A New Zealand Analysis of Seattle Schools Leadership

December 13, 2010

Directors,

As I look over the last four years and particularly Dr. Goodloe Johnson's 3.5 years, I think of what I read at Pam Hook's Artichoke Blog in New Zealand:
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I have looked out for a conversation about positive deviance – one that could be used to make a difference in educational policy and programmes. I am certain you can knock out an edu_ground hog day list, most of us can. Those issues/outcomes that despite numerous initiatives/ projects/ contestable funding etc we consistently fail to change in classrooms and schools. Indeed the enduring nature of things we never seem to fix when “doing school” makes even the most enthusiast educator cynical in time – or else sees them prone to “this too will pass thinking” behaviour like becoming educational facilitators or consultants - or adopting other escapology tactics like applying for study awards – anything that allows them to keep thinking about school but at a safe distance from the doing of it. If you don't believe me check out the Twitter stream balance of tweets from educators who have just made “a presentation” to show someone else “how to do teaching” against those “who are doing the teaching” and tweet about their classroom planning. I am always fearful that one day we will run out of the people prepared to keep doing school and be left with those who want to tell us all how to do it.

{The above is from Potalanoa (talking into the night) and conversational transience}

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Characteristics of the MGJ administration:

(1).. Employing lots of consultants and creating additional positions for educators that allows them to keep thinking about school but at a safe distance from the doing of it.

(2).. Astonishing lack of positive results ... but lots of edu_jargon and fairy-tales.

(3).. Deception in reporting results

(4).. Complete failure to use information intelligently and apply it to make decisions.

(5).. Extremely poor management.

(6).. Pam's request to: check out the Twitter stream balance of tweets from educators who have just made “a presentation” to show someone else “how to do teaching” against those “who are doing the teaching” and tweet about their classroom planning.

The Goodloe Johnson-Administration is characterized by a failure to listen to those who do the teaching. MGJ is equally poor at listening to most parents and actual community members as well.

Here is where the SPS are now:
The District uses data improperly. About four years ago I began submitting data and items from relevant studies, which were ignored at the Everyday Math adoption in May 2007, as Directors chose to trust their hired professionals instead of intelligently applying the relevant data. The results from EDM mirror exactly what I spent months testifying would happen.

"To improve a System requires the intelligent application of relevant data."

We have just seen the damage from the 17% lie and now we are on to the 66% lie.

The saddest part of this for me is that the data shows that the UW and the Central Administration are completely clueless as to how to bring about improvement. But from Page 9 of MGJ's Quarterly Update on "Listening and Responding":

"We also feel strongly that our principals need ongoing support and training and so we provide them with ongoing opportunities to learn and grow as well. We established a new program, Superintendent Initiative for Leadership Development (SILD), which pairs central office leaders with principals in professional development sessions. As central office leaders we must find innovative ways to ensure all our schools, specifically struggling schools, have meaningful partnerships and support for high-quality teaching and learning."

(I am not so sure SILD is "New" as it is more than a year old.)

It seems far more likely that solutions will be coming from those on learning's front lines than those at JSCEE.

These JSCEE folks need to give up on finding new innovative ways and try listening to parents and teachers. MGJ does not listen and does not intelligently and successfully apply either data or research. (In addition to being a very poor manager.)

TEAM MGJ has exhibited no feel for much of anything.

The Superintendent regularly violates laws and policies.

The decisions, which would produce positive results, would be based on peer reviewed research and a knowledge of a school's community and students. Team MGJ does neither of these things and as a result we see from OSPI 2009 to 2010 MSP and HSPE results:

Limited English Students doing poorly, Special Education Students doing poorly. I could go on but I've sent you all the data and Blog posted it and rarely get a response from any of you.

The Board and the Superintendent are thus far oblivious.

It often seems that any success at schools occurs in spite of those at the JSCEE.

The best comment on this is from Dr. Eric Anderson's original memo sent to you School Director's on 2-2-2010 in regard to the New Tech Network contract for Cleveland:

"Since the data is mixed, the primary question is whether Seattle Public Schools believes strongly in the research-based NTN learning model. Success will more than likely depend on the quality of the program implementation. Knowing ahead of time that the NTN model does not guarantee strong results only enhances the degree to which the burden falls on the district and the schools to achieve success."

Of course MGJ never sent that message as evidence to the Superior Court nor is that the message she used in constructing the 3-12-2010 NTN action report. She said she used that memo sent to the Board but instead she used a draft memo from an earlier time. (More lies)

That means she committed forgery. MGJ is filled with jargon and completely devoid of recommendations that are based on sound and thoughtful research.

Are you aware the TfA Teachers in Nashville had only 10% of them teaching in year three.

MGJ and her team have NO ability to intelligently apply relevant data in the making of thoughtful decisions.

This is so sad. The Attorney General should have already been investigating the Superintendent but clearly none of you seem to have any interest in making such a request.

Joy Anderson et al. dropped the NTN lawsuit filed in regard to the Board's 4-7-10 decision so that (1) You directors can talk openly about what happened as there is no litigation happening and (2) the Attorney General can investigate as there is no longer legal action filed in regard to the case that involved forgery and the submission of tampered evidence.

Will any of the seven director's contact the Governor and have her get the AG on this important task?

When $800,000 goes to NTN, millions for MAP, and tens of millions to close schools and reopen them, it is no wonder that there is little money left for interventions for struggling learners ... Oh right, Dr. Enfield said the SPS are looking for outside funds for interventions. Interventions would be a core item in any instructional plan, yet the SPS are hopeful of maybe finding outside funding for interventions.

Good Luck to struggling learners and families with this crew entrenched at the JSCEE.


It seems the BOARD is assisting the Superintendent in insulting and attacking those “who are doing the teaching” and tweeting about their classroom planning.

Hard to forget Bob Murphy, Mike Rice, and Glenda Madison testifying about what the math kids in SE high schools need (more practice and increases in explicit instruction) and then the Board excluding evidence submitted by the public in making another pathetic decision based on no data and no thinking. Oh but Greta from OSPI testified anything might work ... right Greta who is another one who gets to keep thinking about school but at a safe distance from the doing of it.

I sure would appreciate a response. Peter Maier has never written me anything.
Steve Sundquist ceased all substantive communications after I informed him that he missed vital evidence on pg xxiii paragraph #27 of the NMAP report.

It seems that the evidence is continually presented to push a pre-made decision.

Sherry Carr's TfA study half sentence that seemed to say the exact opposite of the report she was using.

Do Directors consciously go looking for things to support administration or does the administration feed the Directors these cherry-picked sound-bites?

Well you Directors certainly have a mess. Are you going to doing anything about the clearly illegal acts of the Superintendent or does the public just keep on filing recall and discharge actions against the directors?

This current situation looks like a clear conscious violation of oath of office. If any director chooses to ignore the repeated illegal actions of the Superintendent, how can this not be intentional?

Are Directors planning on adopting other escapology tactics?

Pam Hook looked out for a conversation about positive deviance – one that could be used to make a difference in educational policy and programmes. Its a good thing she was not in Seattle because she would find nothing here.

Sincerely,

Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.

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It seems that many TfA folks put in the two years at the school level and then choose to join "those who want to tell us all how to do it."

That is hardly the solution to closing achievement gaps.

On Wednesday the Board members will be having a meeting to evaluate the Superintendent. If they continue to let the Superintendent's gross misdemeanors and felonies like fraud and forgery go unreported to proper authorities look for yet another filing for the recall and discharge of School Directors.