I have been trying for weeks to get a handle on how much the MMSD spends on various programs. As I’ve exchanged e-mails with Roger Price and Superintendent Rainwater, it has become clear that the MMSD cannot (or will not) provide figures on how much was budgeted for any particular program in the previous year, … Continue reading Superintendent Dismisses Call for Transparent Budget
Madison School District Superintendent Art Rainwater is beginning to write a series of monthly articles which he will use as his Superintendent’s Report. Listen to this month’s report by watching this 5 minute video clip. I looked around the District’s site and did not immediately see a text version of this report. UPDATE: The message … Continue reading Superintendent’s Message
Madison Metropolitan School District: Madison school officials on Friday said the district will make every effort to assist families and students displaced by hurricane Katrina by simplifying the enrollment process and getting students immediately into classes. By Friday, the district had received several calls from individuals in Madison, who have family in the areas affected … Continue reading Madison Schools Announcement on Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
Leopold Teacher Troy Dassler, via email: As part of full disclosure, I must admit that one of the two classrooms that were carved out the lunchroom is where I teach our children. So, this story has special significance to me and my students. Troy Dassler NBC 15 News: New School Year, Same Referendum Questions Overcrowding … Continue reading The Leopold Reality
I exchanged e-mails with Superintendent Rainwater about two new classrooms at Marquette. I’ll simply post the e-mails at this time and late add commentary, not on the program per se, but the budget process (or lack thereof) that created and funded it. Art, The rumor mill says that the administration moved the existing NEON program … Continue reading MMSD adds 2 ED classrooms at Marquette
Click on the image to view the article.Jason Shephard starts Isthmus’s excellent biweekly Talking Out of School Column with a look at the Madison School District’s minority hiring policies. “I don’t think we’re doing enough to put people of color into influential positions,” says [Board Member Juan Jose] Lopez, who halted a routine approval of … Continue reading Isthmus: Is the Madison School District’s Leadership too White?
The current issue of The Simpson Street Free Press includes pieces by both Jazmin Jackson and Andrea Gilmore on the importance of arts education. This issue also has a letter to the editor from School Board member Johnny Winston, Jr. on the arts funding issues facing the District.
Since 1999, the Madison School Board has had a written employment contract with Superintendent Art Rainwater. It contains a job evaluation process that is fair to the superintendent and that requires the Board to perform its most important function, setting clear goals for the district. Before the first day of each school year, the Board … Continue reading How Will the Madison School Board Evaluate the Superintendent? Stay tuned.
I’ve twice sent the e-mail below, and I have received no acknowldegement or response. From: Ed Blume To: rprice@madison.k12.wi.us Cc: jwinstonjr@madison.k12.wi.us ; arainwater@madison.k12.wi.us ; ccarstensen@madison.k12.wi.us Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:26 PM Subject: Program spending Roger, Can you please tell me the amount the MMSD budgeted and spent in the 2004-2005 fiscal year on the … Continue reading Board & Administration Don’t Respond to Request
As chair of the MMSD School Board’s Legislative Committee for 2005-06, I post information about state and federal laws and legislative issues related to the Madison Schools on this blog under Hot Topics , Madison School Board Legislative Committee blog. In June I asked MMSD staff for the committee, Joe Quick, for his ideas on … Continue reading Planning for MMSD Legislative Committee for 2005-06
UW Math Professor Dick Askey kindly took the time to visit with a group of schoolinfosystem.org writers and friends recently. Dick discussed a variety of test results, books, articles and links with respect to K-12 math curriculum. Here are a few of them: Test Results: Wisconsin is slipping relative to other states in every two … Continue reading K-12 Math Curriculum: A Visit With UW Math Professor Dick Askey
Susan Lampert Smith: “West High kids may have more opportunities because their parents are able to pay so they can play”. Evidently, the issue is $6,000 in the Madison School District’s $320M+ budget. Meanwhile, Sandy Cullen discusses an attempt to move extramural sports to MSCR (part of Fund 80) as a response to the elimination … Continue reading Are Students More Equal than Others?
