Quantcast
Channel: Carla Ranger - Dallas ISD Education Blog
Viewing all 89 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into law a package of education bills today - House Bill 5

June 10, 2013, 9:30 pm
$
0
0



Texas Association of School Boards Update: Governor signs HB 5 into Law


"Gov. Rick Perry today signed into law a package of education bills today that he said will improve opportunities for Texas students.
  
Key among those bills was House Bill 5, which reduces end-of-course exams required for graduation from 15 to 5; provides multiple pathways to graduation through endorsement plans in which students may take classes that are more relevant to their chosen career paths; and establishes a new A-F accountability system for districts – not campuses.

Other bills signed by the governor include:

HB 809 requires the Texas Workforce Commission to provide quarterly updates to TEA regarding current and projected employment opportunities. School districts will use the information to plan and implement career and technology education and training programs.

HB 2201 would require the SBOE to approve at least six advanced technology and career-related courses that satisfy the third and fourth credits in math and science.

SB 441 establishes the Texas Fast Start Program to identify and develop methods supporting competency-based, rapid-deployment education delivery models that maximize academic or workforce education credit from public junior and state colleges and technical institutions in order to expedite entry into the workforce. The Texas Workforce Commission will collaborate with the THECB, junior and state colleges, and technical institutes. Fast start programs will focus on current and future employment needs and will enable students to obtain accelerated postsecondary certifications and degrees in high-demand fields.

HB 3662 creates the Texas Workforce Innovation Needs Program to provide selected school districts, public institutions of higher education, and private or independent institutions of higher education with the opportunity to establish innovative programs designed to prepare students for careers for which there is demand in this state."
↧
Search

Texas Education Agency House Bill 5 Guidance

June 13, 2013, 5:30 am
$
0
0
From Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Governmental Relations
"The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced initial requirements regarding the assessment component of House Bill 5, recently signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry. The Texas Legislature passed HB 5 by more than a two-thirds majority, making the law effective immediately after the governor’s signature.
High school students are now required to pass five end-of-course exams, and TEA’s letter will help districts begin preparing for the new graduation requirements.
 According to TEA’s letter:
  • HB 5 requires reading and writing be combined and given in a single day. High school students who have to date passed English I or English II reading but not English I or English II writing (or vice versa) will still need to successfully complete the second test to meet graduation requirements.
  • Assessments in Algebra II, geometry, English III, chemistry, physics, world geography, and world history have been eliminated from the testing requirements and will not be included in the July 2013 STAAR administration.
  • End-of-course assessments will continue to be offered in Algebra I, English I, English II, biology, and U.S. history.
  • Accelerated instruction is required for students who did not perform satisfactorily on end-of-course exams required for graduation under HB 5 (Algebra I, English I (reading/writing), English II (reading/writing), biology, and U.S. history).
  • Accelerated instruction is not required for end-of-course exams in chemistry, physics, Algebra II, geometry, world history, world geography and English III."
Texas Education Agency (TEA) Letter-Click Here
 
    ↧
    ↧

    Superintendent Mike Miles' elimination of Chief of Staff position violates board policy BJCG(LOCAL) - succession plan

    June 22, 2013, 6:00 am
    $
    0
    0
    "Miles said he has decided not to name a new Chief of Staff. Instead, he has distributed those operational duties among his senior staff." Dallas ISD News Release - Thursday, June 20, 2013
    Dallas ISD previously adopted a succession plan to temporarily replace a departing Superintendent until an Interim Superintendent is named by the Board of Trustees. The policy states:
    "The chief of staff shall assume the duties of the Superintendent until the Interim Superintendent is selected by a majority of the Board."                     BJCG (LOCAL)
    By eliminating the Chief of Staff position, Superintendent Mike Miles is violating Board policy BJCG (LOCAL) which designates the Chief of Staff as the successor to the Superintendent.

    The Superintendent is also violating his employment contract that requires that all policies of the district be followed.

    Superintendent Mike Miles has no authority to arbitrarily eliminate a position that is required by Board policy BJCG (LOCAL). 

    Who temporarily replaces the Superintendent now?

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "Changes under the reorganization include:
    Eliminating the chief of staff position, left vacant by Jerome Oberlton, who was recently indicted on federal charges for allegedly taking kickbacks in his former job in Atlanta Public Schools."Breaking news: Superintendent Mike Miles reorganizes cabinet as two chiefs leave Dallas ISD  -DMN - June 20, 2013
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hail to the Chiel: Dallas ISD Board of Trustees to Finally Vote on Order of Succession This Week
    Dallas ISD blog: Trustee Carla Ranger calls for superintendent succession plan Sept. 21, 2010 - DMN
    Superintendent Hinojosa wants to leave - time for succession plan
    Dallas ISD Chief of Staff automatically becomes Interim Superintendent in event of vacancy
    ↧

    Texas Association of School Boards Legal Services summary of House Bill 5

    June 22, 2013, 7:00 pm
    $
    0
    0

    HB 5 Summary

    "TASB Legal Services has completed its summary of House Bill 5 (HB 5), which makes significant changes to public school curriculum, assessment and accountability.

    This and a complete list of other education-related bills that passed this session will be available in the 2013 TASB Legislative Summary for School Officials. The document will be available to download free of charge in late July. Information on its release will be available in the Legislative Report upon the document's completion.

    House Bill 5

    Effective date:  June 10, 2013. Applies beginning with the 2014-15 school year, except as indicated below.

    90 percent rule:  Effective in 2013-14, a student in any grade k-12 may not receive credit or a final grade if the student attends class less than 90 percent of the days the class is offered, absent extenuating circumstances. 

    End-of-course exams:  Effective in 2013-14, students must pass five EOC exams in order to graduate: Algebra I, Biology, English I (including reading and writing in a single exam), English II (including reading and writing in a single exam), and US History.  Requirements that students achieve a minimum score on each EOC and a cumulative score in each academic area in order to graduate are eliminated, as is the mandate that EOC scores count as 15 percent of students’ final course grades.  TEA must assign a scale score on each required EOC and covert the score to an equivalent score on a 100-point scale.  A student’s performance on an EOC exam may not be used to determine class rank for any purpose, including Top Ten Percent. 

