District 281 denies the citizens a vote

Get ready to open your checkbook yet again for district 281.  At the March 15 meeting District 281 submitted a plan to the Minnesota Department of Education to hike our taxes a cool $33 million to pay for repairs at Northport and Lakeview Elementary schools.  And is District 281 asking our permission to raise our taxes yet again?  Of course not.  If they have it their way, there will be no bond referendum.  As usual, we aren’t taken by surprise but check out the school board’s comments about it in the March 17 edition of the Sun Post.  Here is a sample;

Linda Johnson:

“We are all concerned about passing a bond referendum. That would take a lot of community education.”

Community education?  Are we dumb?  Isn’t it your job to explain these decisions to the public?

Tom Walsh:

“The Northport area has no history of supporting referendums, so it would be really an uphill battle.”

Maybe they are broke and don’t want to pay you more!

Barb Van Heel was perhaps the most outspoken about not giving the voters a voice;

“I just don’t think a bond referendum will pass. You’ve got to have a grass roots organization ready to go out there. We don’t have that.”

Unreal.   They admit they are unsure if a bond referendum will pass so they pass one for us!  Nice to know they are serving us so well.  And what happened to Mark Bomchill’s campaign “promises” to not support a “back door referendum” as he put it?  Sure didn’t take him long to flip-flop.

The Minnesota Department of Education has 60 days approve this plan.  Let’s hope they don’t just rubber stamp it.

Problems at RMS?

A few residents have informed us that the police were at Robbinsdale Middle School last week breaking up fights.  On Friday a statement condemning these fights by Principal Tom Henderlite was read over the PA by a student!  Is that not the principal’s job?  Several parents have told us that the kids are rude to the staff and that the inmates are running the asylum.  They are also considering their “educational options.”  If anyone has more info on this feel free to post a comment.

Update 2/21: Thanks to a RMS staff member who wrote in to clarify one fight incident on 2/11. There was a verbal argument between two racial groups of students. The police liasons were at training that day so city police were filling in. Principal Henderlite made announcements several times on the 11th, and the next day a student read an updated statement.

Bleak Financial Situation or Golden Opportunity?

The Sun Post reported this week that “District 281 faces (‘bleak’ in print, or ‘dire’ online) financial situation.” Despite passing a referendum in 2008 and closing three schools, our district like others around the state are looking at serious budget cuts. 281 has to cut $5.7 million. The state may be dipping into districts with funds and Robbinsdale might be one source to borrow about $2.4 million. Remember, borrowing means it will be paid back eventually.

Dr. Sicoli advised the school board to “begin thinking about areas in which they are willing to make budget reductions.”

Turn to the editorial section in the Sun-Post and you’ll find an editor there making valid points on reform. Paul Wahl wrote,

The reason we need reform is because we’ve reached the end of what can be cut. It’s no longer a matter of doing more with less, it’s doing less with less.

…Reform might mean eliminating a department that isn’t state or federally mandated.

Think of the freedoms and money districts would have by chopping those unfunded mandated programs!

For schools, reform often centers around choice – charter schools, open enrollment and similar plans. Those many have started their lives as reform, but it’s hard to argue too strenuously either represents reform in light of today’s education challenges.

We’ll buy the argument with open enrollment, as we’ve seen the issues with security and mobility expenses “The Choice is Yours” program added to the budget – despite getting money ($12,000) for each student who enrolled. However, a charter school would attract district students back and neighboring students. And, a charter school decision is our choice – we set the rules, unlike CIY which was a forced government ruling from a lawsuit.

But what comes after the last budget cut finally severs the bone? When and how are we going to make the tough decisions that shape what schools and cities will look like 10 years from now? When do we start the conversation?

The divestiture committee met this week, and we’ll post updates. For us, selling unused properties is a glaring golden opportunity to get funds in. Allow a charter school here and bring back fleeing students going to other districts. Be brave, district leadership! Think outside of the box, beyond 2010, and government and union strong-arming which has drained too many district, city and state coffers. The choice is yours.

