One Hour a Week Can Make All the Difference in the Life of a Racine Child

Children in this community are waiting for adults to take an active role in their lives. They need support and role models to develop into productive citizens. You can provide this by giving just one hour a week of your time to become a mentor or tutor. Mentors and tutors support our youth by tutoring youth in subjects in which they are having difficulty, talking to them, teaching them to play games, encouraging them to work hard to succeed, teaching them a job skill, listening to them read, etc.

A number of agencies in our community work to connect community members with students who need mentors or tutors. Mentor Kenosha & Racine also provides training for people who want to tutor and mentor children. The Volunteer Center also trains adults to tutor and mentor children. Organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters provide valuable mentoring and support for youth. John XIII Educational Center provides tutoring, mentoring and counseling for middle and high school children.

Right now in RUSD middle schools alone, 65 children are waiting for mentors. Recently, when one student got a mentor after waiting for a considerable period of time, she introduced her mentor to another student. That student asked if every student could have one. Every child who does not have a strong role model in his/her life could benefit from an adult investing one hour per week to support him/her, demonstrating to that child that someone has a vested interest in his/her success as a student and as a valuable asset in the community.

If you have one hour per week to spare, please consider investing that time in a child. Please contact your neighborhood school or one of the agencies below to inquire about working with a child. Your one hour per week could make all the difference in the world.

To contact a Racine Unified School, visit the District website and click on a school name.
Mentor Kenosha & Racine: 262.595.2604 or 262.595.2635
Volunteer Center of Racine: http://www.volunteercenterofracine.org/index.php/Main_Page/ 262.886.9612
John XIII Educational Center: 262.898.7250
Big Brothers Big Sisters: www.beabignow.org / 262.637.7625

Focus on Children: How YOU Can Help

Last month, I wrote a commentary for the Journal Times about changing the conversation in the community to focus on the children. I discussed the importance of everyone – school staff, community members, parents and local businesses – working together to improve opportunities for the children of the Racine Unified School District. I believe it is vital for Racine Unified to open our doors to the community. We are inviting you in to experience our schools and to provide your support. We hope that you will consider helping.

Our children are the future of Racine. We must all embrace and support them in achieving success so that our community can be a wonderful and thriving place to live and work.

There are ways that you can help. Some include providing a small piece of your time; some include sharing your talents or resources. If you can make a difference in the life of one RUSD child, you will have made a difference for the entire community. Whatever you are able to give to our children, we are thrilled to accept. Below are just some of the ways you can help:

1. Mentor an RUSD student. For more information, contact the RUSD Extended Day Program office at 262.664.6990.
2. Volunteer at an RUSD school. Please contact the school directly if you are interested in volunteering your time. Visit the RUSD website and click on “Our Schools.” Then click on the school name for contact information.
3. Share positive stories and be a public supporter of RUSD. Share positive stories about the things going on in RUSD schools with your neighbors, family, friends and community members. Be a positive voice rather than a critical one. Build pride in Racine Unified.
4. Join the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). If you have a child in school, this is a great way to get more involved while supporting the school.
5. Tutor an RUSD student. Contact the RUSD Extended Day Program office at 262.664.6990 to sign up. Or to support homeless students through tutoring, please contact Linda Boyle at 262.634.5975 or lindaboyle1@gmail.com.
6. Visit an RUSD school. It may have been a long time since you have been inside a school. Consider visiting a local school to learn about the great things happening there.
7. Show support for studentsin your community by:
   • Taking time to listen to them; ask them how they are doing in school
   • Supporting a school fundraiser.
   • Attending a school concert, athletic event or activity.
8. Donate resources. We are happy to accept a variety of donations including school supplies, clothes, financial contributions, gift cards (food or gas), etc. For information, contact Liz Erven at 262.619.4620.
9. Attend a School Board meeting. Come to learn about what’s going on at the District level. Board meetings are typically held the third Monday of every month at the Administrative Service Center (3109 Mt. Pleasant St.) at 6:30 p.m.
10. Participate on District advisory committees. Offer your ideas, experience and expertise to District administrators through participation in advisory committees. We are currently coordinating a school choice committee to consider ideas for expanding choice in Racine Unified. If you are interested in being involved, please call 262.631.7112.

I encourage everyone to learn more about the great things happening in RUSD schools every day by visiting the RUSD website: www.racine.k12.wi.us. Read the news items, watch our videos and spend some time getting to know our District. Sign up to receive e-mails and newsletters. You’ll be surprised by the amazing things happening in our classrooms every day.

