District Administration - December 2006 - (Page 71)

ment give mayors and school leaders school governance. Research shows an opportunity to build partnerships that five years ago about 35 percent and collaborations that drive future of all Latino elected officials and 22 progress. But the fi rst step toward percent of African-American elected building this partnership is to take officials were school board members. the mayoral takeover option off the The governing body of the table. Once that happens, mayors National School Boards Association and school board members can join approved a resolution earlier this together in a powerful partnership year urging mayors to concentrate on that advances a common agenda for issues outside of the classroom that local school improvement. affect student achievement. Rather than playing the role of the education Collective Venture wizard, mayors should focus their La st year, the National League energies on the critical issues that of Cities, National School Boards impact student success. These include Association, and the American policies and programs that ensure Association of School Administrators safe neighborhoods for families, surveyed our big city members to access to health care for the unin- gather suggestions on how cities and sured, and affordable housing for the school leaders can work together middle-class, including teachers. to boost student performance and T he resolution notes that out- avoid takeover talk. The survey of-school factors affect a child's respondents said that education ability to learn. Addressing these must be a collective venture and a issues, according to our resolution, community-wide priority. is the role that the mayors and their In order to make that possible, administration can play in improv- those responding to the survey i ng public education. said that mayors and school leaders should schedule regular meetings to Common Perspectives build trust and lay the groundwork A side from takeovers, big city may- for collaboration. They should forge ors and school board members actu- joint-use agreements to save money a lly share common perspectives on on facilities and address school fund- many of the issues that matter most i ng shortages by working together to to the future of public education. press federal and state government Mayors and school boards are see- for more money. And city officials i ng the power of working together and school officials should work toward the goal of high performing together to encourage parents to school systems that focus on the become actively engaged in their success of each child, for example, children's education. in Boston where the public schools T he bottom line is that collabora- have made great strides as a result of t ion, not mayoral takeovers, is the collaboration. We agree that provid- best path to take to ensure high i ng high quality education improves quality public schools for all our community life, helps develop a urban children and families. DA skilled workforce and promotes economic growth. We clearly agree that the fortunes of our cities and Anne L. Bryant is the executive direc- schools are linked, and most of all tor of the National School Boards we agree that the lack of funding is a Association, a not-for-profit federation major challenge to school districts. of state associations of school boards T hese extensive areas of agree- across the U.S. December 2006 71 www.DistrictAdministration.com DA_1206_bryant.indd 71 11/13/06 11:13:25 AM http://www.ttsys.com http://www.ttsys.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - December 2006

Contents
Editor's Letter
Update
Inside The Law
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Mayor controls LA district
Who's In Charge In LA?
How Safe Is Your School
National school security plan
District Administration's 6th Annual Salary Survey
Fresh Chance for New Orleans Schools
Fresh start for New Orleans
Alfie Kohn on the homework myth
The Homework Myth
Conventional Guide to Birds of a Feather
Speaking Out
Anne Bryant on school board relations
Professional Opinion
Principal Opinion
Problem/Solution
Leadership Books
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - December 2006