marketing campaign to increase SOC enrollment, saying it had “fizzled away.” She asked what would be done differently this time to increase the numbers.

Allen acknowledged that the administration is evaluating the data to maintain potential students who have expressed interest. Margolis said AAPS is working to attract students who live in the district. She also said that moving to an all-day kindergarten program would attract families who previously went elsewhere for an all-day program.

Nelson said attracting students to AAPS is going to depend on “our performance as a district.” He asserted it was crucial “we in Ann Arbor maintain a greater portion of excellence” than other districts.

Lightfoot wanted to make sure the impact on personnel is considered. She noted she had a difficult time explaining to the public how the district was hiring at Balas [the administration building] and laying off teachers.

Revenue Enhancements: Increasing Enrollment – I-20 Students

Another suggestion presented by Allen is to allow I-20 international students into the district. The I-20 forms allow for schools to enroll non-immigrant students with either F (academic) or M (vocational) visa classification. Schools are allowed to charge tuition to I-20 students, as well as receive the state’s per pupil foundation allowance. With the AAPS $9,000 foundation allowance, each I-20 student could generate up to $20,000, depending on the cost of tuition.

Thomas asked if the I-20 students would be enrolled at the high school level only. Allen told Thomas that nothing stopped them from being enrolled at the lower levels, but the program is focused on high school.

Trustee Andy Thomas enjoys a lighthearted moment before the break.

Thomas registered his skepticism of the long-term viability for “double-dipping” – receiving both the foundation allowance and tuition. He wondered how long it would take the state to “plug that loophole.”

Baskett said the question of allowing in-district transfers and SOC for high school students needed to be resolved before adding in I-20 students. She stated she was “concerned about the fairness and equity element.” She also expressed concern over capacity.

Nelson was “intrigued” by the possibility of bringing in I-20 students. He saw it as a way of becoming more internationally aware and astute by getting feedback from international students. He said he would love to have some students from Finland or Canada, two countries at the “top of the system,” to give some real data, not just PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores.

Lightfoot had concerns about the I-20 program, wondering if the district’s resources might be hamstrung. She stressed the “great deal” of responsibility placed on the district for tracking and monitoring the I-20 students.

Mexicotte said she believed the I-20 program was a good one to explore, citing diversity and cultural exchanges. And, she said it would be a good thing for revenue.

Revenue Enhancements: Professional Development, HR and Finance Contracts

Flye emphasized the importance of professional development (PD) for implementing the Achievement Gap Elimination Plan (AGEP) and the discipline gap. [The AGEP had been discussed in detail at a March 14, 2012 committee-of-the-whole meeting.] She noted the instructional services team is looking to develop PD to be used and presented in a variety of formats at the regional level. She stated that such professional development workshops could garner $10,000 per event.

Comsa observed that the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) is reviewing eight requests for proposals for human resources (HR)/finance software, which could result in a common software for those departments countywide. If that were the case, it would open the door for AAPS to contract out its HR and legal services staff to other districts as those districts cut staff. The estimated revenue was $10,000 to $100,000.

Allen reported the finance department had been investigating the possibilities of providing business services to other districts within the county. That same common software Comsa referred to could allow for contracting out AAPS staff for payroll and accounts payable. The estimated revenue was $20,000 to $100,000 per district.

Lightfoot said the proposal was a big revenue opportunity, but she expressed concern about potential increases in staffing costs. She also noted that whatever services AAPS marketed – PD or otherwise – they needed to be exceptional.

Baskett said she recognized that the administration was talking about bringing in business, but she also saw the need potentially to reduce costs.

Nelson asked if there were any unanticipated costs for the implementation of any new software. Allen responded that while there would be implementation costs, there would be greater efficiency. He gave the example of greater efficiency in reconciling full-time equivalent staff positions (FTEs) and budget.

Revenue Enhancements: Other Items

Margolis discussed the licensing of high school logos, which she described as in its “infancy.” The district had recently undertaken a licensing program with Advantage Sports on a pilot basis. The district’s licensing agreement has been invoked with retailers who were selling unauthorized products, which has allowed the district to gain from those sales. She assured the board that the licensing agreement had not been invoked with small mom-and-pop stores, just big retailers. The result of this activity yielded $660 for the district over the course of six months.

Baskett said $660 seemed “pitiful” and asked if it were legal to choose when the licensing agreement is enforced.

Thomas said the district should get a piece of whatever money is made on logos, so it made sense to contract out services to do so.

Margolis also acknowledged AAPS had a current policy for naming rights for facilities. The current gift guidelines suggest 25% of construction costs. She said that while the district doesn’t currently have donors in that category, there is “always hope” it can attract some.

Both Thomas and Patalan took issue with selling naming rights. Thomas said it felt like they were “selling their souls.” Patalan equated it to the naming of Comerica Park, saying advertising in some places “doesn’t feel okay.” Lightfoot said she felt the same way, but she “understood the need for revenue generation.” Mexicotte noted a policy was already in place and has been primarily used for honoring in-district educators.

Stead commented on four pieces of legislation currently going through the state legislature that might affect the district’s ability to use naming rights to generate revenue.

Margolis also introduced the idea of acquiring scoreboard and timing equipment for the district’s three comprehensive high schools at no cost to the district – through an advertising contract with an Ohio company, Side Effects. The cost of the equipment would be covered with advertising on the devices. The district would begin making money after the items were paid for.

Both Baskett and Lightfoot questioned the need to replace any equipment at the recently-built Skyline High School. Later, during items from the board, Mexicotte explained that a rudimentary scoreboard had been installed at Skyline, with the idea that athletic boosters would help with upgrading the equipment in the future. She suggested thinking of it as an “upgrade,” not a replacement.

Lightfoot expressed surprise that once the equipment was paid off, the district would not receive 100% of the advertising revenue, though the district would immediately own the liability and maintenance of the equipment.

Thomas expressed a view parallel to his thoughts on website advertising. He indicated that people expect to see a certain amount of advertising on scoreboards, so the proposal was acceptable to him.

Allen also noted that building fees, newly monitored Medicaid reimbursements, and the University of Michigan parking project program were also sources of revenue. He mentioned his team was looking to update the building rental fees to make sure the costs were covered for opening the buildings. Administration is also currently evaluating fees for parking at Pioneer High School in connection with UM football games. Collected Medicaid reimbursements from WISD for the previous two years have netted $1.4 million. FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11 audits were expected back from WISD in the next couple of weeks.

Nelson expressed his interest in the analysis for building rental fees. He said he wouldn’t assume that the revenue for building rental would go up, just because the price went up.

Stead stated the parking program resulted in about $1 million in revenue per year. She asked if the district would continue seeing about $700,000 in Medicaid reimbursement per year, and Allen confirmed that it would.

Outcome: The board did not vote on the proposed revenue enhancements. The presentation was purely informational.

Bond Re-funding Resolution

In a special briefing, the board was introduced to a bond re-funding resolution. Superintendent Patricia Green prefaced Robert Allen’s presentation by saying the current market conditions were favorable for the re-funding of the 2004 Building and Site Bond, issued for the Comprehensive School Improvement Program (CSIP). She equated the re-funding to a refinancing of a home mortgage.

Allen presented the bulk of the material to the board, accompanied by the bond underwriter and the district’s financial planner to answer any questions the board might have. Allen said the bonds in question were issued in 2004 for $123 million. With current market conditions, the district would have the opportunity to save taxpayers money over the life of the bonds.

Allen did note that since the proposal was put together on March 16, bond rates have increased, decreasing the projected net savings from $8.7 million to $7.3 million. With bond rates standing as they are, he projected the savings to be .05-.07 mills for taxpayers. [1 mill is a tax rate equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property's taxable value.]

After clarifying with trustee Andy Thomas that the proposal is to re-fund the bonds at the earliest date possible, Allen noted the bonds were callable up to May 2014. The district’s financial planner, Paul Stauder, explained that the bonds were issued in 2004 with a 10-year call option, meaning the district must pay the current 5% interest rates for the remaining two years through the escrow arrangement. After the full 10 years elapse, the district would pay the lower interest rates.

When asked by Thomas, Stauder said the board had authorized a similar transaction back in 2007, but due to the passage of time, the authorization was “stale.” He said that if savings remained “strong and robust,” the district would execute the transaction. Board president Deb Mexicotte recalled that decision back in 2007, noting the actual re-funding did not happen because the markets changed.

Thomas mentioned this kind of re-funding is not an actual “refund” but would result in a downward adjustment of the millage for taxpayers. Stauder said it was called a re-fund according to Michigan statutes, but it was a refinancing. Trustee Glenn Nelson allowed that if the re-funding does go through, the millage rate would stand at 2.1, with a conservative estimate of .05 mills savings.

Trustee Christine Stead mentioned five bills in the state legislature, citing SB 770 and SB 771, that would impact activity such as refinancing bond or debt. She indicated she would put together a resolution to consider as a board. She expressed a desire to look at the implications of refinancing looking ahead. Stauder said the bills should not have a direct impact on AAPS, but might on surrounding districts, tying it to districts’ financial and economic health.

Outcome: The bond re-funding resolution was approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda. The consent agenda also included the second quarter financial report, minutes, and gift offers. The trustees had no discussion on the financial report, as it was fully discussed and clarified at the March 7, 2012 meeting.

Energy Savings

Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties, presented phase five of the Energy Savings Capital Improvement Performance Services project. Before he began, superintendent Patricia Green wished him a happy birthday.

Giving a little background to the energy improvements made, Trent said when he was hired in 1984, everything ran 24 hours a day. Since then, there have been four phases of improvement, and this was phase five. He stated while there was an initial cost of putting in new, more efficient equipment, the cost would be recovered in utilities savings. His department was looking to spend $7.8 million, with savings near $700,000, which shows about a 9% return. He noted there would be a likely rebate from DTE Energy of $400,000. With these improvements, the physical properties budget would drop from $5.4 million to $4.7 million per year.

Some of the improvements Trent noted were LED lighting in parking lots, classroom and hallway lighting upgrades, carbon dioxide controls, pneumatic and digital controls, and liquid pool covers. He highlighted not just the money savings but the positive environmental impact the more efficient equipment would have.

Trustee Andy Thomas clarified the capital outlay of $7.8 million would come from two sinking funds, and that the savings of $699,000 would continue every year. Trent stated his budget would be cut by roughly $700,000, ensuring the new equipment would pay for itself within 10 years. Trent also said most of the equipment had life spans well beyond 10 years.

Trustee Glenn Nelson acknowledged the sinking funds that the money would come from existed because taxpayers voted for them. He tied that to the technology bond, saying that if the technology bond passed [on May 8, 2012], general fund money would not have to be spent on technology and could be focused on teachers and supplies.

Trustee Susan Baskett asked why Trent was not proposing to go with the $5.6 million lower bid from Huron Valley Electrical. He replied the other bids received were for lighting only and were not a direct comparison.

Several of the trustees mentioned the liquid pool cover. Irene Patalan said she was going to “Google it” to learn more about it. [A liquid pool cover consists of isopropyl alcohol and other ingredients that help prevent heat loss and evaporation.] Nelson asked if the cover needed to be continually replaced. Trent responded that it was added in the same way chlorine was added. Baskett asked about the safety of the cover. Trent assured her it had been in use in other southeastern Michigan schools for the past three or four years.

Outcome: This issue will return for a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Spring Grant Awards

Linda Doernte – AAPS director of purchasing, grants, and business support services – presented two FY 2011-12 spring grants for approval totaling $82,160.

The first grant was a new one from the AAPS Educational Foundation to fund physics equipment and hourly wages. The largest expenditure of $52,662 from the grant is for AirTracks Physics equipment, which Doernte said was the technology “expected for people in Advanced Placement (AP) courses.” Funds for hourly wages were for the Music Together program ($8,000), which engages students in core developmental areas through music and movement, and the Bridge Support for Homeless Students Liaison ($20,000), who works with unaccompanied minors and all students who meet the federal requirements for homelessness.

The second grant Doernte presented was for $1,498 from the Grant Programs Fund of the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), a local nonprofit organization. The grant would fund a 36-week project to establish computer access for a 7th grade student who is wheelchair bound, cognitively impaired, and has ataxic cerebral palsy. The goal of the project, Doernte said, would be to establish communication with a student who does not use auditory speech, using an Apple iPad 2.

Doernte stated that both grants exemplified how important technology is over a wide spectrum – from helping a student with auditory communication to AP students.

Outcome: This was a first briefing item. It will return to the board for a second briefing and vote at the next regular meeting.

Public Commentary: NWEA MAP testing

During public commentary, two people addressed the board on the topic of the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test.

Parent and local blogger Ruth Kraut expressed her concerns about the NWEA MAP, which include: administering the test to early elementary students during the first weeks of school; overlap in areas evaluated – between MAP and other tests that are currently administered; showing scores to students immediately after taking the test; and the eventual use of the test to evaluate teachers.

Kraut appreciated that the board wanted to get ahead of state-mandated teacher evaluation requirements, but remained unconvinced the MAP was the way to do that. She asked that the board invite Deborah Ball, dean of the UM School of Education and head of the state’s teacher evaluation committee, to discuss the issue.

Parent Julie Roth came to the board with a compilation of concerns from parents of elementary school students regarding the NWEA MAP, some of which were similar to those expressed by Kraut. Roth’s concerns included the following: that the upcoming technology millage will be used to upgrade equipment for the primary purpose of supporting the testing; that the MAP would be used for teacher evaluation, something it was not designed to do; the frequency of testing leads to teaching to the test, and that students receive the test score immediately, which runs contrary to the district’s choice to not use grades at the elementary level.

Roth asked that the board put the test on hold to allow for greater evaluation of the test’s unintended consequences. If it weren’t put on hold, she asked that the test be administered twice instead of three times yearly, and not at all to K-2 grade students. She asked that scores not be visible to students, and that one or more overlapping tests be discontinued. She also urged that an anonymous feedback survey be circulated to teachers, principals, parents, and students.

During clarification on public commentary, superintendent Patricia Green asserted the NWEA was recommended for the purpose of benchmarking student progress three times a year. She said she will take a look at some of the issues of concern, and noted that the district’s strategic plan emphasizes personalized learning. She also referred to plans at the state level that will require all assessments to be done online. She said that is “one of the reasons why we are trying to shore up our technology with the technology bond.”

AlesiaFlye, AAPS deputy superintendent of instruction, also clarified that a committee has been reviewing the process and has been receiving feedback through the year from all levels of the organization. She maintained the primary purpose of the MAP was to give the district another tool to target instruction for students at all ends of the learning spectrum. She said she would follow up with both parents who spoke, so she had a “clear understanding of [their] concerns.”

Student Reinstatement Action

Before adjourning, the board recessed to continue their executive session, started before the regular meeting began, regarding a student discipline matter. The continued executive session lasted an additional three hours. At the end, the board approved the expulsion of Student A.

President’s Report

AAPS board meeting agendas include a report from the board president, which is an office currently held by Deb Mexicotte.

President’s Report: Intro to COTW Reports

Mexicotte began her president’s report by saying she realized there is currently no formal committee reporting out since the board consolidated the planning committee and the performance committee into one. As the chair of the committee-of-the-whole (COTW), she will report out what occurs at the COTW meetings. At the March 20 committee meeting, the board heard two presentations: the Achievement Gap Elimination Plan (AGEP) and a review of the student intervention and support services (SISS) department.

President’s Report: AGEP

Mexicotte said the AGEP report was well received by the board. [See Chronicle coverage: "Board Applauds AAPS Achievement Gap Plan"] She thanked the staff under the leadership of AAPS deputy superintendent of instruction Alesia Flye and superintendent Patricia Green. She also acknowledged the district’s equity leadership team (DELT) and DELT-A (the executive cabinet, plus seven additional administrators), saying she was impressed with the use of data. Mexicotte said the plan was made available to all building administrators. She extended the offer to anyone who wants to know more about the plan to contact the central office. The plan is also available on the Academics page of the AAPS website.

Trustee Andy Thomas also extended his thanks to the people who worked on the plan. He said it was the “first truly integrated approach” the district has taken to solving the achievement gap problem. He also acknowledged there were ways in which it could be improved but said it was the best opportunity the district had for addressing the problem.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot echoed the thanks offered by Thomas, and singled out Green. She noted the achievement gap issue had been a long struggle for her personally, but the report was worth “every tear.” She said she was ready to implement the plan, although it was “by no means perfect.” She expressed the desire to enlist students to help improve on the plan.

Trustee Irene Patalan recognized the ongoing desire the district has had to help students achieve. She said the Ann Arbor community is one that is willing to have conversations. She also expressed her appreciation for the work that went into “this living document” that will help meet the challenge of closing the achievement gap.

In her superintendent’s report, Green acknowledged Flye and Elaine Brown – AAPS assistant superintendent of Student Intervention and Support Services – for their leadership, saying, “It takes leadership to bring a vision to light the way you have.” She also thanked Michael Madison – president of the Ann Arbor Administrators Association – for his remarks and endorsement of the AGEP initiative. She indicated the next step is to develop a comprehensive implementation plan of the AGEP. She mentioned professional development plans were already in the works.

President’s Report: SISS Update

Mexicotte explained the SISS update report, presented by AAPS assistant superintendent of Student Intervention and Support Services Elaine Brown and her staff [at the COTW meeting on March 14, 2012], went “far beyond” reports received before in highlighting the achievement of bringing the district into compliance. She mentioned that SISS staff have been looking at how the district’s assistive technology can be improved, and that the technology bond would be instrumental in improving it. She also said SISS is undergoing a regular program review. Lightfoot expressed her excitement at the improvement in compliance undertaken by the department.

Association Reports

Five associations are invited to make regular reports to the school board: the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education (AAPAC), the Parent Teacher Organization Council (PTOC), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA). The Youth Senate (YS) is also invited to speak once a month. The YS, BPSSG, AAPAC, PTOC, and AAAA addressed the board at the March 21 meeting.

Association Reports: Youth Senate

Pioneer High School senior Aoxue Tang reported for the Youth Senate. She thanked the board for continuing to support and invest in arts education, saying that research has shown the positive effects of music on academic skills. She also noted the cost of having the AAPS technology millage vote run as a singular voting event, causing AAPS to bear the entire burden of the $60,000 cost. The Youth Senate supports the millage, but has concern that the cost of running the election will take away from student group funding, she said.

Association Reports: Black Parents Student Support Group

Leslie McGraw reported for the BPSSG. She noted the BPSSG dedicated its March meeting to coming up with an action plan to address the district’s Achievement Gap Elimination Plan (AGEP). She thanked trustee Susan Baskett for attending the meeting. McGraw also mentioned they will be hosting a forum the morning of April 28 at Peace Neighborhood Center to show parents how to be more proactive in advocating for their children. She invited all board members and administrators to attend.