    By October 1, 2013, the commissioner must adopt rules to determine a method by which performance on an AP, IB, ACT, SAT, PSAT, ACT-Plan, or other national norm-referenced exam used by higher education to award credit will be used to satisfy EOC requirements.  A special education student’s ARDC will decide whether the student must pass the EOCs in order to graduate.  

    Limit on benchmarks:  Effective in 2013-14, a school district may not administer more than two benchmark assessments to prepare for a corresponding state-mandated assessment.  A parent of a special needs student may request additional benchmarks be administered to the parent’s child. 

    Accelerated instruction:  Effective in 2013-14, absent parental permission, a student may not be removed for remedial instruction for more than 10 percent of the days a class is offered.  Effectively immediately, school districts must offer, at no cost to students, accelerated instruction before the next test administration to students who fail an EOC exam for Algebra I, biology, English I & II, or US history.  The instruction may require participation outside of normal school hours or normal school operations.  Districts must budget separately for accelerated instruction, and compensatory education funds may not be budgeted for any other purpose until the district sets a budget for accelerated instruction.  Districts must evaluate the effectiveness of accelerated instruction and hold an annual public hearing on the results.   

    College prep courses:  Each school district must partner with at least one institution of higher education to provide college prep courses in math and English.  The course may be offered either on the high school campus or online. If a district determines that a rising senior is unlikely to pass an EOC exam, the district must require the student to enroll in the corresponding college prep course (if available); the college prep course assessment can be used to satisfy the EOC requirement.

    High school graduation requirements:  To graduate under the foundation program, students must complete:
    • Four credits in English (English I-III and one advanced course)
    • Three credits in math (Algebra I, geometry, and one advanced course)
    • Three credits in science (biology, and either two advanced courses, or one advanced course and one integrated physics and chemistry course)
    • Three credits in social studies (US history, .5 government, .5 economics, and world geography and/or world history) 
    • Two credits in the same foreign language or a computer programming language, with SBOE to adopt exceptions for students with disabilities or who are otherwise unlikely to complete this requirement
    • One credit in fine arts
    • One credit in PE, absent an exception (may be an approved private program)
    • Five electives
    Distinguished level of achievement:  A student earns a distinguished level of achievement in the high school foundation program if the student completes:
    • four credits in math, including geometry, Algebra I and II, and another advanced math course (or CTE course, as permitted by SBOE rule)
    • four credits in science, including biology, and either two advanced courses, or one advanced course and one integrated physics and chemistry course (or CTE course, as permitted by SBOE rule)
    • the remaining foundation program credits, and
    • at least one endorsement (all of which must require two additional elective credits)
    All districts must offer Algebra II to be accredited.

    Endorsements:  The endorsements are STEM, business and industry, public services, arts and humanities, and multidisciplinary studies.  If a school district offers only one endorsement, it must be multidisciplinary studies.  A district must ensure that on entering ninth grade each student indicates in writing an endorsement the student intends to earn.  A district must permit a student to choose at any time to earn an endorsement other than the one the student previously indicated.  A student may graduate under the foundation program without an endorsement if, after the student’s sophomore year, the student and parent are advised by a school counselor of the benefits of graduating with an endorsement and the parent provides written permission on a TEA form. 

    Transition plan:  The commissioner must adopt a transition plan from the current high school programs to the new program beginning with the 2014-15 school year.  Any student in ninth grade in 2013-14 or before may graduate under one of the current plans or the foundation program.  By commissioner’s rule, a 2013-14 high school senior who does not satisfy the curriculum requirements of his current program may graduate if the student satisfies the foundation program and any other graduation requirements. 

    Personal graduation plans:  Starting in 2014-15, middle schools must develop PGPs for students who fail a state assessment or who are unlikely to graduate from high school within five years.  High schools must provide a state-mandated notice and counsel entering ninth graders and their parents about graduation options, including the distinguished level and endorsements.  By the end of the school year, the student and parent must sign a PGP that identifies a course of study.  A student may change his or her PGP; if so, the district must notify the student’s parent. 

    Counseling about postsecondary requirements:  Counseling about postsecondary education, which had been required during the first and last years of high school, is now required in every year of high school. 

    Top Ten Percent and college admissions:  Unless an exception applies, a student must graduate at the distinguished level of achievement to be eligible for automatic admission through the Top Ten Percent.  A student who is not eligible for automatic admission may apply to any general academic teaching institution if the student completed the foundation program or achieved a certain score on the SAT or ACT.  

    Career and Technical Education:  With school board approval, a district may offer a course, apprenticeship, or other training for credit without SBOE approval if the district develops the program in partnership with an institution of higher education and local businesses, labor, and community leaders, and the program allows students to enter a regional career and technology training program, an institution of higher education without remediation, an apprenticeship, or an internship for an industry-recognized credential.  By September 1, 2014, the SBOE must ensure at least six new advanced CTE or technology applications courses, including personal financial literacy and statistics, are approved to satisfy a fourth credit in math. The state CTE plan must require districts, to the extent possible, to allow CTE students to enroll in dual enrollment courses that lead to a degree, license, or certification as part of the program.  The district will receive a subsidy for paying for a student’s career certification exam.  

    Instructional Materials Allotment funds:  Effective immediately, TEA will provide districts an estimate of IMA funds for the next fiscal year, and districts and charter schools will be able to pre-order materials up to 80 percent of the estimate. 

    Accountability:  Beginning in 2013-14, and regardless of the date on which a student originally enrolled in a US school, unless a student is enrolled in school in the US for at least 60 consecutive days during a year, the student may not be considered enrolled in a US school for the purpose of determining a number of years for purposes of eligibility for an alternative assessment for LEP. Also effective with the 2013-14 school year, a student who was previously reported as a dropout but who reenrolls and drops out again is not included in the district's dropout calculation, regardless of the number of times this occurs.

    Performance ratings:  Beginning with the 2016-17 school year, the commissioner must assign each school district a performance rating of A, B, C, D or F, setting rules to determine the criteria for each rating.  The commissioner will assign each campus a rating of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, or unacceptable.  A district may not receive an "A" if it has any unacceptable campus.  Effective in 2013-14, in evaluating campus and charter school performance, the commissioner shall evaluate against the student achievement indicators set in Texas Education Code section 39.053, except, to the greatest extent possible, when an indicator to measure growth would negatively affect the rating of a campus achieving at the highest level.  

