Sunday, September 30, 2007

Board had a map. Staff still got lost.

In reviewing the notes taken by staff and handouts provided during the September 27th "All ESC" meeting, I am wondering why district staff did not utilize the Capital Facilities Plan in developing their student enrollment forecast. In discussing the 2004-2009 CFP with others, it clearly shows that enrollment was moving downward and was far more accurate in determining actual FTE for 2007 than anything provided by your budget analyst.

Why wouldn't a Board adopted document be part of the planning process? If Board members were provided a copy of the CFP, read it entirely and then adopted it, wouldn't they have every expectation that district staff would follow the forecasting methodology described therein?

To the casual observer, it would appear that district staff was aware these reductions in FTE were coming and chose to adopt a more optimistic forecast model so that more aggressive cuts could be made at a later date - without any reasonable warning.

District Presentation Outline

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This isn't run like a business. As an organization we don't earn our money, it's given to us annually by the state. There's no market to compete for, no bottom line, in a profit/loss sense, to be responsible to and our "customers", for the most part, have nowhere else to go. These conditions can lead to this kind game playing, turfism, and power plays among a bored and underinspired mid/upper management.

Anonymous said...

This current board is the biggest argument in support of a voucher system.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it comforting to know that they are not only working so hard to create both illusions and allusions of fiscal responsibility but also the reality that they are exerting such effort in maintaining "average" compensation for everyone but themselves. All this while living in a self created vacuum but which actually exists in and of incompetency and mediocrity.

Bravo, so very transparent but we smile and nod and carry on...

Anonymous said...

Since when does getting lost mean losing more than $5,000,000.00 in state support? The district has lost its way and there is no chance of finding the trail with a blind rat leading the way.

Anonymous said...

The decisions made by the School Board based on the guidance of Business Services is a strong argument to vote down EHJR 4204. A super majority is needed to keep their actions in check.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we need to take the bull by the horn as many district have in the past and have a vote of no confidence for our board and supt. by tax payers and district employees. Of course Marla will ride the bulls tail and continue pulling the hide over the eyes and weeee she will go! It makes no difference to her who is in charge she thinks and behaves as if she is and will continue to do so until the bull throws her off! How do we go about getting this NO confidence vote started?

Anonymous said...

The word that comes to mind is ARROGANCE. The analyst that prepares the numbers, the manager that approves it, and the assistant superintendent (MM) who wants to make sure she has something to manipulate come Fall. She lives for it! It's her drug of choice!