District Administration - May 2011 - (Page 82)

Budgeting Based on Student Needs resources that were allocated to schools. It revealed that the priority was to push additional resources to schools and that the central office had to continually work to create new efficiencies and better services for schools. Schools as Decision-Makers As large urban districts implement student-based systems, they are better able to recognize that a top-down management approach does not meet individual school needs, let alone students. The reality is that, for many large urban school districts, implementing this management structure is impossible. First, the logistical challenge alone of communicating with and then holding employees accountable to one direction is tremendous. Second, the diversity of student populations is vast and creates major obstacles to implementing a one-size-fits-all strategy. When SBB districts begin to analyze spending on a per-student basis and compare it to student outcomes, they clearly see the inequities that have been created over time. Third, such a system highlights the remnants of programs from past administrations. Many superintendents implement a new reform or program when they enter a district, and typically bits and pieces of that program live on, since many districts do not review the effectiveness of programs annually. This is especially problematic in urban districts, where the average tenure of superintendents is only three and a half years. After many years, a “school reform gumbo” is created, made from these past programs, that is not strategically aligned and pulls money away from classrooms. As school communities receive more resources and become savvy about how to use them, central offices must shift toward a service-oriented culture. School communities no longer want to be told what to do; instead they want support and services that will help them implement their 82 May 2011 Aside from Oakland, other districts, such as Denver Public Schools, use student-based budgeting (SBB). Above, Denver parents and administrators gather last December at the Superintendent Parent Forum to help create a school budget with SBB dollars. Left, instructional superintendents Robert Woodson and Kristin Waters speak with Kate Kotaska, manager of school buildings, right, in reviewing proposed SBB changes. vision, direction and priorities in a consistent manner. Emphasizing collaboration rather than directives ultimately changes the nature of the relationship between a school administrator and central office staff. This shift to a service and support role will not come naturally for all central office employees. Districts need to be careful about not overlooking the professional development needs of the central office. It is easy to identify training opportunities for principals, but it is just as important to help central office employees become service providers. In Oakland, the chief operating officer was renamed the chief service officer to highlight the culture shift. The chief service office brought in customer service training for all central office employees, and it was very useful in helping employees become service providers to schools. Each employee was trained on how to understand the needs of students and families and provide responsive and reliable service. Go to any district in the country and the central office will have a nickname: “the District,” “Downtown,” “the Death Star,” or a name that is inappropriate to include in this article. The reason is that the central office typically has all the resources and power, and schools do not feel supported. There is not a supply-and-demand relationship between the schools and the central office. The central office identifies “necessary” services and then provides them to schools. Often there is little or no feedback from the schools. Transitioning to student-based budgeting in Oakland required the central office to redefine its role. In addition to focusing on serving the schools, the central office developed a menu through which principals could purchase services. This menu highlighted the activities and services of the central office, as well as the costs associated with these activities and services. For example, the menu detailed the services of math and English coaches, the cost per coach and District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - May 2011

District Administration - May 2011
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Conversations
Administrator Profile
District Profile
The Cradle-to-Career Solution
Turnaround Principals
Starving for Recess
Army Strong, Superintendent Savvy
Budgeting Based on Student Needs
Research Center
Books
Product Focus
Products
Superintendent's Insights
Crisis Response
Going Mobile
Professional Opinion

District Administration - May 2011