A Change Will Do Us Good

As I said, I never met Dr. Garcia. I keep pointing that out because it appears to be standard operating procedure among Metro Government department heads to meet and know the Council members. This only makes sense, of course, because Council controls the budget. It also makes sense because Council members are regularly in touch with their constituents and are able to relate concerns and problems that help department heads meet the demands of a diverse city. I have some pretty clear thoughts about what I would have said to Dr. Garcia had he asked but since he didn't I am going to tell you. (For the record, School Board Chairman Marsha Warden has asked and none of this will be news to her.)

Funding Accountability - There is a fundamental, systemic flaw in our organizational structure that will make success for our public schools very hard to attain - ever. If you understand nothing else about government, understand this: how successfully a government unit operates is directly related to how it gets its money. In the case of schools, the Metro Council approves what is essentially a lump sum transfer of general tax money to the School Board. The School Board then spends it how it wants. The Mayor and Council take the heat for the tax levy but have no influence over the productive use of that money. The School Board doesn't need to worry too much about being held accountable because they can always blame the Mayor and Council for appropriating too little money. Because the School Board has little direct control over how they get their money, the job has tended, over the years to invite participation from less than dynamic and creative people. (Yes, there have been scores of exceptions to that general statement and yes, the Metro Council has not always been the shining light of intelligent thought. But if you want a political position with little accountability and lots of opportunity to lay blame elsewhere, nothing beats the School Board)

Dr. Garcia is quoted as saying MNPS was one of the hardest jobs he had largely because the money to fund the system came from local government instead of the state. Not having or wanting a state income tax, we should look for other ways to solve the accountability problem. This is a problem that is best solved by our Mayor and our Governor with the support of our Council and School Board which is why I offer no specific solutions. I am pretty much up for anything so y'all let me know how I can help.

Site Based Management - This is another form of accountability. If you look at schools that have been successful over the years like Sylvan Park and Julia Green, you will usually find a strong, dynamic and energetic principal at the helm. No one knows what kids need, what parents want than the people that see them everyday. Giving more responsibility to the principal and teachers will make the job itself more attractive to the kind of people you want in those positions. Dynamic, creative and energetic people don't like to be minions of the central office.

Do you see a theme here?