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Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
If you want to know what Barbara Radner and Steve Tozer think new CPS chief Ron Huberman should do, read this ChiTown Daily News article (Challenges ahead for next CPS chief). If you want to know what I (and your fellow readers) recommend, read on below:
Close More Schools. Given the budget crisis and the declining CPS enrollment it seems like 25 schools is too few. We need to "right-size" the district if 2009-2010 is going to be a bearable year. Develop training and support programs for displaced teachers.
Strengthen Transparency & Accountability: Do what Obama did and pledge to be more transparent and accountable at 125 S. Clark Street. Post memos and budgets online in a timely manner. Conduct an executive session in public. Hold some Saturday board meetings. Call on state legislators to make similar changes to the LSC process.
Revamp the Chicago Reading Initiative: This is perhaps the most expensive and moribund of the Duncan/BEW era programs out there -- a literacy coach in every school, plus mandatory reading programs for struggling schools. Give it a hard look. Keep what's good. Dump what isn't working -- or isn't being done.
Early Literacy For HS Students: Remedial adolescent literacy programs aren't enough for kids whose reading skills are below the 4th or 5th grade level. Bring in programs (like Language!) to help kids catch up.
I have more, but that's enough to get things started. What do you think Huberman should do?
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Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 8:05 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Alexander, while CPS is closing two dozen or more schools this year with plans to accelerate that process, they are also opening up new schools at a very swift pace. While enrollment is declining it's not exactly a juggernaut of slowing enrollment. So, a clarification request:
Do you believe CPS should close more schools period? Or should CPS close more schools in favor of opening up privatized, selective enrollment schools in their stead?
Do you believe CPS should close more schools period? Or should CPS close more schools in favor of opening up privatized, selective enrollment schools in their stead?
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
My advice would be to reject the appointment and publicly call for someone with at least some education experience to be assigned to the post.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Heres a place to start:
Eliminate 90% of the district office and move the money to schools.
Measure results (not just standardized test scores, but other inidcators).
Intervene when necessary by providing targeted support, much higher standard of performance.
Eliminate 90% of the district office and move the money to schools.
Measure results (not just standardized test scores, but other inidcators).
Intervene when necessary by providing targeted support, much higher standard of performance.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
I am going to second Charlie's advice. WTF?!
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Reject the appointment-
What is the process for doing that? Is there an approval process for Daley's appointment?
What is the process for doing that? Is there an approval process for Daley's appointment?
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Ditto pretty much all above and untangle the mess that is SPED. Get the system to really work - and at least be competitive with suburban districts.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
1. Invest as heavily in neighborhood schools as in Ren10 schools - equitable infrastructure, technology, safety, instruction, etc.
2. Establish guidelines for student and school achievement based on cohort growth rather than an arbitrary grade level standard.
3. Build partnerships with parents, students, and teachers instead of excluding them.
4. Bust the state's balls to provide more money for schools. (Illinois is 49th. Nevada is last but gets huge money from casinos.)
5. In the absence of additional state monies, raise corporate and private funds for all schools not just Ren10 schools.
6. Hire better principals and hold them, and CPS in general, accountable above and before teachers. I doubt there exists a single excellent school in the city with poor leadership.
2. Establish guidelines for student and school achievement based on cohort growth rather than an arbitrary grade level standard.
3. Build partnerships with parents, students, and teachers instead of excluding them.
4. Bust the state's balls to provide more money for schools. (Illinois is 49th. Nevada is last but gets huge money from casinos.)
5. In the absence of additional state monies, raise corporate and private funds for all schools not just Ren10 schools.
6. Hire better principals and hold them, and CPS in general, accountable above and before teachers. I doubt there exists a single excellent school in the city with poor leadership.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
1. Reduce the bottom line by eliminating the many unnecessary positions that are administrative. CPS hires anywhere from 10-20 administrators at salaries of $75,000 or more per month to implement programs that rarely survive a school term.
