For 10 years Derby schools have carried the Alliance District designation meaning they are one of the 30 worst in the state on the state’s standardized testing. That’s a fact. It negatively affects our city. It’s something that needs to change.
I called for the district to put together a plan to change that about with measurable goals and action items by which to evaluate progress. That’s called accountability. Something Derby taxpayers deserve. Under Chairman Gildea’s leadership no such plan has been publicly put forward.
Derby taxpayers, in addition to the approximately $13 million in the BOE budget, pay for other district expenses such as health care and liability insurance, which are not in the budget. These additional expenses raise the money spent on education to approximately $20 million or approximately 40% of the entire city budget. On top of that, the state will provide an additional $3 million in alliance money and $6 million in general education grants. When it comes to the use of taxpayers’ dollars by the school district we simply need to do better.
My call to do better is not directed at our teachers and professionals hard at work in the district as Mr. Gildea’s spin would like to get people to believe. I have nothing but the utmost respect for our teachers and professionals. My call is a challenge to the district leaders. They are the ones responsible for designing and carrying out the policies and programs that the educators and professionals in the district must live with as they work to improve student performance.
I’ve talked with and heard the frustration of the hard-working professionals in our district who are handicapped by the policies and programs of our district leaders that fail to improve student performance. One often mentioned is where failing students are promoted from one grade to the next resulting in continued poor performance on standardized tests and a high school graduation rate well below the state average.
I asked to meet to discuss the consolidation of business operations between the city and the district to provide additional funding at no increased cost to the taxpayer. No meeting ever took place.
I don’t believe increased funding is the answer. As I pointed out in my budget remarks Derby’s per pupil spending places it in the top 40% in the state as opposed to Danbury for example, another Alliance District, which is last. I believe instead we need to better use the funding provided.
The auditor cites several problems with the district’s financial practices such as failing to balance their financial system to their bank accounts, which is once again delaying the completion of the audit. Another is that the district does not close its book in a timely manner allowing for potential surpluses to be spent down by paying for expenses in a new budget year.
There’s an old axiom that states “if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” When it comes to the education of Derby’s children, I believe we need to do better. We need to aim high. That begins with a public plan on how to improve student performance on testing with measurable goals and action items by which to evaluate progress. Our students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.
Richard Dziekan
The writer is the mayor of Derby.
