Friday, February 3, 2012

Preparing for LIFToff

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools'  new Project LIFT Zone officially opens on Feb. 27,  but Zone Superintendent Denise Watts reported to work this week.  The zone is the offspring of a union between CMS and Project LIFT,  designed to see what $55 million in private money can do to turn around nine struggling schools.

Yes, the earlier reports said eight schools.  That's the first news out of the new administrative office: Ashley Park PreK-8 School had been left off the list of schools that feed into West Charlotte High, so the new total is nine.

This kind of public-private partnership to run public schools is unique for CMS and rare in the nation, so the new zone (Project LIFT Zone is the official name) will be watched closely.   Here's what I've learned so far:

Watts will make $150,000 in her new job, with private money covering the cost (she was earning just under $135,000 a year when she left a similar position with CMS last summer to lead LIFT).  She's a CMS employee, reporting to Chief Academic Officer Ann Clark, but she'll also continue her fund-raising and partnership work with donors as executive director of LIFT.  CMS will hire an executive director (paid with public money) to handle the day-to-day oversight of the schools.

Christian Friend will also be a LIFT zone executive director,  with his $100,000 salary paid by private money.  Friend moves from the CMS accountability office  (where he earned $83,600) and will handle evaluation,  strategy and project management,  Watts said.  Part of the plan is that LIFT will require all groups that get grants to set aside 5 percent to cover the cost of independent third-party evaluation,  she said.  Donors want to be sure they've got a good handle on what's working and what's not.  Board members told the school board they expect some of their efforts to fail,  and it's important to be able to identify and replicate what's really working.

The LIFT Zone plans to have its offices in the Beatties Ford Road corridor,  amid the neighborhoods and schools the staff is working with.  But the building isn't available yet,  so for now the staff will work from the old Villa Heights Elementary,  along with the two central administrative zones that oversee CMS' high-poverty Title I schools.  Clark says CMS does not plan to relocate or reduce staff in those zones,  which currently have the nine LIFT schools on their roster.

The administrative mechanics will no doubt spark debate,  as people puzzle over an arrangement that gives private donors a previously unheard-of role in running public schools.  But the most intriguing part remains to come,  as we see what LIFT can do with schools, families and neighborhoods.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

Blah-Blah about LIFT ! 5 Years from now it will be such a waste of money people will laugh at CMS/LIFT/Broad. I have never seen a school system nationally sell themselves out like CMS with such neegative results. Results are driven with parental involvement and taking care of our teachers. Very little of which takes place within CMS today.

Wiley Coyote said...

CMS responsibility should end at the curb and NOT continue into the homes of students.

Mingling tax dollars with private money when the providers of the private money want to expand their vision throughout the system is a dangerous precedent. Broad, Gates and now LIFT, with LIFT being the most intrusive.

Also, teachers who are teaching or have taught in these schools should be outraged at the language LIFT uses to talk about how it plans to "recruit talent"...

~ Recruit, retain and develop highly effective teachers so that every student has access to an excellent teacher in Project L.I.F.T. schools.

~ 100% of Project L.I.F.T. staff will meet standards for highly effective, highly motivated and mission aligned (rubrics and tools to be developed).

~ Highly effective teachers will be in charge of 100% of students’ instruction.

Wiley Coyote said...

One other thing.

We already have an omen as to how things will go with data reporting.

9 schools instead of 8?

LOL..how do you leave off a school?

Every piece of LIFT press - from THEM - has said 8 schools.

...and the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round, 'round and 'round...

BolynMcClung said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Ann,

LIFT is paying the salary of Ms Watts (and others) but who is picking up the (employer contributions) tab for her (and others) health insurance, retirement, etc.?

Can you uncover those details as well?

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it called "money laundering" when people found out Mary McCray had the ncae pay her salary through cms? Is it ok now?

Anonymous said...

The state legislature needs to come up an independent third party way to monitor this effort and insist LIFT pay the costs.

Wiley Coyote said...

....The continuous improvement process will move forward in a cyclical, iterative way. Project L.I.F.T. will also employ an external evaluator to conduct the evaluation of the entire initiative and to provide regular progress reports on key outcomes and indicators.

Anonymous said...

Such a dangerous precedent… On the payroll at CMS, even if the cost is being reimbursed, makes who responsible for these people? Who’s responsible when it doesn’t work?