McGraw noted the work being done by the southeast area PTOC, made up of Bryant, Pattengill, Allen, Mitchell, Pittsfield, and Carpenter elementary schools. They are determining if their students are receiving the appropriate level of resources from the district. She also mentioned the BPSSG will be partnering with the Neutral Zone to engage more students of color.

Association Report: Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education

Rick Altschuler reported for the AAPAC. He spoke of the Disability Awareness workshops presented in the elementary schools. He thanked trustee Christine Stead and superintendent Patricia Green for attending the Wines workshop, extending the invitation for other board members and SISS staff to attend future workshops. AAPAC volunteers have raised money for the past five to six years to purchase their own trailer and set of equipment for the workshops, which had previously been rented from Oakland County schools. He applauded the initiative of Clague Middle School staff for developing a program for incoming sixth graders. He also mentioned AAPAC’s efforts to fund a workshop coordinator position.

Association Report: Parent Teacher Organization Council

Amy Pachera reported for the PTOC. She mentioned one of the roles of the PTOC was to add resources and tools to the PTO toolbox, for all PTOs in the district. They had the Dispute Resolution Center present at the March PTOC meeting to add to their conflict resolution toolbox. The PTOC voted unanimously to support the technology millage.

Association Report: Ann Arbor Administrators Association

Dicken Elementary principal Michael Madison reported for the AAAA. He was joined by many of his colleagues so “the board and public could put a face with a name.” He recognized Brit Satchwell, the outgoing president of the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) – the teachers union – saying Satchwell has been very supportive as a partner with AAAA. Madison commended the AGEP, saying the plan not only talks about eliminating the gap, but actually does it. With 13 weeks left in the school year, he encouraged the trustees to see what is going on at the district schools.

Awards and Accolades

Board president Deb Mexicotte noted the AAPS website was awarded a Sunny Award by the nonprofit Sunshine Review. The Sunny Awards recognize the most transparent government websites in America. AAPS was one of 214 out of more than 6,000 websites to earn the award.

Parents of the Wines Elementary 5th grade choir record their children's performance.

She also praised the Wines Elementary 5th grade choir, who sang two songs for the board under the direction of Beth McNally. She said she was “glad to see the wonderful work that is being done at the music program at Wines.”

Trustee Simone Lightfoot was selected as one of 40 women to be honored as a Woman of Excellence by the Michigan Chronicle on March 30 in Detroit.

Also in the superintendent’s report, Patricia Green acknowledged the synchronized swimming teams of both Pioneer and Huron high schools. She also noted the success of many AAPS students at the South Eastern Michigan Science Fair. She mentioned the Community High’s Mock Trial Team advancement to the state championship.

Green called out Pioneer’s DECA chapter’s showing at the state conference. In addition, she mentioned the involvement of Slauson and Tappan middle schools and Pioneer High School in the University of Michigan’s German Day competition. Green was joined by trustees Glenn Nelson and Irene Patalan in celebrating the quality and success of the Art Walk on March 18, showcasing student artwork. Nelson cited the “liveliness” of downtown, and Patalan said the students “take her breath away.”

Agenda Planning

Agenda planning is an item on every AAPS board of trustees agenda.

Agenda Planning: Policy

Christine Stead suggested adding a review of policies set to expire this year. She also indicated a need to revisit student discipline policies, as well as sexual misconduct policies. She said she was working on a peer mentoring policy, as previously suggested by Deb Mexicotte.

Mexicotte and superintendent Patricia Green both indicated Green was reviewing the policies surrounding hearings, notifications, and rights and responsibilities “writ large.”

Simone Lightfoot asked for a policy review for hate crimes and speech, citing a recent incident at Burns Park.

Agenda Planning: Date Change

In an unusual move for the board, Mexicotte announced that the April 11 meeting was canceled. She said the work that needed to be done at that meeting could be done at a special regular meeting held immediately preceding the April 18 committee-of-the-whole meeting, which will be held at Clague Middle School.

Agenda Planning: Other Items

Irene Patalan urged an informal meeting this year with the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA). She would like to have it take place some time this calendar year.

Mexicotte mentioned that Logan Elementary School principal Terra Webster said her staff would be happy to meet with the board regarding culturally relevant teaching. She suggested they could start with written material in the board’s packets, then go from there. Webster had asked if the board would be interested in receiving more information. Glenn Nelson responded by saying he would like to see that information come from Green’s office and not from potentially every school administrator.

Stead voiced her desire to change the term “gifted and talented” to something broader. She suggested “innovation” versus any kind of tracking program. Mexicotte requested that if a term such as “innovation” is used, it should be defined.

Stead reiterated her request for “both sides of the ledger” on proposed revenue enhancements. She asserted a need to move the timeline up for discussion of budget cuts in order to be able to enlist the community’s help. Mexicotte told her it was “on our agenda to get it on our agenda.” She mentioned that the board would be discussing the budget at next month’s committee-of-the-whole meeting and the regular meeting on April 25.

Items from the Board

Andy Thomas acknowledged the number of “very fine” music presentations over the past few weeks, including the Choral Cavalcade at Huron High School and the US Navy Band performance at Pioneer High School, where members of the high school band were invited to play. He complimented director of choirs at Tappan Middle School Bonnie Kidd and the Tappan Choir for their achievement at Choral Festival. He also highlighted two of the AAPS Educational Foundation Great Idea Grants he had recently delivered. One was to Logan Elementary, a grant to purchase culturally relevant literature. The other was to Bryant Elementary, a grant to help replenish materials in the parent lending library.

Glenn Nelson acknowledged the work being done by the Karen Thomas Memorial Fund. He also complimented the leadership of the Willow Run and Ypsilanti school districts as they initiate talks about consolidation.

Simone Lightfoot agreed with Nelson about the proactive work being done by Willow Run and Ypsilanti. She also reported she went to a Rising Scholars meeting at Pioneer High School. She highlighted the work being done at Pioneer, not only with their Rising Scholars program but also with their 2.0 And Below program, which works to help students who are struggling. She mentioned the days she spent at schools around the district.

Irene Patalan said she had received positive feedback to the welcome AAPS is extending to future kindergarten families at Kindergarten Round-Ups.

Christine Stead acknowledged the importance of the Disability Awareness Workshops and expressed her desire that a recent drug awareness workshop conducted could be done at more schools to raise community awareness. She also mentioned the proactive work being done by the Willow Run and Ypsilanti leadership. Lastly, she acknowledged what an anchor role the Dexter school district had played in the community after the March 15 tornado. She also congratulated Huron High School’s girls basketball team for reaching the Final Four.

Deb Mexicotte also expressed the board’s support and concern for the Dexter community. She mentioned the district’s role in the 40th Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow that was held at Pioneer High School. She acknowledged the role Patricia Green and Randy Trent played in helping the Native American Student Association secure a location closer to the University of Michigan campus.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Susan Baskett, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Simone Lightfoot, Glenn Nelson, and Christine Stead.

Next meeting: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 5:30 p.m., at the Clague Middle School Media Center, 2616 Nixon Rd. [confirm date]

Monet Tiedemann is a free-lance writer who will be covering the AAPS board of trustees on a regular basis starting at the end of July, when Jennifer Coffman returns to her teaching position in a neighboring district. The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of public bodies like the Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education. If you’re already supporting The Chronicle, please encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

After being walked through it, trustees applauded the plan – literally, and most of their comments characterized the AGEP with words like “integrated,” “robust,” “powerful,” and “inspiring.”

From left, AAPS trustees Susan Baskett, Irene Patalan, Glenn Nelson, and Christine Stead at their March 14 committee-of-the-whole meeting, held at Mitchell Elementary School. (Photos by the writer).

Still, the board registered some concerns.  Among many elements, the AGEP emphasizes the use of data to inform instruction, and the professional development of teachers. These features of the plan led to a somewhat cool reception from trustee Simone Lightfoot, who wanted to see more emphasis on “common sense” over data, and more emphasis on children than on adults. Trustee Susan Baskett expressed some skepticism based on her experience with the follow-through she’s seen from past AAPS administrations. And, multiple trustees questioned how a wholehearted commitment to the AGEP would affect the district’s allocation of resources.

At its committee meeting, the board did not take any action related to the AGEP. More details of the plan, along with the board’s discussion, are presented below, after the jump.

Also at the committee meeting, the board heard from parents concerned about rising class sizes at the preschool, and heard a review of the student intervention and support services (SISS) department.

A discussion on revenue enhancement ideas was postponed.

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan

Superintendent Patricia Green began the administration’s presentation to the board by saying that this issue – disproportionate achievement among students of different groups – has been an issue for the district for decades. It’s one of the reasons she wanted to come to AAPS, she said.

Early on, Green said, she met with executive cabinet members in their role as the district’s equity leadership team (DELT). While they wanted to make a plan quickly, she wanted to make the right plan. “To do the richness of what we intend to do, this will take a broad-based team,” Green said. She noted the plan is research-based, and integrates many elements of social and emotional learning.

AAPS deputy superintendent of instruction Alesia Flye said she was very excited to be bringing this plan to the board, and said the DELT and DELT-A (the executive cabinet, plus seven additional administrators) have been working hard since last fall to create a plan that would involve all stakeholders, and produce useful tools that building leaders could use immediately. Flye acknowledged the ten members of the superintendent’s cabinet and also the seven members of DELT-A: Pattengill principal Che’ Carter, Slauson principal Chris Curtis, AAPS literacy and social studies coordinator Chuck Hatt, Community High School dean Jen Hein, Tappan principal Jazz Parks, Haisley Elementary School principal Kathy Scarnecchia, and Logan Elementary School principal Terra Webster.

Flye said that historically, AAPS has structured its equity work as a separate and distinct initiative. However, the achievement gap elimination plan (AGEP) uses the district’s strategic plan as its critical framework, she said. Flye noted that many best practices in closing the gap are already occurring throughout AAPS, but only in isolation. She also said that previous efforts to address the gap have not had the accountability, the consistency, and the strong focus on social and emotional learning that this plan has.

Flye then led the board through an executive summary of the plan, touching on nine areas of focus: clear district content standards; equity; accountability; professional development; parent and community engagement; student engagement; quality early childhood programs; addressing barriers to learning and allocation of resources, and Student Intervention and Support Services (SISS).

AGEP: Executive Summary

About content standards, Flye noted that a set of documents is being developed that can be used by students and families to chart their paths through AAPS academically while meeting all pre-requisite requirements. The district will also provide an assessment summary, and use the Achievement Team Process to ensure early identification of students who are falling behind. Flye highlighted that policies and procedures will focus on keeping students in school, and all students performing below grade level will develop a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) to get on track.

Noting that the AGEP puts a large emphasis on professional development (PD), Flye listed equity, cooperative discipline, social and emotional learning, and positive behavioral intervention and supports (PBIS) as four PD modules that would be developed. She highlighted a number of ways the district will use data better to ensure accountability in meeting the AGEP’s goal of eliminating achievement gaps – including developing multi-year school profiles that will incorporate student achievement, discipline, and attendance data. She also briefly touched on the development of an Equity Plan Rubric, a tool to be used by building leaders to bring greater systemic consistency to equity work, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Engagement of parents and families will be done by conducting evening or Saturday meetings at local community centers, and engagement of students will be done through the administration of the annual climate survey and the formalization of a district-wide student leadership program, Flye said.

Regarding preschool programming, Flye noted that elementary PTOs would be encouraged to connect with preschool families as they transition to elementary schools. Preschool enrollment would be examined, she said.

Flye said that the AGEP would allocate resources to high-need students and buildings, and examine personnel policies to ensure that the best teachers are placed in the highest need areas. Also, AAPS will continue to work with the AAEA minority caucus to ensure teacher retention and potentially improve the hiring process. [AAEA is the Ann Arbor Education Association, the teachers' union.]

The district will work to decrease suspensions and expulsions, and to address students’ social and emotional needs. She noted that funds have been dedicated to purchase materials to support PBIS in all schools.

Finally, Flye said a district-wide work plan was being developed with benchmarks and responsible persons for each plan element.

AGEP: History and Data

AAPS literacy and social studies coordinator Chuck Hatt reviewed the history of race and equity work in Ann Arbor and AAPS. He said that the achievement gap can be attributed to inconsistent expectations, grading practices, and inconsistent use or knowledge of culturally relevant teaching strategies. To fix this, he said, AAPS will better use data to drive instruction, maintain a high-level curriculum with supporting interventions, and offer professional development in differentiation of instruction and culturally responsive teaching strategies.

Director of student accounting Jane Landefeld reviewed recent achievement and discipline data to highlight the gaps being addressed. “We made progress toward earlier targets, but now we have a much more rigorous target,” said Landefeld. She also connected the AGEP to the discipline gap elimination plan presented by Green in December, 2011, citing several common themes: monthly data review, social and emotional learning, cooperative discipline, and community and student engagement.

AGEP: “Beyond Diversity” Training

Logan Elementary School principal Terra Webster reviewed the Beyond Diversity training she had attended, a two-day training session, which she described as a place to learn how to have courageous conversations about race, as well as to learn about the degree to which racism leads to educational failure. All staff members truly share equal responsibility in educating students, Webster told the board.

AGEP: Equity Plan Rubric

Webster, along with Parks, Carter, and Scarnecchia, then introduced the four standards of the newly-developed equity plan rubric, a tool that clarifies the expectations of equity teams at the building level, and allows for the monitoring of their progress in a consistent way.

The rubric divides the work of the building equity teams into specific practices, and allows for the work of the teams to be classified as follows: not effective, minimally effective, effective, or highly effective. Its four standards are: developing the building equity team; defining the disaggregated data that is being used to document results for students; determining how teams are using data to inform and produce results; and documenting effectiveness of the building equity teams.

Scarnecchia summed up the goals of the building equity teams – to ensure that there is no predictable pattern of achievement connected to race, socio-economic status, or special needs identification.

AGEP: Accountability

Flye said the district will be instituting a “holistic accountability system,” and that professional development with the Leadership and Learning Center will train the instructional council and leadership teams from each school in the data team process. The process encourages the use data in decision-making at the classroom level, and is a proven set of processes that has led to award-winning systems of accountability.

Green added that this process has been used by the most improved schools in the nation. She pointed out that the AGEP relies on systemic consistency, accountability, and specificity.

AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen argued that while AAPS will have to be aggressive, there are proven strategies that it can employ to close the achievement gap – high expectations, using data to track student progress and needs, purposeful professional development, and a rich curriculum with strong, focused instruction. “In Ann Arbor,” he said, “We have the resources, the will, and the community commitment to eliminate the achievement gap.”

AGEP: Board Response and Discussion

Board chair Deb Mexicotte led trustees in a round of applause and thanked the many administrators who participated in the presentation for attending the meeting, saying their presence showed the power of this plan. She invited the trustees to offer comments and questions in a round-robin style.

Trustee Andy Thomas appreciated the integrated approach of this plan. He asked what resources the administration needed in order to implement the items as presented, especially preschool programs, which is not funded with a state foundation allowance. He also asked what resources will be needed to make the best use of data, saying it sounded to him like the data needs of the district will be increasing exponentially.

Flye said the data infrastructure needs to be more reliable, and pointed to times when data cannot be accessed because the system is overloaded. Green pointed out that the success of the tech bond initiative is crucial to replenish, refresh, and expand technology resources in the district. She said in a perfect world, AAPS would have a second preschool site to serve even more students, because research shows it pays off to front-load resources in early grades.

Allen noted that the budget he recommends will prioritize essential items related to the AGEP, and noted that professional development can use in-house resources to save money. Green added that exporting professional development created for the AGEP could be a revenue enhancer.

Lightfoot began by thanking all who participated in crafting the AGEP and said it had been her “pet project” to get the district to create one document to address this issue. However, she expressed concern that the AGEP did not focus exclusively on a subgroup of students, that is, students whose achievement is lower. “This isn’t the time to involve everyone and keep everyone happy,” she argued.

Lightfoot listed the following concerns: flowery language; lack of specific academic supports such as support for 8th grade algebra; too much emphasis on how adults can grow and learn and not enough focus on students; and a lack of timelines. Lightfoot also questioned the inclusion of the Pacific Education Group (PEG) as a consultant in the AGEP, and said she is not necessarily interested in renewing their contract.

Flye addressed some of Lightfoot’s specific questions about the academic jargon used in the AGEP, and noted that student engagement is a part of the plan. About the timeline, Green said it will be in the next year, and that administration is currently assembling the implementation plan.

Baskett was reserved in her praise of the AGEP, saying that she was glad the administrators were all there, but that she has “been in this district a long time… and the follow-through is lacking.”

Baskett asked about the cooperative discipline element, which Flye defined as a research-based tool that educators can use to diffuse power struggles. Baskett noted that she would like to see several things: more action steps of the discipline gap plan; an update on the successes in the district regarding equity; and an update on the roll-out of PBIS to the whole district. She questioned the parent involvement piece as outlined in the plan, saying that it “sounds more like a push out of information rather than getting feedback from parents.” She also questioned the frequency of the parent meetings and student climate surveys, saying they should take place more than once a year. Finally, like Lightfoot, Baskett said she had been hoping to see more instructional strategies embedded in the AGEP.

Baskett suggested that the board “examine its political will” to make this happen, and suggested that the board itself take part in a “Beyond Diversity” training session.

Patalan said she was absolutely inspired, and suggested that the board read a paper written by Scott Westerman, AAPS superintendent during the University of Michigan’s black action strike. Mexicotte said she would forward the paper to the board if Patalan sent it to her. Patalan also said she was exicted to use the in-district talent of Parks and Webster to lead professional development, and liked the way the tech bond fit into the picture. She expressed support for allocating additional resources at the preschool level, and questioned whether the district’s current preschool was helping the “children who really need us the most.”

Patalan also asked for some clarification on culturally relevant teaching as it relates to math. Flye responded by saying it is important to build upon the life experiences that children bring to class.

Nelson contrasted different parts of the AGEP in terms of how they define the target population. He noted that the equity team rubric used by principals mentions a goal of having all students in every subgroup meeting achievement goals, whereas other sections of the AGEP focus on proportionality. “The goal of universal excellence is important,” Nelson said, “but it’s a different goal than [eliminating] the gap.”

Administrators defended their decision to word the rubric that way, and acknowledged that they had had much discussion on that issue. Green added, “If you don’t shoot for the moon, you won’t land on the moon.” Nelson stressed that teaching character traits such as perseverance and honesty were at least as important and emphasizing math and reading. Green agreed, saying that making connections with students to get them involved in their schools was critical.

Nelson said that the AGEP gives AAPS a chance to continue its tradition of leadership on the topic of equity.

