Amplifying Teacher Voice: Takeaways from Teacher of the Year Panel Discussion at #MOEd21

 The 2021 DESE superintendent conference featured a breakout session that should influence school leaders. Paul Katnik, DESE’s director of teacher quality, hosted a panel discussion with three recent Missouri Teacher of the Year winners and one finalist. For an hour they shared experiences and insight. 

Takeaway One: Make a habit of saying yes.

All of the teachers described moments when they brought ideas to administrators to improve opportunities for students and the administrators supported their vision. One teacher began an AP program in her rural school. Another created prerequisite courses designed specifically to prepare traditionally underserved populations for advanced coursework. A third began a fitness program for parents and students to build a bridge between the school and community. Some candidly shared that they knew their administrators were skeptical about outcomes, but gave them the tools and support they needed. They celebrated being proved wrong.

Takeaway Two: Involve teachers in building wide problem solving.

According to Heifetz and the adaptive leadership model, the folks closest to the work have the best understanding of the work. Without invoking Heifetz- as I pretentiously do here because I spent a bunch of time and money at Mizzou studying his work- the panel shared experiences when administrators involved teacher leaders in solving problems. One teacher described the work his colleagues did to raise their high school’s graduation rate. The staff worked the problem together with the administrators.

Takeaway Three: Give teachers control over their own professional development.

One panelist, a Spanish teacher, shared how much he appreciated his administration encouraging him to pursue his desire to learn American Sign Language. In his opinion the best teacher leaders are also learners.

The panel also shared that administrators need to be prepared to support teacher leaders when they face criticism from their peers for having a grander vision for supporting students. Administrators need to be able to open their doors and give these teachers the extra time and support they need. 

The panel discussion didn’t address aspects of the hard work of teaching that often lead to frustration and burnout: classroom discipline, critical parents, and insufficient compensation.  However, Heifitz does, and for reasons stated earlier, I will draw on him again. Leaders are often called to regulate stress. We need to be filters. We need to advocate as we can. We need to take tough phone calls to protect teachers. We need to listen even if we can’t fix it. Our offices may not hold a money printing press or a match that will spark a spiritual revival to undo the angry selfishness of this age, but we can listen.  This, I think, is another blog post. 

I’m thankful DESE honored teachers by giving them a voice at this meeting. We were told that 30% of teachers who receive initial teaching certificates do not renew them. Another 20% leave the profession after recertification. Dr. Derek Ward’s 2021 study on teacher mentor programs found that many novice teachers leave the profession due to unrealistic expectations and lack of emotional support.  If we want to reverse that trend, we have to be prepared to listen more than we have in the past. 

Last year was challenging, and the session energized me and reminded me of the thing I value most about educational leadership: supporting the teachers who strive to make everyone better. 

Facilties Improvements: Know your limits.

I confess to being a DIY hack.  A mantra around my house is, "We don't hire work done!" When Wendy suggests we call a plumber or electrician, I make a show of how offended I am. 

From time to time, the DIY bug takes over in my profesional life in managing district facilities. Last summer, I did take matters into my own hand and install a grease trap, but that's a story for another blog post. 

However, I understand there are limits to the DIY mentality. 

This summer our district passed a bond issue and completed improvments ahead of schedule and under budget. This was only possible because I did not try to DIY the work. From getting the issue on the ballot, advertising for proffesionals, evaluating contracts, and completing the work, professionals were involved. Writing specifications for HVAC bids, understanding asbestos abatement, and writing ballot language are specific skills. Evaluating the difference between RFQ's, RFP's, and RFB's is a specific skill. Knowing if a project qualifies for design build or quarunteed energy savings contractors is a specific skill. 

Our district is more efficienct, safer, and more asthetically pleasing because of the experts who were involved in the work. Our community trusted the district to provide a great environment for students and teachers when they passed the bond issue. 

Their expectations were met because of the professionals who assisted us along the way. 

Christmas Meditation 2019

Each Christmas, my parents would read the account of the birth of Jesus as told in Luke: “At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.” It’s a tradition I’ve tried to carry forward with my kids. I love how the efficiency of the narrative highlights the focus on Mary’s treasured thoughts. I love that humble shepherds get paragraphs while the rulers barely get phrases. It all seems fitting for a story that turns realities upside down: the first are now last, the humbled exalted.