Two years ago when PTA’s wanted to pay salaries to keep teachers; that was not legal. How the hell is this different?!

Love this comment: Board members told the school board they expect some of their efforts to fail.

Whatever! Hang on is all I can say!

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see the BOGUS statistic that come out of this facre of a program!

Christine Mast said...

http://media.charlotteobserver.com/static/images/pdf/ProjectLIFTContractv2.pdf

3. Responsibilities of the Board. The Board will be responsible for the following:
...
4. Submitting quarterly invoices to Project LIFT for Personnel salary and benefit costs.

I've already asked the question of what does "benefit costs" include? I have not gotten an answer yet.

Another question regarding Exhibit B to the Project LIFT Contract....

Since CMS is employing Ms. Watts as a zone Superintendent, shouldn't that mean that other zone Superintendents have these kinds of "powers?" If not, doesn't that mean that Project LIFT is INDEED running some of our public schools?

You can't have it both ways. Either Ms. Watts is a CMS employee, doing what CMS wants her to do, which should be the same thing for other zones; OR, Ms. Watts is doing what Project LIFT wants her to do, thereby allowing a private entity to have control over public schools.

EXHIBIT B
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
In addition to the duties and responsibilities set forth in the Agreement, the Board, consistent with state and federal law and in conjunction with Project LIFT, agrees to empower the Board’s employed zone superintendent to do the following:

1. Implement innovative, best practice and research based programs and strategies to support the framework components of talent, extended learning time, technology and integrated community support.
2. Request immediate reassignment of any school employee in the Feeder Area not aligned to the
mutual goals of the parties’ collaboration.
3. Subject to all applicable legal requirements, approve selection of all staff recommended by principals for continued or new employment.
4. Implement research based school turnaround strategies as needed.
5. Implement extended learning strategies as needed.
6. Subject to all applicable legal requirements, utilize federal, state and local dollars allocated to support the parties’ work plan.
7. Subject to all applicable legal requirements, develop a comprehensive human resources strategy in conjunction with the Board’s superintendent and/or his/her designees which will include strategies for recruitment, selection and compensation for employees in the Feeder Area.

CMSParent said...

Wonder if there is a way to sue CMS for the inequal treatment of the students in the suburbs? Anyone know what kind of lawyer would handle that suit?

Anonymous said...

a shyster?

Christine Mast said...

Board members told the school board they expect some of their efforts to fail...

Good thing they're spending money to try them anyway!

The LIFT Zone ... staff will work from the old Villa Heights Elementary, along with the two central administrative zones that oversee CMS' high-poverty Title I schools. Clark says CMS does not plan to relocate or reduce staff in those zones, which currently have the nine LIFT schools on their roster.

Why doesn't she want to reduce the overlap and duplication in duties at this administrative office?

Will the Weighted Student Staffing ratio for all "NINE" schools go back to 1.00 (assuming they were all at 1.30)? Those "extra" funds could be reallocated to other schools in the County!

Wiley Coyote said...

Looking into my crystal ball....

Project LIFT Data Analyst position requiremenets:

An analyst who passes as an expert on the basis of a prolific ability to produce an infinite variety of incomprehensive figures calculated with micrometric precision from the vaguest of assumptions based on debatable evidence from inconclusive data derived by persons of questionable reliability for the sole purpose of confusing an already hopelessly befuddled group of persons who never read the statistics anyway....

Anonymous said...

Bolyn, I appreciate your attempt to be one of those to watch Project LIFT closely. However, what we need in public schools these days are folks from Missouri. That is, folks who will be critical of anything educrats, politicans, community organizers will spit out about how to reform schools. They will sing the praises of an effort like Boston but do not realize the current improvement numbers are from before this latest effort.

Anyway, the public education machine will never back down if results do not match the forecast.

Missouri is the show-me state. As they say, talk is cheap.

Anonymous said...

Will Lift be moving the Republican plants from uptown to the Westend? They can help prepare corporate finance report style metrics that show Enron like success!

Anonymous said...

That was not the "people" of Missouri. It was a judge who thought he was God or at least how he wanted these people to worship him.

BolynMcClung said...

RESPONSE ANON 5:03P

"Show Me" isn't the right approach. The right way goes like this.

1. Learn as much before it starts.
2. Create a network of people who are interested in seeing what's going on.
3. Find ways to monitor programs inside the reporting dates.
4. Discuss what is found in #3

This project is going to happen. I've asked board members some tough questions. I don't see a bunch of cheerleaders. I see hopeful but cautious folks on the board.

