THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, MAY 6, 2013
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In 2008, McPherson Superintendent Randy Watson and his staff at Unified School District 418 began the process of becoming exempt from the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
NIKKI WENTLING
nwentling@kansan.com
The initiative excludes state assessments.
"We shouldn't have a student take a test that doesn't mean anything to them," Watson said. "It doesn't get you into college. It doesn't get you a job. It doesn't get you a scholarship. It doesn't even get you a grade. We said we ought to give assessments that mean something to kids."
After two years of research, visiting other schools and going on a series of retreats to define new goals and a new system, the district, which has a total enrollment of 2,400, submitted its plans to the Kansas State Board of Education in June 2010. In February 2011, the United States Department of Education granted the district a waiver to enact its new initiative: Citizenship, College and Career readiness.
McPerson now places more emphasis on ACT performance, maximizing scholarship opportunities and providing job shadowing or internship experience.
A new Kansas law taking effect July 1 allows up to 10 percent of the state's 286 school districts to opt out of state assessments and other state education laws.
Gov. Sam Brownback signed House Bill 2319, dubbed the "Innovative Districts Act", early last week. Under the pilot program, interested districts can apply to be designated as "public innovative districts" for a period of five years. Though the districts are exempt from certain state laws, they must adhere to federal education laws, conduct annual testing of students and comply with laws regarding health, safety and welfare. These
districts will also receive the same funding as other schools.
"Innovative School Districts brings to the state of Kansas what the waiver from NCLB did for McPherson," Watson testified at a House Committee on Education hearing on Feb. 9. "This bill takes our accomplishments a step further by allowing for even more flexibility."
HB 2319 OPPOSITION
Some Kansas legislators think this "flexibility" could be damaging to the state education system.
Rep. Ed Trimmer, D-Winfield, was a teacher at Winfield Public
schools from 1974 to 2006. Though he is not against innovation, Trimmer said there is no justification for this law, and that it gives schools too much leeway.
"They don't have to follow state assessments
and they don't have to have certified staff," Trimmer said. "At no time did we identify any specific rule or state requirement that we think hamstrings districts. I don't understand it."
Trimmer also said that because it will not be illegal to hire uncertified teachers, some districts might be tempted to do so when faced with shortages.
"If you don't have to worry about math and science teachers being certified and you can get people for less money, the motivation is there to do that," he said.
Opting out of the professional negotiating act and the teachers due process act are also possibilities, Trimmer said. The Kansas National Education Association testified against the bill because districts would be exempt from these laws and others regarding relations with teachers.
Ward spoke in favor of an amendment introduced by Rep. Valdenia Winn, D-Kansas City, on the House floor in March. The amendment would have included these laws, as well as the teachers' contract law and several others, as regulations that the districts would still have to follow. The amendment failed 50-71.
"There are innovations I think we could try if we weren't held to the 1,080 hours or 180 days or a block schedule. There are possibilities."
Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, not only thinks this is a possibility but is the real reason why some districts would apply to be "innovative."
This amendment failed, Ward said, because right-wing conservatives want administrators to have
an easier route to fire tenured staff.
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"They think it's wrong that employers shouldn't be able to terminate at will," he said.
Ward also said that the rhetoric of
establishing the innovative districts is a ploy to distract from the elimination of due process.
FORMER TEACHER BACKS INNOVATION
Though Ward thinks the motivations of the legislators, and of the districts, may be skewed, Sue Boldra, R-Hays, said the intent is innocent and districts would not go against their staffs.
"That would destroy morale; districts would lose their good teachers," Boldra said.
Personal experience prompted Boldra to support the bill from its early stages. While teaching at Hays High School, Boldra and a fellow teacher merged a U.S. history and an English class as an experiment. The class became popular, and enough students enrolled the following year that it would have to be split into two
sections. However, the school's block scheduling wouldn't allow for it, and it was canceled.
"There are innovations I think we could try if we weren't held to the 1,080 hours or 180 days or a block schedule," she said. "There are possibilities. Good schools that want to change up some things should have the opportunity to do this."
Another aspect of HB 2319 that worries some legislators is the lack of accountability because student progress will not be measured by state assessments.
Under the measure, the applications from the first two districts to apply would be sent to the governor and the chairpersons of the House and Senate education committees.
Boldra argued that there are enough checks in the system that this would not be an issue.
If a majority approves the application, the district would send another application to the state BOE. The district is required to include a description of the new program and its specific goals, a description of parental and community support and an explanation of how student performance will be measured, evaluated and reported.
For remaining districts, the initial request for approval will go to a board made up of representatives of the approved innovative districts.
While lawmakers continue to ask questions about the new law, administrators in McPherson can relax. Now in its third year, the Citizenship, College and Career Readiness initiative, and the waiver, was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Education for two more years.
MOVING FORWARD
And as for all of the questions regarding the lack of accountability and malicious intent, Watson has a simple answer: "That's
wrong."
"There will be much higher accountability," he said. "We've set a higher bar. I think school districts have the intent of being exempt from some laws, which will maybe allow them some freedom to get kids where they want to go in life."
Though the law goes into effect this summer, Ward, who remains skeptical, thinks the legislature will see this come up again.
"Elections matter," he said. "In 18 months, we'll have an election. If they change some of the people sitting in these chairs, I think we'll see a change. I do."
—Edited by Julie Etzler
QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE INNOVATIVE DISTRICTS ACT
- The new law allows 10 percent of Kansas' 286 school districts to be designated as "innovative."
- Gov. Sam Brownback approved House Bill 2319 on April 22, and it will take effect July 1.
- Districts may keep their designation for five years at a time.
- Innovative districts may opt out of several state education laws, including state assessments.
Yesterday, students received an additional $8.00 in free printing funds.
Free printing funds will be cleared from accounts Saturday, May 18.
POLICE REPORTS
information based on the Douglas County Sheriff's Office booking recap.
- A 22-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 3100 block of Ousdahl Road on suspicion of domestic battery and battery. No bond was posted.
- A 22-year-old male was arrested yesterday on K-10 on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, first offense.
A $250 bond was paid.
- A 24-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 800 block of Massachusetts Street on suspicion of uninning or defecating in public and battery. A $300 bond was paid.
- A 22-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 900 block of New Hampshire on suspicion of battery. A $100 bond was paid.
- A 32-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 2400 block of Fairfield Street on suspicion of theft of property, criminal damage to property, possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and burglary of a dwelling. A $7,500 bond was paid.
- A 24-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 800 block of Massachusetts Street on suspicion of uninating or defecating in public and battery. A $300 bond was paid.
Emily Donovan