Much afoot at Sherman Middle school. MMSD will look at developing a district-wide middle school curriculum. While that might improve the mess at Sherman, it might also mean watering down the curriculum, eg. math, throughout the district. http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=45223 “School Board President Carol Carstensen, who made it one of her priorities to examine how the district’s … Continue reading Middle School Curriculum
Message from Mitch Wolfe, parent organizer for the program: The WIAA Board of Controls approved a 7 school co-op which includes all four Madison city schools, Middleton, Waunakee, and Monona Grove for the upcoming 2005-6 season.
Newly elected Madison School Board member Lawrie Kobza was wise to move to use $240,000 in money made available by insurance savings to revive Lincoln Elementary School’s Open Classroom Program and to restore “specials” – music, art and gym classes at the elementary schools – to their regular sizes. And the board majority was right … Continue reading Capital Times Editorial: Board backs school quality
Little solid evidence is available to gauge whether the federal government’s multibillion-dollar Reading First initiative is having an effect on student achievement, but many states are reporting anecdotally that they are seeing benefits for their schools. Among those benefits are extensive professional development in practices deemed to be research-based, extra instructional resources, and ongoing support … Continue reading States Report Reading First Yielding Gains, Some Schools Getting Ousted for Quitting
Via Wispolitics Allied Drive Open House tonight 6/14/2005 5:30 p.m. Allied Drive Head Start Building, 2096 Red Arrow Trail. Map Madison, WI. FYI: the mayor will attend the 2nd annual Allied Drive open house tonight. The event starts at 5:30pm, with a short speaking program at about 6:15pm. In addition to the mayor, Art Rainwater … Continue reading Allied Drive Open House Tonight
Have you ever seen the television show, “Kids Say the Darndest Things” hosted by Bill Cosby? Since becoming elected to the Madison school board, I have had students say all kinds of the “darndest” things to me. Here are a few examples…
Cristina Daglas: A smaller-than-expected contract for Madison teachers would leave about $400,000 for the School Board to spend on cash-strapped programs, although critics say more was available. Superintendent Art Rainwater and board President Carol Carstensen would not speculate Tuesday on what programs could benefit, but board member Ruth Robarts said maintaining the Open Classroom program … Continue reading Madison Schools/MTI Pact
Joint committee to examine health care changes Union and district officials announced today a tentative teaching contract settlement for the period beginning July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007. The contract was given preliminary approval by the Board of Education Monday night, and the union membership will vote this Thursday. Terms of the contract include: … Continue reading MMSD-MTI reach tentative agreement on contract
This is a letter from Sherman Principal, Ann Yehle via Superintendent Rainwater to school board members regarding NOT moving Band & Orchestra to “8th Hour” for the upcoming year. I do have a copy of her original rationale to why she wished to do it. I will send it to anyone who wishes to read … Continue reading Band and Orchestra To Remain In the School Day at Sherman
Mary H. Fisher, “Tax Worries Didn’t Justify a No Vote” and Rick Berg, “Taxpayers made rational choice with ‘no’ votes on referendums”:
On Thursday, based upon Superintendent Rainwater’s recommendation, the Madison School Board approved 20 FTEs for layoff. These layoffs included 60% of the elementary string staff – the largest percentage of one academic personnel group ever laid off in the history of the Madison Metropolitan School District. How come a program that cost less than 1/10 … Continue reading MMSD Teacher Layoffs Target Elementary String Teachers
Here’s a brief roundup of post Referenda voter comments: Channel3000 video interviews with Fitchburg Voters William Barnett Lewis Matt Brandrup Madison School Board Member Bill Keys and Parent/Activist Arlene Silveira appeared on WORT’s 8 o’clock buzz this morning. Unfortunately, I only heard the last 12 minutes. MP3 Audio WORT is starting to stream online – … Continue reading Post Referenda Notes, Comments & Interviews
The school district comments line (comments@madison.k12.wi.us) for school board members has been getting several messages regarding the “Freshman No Cut Sports Program.” Regardless of what happens with the operating referendum on May 24th, this particular program will cease to exist. The Freshman No Cut Sports program has been a staple in the school district for … Continue reading Goodbye Freshman No Cut Sports