However, as I get older, I find myself more drawn to another gospel’s account. The poetry of John speaks truth to me in a way narrative, limited by definition, can not. 

Perhaps it’s the association of cartoonish nativity scenes and pageants, or the ritual of reading from the Bible before getting presents. 

Or- my need to consider the why of the story is now greater than the what of the story. 

Because I find myself battling a cynicism of a world that seems to be growing more shallow and cruel each day.

And that cynicism extends to myself just as often- as I consider my shortcomings and the way I find myself in the Avett Brothers’ lyric: “there’s a darkness upon me that’s flooded in light and I’m frightened by those who don’t see it.”

John’s gospel account can’t be told as a child’s story. It’s heavier than that. It speaks of eternity and acknowledges the harshness of existing in our reality. Christmas should be a celebration, but it’s a celebration because the divine entered into the broken, the corrupt, the dark. 

We fill our social media pages with happy images but often Christmastime joys are fleeting and shallow because the world is too broken, and corrupt, and dark to be overcome with gifts and carols. We need to be reminded, I need to be reminded, that the only light that truly overcomes darkness is Christ.

In my own life I have been blessed in specific ways, particularly with a family that is woven together with the gospel’s thread- a wife and friend whose grace and faith humble me. And still I need to be reminded. My anxieties, and the restlessness I feel when I’m not immersed in work, can push me toward darkness, but the light of The Gospel  reminds me that- while I live in a world fringed by darkness- my call is to embrace and point others toward light that is Jesus.

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

‭‭

2019-2020 Legal Updates For Educators

Legal Updates for the 2019-2020 School Year- Notes from July 26 EdCounsel Seminar 

Virtual Education: 

A recent lawsuit is attempting to force a local district and DESE to accept courses from vendors who  are not currently approved by DESE. Districts are currently required to assume the cost of virtual instruction. Districts are encouraged to create guidelines to be applied when determining “best educational interest” on a case by case basis. Current statute only requires districts to pay for courses offered through MOCAP approved  providers. Responding to requests for virtual instruction is not clear cut and may be more complex for students with disabilities. Some non approved vendors are actively recruiting families to enroll in their programs. Local districts should be prepared to educate themselves on how to best respond to these requests. 

**update-courts ruled in favor of the family's request

Juuling: Missouri law prohibits minors from  possessing juul devices just as it does cigarettes. Districts have every right to prohibit e-cigarettes and vaping devices. Most districts have adopted policy updates that prohibit vaping devices but not all districts have updated handbooks to match policy. Districts are encouraged review their handbooks. Consequences for vaping vary from district to district. Because juuls can be used to deliver THC and CBD, districts should be thoughtful in their responses. Districts are reminded that school personnel have a lower standard for initiating a search than law enforcement. A search must begin with reasonable suspicion but it must be limited in scope. District personnel can not create the circumstances which lead to reasonable suspicion. Searches must not occur in front of other students and should only be done with two school employees. When a device is confiscated from a student who is a minor, it should be disposed of. If a student is not a minor it should be returned at the end of the day- unless the device is suspected of being used to deliver THC or CBD.  

Google and Data Breaches:

Employees who have access to student information should have a legitimate educational reason to have access, according to FERPA. If they disclose information, the district is liable for a data breach. Missouri statute requires districts to notify parents and the state auditors office in the event of a data breach. Districts should be very careful about sharing Google Sheets with student information. Educators should not copy or share their entire school google drive with their personal google drive. Google Take Out is an application that would make it easy for a person to perhaps unintentionally create a data breach. Districts are encouraged to purchase cyber insurance. 

Manifestation Determination Issues:

Manifestation determination meetings must always be held if a district suspends a student for more than ten days in one school year- if the student has a 504, IEP, or suspected disability. 

Medical Marijuana and CBD

In 2019 the Missouri Department of Health finalized regulations. Individuals must have a patient identification card to use medical marijuana. Schools should still comply with federal drug free workplace regulations. Federal laws require schools remain drug free. Schools can not be compelled to administer medical marijuana to students even if they have a patient identification card. In the event an employee fails a drug test but they have a prescription, the district should consult an attorney. Employees who exhibit behaviors associated with being under the influence on school property should be disciplined in a similar manner as an employee who presents themself as being under the influence of alcohol. Students who test positive on a random drug test who have a prescription should not be disciplined. Students who are under the influence at school should be disciplined.