Stead complimented the “robust framework” of the plan, and suggested adding to the timeline already on the district’s website. She did express worry that closing the gap could bring down the achievement of top students, but Green moved quickly to reassure her otherwise.

Stead also said the plan will require the allocation of additional resources, such as additional staff in AAPS research services department, and more preschool teachers. She noted that peer mentoring is important, saying, “We need to make being smart cool,” and agreed with Lightfoot that PEG’s continued work in the district should be questioned.

Baskett reiterated her support for additional academic supports, saying that she has heard that “math is kicking booty all over this district.” Thomas argued that the board should stand behind the administration and wholeheartedly support the AGEP. Saying that looking at the gap in achievement data “hurts [her] heart,” Lightfoot argued that the plan needs to be better fleshed out, and that she was “not as patient and tolerant as the other trustees.”

Mexicotte encouraged the trustees to think about what they could do in terms of policy regarding the implementation of the AGEP. She suggested that the board could set a policy mandating peer mentoring in all schools, or that IEPs can only happen when parents could attend.

Mexicotte also asked everyone in attendance to explain the importance of the upcoming tech bond without directly suggesting to people how to vote, and said the budget needs to follow the board’s priorities.

Regarding the use of the term “100%” in the equity plan rubric, Mexicotte said it’s fine with her if it works “aspirationally.”

Finally, Mexicotte led the board in a brief discussion about whether to include the AGEP on the agenda of the next regular meeting so trustees could officially offer a vote of support on it. She suggested the board could also affirm the AGEP at the committee-of-the-whole meeting that night instead.

Lightfoot and Baskett suggested they might not feel comfortable affirming the AGEP without seeing how the board’s suggestions were incorporated, or at least “footnoted.” Nelson said the community needs a consensus of the board if at all possible. “If I’m hearing that it’s going to be a divided vote,” he said, “than I’d rather not vote.”

Outcome: The board took no action on the Achievement Gap Elimination Plan at this meeting in terms of affirming it or deciding to move it to the agenda of a regular meeting.

Public Comment: Class Size – Preschool, Special Ed

During public commentary, two people addressed the board on the topic of class size.

Parent Tammie Nahra read a letter that had been sent to the board signed by 45 families with children at the Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center. The letter expressed appreciation for the quality of the staff, but concern about the significant increase (63%) in class size experienced by two of the classes for autistic students. Noting that these children are particularly sensitive to their environment, the letter suggested that the preschool will be unable to help these students reach their IEP (Individualized Education Plan) goals without an adequate increase in staffing and space.

The letter closed by pointing out that it is fiscally prudent to provide high-quality early intervention services to these children, and that AAPS is setting itself up to require additional services later, the district does not provide these critical services now. Parents who signed the letter requested a meeting with the board regarding this matter.

Parent Heather Eckner began by acknowledging that SISS Assistant Superintendent Elaine Brown did reach out to her that day to schedule a meeting. She pointed out that the class size increases have affected student-teacher ratio to the point where “push-in” services listed in students’ IEPs are likely being affected due to logistical difficulties. Eckner noted that the “level 3″ class, for higher-functioning students on the autistic spectrum, is supposed to contain a 50-50 split of general education and special education students, but that ratio is shifting toward a higher and higher percentage of autistic students.

Finally, Eckner noted that for autistic children, “you cannot put a value on” stability, structure, and routine. She said the class size increases have left classrooms “bordering on chaos” and that a large number of families feel affected by this issue.

During clarification on public commentary, Brown noted that the letter sent by preschool families was timely because staffing for the K-12 special education classes was currently underway. She said she intended to hear everyone’s voices as she leads the program review. Deputy superintendent of instruction Alesia Flye thanked the parents for coming forward, and said she was anxious to meet with them. “You will be part of the collaboration,” she said. “Everyone will be engaged.”

Green pointed out that the single teacher who was added was only an interim step to be able to get some relief as the situation was assessed fully.

Student Intervention and Support Services Review

AAPS assistant superintendent of Student Intervention and Support Services (SISS) Elaine Brown and her staff led the board through a review of the main programs and services offered to AAPS special education students. Six SISS administrators introduced themselves and explained their functions.

AAPS assistant superintendent of Student Intervention and Support Services (SISS) Elaine Brown.

Lon Smith supervises the middle school programs, along with Ann Arbor Open, and Pittsfield, Dicken, and King elementary schools. He also supervises the school social workers, nurses, and the services that AAPS is legally obligated to provide to local non-public schools. Eric Thompson supervises most of the remaining elementary school programs, along with school psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. Cassandra Benion supervises Lakewood, Bryant,and Pattengill elementary schools, all the high schools, and the hearing-impaired and speech and language programs. Jeff Flynn manages the assistive technology for the entire district. Yolanda Bell supervises secondary transition compliance, the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES), and the young adult program. And finally, Patricia Rushing is the autism coordinator and runs the peer-to-peer mentoring program.

Brown and her team then led the board through a departmental review, linking each section of their report to an objective of the district’s strategic plan.

SISS Review: Goals and Accomplishments

Brown explained that her department is in the process of a review of its programs and service delivery, and reviewed a set of goals as well as accomplishments. She noted that a committee has been created for the review that includes parents, psychologists, and special education administration. Benion added that site visits and surveys will be conducted as part of the review, and that findings will be shared with Green and the board.

The law requires that special education students are taught in the least restrictive environment possible (LRE), allowing many students to participate in some classes alongside their general education peers. “Self-contained” classrooms contain special education students who are not able to spend any time in general education rooms. Brown expressed concern that self-contained classrooms may not be using state curricula. Benion added that in many cases, the goals of a student’s IEP (individualized education plan) were not being aligned with the state curriculum, but that the district is changing that.

Benion said that one of her goals is to offer professional development to all special education staff who teach in self-contained classrooms on the eGLCEs (extended grade level content expectations), and to “be sure teachers are using these.” The GLCEs are the state-mandated curricula used in general education classrooms. The extended versions, or eGLCEs, modify the curriculum for special-needs students.

Brown also said that AAPS had in the past been cited as disproportionately labeling African-American students as cognitively impaired. She also said the district had been cited for disproportionately suspending special education students. She reported that this has been corrected, and that the special education department has implemented a new process to be sure the district is correctly and appropriately identifying youngsters who need special education services. Ensuring ongoing compliance on these issues, Brown said, is another one of her goals.

Other goals noted were to build more options for students transitioning out of school, developing a parent handbook, and expanding the peer-to-peer mentoring program. As accomplishments, Brown also said the district had implemented a new monitoring system to increase Medicaid reimbursement and had purchased a number of new technology products to help teachers facilitate student learning.

SISS Review: Compliance

Lon Smith described how AAPS had moved into compliance regarding disproportionality on all fronts. He pointed out the laminated sheets that had been provided to each trustee and explained how these sheets were given to principals as part of the effort to ensure that patterns of discipline are standardized. Smith also noted that professional development (PD) was provided to all staff regarding student discipline, including removal from class. The PD explains how special education law relates to suspensions and expulsions, and gave principals a chance to ask questions of an attorney.

“In special education,” Smith said, “unique situations happen all the time.” He noted that the manifestation determination review process is used to determine if a students’ misbehavior can be attributed to his or her disability, and noted that after ten days of suspension, special needs students still need to be provided a FAPE, or “free and appropriate public education.”

Finally, Smith noted that new state laws  on the process of crafting IEPs were passed in October of last year, and that PD had also been offered to all special education staff on the revised process. He said staff were given checklists, and will receive monthly reminders about the IEP process.

SISS Review: Medicaid

Thompson simply noted that the district’s SISS department is now monitoring Medicaid billing monthly, and has worked with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) to ensure that the Medicaid reimbursements are handled appropriately. Nelson asked how much money this extra effort has brought the district, and Green answered that it has netted $1.4 million over two years.

SISS Review: Peer-to-Peer Mentoring

Rushing introduced the peer-to-peer mentoring program, which she said was developed primarily to provide a greater opportunity for special education students to access the curriculum by working with their peers. She noted that the program has been instituted in five elementaries and one high school, and is expanding.

Rushing explained that the student mentors are first trained  to understand the disabilities faced by their peers, and then general ed and special ed students are paired according to their interests. Technology is used to facilitate interactions between students, Rushing said, noting that the iPad has “loads of applications to get that conversation started.” She also noted that one school had used a grant to purchase a Wii for the same purpose.

The mentoring program has reflected changes in peer-to-peer interactions that Rushing said have been captured on video by teachers. There are also reflection activities that mentors and mentees complete at the end of the program.

SISS Review: Assistive Technology

Flynn reported that SISS provides many aides to special education students, both low-tech and high-tech, but pointed out that the district’s resources “wouldn’t be worth anything” without accompanying professional development. He pointed out that many PD opportunities were offered to teachers and parents over the summer regarding the use of various technologies. Then, Flynn said, student and teacher outcomes are identified and data on the effective use of technology is tracked.

Some low-tech solutions highlighted by Flynn included: colored reading frames, colored overlay, and colored raised-line paper. Mid-level technology being used includes the talking dictionary and talking calculator, which offers auditory output to reinforce number concepts. High-tech aides at use in the district are the Smart Board, and the Tap-It, which is especially effective for students on the autistic spectrum, or students with physical or cognitive impairments. Finally, Flynn described a tablet used by a non-verbal AAPS student as a communication device – the student collects pictures and organizes them, and the machine communicates for him.

SISS Review: Transition Services

Bell explained that transition services for special education students are a coordinated set of activities. The state monitors compliance by selecting IEPs at random to be sure they are in compliance with mandated transition services. AAPS, Bell pointed out, has maintained compliance every year regarding the provision of transition services. She noted that AAPS has a set of assessments that are used to help students transition out of secondary school, and briefly described a few of them.

The PAES, or Practical Assessment Exploration System, is used to measure students’ work behaviors and competitiveness; the EDP, or Educational Development Plan, is used to identify career pathways of interest to students, and the TPI, or Transition Planning Inventory, is used to clarify students’ needs.

SISS Review: Board Discussion

Andy Thomas argued that it was negative to list as an accomplishment the fact that the state is no longer sanctioning AAPS for disproportionality in placement and discipline of special education students. Brown countered that achieving the removal of the funding sanction – which amounted to 15% of the district’s federal IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) grant, or $480,000 – was indeed a significant accomplishment.

Thomas responded that meeting funding requirements and being sure that each student in properly assessed might be different goals.

Several trustees suggested that SISS engage better with parents.

Thomas suggested that parents be included on the program review team. Brown responded by saying that the department had planned to survey parents, but that she would consider including them on the team itself.

Christine Stead was more direct, saying, “I get the most complaints about SISS … Please re-focus your energy around a customer-service approach.” She acknowledged that SISS deals with one of the most challenging sets of students and families in the district, but stressed that the department needs to be families’ “best friend in our system.” Giving the examples of an IEP meeting being held at a time whe parents cannot attend, and lack of timeliness in responding to families, Stead said the district needs to deliver a more comprehensive, streamlined service.

Lightfoot added that she shares the stated concerns about customer service, and would extend that concern to the district’s administration as a whole.

Baskett asked who parents should contact if they have a concern with the education of their children. Brown suggested starting with the case manager, that is, whoever facilitated their IEPs. Then, Brown continued, parents could go through the chain of command – the principal, the appropriate assistant director of SISS, and then up to Brown. Green added that after Brown, if an issue was still not resolved, a parent could come to her.

Baskett responded that she knows of cases where the families of special education students are not feeling respected by their principal, and that special education students are not always recognized in a positive way. She also said she is sensing a schism between SISS and building administrators.

On the positive side, Nelson and Patalan said they did learn a lot from the presentation. Baskett complimented the peer mentoring program, and Lightfoot said she was happy to hear of the accomplishments. Patalan applauded the development of the parent handbook, the better compliance in terms of disproportionality, and Medicaid reimbursement increases.

Nelson requested that SISS integrate student performance measures into its self-assessment to determine if SISS is making a difference educationally. Thomas thanked Nelson for expressing what he had been trying to say earlier, quipping, “This may be the first time I’ve ever complemented you on being succinct.” Thomas said there seems to be an awful lot of emphasis on process instead of outcomes, and requested that whatever measures SISS institutes speak to student accomplishment.

Board and Superintendent Evaluations

The board will be evaluating the performance of superintendant  Patricia Green. Mexicotte asked that board members familiarize themselves with a document she would be sending to them that outlines guidelines related to student achievement measures to be used in the superintendent evaluation.

Regarding the board’s self-evaluation, Mexicotte asked trustees if they would be interested in retaking the survey administered by Ray and Associates, the superintendent search firm, again this year. The board took the self-assessment survey last year as part of the package of services provided by Ray and Associates. during the superintendent search.

Mexicotte suggested that if the board retook the survey, results from the last year and this year could be compared side by side, which the board might find useful. Also, she noted that trustees had expressed a possible interest in participating in diversity training as part of the effort to combat the achievement gap, which is something they could note in the survey.

The board agreed to retake the survey.

Agenda Planning – Balanced Calendar

The district is considering moving to a balanced calendar, which could take many forms.  One form is an extended school year with longer breaks throughout the year, such as was proposed as part of the Mitchell-Scarlett-UM teaching and learning collaborative.  The board has directed AAPS administration to look into moving to a balanced calendar district-wide, and to bring a recommendation to the board one way or the other.

Lightfoot questioned whether waiting to discuss the balanced calendar until the April 18 committee of the whole meeting would leave the district enough time to implement a balanced calendar for 2012-13 if the board voted to do so.

Mexicotte said the April 18 was the date set aside to receive the recommendation from administration regarding a balanced calendar.

Lightfoot again questioned if an April decision on a balanced calendar would leave enough time to roll out such a program before September. Green responded by saying her administration would work with the direction of the board either way.

Nelson added that there are positive and negative consequences to moving to a balanced calendar – consequences that the administration’s report will probably lay out.

Mexicotte said she was not sure what the administration’s recommendation would be for a balanced calendar, but that if the board wants it to happen in the fall, it will happen.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Christine Stead, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Glenn Nelson.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday March 21, 2012, at 7 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

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Percentage of AAPS high school students by ethnicity with at least one suspension during the school year. Part of the discipline gap that district superintendent Patria Green wants to address is reflected in the different between the blue bars – African American students – and other ethnic groups. Bars are clumped by year. (Image links to higher resolution file.)

Green sees closing the discipline gap as a gateway to eliminating the district’s achievement gap. Green’s presentation included a detailed breakdown of suspension data from the past eight years – a data set that shows a disproportionately high number of African-American students, special needs students, and economically disadvantaged students being suspended or otherwise removed from instructional time.

Trustees expressed optimism that Green’s comprehensive and integrated approach could ultimately be effective in addressing the achievement gap. Saying that while the board has had binders, spreadsheets, and plans before, board president Deb Mexicotte said she believes in Green’s leadership. “A lot of times in the past, the piecemeal bits have not been clear how they would work together … I now believe we can do this.”

Recalling a question Green asked the board during her interview process last spring, Mexicotte told Green, “You asked us what we would like to see in five years, and we said: Close the achievement gap. We are absolutely unified on this.”

Also discussed at the Dec. 7 COTW  meeting were the new “cut scores” being used to determine student proficiency on the annual state Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) test and Michigan Merit Exam (MME). Under the new system, students will need to get approximately 65% of the answers correct to be labeled proficient or above; the previous proficiency level was set at 39%. The district is working to mitigate parents’ surprise and concern. This year’s student scores will in most cases likely register a significant drop.

Trustees also gave their assent to a proposal by top administrators to widen the range of students who are able to address the board at their regular meetings, heard a brief budget update, and reviewed their upcoming agenda.

AAPS Discipline Data

Green opened her presentation with a review of her experience in reversing trends for suspensions and expulsions in other settings. She noted that a review of the national literature suggests there is no single factor that can account for the disproportionality that’s seen in suspensions. She said schools need to create multifaceted approaches that focus on: school connectedness, caring relationships, alternative disciplinary practices, and explicit attention to race and culture.

Green’s vision centers on the social and emotional learning components of education, which includes teaching both students and staff the skills to develop social and emotional competence. Calling suspension a “bandaid,” Green said that it has never been proven to be an effective technique to change behavior, and argued that any exclusion from instructional time should be a last resort in response to behavioral problems.

Jane Landefeld, AAPS director of student accounting, then led the board through a series of slides on suspension data. In 2010-11, the district logged 116 elementary suspensions, 251 middle school suspensions, and 337 high school suspensions. In all cases, compared to other students, a significantly higher number of African-American students, students who are economically disadvantaged [Figure 1], and students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) [Figure 2] received suspensions.

Figure 1. Percentage of suspended AAPS students who were economically disadvantaged, 2010-11. (Image links to higher resolution file.)

Figure 2. Percentage of Suspended AAPS students who had Individual Education Plans (Image links to higher resolution file.)

Landefeld presented data from the past eight years, which showed overall that the disproportionality seen in 2010-11 is part of an continuing trend and not an aberration. Figure 3 shows the percentage of high school students by ethnicity with at least one suspension during the school year. Figure 4 shows the same data for middle schoolers.

Percentage of AAPS high school students by ethnicity with at least one suspension during the school year. Bars are clumped by year. (Image links to higher resolution file.)

Percentage of AAPS middle school students by ethnicity with at least one suspension during the school year. Bars are clumped by year. (Image links to higher resolution file.)

Green’s Vision for Addressing “Discipline Gap”

Green laid out a 23-point “concept paper” in which she illustrated her vision for how the district can foster the social and emotional learning necessary to overcome the discipline gap. Linking her ideas directly to the district’s strategic plan, Green emphasized that her approach will be balanced, and will focus on more than just controlling student behavior.

Suggested elements of her plan include: establishing a superintendent advisory team made up of community leaders;  insisting on consistent enforcement of policies and procedures on student discipline; refining the implementation of positive behavioral support programs; institutionalizing comprehensive and regular data collection and review; creating a seamless mesh of student support services; establishing a student leadership program; and teaching empathy, impulse control, and anger management at all levels of the district.

Ultimately, Green said, these social and emotional goals will be unified with the district’s academic goals in a common framework, which is being developed this year. Green allowed that this process will take time, noting that reducing suspension rates by 48% in one of her former districts took about two years. “We need to have to courage to look at the data and say… we will change the odds, change the image, and change the results … It’s going to take time, … [but] we can do this as an incredible team. We can to do what few districts in America have been able to do.”

Green’s Vision: Board Response

Following Green’s presentation, trustees expressed a mix of positive emotions – from excitement and admiration to gratitude and relief.