RUSD, Community Must Share Focus on Children

Next Tuesday, Oct. 11. I will speak to the community during the fifth annual State of the District Address. This year, in addition to providing an update on the state of the Racine Unified School District, I have invited Mayor John Dickert as well as other RUSD staff members to speak about the importance of Focusing on Children.

The future of our community lies in our youth. Everyone who lives in the Racine community shares responsibility for the success of our children. It is critical that we make efforts to support the education of our children together. 

This school year, RUSD will work with the community to focus on the needs of children. We will work to do more to connect with parents and community members. The State of the District Address next Tuesday will serve as a starting point for this effort. That evening, we will open the doors of our new administrative building to welcome the community in. At the same time, we will symbolically open the doors of our schools to all who are willing to walk through and provide support.

RUSD staff work hard every day to create positive learning environments for students, engage students in appropriate learning activities, establish positive working relationships with students and parents and to improve student achievement. The reality is that schools cannot do this work alone. We recognize that we must reach out to the community. We hope you will consider offering your support.

There are many ways you can support Racine children. You can visit a school to learn about the positive things going on there. You can offer your time to serve as a mentor or classroom volunteer. You can create positive conversations in the community about RUSD students and schools. You can volunteer in the community at one of the many organizations that supports kids and their families. You can attend the State of the District Address next Tuesday to learn more about how you can help. You can believe in our children.

There are many positive events and agencies in our community that focus on the needs of children. The Racine Reads: Dream Big! event last Saturday is one example of the good things that are happening for Racine children. Many community groups like John XXIII Educational Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way, YMCA and the Urban League provide tutoring, mentoring, homework assistance, moral support and counseling to our children.

In addition to engaging community members, we must also work to find new ways to engage parents in their children’s education. Parents can support their children by getting them to school in the morning every day, talking to them, listening to their concerns and needs, checking their backpacks to see what is happening at school, reading to them, listening to them read and providing a quiet place to do homework.

This year, RUSD will work harder to help the community know the great things that are happening in our schools every day. We will also work to help the community understand the needs of students who require more help and support to achieve at higher levels. Through open and honest communication and dialogue, we hope to reach out to all of you for your support.

It is imperative that the entire Racine community embrace Racine children and focus our energy and passion on working together to ensure that they succeed. They are our children. They are our future.

The fifth annual State of the District Address is Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the new RUSD administrative service center – 3109 Mt. Pleasant St., Building #1. Follow signs for parking. The event is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for tours of the new building.

Looking Toward the Future

Wednesday, Aug. 31 will officially be my last day as RUSD superintendent. I came to Racine after accepting a two-year contract and my tenure has now been three years. I believe this is the right time for new leadership in Racine. It is also the right time for me to personally retire after more than 40 years of service to education.

Over the past five years, RUSD has developed the North Star vision of excellence for all students, and a new data driven school improvement system; effective leadership teams involving all staff are functioning throughout the District; tough budget decisions have been made by working collaboratively with our unions to reduce expenditures by $25 million; 15 new principals are eager to begin a new school year; central office (Administrative Service Center) has been downsized and reorganized to better focus on supporting schools in improvement efforts; a new central office building and a District Improvement Plan will improve service to parents, schools, and community; finally, RUSD has strong leadership in an excellent School Board and the well-established leadership structures.

These leadership bodies are comprised of outstanding community, union, staff, and administrative leaders committed to advancing and continuously improving RUSD. The work of these leadership groups is also supported by local community business leaders, parents, and higher education partners. The superintendent is an important leader, but the School Board, staff, and community are the even more important, long-term leaders who maintain critical values and set direction over the long haul.

RUSD has a clear superintendent succession plan in place with Dr. Ann Laing, a 22-year, highly respected Racine administrator ready to serve as Interim Superintendent. Everyone knows Dr. Laing or is familiar with her important work in special education, inclusion and early childhood education. Dr. Laing has worked in numerous leadership positions, including Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education. Dr. Laing is one of the best educational leaders I have worked with anywhere. I know she will continue the shared leadership effort to make Racine Unified one of the finest urban school districts anywhere.

This is also the right time, personally, for me to retire. My wife, Jean, is recently retired and my new granddaughter, Esme, needs to see her grandfather more often. Thanks to your support and hard work, my service as RUSD Superintendent is the most fulfilling and important experience of my educational career. I have learned a lot in three years, but it is time.

For the past 40 years, I have served as a teacher, administrator, professor and superintendent. I know of no better staff than RUSD employees. I am proud to say I am part of the RUSD team that shares a vision and commitment to improve learning for all students. Despite all the criticism of urban public education and the challenges we will continue to face, RUSD staff make a difference in the lives of children every day. Thanks for allowing me to share in that important work.