CBD oil is different than medical marijuana. CBD oil is a developing area of law and should be handled with advice from an attorney. Districts should not permit students to self administer or possess CBD oil in school. Following policies on other medicines is best practice when dealing with CBD oil.  

Carroll County 2019

Seasons come where events and individuals grind against each other. Determining which shapes the other most is difficult. We consider the limits of our strength. We consider who we praise afterwards, and why we choose to enter in the first place. In this season a dead man come back to life, a town stopped a river, and father completed an icy crossing. 

The Crash
The impact, the sound of metal crumpling, sent them into action. The few, with few words, worked as one. Ribs cracked under the force of compressions. Skin turned blue and lungs gasped. Little evidence suggested shock would ensure he would live. That his hands would still fold in prayer to his God and serve his wife. In that moment nothing was certain. 

Be with us Lord

The Crest
29' and rising sent them into action. The many, with few words, worked as one. For eight days sandbags were filled and sent to strengthen the levees. The river rose like a fever. The community rallied, inspired by the example of a team of women- incarcerated and incredible. Work, purpose, coffee- the value and clarity was shared by all, but the crest rolled down, indifferently. A symbol of the foolishness of believing that marina and mansion, farmer and fish could all share the river without consequences. The old calculus of dam and levy proved insufficient under this new sky- driven by a feverish ocean 2,000 miles a way. Snow fell and then melted in quantities not seen before. The crest's record will likely not stand long. 

Be with us Lord

The Call
The panicked call sent him into action. She waited on the bridge for twenty long minutes- water rising around her- before headlights bounced through mist. Anxiety receded with a hug- then they took each others' hand. The two, with few words, worked as one. The water topped boots, and went higher, as they waded 100 yards to higher ground. Snow flakes began to replace raindrops. There was no scolding. The boldness that told her she could make it might one day keep her administering chest compressions, or filling sandbags, when it no longer made sense. Her stride was stronger through the current than his. Fever had weakened him, and now heart rate and pressure at the temples made him consider how much a family is dependent on the exchange of finite amounts of strength for wisdom. 

Be with us Lord
No season serves as commencement or finish line. More weeks will measure out in many spoonfuls of coffee and few hours of sleep. Crashes, crests, and calls will continue. Individuals and communities will grind against events. Events will grind back. The whole damn enterprise is dependent on finite reserves of strength and wisdom. Both must be cultivated. 

Be with us Lord

Why should barley inform our analysis of test data?

 At the end of the month, DESE will release results of last year’s MAP test to the public. Folks who see themselves as logical, bottom line thinkers will try to make judgements based on the data. Which school, teacher, method is most effective? Some of this will even be done by educators, under the banner of “data driven decision making.” Very little of these judgements should be taken seriously. The simplistic thinking is demonstrated in the equation most folks will use.

Proficiency rate of school/teacher/method A > = < proficiency rate of school/teacher/method/ B

Anyone with a marginal background in statistical analysis will see flaws here. There’s no accounting for sample sizes or variables which might impact learning.

Consider William Sealy Gosset who invented the T Test in 1908. Gosset was serious about statistical analysis. After all, he was involved in important work: brewing beer for Guinness. He needed to make decisions about the quality of Barley A compared to Barley B. Because he took statistical analysis seriously, he wrote an equation that factored in sample sizes and accounted for accidental variations, while assuming variables were held mostly constant. You may not be familiar with the T Test, but it is widely used in finance, science, and academic research. The formula is a bit more sophisticated than
A > = < B.

​      m- μ

 ​t = s/√n
Gosset's T test formula

Gosset realized some variance would naturally occur so he took the exercise a step further. He set thresholds to determine if the findings were significant, not incidental. Nowadays we declare victory or defeat over any difference in test scores.