“Thank you for owning this issue … This is the first time I feel like we are embracing publicly that we are not consistent,” said trustee Simone Lightfoot. She continued: “These [suspension] numbers are egregious and embarrassing and distressful to me.” Saying she didn’t want to move forward without acknowledging the distress, Lightfoot said she was looking forward to the implementation of Green’s vision.

Green’s Vision: Board Response – History of Community Engagement

In May 2010, trustees Simone Lightfoot and Susan Baskett convened a meeting for community members entitled “Beyond the Talk,”  which brought together key leaders in the community to brainstorm a list of ideas, resources, and programs which could be coordinated to create what Lightfoot began calling an “achievement gap plan.” Arguing that the districts efforts were not well-organized or well-defined, Lightfoot advocated for a separate plan to be created that tied together the district’s efforts in a way that would make them more accessible to parents and the wider community.

In November 2010, former AAPS interim deputy superintendent for instruction Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley unveiled an “achievement gap elimination plan” as part of the state-mandated school improvement plan. The district has also recently produced a brochure entitled “A Call to Action,” which presents a timeline of math and literacy initiatives aimed at addressing the achievement gap.

At the Dec. 7 meeting, Lightfoot questioned how Green would include in her plan the work that is already being done in the community around this issue, arguing that Green’s approach is very “study-oriented and academic.” Lightfoot added that “there are some things that are not necessarily researched but known to work well in our district.”

Green agreed that the best practices she is advocating are all research-based. The community efforts at closing the achievement gap to which Lightfoot referred are “action-research,” Green said, and she would be eager to review them for inclusion in the plan.

Community leaders who have accepted Green’s invitation to participate on her advisory team include: William Hampton, president of the local NAACP; Bryan Johnson, president of the Black Parents’ Student Support Group; Donna Lasinski from the Parent Teacher Organization Council; Joan Doughty, executive director of the Community Action Network; Amy Pachera, board president of the Peace Neighborhood Center; Bonnie Billups, executive director of the Peace Neighborhood Center; Yolanda Whiten, executive director of the Ann Arbor Community Center; and leadership from the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Council on Special Education. Green described the group as a “think tank” which would offer varied perspectives in an open, informal conversation.

Ruth Zweifler, founder and retired executive director of the Student Advocacy Center of Michigan, attended the Dec. 7 COTW meeting and addressed the board during public commentary as well as later in the meeting. Zwiefler noted that whenever the spotlight is placed on the disproportionality in suspensions, the number goes down, but when the spotlight is removed the problem comes back. Saying Green’s vision was a wonderful intent, Zwiefler encouraged the board: “I hope we make it this time.”

Green’s Vision: Board Response – Data Management

Mexicotte and trustee Irene Patalan each noted how Green’s vision looks at the “whole student,” which is part of the intention behind the “personalized learning” emphasized in the AAPS Strategic Plan.

Two years ago, the district began using a new electronic data collection process, called the Achievement Team Process (ATP). As described in May 2010 by former interim deputy superintendent of instruction, Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley, the ATP database can be accessed by all teachers at all schools to create personalized learning plans. It can also be used to track which interventions have been tried for each struggling student. The ATP can then be used as a gateway to refer students to any number of instructional support programs or special education services.

The district also uses PowerSchool, an online data management system primarily used to track student grades and attendance, and which can be accessed by parents.

At the Dec. 7 COTW meeting, AAPS deputy superintendent of instruction Alesia Flye noted that she has asked four schools to pilot a newly-crafted behavior referral form. Flye explained that there are currently many different forms that are used across the district, and that in addition to collecting different data, each school is compiling data differently – some in Excel, some on GoogleDocs, etc.

Eventually, Flye said, the goal is for a single form to be used in all levels across the district to capture all data related to disciplinary action that reduces any instructional time in any way. All such data would be stored on PowerSchool, she said.

Trustee Christine Stead said she was very impressed and grateful to receive the binder Green had put together for each trustee, and noted that it’s clear Green’s vision is based on a wide body of academic work and solid data. She thanked Green for her efforts to standardize the discipline data collected and for laying the foundation for “data governance” that would allow even more sophisticated analysis in the future.

Stead also noted that better tracking would help maintain the buy-in from the community that Green is working to build. “Any institution undergoing great change needs lots of information,” Stead said. “People get nervous and need reassurance. We also need a path to know when [our efforts] are going off-course, and we need to know as quickly as we can.” Finally, she noted that she was looking forward to working with the community leaders Green had invited to her advisory team.

Rod Flowers, from the local NAACP, and Martine Perreault, of the PTOC, were also present at the Dec. 7 COTW meeting, and added their suggestions to the board’s discussion of the data collection process.

Flowers suggested that there should be a quantitative way to measure how different discipline options impact achievement. He said he would like to see masked suspension data (data lacking student identification) linked to the academic achievement level of each student – to help track the effect of suspensions on student achievement from year to year. Zweifler added that the board could consider adding student GPA on the new referral form.

Perreault suggested that the district should also track how discipline data are affected when principals move from one school to another – because their leadership has a significant effect on discipline practices in each building. “What might be insubordination to one principal,” she pointed out, “would not be to another.”

Green’s Vision: Board Response – Next Steps

Baskett thanked Green for exceeding her expectations, and asked what the administration’s next steps will be to turn the vision into a reality.

Green responded to Baskett by saying she plans to tie the “social and emotional learning” pieces of this work with the achievement gap elimination plan and the equity plan into a comprehensive action plan to be presented to the board in March 2012.

Trustee Glenn Nelson expressed his appreciation for the quality of the work, echoing the sentiments of other trustees. Nelson added that student attendance should be included in the analysis.

Green agreed that academic, discipline, attendance issues need to be examined comprehensively. She pointed out that she has a vision and is supported by tremendous people who believe in her vision. Green singled out Amy Osinski, board secretary, for developing a graphic of puzzle pieces fitting together to represent the work.

Lightfoot suggested bringing in African-American and Latino alumni to work with students, and involving students in defining what supports would be needed for their behavior to improve. Baskett suggested putting the report Green gave at the meeting on the district’s website, and Green said she would do that.

Patalan and Lightfoot also noted the importance of having the board, as well as staff, receive professional development training. Green noted that she had determined that Title 2 funding can be used for such professional development.

State Standardized Test “Cut Scores”

Earlier this year, the state board of education adopted this more rigorous scoring method, which will better align the results of Michigan’s state standardized tests with national measures of achievement, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

AAPS is bracing for parents’ response to what will in many cases be significantly lower student scores on this year’s MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) and MME (Michigan Merit Exam). According to the district’s projections, Landefeld said that the new cut scores may reduce the percentage of 3rd-8th grade students who are proficient in reading by 10-18%. For math a reduction of 21-38% is possible. A summary slide created by Landefeld shows that AAPS is expecting decreases of 11-35% in student scores on the MME as well.

Lightfoot asked if there are sanctions for districts with low scores. Flye answered that yes, there are potential sanctions for districts that are seen as persistently low-achieving for many years. But she said that AAPS is “not anywhere near” the bottom of the state-created “top to bottom” list of schools that was released this past summer.

Landefeld noted that while AAPS would be affected by the new cut scores, the effects would be felt less than in other comparable districts.

Lightfoot asked what AAPS has in place to pick up kids who will fall through the cracks as higher cut scores are implemented.

Flye and assistant superintendent of secondary education Joyce Hunter outlined some of the academic supports in place, such as e2020 for credit recovery, support classes being added for middle school algebra, and summer school. Flye also noted that the Achievement Team Process (described above) should be used to evaluate all students – those at risk as well as those who are gifted.

Cut Scores: Board Response – Balanced Calendar

In response to the new cut scores, some trustees suggested dramatic changes to the district’s calendar.  Lightfoot suggested extending the school day, and Stead argued that the district should seriously consider expanding the school year for all students.

Stead contended that for AAPS to be internationally competitive, “we need more time with our kids… We cannot get there from here.” She noted that Shanghai, which is listed at the top of the international achievement rankings, has 243 days of school per year, but that AAPS has only 180.

Mexicotte pointed out that adding 60 more days to the calendar might be cost-prohibitive, since on average each school day currently costs the district $1 million.

Stead responded that she does not see a way to close the achievement gap with 180 days per year, but that she would suggest adding roughly 20 more days, not 60.

Cut Scores: Board Response – Coordinating Across Schools

Patalan asked how the district was coordinating with individual schools to be sure that parents understand why the MEAP and MME scores will look so different this year compared to previous years. Flye explained that parts of the presentation she gave at the Dec. 7 COTW meeting had been shared already with principals, staff, and PTOs. Green noted that a “toolkit” with talking points was sent to principals instead of just the raw data projections.

Flye also noted that the district has communicated monthly to the community in different formats and will continue to do so. She noted that letters have already been sent to parents describing the scoring changes, and that Green will be creating a podcast on the issue.

Baskett added that AAPS should continue to reach out to the community to help with tutoring, etc. But she noted that community volunteers need to receive consistent training. Stead also suggested referring students and families to free online learning such as the Khan Academy.

Nelson encouraged the board not to get “caught up” in the Michigan Department of Education’s assessments, but to continue to measure what is important to the district. He noted that the new state cut scores are attempting to ascertain college-readiness, but argued that they do a poor job of doing so. “I will be deeply dismayed,” Nelson asserted, “if we are preaching to kids that they are not college-ready on the basis of a test score.” Finally, Nelson said he would hypothesize that the traits developed through the social and emotional learning being championed by Green would be more highly correlated to college success than scores on any standardized test.

Mexicotte agreed that the district needs to address the cut score changes, but should focus on what it’s good at – she argued that that state is forcing districts to beat themselves up about “things that are not relevant.”

Student Perspective

The board heard a proposal from administrators to revamp the way student perspectives are invited into the board’s discussions. Hunter suggested that beginning in January, the district’s six high schools should rotate sending a representative to the first regular board meeting of each month. The new high school-specific reports could take the place of the Youth Senate association report at those meetings, she suggested.

Green noted that in the other districts where she has worked, students have had a seat on the school board – in one case, a voting seat.

Mexicotte expressed strong feelings about the dearth of leadership opportunities in the high schools, and said she would like to strengthen student efficacy. She noted it would be difficult to “unfriend” [an allusion to Facebook] the Youth Senate by dis-inviting them to be one of the regular associations that presents to the board. But she said the situation demands a “drastic rethink.” Saying that there are other structures for incorporating student input, Mexicotte asserted, “I don’t want to disparage the work of the Youth Senate, but I want this to be right.”

The board agreed to continue discussion of the inclusion of student input at its organizational meeting in January.

Budget Update

AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen and AAPS assistant superintendent of human resources and legal services Dave Comsa gave the board an update on possibilities being considered at the state level for reforming the Michigan Public Service Employees Retirement System (MPSERS). The rate that school districts are mandated to pay into MPSERS has been rising steadily, and currently stands at 27%.

Mexicotte asked if there was any reason to believe that the district would benefit from MPSERS reform, and Allen said he was hopeful. “They have been talking about this for years,” Allen said. “There is talk about having some sort of blended retirement – this cost is really rising out of control and is really sinking our ship.”

Allen said it’s also possible that the state will mandate greater MPSERS contributions from charter schools by changing the way the foundation allowance is paid to districts. In addition, he said, the state may offer more incentives funding for best practices.

Comsa added that there has also been some discussion about not going through with the proposed elimination of personal property taxes because it will be an election year, and no replacement funding has been identified.

Finally, Allen noted that the School Aid Fund looks better than it did at this time last year, which is hopeful.

Agenda Planning

Mexicotte noted that the following topics had been placed on the board agenda for the remainder of the 2011-12 school year: cabinet-level contracts, special donor recognitions, board terms, HVAC bid, balanced calendar, policy updates, change in high school start times, and board professional development.

Baskett requested a update on the Mitchell-Scarlett Teaching and Learning Collaboration (TLC). Mexicotte said the TLC, including its proposed balanced calendar component, should be considered on a broader level, noting that she has been asked, “If it’s good enough for Scarlett, why isn’t it good enough for the rest of the district?”

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Susan Baskett, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Simone Lightfoot, Glenn Nelson and Christine Stead.

Absent: Secretary Andy Thomas [arrived for the last half hour]

Next regular meeting: Dec. 14, 2011, 7 p.m., at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library.

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The session included a presentation from Glenn Singleton, a facilitator for the Pacific Educational Group (PEG). PEG was hired by AAPS in 2003 to assist in the district’s efforts to close the achievement gap – a disparity in academic performance between minority students and other students.

Singleton, who led a majority of the discussion, criticized the board on a number of points, contending that a lack of continuity in leadership has impeded progress in closing the gap. He also said the board has not shown full support for closing the achievement gap, resulting in uncertainty for principals, administrators and other building leaders as to the board’s commitment to solving the problem.

Interim superintendent Robert Allen was on hand and provided background on the district’s involvement with PEG. Allen said that Singleton was touching base with the district and visiting AAPS schools. Singleton was doing walkthroughs to evaluate the district’s progress on closing the achievement gap using techniques suggested by PEG.

“At this point we can have a meaningful evaluation of where we are with the equity work and what we’ll need to do to achieve our goals,” Allen said. The study session focused on lack of board support, failures in leadership structure and the need for “courageous conversations.”

Lack of Board Support

Singleton opened his remarks by touching on the perceived lack of support the board has shown for closing the achievement gap. According to Singleton, the issue stemmed from trustees’ disagreements about how well the district’s plan is working, and uncertainty expressed by other school leaders when it comes to enforcing and supporting equity issues.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot joined Singleton in contending that the progress made is not satisfactory and that the board has not paid enough attention to fashioning an effective strategy. “Even with the improvements, the gap is still huge and it’s not sufficient enough to say we’re moving there, not enough for me,” Lightfoot said. “We are clear on the strategic plan, but we don’t have an achievement gap plan.”

Singleton added that the district still faces teachers who blame the students for the predicament they are in. He said that teachers incorrectly attribute the poor performance of minority students to factors such as lack of family support, mobility issues and poverty. According to Singleton, these problems apply to some poor performing minority students, but they are not the cause of the poor performance.

Singleton said these inconsistencies and inaccuracies continue to make inequity a problem for the district. He added that there was uncertainty amongst school leaders about the board’s stance, causing some of them to lack confidence about engaging in equity work. “The fact that the system is still questioning whether the board is fully on board with this makes this a dilemma,” he said.

After hearing arguments by Singleton and Lightfoot, some members of the board spoke in defense of their efforts. Board president Deb Mexicotte spoke on what she felt had been a genuine effort by the board to confront the achievement gap. “We made policy changes, we placed resources, we looked at our hiring practices,” she said. “The board has demonstrated through a number of avenues that we are committed. We never said we maybe won’t do this work or will stop this work.”

Trustee Glenn Nelson also argued that the board has made a significant effort pursuing equity, pointing to the district’s longstanding relationship with PEG as evidence.

“My first reaction is that we have not pretended we know everything. We reached out to PEG because we know we don’t have all the answers,” he said. “I think continuing to search for how to get at this is an indication we’re serious about this.”

Trustee Christine Stead spoke last, referencing initiatives such as the district’s partnership with the University of Michigan and the commitment to innovation at Mitchell Elementary and Scarlett Middle School.

Nevertheless, Singleton pointed to this split between board members as troubling when school principals, administrators and building leaders look for a unified stance to follow. “This disagreement would give permission to those who watch you to wonder whether there is a plan and a commitment,” he said.

In his comments, trustee Andy Thomas found common ground between the two positions, comparing the district’s efforts at equity to a disorganized anthill.

“There are lots of people doing a lot of things with the best of intentions, but it’s almost like an organism that isn’t quite coordinated,” he said. “Some parts don’t know what other parts are doing.”

Singleton called this approach “random acts of equity.” “Those acts will measure up, but they don’t measure up in a system,” he said.

Failures in Structure

Singleton dedicated a large portion of his presentation to detailing the leadership structure that PEG promotes to combat disparities in academic performance. This structure includes a top-down style that he felt may be at odds with the culture of some district schools.

Before delving into discussion, Singleton mapped out the system of leadership that PEG promotes to deal with equity issues.

The system involves a dedicated team at the school board level that hands down programmatic decisions for school principals to implement. Schools also have a responsibility to foster environments that promote equity by developing teams of school leaders that work to shape a school’s culture. These teams deal with topics such as instruction and professional development.

PEG intended for these teams to grow in numbers and spread throughout the district, but according to Singleton, inconsistent messages from the board on support and accountability have led to an incomplete realization of the district’s equity goals. He added that, while the system is working in a number of schools in the Ann Arbor district, it is failing in more of them.

Trustee Thomas spoke to the issue of autonomy, discussing the unique environments cultivated by each school and school principal in the district. “At a school and principal level, many of these schools operate semi-autonomously,” he said. “There are commonalities, but basically, the principals have a lot of discretion on what goes on in the school.”

Mexicotte agreed, saying that the district had an entrepreneurial culture.

Singleton viewed this culture as problematic, arguing that, despite the autonomy and unique cultures of each school, black and brown students always seem to end up on the bottom. He added that, while he understood the benefits of autonomy in a district, sometimes a school’s culture is being shaped by members of the community instead of a school’s principal, creating a convoluted system of leadership.

Nelson noted that many schools employ school improvement or student achievement teams. But Singleton said those only serve to create, “overload and fragmentation,” because “those teams see equity as something different.”

“Courageous Conversations”

The uncertainty about how the board is approaching the achievement gap issue troubled board president Mexicotte.

“During our superintendent interviews, we talked about how in five years we wanted to see the achievement gap closed and I find it hard to think that someone has the impression we’re not in full support of the work,” she said. “If that’s still the case, maybe we need to take out a billboard.”

Singleton responded by referring to “courageous conversations,” a concept he outlined in a book he wrote with Curtis Linton, “Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in School.” The book focuses on what teachers need to know to effectively educate minority students and close achievement gaps.

The book also provides outlines for having meaningful conversations in order to deal with potentially uncomfortable areas of discussion, and to create authentic changes.

Mexicotte said the turnover on the board has led to continuity issues and board members not being fully informed on courageous conversations, an issue that resonated with other board members.

Singleton agreed, making the frequent turnover at the district’s superintendent and trustee positions one of his biggest points.

“I looked back to the first training I did in 2003,” he said. “I was invited to the district by a superintendent who wasn’t here when I got here.” [Rossi Ray-Taylor was AAPS superintendent from 1999 to 2003, when she resigned under pressure from the board and George Fornero was promoted to that job from deputy superintendent. Fornero left the district in 2006 and was replaced by Todd Roberts, who resigned last year.]

Incoming superintendent Pat Green will be the fourth one to work with PEG, a fact Singleton felt spoke to irregularity in the efforts.