 

Vouchers: Defunding RUSD and Subsidizing Private Education with Taxpayer Dollars

For over six months, the Racine Unified School District has been engaged in budget development.  During that time, I have continuously expressed concern about impending state budget reductions. Despite these early and repeated concerns, the state budget about to be implemented has dire financial consequences and exceeds my early fears about the defunding of public education in Racine. 

Largest Loss of State Support
Racine loses more state aid per pupil than any other district, except Beloit, before any consideration of vouchers.  After vouchers are implemented, Racine will lose more state aid per pupil than any other district. Racine is facing a $25 million budget shortfall in 2011-12. After using the Governor’s tools and exceeding the recommended savings for health insurance costs, that budget deficit is reduced to $7.5 million. To save the $7.5 million, the district eliminated 125 positions, including 10 administrators and initiated approximately $3 million in efficiencies throughout the district.

Vouchers NOT Just for Low Income Families
The new income cap for eligible families is three times the poverty rate, or approximately $70,000 per household. The average income in Racine County in 2009 was $52,063 and in Wisconsin it was $49,994. In the third year of voucher implementation in Racine, there are no limits on the total number of students who could apply for vouchers. Racine taxpayers could be asked to subsidize private education for households with above average income.

Year Three Voucher Tax
Based on Milwaukee’s experience with the current revenue caps, (which are approximately $41,000 per household) 20 percent of Milwaukee’s school population use vouchers. If 20 percent of Racine’s enrollment use vouchers, the property tax levy could increase by $10 million just to support the current level of per pupil spending in Racine (which is below the state average). In effect, vouchers increase property tax to benefit only voucher students enrolled in private schools, without any benefit to students enrolled in Racine’s public schools.

Vouchers increase the defunding of public schools in Racine and divert additional resources from Racine’s public schools while increasing taxes for Racine taxpayers. Vouchers are money, less money for the Racine Unified School District and more money for private schools. Vouchers increase inequity in state support for RUSD and subsidize private education while decreasing accountability and transparency for the use of public resources and the achievement of educational goals.

State Budget: The REAL Impact on Racine Unified Schools

As superintendent of Racine Unified Schools, I have two important roles. The first is to improve student achievement and ensure that we reach our North Star Vision of all students graduating career and/or college ready. The second is to advocate for our students. With the state budget bill threatening to unfairly impact Racine Unified, I feel compelled to clearly communicate the negative impact on our schools and to advocate for fair education funding for ALL students.

According to a March 15, 2011 publication from the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the Racine Unified School District will lose more general school aid in the Governor’s budget bill than any other school district in Wisconsin except Milwaukee.  Final budget estimates regarding state aid will not be available until July 1. According to the March 15 hypothetical estimates, general school aid to Racine Unified will be reduced by $11,090,701. Racine loses more state aid than other comparable districts and also has the highest poverty rate. Comparable Wisconsin school districts are listed below:

Legislative Fiscal Bureau Estimates of the General School Aid for 2011-12 Budget
District	2010-11 Enrollment	2010-11 Poverty Level	Reduction in General Aid
Madison	24,806	48.7%	$   -5,261,263
Kenosha	22,986	47.8%	$   -9,827,100
Racine	21,100	59.4%	$ -11,090,701
Green Bay	20,376	57.6%	$   -8,504,273
Appleton	15,189	37.5%	$   -8,669,440

For more than 50 years, the state funding formula has attempted to provide increased general aid to districts with low property value and poor children. The Wisconsin tradition was to “equalize” state aid to provide “the establishment of district schools, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable” (Wisconsin Constitution, Article X).  Racine is a highly-aided school district because it has lower property values and a large percentage of low-socio economic children. Reductions in state aid penalize highly-aided school districts and weaken the state’s attempt to provide a uniform education.

We are proud of all of our children and the quality education that has been provided to Racine students over many years. But I am concerned that the proposed reduction in state aid for Racine will impact Racine children more than children in other school districts throughout Wisconsin. The school staff with the support of the community is working to improve education so all children are career and/or college ready. The Racine community has provided strong financial support for many years through local property taxes. The state also has a responsibility to provide financial support for the Racine Unified School District so that Racine children are provided a quality education comparable to other Wisconsin school districts.

 As Racine Unified superintendent, it is my job to lead the District to improved student achievement. We will continue to work with the resources we have to ensure all of our students achieve our shared North Star Vision. At the same time, we, as a community, must continue to advocate for our children. The future of Racine depends on their success.