The purpose of state testing is not to compare teachers, districts, or methods. The purpose of state testing is to compare a student’s performance on a test to accepted criteria which demonstrates proficiency or mastery. One problem Missouri educators face is the legislature changed the standards for evaluation multiple times, and DESE changed test formats and the criteria for mastery. The data returned to parents and educators has no value for comparative analysis. To be honest, the purpose of state testing is primarily to comply with federal legislation that drives funding.

 Pretend we sought to compare schools, teachers, or methods through rigorous statistical methodology. Pretend we took the task as seriously as William Gosset took beer. Let’s say we sat down with Gosset and discussed our plan over a cup of coffee, or something.

Us: We want to use statistics to determine which schools, teachers, and methods work best.

Gosset: Tell me more.

Us: Well, we’re going to give a test and see which group has the most kids who pass.

Gosset: How do you plan to account for sample size variances?

Us: Not going to. We’ll treat pass rates of a 4th grade class of 10 the same as we do as the pass rates for all 4,000 4th graders in a large district.

Gosset: I see. How will you hold variables constant and account for variances that might naturally occur by accident?

Us: We’re not doing anything about that either, though we admit it’s a limitation.

Gosset: I see. Are you at least using the same instrument for measurements?

Us: Not really. We’ve changed the test instrument every year, but it’s sort of the same.

Gosset: Yeah, I don’t think this will produce valuable data.

Us: Really, I think we’ll use it for scathing editorials in the paper, bullet points in faculty meetings, and for a Great School Rating which helps determine the market value of real estate on Zillow.

Gosset: All of those are terrible applications of what you are suggesting. I really must be going.

I'm not out to write a take down of standardized testing. Educators know results are important to parents and policy makers. We all want our students to excel on the tests. Test results can help educators, working collaboratively in settings that respect the voices of teachers, triangulate data to identify trends, strengths, and weakness. I wouldn't advocate to throw out testing completely, but we do need to throw out the hyperbole in which arm chair statisticians occasionally indulge. There are limits to the usefulness of test data and the example of Gosset, the brew master, helps us see them.

A few thoughts on collegiality and a story about wrecking the homecoming float

My career began in 1999 at Simonsen 9th grade center in Jefferson City, and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I was overwhelmed, partially because of a homecoming float. The principal offered to “sweeten the pot” on my salary if I agreed to be stuco sponsor. That allowed me to bring home an extra $36 a month, but it came with expectations- the freshman class always won the homecoming float contest.

I became obsessed- not with classroom management or assessment, but with float construction. I spent hours placing pomp in chicken wire with a student named Terrance and his cohorts. On parade day our entry was solid, with a skirt that read “Jays Beat the Eagles.” Controversy surrounded who would ride as the mascot, but I stuck to my guns (I got paid big dollars to set the starting lineup for the frosh float) and Terrance suited up as Jasper the Jay. We took off down the parade route, pulling the float behind my Mazda pickup- bound for glory.

At the first turn, disaster struck. I cut the corner too sharp. The trailer rocked. The skirt caught the curb. Soon the pomp read “ ays  eat the gles!” Terrance almost went to the emergency room.

I felt like a failure. 

In the classroom, it wasn’t much better. I didn’t know very much, but I hoped if I could keep the 14 year olds busy, they wouldn’t eat me. During the first quarter the kids did 17 worksheets a day and we read half the literature anthology. I spent every minute I wasn’t building floats grading each of the 17 worksheets my 120 students did everyday.

Fortunately, talented educators intervened. The chair of the English department, Laramie Thompson, and my mentor, Kim Sellers, are two of the most thoughtful teachers I’ve known. They took time to speak wisdom about what was worth stressing over and what wasn’t. Laramie showed me what leadership looked like. She ensured each of the 700 freshman were challenged and supported in their growth as readers and writers. There were six English teachers in our department and our time together was focused on student learning. We didn’t always agree, but we did work together to craft common assessments and evaluate data. Years later I went to my first PLC meeting- I was convinced that someone had stolen all of Laramie’s ideas.

I left Simonsen for coaching opportunities. I taught in great schools with talented staffs, but I did not find the same professional challenge and support I experienced at Simonsen. Camaraderie existed, but not the same level of professional collegiality. We met for administrator led meetings and at lunch to share grievances, but we did not have deep, teacher led conversations about teaching and learning.

