Yet more bad news for the KCMO School District

It just keeps getting worse for the KCMO School District:

Ruling goes against KC district

KANSAS CITY (AP) — An appeals court ruled yesterday that a Cole County judge erred in ordering charter schools to repay millions to Kansas City Public Schools.

At issue was money diverted from charter schools to help the Kansas City district pay off bonds that were issued to build and upgrade schools as required by a long-running federal desegregation case. Between $800 and $1,000 per student was withheld annually from Kansas City charter schools from 1999 to 2005, then later resumed in smaller amounts.

The withholdings began when the publicly funded schools opened in the city and began luring district students, and they temporarily ended in 2005, when the Missouri Board of Fund Commissioners found the district didn't need the money from the charter schools to pay off the bonds.

The district alleged the state was reneging on a 1997 settlement in which the state paid $320 million to exit the district's desegregation case. The district, which remained a defendant until court supervision of the desegregation case ended in August 2003, said the settlement agreement stipulated that the state refrain from acts that would undermine the district.

The withholdings resumed after a federal judge ruled in 2006 that the money was needed to pay off the bonds. The district then sought to get back the $6.2 million it was unable to collect over that year.

In October, a Cole County judge sided with the Kansas City district. But the appeals court disagreed, saying the district had paid the money voluntarily and couldn't get it back.

All anyone can do at this point is to hope this district can save itself.

Link: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/aug/22/ruling-goes-against-kc-district/

KCMO School District: How embarrassing

A headline and story yesterday from Scott Simon that went national and international on NPR radio: Kansas City's Failed Schools Leave Students Behind. I think I'll just roll up in a ball over here in a corner. Link: http://www.npr.org/2012/02/18/147067123/kansas-citys-failed-schools-leave-students-behind

I need someone to give me $6 million to walk away

From The Star, yesterday: Kansas fires Turner Gill, begins search for new football coach University is willing to pay the $6 million price to move on as it seeks respectability I guess I'd even lower myself to being a former Kansas City, Missouri School District Superintendent and take, oh, I don't know, even as low as $250,000.00 to walk away. But I'll hold out a little while, for the first one. Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/27/3289732/ku-fires-turner-gill-begins-search.html

Please, KCMSD, please...

No new, big, ugly surprises this week, please. We're begging you. Haven't you had enough? We know we surely have.

Self-serving superintendent

Well, now we find out today that not only did now-former Kansas City Missouri School District Superintendent John Covington go shopping for a job elsewhere, FAR before his contract ended, AND lie about it, and then leave early, during the first week of a new school year--he's not done yet--NOW he also cherry-picked those 3 administrators that just left so he could take them with him to his new, high-paying job up there in Detroit, likely so it could help save his butt. Was this guy Machiavellian or what? Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/10/3258754/covington-introduces-three-from.html

That does it--the KCMSD is toast

News from the Star today says "At least three of Kansas City Public Schools’ core cabinet members are leaving the school district. The district’s chiefs in finance, academics and curriculum are on their way out, a development that is particularly distressing to Kansas City school board members who are angry because they think that Missouri Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro, whether intentional or not, is stirring panic among top staffers." If anyone, anywhere in town thought there might be a chance at all that the State of Missouri might not take over the District after all, especially after the assistance Russ Ptacek kind of gave them with his report this week, claiming Superintendent Covington lied about not looking for a job out of town ahead of time, well, you can forget it. It's all over but the shouting. Come on, January, 2012. Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/09/3257129/three-top-administrators-leaving.html

