current research on school closures & fiscally prudent alternatives to closing schools june 21...
TRANSCRIPT
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent
Alternatives to Closing Schools
June 21st, 2012 Ontario PCs Education Consultation Peterborough
Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchools.com
CONSULTATION TOPICS
1. Safe Schools and Students2. Schools as Community Hubs3. Tools to make the 21st Century Learner world Ready4. School Board Accountability
THIS PRESENTATION PRIMARILY SPEAKS TO POINT 4:
4. School Board Accountability
ANALYSISOntario has 2 big problems in their education file :• DECLINING ENROLLMENT• FISCAL CONSTRAINTS
THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO FIX BOTH PROBLEMS WITH A ……
THIS IS THEIR HAMMER:
CLOSE SCHOOLS
BUT A HAMMER IN THE WRONG HANDS CAN DO A LOT OF EXPENSIVE DAMAGE
THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT THINKS CLOSING SCHOOLS WILL:
• SAVE MONEY• IMPROVE EDUCATION BY BUSING STUDENTS TO BIG SUPER SCHOOLS WITH LARGER & MORE MODERN FACILITIES
THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT IS WRONG. CURRENT RESEARCH AT THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION SHOWS CLOSING SCHOOLS
• WON’T SAVE MONEY• WON’T IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING
THERE ARE SMART ALTERNATIVES TO CLOSING SCHOOLS
SET UP WIN-WIN MULTI-USER PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS SENIORS CARE, DAY-CARE, LIBRAIRIES AND OTHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO SHARE UNUSED SCHOOL SPACE. SAVE TAX DOLLARS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humberwood
NO SCHOOLS SHOULD CLOSE. INSTEAD, FIND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SHARE USE OF EMPTY SPACE
THE GOVERNMENT IS PERMITTING SCHOOL BOARDS TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY AT A LOCAL LEVEL, GETTING PROVINCIAL POLITICANS OFF THE HOOK AND DUMPING ALL ACCOUNTABILITY ON SCHOOL BOARDS
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS GOVERNED BY THE EDUCATION ACT. THIS ACT SAYS THAT SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE THE POWER TO MANAGE THEIR OWN FACILITIES
SCHOOL BOARDS ARE ELECTED EVERY 4 YEARS, RIGHT?
THEREFORE THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE, RIGHT?
SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE EDUCATION ACT, A SCHOOL BOARD CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE IN 4 YEARS
DURING THOSE 4 YEARS LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAVE NO ACCESS TO DEMOCRATIC DECISION MAKING OR MEANS TO INFLUENCE BOARD MEMBERS
remember……..
CLOSING SCHOOLS DOESN’T SAVE MONEY OR IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING
SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
PROVIDE MORE OVERSIGHT OF SCHOOL BOARDS. SCHOOL BOARDS NEED ACTIVE GOVERNANCE
HOW?
1. APPOINT AN OMBUDSMAN TO CHALLENGE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
2. REDUCE THE SIZE OF LARGE REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS SO LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAVE MORE REPRESENTATION
3. MAKE ALL DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION EMPLOYEES OF THE MINISTRY
RESEARCHTHE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION SUMMARIZES THE RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE EFFECT OF SCHOOL CLOSINGS ON COST SAVINGS AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES. LINKS TO RESEARCH WEB SITES ARE INCLUDED
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Researchers found that school closures and consolidations into larger schools don’t save money or improve learning:http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/PB-Consol-Howley-Johnson-Petrie.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
In many places, schools and districts (school boards) are already too large for fiscal efficiency or educational quality; deconsolidation is more likely than consolidation to achieve substantial efficiencies and yield improved outcomes.
http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/PB-Consol-Howley-Johnson-Petrie.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Financial claims about widespread benefits of consolidation are unsubstantiated by contemporary research about cost savings and learning (outcomes)
http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/PB-Consol-Howley-Johnson-Petrie.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Claims for educational benefits from systematic school consolidation are vastly overestimated and have already been maximized. Schools that are too large result in diminished academic and social performance. http://nepc.colorado.edu/files/PB-Consol-Howley-Johnson-Petrie.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Overall, (government) consolidation proposals appear to serve a public relations purpose in times of fiscal crisis, rather than substantive fiscal or educational purposeshttp://nepc.colorado.edu/files/PB-Consol-Howley-Johnson-Petrie.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Fiscal Impacts of School Consolidation: Research Based Conclusionshttp://www.ruraledu.org/articles.php?id=2042
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
School and school district consolidation produces fewer fiscal benefits and more fiscal costs than is popularly believed. Administrative cost savings are most likely, but these savings may often be largely offset by other cost increases, especially for transportation. http://www.ruraledu.org/articles.php?id=2042
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
Consolidating schools can also adversely affect the local economy, reducing the fiscal capacity of the school district.
http://www.ruraledu.org/articles.php?id=2042
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
According to Dr. Ken Leithwood at OISE, big schools produce inferior learning outcomes compared to smaller schools. High schools should not have more than 1000 students
http://www.edu.pe.ca/esd/pdf/sop_Review_of_Evidence_about_School_Size_%20Effects.pdf
Current Research on School Closures & Fiscally Prudent Alternatives to Closing Schools – Bill Templeman of SaveLocalSchool.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Bill Templeman at [email protected]
(705) 745 6925
THANK YOU! http://savelocalschools.com