Lee Sensenbrenner summarizes Thursday night’s Madison Schools Referenda Forum: Northside Planning Council’s moderator, Vernon Blackwell, asked if further cuts were required, should the district commit to keeping small class sizes at schools with the greatest need even if it meant raising class sizes at schools with lower poverty levels. Robarts and Kobza said yes, as … Continue reading Northside Planning Council Referenda Forum
Sandy Cullen talks with a number of local players, including Art Rainwater, Roger Price along with both supporters and opponents of the 5/24 Referenda vote. Cullen also mentions the very high taxpayer cost for these initiatives, due to the State’s equalization formula. For each $1.00 in new spending, the District must tax Madison homeowners $1.60! … Continue reading More Referenda Views
I would like to be perfectly clear. I want a Madison Metropolitan School District strings program in elementary schools. I have been very clear about this since my first televised board meeting last year, where I exclaimed, “I want a strings program in the budget!” However, with unfunded mandates, revenue caps, additional academic testing requirements … Continue reading Strings Program – A Response
A message to school board members from Superintendent Art Rainwater: I am pleased to inform you that I will recommend Allan Harris, currently the Principal of Blackhawk Middle School, to be the Principal of East High School for the 2005-06 school year. Allan has a strong background in school administration at all levels. His career … Continue reading New Principal Named at East High School
Lee Sensenbrenner summarizes Monday’s Madison Schools Board of Education Meeting. Sensenbrenner also mentioned that one of the panelists on the East High School Search Committee was told that she cannot speak with the “press”. Finally, Superintendent Art Rainwater introduced the District’s latest Strategic Plan (PDF here).
Dear Community Members: Thank you for your heartfelt comments regarding the 4th & 5th grade strings program. I know first hand about the program. I was a strings program participant at Lindbergh Elementary School in 1977. I know that strings are a very beloved program within our district. However, I don’t believe that our community … Continue reading Open Letter to the Community Regarding Strings
Cuts of 10% to elementary music and art and 100% to elementary strings are being proposed by the administration. The overall MMSD budget cut needed is 2%. The School Board has not discussed or asked questions about the proposed cut list at any public meeting since they received the list on March 3rd – that’s … Continue reading Elementary Strings Cut is Punitive and Too Much
A national survey of K-12 salaries appears in a recent issue of Education Week.. Among other things, the Educational Research Service that conducted the survey found that the gap between salaries of teachers and those of education professionals in higher paid positions–principals and superintendents–has steadily widened over the past decade. Local point of interest—the salary … Continue reading National Survey on K-12 Salaries Released
TO: Madison School Board Members FROM: School District Employee RE: MMSD Budget Concerns/Questions As a Madison taxpayer, parent, and employee of MMSD, I have a unique perspective on the workings of this school district. I also feel a great responsibility to write my concerns. The Board should address: � How can food service/custodial/secretarial personnel be … Continue reading MMSD Employee on Budget for 2005-06
4.11.2005 Capital Times Editorial: Newcomer Lawrie Kobza surprised a lot of people with her win in Tuesday’s voting for the Madison School Board, which saw her upset incumbent Bill Clingan by a comfortable 53-47 percent margin. Her win is being read as something of a municipal Rorschach test. Some members of the current board majority, … Continue reading Capital Times Editorial on Kobza’s Win
In the May 24 referendum for the operating budget, voters will determine whether the Madison schools will have an additional $7.4 million to spend next year and for all the years thereafter. Superintendent Art Rainwater and the management team issued a cut list in March. According to Rainwater, the board should cut the programs, staff … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why the Madison School Board Should Continue the Elementary Strings Program
The annual string festival is a reminder of how wonderful music education is, and of how important this is for our children’s education. This annual spring event is also a reminder of how badly the existing School Board is failing our children. Lawrie Kobza, school board candidate for Seat 6, wrote, “Fourth and fifth grade … Continue reading String Orchestra Festival Soars Despite District Administration Annual Assault