Fortunately, I found that same level of collegiality again before leaving the classroom at Harrisburg Middle School. Teachers had real conversations about supporting and challenging our kids, which included a significant number of students in foster care. As a staff we worked to ensure our school was a great place for all students to learn, regardless of their life experiences. Our conversations were collegial, centered on work, not grievances. We didn’t always agree, but we worked together for the kids. I remember my friend Brian’s response to the suggestion that the staff be on the same page: “That’s fine, but maybe we should be on the page the kids need.” The point was taken. In the end, the work, guided by collegiality, produced a strong sense of camaraderie. We were serving our students well and we knew it.

I’m not as involved in building level work as I used to be. Busses, budgets, and building maintenance dominate my workdays. I miss the collegiality and camaraderie of teachers when they are focused on teaching and learning. As much as I can, I try to support practices that allow those conversations to take place.  Good collaborative work is occurring in the Norborne district right now. I’m thankful for the experiences I had as a teacher that allow me to recognize it.

Notes from IDEA SPED Finance Regional Training

Notes from IDEA SPED Finance Regional Training

October 4, 2018

Changes in federal regulations require local districts to adjust accounting practices. The goal is to provide greater transparency for how revenues are spent. DESE is working with local districts to provide training.

Monitoring:

All districts have their special education finances monitored. Every district is placed in a cohort and is monitored according to a schedule. Risk assessments are also conducted by DESE annually. Further monitoring may take place if budgets or FER’s are submitted late, a change in personnel has occurred, or if expenditures are incorrectly coded. For districts receiving on site monitoring a list of 15 (page 12 of monitoring guide) items must be submitted prior to the visit.

Revenue sources:

All funding sources for special education must be tracked at the local level. While IDEA is a federal mandate, federal funding was never intended to cover all expenses. Districts must source code all expenditures. DESE recommends funding sped with local, state, and federal revenue. Decisions on how much of each source is spent on IDEA are made at the local level. For state and local funds, districts do not have to identify specific funding sources. For federal monies districts must document which specific revenue code is used.

General Ledger Basics:

General ledgers are used to build ASBR’s and DESE uses the ASBR to build FER’s. If incorrect coding is used in the ledger a chain reaction of complications will follow. All codes must have:

-fund code (tells which major fund to which the expense belongs): 1, general; 2, teacher; 3, debt service; 4, capital project

-function code (tells the basic purpose of the expense): there are many function codes. Previous guidance told districts to use 1221 primarily. New guidance allows much more flexibility. Examples of function codes include: 1221, sped teacher; 2162, occupational therapy.

-object codes (identifies services or commodities and directs which object the expense is collapsed into):  Examples: certificated salary, 6110; supplies, 6400.

-location code (tells which of the district’s building the expense belongs to)

-source code (tells the source of the funds): this is the major shift in coding. All funds must be coded local, 1; county, 2; state, 3; federal, 4.

-project code (identifies the specific source of the revenue- must be used for federal or specific state awards): Example, IDEA Entitlement funds, 44100. This is new and is a major shift.

Example

Fund, function, object, location, source, and project code for the portion of a high school teacher’s salary paid with IDEA part B funds.

2-1221-6110-1-4-44100

Cash Management

All districts must have a written cash management procedure. If adopted MCE or MSBA policies are current, districts are covered. Federal funds can only be drawn on a reimbursement basis. If federal funds are drawn before they are expended, financial penalties may occur.

Allowable Expenditures

Anything that is required to implement an IEP is an allowable expense for IDEA part B funds; however, the least complicated expenditure is for teacher’s salaries. Using IDEA monies for administrator salaries requires documentation for time and effort. Using IDEA monies for equipment/technology requires additional inventory documentation. All expenditures must be included in the budget submitted through e pegs. If federal funds are used for construction, the construction must be used only for special education. Changing the use of the building would require purchasing it from the federal government. Employees who are on the roster for medicaid roster can not have all of their salary coded as IDEA; however, employees who only have a portion of their salary coded to IDEA can also be included on the SDAC medicaid roster.