One school brought in a former college football coach to "help" the teachers be able to manage students better. Dude got like $80,000 bucks to get teachers to think like football players--drawing game plans a'la Coach Ditka or Coach Smith with the Chicago Bears.
2. Eliminate the "power of the principal" as one administrator so aptly put it, to hire teachers. Isn't that what CPS Human Resources is supposed to be for?
This would cut down on the "family and friends" plan that the City/County/State is so well known for.
3. Outsource payroll. Teachers go through hell to collect their regular pay, vacation pay and other monies they are entitled to on a bi-weekly basis, because CPS' payroll department is filled with alot of "gov'ment" workers who don't know their heads from a hole in the ground.
4. Stop hiring all the half-wits and the young and the dumb from these fast-track leadership programs like New Leaders for New Schools.
Where else in America can you ascend to a position of leadership with a mere 5 years or less experience?
5. Stop short-changing student's education by trying to save money by hiring newbies from college or charter schools so you can get a 2-for-1 deal on educators.
Right now, there are over 450 displaced veteran teachers with master's degrees, doctorates in education and Type 75 Certifications that are working as day-to-day substitutes while less experienced and cheaper hire individuals ruin children's educations.
Let's not forget the 400-500 plus other educators that will be joining that pool in June when their schools close.
6. Stop building new schools and funding charter schools if you do not have money to hire experienced teachers and pay them a fair salary.
That goes back to the old adage of "people do whatever they really want to do," so I don't expect anything from Ron Huberman.
In conclusion, it is up to the parents to let Daley know that his **** stinks like everyone else's and that if he isn't careful, he will be joining Rod B. on the unemployment line in 2011.
His corporate buddies only have one vote, so all the money in the world will not save him should the people be ready for him to go!
One school brought in a former college football coach to "help" the teachers be able to manage students better. Dude got like $80,000 bucks to get teachers to think like football players--drawing game plans a'la Coach Ditka or Coach Smith with the Chicago Bears.
2. Eliminate the "power of the principal" as one administrator so aptly put it, to hire teachers. Isn't that what CPS Human Resources is supposed to be for?
This would cut down on the "family and friends" plan that the City/County/State is so well known for.
3. Outsource payroll. Teachers go through hell to collect their regular pay, vacation pay and other monies they are entitled to on a bi-weekly basis, because CPS' payroll department is filled with alot of "gov'ment" workers who don't know their heads from a hole in the ground.
4. Stop hiring all the half-wits and the young and the dumb from these fast-track leadership programs like New Leaders for New Schools.
Where else in America can you ascend to a position of leadership with a mere 5 years or less experience?
5. Stop short-changing student's education by trying to save money by hiring newbies from college or charter schools so you can get a 2-for-1 deal on educators.
Right now, there are over 450 displaced veteran teachers with master's degrees, doctorates in education and Type 75 Certifications that are working as day-to-day substitutes while less experienced and cheaper hire individuals ruin children's educations.
Let's not forget the 400-500 plus other educators that will be joining that pool in June when their schools close.
6. Stop building new schools and funding charter schools if you do not have money to hire experienced teachers and pay them a fair salary.
That goes back to the old adage of "people do whatever they really want to do," so I don't expect anything from Ron Huberman.
In conclusion, it is up to the parents to let Daley know that his **** stinks like everyone else's and that if he isn't careful, he will be joining Rod B. on the unemployment line in 2011.
His corporate buddies only have one vote, so all the money in the world will not save him should the people be ready for him to go!
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Fire all the "consultants" and Broad Scholars
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
I'm climbing on board with Charlie's comment. I'm so weary of education systems being run by noneducators. It's like appointing a plumber to run the American Medical Association. And what's Huberman done well for CTA? Certainly not much from this rider's perspective.
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
He should go try to teach for at least one semester in CPS. He makes Duncan look overqualified!
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Adopt the recommendations of the recent Access Living report on sped in CPS
Didn't see any local news coverage of that, btw
Didn't see any local news coverage of that, btw
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Is his pay determined by whether he has had student teaching? A subsitute teachers is, so why the discrepancy?
