Saturday, May 2, 2009

Start a new post

To start a new post, reply to this post with your question, comment or suggestion for a new topic. The adminstrator will then start a new post with your topic as a title.You can post anonymously if you prefer. Click on "post a comment". Type in the word you see for word verification. Choose how you would like to be identified in the post click "publish your comment".

2 comments:

Kathy Fine said...

Recently, the PG endorsed Patrick Dowd, stating "He would start with a top-down reform of city practices, replacing managers who aren't doing the right things and imposing clear, measurable goals for future performance. As a model, he points to the contract the school board devised for Superintendent Mark Roosevelt while Mr. Dowd was a member of that body."

The following is the list of performance priorities from the Superintendent's 2005 contract:

VII. PERFORMANCE PRIORITIES.

A. Year One. The priorities for the first year effective August 29, 2005 are the following:

1. Present to the Board within 6 months, after community input, a comprehensive reform agenda, the primary focus of which is creation and implementation of a plan for improving student achievement across the District, including a plan for significant progress towards closing the achievement gaps.

Measurable, but not met. As of today, we are still waiting for a comprehensive reform agenda.

2. Improved stakeholder engagement with the Pittsburgh School District community.

Does not seem to me that this goal has been stated in a way that can be measured.


3. Financial and managerial leadership, including a balanced budget for 2006.

Anyone know if he submitted a balanced budget for 2006. This is certainly a measurable goal, just not sure if it was met.

4. Demonstrating leadership in evaluations and making staff accountable for meeting District priorities, including strengthening the District’s recruitment, training, and development of effective principals.

I suppose that this is one that he has addressed through the creation of the PELA program (although this program is being funded by and I believe portions of these principals salaries are provided by the Broad Foundation).

5. Development of an educationally sound plan for reorganization and closing of schools, including community involvement.

Is this measurable? Has there been an meaningful community involvement?

I suppose that these goals are a step up from having no goals at all, but I believe that they could have been stated with more clear methods for evaluation.

Anonymous said...

There is an editorial in today's P-G, "The other Pittsburgh Promise," regarding girls and high school sports. This independent "audit" is a sham. When PPS looks in the mirror this summer, the mirror will crack. This is nothing but more smoke and mirrors.

the parent of a female athlete