Time and Effort

A signed semi-annual certification form must be kept on file for any employee who has any portion of their salary coded to IDEA funds.

https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/fas-SemiAnnualTimeCertification.pdf

Maintenance of Effort

Districts are required to spend state and local dollars in addition to their federal dollars. To receive federal funds districts must spend the same amount of money or more than they spent the year before. There are two avenues for meeting maintenance of effort. The first is local funds only and the second is local and state combined. Districts must be aware of how new expenses are coded because increasing spending creates a new threshold that may be difficult to continue.

The only exceptions are

-voluntary departure of sped staff

-decrease in enrollment of children with disabilities

-termination of a costly obligation for a specific child

-termination of a costly long-term purchase

-assumption of cost by the high need fund

Legal Updates For The 2018/19 School Year

Recent developments in school law may impact educators during the 18-19 school year.

Notes from EdCounsel school law seminar, July 27, 2018.

Senate Bill 1007: Employee Speech

This law limits the ability of districts to take action against employees who are publicly critical of districts. Administrators should seek legal advice before addressing employees who post criticisms on social media.

Student on Student Harassment

A recent Missouri court ruling found that districts are not places of public accommodation under the MHRA. A related case is currently being appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court; however, school districts are less likely to be viewed as a “person” and will not be as likely to be named in certain lawsuits. As long as districts follow policies which address student harassment, they will be in a stronger position than in years past.

HB1413: Collective Bargaining

Districts with collective bargaining agreements must review their policies and practices in light of this new law. The law creates grey areas for districts without collective bargaining agreements that utilize salary committees. Teacher unions and associations are weakened and teacher representation committees may have to meet additional bureaucratic regulations.

Surveillance Video Requests

FERPA guidance evolving to expand parental access to videos from bus or security cameras. Administrators must carefully consider requests and balance the interests of all students in the video.

Prevailing Wage

HB1729 allows for more flexibility to districts for projects under $75,000. If a change order pushes the total over $75,000, prevailing wage will only be paid on the portion over $75,000.00. Projects under $75,000 must pay a “public works contracting minimum wage,” and any bid documents for projects over $15,000 to push responsibility onto contractors instead of the district.

Student Speech/Violent Threats

The 2017 Criminal Code treats violent threats as a “terrorist act.” Courts are not responsive to first amendment claims in response to public threats. If a district can not prove a statement was a true threat the Tinker standard, allowing districts to police disruptive speech and conduct, still applies.

EdCounsel provides competent professional legal services for districts. For their complete presentation click below:

http://online.fliphtml5.com/tziy/tmaq/

Empowering Rural School Leaders: An Analysis of Three Policy Responses to Declining Enrollments

Rural schools face declining enrollments as rural populations decline. The Iowa model of Whole Grade Sharing is a better policy response than state mandated consolidation or forcing local school boards to face declining enrollments with no support from state government. 

Problem Definition

From 1996 to 2016 the Hardin-Central school district saw enrollment declines of 7.5 percent; in the neighboring district of Norborne the decline was a more drastic 31 percent (DESE). The enrollment trends match the demographic shift taking place in rural Missouri, characterized by the four percent decline in population in Carroll County, where Norborne is located, between 2010 and 2016 (United States Census Bureau). In an effort to maintain educational opportunities in the face of declining enrollments, a committee formed to study the consolidation of the two districts; however, after six meetings the committee voted not to pursue consolidation, in part because the consolidation would result in a loss of over $800,000 in state funding for the area (Rooney, 2018).

While other states employed proactive interventions to the effects of declining rural populations on education, Missouri’s state legislature has not. Missouri students deserve state leaders who will find responsible ways to protect opportunities for quality education in rural areas.  In a state with a significant percentage of students in rural schools, the problems presented by declining enrollments meet Bardach and Patashnick’s (2016) designation of “public problems” and “legitimately raise claims for amelioration by public resources” (p. 2).

Evidence

Rural states such as Missouri have seen demographic shifts induced by market forces which have decreased the number of farms in America between 2009 and 2016 (USDA). Fewer families own more land in Missouri, a state where enrollment is projected to experience downward trends, particularly in rural areas (Digest of Educational Statistics, 2016). Rural states across the nation have watched the number of districts shrink with their population. Between 1990 and 2009, Nebraska saw over 600 districts close when the legislature eliminated kindergarten through eighth grade districts (Surface, 2012). In Arkansas, Act 60 closed 57 districts (Nita, 2010). In Missouri, leaders have had no response to declining enrollments, and the state has the eighth highest number of school districts (521), in spite of having the 18th highest population (Digest of Educational Statistics, 2016).