How can someone with no teaching experience and qualifications be put in charge of one of the biggest educational systems in the U.S.?
Another Daley puppet! IT is unfortunate for the city.
Look out for more Chart Schools which are no better!
This is a sad time for schools in Chicago!
We need to do better than this and Daley! (Not to mention Blagovich!)
What happened to looking outside of Chicago for qualified applicants?
How can someone with no teaching experience and qualifications be put in charge of one of the biggest educational systems in the U.S.?
Another Daley puppet! IT is unfortunate for the city.
Look out for more Chart Schools which are no better!
This is a sad time for schools in Chicago!
We need to do better than this and Daley! (Not to mention Blagovich!)
What happened to looking outside of Chicago for qualified applicants?
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
A blogger stated: [one] “suspects Huberman is going to focus on management. That is important in an operation as large as CPS. If he can at least bring some customer satisfaction to the parents and citizens that the system at CPS is functional and operated efficiently, that might be a good thing.”
Well NO Way!—What about $175,000 a year Hill Hammock? Isn’t that what he was supposed to do these last 2+ years? And what about the retired military guy who is heading Operations? You can imagine his salary. Isn’t that what he is supposed to be doing?
It is about Daley—Daley—Daley, HIS power and HIS contol. All hail Ceasar. We have allowed Daley Ceasar to become a god!
Well NO Way!—What about $175,000 a year Hill Hammock? Isn’t that what he was supposed to do these last 2+ years? And what about the retired military guy who is heading Operations? You can imagine his salary. Isn’t that what he is supposed to be doing?
It is about Daley—Daley—Daley, HIS power and HIS contol. All hail Ceasar. We have allowed Daley Ceasar to become a god!
Tue Jan 27, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
"“Just recall the time when schools were run exclusively by educators and not managers. It did not work and the system repeatedly failed our children,' the mayor said." - SunTimes story about Huberman by Fran S
Why doesn't she balance the story with a quote from someone who knows CPS has gone to hell in a handbag under CEOs like Duncan?
She drank the Kool-Aid. Fran, work on this harder.
Why doesn't she balance the story with a quote from someone who knows CPS has gone to hell in a handbag under CEOs like Duncan?
She drank the Kool-Aid. Fran, work on this harder.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 1:43 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Seriously, everyone that says an "educator" must run the schools must not have been around when the "educators" messed up the schools.
Ruth Love, Manford Byrd, Ted Kimbrough, Charles Almo, Joseph Hannon, Angeline Caruso all had Doctorates of Education degrees and took the Chicago Public Schools into the toilet.
CPS needs a manager to run the business side and an educator to run the class side. Having an educator running the whole thing is a recipe for disaster, as we have previously seen in this City. Having a manager run it with an able educator at his side is a better formula.
At most successful private hospitals (and more and more teaching/university hospitals), the CEO is typically not a Physician or MD, but an MBA with business experience.
And although some restaurants are run by Chef's, for the most part, financially successful ones are run by business people and the celebrity chef is left in the kitchen.
And a good salesman with a lot of experience and success selling a company's wares does not necessarily make that person the idea candidate to be the Sales Manager for the business.
Front line, practical experience has its place, but does not mean it should be the end all qualifier.
Ruth Love, Manford Byrd, Ted Kimbrough, Charles Almo, Joseph Hannon, Angeline Caruso all had Doctorates of Education degrees and took the Chicago Public Schools into the toilet.
CPS needs a manager to run the business side and an educator to run the class side. Having an educator running the whole thing is a recipe for disaster, as we have previously seen in this City. Having a manager run it with an able educator at his side is a better formula.
At most successful private hospitals (and more and more teaching/university hospitals), the CEO is typically not a Physician or MD, but an MBA with business experience.
And although some restaurants are run by Chef's, for the most part, financially successful ones are run by business people and the celebrity chef is left in the kitchen.
And a good salesman with a lot of experience and success selling a company's wares does not necessarily make that person the idea candidate to be the Sales Manager for the business.