    New community and student engagement rating:  Beginning in 2013-14, by August 8 annually, each district must evaluate the district and each of its campuses in community and student engagement, assign the district and each campus a rating based on criteria set by a local committee, and report the rating to TEA. 

    Distinction designations:  Beginning in 2013-14, distinction designations for outstanding performance are expanded and must be directly referenced in connection with a district or campus performance rating and made available publicly together with the performance ratings.  

    FIRST rating system:  The financial accountability rating system will be expanded to include processes for anticipating future financial solvency for each district including analysis of district revenues and expenses for preceding years.  The commissioner, in consultation with the comptroller, must set criteria for financial performance ratings, and each district will be assigned a financial performance rating.  If the financial accountability indicators or other factors project a district shortfall in the next three years, TEA will provide the district interim financial reports to evaluate the district's budget status.  TEA may require the district to acquire professional services for financial assistance or training. A district assigned the lowest financial rating shall submit a corrective action plan to the commissioner to identify financial weaknesses and strategies for improvement.  If a district fails to submit a plan, the commissioner may impose sanctions. 

    Texas School Accountability Dashboard:  Effective immediately, TEA must create a Web site known as the Texas School Accountability Dashboard for the public to access district and campus accountability information.  The dashboard must allow for comparisons among districts' performance information disaggregated by student populations."
    ↧

    Dallas ISD Communications Chief Rebecca Rodriguez expected to resign today

    June 25, 2013, 7:57 am
    $
    0
    0
    Superintendent Mike Miles has confirmed that Communications Chief, Rebecca Rodriguez, the first Hispanic woman to lead the district’s Communications Department, will resign today.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    DISD Teachers Boycott Summer School-CBS News-Steve Pickett-6-24-13

    "DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Two Dallas Independent School District sources told CBS 11 that their Communications Chief, Rebecca Rodriguez, resigned Monday."
    "But the school district will neither confirm nor deny whether Rodriguez, the first Hispanic woman to lead the district’s Communications Department, resigned. If she has left, Rodriguez is the third Mike Miles cabinet member to leave their post within the past week."
    ↧
    ↧

    Dallas ISD 2013 Summer Arts Cultural Enrichment Partnership - Motown The Musical - The Black Academy of Arts and Letters

    June 28, 2013, 9:30 pm
    $
    0
    0

    Friday, June 28, 2013 at 8 PM
    Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 1PM and 4 PM


    ↧

    Dallas ISD OPR Report alleges Superintendent Mike Miles obstructed investigation

    July 20, 2013, 7:00 am
    $
    0
    0

    The Office of Professional Responsibility Report started with the complaint of former Chief of Communications, Rebecca Rodriguez.
    "Superintendent of Schools, Floyd Mike Miles used 'undue influence' by pulling an agenda item from the June13, 2013 monthly Board Briefing. Ms. Rodriguez stated her concern was the agenda item was pulled because the vendor who was awarded the contract per Request For Proposal TH-204031 was not Mike Miles' favored vendor."
    At some point the Office of Professional Responsibility appears to have added an additional item alleging obstruction of the investigation by Superintendent Floyd Mike Miles.

     Alleged Obstruction of OPR Investigation
    • Contacting Potential Witnesses to Discuss Case Facts and Allegations
    • Suspending the Investigation and Taking Custody of All Investigative Files
    The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) report states on page 35:
    On June 26, 2013 in a phone call from Mike Miles to Donald Smith, Mike Miles stated he had two concerns ...
    "The first concern was talking about suspending the OPR report by going to Board of Trustee (BOT) president Eric Cowan. The Superintendent stated the BOT does not direct you and that "going to the BOT was bad form." The Superintendent stated that this was the second time doing it (reference to May 17th meeting concerning the merger of Internal Audit and OPR."
    "The second concern stated by the Superintendent was "the manner in which OPR was conducting investigations." The Superintendent stated that DeeDee (the Superintendent's executive administrative assistant) was called in by OPR and the Superintendent stated,"I do not want that done." Cannot have a secretary called into an investigation as this is "not appropriate as she sees my coming and goings." Superintendent continued saying this is "overreach and not appropriate." He said maybe if criminal, yes." The Superintendent said that oversight of OPR "you need to see how I am going to run OPR." "No checks and balances on OPR." The Superintendent continued saying, " We need OPR from the beginning I have said no big brother and divisive to group." "Overreach of OPR not just because of this case." "Very disappointed must be on same page." "Chain of decision making - I (meaning Superintendent) am clear on organization chart." "You need to follow my guidance." He then stated that BOT Eric Cowan had spoken to him today at approximately 8:00am and stated the investigation was in "suspense for now" this will allow attorneys Jack Elrod and Lisa Ray to "look at it and read it.
    "The Superintendent then directed me to give them (Elrod and Ray) all documents to read. The Superintendent then asked do you have any questions. I responded, "No sir." Superintendent then cautioned me to inform him if I call a BOT member other than for "Casual conversation." Superintendent then asked if I understood and I stated "yes."
     "At 8:55 I informed the superintendent that BOT Eric had requested a copy of the draft OPR report. The Superintendent responded, "Give to Jack for attorney client privilege." I explained to the superintendent that this was the first time OPR had ever given any documents to legal services while an investigation was in progress. The Superintendent stated that he and legal would interpret CAA (Local)."
    Page 36 - "Because of the superintendent's second phone call I called Board President Cowan and stated that my independence in this investigation was very questionable from hereon as the Superintendent had already placed a tacit limitation on the investigation by requiring that the investigation be conducted in a discreet manner.  I asked for outside independent legal counsel work with OPR along with OPR's current attorney Robert Luna, P.C. I also requested that the direct intimation of Dallas ISD  General Counsel's Office and attorneys be excluded from any action in the personal investigation of the Superintendent as this legal service is a benefit not available to any other employee in the District regardless of position or title during an OPR investigation. I stated that this is a misuse of District resources and a means of intimation to OPR employees doing their job. I recommended that Board President Cowan call attorney Robert Luna for guidance. Cowan said he could and would get back with me."
     Referral to Outside Agency

    "At the direction of the Dallas Independent School Board's President, Eric Cowan, the OPR investigation of Mike Miles will be referred to outside legal counsel for further investigation."

