Susan lays out some of her thoughts on how we go forward with education in Vermont. It's not just about aides ...
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Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Larger School Districts and Education Spending
Larger districts will offer more educational opportunities for children and save money. We need work together to reduce spending on education.
"Half our budget deficit next year, $60 million, is the general fund contribution to education. If we meet that obligation, we are breaking the back of other general fund services. To not meet them, and this is the no-win situation, is breaking the back of the property taxpayer."
"Not every special needs child belongs in the classroom all the time."
Susan Bartlett talks about education to the VT NEA. She discusses the importance of improving our educational system to benefit the children and the people who work in our schools.
Susan Bartlett Speaks to the NEA About Education from Susan Bartlett on Vimeo.
Susan Bartlett Speaks to the NEA About Education from Susan Bartlett on Vimeo.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Fairness and Diversity
How will I change the structure and tone of state government?
Right now I think state government is tone deaf on the issues of diversity. The changing population is something we are watching and mostly going “wow this is different”. There have been token appointments and conversations, but the reality is we don’t have any idea what to do. As governor I would convene a series of public meetings to talk about the various issues and work with state and local government to develop solutions. The real solution is education and that takes time, but it is the most effective way to go. Taking an issue and keeping it visible is the best way to get good results. That’s the power a governor has, to take an issue and make it public and keep constructive conversations going.
Appointments to boards
This administration has misused their power of appointment and has used many appointments as political rewards. My approach to board appointments would be to ask the various groups that are involved with the board to make recommendations. As a new and important part of the process I would include individuals who are working in the area of diversity and fairness to participate in the recommendation of individuals for boards. The comment about Native American’s and District Environmental Commissions is an excellent example. One of the problems is we don’t know what we don’t know. So a key to moving forward is getting a different point of view as base line input for recommendations.
Hate Groups
I return to the issue of education. I can see an entire series of public service ads talking about these issues. They would be made with public officials, regular citizens, law enforcement, and all kinds of Vermonters, of all types of ethnic backgrounds. Vermont has a long history of welcoming all folks; it’s time to get back to that behavior.
Vermont brand
As governor I would celebrate the growing diversity of our state and show that pride in our advertising and promotion of Vermont. We are still in the process of figuring out how to develop innovation and intellectual property as economic development and there is no reason that these issues have any ethnicity attached to them. I would develop an introduction to diversity daylong program that would be given to all state workers and any group that receives state dollars. It would at least be a start in developing awareness.
School Issues
I wish I had an easy answer for this question. We have passed laws that have resulted in attempts to address bullying, harassment and hate crimes and as you say they have come to nothing. There must be programs in other states that have been effective in training educators in these issues. I believe we need a total education and sensitizing set of programs to truly move forward. How long has the south been integrated and how much progress has been made?
I don’t think the issue is large or small districts; the issue is human nature and ignorance. For many years I have felt that half the trauma for the state of Vermont surrounding Civil Unions was that for years Vermonters had prided themselves on “not being like other state” and not being prejudiced. Civil Unions smacked us right in the head and said “Oh yea, you think you’re not prejudiced? How come you’re acting like this?”
Right now I think state government is tone deaf on the issues of diversity. The changing population is something we are watching and mostly going “wow this is different”. There have been token appointments and conversations, but the reality is we don’t have any idea what to do. As governor I would convene a series of public meetings to talk about the various issues and work with state and local government to develop solutions. The real solution is education and that takes time, but it is the most effective way to go. Taking an issue and keeping it visible is the best way to get good results. That’s the power a governor has, to take an issue and make it public and keep constructive conversations going.
Appointments to boards
This administration has misused their power of appointment and has used many appointments as political rewards. My approach to board appointments would be to ask the various groups that are involved with the board to make recommendations. As a new and important part of the process I would include individuals who are working in the area of diversity and fairness to participate in the recommendation of individuals for boards. The comment about Native American’s and District Environmental Commissions is an excellent example. One of the problems is we don’t know what we don’t know. So a key to moving forward is getting a different point of view as base line input for recommendations.
Hate Groups
I return to the issue of education. I can see an entire series of public service ads talking about these issues. They would be made with public officials, regular citizens, law enforcement, and all kinds of Vermonters, of all types of ethnic backgrounds. Vermont has a long history of welcoming all folks; it’s time to get back to that behavior.
Vermont brand
As governor I would celebrate the growing diversity of our state and show that pride in our advertising and promotion of Vermont. We are still in the process of figuring out how to develop innovation and intellectual property as economic development and there is no reason that these issues have any ethnicity attached to them. I would develop an introduction to diversity daylong program that would be given to all state workers and any group that receives state dollars. It would at least be a start in developing awareness.