Check out Give2Attain’s article with links to the spreadsheet and comments:

Budget Reduction Announcement
Budget Adjustment Worksheet

Some things to remember when looking at the linked worksheet:

• $1 million = ~83 student drop at ~$12,000 per student (09/10)
• $3.6 million = ~300 student drop at ~$12,000 per student (10/11)
• The 10/11 student reduction is an estimate which could easily vary higher or lower. (ie guesstimate)
• This is why schools are interested in enticing the students back to the district, or pulling open enrollees into the district.
• This is variation across ~12,000 students, so though the numbers are big, the percent variation is fairly small. (300 kids = 2.5%)
• $5.7 million gap = $5.9 million fund bal goal – $ .2 million forecast
• As DJ pointed out: apparently ~$3 million of the gap created when the latest contract was signed. (G2A S and L) Now is this labor or mgmts fault… Either way, all of us will pay in the coming years.
• This is operating dollars, not capital… Selling facilities will not raise funds that can directly offset this. Though, it would result in reduced maintenance, heating, etc expenses.

Discussing ISD 281 on TV

Watch The Andrew Richter Show Thursday night January 21 at 6pm on Comcast channel 19.  Vicki Lechelt is the guest host as 2009 board candidate Andrew Richter and Divestiture Committee member Ron Stoffel discuss the district’s plan for renovating Northport and Lakeview Elementary schools.  Richter and Stoffel also discuss the new contract for the teachers as well as the district’s plan for selling their unused property.  The show will replay Friday morning at 2 am and 10 am.  The show will also replay next week in the same time slot which gives you six chances to watch.  Also don’t forget the Legislative Action Coalition meeting January 21 at Winnetka Learning Center from 6:30 to 8:30.

Letter to the Editor: “Competition is Needed”

From the MN Sun Post, 2009 school board candidate Andrew Richter writes:

Monopolies are bad, competition is good. That is a principle of capitalism. If a monopoly develops in the private sector they are demonized and broken up.

Why don’t we then do the same thing in the public sector by breaking up the public school monopoly? We can do this by increasing competition through a system of vouchers and tuition tax credits.

To those who would oppose this, I ask you: what is wrong with taking the over $10,000 per year we are spending per student and giving it to parents in the form of a voucher or tax credit and letting them shop for the best education they can find?

If the goal of being in school is to get a great education, then why does it matter if it is a public employee or a private employee who is teaching kids?

To answer these questions, you must answer another question: who loses if there is a system of vouchers or tax credits? The answer is the teachers’ unions. The unions won’t be able to buy off legislators, illegally destroy competition, or elect their friends to the school board.

When casting your vote in the 2010 elections or in future school board elections, be mindful of any candidates that have thrown caution to the wind supporting failed administrations and their union cronies and vote them out.Our communities and children simply deserve far better than this. Remember folks, they are spending your money.

Everyone wins with competition, and with the school board willing to support Q-Comp with Race to the Top funding, we may yet see a charter school come to the district. Speaking of competition, we hope more school board candidates run in 2011 when three seats will be up for election. Richter, without union endorsement and very little funding, came within just 450 votes of getting one of four seats in 2009.

Who Wrote This Agenda?

We here at 281 exposed are all in favor of citizen involvement.  No community ever seems to have enough people who are passionate and well-informed about the issues.  That is why District 281’s Legislative Action Coalition’s agenda is so disappointing to us.  There agenda is as following;

The State platform included support for;

Funding framework for the New Minnesota Miracle, full funding of special education, reform of integration aid, more shared services, repayment of unalloted money, funding for early childhood programs.

At the Federal level;

Reform of No Child Left Behind, more special education money, funding for Even Start Family Literacy, more early childhood education, and more after school enrichment programs.