    **************************************************************************************************** 
    This is the first time I have heard of the Office of Professional Responsibility alleging that an investigation has been obstructed by a Superintendent and further accusing the Dallas ISD General Counsel's Office and attorneys of intimidating OPR employees doing their job.

    The OPR investigation had developed a significant  amount of information.

    The report appears below.

    ****************************************************************************************************






    ↧

    Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles' comments violate the spirit of the Texas Public Information Act

    July 21, 2013, 9:30 pm
    $
    0
    0
    On Saturday I posted the Office of Professional Responsibility 'Final Report' of the 'investigation' of 
    "allegations made by the Chief of Communications, Rebecca Rodriguez, that Superintendent of Schools Floyd Mike Miles used 'undue influence' by pulling an agenda item from the June 13, 2013 monthly Board Briefing. Ms Rodriguez stated her concern was the agenda item was pulled because the vendor who was awarded the contract per Request For Proposal TH-204031 was not Mike Miles favored vendor."
    I released the report because I strongly believe in open government. I believe in the Texas Public Information Act which clearly requires that public information be released to the public.

    I also released the 'Final Report' because I knew an effort would be made to prevent public release of the information.

    On Sunday Superintendent Mike Miles released a "lengthy statement" that confirms his desire and intention to prevent release of this Final Report of the Office of Professional Responsibility OPR).

    In his public comments on Sunday, Superintendent Mike Miles stated "that this incomplete report should not be in the public domain."

    In making this statement Superintendent Miles is expressing an arbitrary and self-serving viewpoint that disregardsthe clear requirements of theTexas Public Information Act.

    On the second page of the OPR Report approved by Donald R. Smith, Jr., Chief Compliance Officer, it clearly states in plain English - 


    "Type of Report - FINAL."

    It is the final report of the investigation of the Office of Professional Responsibility. The statement of Superintendent Mike Miles that 
    "this incomplete report should not be in the public domain" CLICK HERE-DMN 
    is a false and untrue statement.
    What does the Texas Public Information Act say about this?

    Texas Government Code - Chapter 552. Public Information
    "Sec. 552.001. Policy; Construction.
    "(a) ... The people, in delegating authority,do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know.The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to implement this policy.
    "Sec. 552.022. CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; EXAMPLES
    "(a) without limiting the amount or kind of information that is public information under this chapter, the following information is public information and not excepted from required disclosure unless made confidential under this chapter or other law:
    " (1) a completed report, audit, evaluation, or investigation made of, for, or by a governmental body, except as provided by Section 552.108 (Exception: Certain Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Prosecutorial Information)"
    The comments of Superintendent Mike Miles violate the spirit of the Texas Public Information Act. He is a public servant and has no right to prevent public access to information about public business.

    It really doesn't matter what Superintendent Mike Miles thinks or believes. He is obligated to support and follow the laws of this state.

    What matters is what the Texas Public Information Act permits or requires regarding thepublic's right to know.
    ↧
    Search

    AFT President Randi Weingarten calls for "Reclaiming the Promise" of Public Education

    July 23, 2013, 2:35 pm
    $
    0
    0
    "Public education is under assault." 
    "They aren't in education to make a difference. They are in education to make a buck." -- Randi Weingarten
    AFT
    Reclaiming the Promise - Uniting for Public Schools
    Published on Jul 22, 2013
    In her speech at TEACH 2013 AFT President Randi Weingarten contrasts AFT's vision for "Reclaiming the Promise" of quality public education for all withcorporate education "reformers" ineffective approach of cuts, competition and closings.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ↧
    ↧

    Debunking the Myths of School Closures

    July 27, 2013, 12:29 am
    $
    0
    0
    In cities across the country, education officials are closing public schools en masse, impacting thousands of students, disproportionately those from communities of color or low-income families. Officials use a variety of justifications to defend the closures, citing everything from budget concerns to promises of better opportunities for students. But as this new infographic from the Opportunity To Learn Campaign illustrates, these justifications don’t hold up to scrutiny.

    Here is what the evidence from past and current school closures says:
    [Click here for more information and citations. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and Twitter!]

    Debunking the Myths of School Closures
    Want to take action? Here's what to do:
    • Read up on the alternatives. You can't improve schools by closing them – here is what we should be doing instead to support and turn around struggling schools.
    • Find out if there's a local organizing group in your community fighting school closures. Contact the Journey for Justice coalition and Alliance for Educational Justice.
    • Share this infographic on Facebook and Twitter. And view and share our previous infographic, "The Color of School Closures."

    The National Opportunity to Learn Campaign
    675 Massachusetts Avenue, 8th Floor | Cambridge, MA 02139
    www.otlcampaign.org | 617-876-7700
    Privacy Policy | Email Preferences

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Digging Deeper: More information

    Most students won’t go to better schools.

    The vast majority of students from closing schools are transferred to receiving schools that are struggling just as much as or worse than the schools that closed.
    • A February 2013 report from Research for Action compares 32 schools recommended for closure or consolidation in Philadelphia with the 51 planned receiving schools. Overwhelmingly, the receiving schools posted similar or worse scores on the state math and reading exams and were in similar corrective action plans for failing to meet adequately yearly progress.
    • A 2009 University of Chicago report on the effect of past closures in Chicago found that 40% of students from closing schools transferred to receiving schools that were on probation. 42 % transferred to schools with scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills in the lowest quartile. Just 6% of students transferred to receiving schools with scores in the top quartile, most of them traveling well outside their designated attendance area to find a school with open seats.

    Closures won’t save the district big bucks.