School Issues
I wish I had an easy answer for this question. We have passed laws that have resulted in attempts to address bullying, harassment and hate crimes and as you say they have come to nothing. There must be programs in other states that have been effective in training educators in these issues. I believe we need a total education and sensitizing set of programs to truly move forward. How long has the south been integrated and how much progress has been made?
I don’t think the issue is large or small districts; the issue is human nature and ignorance. For many years I have felt that half the trauma for the state of Vermont surrounding Civil Unions was that for years Vermonters had prided themselves on “not being like other state” and not being prejudiced. Civil Unions smacked us right in the head and said “Oh yea, you think you’re not prejudiced? How come you’re acting like this?”
While Vermont has been “white,” the prejudice against the French Canadians and the Italians has been very real and very nasty. Just because a state has been all white doesn’t mean it free from prejudice.
What sets me apart?
I was born in Massachusetts and raised in South Carolina. My family moved to Orleans, Vermont in 1962 when I was entering the 11th grade. My father worked in textiles and my mother worked for a lawyer. They were totally supportive of integrating schools and raised my brother and I to judge each person as an individual.
A woman of color worked for us so there was someone at home when my brother and I got home from school. My parents spent 3 years trying to convince Johnny Mae to use the front door. She never would. As the violence was increasing, my father had the chance to take a job in Vermont.
My parents saw they had two children who thought all folks were equal and that we were in for a very difficult time as some of our school friends began to take sides in the issue of integration. So my parents made the decision to leave the south and move to Vermont for their children's well being.
I have never shared this story before. When the issue of Civil Unions came along, I felt that I was being given the opportunity to act on a civil rights issue in a way that my parents had never had the opportunity to, and if they had still been alive would have been so proud and happy that I had that chance. So I think that kind of awareness makes me different than all the rest.
What sets me apart?
I was born in Massachusetts and raised in South Carolina. My family moved to Orleans, Vermont in 1962 when I was entering the 11th grade. My father worked in textiles and my mother worked for a lawyer. They were totally supportive of integrating schools and raised my brother and I to judge each person as an individual.
A woman of color worked for us so there was someone at home when my brother and I got home from school. My parents spent 3 years trying to convince Johnny Mae to use the front door. She never would. As the violence was increasing, my father had the chance to take a job in Vermont.
My parents saw they had two children who thought all folks were equal and that we were in for a very difficult time as some of our school friends began to take sides in the issue of integration. So my parents made the decision to leave the south and move to Vermont for their children's well being.
I have never shared this story before. When the issue of Civil Unions came along, I felt that I was being given the opportunity to act on a civil rights issue in a way that my parents had never had the opportunity to, and if they had still been alive would have been so proud and happy that I had that chance. So I think that kind of awareness makes me different than all the rest.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bartlett Supports Re-structuring State Government
Wednesday, 06/23/10 7:34am
Bob Kinzel - Montpelier, VT
(Host) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Susan Bartlett says it's critical to restructure all of state government along the lines of the recently passed Challenges for Change bill.
Bartlett says developing an outcomes based approach to the state budget is one way to improve government services without raising new taxes.
VPRs Bob Kinzel reports
(Kinzel) As chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations committee, Susan Bartlett played a key role in the drafting of next year's budget. As part of the process, Bartlett became a strong supporter of the so called "Challenges for Change" bill.
It's legislation that reduced state spending by roughly $30 million by implementing a system of outcome based standards for a number of state programs.
Backers of this approach said it was a positive way to deliver essential services without making serious budget cuts. Critics said the bill was all fluff and no substance and they argued that the legislation would hurt people who rely on state services.
Senator Bartlett is one of the five Democrats running for Governor this year. Speaking on VPR, she said the "Challenges" approach is a central part of her campaign:
(Bartlett) "I'm not afraid to say this is what we need to do we need to change how we are delivering services we can't keep doing things the same way there needs to be a significant structural change this isn't about efficiencies this is about significant structural change and that's not popular because that's scary."
(Kinzel) Bartlett says performance standards need to be established for all programs to be certain that state revenues are being targeted in the most effective way:
(Bartlett) "We might be spending a lot of money on child abuse but if we aren't measuring to know if we're really making progress in preventing child abuse then we may be spending a lot of money but not getting the results with the goal with this would here are the outcomes you're going to measure them so you're going to know if you're making progress and if you're aren't masking progress then you can change the strategy."
(Kinzel) Bartlett acknowledges that two of her opponents, senators Doug Racine and Peter Shumlin also voted for the "Challenges Bill," but she says they don't share her enthusiasm for the legislation:
(Bartlett) "But if you listen to them talking about it, it's a different approach I believe."
(Kinzel) Bartlett says she also supports imposing performance based standards on hundreds of independent contracts that the state authorizes every year.
For VPR News, I'm Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.