Front line, practical experience has its place, but does not mean it should be the end all qualifier.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Correct me if I am wrong...isn't the country in a big financial upheaval because of reckless managers/CEOs/heads of companies,corporations running the "business side" into the ground? Let's remember that while there are no perfect educators, there is also no such thing as the perfect "business model," so let's not hold up business folks as the end all and be all, either.
I don't claim to have the answer, but certainly someone who has jumped from job to job in a matter of 4 years or so, is not necessarily someone I would think could be counted on to truly work in the best interests of the students in the CPS. I have relatives who have changed jobs like that in the past and it didn't help them in the long run. Most employers - apparently Daley excluded - would look upon this as a negative and would not hire someone with this kind of job history. It also, from my point of view, makes him look like some sort of Gordon Gekko-type business man (or should I say Daley's "front man"), coming in to break up things, sell them off, then moving on and leaving the "business" in a shamble (which is what Daley wants anyway, so that he can privatize the whole mess like the parking meters, et.al.). So, perhaps this is exactly what he is being brought in to do.
Best interests of the children: 0
Business/corporate interests: 199
I don't claim to have the answer, but certainly someone who has jumped from job to job in a matter of 4 years or so, is not necessarily someone I would think could be counted on to truly work in the best interests of the students in the CPS. I have relatives who have changed jobs like that in the past and it didn't help them in the long run. Most employers - apparently Daley excluded - would look upon this as a negative and would not hire someone with this kind of job history. It also, from my point of view, makes him look like some sort of Gordon Gekko-type business man (or should I say Daley's "front man"), coming in to break up things, sell them off, then moving on and leaving the "business" in a shamble (which is what Daley wants anyway, so that he can privatize the whole mess like the parking meters, et.al.). So, perhaps this is exactly what he is being brought in to do.
Best interests of the children: 0
Business/corporate interests: 199
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Correct me if I am wrong...isn't the country in a big financial upheaval because of reckless managers/CEOs/heads of companies,corporations running the "business side" into the ground? Let's remember that while there are no perfect educators, there is also no such thing as the perfect "business model," so let's not hold up business folks as the end all and be all, either.
I don't claim to have the answer, but certainly someone who has jumped from job to job in a matter of 4 years or so, is not necessarily someone I would think could be counted on to truly work in the best interests of the students in the CPS. I have relatives who have changed jobs like that in the past and it didn't help them in the long run. Most employers - apparently Daley excluded - would look upon this as a negative and would not hire someone with this kind of job history. It also, from my point of view, makes him look like some sort of Gordon Gekko-type business man (or should I say Daley's "front man"), coming in to break up things, sell them off, then moving on and leaving the "business" in a shamble (which is what Daley wants anyway, so that he can privatize the whole mess like the parking meters, et.al.). So, perhaps this is exactly what he is being brought in to do.
Best interests of the children: 0
Business/corporate interests: 199
I don't claim to have the answer, but certainly someone who has jumped from job to job in a matter of 4 years or so, is not necessarily someone I would think could be counted on to truly work in the best interests of the students in the CPS. I have relatives who have changed jobs like that in the past and it didn't help them in the long run. Most employers - apparently Daley excluded - would look upon this as a negative and would not hire someone with this kind of job history. It also, from my point of view, makes him look like some sort of Gordon Gekko-type business man (or should I say Daley's "front man"), coming in to break up things, sell them off, then moving on and leaving the "business" in a shamble (which is what Daley wants anyway, so that he can privatize the whole mess like the parking meters, et.al.). So, perhaps this is exactly what he is being brought in to do.
Best interests of the children: 0
Business/corporate interests: 199
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Some understanding of the educational system would be a plus, but I'm less concerned about that than actually caring a tiny bit about the lives of kids.
The current CTA policy toward students under the new CEO. On a bitter, snowy Saturday morning, a couple of my kids who were on their way to a service project were kicked off the bus into the snow because they couldn't use their bus cards on a weekend. I've had kids leaving service projects who had to beg money to get home because CTA wouldn't allow them to transfer from train to bus after 8pm. As if putting kids out on the street at night is better than allowing them to ride the bus.
