DISD Revokes Travel Stipends, Nixes Clear Backpacks!
Submitted by Allen Gwinn on Thu, 06/28/2007 - 17:36.
UPDATE: Board votes to double travel allowances for board members.
Board approves putting names of "construction" board members on dedication plaques as well as the names of board members sitting at the time of dedication.
Board nixes clear backpacks.
Board approves salary for controversial ex-Colonel
It's going to be a long meeting. There are about 40 people registered to speak to both agenda and non agenda items.
There were a tremendous number of speakers on agenda items. Several Dallas Fire Department officials turned out to push AED (defibrilators) for the District--an item that was already on the agenda.
6:33 - Trustee Lew Blackburn proposed adding a $2,026 travel stipend for every principal in the District. Impact, by our calculation, would be about $455,000. Ron Price proposed restricting the amendment to high schools.
Jerome Garza pointed out that we were already reimbursing principals/administrators for their travel. Garza pointed out that Blackburn's proposal simply "gives" administrators money whether they travel or not.
Nancy Bingham added it was "irresponsible" to change the budget without knowing the full impact of the proposal.
Blackburn proposed, in response, that all travel stipends, including those for senior adminisrators be eliminated!
Jerome Garza posed the question regarding contractual issues. Counsel Jack Elrod responded he believed Blackburn's amendment would be legal.
Leigh Ann Ellis suggested that the proposal be studied further, and impact assessed, before action was taken. Edwin Flores agreed. [Ed Note: ...a reasonable position]
The vote: stipends are history.
This means that, instead of DISD officials automatically getting car allowances and other such travel stipends, administrators will be required to keep track of mileage and submit a form for reimbursement.
There was much applause.
Ron Price offered an amendment to double travel expenses for board members. Blackburn pointed out that the Board spends about $35,000 a year in travel expenses.
Flores noted that he, and other trustees, have never spent a penny of district money for travel.
It passed with Carla Ranger, Blackburn, Medrano, Price and Ellis voting for the increase to $9,000 a year.
It's 8:07, and they're not even halfway through with the agenda...
After much discussion, the Board tried to approve an amendment to place the names of sitting board members on dedication plaques along with the names of former board members (sitting at the time the contract was approved).
The rationale: board members are volunteers.
Jerome Garza called it "soaking the egos" of board members (probably meant "stroking the egos").
Nancy Bingham: "I'm sick and tired of hearing about plaques." Bingham proposed that the District finish out the current bond program, then amend the policy for the new plaques.
Edwin Flores asked if the plaques were part of the District's core mission. "Is a discussion on whether our names should be on plaques is related to student achievement?"
He unveiled a chart to make his point. "We're voting to spend $60,000 of bond money on these plaques."
"Is [money spent on plaques] going to help a single student in DISD?"
"This subject came up because the plaques were incorrect," offered Leigh Ann Ellis.
"We're entrusted with this district as volunteers," added Carla Ranger.
The vote was 7-2 with Flores and Garza voting against it.
Right after that, the board struck down the controversial clear backpack policy 8-1 with Flores dissenting.
9:00 PM - The board took up approval of a $177,000 salary for retired Air Force Colonel Kim Olson. Olson has been named to head the Human Development office.
Controversy ensued.
Carla Ranger objected to hiring the Olson because she doesn't live in the District as policy requires.
Superintendent Hinojosa pointed out that the policy requires a new employee to move into the District within 6 months or ask for a waiver.
Olson lives in Weatherford, Texas, where she was elected to the Weatherford school board in May. Olson retired from the Air Force under suspicious circumstances after being accused of impropriety.
Her salary was approved 8-1 with Ranger voting against.
Travel Allowances and Common Sense
First of all, I am an employee of the district who once received a travel allowance.
When it was taken away, I understood because honestly, I didn't travel for half the amount of time that the allowance gave me money for.
Travel was added to people's pay as a "hidden bonus or perk" and increased according to your position.
The only thing that perplexed me was when DISD decided to get rid of the policy, they left it in place for top administrators. Why why why???
Travel should not be tied to positions, but rather to functions and actual use of the travel.
The policy should be as simple as this: if you travel for district purposes, log your mileage, get reimbursed.
How hard it this to understand?