A message to Madison School Board members from Superintendent Art Rainwater: Attached is a press release from the Federal Department of Education in which they use our closing the gap in third grade reading as the example for Wisconsin of what NCLB and the Reading First grants have accomplished. The other interesting thing is the … Continue reading No Child Left Behind takes credit for Madison Schools reading success (No Joke)
The District’s functional analysis report from Virchow-Krause (hereafter VK) has been touted as showing how well the District is being run. But, the report’s results are less than they seem. On page three of the report, VK gives the assumptions for the report. Quoting from the report: ——- As Superintendent Rainwater has noted, there are … Continue reading District’s Virchow-Krause Report Less Than It Seems
I have the highest respect for Rick Chandler. He earned it as head of the state’s “budget shop” in the Department of Administration a few years ago. I must, however, take issue with his defense of business taxes in Wisconsin. The argumet over whether Wisconsin businesses carry their fair share of the tax burden gets … Continue reading In Response to Richard Chandler
I found the story on the Stoughton superintendent interesting because the school board conducts an evaluation twice a year. Madison’s board has failed to evaluate the MMSD superintendent for years! Bill Clingan, chair of the MMSD’s human resources committee responsible for evaluating Superintendent Art Rainwater, admits that Lawrie Kobza, his opponent in the upcoming election, … Continue reading Stoughton Won’t Renew Superintendent’s Contract
Despite a written agreement between Madison Teachers Incorporated and the Board of Education that aims at settling the teachers contract for 2005-07 by June 30, union executive director John Matthews and Superintendent Art Rainwater made a jovial � and unprecedented – announcement that they would delay discussion of wages and benefits until after the April … Continue reading News Flash: John Matthews Is Willing to Delay Negotiations for Teachers’ Wages Until After the April 5 School Board Elections
Mr. Rainwater says, “We are long past the time that we can solve our revenue cap problems by being more efficient or eliminating things that are nice but not necessary (March 2005 Budget Discussion Items Report – basically, budget cut document). Without the budget, this is a scary statement. Sadly, a budget would show this … Continue reading Budget Hides Extras – Public Only Shown Cuts Not Budget: Current School Board Not Governing Budget Priorities
In January of 2005 Superintendent Art Rainwater told the Madison Board of Education that two administrative positions would be eliminated for 2005-06. He would cut the positions of Risk Manager and Data Manager when the incumbents retired at the end of 2004-05. Imagine my surprise on March 14, when the superintendent cut half of the … Continue reading No Point in Cutting MMSD Administrators, They Just Grow Back
This is not the headline of an article in The Onion. Rather, as the Astronauts on the Apollo Mission said, “Houston, we have a problem.” After 10 years of continually reducing services to our children and community . . . long past the time that we can solve our revenue cap problems by being more … Continue reading Board Scares Parents-Threatens All District Can Teach Kids for $13,000+ is Reading and Math: Yet MMSD Board Has No Budget, Keeps $2 Million for Extracurr. Sports, Increases Admin. Budget $1.5 Million in Two Years, Turned Away $10+ Million Fed. Rdg. Grant
Lee Sensenbrenner: In a departure from their usual procedure, the two sides are first considering all the changes in contract language put forward by Madison Teachers Inc. This proposal, covering such changes as whether teachers would gain free access to after-school events and intellectual property rights to the curriculums they design for the classroom, was … Continue reading Madison Teachers Present Contract Proposal
Carol Carstensen told me last night that I’ve been “angry” over elementary strings for the past four years. I learned many years ago never to “tell” people what they are feeling – 90% of the time you’re wrong, and in this case Ms. Carstensen is dead wrong about me. Her comment to me came after … Continue reading Carol Carstensen Says I’m Angry and Threatens Elementary Strings: Raises Confidence and Governance Issues for Me
The Madison School Board of Education and the District administration are proposing nearly $50 million worth of referenda and are begging for the support of the taxpaying public to significantly raise taxes. At the same time, Superintendent Rainwater bashes the business community for not contributing more tax dollars to fund public education. By accusing businesses … Continue reading What is Wrong with this Picture?