“Everyone was connected (with the previous work), but everyone connected differently,” he said.

Trustees Simone Lightfoot and Susan Baskett felt that their perspectives on some board issues had been dismissed because of their race. Baskett added that the issue of having safe conversations about race has been absent from the board for some time. “We haven’t had a safe conversation in eight years and I don’t think it’s going to happen,” she said.

Board members also talked about a 2010 field trip at Dicken Elementary School which had been limited to African American students and generated criticism of Dicken principal Michael Madison. They took it as evidence that there needed to be more open conversations about the topic of race.

The board resolved to schedule a meeting or study session that would focus on the issue and allow for “courageous conversations” within the month to ensure that plans would be ready for the start of the 2011-12 school year.

Possible Solutions

After agreeing to make time for a meeting focused on conversations about race and equity, trustees laid out a number of other initiatives to pursue.

The biggest issue trustees tackled was the formation of a transformation plan, which would outline how the board would create a system of leadership that was unified, and had clear expectations and processes for holding schools accountable to those expectations.

Board president Mexicotte asked the board’s planning and performance committees to look into the issue, adding that she would like to be present for their discussions as a non-voting committee member to provide input and for her own understanding. She added that the board should either read or re-read Singleton’s book on courageous conversations, to be prepared for when the board focuses on the issue.

Mexicotte concluded by saying that while the board is usually not in charge of some of the measures that will need to be put forth, she still wants to look for ways to create policy that will support equity efforts.

Trustee Nelson added that board members should be aware that some of the measures they use to judge the achievement gap are imperfect – because they do not separate students who have been with the district for a number of years from those who had joined within the past couple months.

Trustees Lightfoot and Baskett also had their own goals relating to the board’s progress on closing the achievement gap.

Baskett wanted a report on which schools were making progress with PEG’s plan and which were not, saying that she asked for the same thing nearly a year ago but has yet to see anything.

Lightfoot requested documents that showed accountability by outlining where the district was in terms of an achievement gap, what the district’s goals were and how the district would be pursuing those goals.

Both Singleton and the board agreed that the transformation plan had to be aligned with the district’s strategic plan. The board also agreed that there would not be one “band-aid” for the district problems. Rather, solutions would have to be tailored to each school to address specific issues.

Interim superintendent Robert Allen was on hand to provide input. He spoke to the fact that AAPS had fallen behind on a plan PEG envisioned happening over a five-year period.

“We should talk about filling in the holes without taking four years to catch up to where the district should be,” he said.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

About the writer: Eric Anderson is an intern for The Ann Arbor Chronicle. Jennifer Coffman, who usually covers AAPS board meetings for The Chronicle, is taking a maternity break.

The meeting also included a review of secondary discipline data that showed disproportionate numbers of male students and African-American students receiving suspensions.

In response, the board made some suggestions on data collection processes and possible cross-references that could add depth to the analysis of student assessment and discipline data.

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan

The impetus for enumerating all AAPS gap-closing initiatives in a single document came from two public meetings held last spring – the College and Career-Ready Review, and Beyond the Talk. At each of those AAPS-sponsored events, participants argued that though achievement gap elimination efforts have long been part of the district’s ongoing work, these efforts are not being well-communicated.

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan: Overview

At Wednesday’s meeting, Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley – AAPS interim deputy superintendent of instruction – explained how the achievement gap elimination plan forms the core of the district’s school improvement plan. “There is nothing more important,” she said. “The achievement gap elimination plan is foundational to the district school improvement work.”

Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley and other AAPS administrators presenting the Achievement Gap Elimination Plan to the board. (Photos by the writer.)

Speaking to the format of the plan as presented to the board, which was included in the meeting’s board packet, Dickinson-Kelley noted that the plan was written in the state-mandated school improvement plan (SIP) layout, since it is embedded within the district’s SIP. Noting that the format was “not necessarily pretty,” Dickinson-Kelley explained that after receiving board input, the district could create a more user-friendly document to present to the community.

The plan presented to the board included sections on achievement-raising initiatives targeting each of four core subjects – math, English language arts, science, and social studies – as well as district efforts to engage parents and the greater community.

Board members questioned the wording of the “gap statements” at the beginning of each section, as well as whether the plan should include more of the general social context within which the district is situated. Dickinson-Kelley agreed to amend the gap statements to be more clearly worded, and acknowledged that the plan is a “living document” designed to incorporate ongoing feedback from the community.

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan: Data Collection

The bulk of the administration’s presentation focused on the assessment measures being used to determine effectiveness of the plan’s initiatives. Dickinson-Kelley explained that combating disparities in achievement is complex work with multiple aspects. “It is rocket science,” she argued. “It should change as we assess what we do, and the impact of what we do. If it’s not working, we should adapt.”

Dickinson-Kelley explained the difference between the formative and summative assessments used to monitor student academic achievement and growth, noting that the board usually only sees summative assessments, such as Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) data. Jane Landefeld, AAPS director of student accounting and administrative support, explained that on the other hand, monitoring the ongoing success of a program requires the collection of formative data. Dickinson-Kelley pointed out that the frequency with which formative data is collected is important, as it directly informs instruction and allows intervention before students fail.

Joyce Hunter, assistant superintendent of secondary education, reviewed a chart with board members that listed the assessment schedule used by principals and counselors throughout the year. The chart included state assessments such as the MEAP and the Michigan Merit Exam (MME), as well as recent district report card grades, reading inventories, and other local assessment measures of individual student achievement.

Trustees Susan Baskett and Andy Thomas asked about the viability of making such a comprehensive set of student achievement data available to parents. Landefeld suggested that the current data format might not be understandable to parents, but suggested that creating accessible student profiles could be considered. Board president Deb Mexicotte noted that there would be privacy issues in developing “e-files” on student achievement, but that the board should consider it in the future.

Trustee Irene Patalan commented that by having principals and counselors review this data in a systematic and formalized way, as laid out in the chart, “if there is a pattern where students are not successful, it would inform instruction the next day.” Dickinson-Kelley agreed that systemic assessment data review allows for more responsiveness to students’ academic needs.

Trustee Glenn Nelson suggested that any complete profile on students should contain building-level data such as the percentage of parents who attend parent-teacher conferences there, as well as individual student data on absences, suspensions, and expulsions. Trustee Simone Lightfoot added that other variables could be identified as relevant indicators that are not test scores. Dickinson-Kelley agreed that it is important to collect information “beyond quantifiable test data.”

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan: Parent Engagement, Community Involvement

Dickinson-Kelley then highlighted the parent engagement and community involvement sections of the achievement gap elimination plan. Saying that much was gleaned from the minutes of the community meetings last spring, she reiterated that the plan is meant to evolve with continued input from parents and community members. She noted that one focus of the newly developing lab school at the Mitchell/Scarlett campus is to engage parents, and equity advisory committees.

Dickinson-Kelley acknowledged that AAPS could do better in its efforts to reach out to community partners. She noted that the achievement gap elimination plan suggests creating a community pamphlet or repository to catalog partnerships that AAPS has with local organizations such as the Family Learning Institute, 826 Michigan, the Minority Students Achievement Network (MSAN), and the Pacific Education Group (PEG). She also pointed out that these partnerships “complement each other extraordinarily well.”

Achievement Gap Elimination Plan: Board Response

Thomas stated that it was “very important that the board put our money where our mouth is” in addressing the achievement gap. He asked for an assessment of district resources devoted to research, data analysis, and ability to prepare ad hoc reports, and noted that he would support an increase in allotted resources if necessary. Dickinson-Kelley noted that she was planning to bring some suggestions regarding needed resources to an upcoming meeting she has scheduled with the board’s performance committee.

Acting on a suggestion from Baskett, Mexicotte assigned the board’s planning committee to work with Allen and Liz Margolis, AAPS director of communications, to create a more user-friendly achievement gap elimination plan document that could be used to reach out to the community, with an online component that would link to deeper sections of the plan.

Patalan complimented Dickinson-Kelley on the presentation, and Dickinson-Kelley, gesturing to her colleagues at the table, acknowledged that the creation of the achievement gap elimination plan was a cooperative effort. “The achievement plan is commonly owned, and behind all of us are legions of people working really hard as well.”

Preschool Achievement Data

Dickinson-Kelley, along with Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center principal Michelle Pogliano and vice principal Kecia Rorie, reviewed achievement data from preschool cohorts as they moved into higher grades. The data show that gains made by students in AAPS preschool remain past the third grade, when most effects of the federally-sponsored early intervention program Head Start have worn off.

Part of the explanation, according to Dickinson-Kelley, is that AAPS preschool combines students enrolled in Head Start and those enrolled in the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) into blended classrooms, while meeting all curricular requirements of both programs. Head Start, she explained, was initially formed to mitigate poverty, and thus requires teaching about nutrition, hygiene, and other topics that can supercede academic learning goals. When AAPS noticed an achievement gap between Head Start and GSRP students, they decided to combine the classes and have seen longer-term gains for all students.

Thomas congratulated the preschool staff, noting that improvement was seen across all cohorts, and that the gap between African-American students and other groups is narrowing.

Nelson questioned how these data compare to the achievement of students who did not attend AAPS preschool, noting that AAPS “continually import[s] the proficiency levels of the rest of the world into our schools.” Landefeld did not have that data available.

Dickinson-Kelley stressed that the district is in full compliance with all goals of Head Start, while preschool staff provide more of an academic foundation as well. She also noted that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is looking to re-frame Head Start into a “wraparound school” model with stronger emphasis on foundational numeracy and literacy. Mexicotte suggested that the district find ways to trumpet the success of its preschool to the community, as well as to the state legislature, since it exemplifies the kinds of programs that Duncan is interested in supporting.

Positive Behavior Support

As part of the budget process for the 2010-11 school year, the board approved the elimination of student planning centers at the middle schools, which were a key element in the student discipline process. Planning centers were replaced with the institution of positive behavior support (PBS) programs in all the middle schools, and this was the board’s first review of the implementation.

Positive Behavior Support: Overview

Hunter introduced the idea of PBS as “a system-wide approach to encouraging positive behavior” that is structured around three tiers of intervention. With PBS, she said, “you’re teaching and modeling positive behavior, and everyone is involved in reinforcement.” Oftentimes, Hunter explained, rules are set up for 20% of the students, when 80% of the students are making good choices. A big element of PBS, she pointed out, is to recognize and reward positive behavior.

As an example of how desired behavior is taught, Hunter showed a short video clip from Clague Middle School. Clague, she said, chose to identify positive behavior choices as those that are “responsible, respectful, safe, and caring.” The video featured Clague students, and contrasted unsafe and safe hallway behavior in a brief and humorous manner. Hunter explained that it was used as a teaching tool during student advisory periods.

Hunter then passed out a summary of the three tiers in PBS programs, and board members asked for clarification on some of the language. She then introduced principals Janet Schwamb of Forsythe Middle School and Chris Curtis of Slauson Middle School to discuss how PBS had been incorporated into the culture of their buildings.

Positive Behavior Support: Programs at Slauson and Forsythe

Curtis began by describing how the first step in setting up a PBS program is establishing a shared set of expectations, first among staff and then extending to student council review. Slauson came up with nine basic expectations, such as coming to class focused and prepared, not running in the halls, and being respectful of property. Next, Curtis said, the expectations need to be taught. At Slauson, advisory time was used for this teaching, parents were introduced to the new system, and the expectations were listed in the student handbook.

Chris Curtis and Janet Schwamb, principals at Slauson and Forsythe middle schools, respectively.

Finally, Curtis explained, incentives were developed to encourage positive behavior. At Slauson, incentives have included: class trips to a water park or ice skating, passes that allow students to leave class early and go to the front of the lunch line, quarterly raffles for iPod Nanos, and occasional raffles of school spirit items such as baseball caps. Curtis described the database he crafted with the help of a former Slauson parent, which is used to meticulously track students’ behavior, and assign them to an “honor level” to help qualify them for certain incentives. A key element of the system, added Curtis, is that any infractions a student receives expire after 14 days, so students are constantly able to improve their standing.

All that, Curtis said, is Tier 1. Any students who are past Tier 1 go through the achievement team process, which often leads to the creation of a behavior contract to formally identify the behaviors being addressed. Curtis summarized by saying that PBS helps to move away from the suspension model where the administrator is “serving as the judge and jury all day long … [With PBS,] the behaviors in the building and the building culture come around quickly.”

Schwamb then described the implementation of Forsythe’s PBS program, which she said she “loves.” First, students and staff collaborated to set the four main behavior expectations as being “prompt, prepared, polite, and productive.” Then, teachers developed lessons to teach those behaviors, which were delivered during advisory time. Students also took mini-field trips to different parts of the building during the first three weeks of school to model what positive behavior would look like in those areas. Posters were made by students to reinforce the behavioral expectations, and were posted throughout the school.

Forsythe also uses a tiered tracking system, Schwamb explained, which allows students to start over every 14 days and at the beginning of each quarter. PBS has been well-received by parents, she said, who like that it “levels the playing field,” and requires all teachers and administrators to deal with infractions the same way. Schwamb noted that Forsythe provides similar rewards as Slauson, including passes to the front of the line, raffles for school clothing or iPods, and gift cards for school supplies.

Schwamb expressed excitement about PBS, saying that the “paradigm shift” allows her to enjoy more her relationships with students, has considerably reduced suspensions, rewards students who have correct behavior every day, keeps kids in class, and gets plans in place sooner for kids who need more intervention.

Positive Behavior Support: Board Questions and Response

Thomas asked how the principals felt that PBS worked, compared to the student planning centers (SPC) that have now been closed.

Curtis answered that overall PBS is a significant improvement, but that losing the SPC staff has caused a lack of ability to check up constantly on “frequent flyers” – students whose behavior would be much improved with more regular contact. Without the SPC teachers, he said, it’s harder to be proactive. However, Curtis concluded, he would not want to return to having SPCs. “It’s like trading in a jalopy for a Cadillac,” he quipped. “This new model is much better. I don’t want a pull-out model [where students are removed from classrooms], but still want it to be push-in.”

Patalan asked how students like the PBS programs. Curtis and Schwamb both reported that the programs have been well-received by students, especially 6th graders. Curtis noted feedback he received from student council about incentives they liked, and a wish list of new incentives. Schwamb said her students clamor to read the list of student names posted each Thursday, which reflects their current honor level.

Baskett asked about staff preparation for and training in PBS. Curtis remarked that PBS empowers teachers to enforce behavior, while keeping student-staff relationships intact: “The teacher doesn’t reject students from the room. Consequences occur in the room. Everyone knows what the deal is, and what happens. [PBS] keeps the authority within staff.” Schwamb noted that there was “enormous prep time” before the beginning of the school year; Hunter added that training is continuous.

Baskett asked how PBS defines insubordination, when some would call behavior insubordinate while others would say, “It’s just adolescence.” Schwamb answered that administration is trained to administer infractions consistently, and that an infraction would have to be “over the top” to warrant a suspension. Curtis added, “With the authority in the right place, frustration does not build up. It would have to be off the chart to suspend for insubordination.”

Schwamb explained the process for issuing a violation: “The first warning is that the teacher puts the [violation] sheet on the student’s desk. The second warning means the student puts his or her name on the paper, and the third time, the teacher collects it.” PBS, she said, provides an opportunity for students to redirect and self-regulate.

Dickinson-Kelley asked Elaine Brown, assistant superintendent of student intervention and support services, and Ruth Williams, interim assistant superintendent for elementary schools, to describe efforts to bring PBS to the elementary level. Williams responded that all the elementary principals are excited about PBS, and will receive training from Wayne RESA. Brown added that implementing PBS is a state mandate, and that the district is looking at how to provide schools with as much support as possible to ensure that PBS is successful. She argued that AAPS needs to be able to pinpoint what makes the difference when transitioning students toward positive behavior. Lastly, Brown noted that more social work support may be needed.

Baskett asked how the programs are being monitored, and Dickinson-Kelley said that all administrators were retrained this year in Power School – a web-based student information system – to be sure that all time away from instruction was accurately represented.

Baskett also asked whether PBS would be extended to the high schools. Hunter noted that the honor level system was already in place at Pioneer, but that other high schools have not implemented it yet. She likened it to how Read 180 started in the middle schools before expanding to other levels in the district.

Patalan expressed appreciation for the “14-day slate-clear restart” element of the programs. “I think of the life of a child through the school year, [and how it is good for them] not to be labeled,” she said. Curtis responded that for kids on tiers 2 or 3 of PBS interventions, one strategy that can be used to help them meet expectations is to shorten that reset window to 8 or 10 days, and then wean them back up to a 14-day cycle over time.

Lightfoot asked what capacity PBS puts in place to evaluate staff. Schwamb said she has invited teachers to meet and discuss the issuing of violations. Also, she said, staff can now identify which expectations are consistently hardest for kids to meet, and develop additional lesson plans to teach those behaviors. Lightfoot reiterated, “As the data continue to mount, I don’t want it to take years and years for teachers to get it together.” Nelson agreed, and argued that “a good school system should have summative and formative assessments of teachers and administration.”

Mexicotte commended Curtis and Schwamb, saying that they “took the step many of us have wanted to take for many years, and implemented what was a state mandate … The reason that PBS systems fail is that the staff does not buy in hook, line, and sinker, and that is something you clearly tacked around this.”

Inclusive Curriculum Development

Chuck Hatt, AAPS coordinator for literacy and social studies instruction, described a new unit the district had developed for inclusion in 5th grade social studies classes. He began by explaining that the district’s ongoing equity work led to a review of curricula by a set of “non-dominant-culture eyes.” One thing that was noticed, Hatt said, was that in the study of colonial U.S. history, students’ introduction to African-Americans is through slavery. This, he suggested, “is neither kind, nor appropriate,” given that students of European descent are exposed to numerous positive cultural touchstones to their ancestry before learning about America’s colonial period.

By working with a consultant who taught AAPS curriculum staff about the history of ancient African kingdoms, critiqued texts, and offered practical pedagogy about working with African-American children, the district was able to craft a unit on African civilizations that presents a more inclusive look at the origins of African-Americans. Hatt asserted, “This is something we should feel good about as a district – we have a lot of internal capacity to write good curricula.”

Board members expressed excitement about the new curriculum, and were given a copy of the unit to peruse. They confirmed that teachers had been trained in it, and that it would be implemented this year across the district. Lightfoot suggested selling the curriculum, and Baskett suggested submitting it for a Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) award. Mexicotte added that if the district does pursue selling it, “we should set a reasonable price, because the important thing is to spread the word.”