Let’s sum that up with four words; “We want more money!”  Let’s see, thanks to some idiot judge the Legislature is now facing $4 billion deficit this year and $5.4 billion deficit in 2011-2013.  The federal government now has a $13 trillion debt!  What are the odds were are going to get “more funding for early childhood or even start programs?”  Hell, we’ll be lucky if funding just remains flat!  Why don’t we ask for EDUCATION REFORM to SAVE MONEY instead of throwing money at the problem.  And before anyone makes comments asking us “What would we do” or “What should be cut” here are a few ideas;

First, get rid of the Choice Is Yours Program.  This way we don’t have to pay money to taxi kids all around the suburbs (by the way just because the state is paying for it doesn’t make it free like some people on our school board think).  This program isn’t about choice.  If it were about choice, then everyone could do it.  It’s about social engineering.  Second, perhaps some school districts need to combine with others.  The Brooklyn Center District has only about 1800 students.  St. Louis Park has about 4000.  Why can’t these districts  combine with neighboring districts (say Brooklyn Center with us or Osseo and St. Louis Park with Hopkins for example).  That way we can eliminate administration, eliminate a superindentant making an absurd $200,000 a year, and perhaps close a school or two (talk about shared services).  We could reform “free and reduced lunch.”  We at 281 exposed are sick and tired of paying for kids to eat lunch at school.  What ever happened to bringing your own lunch?  Who is paying for lunch for these kids when they are home for the summer or winter break?  If fewer kids ate lunch at school, then maybe we would need fewer people in the kitchen staff which would reduce expenses.  Also, something has to be done to break the Union stranglehold on education reform.  The best way to do that is to bring in more competition.  If that means more charter schools, vouchers, or tuition tax credits, then let it be done.  This way people have the power not the educational establishment.  Is that enough ideas to start with?

The bottom line is that we are not going to get more funding for what the LAC is asking.  It just isn’t going to happen, not in the short run at least.  So we need to be creative or face another referendum in 2011 or 2012.

Marketing 101

“Effective marketing techniques paired with high-quality products is a natural formula for brand success.” – Entrepreneur Magazine

This article in the Star Tribune tells us that RAS is marketing its schools to local parents to help stop the bleed of students to other districts, charter schools or home-schooling:

Loss of enrollment is a concern to school districts because state education aid is allocated on a per-pupil basis; fewer students means less state aid.

Last year, Robbinsdale reported one of its biggest enrollment declines in a decade, totaling 477 students. At $5,174 in basic state aid per pupil, that equals a loss of at least $2.5 million in state funding. That was a major factor contributing to the closing of two elementary schools and a middle school at the end of the 2008-09 school year.

The district recently reported a loss of 567 students this year. Projections further into the future show enrollment levelling off.

For the most part, district officials said, those losses have been the result of fewer births and an aging population. But the district also is losing students to other schools.

Lesson learned: you can’t expect effective results without a quality product (as the old “lipstick on a pig” saying goes). Marketing one or two choices (like Spanish Immersion which has a waiting list to get into or IB in schools with student safety problems) will not bring kids in, but offering competition will keep students in our district. Sell some of our unused schools to charter or private schools: RAS earns money without state funding, students get a choice and stay here. It’s a win-win.

Back-door referendum coming?

Or is it a “back-page” referendum? Legal Notice found in the back of the MN Sun-Post:

School District 281
NOTICE OF INTENDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND TAX LEVY AUTHORIZATION INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 281 (ROBBINSDALE), MINNESOTA

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 123B.59, Subd. 3a, that the School Board of Independent School District No. 281 (Robbinsdale), Minnesota has declared its intent to levy taxes to finance (part of) the District’s approved facilities plans as authorized by Minnesota Statutes, Section 123B.59. The projects intended to be financed by tax levies are the renovation projects at Robbinsdale Armstrong Senior High School, Robbinsdale Cooper High School, Education Service Center, Bus Garage, District Wide, Lakeview Elementary School, Meadow Lake Elementary School, Neill Elementary School, Northport Elementary School, Plymouth Middle School, Robbinsdale Area Learning Campus, Sonnesyn Elementary School and Sunny Hollow Elementary School. The total estimated project cost of these facilities is $6,550,609.