    Closing schools is expensive. Officials have to pay to relocate and store inventory; transport students to new schools; renovate receiving schools to accommodate the influx of new students; reassess, fix up, and maintain or demolish closed school buildings. It can particularly difficult to sell closed school properties because they are often in economically disadvantaged areas with little investment, which forces the city to continue maintaining the properties.
    • A 2012 audit of the closure and consolidation of 23 schools in Washington, D.C. in 2008 found that total cost of the closures was 39.5 million, roughly 4 times what the district was expected to save.
    • A WBEZ Chicago report about the city’s current plans to close 50 public schools this fall notes that education officials have used the school district's $1 billion deficit as justification for the closures. Simultaneously, those officials are planning to put all the savings from the closed schools, plus an additional $329 million from new bond sales, towards improving the receiving schools. So not only is the district not saving money, it’s going further into debt.
    • A 2011 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts examined the cost of past school closures in Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. The report found that "no district has reaped anything like a windfall" from selling or leasing closed school buildings because they are costly to maintain and are often located in low-investment areas with few interested buyers: “As of the summer of 2011, at least 200 school properties stood vacant in the six cities studied – including 92 in Detroit alone – with most having been empty for several years…Milwaukee spends more than $1 million a year maintaining vacant buildings, Pittsburgh $2 million, and Kansas City close to $3 million.”

    These aren’t empty schools.

    In determining the optimal number of students in a given school, education officials employ a double standard in terms of classroom “utilization.” Despite the documented benefits of small class sizes, a public school with 15-20 students per classroom can be labeled “underutilized,” while private schools (to which many politicians send their children) and charters just a few blocks away can pride themselves on having small class sizes.
    • In Chicago, an analysis by researcher Jeanne Olson and a WBEZ report both highlight that the city’s utilization formula assumes from the start that every school should have 30-36 students per class. Anything less and the school is deemed “underutilized.”

    Closures do have a big impact – on everyone.

    School closings impact and disrupt whole communities.
    • Many receiving schools aren’t equipped for an influx of new students. Though the receiving schools may get some additional resources from the district, chances are it won’t be enough to accommodate the needs of the incoming students, most of whom are from low-income communities. This creates a cycle of struggling schools and sets up the receiving schools for future closure.
    • Students from closed schools will have to travel across unfamiliar neighborhoods to get to their new schools. This is a particular concern in Chicago, where some students will be forced to walk through gang territory.
    • During non-school hours, school buildings often house pre-K programs, health clinics and other community programs. Closing the buildings destroys this hub of community resources.
    • School closures fit into a larger pattern of community disinvestment, declining public housing and unemployment. Many of the neighborhoods with closing schools have seen their hospitals and police stations closed as well.

    Want to take action? Here’s what to do.

    Read up on the alternatives. You can’t improve schools by closing them – here’s what we should be doing instead to support and turn around struggling schools.
    Find out if there's a local organizing group in your community fighting school closures. Contact the Journey for Justice coalition and Alliance for Educational Justice, or send us an email.
    Share this infographic on Facebook and Twitter. And view and share our previous infographic, “The Color of School Closures."
    Tags:
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Color of School Closures

    Posted on: Tuesday April 23rd, 2013
    Mass school closings have become a hallmark of today's dominant education policy agenda. But rather than helping students, these closures disrupt whole communities. And as U.S. Department of Education data suggests, the most recent rounds of mass closings in Chicago, New York City and Philadelphia disproportionately hurt Black and low-income students.
    What can you do to end these discriminatory and unacceptable school closures?
    • Share this infographic with your friends on Facebook and Twitter– start the conversation in your community!
    • Send us your stories and data about closings in your district.
    • Learn about alternatives that support students rather than close school doors on them.
    There is no evidence to suggest that school closures work. Despite what policymakers say to justify these mass closures, reports have shown that the majority of student who are affected do not get placed in high performing schools. And though closures are often touted as a way for districts to save money in tough economic times, those savings often fail to materialize and can in reality cost taxpayers millions in hidden costs.
    What is the alternative to closing schools? Evidence-based policies that provide students, schools and communities with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed, including:
    For more information, check out this report from Communities for Excellent Public Schools, "A Proposal for Sustainable School Transformation."
    Here are just a few of the many groups organizing against school closures in the cities highlighted in the infographic. If your organization is doing anti-closures work, let us know and we'll add it!
    Tags:
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ↧

    Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and Entity Board summer meeting - Houston, Texas

    July 29, 2013, 7:00 am
    $
    0
    0
    The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) hosted the Summer TASB and Entity Board and meeting last week in Houston, Texas - from Wednesday to Saturday, July 24-July 27, 2013.

     A packed agenda called for reports and action by Boards and committees, including: the Energy Cooperative  Board,  First Public, LLC, the Legislative Action Committee, the Local Government Purchasing Cooperative, the Lone Star Investment Pool Board, Risk Management Board and committees, TASB Benefits Board, and the TASB Board and committees.

    Meanwhile, TASB staff members reported they are also wrapping up final preparations for the 2013 TASA/TASB  annual state conference, set for September 27 - 29 in Dallas.  Hundreds of School Board Trustees and school administrators from all over Texas will attend.

    Our appreciation to President Viola Garcia, along with her Executive Board, for leading TASB Directors and affiliates in an effective, efficient summer meeting.

    Thanks to TASB staff who once again facilitated this well- planned, well-organized event.

    The quality of service and work provided by TASB for Texas schools and public education helps validate why,  for the fifth year in a row, TASB was selected as the Fourth Best of Top Places to Work In Central Texas among large companies by the Austin Business Journal.


    Executive Jim Crow stated, "This is a great honor, as there were 250nominations this year.  TASB staff is dedicated to service, and we know that if we are good and caring to our staff, they will be good and caring to our members. I am extremely proud of their commitment to excellence as they work to support Texas public schools every day."

    We are grateful for the services TASB provides to school districts throughout the state of Texas.
    ↧

    Dallas ISD Trustees did not employ Superintendent Mike Miles by a unanimous vote - Dallas Morning News Editorial Board again makes a false statement

    August 7, 2013, 9:30 pm
    $
    0
    0
    The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board continues to falsely report that Superintendent Floyd Mike Miles was hired by a unanimous vote of Dallas ISD Trustees. 