Review of Student Discipline Data

Hunter passed out a summary of suspensions issued so far this year at each of the middle schools and high schools, which showed higher rates of suspension among male students, as well as among African-American students. Thomas noted that nearly 50% of the suspensions were given to African-American students, and that “insubordination” was the most common reason for suspensions. Mexicotte said those elements of this suspension data have been typical, and that PBS programs (described above) should help to better codify “insubordination.”

Board members clarified that all suspension data referred to out-of-school suspensions, and that in-school suspensions do not remove students from instructional time. Brown explained that principals have been trained to “do in-school suspension totally differently,” especially with the removal of the student planning centers from the middle schools. Dickinson-Kelley also recognized both Hunter and Williams for their efforts to “keep the conversations in front of principals, asking ‘How often are your kids away from instruction?’”

Trustees also questioned whether the overall number of suspensions was higher than other years. Hunter acknowledged that the number at Pioneer “seems high.” Mexicotte noted that “whenever we ratchet up our focus on discipline, it might skew us into thinking we are doing worse when we are just getting more consistent about reporting.”

Board members suggested tracking additional information alongside suspension data to allow for more robust analysis of the suspension numbers in the future. Baskett asked if the district keep data on any mitigating circumstances in the students’ lives, such as divorce or trauma, happening near the time of the suspension. Nelson asked if there was a narrative block on the standard form or input screen used to record a suspension. Mexicotte suggested cross-referencing suspension data with data on other plans students may have, such as Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 plans, which function to support students during temporary conditions such as having a broken arm, or being depressed.

Landefeld noted that some of the data suggested is entered in Power School or would be collected as part of the achievement team process. She also acknowledged that administrators had been trained to label infractions consistently.

Thomas thanked the administrative team for their time and effort in addressing the problems discussed during the study session. Nelson also noted his appreciation at getting this information organized and systematized. He stated that tracking suspensions would be a new part of teacher evaluations, and Mexicotte added that the data would be stratified by students versus incidents, since certain students may earn repeated suspensions regardless of their teacher.

Agenda Planning

Board members requested that Dickinson-Kelley and her team present updates on both achievement data and suspension data quarterly, as the initiatives and programs that are part of the achievement gap elimination plan are being put in place. They also requested that Brown provide them with a comprehensive update on special education services before the special education millage that will come to voters in the spring. Administration was supportive of their requests.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Susan Baskett, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Glenn Nelson and Simone Lightfoot. Absent: trustee Christine Stead. Also present was Robert Allen, interim superintendent of AAPS.

Next regular meeting: Nov. 17, 2010, 7 p.m., at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, with an AAPS Education Foundation donor reception held immediately before the meeting at 6:30 p.m. [confirm date]

Simone Lightfoot, left, and Susan Baskett at the Beyond the Talk meeting at Mitchell Elementary School on Thursday, May 27. (Photos by the writer.)

Sponsored by Ann Arbor Public Schools board trustees Simone Lightfoot and Susan Baskett, the meeting was a follow-up to an event held in late April at the Peace Neighborhood Center. At that event, the College and Career-Ready (CCR) Review, AAPS superintendent Todd Roberts and his senior instructional staff had presented a subset of data on student achievement in the district, broken down by race.

The breakdown showed an ongoing difference in test scores between whites and other races. The focus of the May 27 Mitchell meeting, called Beyond the Talk, was on brainstorming around what co-facilitators Lightfoot and Baskett called the elements of a plan to address this issue.

Since April’s CCR Review, the community has seen the Lunch Bunch program at Dicken Elementary School – an initiative intended to address this gap – ended when it was found by the district to violate relevant anti-discrimination laws. The story of parents’ complaints about a Lunch Bunch field trip, which was restricted to black students only, had inflamed controversy that gained national attention.

Depending on your perspective, the Beyond the Talk meeting looked either poorly-attended or well-attended. Early in the evening, one participant commented that African Americans were poorly represented at the meeting, and contended that any efforts to close the gap, however the gap was defined, would be unsuccessful as long as the “apathy” continued.

But Lightfoot declared that work gets done by those who show up to do it. And so they dove into their work.

“Current programs are maintaining the gap, not closing it.” “It’s not the kids – it’s the system.” “The system is not broken. It’s working exactly how it was designed to work.” “People are scared to shake up the status quo. It’s like fighting a war on many, many different fronts.”

Thoughts like these were distilled into bullet points by the end of the meeting, as participants discussed what next steps should be taken to address what has commonly been called the “achievement gap.”

Which “Gap” Are We Talking About Here?

The gap can be defined from at least two different perspectives. One way the term has been used in AAPS is to describe the differences in test scores, class enrollment, grade point average (GPA), and other measures of academic success among students of different ethnicities. That is, it’s a gap in “achievement.”

However, it can also be defined as an “opportunity” or even an “equity” gap. That perspective orients the problem away from the students, and shifts responsibility to teachers, administrators, and other school leaders.

Some participants of the May 27 meeting made statements from this perspective: “Teachers come with a deficit mentality”; “There are a lot of inappropriate referrals [of African American students to special education]“; and “There is an invisible wall.” At April’s CCR Review, Larry Simpson, administrator for student intervention and support services, described the specific challenge of helping white females be more capable teachers of black male students.

The College and Career-Ready Review held at the Peace Neighborhood Center on April 29, 2010.

One example of an opportunity gap is the main question brought up by parents at the CCR Review – the lack of students of color who are enrolled in Algebra I in 8th grade. Several parents argued that if students did not take Algebra I by 8th grade, there would be no way to get to Algebra II by their junior year, which would affect performance on college entrance exams.

One parent stated, “Of the 300-400 students taking Algebra I in the district, less than 20 are African American. And of the five African Americans taking it at my son’s middle school, none of them passed the common assessment.” She went on to describe the struggle she went through to get her son placed in the class, as well as frustration at the lack of support for him once he was in it.

Another example came from the May 27 Beyond The Talk meeting, where a participant described an inequitable situation caused by the district’s current attendance boundaries. She described how 95% of the students who attend Burns Park Elementary are sent on to Tappan Middle School, but 5% of them are sent to Scarlett Middle School. Those 5% of students are allowed to enroll at Tappan – but only if they provide their own transportation.

Why do the 5% attend Burns Park in the first place? The reason, said the participant, was to help ensure a more diverse student body in each building. But then when those students’ presence is no longer “required to balance the numbers,” they are separated from their elementary school peers and sent back to their neighborhood school.

Some education scholars have argued that the gap cannot be closed in schools until broader, societal changes begin taking place. The National Study Group for the Affirmative Development of Academic Ability, a working group of 20 education scholars, argues in a 2004 report that “to close achievement gaps, we first must close the experience gap.” The report continues:

This must be done not only through education policy and schooling but also through larger social policies and programs that address the environment in which students learn when they are not at school.

This context was reflected in the comments of one of the meeting participants, who asserted, “There are issues beyond the school system that affect how kids do educationally.”

No matter how it’s defined, this gap is not specific to Ann Arbor. The Campaign for Educational Equity at Columbia University offers a set of “facts and figures” that corroborate how pervasive across the U.S. the gap is.

For AAPS, the following facts characterize the gap:

• African American students are disproportionately enrolled in special education services, while white and Asian students are underrepresented;
• The Michigan Merit Exam (MME), taken in 11th grade, shows 80-96% of white students proficient in all subjects, while the range for African American students is 21-68%;
• 87% of white students are in Algebra II or higher math by 11 grade; for African American students, that number is 44%; and
• The percentage of 9th grade students with a GPA less than 2.0 is 10.3% for white students, 39.5% for African American students, and 42.5% for Latino or Hispanic students.

In addition, the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) data for reading and math in the district show a smaller percentage of African American students than white students as “proficient.” That difference holds true in every grade tested (grades 3-8). There’s an even larger gap between these groups of students for “advanced proficiency.” For example, in grade 3 reading, 69% of white students are “advanced proficient,” while only 24% of African American students are classified that way. That’s a gap persisting through 8th grade, when the percentages are 64% and 23%, respectively.

In the face of these statistics, board members Simone Lightfoot and Glenn Nelson have both acknowledged the breadth of the problem, and called on AAPS to rise to the occasion and to use its resources to address the gap in a model way.

What Has AAPS Done About This Gap Over the Years?

Working on this issue is not new to the district, as many participants at the May 27 meeting pointed out. The gap has existed for as long as AAPS has kept data. “It hurts to sit here,” said a former AAPS administrator, “and hear that we’ve been working on this for so long.” Other participants expressed frustration that knowing where to go from here is complicated by the fact that it’s difficult to catalog the efforts that have been made over the years.

To get a perspective on the history of work on achievement equity in the district, The Chronicle sat down with Glenn Nelson, the longest-serving member on the board.

According to Nelson, the first public, well-disseminated report on academic achievement in the district, “Key Indicators of Student Progress,” was presented to the school board in 1989 by then-superintendent Richard Benjamin. The report contained data beginning with the 1985-86 school year, when white and African American students together made up 89% of the student body – 72% and 17% respectively.

Now, both of those percentages are smaller, and the AAPS student body has diversified. White students make up only 52% of AAPS students in 2009-10. The 1989 report included comparisons by race of standardized test scores, graduation rates, and rates of participation in extra-curricular activities, but did not include analysis of achievement by special education status, or socio-economic status. On all measures, white students were shown as achieving higher outcomes than “black or brown students,” a term used by Lightfoot at the CCR Review.

Each year since then, an achievement update has been assembled by district administration and presented to the board. By the mid-’90s, Nelson reported, “people were beginning to say, ‘You say you’re working on this, but nothing’s happening,’” so the report added a statewide comparison, as well as a list of achievement initiatives then underway. By 1996, free-and-reduced lunch data were made available for analysis, and the report began to narrow in on academic achievement rather than the broader assessment of participation in both academic and non-academic school activities.

By 1997, Nelson said, a belief was growing throughout the school community that work on closing the gaps in achievement needed to be centralized, and AAPS hired a “director of achievement,” who was charged with leading constructed efforts to close the achievement gap, but who was given no real authority. However, Nelson said, that position ended after 18 months, and instead the district created an “equity ombudsperson,” a one-stop point person anyone in the district could access to report “observations or experiences of harassment, bullying, or inequity.” For whatever reason – Nelson speculated it was budget pressure, as well as a question of the position’s effectiveness – that position was also short-lived.

Nelson described the late 1990s and early 2000s as a time of “turmoil and conflict” in the district, during which the achievement reports “became less informative.” With the hiring of superintendent Todd Roberts in 2006, he said, “the data came back.”

Overall, Nelson summarized the focus of achievement efforts as starting with the idea that, “If you put something on the agenda, it will get done.” When that didn’t appear to work, he continued, programmatic initiatives began, but they were often not well-researched or evaluated. “Then, there was a feeling that there was too much guessing, and that we needed a better basis for cause and effect.” This increasing emphasis on data-driven work, Nelson concluded, has led to the present, district-wide Achievement Team Process (described below) and the commitment to developing personalized learning plans for every student.

What Is AAPS Doing Currently to Address the Gap?

At the CRR Review in April, Sylvia Nesmith, chair of the Black Parents’ Student Support Group (BPSSG), expressed a concern mentioned several times at the May 27 Beyond the Talk meeting as well: “When are we going to start doing and making real what we are talking about?” She argued that the things the district is doing to work on closing the gap are not being well-communicated, and that resources are not being evenly distributed.

The goal of achieving parity in educational outcomes is part of the district’s strategic plan, but the process has been on hold since Phase 1 was completed this past September, and action teams won’t resume meeting until late August at the earliest. At the May 27 meeting, Kathy Scarnecchia, principal at Mitchell, said that, in addition to the strategic plan, the district school improvement plan is being written. She said an inventory of efforts to raise achievement will be part of it. A statement from AAPS put it this way: “All of the efforts [to address the achievement gap] are part of the district school improvement plan and school improvement plans, or come from the strategies in the District’s Strategic Plan.”

During the CCR Review, top-level district administrators enumerated many of the programs which currently exist in the district to address the issue.

Achievement Team Process

First among the interventions mentioned was a new process, the Achievement Team Process (ATP), which was put in place this year. It is an electronic data collection process that can be accessed by all teachers at all schools to create personalized learning plans. As described at the CCR Review by district administrator for elementary instruction Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley, the ATP is especially useful in tracking which interventions have been tried for each struggling student. It’s a way to address each student’s “specific needs and strengths.” Larry Simpson, administrator for student intervention and support services, added at that same meeting that the ATP is based on responsive intervention, as opposed to the “Student Study Team,” for which a student had to be failing in order to qualify for services. The ATP serves as a step between teacher referral and a student’s evaluation for special education services, Simpson said.

Literacy Interventions

The district has reading interventions in place at each building level –”Reading Intervention” for K-2 students, “System 44″ for students in grades three through five, “Reading Apprenticeship” for high school, and “Read 180″ at all levels. The goal of the district’s “balanced literacy” approach, along with these supplements to classroom instruction, is to reduce the number of years students spend struggling, and to provide opportunities to teach reading to students who are still missing basic knowledge in later grades.

Math Interventions

In response to issues raised at the CCR Review, the district issued a statement saying, “The plan is for all 8th grade students to take Algebra. The next school year will be a planning year with implementation in 2011-12.” At the elementary level, the district has implemented “Fast Math,” which is designed to increase the automaticity of factual recall, and is used to supplement the classroom curriculum, Everyday Math. Dickinson-Kelley also mentioned recent efforts to “trace the Algebra strand” down through the elementary grades to be sure its objectives are met.

Additional Academic Programs

The Summer Learning Institute is a 4-week program intended to minimize the impact of summer regression, and focuses on “high leverage items,” according to Dickinson-Kelley. She also named Title 1 plans embedded in school improvement plans, using Read 180 and System 44 with English language learners, and the World Languages Program as additional ways the district is trying to strengthen instruction for all students.

Joyce Hunter, administrator for middle and high school education, added that she has pushed for common assessments to be used among different sections of Algebra and Biology in order to increase accountability and share best practices. She asserted that more students need to be taking advanced placement and accelerated classes. Other interventions available at the secondary level are the “e2020″ credit recovery program, the options/choices program, summer school, and the Rising Scholars program.

Equity Work

For five years, AAPS has been working with a consultant named Glenn Singleton from Pacific Education Group (PEG). The Chronicle asked school board president Deb Mexicotte and vice president Irene Patalan for their thoughts on the “courageous conversations” held with Singleton.

Mexicotte described the district’s PEG work as part of a broader equity initiative, which also includes instituting policy changes, making efforts to hire more diverse staff, examining curricular materials, and creating a welcoming environment in school buildings for parents. Patalan added that Singleton was very positive about the developments AAPS has made, particularly regarding what he called the “culture of equity” that had been achieved at Skyline. Patalan reported that Singleton “was confident that the work we’re doing will manifest in honestly closing the achievement gap.”

In addition to PEG, Mexicotte named AAPS work in co-founding the Minority Student Achievement Network as proof of a long-term AAPS commitment to achieving equity. MSAN is a coalition of school districts with similar demographics who share ideas about closing the achievement gap.

At the May 12 board meeting, Mexicotte stated, “Creating equitable opportunities and achievement for all students has been very difficult and there have been many false starts and ineffective efforts along the way over the years. Many of our recent efforts … are indeed finally bearing fruit. Our achievement for all students is rising, the gaps are closing, and effective programs and strategies are being supported and embraced. We still have a ways to go before we see full opportunity for achievement for all our students, but we know we are on the right path – and our data bears that out.”

The consultancy has been a source of criticism from some quarters – money spent on consulting could be spent instead on the educational programs that would address the gap. A recent email sent to AAPS superintendent Todd Roberts from Ted Annis – former Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board member who has worked with Citizens for Responsible School Spending – suggests scrapping the consultancy and adopting an approach used at a Brooklyn school.

Next Steps and Who Should Take Them?

At the May 27 Beyond the Talk meeting, one participant commented that African Americans were poorly represented there, and worried about prospects for success if the “apathy” continued. Lightfoot countered by saying “more folk will be on board when they see success.”

The May 27 Beyond the Talk meeting at Mitchell Elementary School.

The 30 people at the meeting – which included a school psychologist, four school board members, a social worker, four school principals, four teachers, a pastor, the president of the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, an education researcher – also included representatives of local community-based organizations. Among them were the Peace Neighborhood Center, Young People’s Project, Youth Empowerment Project, Literacy Coalition of Washtenaw County, Family Learning Institute and Avalon Housing.

Many of the meeting’s participants were parents of current or former AAPS students, and roughly half of them were themselves products of the district.

The focus of the meeting was on brainstorming around what co-facilitators Lightfoot and Baskett called the elements of a plan to address the gap. After lengthy introductions, the group produced the following main suggestions through almost two hours of discussion:

• Use the expertise of community-based organizations who have shown success in improving academic outcomes;
• Support those who step up to take initiative, such as Mike Madison, principal at Dicken Elementary;
• Demand strong, effective teachers who hold kids to high expectations;
• Stop social promotion of underachieving students;
• Focus on elementary learning;
• Support the African-American Studies class at Pioneer;
• Help parents, especially from families who transfer into the district;
• Continue school-based equity and Collaborative Action Research for Equity (CARE) teams;
• Stay focused on where improvement is possible;
• “Help black parents make noise”;
• Ensure equitable responses to white and African American parents by administrators;
• Add a “number sense” program to the math curriculum;
• Aim higher than “proficient” for all students;
• Perform a comprehensive literature review of what’s working to close achievement gaps;
• Meet the parents;
• Stop teacher seniority and teacher tenure;
• Make accountability a condition of teacher tenure;
• Examine how classes are assigned to teachers, i.e. who gets to teach AP classes?;
• Ensure equitable participation on school equity teams;
• Be proactive, not reactive;
• Examine attendance boundaries for inequity;
• Describe the district’s Equity Initiative and PEG work;
• Get PEG work into classrooms;
• Discover what the barriers are to learning;
• Help teachers who care, but who don’t know what to do;
• Use teachers in the district who are doing good work;
• Create a district-wide plan with milestones and timeframes;
• Motivate children to have a “learning attitude”;
• Set high expectations for students; and
• Bring in the student voice.

Near the end of the meeting, Baskett announced, “We have no magic next step. We thought we would turn this input over to the superintendent, but we’re in it for the long haul … what do you want us to do?”

Many participants expressed an interest in continuing to meet and remain active on this issue.

One participant suggested that Lightfoot and Baskett create a neat list of the suggestions made at the meeting, and that the group meet again to narrow down the focus to three or four things on the list to do now. Another added, “We have to start trying something, collectively.” Lightfoot agreed that the group’s work should fit into the strategic plan, but could also parallel it.

Two participants of the May 27 meeting suggested that any and all future meetings of this group be televised on Ann Arbor’s Community Television Network.

