If the object of schools is to teach all the kids well … government has mostly failed . Perhaps provincial government need to pass the schools back to the municipalities where whomever would be in charge, might find traction to do the ‘work’. That ‘work’ has to do with establishing who does what, starting with the interfering parents.
But if you really want ‘work’ done, schooling should be handed over to the private sector where the public sector would be lightened of numbers who would choose to pay extra to get what would be delivered . (Perhaps a tax credit would exist for income earners of under some amount.)
If ‘work’ isn’t being fully accomplished by the schools … and they remain in a ‘distressed’ state, perhaps half pay for a while would ‘work’? (Plebiscite?)
We’re not properly competing in the post-industrial world. Our best advice in 2014 was “now or never”. Education mis-micro-management hasn’t led to a more prosperous place in the last several generations. “Fix it”, indeed (and here we are in an election campaign which I imagine will mostly be about “never”).
There is considerable evidence that school systems which are more successful in delivering good achievement have given more authority and responsibility to Principals. Which supports David’s contention that we need to examine the size and effectiveness of the bloated administrations we now see.
Policies can be Province wide and be effective only if there is latitude for local decision making on implementation. Everyone doing the same thing everywhere only leads to stifling innovation. Kids who are on the bus for more than two hours a day deserve a different school experience than those who walk three blocks for example. Change happens at the fringes and where disciplines interact. Could not Dartmouth High School be twinned with the Sportsplex?
I have had the contrary view about plant/facility management expressed to me quite forcefully. A person with experience in the field suggested to me that facility management should be separated entirely from Board educational functions. I don’t believe many people run for school boards because they want to have influence on the roof repair budgets. Maintenance is continually squeezed to prop up program budgets. Bulk purchases apply in this area of education as well as HR.
There is little doubt change is needed and need not cost millions of dollars.
“Bill Black: There may be other ways to make schools ‘work’.
We could revert to the archaic times of my youth, and have three or four local persons serve as trustees. They cared about the education and general welfare of the children. Most, if not all, had children attending the school. They cared about the condition of the facility. They did not have political daggers to whet.
They demanded and received performance from the teachers and, at the same time, they helped those teachers when they had a problem with unruly children, uncooperative parents, or with the state of the building, or whatever else that may effect the outcome of the school year.
That was my experience in the 1940s.
If a teacher found a broken window and snow blowing in, they sent a note home with a student for delivery to their parent trustee. There were only a few phones in my area at that time.
The trustee would round up his/her fellows and visit the school to determine the extent of the damage. This visit would likely be later that day or the next at the latest, because these people were locals. They did not have to drive fifty miles, they did not quit at 4PM., and they were not away to a conference in Cleveland.
After assessment of the requirement, a qualified tradesman was found to make repairs.”
I enjoyed your column on “Making Schools Work” and the role of the Education Department and School Boards. I also found myself agreeing with the Globe and Mail column last week. In the case of HRSB, they have a staff of 240 in Burnside with a base payroll of $14M which would be $18M when benefit and expense costs are added. This is in the range of 4-5% of their total budget. This is quite a large number for 136 schools.
This large administration is in my view a major source of the reason for morale issues among teachers. When you add in the role of the Education Department with HRSB admin., I’m sure you have micro management in the extreme and lots of duplication. If you ask teachers about HRSB admin., they will tell you that they have no idea what all those 240 people do. As illustrated by the current SOC process in Cole Harbour, the staff certainly don’t want any real input from the community.
The Auditor General should do an in depth examination of the duplication and excessive administration of both the department and board administrations. I’m sure we would have motivated teachers and improved programs if the duplication was reduced and teachers were empowered to work with their local communities. We will never change the schools to focus more on QUALITY and Skills and Technology Training without major changes in the current approach and management.
Hope you will write more columns on this topic with your usual high degree of research and analysis.
Having multiple school boards in this small Province leads to the sort of parochial thinking and policies that seem to affect so many public sector decisions. Surely it is time we appointed one Provincial school board,working with Government, to manage the education system across all regions.