Good news and bad on the inevitable loss of accreditation

As expected and suspected, the Kansas City, Missouri School District lost its accreditation today. So it goes, eh? The bad news? It happened. The good news? The state gives 2 years to improve before it considers taking it over. Whew. Dodged that bullet. The change doesn't take effect until the first of the new year, so there's that. However: "If the district fails to rebound in time, the state must intervene. It could take over the district or dissolve it." (Quote from The Star. See link below). Yikes. The district’s interim superintendent, Steve Green, said "Our district now faces a critical test of one of the most important lessons in life — a test of our resilience and persistence. We can, and we will, bounce back from this setback.” The thing is, if you speak to teachers across the district, I wonder if they feel the same way. That is, I wonder if they think they, the students and parents of these students think they can "bounce back from this setback." I wouldn't put money on it. I hope it but don't think it likely. We'll see. Let's wish them all good luck and good thoughts and whatever help we can offer but ultimately, it's up to the parents of these children, the children themselves and the teachers and administrators of the district. Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/20/3155556/report-nicastro-says-kc-district.html

KCMSD Accreditation II

Word is on the street that the Kansas City, Missouri School District will, in fact, lose its accreditation sometime soon. I wish it weren't so but so be it--and stay tuned.

KCMSD Accreditation issues

The issue of whether the Kansas City, Missouri School District will keep or lose its accreditation is so huge, it can't be understated. At least three things seem to be true about it and should be pointed out. If the state Education office in Jefferson City thinks it is what must happen and what they must do, so be it, but they need to know--and I'm sure will keep in mind--that 1) they'll be biting off a great deal of work to chew, 2) that it will be very difficult, at least, to be able to make any improvements to the District from down in Jeff City, if it isn't impossible and 3), finally, that if parents and students then bail on this district and go to other local schools, instead, there will be a great deal more turmoil, first in this KCMO District and then in the area schools and districts that will have to take these students. Dr. Jim Henson, Superintendent out in Independence, said he wasn't even sure his schools could handle the fast influx that could possibly follow. Who's to say that lack of accreditation and "evacuation", so to speak, of the KC School District wouldn't be its "death knell"? So to the Missouri State Education Commission, I think everyone would caution them to be very careful here and do what must be done, certainly. But be aware, too, of the ramifications of any lack of accreditation. I'm sure they're aware of all this but it's absolutely worth repeating. These surely are "interesting times" in which we live. It would be nice if they were less "interesting." Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/16/3148021/kc-schools-in-danger-of-losing.html

Mr. West wants back in?

The Star reported the other day that, lo and behold--no surprise--"Mr. Three Names" Airick Leonard West wants back in on the Kansas City Missouri School District's School Board. Sure. No surprise. But could we make sure nothing--absolutely nothing--inappropriate, at least, if not out-and-out illegal was done on, with or about any--ANY--purchasing contracts in the District with Mr. West before this is even considered? It seemed to have some "legs", so to speak, at the beginning of the Dr. Covington brouhaha. If there's nothing to it, great, all for the good. If there is--heaven forbid--could we get to the bottom of it and see if any charges need to be filed and pursued? No school district needs to be "cleaner" than this one and it would be nice if it began now, if it hasn't already. Besides, if Mr. West hasn't done anything inappropriate, he would surely want all to know it. Link to original story: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/02/3117304/west-wants-back-in-as-kc-board.html

KCMO School Board Interim Superintendent

What was that all about, anyway? How is it that, two days ago, word came out that one seemingly very young (and white) Derek Richey was going to be the Interim Superintendent. Then, all of a sudden, yesterday it's announced that, no, no, Dr. R. Stephen Green, President and CEO of the Kauffman Scholars program is, after all. What the heck happened there? Anyone for bad and hasty communication? And I thought they also declared publicly that they wanted someone from inside the District that was on the previous superintendent's "team", so they had continuity. Where did that go? In the meantime, we still have that nagging question, too, about why Airick West stepped down and--most importantly--if he did anything illegal while in his position. Answers, please? Russ Ptacek? Can you get us anything here? Links: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/morning_call/2011/08/kc-school-board-president-west-resigns.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_kansascity+%28Kansas+City+Business+Journal%29; http://www.kmbc.com/news/29041546/detail.html; http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/31/us/31missouri.html?_r=1