Andy Thomas, being sworn-in as the newest trustee of the Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education at its May 12 meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

Thomas replaces long-time member Randy Friedman, who resigned in April.  The selection of Thomas to the board during last Wednesday’s meeting marks the third change in board membership in the past six months. Thomas’ current term will end at the end of the year, and he – along with trustees Simone Lightfoot, Christine Stead, Deb Mexicotte, and Susan Baskett – will need to be re-elected in November to remain on the board.

Also at the meeting, the district’s achievement gap between white and minority students was addressed from multiple perspectives. The proposed Washtenaw Intermediate School District budget was reviewed, and the board was briefed on the district’s finances, sinking fund summer projects, policy updates, and human resources.

Andy Thomas Selected as New Board Trustee

After presentations were made by five candidates at its meeting on Wednesday, Andy Thomas was selected, seated, and sworn-in as the newest trustee of the district’s seven-member board.

Board Candidate: Presentations

Before Thomas was chosen, board president Deb Mexicotte reviewed the trustee selection process, reminding candidates they would each have five minutes to speak to the board about who they are, and what they would bring to the board. Then, Mexicotte explained, the board would vote, and whoever was selected would be seated, sworn-in, and enjoy full voting privileges. Candidates made presentations in the following order, chosen at random: James Corey, Noah Hurwitz, Victoria Haviland, Jack Panitch, and Andy Thomas.

Corey reviewed his history as an AAPS student, and as a teacher, coach, and dean. He named two events – the Columbine massacre, and September 11 – as making him realize how lucky he is to be an American, and how much he wanted to give back to his community. Highlighting his interest in using technology to improve education, Corey noted that he is among the 30% of Ann Arbor residents who do not have children, but he still cares about high-quality education. As the district’s opportunities, he listed improving communication, involving the community, celebrating diversity, and making decisions more quickly. Corey acknowledged that he does not have a “magic pill,” but wants to be part of making the decisions.

Hurwitz touted his strong commitment to education, and noted that he had also run for the board in 2003 “to give back to the community.” He mentioned fighting for his adopted son to be given opportunities throughout his schooling, while working as a substitute teacher in virtually every school in the district. Also a former AAPS student, Hurwitz described himself now as a lawyer with an emphasis on education law. Due to the current challenges, he argued, he would “work to promote an understanding of the board’s decisions in the community.”

Haviland began her presentation by describing a visit she made to an AAPS classroom the previous week. She described her experience as a teacher and teacher educator as having led her to the “national forefront” of work in designing equitable instruction, including publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and working on a book on the topic. Haviland argued that teachers would appreciate a board member having had a life in education, and that her connections to the University of Michigan, as well as her expertise in equity issues would be assets to the district.

Panitch began by noting humorously that his wife thought he needed his head examined for applying for a board seat for the third time this school year. Saying he has learned something each time around, Panitch described his motivation for wanting to serve on the board as having a stake in maintaining excellence for all, being inspired by the trustees’ selfless service, and feeling a “calling to serve.” Panitch pointed out that, while he is proud to currently wear the mantle of stay-at-home dad, he has 19 years of experience as a tax attorney, with experience in negotiation, litigation, and advising. He also described himself as a “confident, talented guy, but also a team player.” Noting that “nobody can replace Randy Friedman,” Panitch closed with, “Tonight, Ann Arbor may seem like a house divided, but we’ll put it all back together and move on.”

Thomas was the last to address the board, and reveled in the freedom of Wednesday’s presentation topic. He pointed out that the last two times he applied, candidates were asked to present on a very specific topic, but that tonight he would simply speak about “what makes me tick, and why I’ll be an asset to the board.” Thomas pointed to his 25 years as a health care administrator as good practice for working with ongoing declines in revenue. He also mentioned some of his firsthand experience with the district – he has a son at Tappan, and has worked with the AAPS Educational Foundation. In addition to canoeing and playing the viola, Thomas called his work with the Karen Thomas Memorial Fund as one of his greatest passions. The fund, which Thomas began to honor his wife, who died of breast cancer, encourages the reading of classic literature by at-risk elementary students.

As for why he wanted to join the board, just when he is really enjoying retirement, Thomas stated simply, “I feel it is my duty.” In this unprecedented time, he said, the AAPS is at a tipping point, and his experience with budget cuts and cost containment, as well as his commitment to equity and excellence, makes him the ideal candidate. If chosen, Thomas said the board could expect him to be a straightforward, independent thinker without a predetermined agenda, someone who is not afraid to admit when he is wrong, and someone who would push the board to make data-driven decisions. In closing, of serving on the board, he said, “I would consider it an honor.”

Board Candidates: Voting Process and Outcome

After the presentations, Mexicotte again reviewed the process that trustees would use to choose their new member. The voting would be done by paper ballot, she said, and would continue until a candidate received a simple majority, which is four votes. If no candidate achieved four votes in the first round of voting, she added, there would be more discussion, and another vote. If there was still not a majority at that time, trustees would put forth their top two votes, and the top three vote-getters would move on to another round. Mexicotte summarized the process as one that moves on by slowly eliminating those candidates with fewer votes. If there is a tie that cannot be broken after a short recess, she pointed out, she would cast the tie-breaking vote.

Before the voting began, trustees Glenn Nelson and Irene Patalan each thanked the candidates. Nelson encouraged them to stay involved in the schools no matter how the vote went, and Patalan said she was proud of and had learned from all the candidates.

Board treasurer Christine Stead participated in the meeting by speakerphone.

Via speakerphone, Christine Stead asked for clarification on how her vote would be received, since she would not be submitting a paper ballot. Board secretary Amy Osinkski suggested that Stead should give her vote first, since it would be verbal. Stead agreed.

Mexicotte then issued an invitation to vote: “Let us cast our first ballot.”

Board members voted on small, lavender slips of paper, which were then collected and read by Osinski. The votes were as follows: Stead voted for Panitch; Lightfoot and Baskett voted for Haviland; Mexicotte, Nelson, and Patalan voted for Thomas.

Osinski noted that no one had received the majority. Mexicotte opened the floor for discussion, but after a few moments of silence, quipped, ” … or a minute where trustees can collect their thoughts.”

Osinski then passed out pink slips for the second round of voting, which yielded the final decision. As with the last trustee selection that had put Stead on the board, it was the four board officers who voted in the winner – Mexicotte, Patalan, Stead, and Nelson voted for Thomas. Trustees Lightfoot and Baskett voted for Haviland.

Thomas joined the table, sitting down next to the trustee with the longest tenure on the board, Glenn Nelson, and was sworn-in by Osinski. Mexicotte joked, “If you have any questions, just ask Glenn,” and added, “Just kidding – by all means, if you need to ask a question, please do.”

Achievement Gap

Throughout the meeting, references were made to the district’s addressing of the achievement gap between white and minority students.

Dicken “Lunch Bunch” Program to be Reorganized

Near the beginning of Wednesday’s meeting, Mexicotte read a lengthy statement from the board regarding recent controversy surrounding a program at Dicken known as the “African-American Lunch Bunch.” The program was started this year “to provide support and peer mentoring for African-American students who are not achieving at grade level based on state test score results,” Mexicotte said. Following a field trip taken by the program’s participants a few weeks ago, the board has received many angry comments, many of which, Mexicotte said, have “not been civil, or tempered, or well-informed,” and which she said “illustrates just how far some have strayed from the presumption of good will on which the best communities rely.”

Mexicotte went on to admit that, after seeking a legal opinion, it was found that “the ‘Lunch Bunch’ program as it was structured does not comply with board [anti-discrimination] policy or the [Michigan] state constitution, Article 26.” [Article 26 addresses affirmative action programs. It states, in part: "The University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and any other public college or university, community college, or school district shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting."]

Mexicotte stated that the program would be reorganized, and that “the administration and the board will also create, disseminate, and implement clear guidelines regarding compliance with the board’s anti-discrimination policy and state law to ensure that [Dicken principal Michael] Madison and all administrators and district employees understand and comply with all applicable policies and laws.”

Dicken “Lunch Bunch”: Public Commentary

One person offered public commentary on the “Lunch Bunch” – Ann O’Connell, an AAPS parent who has served on school PTOs and School Improvement Teams over the past 12 years. She expressed concern that district officials, as well as adults in the Dicken community, did not realize Dicken’s African-American “Lunch Bunch” program was “illegally segregating students by race.”

O’Connell noted that over the years she has been involved in the district, other district or school-based efforts have also have been found to be discriminatory for targeting students based on race or gender. On Wednesday, she urged the trustees, “in the strongest possible terms, to re-think and re-direct the district’s group-focused approach to … closing the achievement gap.”

She argued for the retraining of district staff so they can clearly identify appropriate interventions. “What you have been doing, often with excellent intentions,” O’Connell asserted, “is illegal, it’s immoral, it’s insulting to both girls and to African-Americans to imply that they will not, can not, succeed in a fair educational system.”

“College and Career-Ready Review” Follow-Up Forum

Late in the meeting, Susan Baskett extended a “heartfelt thanks” to the Peace Neighborhood Center, the school board, the superintendent and his cabinet for participating in the College and Career Ready Review held on April 29, and for “working toward getting all of our kids college and career ready.” The Review was an opportunity for AAPS administration, the Board, and the community to come together to review and discuss achievement gap data.  She mentioned that the expectation was only that a few community leaders would attend, but over 85 people were there. Singling out her fellow trustees for a second round of thanks, Baskett said that she sees them, and herself, as bridges and inroads to different, specific communities within the wider district community.

Simone Lightfoot also addressed the review, saying she believed it was important for the district to “own our stuff.” She announced a follow-up forum to take place on May 27, so “we can answer the questions posed, listen, and acquire feedback.”

Fund Balance Considerations

Two of the first briefing items – the third quarter financial report, and the board’s annual review of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District budget – tied together an ongoing board discussion over the district’s fund balance and at what level it should be held. Also brought up was the need to begin working on a renewal of the special education millage that funds a large part of the WISD’s work, but will expire next year.

Fund Balance: Third Quarter Financial Report

Nancy Hoover, AAPS director of finance, and Robert Allen, AAPS deputy superintendent for operations, presented the third quarter financial report to the board.

Hoover noted that there were no major changes to the bottom line, though some revenues and corresponding expenditures were reclassified because they are now coming from the federal government instead of the state.  Trustee Glenn Nelson asked if anything had happened since the report was generated that the board would otherwise not hear about until the district’s audit. Hoover said, “No, this is the last change we have to make that we are aware of.”

Allen then took to the podium to lead the board through the budget trends evident so far this year, and to compare this year’s spending with that of the 2008-09 school year. He asserted, “We are pretty much on track to where we were last year at this time.”

Allen then pointed out another thing that has not changed: the projected deficit of $7.58 million. He reviewed the fund equity balance he had previously presented to the board, highlighting that the district has spent down $12 million of it over the past two years. Allen said even though the district had been “holding the line on expenditures, and buying only what is necessary,” it looked like the target of $2.7 million in mid-year budget reductions was not going to be reached; in fact, he said, “we’d be very happy to get to $1 million in reductions.”

Andy Thomas asked about the discrepancy between $2.7 million and $1 million: “In what areas were you not able to realize the savings you’d hoped for?” Allen pointed to overtime as a unmitigated cost, saying, “If you have to have coverage, you have to have it.”

Christine Stead asked several questions: 1) if there was a possibility of fund equity increasing, 2) what percent of the current budget is reflected in the current fund equity balance, and 3) if Allen could describe what would happen if the district spends down all of its fund equity and has to borrow money.

Allen answered that the major source of the district’s revenue is state aid, and that until the economy starts to rebound, he does not see fund equity increasing. The current fund equity balance, he continued, was 14.2% of the district’s budget at the end of last year, and will be around 11% or 12% at the end of this year. While reassuring the board and public that the district is preparing its budget for the worst-case scenario so that fund equity will be preserved, Allen briefly described how AAPS could borrow money from a state bond fund at a low interest rate if needed. He also pointed out that the interest expense would become another operating expense. Irene Patalan added that the rating the district gets from its auditor would affect its interest rates.

Both Nelson and Mexicotte offered support for the idea of maintaining a larger fund equity balance, in light of the current political climate. Nelson pointed out that this year there will be a major contested election at the state level, and that well-known correlations with election cycles have shown that good news in terms of state funding may hold until the election, but that major cuts often follow an election.

That’s because newly elected officials try to get all the bad news out the way in their first few months in office, to position themselves best for re-election. Mexicotte concurred, saying that it’s possible that even if the state per-pupil funding is not reduced by $300 initially – as the worst-case scenario in the district’s proposed budget contemplates – larger cuts may come down the line, which is what happened this school year.

Allen closed by saying that “you have to build in a little extra” in case the student count or the foundation allowance is lower than anticipated. “What’s gotten lost,” he asserted, “is that we’ve always faced a structural deficit, and though we were able to do some things to lessen the impact, this problem is not fixed until the structural deficit is addressed, and it has yet to be addressed.”

Fund Balance: WISD Budget and Special Ed Millage Renewal

Christine Stead, who participated in the May 12 meeting via phone, had prepared a review of the WISD budget, after she and Nelson had met with WISD staff in April. However, “because of the awkward nature of presenting by speakerphone,” Nelson said he would make the presentation.

He began by pointing out that state law requires the budget of each intermediate school district to be reviewed by its constituent districts annually, which he described as “a good mandated function.” He explained that the board needed to respond to WISD with any recommendations by June 1, and that WISD is required to consider the board’s input in approving its final budget.

After giving a general overview of WISD’s proposed budget and fund balance, Nelson zeroed in on the special education fund, saying “it’s really important to understand as a preview of what’s coming” in terms of the district’s future budgets. Explaining that WISD’s general fund revenues are declining alongside declining property values, he noted that next year, WISD’s fund balance will drop from $26.7 million in 2009 to only $3.6 million. Nelson described $3.6 million as “very close to the zero axis.” “Their fund balance will be gone after this year,” he cautioned.

In addition, Nelson pointed out, a portion of the most recent special education millage will expire after next year, requiring major cuts in WISD’s payments to AAPS for special education services in 2012. Nelson expressed concern that cuts would then need to be made in the general fund to make up for the lack of funding for mandated special education services, saying, “The implications are huge for the entire student body.”

In discussing the 2011-12 budget, AndyThomas asked about the potential impact of a failed renewal of the special education millage. Nelson suggested that AAPS should be prepared to expect a 8-9% $8-9 million reduction in special education funding if the millage were passed at the same rate as it currently exists, and a 12-14% $12-14 million reduction if it fails completely. He added that this would be in addition to an increase in employer retirement system contributions, higher yearly costs in general, and likely another decrease in the foundation allowance from the state. About the impending millage renewal, Nelson said, “I’m not sure if … I’m confident, but we do have to make the case and make it well.”

Superintendent Todd Roberts added that if the millage rate were to be increased, it’s possible that WISD funding of AAPS special education services could remain reimbursed at 82%, as it is now.

Stead emphasized the importance of maintaining fund equity in light of these upcoming issues, and offered, “We have to continue to be creative, but we may run out of creative ideas.” She then reminded the board that at this time, “our obligation is to review the budget and make suggested changes.” Deb Mexicotte pointed out that the board has sent comments in the past, and reminded everyone that any decisions about a new millage would need to be made countywide.

Nelson pointed out that state law says a millage could only be called in May, August, or November, but that the current millage had been passed as part of a special election held in September of 2004. He then added that, “The discussion of dates is in its infancy now.”

Consent Agenda: Transportation Item Removed

There was no discussion of the items on the consent agenda, which included the spring grant awards presented at the last regular meeting, as well as four sets of minutes.

A proposal to consolidate busing services with other districts across the county, which had come to the board as a first briefing item at its last meeting, had also been listed on Wednesday’s agenda as a second briefing and consent agenda item. However, on Wednesday, before the meeting, the proposal was pulled off the agenda.

When queried by The Chronicle, board president Deb Mexicotte said simply that the item was not ready for review. In the board packet, superintendent Todd Roberts wrote that, “Dave Comsa [AAPS assistant superintendent for human resources and legal services] and the legal counsel for the WISD are working on the language for the resolution that the board will adopt if the board approves moving forward with joining the county-wide consolidation of transportation.”

If the WISD transportation consolidation does not come to fruition, or AAPS decides not to join the effort, the district would have until the end of the school year to decide on privatization of transportation services, whether or not a contract is reached with current AAPS transportation employees.

Outcome: The consent agenda, without the transportation consolidation item, was unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Stead, Baskett, and Thomas.

Action Items

The board took direct action on two items Wednesday night, approving a resolution for a public hearing on the 2010-11 budget, as well as agreeing to support the state’s second attempt at winning a grant through the Race to the Top federal education initiative.

Action Item: Budget Hearing

Deb Mexicotte explained that, by law, the board needs to hold a public hearing on the annual budget each year.

Glenn Nelson read the notice of public hearing, which states that the hearing will be part of the next regular board meeting on May 26, and that copies of the proposed budget can be retrieved from the AAPS board office for public review. The notice also states that the “property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be the subject of this hearing.” He then read the resolution calling for the hearing. A memo from Robert Allen, AAPS deputy superintendent for operations, details that the first briefing and public hearing on the proposed budget, as well as the first briefing on the millage resolution, will take place on May 26, but that the final approval of the 2010-11 budget, as well as the millage resolution, will not take place until June 9.

Outcome: The resolution calling for the budget hearing was moved by Nelson, seconded by Patalan, and unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Stead, Baskett, and Thomas.

Action Item: Race to the Top Commitment

Roberts introduced a resolution seeking board support of a second Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AAPS and the Michigan Department of Education regarding Michigan’s application to round two of the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grant competition. He noted that the MOU “walks through various areas that state and local school districts would be responsible for,” but that would only go into effect if the state is awarded RTTT funding.

Michigan applied for round one of funding in January, and was denied. However, in order to make the state more competitive, state legislators passed a flurry of legislation during the application process that local school districts are now responsible for upholding, even without having won the additional RTTT funding.

Roberts drew the board’s attention to page five of the MOU, which begins the outline of the scope of work, and mentioned that this MOU is structured similarly to the one from round one. He also mentioned an example of something that is currently being put in place as a result of the RTTT legislation: a countywide data system to support instruction.

Baskett asked if there were any major changes, as the MOU did not look that different from last time. Roberts answered that the language in section D of the state reform plan, an element called “Great Teachers and Leaders,” was loosened regarding the use of teacher evaluations, and gave more power to teacher bargaining units in terms of determining teacher evaluations. Roberts noted as well that the Ann Arbor Education Association, the local teacher’s union, did sign off on this MOU, whereas they had not agreed to the MOU in round one of the application.