The lack of response to declining rural enrollments by Missouri’s leaders places the state in a position to learn from literature produced researching the effects of consolidation elsewhere. Elf (2001) found high school students benefited the most from consolidation in her study of consolidation in an Ohio community. Secondary students report greater course offerings after consolidation (Nitta, 2010). Literature points to consolidation’s benefits for teachers as well as students. Nitta (2010) found teachers reported improved professional development and opportunities for collaboration following consolidation.

Missouri policy makers will also be well served by studying the challenges of consolidation. Surface (2012) found school consolidation can be a divisive issue for the communities affected for several reasons: the economic significance of a school district for small towns, rivalries between groups, and fears of losing community identity. The dynamics of perceived zero sum political games discussed by Samuelson (2016) are often at work in consolidation talks. When consolidation negotiations become too conflicted parties adopt deeply entrenched positions and rarely change strategies as described in game theory (Mouw, 2013). For this reason, Bard (2006) notes that the most successful consolidation efforts maintain schools in each town and engage the community in the process. State mandated consolidation is regarded as less effective (Bard, 2006).

Missouri policy makers must be informed about the current realities of Missouri’s rural schools. While figure 1 demonstrates significant differences between the projected enrollments of Missouri’s smallest and largest districts, figures 2 and 3 respectively demonstrate no significant difference in the academic performance or financial health of Missouri’s smallest districts in comparison to the largest.  Parents in small communities such as Norborne and Hardin intuitively worry about missed opportunities for their children; however, policy makers have no widespread evidence of academic or financial failures among small districts.

Figure 1

Effect of District Enrollment on Projected Change in HS Enrollment (2018-27)
		N	Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
% change	Smallest Districts	122	-0.14	0.305	0.027
	Largest Districts	122	0.002	0.181	0.016
Effect of District Enrollment on Projected Change in HS Enrollment (2018-27)
		Levene's Test for Equality of Variances
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)
% change	Equal variances assumed	23.616	0	-4.396	242	0
	Equal variances not assumed			-4.396	197.031	0

Figure 2

Effect of District Enrollment on Percentage of Students Scoring Advanced
		N	Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
% advanced	Smallest Districts	160	17.53	8.73007	0.69017
	Largest Districts	160	17.5225	6.67354	0.52759
Effect of District Enrollment on Proficiency Percentage
		Levene's Test for Equality of Variances
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)
% advanced	Equal variances assumed	9.154	0.003	0.009	318	0.993
	Equal variances not assumed			0.009	297.523	0.993

Figure 3

Effect on District Enrollment on Fund Balance Growth (2005-2011)
		N	Mean	Std. Deviation	Std. Error Mean
fundgrowth	Smallest Districts	183	0.6354	3.00372	0.22204
	Largest Districts	183	0.2019	2.15953	0.15964
Independent Samples Test
		Levene's Test for Equality of Variances
		F	Sig.	t	df	Sig. (2-tailed)
fundgrowth	Equal variances assumed	2.2	0.139	-1.585	364	0.114
	Equal variances not assumed			-1.585	330.478	0.114

Source: DESE

Evaluating Alternatives

Determining an appropriate public policy response often relies on analyzing various models (Bardoch & Patashnik, 2016). Consolidation efforts in other states allow Missouri policy makers to assess the models based on actual outcomes.

One model could be described as consolidation through state mandate. Arkansas used this model with Act 60 (Nita, 2010). Another Missouri neighbor, Nebraska, also mandated school consolidation, through the closing of kindergarten through eighth grade schools (Surface, 2012).  In Missouri, this approach has been advocated by legislators seeking to close small districts, but has not received enough statewide support to be implemented (Reishman, 2015).

Rather than force consolidation through mandate, Missouri’s state government has adopted a do-nothing model.  Local school boards and communities respond to declining enrollments at their own discretion. Rarely do local school boards make the difficult decision to close a district to join another, and when they do, the community suffers from the divisions and disruptions, as in the case of the Stet closure in 2014 (Rooney, 2014). Missouri’s school funding policies disincentivize consolidation as found by the Hardin and Norborne community members (Rooney, 2018).  

