5 thoughts on “2007 – 2008 Madison Board of Education Committee Assignments”

1. In addition to work directly related to a potential operating budget referendum, the Finance & Operations Committee will take up the following issues in 2007-08:
   — Considering and developing a separate budget and budget process for Fund 80 revenues
   — Developing and implementing quarterly reports so that the board has current information on:
   – progress on spending from past referenda
   – receipts and distribution of state and federal funds (including categorical aid and grants)
   — Long term plan for Doyle Building and surrounding property as a district financial asset

2. The chair assignment for the Finance & Operations Committee was an excellent choice!

3. Very much agreed with Joan.
   For my part, I have asked the Performance and Achievement Committee (Lawrie Kobza, Chair; Maya Cole and Johnny Winston, Jr.) to maximize its involvement with the High School Redesign Committee and to keep the community well informed about any and all developments on that front.

4. To follow-up on Laurie’s thoughts, if anyone has topics they would like a committee to “consider” for this year, please contact the committee chair or post the info here. We do have a lot to cover this year so cannot address everything, but feedback certainly helps in our prioritization process.
   Arlene

5. A few items that are worth discussion in my view:
   A) Curriculum. Specifically, does it make sense in 2007 with a wide range of traditional and online curricula/frameworks available, not to mention the UW and MATC nearby, for the Madison School District to spend time and money developing homegrown programs? Might these resources be better spent elsewhere?
   B) Math Progress, or not. The MMSD has a high level math review underway, which will apparently take several years. Are there some benchmarks that could be published and discussed now?
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/05/open_letter_abo.php
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/02/madison_and_wis.php
   C) Discussion and publication of a policy for courses (including virtual) taken outside the MMSD.
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/09/madison_school_37.php
   D) Report card content. The MMSD has invested 7 figures in a new student information system. What can parents expect from their student’s teachers and the system?
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/04/3rd_grade_repor.php
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/04/parents_concern.php
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/04/concern_about_q.php
   http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2006/05/another_school.php
   E) Discussion and web publication of school incident data (define an incident, trends).
   F) A process to give principals more flexibility in selecting and retaining teachers
   G) Health Care costs (and potential shifts to increased teacher compensation). This growing budget item will be a factor in community support for a 2008 referendum.
   H) A look at AP and IB curriculum and how these programs affect student recruiting and retention. Virtual classes should also have a growing role in the MMSD (Mandarin, Physics, Bio, advanced math).
   I) Online Volunteer / Community Resource Database
   J) Budget: Beginning to evaluate the bang for a buck of different MMSD investments: Reading Recovery, Math, Athletics, Science, computers. Choose one and start to collect/publish annual data.
   K) Charter Schools: I think it’s time to put a process in place so that the MMSD offers charters in an effort to grow its student population. The recent Studio School process was not promising.
   L) Year round school schedule. Wake County, NC is exploring 45 day sessions with 15 day breaks. I find this interesting.
   http://news14.com/content/headlines/582529/strong-support-for-year-round-schools/Default.aspx
   Well, you asked 🙂

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