Winds of Change

The winds of change are blowing.  Kim Burningham announced that he will give up the chairmanship of the State Board of Education.  Perhaps we will now have someone heading the state board that is willing to talk with the "gathering" called the legislature.  It's always hard to collaborate when one party won't come to the table, especially when that party has the constitutional duty over the general control and supervision of the public education system .  Hopefully this will bring a less partisan, more civil lawmaking process to Utah.  I can only hope the new chair will have a focus on achieving educational excellence, rather than preserving the status quo that rewards educational mediocrity, leaving too many students behind within an increasing competitive, globally integrated world.

See also:

DNews: Burningham will give up school board chairmanship
SL Trib:  Utah State Board of Education boss stepping down

Comments

[Voice of Utah]

Should that read, "come when summoned to the table"? Either way, I share your hope for a less partisan approach to the legislature, from both sides.

P.S. Thanks for the precinct breakdown on vouchers in Utah County. Interesting stuff.

[Sam]

If the winds of change are really blowing, it is time to gut the education committee and replace every member. That committee has been a major clog in the system. They never allow ideas from teachers, parents or school boards to get into the reform packages and budget requests.

If you (the legislature) is really interested in change, that would be a great place to start.

[Craig Johnson]

Are such comments really necessary? Kim Burningham is a great man. Suggesting he is a champion of mediocrity is not accurate. Ask his former students who he inspired to do great things. Ask the other members of the state board if they concur with your assessment.

Opting out of participation in a politically motivated grandstanding exercise was both appropriate and responsible.

[John Dougall]

Obviously you and I have had completely different experiences. He may have been a fantastic school teacher, but he has been ineffective as the chair of the state board of education. He has spent almost 25 years as a legislator and state school board member. He has championed the status quo -- a system that celebrates mediocrity and keeps failing students failing despite the possibility of expanding options. Using compensation as one expample. The compensation system for public school teachers pays the ineffective teachers the same as our excellent teachers (based on tenure and degree). The message to the excellent teachers is to not work so hard since you won't be recognized and rewarded. That fosters mediocrity. Advocacy from the legislature has helped bring greater change (much of it for the better). It's unfortunate that the board doesn't champion educational excellence.

When the chair of the state board cannot provide a single recommendation for improving public education without requesting more money, he protects the status quo. He either assumes that all teachers and schools are equally excellent, which is blatantly untrue, or he is failing to strive for continual productivity improvement, rewarding instead wasteful, inefficient mediocrity.

Did you read his resignation letter?

[Craig Johnson]

John, I have to disagree with you.

I've had a chance to listen in on the majority of state school board meetings recently. From my experience, the last thing that board is interested in is celebrating mediocrity! The content of their deliberations also counters the false assertion that the state board (or its chair) are simply protecting the status quo. Creative proposals and ideas are buzzing around that place all the time. And this is in addition to the mountain of work required to deliver quality services to the half-million Utah schoolchildren while under constant scrutiny and unhelpful, surfacey opposition.

I'd be happy to attend a state school board meeting with you. It's actually a matter of curiosity for me to understand just how our perspectives can be so very different. I'm not among your constituency but you are just down the road :-)

Thanks...Craig.

[Charisma22]

Any ideas on who will be tapped as the new Chair? I know Kim, and while he is a very nice person, I agree that his lack of willingness to work with the legislators hurts the very children whom he is supposed to be serving. I just hope his replacement is not of that same ilk.

[Steve]

John,

“When the chair of the state board cannot provide a single recommendation for improving public education without requesting more money, he protects the status quo.”

There are, of course, two sides to every story. In Utah, when there is money in the budget, it seems important that some of it would be used to increase education spending. Our demographics cry out for us to add to that pool whenever we reasonably can. That said, when the State Board of Education proposes a new program like all day K, they are asking that a portion of the NEW money be directed in a certain way. Sadly, you perceive this as protecting the status quo.

The State Board and USOE spend a lot of time desging plans that will change the status quo and I’m sorry but they require that some of the new money be used for implementation. You demand that they act to change things but you also know that they need your help to do so. You and they should work together to direct some of the new money in such ways as to make the system better and fix some of the deep problems.

You use the issue of teacher compensation to make your point but fail to remind yourself that the State Board has proposed for several years now a plan (yes it requires some of the new money) to implement extra pay for good teachers etc… You also fail to remind yourself that the legislature has refused to help by directing some of the new money that way. Believe it or not, you all share some of the blame and, therefore, need to change as well.

You love to use words and phrases like “mediocrity” and “status quo” to point an accusing finger at the system. Wouldn’t it be better for all of us if you used words like “cooperate” and “collaborate” to change the way things work?

[Obi wan liberali]

Maybe it is because I am an old timer, but I remember watching Rep Kim Burningham conduct himself with great distinction as a legislator. I didn't always agree with him (in fact I often didn't), but he asked hard questions without dressing down the individuals appearing before his committee. He acted in a civil and distinguished manner. There are more than a few of the current crop of legislators who could have learned from his example.

Speaking of inefficient mediocrity, there are many of us citizens who are fed up with it as well. As for me, I'm more tired of the strident poses of legislators lashing out at the scapegoats of the month, instead of doing what Stephen Covey so eloquently stated, "seek first to understand."

There are those who see the glass half empty or half full, however, you seem to see a glass 3/4 full and claim it's empty and are more interested in seeing who's responsible than seeing that the glass gets filled. I hope I'm wrong in that observation.

[wrostow]

Less partisanship? Kim Burningham is a Republican. Instead of criticizing him and his work, I would expect a little accomodation for a fellow Republican, or isn't the tent big enough?