Top administrators should never have been allowed to keep the automatic allowance in the first place. I'm glad that the trustees finally voted on a common sense policy that reaches across the board.
Being "Clear" on Backpacks?
One thing that saddens me is that this website is the only place I can verify that the backpack policy was changed.
The district website never posted anything ABOUT backpacks.
(The ONLY notice about the policy being the pre-prepared flyers, and no notice about cancellation of the policy.)
"The" newspaper hasn't mentioned it either that I could see.
[Ed Note: We aim's ta please! I'm sure something will be forthcoming from the District]
Clarifying Clear Backpacks
So I just want to make sure I understand this correctly. The district has officially said clear backpacks are not mandatory?
The thing is that I haven't heard anything from the district or on the news. I even called the other day and somebody told me that they had chosen to require clear backpacks.
Is it just a matter of time before they officially announce it? I really want to make sure before we buy these things. If you can help, thanks. I would appreciate it.
[Ed Note: Yes, according to the vote, the clear backpack policy has been rescinded. It will now be up to each school and it's site-based decision making team to determine policies for individual campus'.]
Problems... Clear Backpacks...
I am writing regarding the DISD's lack of direction.
I am a black woman that graduated high school here and I am loath to understand why the focus of the district is with clear backpacks, uniforms, etc., when they should be focused on the lack of standard requirements of our administrators, faculty and staff.
I have two children that have attended DISD since 1990, and I can't understand why there are teachers that can't hold a conversation with me without sounding like they learned english as a fifth language (I'm not speaking of immigrants or foreigners)!
I have never heard the English language so butchered in my life! And these are people that have spoken it since birth! Not only can't they speak it, they can't write it either! There are administrators and staff that have all the social graces of a 2 year old.
What ever happened to a smile and cordiality?
I have endured listening to speech habits that make me cringe while they tell me how my child is lacking in one skill or another!
No wonder he has problems, he can't understand what the moron is saying. I think with the problem of teachers not passing certification tests and the lack of honor among so many of the people that make up the DISD board, administrators, faculty and staff, the focus should be on making improvements in DISD starting at the top.
Maybe then they wouldn't seem like such a joke to the parents and students. No wonder the kids don't hold teachers and schools in high esteem anymore. How could they, when they're such a joke!
I finished school here in Dallas and even back then I didn't have much respect for my teachers because half the time they sounded like the people in (the movie) DELIVERANCE!
I was raised in the military, (thank God), and of the many school districts I attended in the states and abroad, I can say that DISD is one of the worst!
How in the world can I listen to a teacher tell me how my child is lacking, when I can't understand half the words the teacher is saying?
I say make sure the administrators and staff have people skills, make sure ALL OF THE TEACHERS HAVE PASSED HIS OR HER CERTIFICATION before entering the classroom.
And I suggest the teachers take speech classes (especially English teachers), so that when they are teaching our kids, they at least sound intelligent!
There are many people that feel as I do and a change is coming.
We are taking our kids out of DISD and sending them to private schools, moving to better districts and telling everyone we know that if you want your child to succeed, please keep them out of DISD!
No wonder home schooling is becoming so popular! DISD IS A JOKE!!!
[Ed Note: Unfortunately, there appear to be many people who share your sentiment. I feel like DISD is on the road toward improvement--but there are decades of damage that must be dealt with. Half-the-time, I feel like Superintendent Hinojosa is going to accomplish his goal of "Best Urban School Distrct" by 2010, and the other half I don't.
You sound like a very involved parent, and your neighborhood school could probably benefit from your commitment.]
Hopeless
Agree 100%.
I don't really understand how a sane person could enroll their child(ren) into DISD unless it was absolutely their only possible option (which it really never is...).
DISD is a laughingstock on a national level, and frankly there are too many problems with the district as a whole to be any kind of "best"...anything... by 2010.
You can complain on this message board, you can complain to the district, and you can complain to a rock. All three are pretty much the same in terms of results. I mean, out of the SEVERAL years Dallas has been below par in the education arena, WHAT has gotten better? Sounds like nothing. What has gotten worse? Don't answer that....
Despite what a task this might be, it seems like it would be much easier to quit your job, move your family to a 'burb with a better school district (pick one), and enroll your kids/get a job at that district. That would realistically only take a few months to achieve. But, how many YEARS have you and I and everyone been waiting for DISD to improve? Don't answer that either....