Jason Shephard, writing in the 3.11.2005 Isthmus: Music teachers, parents and community activists are already agitating against Madison schools Superintendent Art Rainwater�s call to eliminate the elementary strings program, as part of a proposed slate of budget cuts. �This creates a very disturbing environment in the community,� says Marie Breed, executive director of the Wisconsin … Continue reading Axing the Arts: District (again) proposes cutting popular strings program
It is amazing what can be accomplished without a school board meeting! As chair of the partnership committee, I know the importance of developing partnerships with our community. This is the challenge of being elected to represent a school district that is getting increasingly diverse with more students of color and more students with fewer … Continue reading New Partnership Between School District and UW
Superintendent Art Rainwater’s proposed budget cuts to balance his estimated Same Service budget forecast to expected revenues are being released to the public today. Prior to this release, the only information the school board has received relative to the budget is a macro-forecast of revenue/expenditures – assumptions about salary and wage increases, percent increase assumption … Continue reading Budget Process – Cuts and What Else is Next
The following was passed along by Kristin Meyer who attended the Northside candidates forum. Kristin asked the candidates about their position on supporting TAG services/support during ongoing budgetary shortfalls, and summarizes below the responses from each candidate. She reports that there was also a statement related to how the TAG program has already taken cuts … Continue reading School Board Candidates Respond to Questions About TAG Programming
On March 1, 2005, the Northside Planning Council held an excellent, well run and informative school board candidates’ forum at Warner Park in Madison, WI. Candidates for Seat 6 (Bill Clingan – incumbant and Lawrie Kobza) and Seat 7 (Carol Carstensen – incumbant and Larry Winkler) answered a wide variety of questions on many topics. … Continue reading School Board Candidates’ Forum – March 1, 2005
Watch a recent Madison School Board Maintenance Referendum Hearing (video). Don Severson, Roger Price, Art Rainwater and others discuss the planned maintenance referendum.
Bill Keys, President of the MMSD School Board, chose to attack Ruth Robarts today in The Capital Times saying she was not the first board member to be concerned about the taser incident. Bill Keys’ letter seems to be unnecessarily spiteful and misses the point that was raised in The Capital Times’ editorial on February … Continue reading Board Governance Lacking – No Timely Information on Taser Incident From Board President to Public: Chooses to Attack Robarts
On February 21, the district administration presented its recommendations for resolving overcrowding problems at Leopold Elementary School and accommodating children from new and future housing developments on the west side of Madison to the Long Range Planning Committee. During the discussion, I questioned the educational merit of creating a paired K-5 elementary school on the … Continue reading Truth-in-Advertising: The Proposed Paired Leopold School is a HUGE Elementary School
East High Enrollment Area parents sent the following letters regarding the search for a new Principal: Madison School Board Members 2 Page PDF with signatures Superintendent Art Rainwater 3 Page PDF with signatures
From the Wisconsin State Journal: The Madison School District has reopened its search for an East High School principal. Superintendent Art Rainwater said only four of the 13 applicants met the minimum job requirements, and only two appeared to be viable candidates. Continued at Madison.com Ed Blume
Before February 1 of each year, the Madison School Board must decide whether to renew its administrators’ contracts. If the Board plans to cut administrative positions, it must give the administrators notice that their employment contracts will not be renewed. Otherwise, the contracts automatically renew for one or two years. Because continued shortfalls in state … Continue reading Madison School Administrators: What is the trend?