A third model can be found in Iowa, which neither mandates consolidation or leaves local communities to negotiate decline enrollment with no support. Iowa code section 282.10 allows communities to negotiate an intermediate phase of consolidation through a process known as whole grade sharing (Iowa Department of Education).  This model allows neighboring districts to share resources, while maintaining independent school boards and receiving the same state funding.

Predicting Outcomes

If state leaders continue with a do nothing approach to declining enrollment, predicting outcomes is straightforward. Rural districts will continue to decline in enrollment. While some communities may seek consolidation with their neighbors, game theory suggests most will hold tightly to their districts. As in the case of Stet, communities will struggle to determine when their district is no longer viable. Dissolutions of districts will only occur after capacity to deliver quality educational experiences begins to diminish. The outliers who seek planned consolidation will find, as the Norborne/Hardin group did, state funding policies a deterrent to their efforts.

Should the state adopt a forced consolidation model, the process will happen faster, but local communities will not have as much agency in crucial decisions such as the setting of boundaries and closure of schools. Leading new districts in communities that have been forced together without consent will be challenging for boards and administrators. Over time, students will benefit from consolidation, but the transitions will be disruptive. Political pushback will be significant.  

The Iowa model of whole grade sharing presents a third path. Should the state support communities that show interest in pooling resources voluntarily, overcoming the inertia of community identity will be less difficult for local leaders. An external change in financial factors would likely force parties to adjust their strategies and increase the likelihood of a Nash equilibrium emerging (Williamson 2013). Students and families can receive the benefits of consolidation without the disruption that can occur if the merger is dictated from the state capitol.

Confronting Tradeoffs

Evaluating trade-offs and outcomes requires leaders to consider “projections of policy outcomes for the various alternatives being considered” (Bardach & Patashnik, p. 47). Ignoring declining enrollments avoids short term political complications. Because data suggests academic outcomes are not significantly impacted by attending school in a smaller setting, no sense of emergency exists to motivate local leaders. Responsibility for evaluating the viability of the local district is passed to a future generation of local leaders. However, in the time that passes, students miss the improved social and extracurricular activities the literature documents. Teachers miss the professional support they would find in a larger district. Forced consolidation may accelerate a process which ultimately leads to better outcomes; however, community involvement in some decisions may be limited. The literature suggests that community engagement in the process is correlated to the ultimate success of the district.

Policies which incentivise consolidation empower local leaders to support and direct the pace and logistics of a consolidation effort. Students and teachers benefit, and disruption is minimized. The adoption of a policy permitting whole grade sharing would stress some sectors of the administrative bureaucracy; however, the state budget impacts would be minimal, as local districts would be receiving the same amount of state revenue.   

Conclusions

Declining rural populations and shrinking school enrollments present challenges to local government and school leaders. State leaders must respond to the demographic shift and engage with local communities in thoughtful ways. All evidence supports the adoption of the Iowa model which provides support, while respecting the autonomy of local school boards. Missouri’s rural residents would benefit from a similar practice.  

References

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Bardach, E. & Patashnik, E.  (2016). A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis.  Sage: Los Angeles.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (2018). Missouri Comprehensive Data System. Retrieved from https://mcds.dese.mo.gov/quickfacts/Pages/default.aspx

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United States Census Bureau (2016). Quick Facts Carroll County, Missouri. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/carrollcountymissouri,MO,US/PST120216#viewtop

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http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/FarmLandIn/2010s/2017/FarmLandIn-02-17-2017.pdf

Reischman, C. (2015). Bahr pushes to consolidate rural school districts. The Missouri Times. March 24, 2015.

Rooney, S. (2018, April 19). Committee vote: no consolidation. The Richmond Daily News. p. 1.

Rooney, S. (2014, January 16). April Election on Norborne, H-C Boundaries.  The Richmond Daily News. p. 1.

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Zimmer, T., DeBoer, L., & Hirth, M. (2009). Examining Economies of Scale in School Consolidation: Assessment of Indiana School Districts. Journal of Education Finance, 35, Issue 2.