Too many principals in Kansas schools? Not for successful students. KASB Tallman Education Report

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Too many principals in Kansas schools? Not for successful students

A spokesperson for Kris Kobach’s campaign for Governor says that twelve principals and assistant principals for two Wichita schools is “clearly excessive.”

However, data shows that compared to state and national averages, those two schools actually have fewer principals than would be expected, based on enrollment.

According to reports requested from the Kansas State Department of Education’s Data Central (link), Wichita East and Wichita North High Schools have a combined enrollment of 4,508 (2,331 plus 2,177). That means 12 principals and assistant principals would be responsible for 376 students each. (4,508 divided by 12).

Statewide enrollment reports indicate a total of 518,712 headcount students in Kansas. State personnel reports show 1,187.5 principals and 606.2 assistant principals statewide, for a total of 1,793.7. That means on average, Kansas principals and assistant principals are responsible for 289 students. (518,712 divided by 1,793.7) In other words, if there are 12 principals with over 4,500 students in two high schools, those buildings have fewer building leaders for the number of students compared to the state as a whole (376 versus 289).

How does Kansas compare to national data? The most recent reports are from 2014-2015. At that time, Kansas had nearly 100 more principals and assistant principals (1,899) with lower total enrollment (496,444), or 261 students for every principal and assistant principal. Nationally, the ratio was slightly higher (287 student for every principal) than Kansas in 2015, but almost identical to what was last year. The national average was also far less that the average at Wichita East and North.

However, the top achieving states on 15 educational outcomes had an average student/principal ratio of 260, below that national average and Kansas. The ten lowest achieving states had an average ratio of 306, higher than the national average.

In other words, the top achieving states have more principals compared to their enrollment, and the lowest achieving states have fewer.

Why would more principals and assistant principals be associated with higher student performance?
Research shows school leadership makes a difference in student achievement. Scholars at McREL, a non-profit education and research center in Denver, analyzed 70 studies involving approximately 1.1 million students and 14,000 teachers, and found a substantial relationship between leadership and student achievement.

Principals have these key roles in school buildings: providing overall leadership for all staff in the building, guiding, evaluating and supporting teachers, and dealing with students in areas such as discipline, safety, policies and activities.

A first-person description of what assist principals do today in today’s public school system is provided here (link).

Here is most recent national data on the number of principals and other school staff. (Link) Here is national enrollment data. (Link)

It should be noted Kobach's initial claim during a debate broadcast live throughout the state was that one Wichita high school had 12 assistant principals. The Wichita Eagle found that to be incorrect. Kobach has yet to publicly acknowledge his mistake. But a campaign spokesperson after acknowledging the initial claim was wrong, still contended 12 principals and assistants for two large high schools was excessive. The question becomes, excessive compared to what? The facts show that the number is much lower compared to the rest of the state and nation.

Tallman Education Report: Kansas schools ALREADY spend less on non-instructi...

Kansas schools ALREADY spend less on non-instructional programs

Critics of Kansas public education sometimes claim that too little funding goes directly to teachers and too much to other programs. By cutting non-teaching programs and shifting that money to instruction, some say education could be improved without spending more money.

But national reports (link) show that Kansas already spends less on those programs than other states, including both the top states in student achievement and those most like Kansas.

This data supports the finding of the Legislature’s recent education cost study, conducted this earlier this year. The authors said Kansas schools are among the most efficient in the nation, producing nearly 96% of their potential output, on average. Kansas ranks in the top half of the nation on each of 15 student success indicators and ranks number nine overall, while total funding per pupil is 30th.

Most educators agree that “non-instructional” programs – principals, counselors, nurses, social services, speech pathology and audiology, libraries, food service and transportation, as well as operating school facilities and general administration – also have a big impact on student learning. The most recent data from other states (2016) finds Kansas spending trails other states in these areas.

Here is what Kansas spent on major parts of school operating budgets outside of instruction compared to other states, as reported by National Center for Education Statistics.  Kansas funding is compared to the U.S. average, the nine highest achieving states on 15 measures of student success, states bordering Kansas and other Plains states, “peer” states most similar to Kansas in population characteristics, and the 10 states with the lowest student success. (For details of the comparison states, see below.)