Fox 47/WKOW 27 broadcast a report on the Madison Schools planned maintenance referendum Tuesday night [3.9MB Quicktime Video] The story included an interview with Superintendent Art Rainwater and ACE’s Don Severson. Lee Sensenbrenner has more here and here. UPDATE: Aubre Andrus has more on the recent board meeting.
Madison School Board Candidate, Parent and activist Lawrence Winkler forwarded a letter to Board President Bill Keys regarding Madison School’s budget process if cuts must be made for the 2005-2006 School Year. Winkler provides some useful background information and offers a suggestion to move forward with an improved decision making process. Click below to read … Continue reading Winkler Letter to Keys & School Board on Administrator Contracts
I was concerned and confused as I listened on Monday night to Superintendent Rainwater inform the School Board that the position description posted for the Fine Arts Coordinator was being reposted without a license requirement so that more applicants could be included. The Fine Arts Coordinator oversees the design and implementation of the District’s Fine … Continue reading New Posting for the Fine Arts Coordinator Position Mentioned – Removes Professional License Requirements by Dr. Mariel Wozniak, retired MMSD Fine Arts Coordinator
According to Valencia Douglas’ secretary “two meetings will be held regarding selection of East Principal. They are: 1/12/05 at Kennedy Heights Neighborhood Center 1/19/05 at Vera Court Center both start at 6:30 p.m. Also, Art Rainwater is conducting a meeting on 1/18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Warner Park Community Center.” Ed Blume
Capital Times Editor Dave Zweifel recently praised former Lapham principal Barb Thompson, calling her a “crackerjack school superintendent” for the astonishingly successful commuity-wide holiday luncheon in New Glarus, just as she organized a similar and equally popular holiday luncheon at Lapham. By contrast MMSD Superintendent Art Rainwater passed over Thompson in the search to replace … Continue reading MMSD threw away “crackerjack” administrator
In a recent editorial The Capital Times praised Supt. Rainwater’s announcement of a hiring slowdown that is intended to maintain educational quality while saving money. Teaching positions will be filled, but non-teaching positions will only be filled if there is a clear necessity for them. The District expects to save $600,000 by holding open as … Continue reading MMSD Hiring Freeze – Capital Times Editorial
U.W. psychologist, Mark Seidenberg, wrote an editorial in Sunday’s (12/12/04) edition of the Wisconsin State Journal critical of the way that the district is presenting its reading data. He also points out that although Superintendent Rainwater would like the public to believe “that accepting the Reading First funds would have required him to “eliminate” the … Continue reading Madison schools distort reading data
By Lee Sensenbrenner, The Capital Times December 11, 2004 A hiring freeze has been declared in the Madison Metropolitan School District, as Superintendent Art Rainwater tries to deal with a possible $1 million shortfall in the utilities budget. Rainwater made the announcement Friday in a letter to board members and the district’s management team. It … Continue reading Schools [MMSD] Freeze Hiring
The following exchange of e-mails is between Lawrie Kobza and Johnny Winston Jr., regarding the District’s proposed elimination of the equity policy. As I read the two authors’ comments, I become more convinced that board policy changes ought to be discussed first at a Board committee meeting prior to a final vote. The substance of … Continue reading MMSD Equity Policy – Board Member’s Comments and Community Member’s Response to Those Comments
Superintendent Rainwater told MMSD board members Monday December 6, 2004 that some of the District’s goals are directed to educate teachers to do the right thing…support and train teachers…provide various levels of interventions for students that are not successful with the core curriculum. In the case of reading, Balanced Literacy is the core curriculum and … Continue reading MMSD Theory of Action for Change and Continuous Improvement
The Madison School Board Performance & Achievement Committee met monday night, to discuss “Research-Base Underlying MMSD Mathematics Curriculum & Instruction” Here are some video clips from the meeting: Connected Math Presentation, including East High School Math Evaluations Closing Presentation Comments Ruth Robarts asks for math performance data & Juan Jose Lopez supports this request Ruth … Continue reading Math Curriculum Board Meeting Video Clips
The WSJ Editorial page published a very useful editorial this morning on the Madison School District’s rejection of $2M in federal Reading First funds for reading improvement programs: Taxpayers have the right to ask why the Madison School District would turn its back on a $2 million grant. Read a number of other articles on … Continue reading WSJ Opinion: Reading between the lines of rigidity