Bob Kinzel - Montpelier, VT
(Host) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Susan Bartlett says it's critical to restructure all of state government along the lines of the recently passed Challenges for Change bill.
Bartlett says developing an outcomes based approach to the state budget is one way to improve government services without raising new taxes.
VPRs Bob Kinzel reports
(Kinzel) As chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations committee, Susan Bartlett played a key role in the drafting of next year's budget. As part of the process, Bartlett became a strong supporter of the so called "Challenges for Change" bill.
It's legislation that reduced state spending by roughly $30 million by implementing a system of outcome based standards for a number of state programs.
Backers of this approach said it was a positive way to deliver essential services without making serious budget cuts. Critics said the bill was all fluff and no substance and they argued that the legislation would hurt people who rely on state services.
Senator Bartlett is one of the five Democrats running for Governor this year. Speaking on VPR, she said the "Challenges" approach is a central part of her campaign:
(Bartlett) "I'm not afraid to say this is what we need to do we need to change how we are delivering services we can't keep doing things the same way there needs to be a significant structural change this isn't about efficiencies this is about significant structural change and that's not popular because that's scary."
(Kinzel) Bartlett says performance standards need to be established for all programs to be certain that state revenues are being targeted in the most effective way:
(Bartlett) "We might be spending a lot of money on child abuse but if we aren't measuring to know if we're really making progress in preventing child abuse then we may be spending a lot of money but not getting the results with the goal with this would here are the outcomes you're going to measure them so you're going to know if you're making progress and if you're aren't masking progress then you can change the strategy."
(Kinzel) Bartlett acknowledges that two of her opponents, senators Doug Racine and Peter Shumlin also voted for the "Challenges Bill," but she says they don't share her enthusiasm for the legislation:
(Bartlett) "But if you listen to them talking about it, it's a different approach I believe."
(Kinzel) Bartlett says she also supports imposing performance based standards on hundreds of independent contracts that the state authorizes every year.
For VPR News, I'm Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Child Support Enforcement is Important
The Douglas administration has failed to seriously address the issue of non-payment of child support. The vast majority of single parents who receive child support are women, so while I acknowledge there are a small percentage of fathers in this situation, I see it as primarily a topic for women and their children.
Many women who need assistance from the state are left asking for help because the absent parent fails to make support payments. The system is so cumbersome that many women simple give up and stop trying to get the state to collect the back payments. It is time consuming and intimidating to have to go to court over and over in an attempt to get the money that is owed. Children are the true victims in these situations. There is currently more than $1 million in back child support payment owed to parents in this state. Certainly some of that money will never be collected, but it is way past time the state take this as a serious situation and make some fundamental changes.
I took the opportunity of Challenges for Change to work with the department of children and families, the office of child support, the tax department, the department of labor, the judiciary and law enforcement to have a serious conversation regarding getting better compliance with the requirements of child support. There are several key issues; the office of child support is understaffed and does not have “field” workers who can go and check up on non-paying parents; tax and labor have no way to check folks who are working under the table; the court system lacks time to have these issues seen as a high priority and does not have simple systems in place for a parent to ask for assistance.
It became obvious to all parties that the remedy for this situation need not be overly complex. When a parent fails to make payments, the office of child support can contact local law enforcement to check out the situation. Frequently the custodial parent knows where the other parent is and what they are doing for work. Local law enforcement can then serve the necessary paperwork and begin the process of collection.
As governor, I will make sure that children stop being the victims of non-payment of child support.
Many women who need assistance from the state are left asking for help because the absent parent fails to make support payments. The system is so cumbersome that many women simple give up and stop trying to get the state to collect the back payments. It is time consuming and intimidating to have to go to court over and over in an attempt to get the money that is owed. Children are the true victims in these situations. There is currently more than $1 million in back child support payment owed to parents in this state. Certainly some of that money will never be collected, but it is way past time the state take this as a serious situation and make some fundamental changes.
I took the opportunity of Challenges for Change to work with the department of children and families, the office of child support, the tax department, the department of labor, the judiciary and law enforcement to have a serious conversation regarding getting better compliance with the requirements of child support. There are several key issues; the office of child support is understaffed and does not have “field” workers who can go and check up on non-paying parents; tax and labor have no way to check folks who are working under the table; the court system lacks time to have these issues seen as a high priority and does not have simple systems in place for a parent to ask for assistance.
It became obvious to all parties that the remedy for this situation need not be overly complex. When a parent fails to make payments, the office of child support can contact local law enforcement to check out the situation. Frequently the custodial parent knows where the other parent is and what they are doing for work. Local law enforcement can then serve the necessary paperwork and begin the process of collection.
As governor, I will make sure that children stop being the victims of non-payment of child support.