Dated November 26, 2009
Helen Bassett, Clerk
Independent School District 281
4146 Winnetka Ave. N.
New Hope, MN 55427

Unions & School Board Candidates: Conflict of Interest?

281 Care and Give2Attain both posted on our winning school board candidates and a conflict with their Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers endorsements. Give2Attain posted candidates’ campaign finance reports:

Here are the incomplete funding numbers. Apparently another reporting is due in 30 days. Also, they report for periods of time. So funds may have been there earlier or given later. Still this makes the point, special interests apparently fund the winning campaigns….

• Patsy Green ~ $2,602 raised ($500:Women Winning, $500:Union, $200:DFL 45th)
• Tom Walsh ~ $1832 raised (DFL 45th:$200, DFL 43rd: $500, Union:$500
• Linda Johnson~ $1,054 raised (Union: $500, Private Couple: $200)
• Mark Bomchill < $750 raised (Union: $500)
• All others <$750 or not reported yet.

Is this good or bad? Is the conflict of interest sufficient enough to be concerned? If we did something similar in business, would it warrant further review?

Maybe I should offer my Supervisor $500 because he is so nice… Maybe I’ll get a bigger raise.

Here’s 281 CARE’s take:

The Robbinsdale Teachers Federation Union endorsed School Board candidates won all four seats up for election November 3, 2009.  Two questions; Is the RAS community better off with the status quo maintained? And more importantly: Is there a conflict of interest when the RTF endorses and funds school board candidates?

Let us cover the facts first.  The School Board approves all union contracts and is part of the negotiations of employees’ contracts.  The union contracts are negotiated every two years, which is the same year that School Board members are elected.  Therefore, RAS employee union contracts are being negotiated during the same period that School Board elections are taking place.

Where else can a group of employees influence who is going to be approving their contact (pay and benefits)?  The RTF union paid for advertising in the Sun Post and made contributions to their endorsed candidates.  The total amount of their influence of this election can’t be measured but is probably the LARGEST SINGLE GROUP in the RAS District.

Remember this in 2011 when the other three seats are up for election. It’s up to parents and residents to overthrow this monopoly of special interests. If the RFT cartel keeps getting their picks on the board, expect more gains for union employees and losses for student performance and safety. Andrew Richter and Richard Brynteson (without much money or endorsements) almost won the fourth seat. Moral of the story: if you truly want change, you have to support the other candidates – and get out the vote.

11 file to run for school board

Please note that non-incumbent candidates have links with their names that point to their website. Profiles on candidates are at the MN Sun-Post. The League of Women voters Candidate Forum October 22 will be videotaped for rebroadcast at Channel 12.

From the MN Sun Post:

Eleven people have filed to be on the ballot for the Robbinsdale District 281 School Board election Nov. 3. Filing for the four, four-year terms are:

• Darlene Baker, Plymouth
• Mark Bomchill, Plymouth – Endorsed by RFT (teacher’s union) and supported the 2008 Vote Yes referendum.
• Richard J. Brytnteson, Crystal – Not endorsed by RFT
• Incumbent Patricia (Patsy) Green, New Hope – Endorsed by RFT
• Incumbent Linda Johnson, Golden Valley – Endorsed by RFT
• Jim Oathout, Crystal – Not endorsed by RFT
• Andrew Richter, Crystal – Not endorsed by RFT
• Beth Sharpe, Brooklyn Center – PTO President of Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion – Star Tribune article – worked on both Vote Yes referendums.
• Sue Stavenau, Plymouth
• Incumbent Tom Walsh, Plymouth – Endorsed by RFT
• Brian Zirbes, Crystal.

Read candidate statements at MN Sun-Post. Download candidate contact information here. (PDF)

We will post non-incumbent candidates updates and events as soon as we get them. Our first suggestion is to support any candidate who is not backed by the union (Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers, Education Minnesota). Those who aren’t will tend to vote for the benefit of the student, not the union. Our second is to avoid the candidate whose supporter writes a letter to the Sun Post stating her qualifications are ridding their neighborhood pond of algae. Yes, that would be Patsy Green.