    The vote was 8-1 with Carla Ranger voting 'No".
    **********************************************************************************************

    DISD Board hires Mike Miles in 8-to-1 vote-WFAA News-April 26, 2012

    "It took school board members more than two hours in closed session to agree on the terms of his contract.Trustees then voted 8-to-1 to hire Miles.
    Carla Ranger said she had concerns and questions about hiring him.     When asked later what those were, Ranger would not elaborate."
    http://www.wfaa.com/news/education/DISD-Board-hires-Mike-Miles-in-8-to-1-vote-149172845.htmlhttp://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/disagreement-or-dysfunction-at-disds-board-of-trustees.html/
    *********************************************************************************************
    Yet, the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board again makes the following false statement in its latest editorial posted on Wednesday, August 7, 2013:

    ************************************************************************** 
    Editorial: Miles’ public, private lives collide in decision to move family
    "the same school board that unanimously hired Miles"

    "And agree or disagree, who could want to start over with another superintendent search? It would be in the hands of roughly the same school board that unanimously hired Miles. And his departure under these circumstances makes the job exponentially less attractive to potential candidates, if any exist."
    http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/20130807-editorial-miles-public-private-lives-collide-in-decision-to-move-family.ece

    **************************************************************************************************************
    What is stated here is simply false.

    Thursday, April 26, 2012- Called Board Meeting
    • The vote to employ Mike Miles - Carla Ranger voted "No".
    • The vote on Mike Miles'  Employment Contract - Carla Ranger vote "No".
    • The vote on Mike Miles' Interim Services Agreement - Carla Ranger voted "No".
    Why does this serious misstatement of the truth continue to be repeated?

    On Friday, June 28, 2013, the following statement appeared in a previous Dallas Morning News Opinion Blog written by Kevin Ann Wiley/Editor.
     "After all, Miles has made little-noticed progress on the majority of the goals the Board of Trustees laid out for him a year ago when they (unanimously) hired him."Disagreement or dysfunction at DISD’s board of trustees? - DMN - Friday, June 28, 2013 - Opinion Blog - Kevin Ann Wiley/Editor
    http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/disagreement-or-dysfunction-at-disds-board-of-trustees.html

    This statement is also false, "After all ... when they (unanimously) hired him."  The vote to hire Mike Miles as Superintendent was not unanimous.

    *********************************************************************************************
    The recorded minutes of the Thursday, April 26, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Dallas ISD Called Board Meeting state the following:
    • 5. Discussion and Consider and Take Possible Action to Approve theEmploymentof F. Mike Miles as Superintendent of Schools - It was moved by Trustee Adam Medrano and seconded by Trustee Edwin Flores to Approve the Employment of F. Mike Miles as Superintendent of Schools
    • Motion passed 8/1 with Trustee Carla Ranger voting no.
    • 6. Discussion and Consider and Take Possible Action to Approve theEmployment Contractfor F. Mike Miles as Superintendent of Schools - It was moved by Trustee Adam Medrano and seconded by Trustee Edwin Flores to Approve the Employment Contract for F. Mike Miles as Superintendent of Schools
    • Motion passed 8/1 with Trustee Carla Ranger voting no.
    • 7. Discussion and Consider and Take Possible Action to Approve theAdministrative Services Agreementwith F. Mike Miles for Administrative Services - It was moved by Adam Medrano and seconded by Trustee Edwin Flores to Approve the Administrative Services Agreement with F. Mike Miles for Administrative Services
    • Motion passed 8/1 with Trustee Carla Ranger voting no."
    • 8.Meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m."
    *********************************************************************************************
      To the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board - Please stop reporting false information on the April 26, 2012 vote to employ Superintendent Mike Miles.

      The vote was not unanimous. 

      One Trustee, Carla Ranger, consistently voted against the employment of Superintendent Mike Miles.
      ↧

      Pay for performance promotes adult cheating for dollars and exploits children for money - Dallas ISD does not need another commission with a corporate reform bias

      August 8, 2013, 4:30 am
      $
      0
      0
      "We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)"
       "We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "pay for performance" has no place. Pay for performance is inherently corrupting and exploits public school children for the financial benefit of adults."
      Pay for performance tied to student test scores should have no place in the field of public education.  

      I have voted against pay for performance. I will continue to vote against it for reasons that are obvious:
      • It is a part of the corporate education reform model to privatize public education.
      • It exploits children. 
      • It corrupts adults. 
      • It promotes cheating for dollars. 
      • It creates competition - not collaboration. 
      • It places a dollar sign on student test success.
      • It does not work in public education.
      The primary motivation for the cheating schemes of adults in Atlanta Public Schools was to obtain pay incentives all the way up to the Superintendent.

      Research has suggested that pay for performance does little or nothing to improve student achievement.

      The Debate over Teacher Merit Pay: A Freakonomics Quorum - Click Here
      "There’s just one problem: educators almost universally hate merit pay, and have been adamantly opposed to it from day one. Simply, teachers say merit pay won’t work.
      "In the last year, there’s been some pretty damning evidence proving them right;research showing that merit pay, in a variety of shapes and sizes, fails to raise student performance. In the worst of cases, such as the scandal in Atlanta, it’s contributed to flat-out cheating on the part of teachers and administrators. So, are we surprised that educators don’t respond to monetary incentives? Is that even the right conclusion to draw? 
       http://carlaranger.blogspot.com/search?q=freakonomics

      Pay for performance in public education (K-12) appears to result in a corrupting benefit for a few adults - but does little for the success of all children.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Former Atlanta schools superintendent reports to jail in cheating scandal

      http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/02/justice/georgia-cheating-scandal 

      By CNN Staff
      updated 10:00 AM EDT, Wed April 3, 2013 

      (CNN) -- The former superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools was among the educators who surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a grand jury in a cheating scandal that rocked the district and drew national attention.

      Beverly Hall resigned from her position in 2011 after a state investigation into large, unexplained test score gains in some Atlanta schools. She has denied any role in the cheating scandal.

      A Fulton County grand jury last week indicted 35 educators from the district, including principals, teachers and testing coordinators. They were ordered to turn themselves in by Tuesday, District Attorney Paul Howard said.

      By 10:00 p.m., 27 of 35 educators had turned themselves in at the Fulton County Jail to face charges including racketeering, theft by taking and making false statements about their roles in an alleged plot to falsify students' standardized tests. Eight of them had been released on bond late Tuesday, the Fulton County Sheriff's office said.

      In 2009, Hall was named the National Superintendent of the Year by the Schools Superintendents Association, which at the time said her "leadership has turned Atlanta into a model of urban school reform."