Baskett also asked if Roberts was able to see the actual application this time around. During round one, the application was still being written when districts were asked to sign MOUs in its support. Roberts acknowledged that, this time, he had been given the opportunity, but had not read all of the 500 pages. He did confirm, though, that the opt-out language is the same. That is, he said, AAPS can opt out of the arrangement “if it’s costing us more than we’re getting or it’s not working for us.”

Lightfoot again registered her distaste of RTTT, saying that while she would again support this MOU, “it is with a frustration at the public policy process.” She noted that she did not want to cut off the possible resources that could be brought to the district if Michigan is selected a winner this time around. Roberts agreed that, with or without the funding, the five pieces of new legislation would impose requirements on the districts: “It is that Catch-22.”

Mexicotte read the “Resolved” section of the resolution supporting the MOU, which states that AAPS will support the MOU, but that it can “withdraw … without penalty” if it is determined that it is not in the district’s interest to participate in the state’s reform plan.

Outcome: The resolution in support of the MOU between AAPS and the Michigan Department of Education was unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Stead, Baskett, and Thomas.

Sinking Fund Improvements

Also brought before the board for a first briefing were four bids for facilities improvements to be funded from the 2010 sinking fund. Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties, presented the bid award recommendations to the board for asphalt paving, roof replacements, ADA site improvements, and an energy conservation program.

During the discussion, Glenn Nelson noted that the sinking fund was a millage passed by the community, which funds improvements so that AAPS does not need to use money out of the general fund. Nelson also thanked the community for the passing the millage, pointing out its importance to the preservation of general fund money for instructional services. Trent confirmed that costs that have historically been paid for by the capital needs fund (which takes money out of the general fund) are now covered by the sinking funds.

Sinking Fund: Asphalt Paving

This summer, parking lots will be repaired at Angell, Carpenter, Clague, Scarlett, Slauson, Tappan, and Thurston, according to Trent. The biggest of these projects, he said, was Thurston, which will be redone completely to separate buses, cars, and pedestrians better. Trent put up a slide with a drawing showing how Thurston will look when completed – the main difference will be that a second loop will be created to separate buses from cars. In the new design, which he called a “safer and streamlined approach,” the handicapped parking will be moved, and pedestrians will not have to cross any traffic.

Regarding the paving projects, Trent also mentioned that bids received by the district were 25% lower than anticipated. All the recommended companies have been hired by the district before, and have great references, he said. After reviewing eight bids, Trent recommended the following contracts for board approval: ABC Paving ($145,200), Cadillac Asphalt ($214,937), Nagle Paving ($93,170), and T&M Asphalt ($23,190).

Sinking Fund: Roof Replacements

Trent stated that this summer, roofs will be repaired at Pioneer, Forsythe, Slauson, Mitchell, Clague, Northside, and Huron. Seven companies bid on the work, and two were chosen as recommended contractors. Trent added that these bids contain more inspections, double the warranty, and more insulation than previous ones, and expressed that working with Firestone as the approved supply vendor had gone well. He recommended that the board approve two contracts for roofing to: Advance Roofing ($1,062,848), and Royal West Roofing ($87,300).

Sinking Fund: ADA Site Improvements

This summer, Trent said, site improvements to bring facilities in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be made at Allen, Haisley, Scarlett, Stone, and the transportation building. Three companies submitted bids for the work, and Trent recommended one of them be given the contract: GM & Sons ($73,800).

Thomas asked for confirmation that each building is bid out as a separate project, rather than all the work of one type being consolidated in a multi-site bid. Trent confirmed that each site was bid independently, and that the bid awards he is recommending are to the lowest qualified bidder on each individual project. This is why, he pointed out, the paving and roofing bids are spread out among more than one contractor. In the case of the ADA improvements, Trent said, GM & Sons came in as the lowest bid for each of the five buildings needing work, which is why it was the only recommended contractor in that category.

Sinking Fund: Energy Conservation Program

Trent referenced a $400,000 budget reduction for “energy savings” listed in the district’s proposed 2010-11 budget as impetus for hiring a company to help AAPS streamline its energy usage. He explained that the district’s legal counsel recommended bidding out the service. Five bids were received, and three companies were interviewed.

Trent then explained how the interview committee came to the unanimous decision to recommend Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) over the other top contender, Energy Education Inc. (EEI). He reviewed several points: JCI has already done successful energy reduction work in the district; with JCI, AAPS is not penalized for saving more than targeted (EEI charges a higher fee if the district hits a certain savings mark); and JCI “has a nice addition of a student involvement piece.”

Describing JCI’s proposal as a “top-down effort” that starts with the superintendent and works through the whole district, Trent said that over 10 years, “the possible savings [reaped by implementing JCI's program] could go up to $12 million.” He also noted that, “Every dollar we are not spending on a utility can be put into a classroom.”

Trent recommended awarding a four-year contract to JCI, in the amount of $273,193 annually.

Sinking Fund: Historically Underutilized Businesses

Throughout the bid presentations ran a conversation between board members and Trent regarding the hiring of historically underutilized businesses (HUBs) for work in the district. HUBs are businesses that are minority or woman-owned. At the beginning of the discussion, Lightfoot asked  Trent to note the HUB status of any of the contractors he was recommending.

In the first bid description, when Trent noted that none of the recommended paving contractors were HUBs, Lightfoot jumped on it: “I keep asking that question, and I’m getting no’s. I’m looking forward to getting some yeses.” In the next bid description regarding roofers, Baskett echoed Lightfoot’s concerns, pointing out that “there has been a desire among some members of the board to foster relationships with HUBs.” She asked Trent if he had provided any incentives or encouragement to HUBs to apply, and whether the district has gotten any feedback from HUBs about why the district’s attempts to foster relationships with them “have not gone anywhere.”

Trent pointed out that reporting HUB status on the bids is optional, and that some businesses simply choose not to self-identify as HUBs, even though they are, such as GM & Sons, the minority-owned business recommended as the contractor for ADA improvements. He also pointed out that there is no official policy in place to recruit HUBs, but that he has coordinated networking events, and sent out RFPs to minority-owned businesses. Trent concluded, “We can’t make them bid.”

Baskett conceded that, while few of the current contractors being recommended have HUB status, those companies could always subcontract with HUBs. Trent confirmed that this could happen, such as with the Thurston project, where the main contractor could subcontract certain aspects of the project, such as lighting or landscaping. He also suggested that he could send letters to the HUBs who have worked for the district in the past to get their feedback. Patalan added that the planning committee will look at this issue, and consult with the district’s legal counsel.

Policy Updates

Both the policy and planning committees of the board have been engaged in ongoing review of board policies. At Wednesday’s meeting, 12 policies – 5550, 4020, 4050, 4100, 4400, 4500, 4600, 5120, 5130, 6140, 3000, and 3050 – were presented at first briefing. Most parts of these policies were either submitted for re-authorization as is, with no changes needed, or with only minor wording changes meant to bring the policy in line with current district practice, procedures, or department names. [.pdf file of revised policies]

The more extensive proposed policy changes were as follows:

• In 5550.R.01, Chronic Health Conditions, ADA language was added;
• In 4040, Anti-Harassment of Employees, “electronically transmitted acts” added;
• In 4050.R.01, Family & Medical Leave Act, military family leave added and defined;
• In 4050.R.03, Personnel Files, long-term storage of files, and disposition of files upon employee’s death addressed;
• In 4050.R.06, Employee Background Checks, fingerprinting and background check processes updated, and language added about fingerprinting results expiration date;
• In 4100.R.01 & R.02, Hiring Procedures, application and reporting processes updated; and
• In 4500.R.01, Safety, Injuries, and Emergencies, language added to be sure student health information is appropriately disseminated, and sign-in requirement added.

In addition, three of the policies were newly drafted:

• Policy 5120, Middle School Attendance, “articulates attendance guidelines … and provide for problem-solving with parents/guardians when attendance is inconsistent and/or detracting from school success;”
• Policy 5130, Middle School Retention, “provides a protocol for administration, faculty, and families when grade retention is under consideration in grades 6-8;” and
• Policy 6140, Homework, establishes guidelines for teachers, families, and students regarding the purpose, nature, and expected time commitment of homework.

Both Baskett and Patalan submitted charts summarizing the proposed policy changes their committees were suggesting. Baskett added, “We believe the chart is very clear, but we’re open to any questions … or feedback.” She highlighted the homework policy for parents in the community to note.

Patalan also thanked board secretary Amy Osinski, who, she said, “has her eyes focused on policy, and does a good job.”

There was no discussion on any policy items, which will come back before the board as second briefing items for approval.

Human Resource Services Update

Each year, the AAPS human resources department updates the board on any new developments, as well as providing a snapshot of retirements, resignations, and unpaid leaves for the coming year. As new trustee Andy Thomas confirmed during the first part of the presentation, Wednesday’s presentation was for information only, and no vote or approval by the board was required at that time.

HR Update: Teacher Evaluation Process

Cindy Ryan, AAPS director of human resources, updated the board on the process used in teacher evaluation. “We’re in the process of working on a new evaluation system,” she said, and identified one of the big concerns as how to integrate the Race to the Top (RTTT) mandates, such as integrating measures of student growth into the teacher evaluation process.

Ryan explained that, a year ago, a committee was formed through collective bargaining to assess models for teacher evaluation. Of the seven or eight models the committee reviewed, they decided they most liked the “Framework for Teaching” model created by Charlotte Danielson, and are moving forward with tweaking that model so that it would meet RTTT requirements and the needs of the district.

Several trustees asked how the Danielson model would intersect with specific district needs while ensuring that AAPS is in compliance with legal requirements, such as annual evaluations.

Ryan assured the board that the model could be embellished, or amended as needed, confirmed that it could be adapted for all Ann Arbor Education Association members, and called the work of the evaluation committee “a big undertaking.” Dave Comsa, AAPS assistant superintendent for human resources and legal services, added that there is a collaborative group in Lansing working to develop teacher evaluation models that will incorporate RTTT.

Comsa continued, saying that the district was “somewhat working in a vacuum” without a lot of guidance coming from the Michigan Department of Education on how to interpret RTTT requirements. Still, he said, AAPS is “ahead of the curve by implementing this evaluation committee,” and that the district can make a strong argument that it’s already in compliance.

Thomas asked about the timeline for getting this new evaluation process embedded in the contract as it’s currently being negotiated, and Ryan said it’s possible that the new evaluation process could be in the next contract. Mexicotte added that the contract can always be amended with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at any time.

HR Update: Demographic Data

Alice Chamberlain, AAPS assistant director of employment services, presented the district’s current demographic data on retirements, resignations, and unpaid leaves for 2010-11, and pointed out that the district uses this data directly to arrange staffing.

In total, Chamberlain said, the district is expecting 58 people totaling 56.2 FTEs to leave the district next year, and broke them out by subject, and grade level. Of all the positions, she noted that the two positions opening up in the hearing impaired program may be difficult to fill.

Nelson noted that retirement legislation is being developed at the state level, and said that counting on this number of retirements is like, “saying ‘there’s no rain yet’ before a thunderstorm.” He continued, asking if it was accurate to assume major changes in these numbers if legislation including a retirement incentive should pass. Chamberlain allowed that if retirement reform passes, “these data very well could change, and the change could be radical.”

[Retirement reform legislation, including a retirement incentive, did pass in both the house and senate late last week, and awaits signature by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.]

HR Update: Professional Development

Jane Landefeld, director of student accounting, Michelle Madden, math/science curriculum coordinator K-8, and Chuck Hatt, literacy/social studies curriculum coordinator, presented an overview of the professional development (PD) offered in AAPS.

Landefeld explained that PD is offered to teachers as part of their contractual obligations, and therefore all teachers are required to participate. Much of the PD is offered during the school year on days without classes, but some PD is also offered after school or over the summer. In total, Madden added, there are over 1,400 sessions and workshops offered to district employees each year, to “grow teacher-leaders.” These sessions are often used to introduce new curriculum or interventions, she explained. Hatt added that PD can be adapted as needs arise, and that it can be used to continually improve and adjust instruction.

Nelson asked whether national efforts to standardize curricula match up with Michigan’s curriculum. Madden answered that the national efforts are to devise standards, not actual curricula, and that AAPS outcomes standards are higher than both those of the national core standards project, and those of Michigan. Madden added that the national core curriculum standards project “will not happen overnight,” and is “very ambitious.”

Association Reports

At Wednesday’s meeting, the board received reports from three of its associations – the Youth Senate, the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee on Special Education (AAPAC), and the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC). The Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA), and the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG) did not report at this meeting.

Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee Report

Scott White reported for the AAPAC, and began by describing a bit about Williams syndrome, the disease that affects his daughter, Lauren. He noted that the week of the board meeting was the first-ever Williams syndrome awareness week. In deciding where to send Lauren for school, White said he has become an advocate for increasing opportunities for peer mentoring in the district. Through this work, he has gathered information on successful programs, and he reported at Wednesday’s meeting that a successful peer mentoring class has begun at Clague Middle School this year, which he called a “happy beginning” toward “helping students see abilities and not just disabilities.”

White also said AAPAC is pleased that the reorganizations taking place in the district’s Student Intervention and Support Services (SISS) department will lead to a full-time position for Peer-to-Peer programming and another for Adapted Physical Education. Unfortunately, White said, Steve Schwartz will be decreasing his volunteer hours for the fourth-grade disability awareness workshops, and he encouraged the board to ensure continuation of the workshops.

PTO Council Report

Co-chair of the PTOC, Donna Lasinski, began by reporting that the council has been making a concerted effort to take a look at what can be done as a community to make a difference at the legislative level. She noted that the PTOC advocacy committee now has 35 members, and is growing each week. The committee has crafted talking points around their four stated goals: (1) guaranteeing that school funding levels are set by the start of the fiscal year; (2) ensuring that schools are funded at the level of program cost, not dollars available; (3) developing a stable and secure funding model for schools; and (4) prioritizing education funding over other state needs. These goals reflect the PTOC’s perception, said Lasinski, that “no state has ever dug itself out of an economic hole by building more prisons.”

Thus far, advocacy efforts have targeted both elected officials, and those running for office in November. Next, the committee will be initiating a postcard campaign to give parents a chance to say why education is important to them. And finally, the PTOC, based on feedback from some of the legislators with whom they have met, has decided to attempt partnerships with other similar parent groups from parts of the state with less supportive elected officials.

Youth Senate Report

Youth senators Priya Menon and Nikila Lakshmanan suggested in their report that off-campus lunch privileges currently enjoyed by some Ann Arbor students  should be extended to all high school students, or, alternately, offered as a reward to students with no unexcused absences or tardies. [Community High School has an open-campus policy.] Being able to leave for lunch, Menon and Lakshmanan argued, can help prepare students who go onto college “to adjust to the new surge of independence that comes with a new environment.”

The youth senators also invited everyone to participate in a walkathon to fight poverty, wished all students good luck on AP exams, and reported that Pioneer High music students are concerned about the possible lay-off of their orchestra director, Jonathon Glawe.

Committee Reports and Agenda Planning

The board has two standing committees – performance and planning – through which many items on the board’s agenda get a first look. Each board member except for the president is assigned to one or the other – Susan Baskett and Glenn Nelson sit on the performance committee, while Irene Patalan, Christine Stead, and Simone Lightfoot sit on the planning committee. All performance and planning committee meetings are open to the public. Also at each meeting, trustees can put forward items they would like to have considered on agendas for future meetings.

Performance Committee Activities

Baskett reported that her committee reviewed many of the first briefing items coming to the board for Wednesday’s meeting, including the WISD budget, third quarter financial report, and a “slew of policies.”

Planning Committee Activities

Patalan reported that Trent had walked her committee through the beginning of spending the 2010 sinking fund money, and that some of the first briefing agenda items reflected this discussion. She pointed out that the planning committee has also been engaged in policy review.

Planning for 2010 Board Retreat

Mexicotte announced that there would not be an organizational meeting of the board this July, since the elections were moved to November. Instead, she suggested, the board retreat usually scheduled for the end of the summer could be moved up to July. The board retreat, Mexicotte explained, is an opportunity for the board to set goals, re-form itself as a board, and move forward with agenda items, and is typically a single-day event. Saying that she would be working with Patalan to set an agenda and talk about facilitation, Mexicotte requested trustees to send their summer schedules to Osinski so a retreat date could be set.

Awards and Accolades

The board devotes time at each meeting to reflect on positive accomplishments in the district, and honor those people who go above and beyond the call of duty.

Celebration of Excellence

John Fisher, a physical education teacher at Angell and Pattengill, was honored with a celebration of excellence for his service to his students. He was nominated by Martine Perreault, chair of the PTOC, and a parent of three children who have attended Angell Elementary and who had Fisher as a teacher. Perreault’s nomination lauded Fisher’s emphasis on personal fitness, cooperative games, and innovative inclusions to the phys ed curriculum. She credited him with turning phys ed into “an enjoyable respite in the school day.”

Fisher and many of his family and supporters gathered at the podium for his receipt of the award. He thanked them all, saying, “I’m lucky and I’m blessed … I don’t like my job – I love my job!” Fisher’s mother, who had been standing next to him, then also responded, urging everyone to “do your best at whatever you do.”

Superintendent’s Report

Todd Roberts noted many recent successes of AAPS students and staff, beginning with the high school level, and including the receipt of a Grammy Gold award, and a regatta win by Pioneer High School. Huron High School, he said, had eight students’ work recently published in a book called “Talking Back,” and Skyline High School students placed highly in the recent Special Olympics competition.

Roberts also noted the impressive feat achieved by Community High students and staff, who removed 4,460 pounds of garlic mustard, an invasive species, from natural areas across the district as part of an all-school service project. At the middle school level, Roberts praised Slauson for placing highly in the Science Olympiad, and all the middle schools for becoming “healthy schools.” He also praised many of the district’s teaching staff for individual accomplishments.

Items From the Board

Glenn Nelson mentioned that he had just attended a dinner and dance at the Ann Arbor Community Center, and thanked the community centers for their wonderful work. He also reminded everyone of the “three wonderful art shows” of student work currently going on in town.

Susan Baskett thanked the SISS department for hosting Parent University talks at the Bryant Community Center. She pointed out that over 50 people attended the recent lecture by Dr. Sanchez, and invited everyone to attend the May 24 lecture by Patricia Edwards on reaching non-traditional students.

Christine Stead pointed out that Johnson Controls Inc. did a great job at Skyline High School on April 29 of showing students what they do, and providing some perspective on possible careers for students.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Irene Patalan, secretary Glenn Nelson, treasurer Christine Stead, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Andy Thomas. Also present as a non-voting member was Todd Roberts, AAPS superintendent.

Next regular meeting: May 26, 2010, 7 p.m., at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library 4th floor board room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]