I will tell you what I believe will be the first indicator of success or failure. The summer program must show students gained over the Summer. Years of research show that during summers, LIFT type kids lose some of their growth from the previous Spring. Middle-class and above kids actually gain. I expect a special West Corridor test at the end of this June and then a test in the first week of school 2012-13.

I hope LIFT does this and shares the results quickly. I do expect that to happen as positive results will drive funding for the next summer.

Bolyn McClung
Pineville

Wiley Coyote said...

The summer program must show students gained over the Summer. Years of research show that during summers, LIFT type kids lose some of their growth from the previous Spring. Middle-class and above kids actually gain. I expect a special West Corridor test at the end of this June and then a test in the first week of school 2012-13.

"Summer program must show"....

Why didn't the fall, winter and spring programs "show"? Isn't that why Project LIFT is in place, because prior periods for decades have produced the same dismal results?

Based on those results, most of these kids have nowhere to go BUT up.

Project LIFT is going waaay beyond summer programs with dental medical, parenting classes, etc.

Project LIFT in many respects is no different than Bright Beginnings. Taking over parent's responsibilities.

Anonymous said...

Project LIFT is nothing but a glorified welfare program. At least it is not my taxes paying for it.

I see that Princess Sharmel (that’s S Denise Watts-she doesn’t want to be known by a name that might demographically identify her; too embarrassing in so many ways) has succeeded in doubling her salary in a short 3 years. Where will she go next? She didn’t keep he r word to the children and community of Spaugh. It would still be open if she had used her influence to keep it going. That would have meant that she would still have to be rubbing shoulders with the little hellions. It is interesting that Watts won’t even be overseeing the schools; the two executive directors will do the heavy lifting. She won’t have to get her fingers dirty. She’ll be able to hobnob with the rich people. (trust me, they still only see you for what you are on the outside.) You can bet that the moment it doesn’t look like LIFT is working, the executive directors will be out and Watts will be gone.
Shame on you Sharmel for betraying those poor children just to line your own pockets.

What happened to your promise to do whatever it takes to keep children who are poor like you?

Anonymous said...

Bolyn there has been many summer programs in this area the last 5 years. Ann has even written stories on them.

Good luck with this endeavor. However, I feel the founders of this will begin to ride a national wave of praise and adulation while this area of students continues to falter with all this spending.

How will this technology stand up in these households? Will you get mileage out of 5% of the students and households but the rest simply abdicate their parenting responsibility even more?

Somehow I do not believe a critical eye will shine on LIFT.

If this proves successful, will CMS begin to allow other partnerships into other schools (especially suburban)? Everyone here seems to forget there are poor students in all our schools.

Anonymous said...

Somebody tell me Project Lift is paying for the gym at Alexander Graham Middle School. There is heavy equipment there tearing down the existing gym. In an era when middle school sports are not generally funded why spend millions on a new gym? Note to CMS Planning: Staying awake during Board discussion may be of value in the planning process.

Anonymous said...

Alexander Graham MS is an overall rebuilding of the school. The demolition of the Gym is just the first step. Here is a description of the work.

http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartments/construction/_layouts/charmeckfiles/constructionSites.aspx?id=114

Not sure how this fits in where someone said there was no unspent money left form past bond votes. Maybe because this project was already committed and scheduled.

Anonymous said...

1:58 So lets just hope the Davidson IB renovation does not start soon! CMS play money? No Data No Peace!

Anonymous said...

Maybe LIFToff could take the debt sevice on Midwood off the taxpayer. What a complete waste of public school funds... into the millions!

Anonymous said...

The point of closing Davidson IB (and destroying one of the best middle school programs in the state) was so CMS could redirect that money to another urban school that Dunlap, Leake, and Roberts would approve.

Anonymous said...

While you are talking about money how about working people? Hourly rates of CMS maintenance directors $45 to $57 per hour plus perks like take home cars, long lunches and free gas. Hourly rate of people getting the work donein schools $10-20 with GPS watching every trip, timeclocks bean counting to the minute and overpriced insurance. Redirect some of that unspent Davidson money our way!

Anonymous said...

We need an entirely new blog category for stories on Project LIFT as the schools are certainly not "Your Schools" any more.
Maybe "Their Schools"?

Anonymous said...