      Grand jury indicts 35 in Georgia school cheating scandal

      Cheating scandal hits Atlanta schools

      First indicted educator turns self in

       
      35 employees indicted in cheating scandal
      But the indictment paints another picture of Hall, one of a superintendent with "a single-minded purpose, and that is to cheat," Howard told reporters last week.

      According to the indictment, Hall placed unreasonable goals on educators and "protected and rewarded those who achieved targets by cheating." It also alleges she fired principals who failed to achieve goals and "ignored suspicious" test score gains throughout the school system.

      Her bond was reduced from $7.5 million to $200,000, the Fulton County Sheriff's office reported.
      ↧
      ↧

      Dallas ISD teacher feels despised and not valued any longer

      August 28, 2013, 8:54 am
      $
      0
      0
       

      "2 Teach is 2 Touch Lives 4 Ever"

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      "Before I go to sleep each night, I say a prayer that I won't wake up. I don't feel valued any longer. Whether I attend a faculty meeting or read a news story, I feel despised at the end.
      by disdteacher6:37 AM"
      Comment
      http://live.dallasnews.com/Event/Talk_DISD - Dallas Morning News
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


      ↧

      Commit Executive Director Todd Williams - former Dallas ISD principal and executive director Eddie Conger opens charter school to teach in Chinese

      August 29, 2013, 8:33 am
      $
      0
      0
      Dallas ISD Trustees received the communication below from Commit Executive Director Todd Willlliams and Education Advisor to  Mayor Mike Rawlings regarding the opening of a new charter school headed by former Dallas ISD employee Eddie Conger.

      The purpose is obviously to promote expanding charter schools.

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      From: Commit! - Todd Williams [mailto:todd.williams@commit2dallas.org]
      Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 3:59 PM
      Subject: New Dallas-area charter school to teach in Chinese

      Eddie Conger, former DISD Thomas Jefferson High School principal and Exec. Director over the TJ feeder pattern for first few months of 2012-13 school year, opened a new charter school network with focus on language exposure.  Per attached article, they accepted 2,900 students out of 6,000 applications in first year. Certainly highlights strong parental demand for this feature given enrollment for a brand new concept; this network is the same size as Harmony's footprint in Dallas County after multiple years and 4-5x larger than KIPP (which also expanded in Fall 2014).  As superintendents think about potentially growing schools of choicewithin districts across the area, this is a concept that certainly seemed to resonate with certain parents and students.

      http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/texas/article/New-Dallas-area-charter-school-to-teach-in-Chinese-4755506.php

      New Dallas-area charter school to teach in Chinese

      GARLAND, Texas (AP) — Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams was so impressed with plans for students at a new Dallas-area charter school to be taught in English, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese that he traveled from his Austin office to offer best wishes.

      Williams attended an open house Thursday for International Leadership of Texas school, which opens charter school campuses Monday in Garland and Arlington, The Dallas Morning News (http://dallasne.ws/12uy2OW ) reported.

      "I came to praise the good in advance of you doing it," Williams told the audience that filled an auditorium. He saluted school leaders for their plans to make students multilingual and prepare them "for a world that might be a tad bit bigger than Garland, Texas."

      International Leadership was one of eight charters approved by the State Board of Education last year. The charter school accepted about 2,900 students in kindergarten through 10th grade; it received about 6,000 applications.

      Superintendent Eddie Conger, a retired Marine and former high school principal in the Dallas Independent School District, thanked current and former state board members for or supporting his school's proposal.

      "If they had not voted for the merits of it, we would not be here today," Conger said.

      Denise Toliver of Rowlett, a parent, said she was impressed by the school's diversity and mission.

      "Leadership for a global world is exactly what we're looking for," Toliver said.

      Charter schools in Texas are publicly funded but privately managed.
      ___
      Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com


      ↧
      Search

      Jim Schutze of the Dallas Observer falsely says black board member Carla Ranger "clicked her heels, saluted and fell into line"

      August 29, 2013, 9:25 am
      $
      0
      0

      "      Black board member Carla Ranger had been a fiercely independent voice on the school board who often traded verbal blows with Blackburn and other black board members. But after Price declared Miles as Public Enemy No. 1, Ranger clicked her heels, saluted and fell into line." Hey, Mayor Mike: The School Thing Is Way Worse than a Simple Question of Personalities - Click Here - Unfair Park 
      Well, let us see - "black board member Carla Ranger" - that is me. 

      Just maybe I know more about this accusation than Jim Schutze.

      Jim Schutze has invented the absurd fiction that Commissioner John Wiley Price influenced me to "click my heels, salute and fall into line."

      What a falsehood.  

      I was elected District 6 Trustee in 2006. I am now entering my eighth year as a Dallas ISD Trustee.

      I have seen quite a bit in those years - good, bad and ugly. 

      I know a little bit about the truth of what has occurred. 

      Not once in my years of service as a Dallas ISD Trustee has Commissioner John Wiley Price or any other black elected official ever attempted to influence me in any way. 

      Commissioner Price has never even spoken to me about any Dallas ISD educational matter. He has never called me and  I have never called him.

      Yet, without one iota of documentation, Jim Schutze has made a totally reckless accusation that is both wrong and dishonest.

      I stand on my own decisions and every decision has been made by me and no one else.
      ↧

      “Tell them about the dream”-- a teacher remembers - NSBA

      August 29, 2013, 9:50 pm
      $
      0
      0

      It was a good speech, but something was missing, retired teacher Harry Klugel recalled. Sitting near the front of the stage, Klugel, now 72, saw singer Mahalia Jackson implore Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to say something more. Klugel couldn’t hear her, but organist Yolanda Clarke could, and remembers distinctly what she said:

       “Tell them about the dream.”

      Fifty years after the historic March on Washington, thousands of people returned to the Capitol Mall Tuesday to commemorate King's “I Have a Dream” speech and reflect on the work left to be done to ensure equal opportunity for all. Much of that work depends on the quality of our schools.