I mean... really... you can complain. Or you can leave. Any amount of "love for my students" or "personal ties" I have with DISD is not worth my childrens' and my own sanity.
I know it's kind of a negatively hopeless sounding post... but thats kinda what every post concerning DISD, and DISD in general is like:
Hopeless.
[Ed Note: Right. Sort-of like marriage, eh? If something's not working out just to your expectations, just get up and leave, man!
People like this concern and amuse me. There are plenty of folks complaining, but how many actually get out and try to make a difference before throwing in the towel?
There are plenty of devoted people in DISD: parents, teachers, administrators, students, community members, etc., who see promise in the future. But you must keep the heat on!]
Dallas.Org Accuracy
I was at the meeting representing teachers and school employees particularly on the issue of compensation.
This blog was very accurate on what occurred at the meeting.
I do find it strange that the DMN found no reason to report on employee pay raises for 2007-2008.
In past years, compensation has received a high priority. Go figure--or not.
[Ed Note: Thanks Aimee. I'm going to try and blog live from every board meeting. In DMN's defense, Kent does his homework (better than me) and either he or Tawnelle (who also does her homework better than me) are always there. However, issues are perceived differently by every reporter--and restricted by the column inch! So while we can "print all the news that fits," Kent is restricted by space. I'm sure he'd love to do every second of the meeting. Thanks, again, for what you do for teachers in the District!]
Teachers and Alliance/AFT
Since Ms. Bolender states that she was there representing teachers, then the next time the Dallas Morning News interviews her, I hope they ask why her union, AFT, acting as the "CTO" --coordinating teaching organization--, only represents what HER union does, not what the other TWO unions want or do...which is the point of the CTO.
Maybe it is the fact that another union rep spoke out against the increase in steps for DISD teacher salaries that went from ten to twenty steps, but in fact, now makes it a 32 year trip to get to the highest pay level. She doesn't want that shown, unless of course, she says it.
Maybe it is the fact that her union uses that CTO position as leverage in giving endorsements to board members during elections.
Maybe her representation and leadership is the reason why DISD teachers have it worse now than at any time in the last 15 years.
[Ed Note: Every organization has its particular philosophy--why they believe (x) approach is better than (y), and so on. Also, I've talked to some teachers who believe things are trending better than they've been over the past decade. So there are different sides to different stories. Perhaps Aimee can clarify this further.]
Board meeting
Well, seems like it was one for the books last night. I sure got more of the scoop from your blog than showed up in the DMN today. Thanks for reporting the progress or lack there of.
Isn't July 1st the deadline for the executives to move into DISD? Wonder if anybody is going to double check or will it be left to DISD to police themselves?
[Ed Note: Executives have 6 months to relocate into the District. After that, Hinojosa can grant a waiver. He wasn't willing to do that for Celso so, I'd bet he won't do that for the Colonel. Really, in retrospect, Hinojosa has not been inconsistent on this issue as far as we can tell.]
Olson Shenanigans
Thursday's board meeting was the 1st one I have been to in a long time, so it is possible that I didn't completely understand the banter back and forth about Ms. Olson.
It was my understanding that Executives have six months to comply with the DISD rule. After that six months, Ms. Olson was request a waiver from Dr. Hinojosa for hardship circumstances.
When questioned in the board meeting, Dr. Hinojosa indicated that she was to begin August 1, 2007--six months down the road would be February 1, 2008, and that would meeting the filing deadline for Weatherford ISD board members to have their names on the ballots to run again.
He continued by saying by the time Weatherford ISD holds trustee elections, it will be May.
His rationale: August- May is only 10 months and that would fall inside the window of the year contract.
I looked up the trustee information for Weatherford ISD to learn that apparently, board trustees are in office for three years and elections are held every year to rotate trustees in/out.
Ms. Olson is a brand new trustee. So, if she is given the waiver by Dr. Hinojosa in February 2008, she would have to leave Weatherford ISD high and dry in the middle of the year which would not be beneficial for students.
If Dr. Hinojosa grants her the waiver in February 2008,(and he has already said that he would), she would then have until July 31, 2007 to move to comply with the rules by DISD that all execs live in the district.