KCMO School District questions now

The Kansas City Star reports today that Airick Leonard West, "Mr. Three Names", is stepping down from the School Board of the KCMO School District. With that, now there is now a big question this brings up: Is he stepping down because he meddled in the direction of the District and the Superintendent's job or did he do something/anything inapproporiate--even illegal--in the letting of a bid or bids for the District? Which is it? And if it isn't either of these, then why is he stepping down? I tell you what, there had better be a full examination of what went on at the District in the last couple years, to see if anything done was illegal. Then, if it was illegal, there had better be charges filed. Everyone's tired of that nonsense and agrees it should have stopped years ago. The people of Kansas City deserve far better. Link to original story: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/30/3110468/tomorrow-to-be-covingtons-last.html

In sharp and stark contrast to Dr. John Covington

There's a news story out today on Yahoo! News about a school superintendent who's in, as I said above, sharp contrast to our soon-to-be-leaving-because-he's-a-rat-deserting-a-ship-and-walking-away-from-his-commitments-and-responsibilities. This guy is--get this--giving back his annual salary of $800,000.00 to the school district even though he'll be running "325 schools and 35 school districts with 195,000 students, all for less than a starting California teacher earns." He is Fresno County (Fresno, California) School Superintendent Larry Powell and quoted saying: "How much do we need to keep accumulating?" asks Powell, 63. "There's no reason for me to keep stockpiling money." To which I have to ask, how do you suppose the Kansas City, Missouri School District could possibly find such a superintendent for our schools? Link to original story: http://news.yahoo.com/school-superintendent-gives-800k-pay-150206667.html

A "Dr. John Covington Lesson"

An old friend of mine works for the KCMO School District and has for several years. He works hard and has a good reputation in the District for doing what needs to be done, frankly, and being a good teacher. So much so that they made him a Teacher instructor (I can't remember the exact title) but basically, a teacher who helps teachers be better teachers. At the beginning of this school year, he was offered a great job at one of the Charter Schools, which he would have loved, first, and secondly, which are offered rarely and only to good teachers. So did he take it? No, no he didn't. And do you know why? He didn't take the better job at the better school because he had made commitments already, to the work he was supposed to be doing and because it was the beginning of the school year, for pity's sake and you just don't leave people "in the lurch" like that, scrambling for a replacement like that. At least you don't unless you're one Superintendeny Dr. John Covington. Then all bets are off. "Screw 'em", right, Dr. Covington?

An open note to Dr. John Covington

Dr. Covington, May you have someone do this to you one day--and very soon. That is, take on a responsibility and then, just as it is to get under way, they stab you in the figurative back and resign the job. It's either that or rot in hell but the first one seems far more civilized. Signed, the children and staff of the Kansas City, Missouri School District and the business community and citizens of Kansas City, Missouri. P.S. Airick Leonard West especially sends his thoughts.

The answers needed about Dr. Covington remain the same

I wrote these a couple days ago, right after Dr. Covington resigned. Here it is a couple days later and they're still relevant and we need answers to the following: 1) Why now? 2) Why all of a sudden? 3) It seems as though some event must have triggered this resignation, surely. What "event" was that? 4) Is there any truth to the rumor about this somehow being involved with a large ($86 million) contract Airick West is somehow supposedly involved in? Is Airick West "dirty" on this? (http://www.kctv5.com/story/15328292/covington-resigns-as-superintendent?clienttype=printable) 5) Was Dr. Covington in any way forced out? (The answer to this seems to be no but we aren't really sure). 6) If so, if that's the case, by whom? 7) Why in heck (I want to say hell) would the superintendent resign at the BEGINNING of the school year? That seems to suggest there was or is some big problem and/or reason for this resignation. 8) If that's the case, what is that big reason? 9) Was this due in part or in whole to some problem--the contract or something else--with Airick West? 10) If so, what was that problem and why is/was it insurmountable? For now, that's enough but the fact is, the answers to these questions alone would be long ones. I hope we find out soon. Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/24/3097178/covington-steps-down.html; http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=108245961; http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/25/3097850/state-commissioner-says-kc-districts.html; http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/covington-could-have-handled-airick-west/; http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/benson-says-board-community-didnt-protect-covington/