      Click Here

      National School Board Association - NSBA

      ↧
      ↧

      Dallas ISD Final Investigation Report - OPR Case No.11335 - Rebecca Rodriguez - Superintendent Mike Miles

      September 6, 2013, 7:09 pm
      $
      0
      0
      The citizens of Dallas pay the bills at Dallas ISD. Taxpayers and stakeholders have a right to know.

      The Texas Public Information Act clearly states that a completed report or investigation prepared for a public institution is public information and is not excepted from required disclosure.

      Texas Government Code - Chapter 552. Public Information
      "Sec. 552.001. Policy; Construction.
      "(a) ... The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to implement this policy.
      "Sec. 552.022. CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; EXAMPLES
      "(a) without limiting the amount or kind of information that is public information under this chapter, the following information is public information and not excepted from required disclosure unless made confidential under this chapter or other law:
      " (1) a completed report, audit, evaluation, or investigation made of, for, or by a governmental body, except as provided by Section 552.108 (Exception: Certain Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Prosecutorial Information)"
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------














































      ↧

      Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools - Diane Ravitch

      September 8, 2013, 4:51 am
      $
      0
      0
      "From one of the foremost authorities on education in the United States, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, “whistle-blower extraordinaire” (The Wall Street Journal), author of the best-selling The Death and Life of the Great American School System (“Important and riveting”—Library Journal), 

      The Language Police (“Impassioned . . . Fiercely argued . . . Every bit as alarming as it is illuminating”—The New York Times), and other notable books on education history and policy—an incisive, comprehensive look at today’s American school system that argues against those who claim it is broken and beyond repair; an impassioned but reasoned call to stop the privatization movement that is draining students and funding from our public schools."
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


      Diane Ravitch Biography

      Thumbnail image of Diane Ravitch
      Diane Ravitch

      I was born in Houston, Texas, in 1938. I am third of eight children. I attended the public schools in Houston from kindergarten through high school (San Jacinto High School, 1956, yay!). I then went to Wellesley College, where I graduated in 1960.

      Within weeks after graduation from Wellesley, I married. The early years of my marriage were devoted to raising my children. I had three sons: Joseph, Steven, and Michael. Steven died of leukemia in 1966. I now have four grandsons, Nico, Aidan, Elijah, and Asher.

      I began working on my first book in the late 1960s. I also began graduate studies at Columbia University. My mentor was Lawrence A. Cremin, a great historian of education. The resulting book was a history of the New York City public schools, called "The Great School Wars," published in 1974. I received my Ph.D. in the history of American education in 1975. In 1977, I wrote "The Revisionists Revised." In 1983 came "The Troubled Crusade." In 1985, "The Schools We Deserve." In 1987, with my friend Checker Finn, "What Do Our 17-Year-Olds Know?" In 1991, "The American Reader." In 1995, "National Standards in American Education." In 2000, "Left Back." In 2003, "The Language Police." In 2006, "The English Reader," with my son Michael Ravitch. Also in 2006, "Edspeak." I have also edited several books with Joseph Viteritti.

      My last book, "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education," was a national bestseller. It addressed the most important education issues of our time. It was read by teachers, parents, and students and was a source of great joy to me.

      My newest book "Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools" is a call to arms. It documents the false narrative that has been used to attack American public education, and names names. It also contains specific and evidence-based recommendations about how we can improve our schools and our society.

      To follow my ongoing work read my blog at dianeravitch.net, where there is a lively conversation among educators and parents about the future of education.

      Diane Ravitch
      ↧

      Dallas ISD meeting to discuss the Paul Coggins Final Investigation Report should be open to the public

      September 13, 2013, 8:27 am
      $
      0
      0
       Board Members Ethics
      I will consistently uphold all applicablelaws,rules, policies, and governance procedures. BBF (Local)
      Dallas ISD trustees approve audit on hiring practices and moving expenses-DMN-1-10-13
      ("Dallas school Trustees on Thursday approved a final internal audit that found senior management did not follow certain procedures, mainly dealing with hiring and relocation expenses. For about 90 minutes, trustees asked various questions, which were mostly answered by Miles and interim internal auditor LaNita Ray"). This was an open meeting.
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Dallas ISD Trustees will meet in secret tomorrow to discuss the Final Investigation Report prepared by Attorney Paul Coggins relating to a complaint made by former Dallas ISD employee Rebecca Rodriguez against Superintendent Mike Miles.

      This  Final Investigation Report is clearly a public document under the Texas Public Information Act. 

      The Report is already fully public and has been discussed throughout the Dallas community. 

      The Board Meeting is not called to discuss a personnel matter. It is called to discuss a public investigative report as stated in the Texas Public Information Act.

      This appears to be a potential violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act to hold the discussion of a public report in a session closed to the public.

      Presently, Trustees will have a private discussion and the meeting will be adjourned with no action. We will not even be able to set a meeting to make a decision.

      The public is paying up to $100,000.00 for this important report.

      The public ought to hear the discussion of a public investigative report.

      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Texas Government Code - Chapter 552. Public Information
      "Sec. 552.022. CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; EXAMPLES
      "(a) without limiting the amount or kind of information that is public information under this chapter, the following information is public information and not excepted from required disclosure unless made confidential under this chapter or other law:
      " (1) a completed report, audit, evaluation, or investigation made of, for, or by a governmental body, except as provided by Section 552.108 (Exception: Certain Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Prosecutorial Information)"
       ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Fraud reports by Dallas city auditor don’t tell a full story By RUDOLPH BUSH-DMN-1-31-13

      "Under state law, government auditors may withhold from the public draft audits, along with investigative files. Only the final report is subject to public disclosure. Citizens must rely on that document for an understanding of what the auditor found.
      That’s what makes the lack of detail in Kinton’s reports so troubling, said Wayne Shaw, a professor at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and an expert in corporate governance.
      “You’re defeating the purpose of the law if you allow the final report to basically say nothing. It means we are going to protect everything that happened in the process and the public will never know,” he said.
      Auditors’ reports, in the public and private spheres, should name names and detail events, Shaw said.
      Bill Aleshire, a former deputy comptroller for the state, wondered why a public auditor would want to withhold pertinent material in a final public report.
      “I would think that a public auditor would be so instilled with the principles that these are public funds, and the public had a right to know,” Aleshire said."
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



      ↧
      Viewing all 89 articles
      Browse latest View live
      Search