If the object of schools is to teach all the kids well … government has mostly failed . Perhaps provincial government need to pass the schools back to the municipalities where whomever would be in charge, might find traction to do the ‘work’. That ‘work’ has to do with establishing who does what, starting with the interfering parents.
But if you really want ‘work’ done, schooling should be handed over to the private sector where the public sector would be lightened of numbers who would choose to pay extra to get what would be delivered . (Perhaps a tax credit would exist for income earners of under some amount.)
If ‘work’ isn’t being fully accomplished by the schools … and they remain in a ‘distressed’ state, perhaps half pay for a while would ‘work’? (Plebiscite?)
We’re not properly competing in the post-industrial world. Our best advice in 2014 was “now or never”. Education mis-micro-management hasn’t led to a more prosperous place in the last several generations. “Fix it”, indeed (and here we are in an election campaign which I imagine will mostly be about “never”).
Gordon a.... | May 1, 2017 |
There is considerable evidence that school systems which are more successful in delivering good achievement have given more authority and responsibility to Principals. Which supports David’s contention that we need to examine the size and effectiveness of the bloated administrations we now see.
Policies can be Province wide and be effective only if there is latitude for local decision making on implementation. Everyone doing the same thing everywhere only leads to stifling innovation. Kids who are on the bus for more than two hours a day deserve a different school experience than those who walk three blocks for example. Change happens at the fringes and where disciplines interact. Could not Dartmouth High School be twinned with the Sportsplex?
I have had the contrary view about plant/facility management expressed to me quite forcefully. A person with experience in the field suggested to me that facility management should be separated entirely from Board educational functions. I don’t believe many people run for school boards because they want to have influence on the roof repair budgets. Maintenance is continually squeezed to prop up program budgets. Bulk purchases apply in this area of education as well as HR.
There is little doubt change is needed and need not cost millions of dollars.
Jane MacKay | May 1, 2017 |
“Bill Black: There may be other ways to make schools ‘work’.
We could revert to the archaic times of my youth, and have three or four local persons serve as trustees. They cared about the education and general welfare of the children. Most, if not all, had children attending the school. They cared about the condition of the facility. They did not have political daggers to whet.
They demanded and received performance from the teachers and, at the same time, they helped those teachers when they had a problem with unruly children, uncooperative parents, or with the state of the building, or whatever else that may effect the outcome of the school year.
That was my experience in the 1940s.
If a teacher found a broken window and snow blowing in, they sent a note home with a student for delivery to their parent trustee. There were only a few phones in my area at that time.
The trustee would round up his/her fellows and visit the school to determine the extent of the damage. This visit would likely be later that day or the next at the latest, because these people were locals. They did not have to drive fifty miles, they did not quit at 4PM., and they were not away to a conference in Cleveland.
After assessment of the requirement, a qualified tradesman was found to make repairs.”
Bob Tuttle | May 1, 2017 |
I enjoyed your column on “Making Schools Work” and the role of the Education Department and School Boards. I also found myself agreeing with the Globe and Mail column last week. In the case of HRSB, they have a staff of 240 in Burnside with a base payroll of $14M which would be $18M when benefit and expense costs are added. This is in the range of 4-5% of their total budget. This is quite a large number for 136 schools.
This large administration is in my view a major source of the reason for morale issues among teachers. When you add in the role of the Education Department with HRSB admin., I’m sure you have micro management in the extreme and lots of duplication. If you ask teachers about HRSB admin., they will tell you that they have no idea what all those 240 people do. As illustrated by the current SOC process in Cole Harbour, the staff certainly don’t want any real input from the community.
The Auditor General should do an in depth examination of the duplication and excessive administration of both the department and board administrations. I’m sure we would have motivated teachers and improved programs if the duplication was reduced and teachers were empowered to work with their local communities. We will never change the schools to focus more on QUALITY and Skills and Technology Training without major changes in the current approach and management.
Hope you will write more columns on this topic with your usual high degree of research and analysis.
David Nantes | May 1, 2017 |
Having multiple school boards in this small Province leads to the sort of parochial thinking and policies that seem to affect so many public sector decisions. Surely it is time we appointed one Provincial school board,working with Government, to manage the education system across all regions.
Nicholas Carson | April 28, 2017 |