EDUCATION
Measuring Up, A League of Women Voters Editorial by Roberta Winters, October, 2008
Perhaps the Radnor Board of School Directors has heard, “Inch by inch, it’s a cinch.” In fact, they should be commended for making some changes to promote public participation. During the past months, one can observe the following:
• Civility exists. Limited discussion is devoid of acrimony, and dissent is rarely apparent.
• Meetings generally run like clockwork with time limits assigned to each agenda item. Most items remain on a consent agenda where the group is generally approved without discussion.
• Monthly business meetings are televised with improved clarity from the Township Building. It is regrettable that the audio difficulties only appear to be during public comment.
• The District website has been improved to allow one to locate the time, place and agenda for upcoming meetings. In response to feedback, a new format for www.rtsd.org will debut in early October.
• Public comment has evolved beyond the three-minute timeframe and, in one case, a member of the public was allowed to speak twice during a single session. Public comment has also been moved to the beginning of committee meetings so that input no longer appears to be an afterthought unworthy of consideration.
• Secretaries attended and took minutes at both the Curriculum and the Policy Committee meetings in September. Accurate record keeping is particularly important given the concurrent scheduling.
In spite of these small steps, the Board will have a harder job moving “yard by yard” to foster greater confidence and promote transparency in government. More action is needed to:
• Reschedule concurrent meetings so that the public, Board members, and administrators, particularly the new superintendent, can stay on top of significant issues. Having individuals run from room to room and altering agendas to fit personal areas of interest are not conducive to good governance. Televising needs to be considered.
• Add public comment at the end as well as at the beginning of each meeting. Timely feedback may promote clarity and prompt rethinking.
• Act in compliance with Board Policy, Roberts Rules of Order, and the Sunshine Act.
Perhaps a parliamentarian is needed to assist the Board.
• Recognize the difference between responsibility and trust. While one can understand
difficulties inherent in micromanaging, hazards may also be present in blind trust. The public expects reasonable oversight and periodic checks by elected officials to insure that self-interests are not undermining the system.
According to comments at the September 23rd meeting, the Board has “miles to go” before the public can rest assured that the District measures up in the following areas:
• Equity – Based on donations listed in the September agenda, schools are receiving very different levels of funding. Radnor Elementary PTO generously contributed $19,200 to their school’s projects while Ithan PTO donated $600. Are similar resources, in terms of grants and donations, being monitored and balanced? Vast differences also are apparent in terms of supplemental contracts between coaches of girls’ and boys’ sports and also between coaches at different levels. Is this agenda just the tip of the iceberg? Are differences in per-pupil expenses reasonable and justifiable?
• Special Education – Of the thirty-nine agenda items on the September 23rd meeting, six dealt with funding that supports special education. Although these goals are laudable, what is being done to evaluate programs, such as the regular education initiative, presented that evening? Are some students being set up for long-term failure while others are being held back? What constitutes effective and efficient use of tax dollars? What is appropriate for each student? Does student placement reflect a continuum or a “one-size-fits-all” program?
• Budget – Given the Act 1 environment and the potential for a referendum, the budget process is slated to begin shortly. With its complexity and magnitude, taxpayers are easily overwhelmed. Timelines are fixed, data can be speculative, and costs, such as those for technology, can be interspersed among many line items. Personal power and special interests can alter spending priorities. Given the current economic situation, the Board needs to guide taxpayers in understanding how their dollars are spent.
Be it inch by inch, yard by yard, or mile by mile, citizens have a responsibility to measure the performance of our elected officials. If we cannot hear them articulate the rationale for their decisions or discuss significant opinions in public, we are left to wonder if good governance is a reality in Radnor.
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