“Madison School District parents could face a difficult community discussion next spring over whether to close one of the district’s 30 elementary schools. Superintendent Art Rainwater said Thursday that all options, including closing a school, must be considered to deal with an expected shift in student population from the city’s East and North sides to … Continue reading Closing a Madison school is possible
School Board Oks Budget For 2004-05 Taxes On The Average Madison Home Will Increase $54. Tuesday, October 26, 2004 Doug Erickson Wisconsin State Journal The Madison School Board passed a final budget Monday that raises taxes by $54 on the typical city home. The owner of an average-priced home in Madison, now valued at $205,400, … Continue reading School Board Oks Budget For 2004-05 / Board Voted Unanimously to Pursue Building a Second Elementary School
In a recent submission, I discussed three reasons why I believe that the Madison School Board should receive more information about Superintendent Rainwater’s decision to end participation of five elementary schools in the federal “Reading First” program. See “What the Board Should Know Before Rejecting “Reading First” Funding”. I remain unconvinced that Rainwater’s memo makes … Continue reading Madison Board Will Not Discuss Superintendent’s Decision to Quit Federal “Reading First” Program
Superintendent Rainwater’s rejection of Reading First funds hits students of color the hardest. The funding would have gone to the following schools: Lincoln – 77.4% of the students are minority students Midvale – 72.5% Hawthorne – 61.1% Glendale – 64.4% Orchard Ridge – 39.1 Ed Blume
According to John Dewey, the public school system “should want for every child what a good and wise parent wants for his child. Anything less is unlovely and undermines democracy”. I think that this principle must guide the Madison Board of Education in deciding whether to permit Superintendent Rainwater to reject approximately $2M in federal … Continue reading What the School Board Should Know Before Rejecting “Reading First” Funding
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction hosts a Web site of information on Reading First, which Superintendent Rainwater said would have “injured” Madison students. On the Web site DPI says, “Wisconsin is proud to assist teachers in the 65 Reading First schools in the areas of professional development in reading; implementation of the essential components … Continue reading Details on Reading Program Rejected by Superintendent
On Friday, October 15, Madison School Board members received an e-mail from Superintendent Art Rainwater announcing that the district will withdraw from a federal program known as Reading First. In subsequent interviews with local newspapers, Rainwater estimated that the decision means forgoing approximately $2M in funds for materials to help students in the primary grades … Continue reading Madison Superintendent Declines $2M in Federal Funds Without Consulting the Board
Several times in recent years, the Madison School Board has considered ways to create a four-year old kindergarten program for all Madison children. The goal of “universal” four-year old kindergarten is to assure that every child enters elementary school ready to learn. In the past, the administration’s proposals involved partnerships with private accredited daycare programs … Continue reading Madison�s Accredited Early Educators Propose Solution for Four-Year Old Kindergarten
The problem of insufficient staffing at LaFollette makes me wonder how Dr. Rainwater will find enough staff for a new school. Here’s the beginning of an article from the WSJ: “Tseoin Ayalew says her dreams of becoming a doctor are in jeopardy because a shortage of teachers at La Follette High School means she’s wasting … Continue reading Staffing shortage at LaFollette
�. . . the loss of Barb Thompson highlights a major Rainwater weaknesses. In filling key administrative jobs, he�s gravitated to loyalists, or looked outside for the district for candidates who will fit comfortably into Team Rainwater. Smart, knowledgeable internal candidates with deep understanding of Madison and its problems, but who like Thompson are independent … Continue reading Smart, knowledgeable, independent thinkers need not apply for East principal
As taxpayers and parents, the public should get more than “it was a personnel change.” What went wrong? Why? What will be done to prevent a similar disaster for the next principal? These are legitimate questions Dr. Rainwater and the school board should address. Ed Blume
Understanding Superintendent Art Rainwater�s employment contract with the Madison Metropolitan School Board goes a long way toward answering a common question: �Who runs the Madison schools?� Answer: Superintendent-for-Life Rainwater runs the Madison schools. In January of 1999 the Board promoted Art Rainwater from Acting Superintendent to Superintendent. Voting for the contract were Carol Carstensen, Calvin … Continue reading Who Runs the Madison Schools?