Referendum Cost Overview

The Racine Unified School District is proposing three referendum questions to improve educational facilities and educational outcomes for the public schools. The first question asks for approval of an $83.5 million bond to finance the building of five new elementary schools and renovate five existing elementary schools. The five new schools will replace the existing elementary school buildings. Four will be replaced on their present sites and one, Olympia Brown, will be built on land the District currently owns. Olympia Brown Elementary will then be converted to a secondary school.

The second question asks for increased operating funds to implement small class sizes and increase student achievement. It asks for $2.5 million for two school years starting 2011/12 and then increasing to $6 million for five school years, 2013/14 – 2017/18. The final question asks for voter approval to continue an existing referendum that calls for an increase in the fund balance by $1 million per year for ten years.

It is important that Racine Unified present the referendum questions in conventional terms that are widely understood and used in other school districts. Typically referendums do not include total interest payments for the full term of the bond. Nor do operating referendums summarize the total cost of the operating revenue increase over the term of the referendum period. The actual cost of buildings and renovations are included in the referendum questions, but interest costs are not typically reported as part of the referendum.

The value of a private home accrues to individual(s) living in the home. Public property is used by the public and benefits both current and future taxpayers and students. Because the community will benefit for years to come, it is fair that present and future taxpayers finance the purchase of public property over the 20 year term of the bond. It is unfair to expect current taxpayers to fund the full cost of school renovation and replacement. Long term bonding appropriately distributes the project and interest costs over the long term. So when the referendum question asks for $83.5 million, this “principal” amount as well as the interest will be paid over the 20 year life of the “mortgage”. This is similar to a homeowner who pays for their $100,000 house over the life of their mortgage with monthly house payments.

Just as the private homeowner should be informed of the total cost, so should the local taxpayer be informed of the total cost. The total cost of question #1 is $83.5 million plus interest over 20 years. The total cost of question #2 is $2.5 million for the school years 2011/12 and 2012/13 and $6 million for school years 2013/14 thru school year 2017/18. This amount totals $35 million over a seven year period and there are no interest costs. The total cost of question #3 is $1 million per year for 10 years beginning in school year 11/12 or a total of $10 million.

The conventional cost of the three proposed referendum questions is best seen as how much the combined annual payment for the bond and the increase in operating costs will raise the tax levy. Given current interest rates, the annual bond payment with interest is estimated to add around $7 million annually to the overall tax levy or $0.767 cents per $1,000 of property value. The operations questions would add $2.5 million for question #2 and $1 million for question #3 for the first two years then the question #2 amount would increase to $6 million for the next five years. The maximum annual levy increase for the operating question would be in the 2013/14 thru 2017/18 school years and that amount would be $7 million. For operating expenses, the District collects state aid, so the cost to the local taxpayer is reduced. Currently the District receives just over 60 percent state aid for every dollar of general fund expenditures. For the referendum, we are assuming only a 50 percent state aid ratio so the tax rate will increase by an estimated $0.375 cents per thousand. So the bond and operating referendums will cost approximately $1.14 per $1,000. This means that a home worth $100,000 will have a $114 tax increase or $9.50 per month.

American Education Week

Some years ago, a popular bumper sticker read, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” Every educated person is thankful to a teacher who believed in him/her and expected success.  In our present-day knowledge economy, individual and community success depends on a good education and quality educators.

Once a year, time is set aside to honor the work of all educators and staff members who assist children in achieving the dream of a quality education. Education has never been more important. A good education is directly associated with careers and income, good health, citizenship, international competitiveness and even sense of happiness. Education is a public good which serves the interests of all citizens as well as assisting individual children and families. So, American Education Week is really a celebration of our Racine community. 

In Racine, we understand that “all means all,” that the success of our children depends on the commitment and the hard work of all of us. In the past year, our children and RUSD experienced successes due directly to the hard work of all RUSD staff and the support of the community. We can be proud of our past accomplishments and the early indicators of success that are evident throughout the District. 

Thank you to our dedicated teachers, to our wonderful educational assistants who directly support our teachers, to our principals and all of our support staff for your hard work and accomplishments in achieving the vision of the North Star.

Doing the Right Things

The state of Wisconsin has the largest achievement gap for African American students in the nation. It is bigger than that of Mississippi or Arkansas. Achievement gaps also exist for low socio-economic students, special education students and Hispanic students. Racine mirrors the achievement gap that exists in Wisconsin. This achievement gap is unacceptable in Wisconsin, in Racine or anywhere.

Other states, like Massachusetts and Texas, are making progress toward closing achievement gaps. Other districts, like Aldine, Texas; Montgomery County, Md; Atlanta, Ga.; Norfolk, Va.; and Long Beach, Calif., are also making progress on closing achievement gaps. If progress is possible in other states and cities, progress is possible in RUSD.