General Administration. It is the smallest item in every group. Kansas spent $242 per pupil, $20 more than the national average but lower than the highest achieving states, border/Plains states and peer states, and higher than the bottom performing states. (Note that the lowest spending states spend the least on general administration and the top performing states the most.)

School Administration. Republican candidate for Governor Kris Kobach has criticized some schools as being top heavy with principals, but Kansas spending of $583 per pupil on school building administration is less than any group except border/Plains states (which spent just $8 less). Research indicates that school principals are critical to student success.

Transportation. Kansas spent about $400 per pupil on transportation, less than any comparison group of states, including the U.S. average.

Operations and Maintenance. Kansas spent about $1,000 per pupil to heat, light, cool, clean, maintain, insure and secure school facilities – less than every group except border/Plains states.

Instructional support. This is funding for libraries, media centers, professional development, technology support, and assessment. Kansas spent less than $400 per pupil – much less than any other group.

Pupil support. This area includes counselors, social workers, attendance staff, health and other programs for students needing help outside of instruction. Kansas spent $519 per pupil, about the same as border/Plains states, less than every other group – and only about half what the most successful states provide.

Food service and all other. In addition to funding for student meals, this includes “central office” functions like bookkeeping, payroll and human resources. Kansas spent $579 per pupil, between $100 and $200 less than every comparison group.

Total. Kansas spent a total of just under $3,900 on these “non-instructional” programs, about $350 less than the nearest group (border/Plains states), $700 less than the national average and almost $2,000 less than the highest achieving states.

Impact of reducing non-instructional support

This data indicates that cutting non-instructional programs, which are already funded lower than most states, would not increase efficiency but reduce services. Among the consequences:

• Closing school building to reduce operations, maintenance.
• Reducing student services like counseling and health, which are not “academics” but critical to improving preparation for postsecondary education and addressing issues like suicide.
• Cutting school administration, which reduces teacher supervision and feedback and resources to address discipline, bullying and other student issues.
• Cutting professional development (continuing education) for educators, making it more difficult to redesign schools for improved student success and improve teaching.
• Eliminating transportation for students where not required but provided for safety and attendance.
• Consolidating school districts (which saves little funding because it is already the lowest area of expenditures). Closing small, rural districts reduces connections to local communities. Larger school districts actually begin to have higher costs as enrollment increases, according the Legislative study.

Comparison state definitions

The U.S. is the national average.
Top achieving states are nine states with higher overall achievement than Kansas on 15 measures of student success: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Vermont.
The Plains states are North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, with the border states of Colorado and Oklahoma included.
Overall peers are states most like similar to Kansas in student demographics, adult population characteristics and geographic population distribution:  Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Bottom achieving states are the ten lowest-ranked state on 15 measures of student success: Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Dr. Charles Fay blog on Parenting and Technology

Note: This article is from the Love and Logic Institute written by Dr. Charles Fay. No part of this has been changed in any way. For more information, contact the Love and Logic Institute

What’s your answer to the following question?
 

Has my parenting caught up with technology, or am I stuck in the 

“Middle Ages” when people used phones hooked to cords and web addresses were inhabited by arachnids?

While the basics of parenting remain the same, issues involving technology have left many parents wondering what limits are appropriate, how to hold their children accountable for misuse of technology, and how to help kids learn the decision-making skills required to make healthy technology choices when they leave home.

There’s good news! While these modern issues are definitely challenging, we can achieve success by applying some age-old parenting truths:

·       Kids need limits.

·       Limits are best set through actions instead of hollow threats.
When kids make poor decisions, they need to experience natural or logical consequences.

·       When kids make poor decisions, they need to experience natural or logical consequences.

·       Consequences are always more effective when provided with loving empathy.

·      Our kids will learn how to live their lives by watching us.

Listed below are a few examples of essential limits:

·       You may have your tablet as long as there is no arguing when I ask you to shut it off.

·       Feel free to have a cell phone when you can pay for the entire cost.
We allow kids to have their internet-connectable devices as long as they check them in with us each night. We’ll return them in the morning as long as there are no problems.

·       I’ve met plenty of good people who’ve ended up doing bad things on the internet. That’s why your mom has all of my passwords and is free to see my history. You may have this device as long as you do the same. Everyone needs someone to hold them accountable.