Affordable Childcare is Important to Education and Our Economy
Affordable childcare has been an issue for many years all over America. As long as American’s demand low taxes, services such as high quality, affordable child care will be an issue for most working women.
I believe that childcare should be viewed as an important part of our educational system. More and more research shows that the early years of growth and development are important. Investments in early education and high quality day care are in reality an economic savings. Affordable, high quality day care allows women to work and to become part of our growing economy and it allows children access to the early learning opportunities that are so important for success in school.
As governor I would begin to address this issue by removing the cap on pre-school positions. It is horrible that children have to win a lottery and that schools have to say no to what we understand now is the foundation for good education. Next I would work to educate Vermonters on the value of these programs. I think it is very encouraging that the Business Roundtable is once again talking about this issue as the key to future economic growth in Vermont.
I believe that the key to this issue is the understanding and support of the entire business community. I do not believe it would be overly expensive to provide all of Vermont children access to high quality childcare. The real issue is convincing Vermonters that the early dollar investment is not only smart, but also saves dollars in the long run by encouraging the success of every child.
As governor I would also propose that all day care, preschool and school meals are free and nutritious. Why? First they should be free because so many parents will not apply for the assistance, so their children go without. Next, when children are hungry, they cannot focus on learning, they simply think and worry about their next meal. In a state with so much, how can we allow any child to go hungry? By combining the money we already spend on school meals, we could meet this goal with little additional spending and we could achieve immediate, positive results for children.
I believe that childcare should be viewed as an important part of our educational system. More and more research shows that the early years of growth and development are important. Investments in early education and high quality day care are in reality an economic savings. Affordable, high quality day care allows women to work and to become part of our growing economy and it allows children access to the early learning opportunities that are so important for success in school.
As governor I would begin to address this issue by removing the cap on pre-school positions. It is horrible that children have to win a lottery and that schools have to say no to what we understand now is the foundation for good education. Next I would work to educate Vermonters on the value of these programs. I think it is very encouraging that the Business Roundtable is once again talking about this issue as the key to future economic growth in Vermont.
I believe that the key to this issue is the understanding and support of the entire business community. I do not believe it would be overly expensive to provide all of Vermont children access to high quality childcare. The real issue is convincing Vermonters that the early dollar investment is not only smart, but also saves dollars in the long run by encouraging the success of every child.
As governor I would also propose that all day care, preschool and school meals are free and nutritious. Why? First they should be free because so many parents will not apply for the assistance, so their children go without. Next, when children are hungry, they cannot focus on learning, they simply think and worry about their next meal. In a state with so much, how can we allow any child to go hungry? By combining the money we already spend on school meals, we could meet this goal with little additional spending and we could achieve immediate, positive results for children.
Education Spending and Quality Goals
Well-educated citizens have the knowledge and confidence to invent new products, start new businesses, be great employees, and to be active participants in their communities, be it as a basketball coach, a volunteer firefighter, a select board member, or a member of a local theater group. We owe it to our students to prepare them to compete in our rapidly changing world.
Act 60
Act 60 has worked to equalize spending among Vermont's communities, thereby compiling with the Supreme Court's Brigham decision and ensuring that all children have the same access to education, regardless of a town's property wealth. However, changes must be made to the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) to make our educational funding formula less confusing. I favor replacing the system with a statewide, three-year rotating professional appraisal.
Vermont must reduce spending statewide in order to reduce local school taxes
Vermont is among the highest per pupil spending in the country, and Vermonters are frustrated by rising property taxes. It is important to understand that school taxes are determined not only by what we spend, but by what is spent across the state on education as a whole. In order to reduce taxes at the local level, we need to take a system-wide approach to reducing spending.
We can control spending and enhance educational opportunity in Vermont
Here is what I would support as Governor:
Larger School Districts - Vermont should have 16 school districts (as opposed to the current 307). The path to getting to larger districts needs to be paved by requiring all districts to implement best practices in administration over two years with the goal of creating larger districts in five years.
Minimum-Maximum Class Sizes - Each district would adopt a minimum-maximum class size policy. This would mean greater job security for teachers, increased flexibility for staff planning, and reduction in costs associated with the hiring process. In addition, it would keep investments made in professional development within each district, increase capacity and help preserve some of our smaller schools.
Critical Evaluation of Special Education - Our schools and our property taxes have become the deep pockets of special education/social services. We need to have our department of education define what truly belongs as an educational cost and what is a "social cost. I believe it is correct to have education taxes pay for educational costs, and the general fund pay the social costs.
Teacher Support and Training - I believe that the most significant progress toward the success of all children happens in classrooms with excellent teachers who base their work on research proven instruction and educational practice; for example, differentiated instruction as a method of teaching and workstations as a strategy to help all students to learn.
Read the detailed policy paper.
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