Questions on Dr. Covington's resignation

Oh, yeah, we have questions: 1) Why now? 2) Why all of a sudden? 3) It seems as though some event must have triggered this resignation, surely. What "event" was that? 4) Is there any truth to the rumor about this somehow being involved with a large ($86 million) contract Airich West is somehow supposedly involved in? 5) Was Dr. Covington in any way forced out? 6) If so, if that's the case, by whom was he forced out? 7) Why in heck (I want to say hell) would the superintendent resign at the BEGINNING of the school year? That seems to suggest there was or is some big problem and/or reason for this resignation. 8) If that's the case, what is that big reason? 9) Was this due in part or in whole to some problem--the contract or something else--with Airick West? 10) If so, what was that problem and why is/was it insurmountable? For now, that's enough but the fact is, the answers to these questions alone would be long ones. I hope we find out soon. Links: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/24/3097178/covington-steps-down.html; http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=108245961; http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/25/3097850/state-commissioner-says-kc-districts.html; http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/covington-could-have-handled-airick-west/; http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/benson-says-board-community-didnt-protect-covington/

KCMO School District: No foundations

I saw this in Sunday's Star:
KC School District tries again to start a foundation
When it comes to education foundations, the Kansas City School District has a lot of ground to make up.

On Thursday the district tries again to start accumulating the kind of philanthropic support that most area school districts — including Kansas City — launched 10 to 20 years ago.

A gala dinner, showcasing student talent, complete with an art show, music and dance, comes at $75 a plate or $1,000 to sponsor a table of 10. The site is the Kansas City Marriott Downtown’s Muehlebach Tower.

At least two previous attempts to launch a foundation — in 1996 and 2006 — failed to take hold, getting lost in changing administrations and suffering flagging community confidence.

Hopefully this can get off the ground this time.

But here's the kicker(s):

--

The 

Shawnee Mission School District’s foundation 

currently controls 

$1.8 million

while giving away hundreds of scholarships and excellence in education grants.

--The 

Independence School District’s foundation 

now has a net worth of more than

$1.6 million 

in more than 150 funds. In the spring of 2010 it 

awarded more than $120,000 in student scholarships and grants.

--

The 

Hickman Mills School District, less than half the size of Kansas City but with similar proportions of low-income families, has awarded nearly 

$530,000 in student scholarships and classroom grants since 2000

.

Ouch.  That hurts.

Time to get busy.
Wait.
Check that.
Make that busier.

Link to original post:  http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/05/2702021/kc-school-district-tries-again.html

Article for Superintendent Covington?

There is an excellent article in The New York Times today, wherein a reporter (Javier Hernandez) writes briefly of and then interviews now-outgoing Chancellor of the New York School District Joel Klein.

Besides being an interesting look at an intelligent, hard-working guy who tried to help the students and school system, it reads as--possibly--a pretty good lesson, if you will, for our Kansas City School District Superintendent John Covington.

Mr. Klein's self-criticism:  "We weren't bold enough."

(Understand, I'm not saying Mr. Covington is not being bold enough, by any means.  He has done monumental work on this District.)

Link to original post:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/nyregion/26klein.html?hpw

Prediction on KCMO School District first day

Imagine you're a school district. (Bear with me). Now imagine you've closed about 1/2 of the school buildings in your district earlier in the year because you were 50 million dollars in debt and needed to. Further, imagine you have taken all the schoolchildren from those closed schools and put them in the remaining, open school buildings. Then, keep in mind you had a rough, busy Summer, trying to coordinate the school closings while also trying to figure out which teachers stay and which go while, at the same time, trying to figure out a new curriculum for the kids, and, finally, trying to make sure you at least keep the kid's scores where they are, if not higher. Okay, last thing you have to do (though this certainly wasn't really all you had to do this fateful Summer)--coordinate all the kids, all the schools and all the buses so all the right kids go to all the right, new, unfamiliar schools on the same first day--at least a few of which have school populations that have increased by a whopping 30% (from about 600 to 900+ kids, for example). Now tell me, what do YOU think is going to take place?