How about..."We are tired of trying with taxpayer provided $1.2 billion plus hundreds of millions in capital funds so we will let Broad, Gates and Lift buy our leadership role for pennies on the dolla" or "Maybe 40 years in the school funding dessert will teach those Mecklenburgers to stop expecting equitable school fundin, this is an urban district after all" or "CMS AGREES: ITS TIME TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC EDUCATION OPTION!"

Anonymous said...

How about...ruining a good rant by misspelling DESERT...

Anonymous said...

Maybe she meant dessert as in Mississippi mud pie as metaphor for CMS schoolfunding approach? Forty years is a lot of school mud pie though? LOL.

Anonymous said...

What Peter Gorman has has accomplished has infected the system to a point that it may never recover.
1. He created the position of Zone superintendent, so he himself could not be directly accountable.
2. Took money from other sources to supplement his income which put into question his loyalties.
3. Divided an entire community against itself.
4. Allowed tremendous outside influences to interfere with local educational issues. (I suupose Southern people were just too dumb to solve their own problems.)

Any person who supported Mr. Gorman or currently supports Hugh Hattabaugh, Ann Clark, or Scott Muri then you are richly reaping what you have sown.

Wiley Coyote said...

Anon 8:34...

The system was broken before Gorman got out of elementary school and has been since.

That's about 40 years.

Anonymous said...

8:34, there is a loud minority supporting this social services system supported by the Chamber and the Charlotte Observer.

Until the suburbs turn out at a 2 to 1 rate, there will not be any sanity restored to CMS.

Anonymous said...

8:34 If you think Peter Gorman divided this community you apparently haven't been reading The Observer for the past twenty years. The editors have been on a mission to demonize the suburbanites ever since they began to question the effectiveness of busing based assignment.

Anonymous said...

U.S. Schools Have a Poverty Crisis, Not an Education Crisis. Here is a link to a current story that discusses state governments building the infrastructure to combat what many bloggers here point to...the social ills outside of the classroom that impair low income student capabilities. Kind of sounds like the CMS approach on steroids. Is there any other way? What is the alternative?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-rebell/us-schools-have-a-poverty_b_1247635.html

Wiley Coyote said...

Anon 11:02...

Harvard did a study that showed poverty doesn't explain away low American math scores. They used the same PISA testing to make the point.

Define poverty.

The school lunch program is rife with fraud throughout the US, with the USDA overpaying benefits in 2010 by $1.5 BILLION dollars.

CMS has over 78,000 on the program. The 22% of children in the US in poverty as stated in the HUFPO article doesn't come close to the number of CMS kids getting free or reduced lunches. That number would be 30,800 or about what the 2010 Census says for Mecklenburg County.

Here is part of one of Anne's stories on technology the other day:

Even in high-poverty schools, such as Cochrane Collegiate Academy, many students already have smartphones. In the new Bring Your Own Technology era, they'll be able to use those for Internet research and sharing information in class.

Cochrane students may not be wealthy, but they're not technologically destitute, Bishop says: "They all have smartphones," and about half have computers at home.


Cochrane ranks 29 out of 32 middle schools in performance.

So poverty is why Little Johnny can't read?

Anonymous said...

11:02 and WC, last 2 posts before this oone. You both point out what I have been saying for a long time. Poor people (generlationally and chronic) are poor because they lack the ability to set priorities. They lack that ability because they lack a value system.

Anonymous said...

Bolyn is drinking the Kool-Aid! Must be priming the pumps for a run at the District 6 seat in 2013.

Anonymous said...

Why are teachers now being forced to send home report cards and the student performance comments in Spanish?

Anonymous said...

Project LIFT and teaching principals how to do proper observations are both admirable efforts. However, for the last 3 years or so, CMS has worked hard to shed itself of more expensive, highly qualified, experienced teachers in order to improve the bottom line. There are many teachers who were RIF’d under the guise of being inadequate, when, in fact, the principals were looking for, and/or manufacturing problems, regardless of actual results in the classroom. As a result, there are some highly qualified teachers out there, while the classrooms are filled with young (translate ‘inexpensive’), new teachers and Teach for America teachers. Also, Project Lift needs to look at finding certified chemistry teachers for West Mecklenburg to fill in for the intelligent and energetic, non-science major Teach for America chemistry teachers who are there now. Maybe they will find some National Board Certified teachers who were RIF'd.