Perhaps Mr. Huberman simply didn't know that his employees were directed to abuse children. Perhaps he didn't have the best interests of children in mind. Ignorant or malicious? Either way, I'm not hopeful.
The current CTA policy toward students under the new CEO. On a bitter, snowy Saturday morning, a couple of my kids who were on their way to a service project were kicked off the bus into the snow because they couldn't use their bus cards on a weekend. I've had kids leaving service projects who had to beg money to get home because CTA wouldn't allow them to transfer from train to bus after 8pm. As if putting kids out on the street at night is better than allowing them to ride the bus.
Perhaps Mr. Huberman simply didn't know that his employees were directed to abuse children. Perhaps he didn't have the best interests of children in mind. Ignorant or malicious? Either way, I'm not hopeful.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Chicago has more students travelling by public transportation every day than any other major city. Correct?
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
It would be nice if Huberman resurrected the proposed gay-friendly high school.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Someone wrote: Correct me if I am wrong...isn't the country in a big financial upheaval because of reckless managers/CEOs/heads of companies,corporations running the "business side" into the ground?
You are wrong.
While that may be part of the story, the vast majority of people working in business do very good jobs and have helped to make ours the strongest economy in the world.
Government is partly to blame--and specifically the Democrats in Congress (Dodd, Frank, Pelosi, et al) for promoting social engineering over wise economic policy.
And of course, tens of thousands of people who wanted to own homes that were far beyond what they could actually afford (and who should have known better) are also partly to blame for the housing bust.
I might also toss into the mix teachers who spend all day yapping about social justice and how the world owes people something rather than actually teaching young people to use their minds, further their educations, and obtain viable employment.
You are wrong.
While that may be part of the story, the vast majority of people working in business do very good jobs and have helped to make ours the strongest economy in the world.
Government is partly to blame--and specifically the Democrats in Congress (Dodd, Frank, Pelosi, et al) for promoting social engineering over wise economic policy.
And of course, tens of thousands of people who wanted to own homes that were far beyond what they could actually afford (and who should have known better) are also partly to blame for the housing bust.
I might also toss into the mix teachers who spend all day yapping about social justice and how the world owes people something rather than actually teaching young people to use their minds, further their educations, and obtain viable employment.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
If Huberman is such a good manager, I hope he irons out all the "systems" problems associated with payroll, IMPACT and the rest of the district's wacky technological leaps of faith.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
the gay frindly high school woll not come back for now and why doyou think RH would support it? You have to come out of the ckloset first.
Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Danny are you a red wing criticized by George?
Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
"Resurrect the gay friendly high school"?
How can Social Justice run another campus when it can't run its own? The OIG has been investigating Rito Martinez for living in Oak Park. Is there any truth to the rumor that he is going to be forced to resign his position as principal of SOJO?
How can Social Justice run another campus when it can't run its own? The OIG has been investigating Rito Martinez for living in Oak Park. Is there any truth to the rumor that he is going to be forced to resign his position as principal of SOJO?
Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Darryl Mitchell uses an apt analogy but gets the conclusion wrong. Restaurants with the best food (i.e. the four- and five-star restaurants) are indeed run by chefs who understand how to make good food. Perhaps the most "financially successful" are run by business types, but when you go to a restaurant, are you there to eat their food or their profits?
Of course, we know that for Daley it's only the finances (and his political capital) that matter.
Of course, we know that for Daley it's only the finances (and his political capital) that matter.
Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
Hey danny-
Where's the "viable employment"? Tell that to the 500,000 folks that have lost jobs in the last month or two, or the almost 3 million who have lost their jobs in the last year or two.
Where's the "viable employment"? Tell that to the 500,000 folks that have lost jobs in the last month or two, or the almost 3 million who have lost their jobs in the last year or two.
Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Unsolicited Advice For The New CPS Chief
It does little good for the 4-5 star restaurant to have the best food if it cannot stay open for more than a year due to lack of financial acumen.