This article is a Letter to the Editor submitted to the Wisconsin State Journal. Thanks for the editorial, ?What?s going on after school?? Questioning the Madison School Board?s rush to replace private, non-profit after school day care providers with tax-supported Safe Haven programs operated through the Madison School Community Recreation program is a public service. … Continue reading Madison Schools Need Strong Community Partners to Provide High Quality After School Care to All Children
On July 12, the Madison Board of Education will review proposals from Superintendent Rainwater that may mean the end of a long and successful collaboration between the district, the City of Madison and private child care providers to ensure quality after-school child care for elementary students. Apparently the superintendent plans to argue that MMSD can … Continue reading After School Child Care in Madison: Why the Madison Schools Should Continue Community Partnerships
Lee Sensenbrenner writes about Madison Schools Superintendent Art Rainwater’s recent comments regarding three possible 2005 referendums: “Facing growing subdivisions on the city’s edges, the expiration of a maintenance fund, and state laws that annually force cuts, the Madison School Board may be looking at three referendums next year.” State laws do not directly “force cuts”. … Continue reading 2005 Referendums?
A strongly substantiated rumor has it the Ed Holmes, the current principal of Wright Middle School, is all but certain to be selected as the next principal of West High School. People who are more informed and more involved at West than I am believe that Mr. Holmes would be a very bad match for … Continue reading West High Principal Search
Believe me when I say that I never intended to spend my time over the past three years studying the MMSD budget, even though I have worked professionally with very large budgets. But I love public education, and I love the fine arts. My husband is principal bassist in the MSO and a music teacher … Continue reading Next Steps – A Vision with a Roadmap
On Monday, May 17th, the MMSD School Board made less than $1 million in changes to Mr. Rainwater’s proposed $308 million budget for the 2004-2005 school year. These changes were made right after the Board approved more than $500,000 in salary and benefits increases to Administrators. The primary changes later made to the 2004-2005 budget … Continue reading School Board Balances Final Budget on the Backs of Some Kids
Don Severson sent this email over the weekend regarding Monday’s BOE meeting (5.17.2004) : Please join me (Don Severson) in a MMSD Board of Education watch Monday evening, May 17 at about 6:00 p.m. The agenda is copied below. The Board will start discussing amendments to the 04-05 budget proposed by Supt. Rainwater sometime by … Continue reading Board Watch
In an article by Vikki Kratz in the Isthmus, published on May 7, 2004, the author wonders if the MMSD is tone deaf. “Bill Keys, president of the Madison Board of Education, recently asked for a budget analysis of the popular 4th and 5th grade strings program. … The move by Keys was the last … Continue reading String ’em up – Strings Hits the Isthmus
Lee Sensenbrenner summarizes MMSD superintendent Art Rainwater’s budget proposal.
“The strings program has been very valuable to my son. It has built up his confidence, and the musical performances have really shown him how his hard work pays off. Strings are an asset to his education that benefits him beyond the musical arena.”