Racine is doing the right things. Racine is learning from other states, school districts and schools. Effective research-based intervention strategies designed to raise achievement for all students and close achievement gaps are in place or under development:

• RUSD reorganized tutoring and increased instructional time in summer school and the Lighted Schoolhouse Program.
• RUSD is developing a system of “master teachers” and coaches.
• RUSD reduced basic-level classes, while enrollment in IB and AP curriculum has increased, raising expectations for achievement for all grades.
• RUSD established school-based teamwork with payday and data teams and common planning time at each elementary school to review data and improve instructional practices.
• RUSD has piloted block scheduling, teacher “walk throughs” and teacher leadership teams in two middle schools to support increased teacher teamwork.
• RUSD strengthened relationships with the PTA and expanding the Lighted Schoolhouse Program to involve diverse parents after school.
• RUSD’s District Scorecard measures the District’s efforts to improve community engagement. School safety audits at every school, a District-Wide Diversity Committee, an Athletic Truancy Task Force, Family Literacy Center, Kiwanis BUGS and Rotary Club Career Discovery are some of the numerous examples of the District’s efforts to improve community engagement.
• RUSD also works with the Workforce Development Committee and Challenge One under the leadership of Mike Batten and has developed new partnerships with Carroll University, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Gateway Technical College, Junior Achievement, United Way and the African-American Church Ministerial Association to improve community engagement.
• RUSD is part of a national eight-district Panasonic Foundation network that shares best practices for closing achievement gaps.
• RUSD partnered with Project CAPE to develop an IB middle school (McKinley) and an IB elementary school (Jefferson Lighthouse).
• RUSD’s Central Office budgeting procedures are being reorganized around long-term planning and school improvement plans.
• RUSD’s Reinvesting Plan represents a long-term perspective on improving school facilities in disrepair due to years of neglect and budget cutting.
• RUSD is in the process of a Central Office transformation to increase support for school staff.

Other strategies are also under way to decrease class sizes, increase school choices for parents, create virtual schools and design a common instructional framework. Racine has a vision, understands the problem of increasing learning for all students and is doing the right things to achieve the North Star vision for every student to graduate career and/or college ready.

Shooting for the North Star

About three years ago, a headline in the Racine Journal Times describing the Racine Unified School District read “Ready, Fire, Aim”. The headline implied that the School District experimented with solutions before understanding the problem. A more logical approach to problem-solving begins with facts and data to understand the current condition and the gap between the current condition and a desired goal.

The first step in addressing the problem of achievement gaps is to raise expectations for all students. The North Star is based on the belief that all children can be successful. Learning is not the result of family wealth, social background, or race. Yet, in most measures of student achievement, wealthy and middle class students perform at higher levels. For example, the average family income of entering freshmen at the University of Wisconsin Madison exceeds $100,000. Test scores in wealthy districts, such as Kettle Moraine and Menomonee Falls, exceed test scores in Milwaukee, Racine, and Delavan-Darien. The challenge of the North Star is to improve learning for all students and to break the link between poverty, race, and achievement.

In Racine, achievement gaps associated with poverty and race are evident. Only 9.4 percent of our African American students achieved a grade of B in 9th grade Algebra; in fifth grade mathematics, only 55 percent of our low SES (economically disadvantaged/free or reduced lunch) children were proficient and advanced; and in 3rd grade reading, only 48.6 percent of African American students were proficient and advanced. Poverty in RUSD is significantly above the state average, and high poverty and greater diversity suggests lower achievement. But in Racine, we have the North Star and the belief that all children can learn. In Racine, achievement gaps and low achievement for any student is unacceptable.

The second step in addressing achievement gaps is the creation of a data system which tracks learning for all students and increases accountability for all staff members, students, parents, and community members. Nine thousand new computers for students and teachers have been placed in RUSD schools. The SchoolNet Data Warehouse is beginning operations on a limited basis and should be available to all parents by the end of the school year. The District has a shared instructional framework (Racine Framework for Teaching and Learning). MAP testing and common assessments for all schools on a K-12 basis are used to improve instruction. Payday teams and data teams with staff leaders and principals exist at every school. School improvement plans exist at every school. A District Scorecard has been published to set annual targets and track progress (available on the District website: www.racine.k12.wi.us).

Two years ago, the School Board and the Racine community adopted the North Star as our shared vision for student learning. This last school year, a data system to set the problem and increase accountability was established. Now we must become a data driven school district. We are ready and aiming. It is time to shoot for the North Star.