·       I’m shutting my phone off so that I can give you 100% of my attention. Thanks for doing the same.

For more tips on parenting and technology, listen to Real Talk on Technology.

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.
 
Dr. Charles Fay

Parent and Student Welcome Back!

August 2018

From: Dr. Bob Diepenbrock, Superintendent of Schools USD 331

To: Parents and Students of USD 331 Kingman-Norwich Schools

Welcome

On behalf of the Board of Education of USD 331 Kingman-Norwich, I welcome you to a new school year and thank you for entrusting your children to our care and education.

The Kansas State Board of Education adopted a vision that Kansas will lead the world in the success of each student through emphasis on kindergarten readiness, improving graduation and postsecondary achievement rates, individual plans of study and social/emotional success. The USD 331 Board of Education reviewed, modified and adopted the 2018-2019 Strategic Success Plan for USD 331 reflecting an emphasis clearly aligned with the Kansas State Board of Education. High School Students continually update their Individual Plans of Study working closely with their teacher advisors and a number of students attend various post-secondary schools such as Wichita State Tech, Pratt and Hutchison Community Colleges. USD 331 is clearly working to meet the vision that will lead the state in the success of each student.   

Prior to the beginning of last year, Kingman Elementary and Middle Schools applied to be Mercury redesign schools, but were chosen as Gemini I schools instead. The Kansas State Department of Education chose only 7 districts for the Mercury Redesign Schools, but offered a more limited opportunity for Gemini through webinars and opportunities to visit other redesign schools and programs. Gemini I schools could choose to begin redesign over 2 years instead of just one. What has happened since last year in USD 331? A decision to semi-departmentalize 5^th and 6^th grade was made at Kingman Elementary and it was decided Norwich Elementary would implement at the same time so the curriculum could be aligned across the district. As we further investigated various options for redesign, it was decided to utilize Summit Learning Curriculum and professional learning tools as all the teachers in both Kingman Elementary and Norwich Elementary spent a week of professional learning in Kansas City this summer. There have been many meetings, room alterations and new furnishing enhancements since to prepare the 5^th and 6^th grade classrooms for an exciting year we believe will enhance learning and build excitement. Redesign in the 7^th and 8^th grade classrooms includes an additional emphasis on project-based learning. Redesign in PK-4 will also include a new math curriculum to improve outcomes and student engagement. There will be more to come from the schools on redesign and new and exciting approaches and I encourage you all to work with your children’s teachers to visit classrooms and ask questions.

The school accreditation process implemented last year started and the district selected goals and outside review placement in the process. During the spring of last year, the outside visitation team (OVT) made a visit, met with each building leadership team and reviewed USD 331 goals and data. The OVT recommended additional collection of data as we go through this new year, but noted the many programs implemented already to assist our students in meeting the district and school goals and shared how impressed they were with what was already in place. As I sat through the presentations to the OVT, I was amazed and proud of each teacher and administrator as they explained the programs and the impact on our students.  The goals for schools include:

·       High schools – post-secondary readiness and quality and meaningful individual plans of study for each student.

·       Middle schools – quality instruction and programs to meet social and emotional needs of each student.

·       Elementary – an emphasis to get students kindergarten ready and maintain grade level readiness after kindergarten.

The Kansas Supreme Court finally made their ruling on equity and adequacy of funding for schools. Essentially, the court determined the state has not yet funded adequately, but indicated the state has made progress and has provided additional time to meet those expectations. The state did not return all the money reduced over the last decade, but has an approach to meet the court’s expectations and is moving forward. We are excited, like other school districts, as we’ve been able to add teachers who can help meet the needs of our students to reach their highest level of education desired. Kansas and USD 331 Kingman-Norwich schools can continue to restore important programs and give teachers and staff a salary that exceeds inflation. Over the past decade, Kansas teacher pay dropped significantly in comparison to other states; from 37^th in the nation in 2007 to the mid-40’s now. We are thrilled to see a renewed emphasis and investment in our kids.

The members of the USD 331 Kingman-Norwich Board, Administration, Faculty, and staff embrace this new day with optimism and ask for your support as we work to improve our students’ education and support their continued success. Again, on behalf of all members of the USD 331 community, welcome to our schools. We want to work together with you so our students lead the state in success.

Sincerely,

Robert G. Diepenbrock