If, at that time, she chooses not to come to Dallas, we would be searching for a new Director of Human Development in DISD.
It would not surprise me if she puts in the year, gets what she can from DISD, (her salary is $177,486) and leaves.
FYI- the last HR Director made $40,000 less than this(per Ron Price)...
DISD just never ceases to amaze me...
[Ed Note: As I say, we'll be watching this one closely as well. Perhaps a postcard campaign to the voters in Weatherford might shortly be in order!]
LULAC on DISD Residency Policy
Why is DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa contemplating allowing the newly appointed DISD HR Director & others to be illegal? July 1st is here and what have we heard from Dr. Hinojosa on this issue? Have all DISD executive staff moved into the City of Dallas/DISD boundaries? Or will Dr. Hinojosa allow them to remain illegal by violating the DISD residence policy?
Our council (Dallas LULAC Council 4496) has received credible information from individuals within the DISD as well as from persons closely connected to the DISD indicating one of Dr. Hinojosa's executive staff members very recently bought a house in Rockwall,TX. She previously illegally lived in Rowlett, TX. Apparently she is so confident Dr. Hinojosa will allow executive staff to continue to violate DISD's board residency policy that instead of buying a house inside DISD boundaries, she is taking our property tax dollars to Rockwall, TX.
[Ed Note: It is a shame when stakeholders choose not to have a stake in what they're holding. It is even more troubling when the one who is "setting the standards" allows it. It's early in the game, though. If you can get us a name, we'll investigate it and get the information out there.]
To compound this drama we also have information that there may be other DISD executive level staff who may have resorted to using resident addresses of people who live inside the DISD boundary or who actually live outside the DISD boundary but try to make it look like they live in the DISD boundary by giving the impression they live in properties they own located inside the DISD boundary. The properties in question are most likely rental properties these individuals own and rent for profit. All of this in an effort to make it look like they are in compliance of DISD residency policy. These actions, if verified, add to an already serious breach of existing DISD residency policy.
We understand the newly appointed DISD HR Director now has six months in order to either comply with the DISD residency policy or to obtain a waiver so she may continue to live in Weatherford, TX. We also know this individual was recently elected to the Weatherford ISD School Board. That doesn't sound like someone who's planning to be legal by moving into the City of Dallas and/or DISD boundaries. In February of 2007 Dr. Hinojosa was quoted as saying to media outlets: "By July 1st of 07 even if they have dual mortgages they need to be within the district" Was Dr. Hinojosa Lying then? or is he Lying now? We hope he's not Lying at all.
How fair is DISD Superintendent Hinojosa with DISD employees who obeyed the DISD residency policy? Maybe those employees who obeyed DISD's residency policy would have liked to have lived somewhere else to be closer to family and friends but they obeyed the policy. They are legal. How fair are the violators of the DISD residency policy to the DISD taxpayers? They get their salary from DISD taxpayers but they don't pay their taxes here if they live outside DISD boundaries. They are illegal. Isn't Dallas good enough to live in? If DISD taxpayers are good enough to get a salary from then why won't they live in the DISD boundary?
How does DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa decide who gets a waiver and who does not? I'm sure Celso Martinez would like to hear a response to that question. The DISD School Board needs to revisit their residency policy in order to assure DISD taxpayers there are no loopholes in play that will prevent their policy from being enforced across the board? If not, individuals like Celso Martinez and other DISD executive staff already in compliance with current DISD residency policy may decide to consult with their personal attorneys to see if they have been selectively punished for complying with a DISD residency policy adopted by the DISD School Board. Looks like DISD taxpayers may yet have to dole out some more of their hard-earned school tax dollars to pay for more bad management decisions at DISD.
Gehrig M. Saldaña
Vice President
Dallas LULAC Council 4496
8127 Bruton Road
Dallas, Texas 75217Office: 214-381-7777Fax: 214-381-9897Cellular: 214-870-4371Email: gehrigs302@sbcglobal.net
Change the DISD Residency Policy
The residential policy for DISD in which top administrators must live inside district boundaries is outdated in my opinion.
I work for the district (though I'm not a top official) and live in the suburbs of Dallas.
The DFW metroplex is one of the most spread out (land wise) metropolitan areas in the nation.
We don't have everything congested in a central downtown location such as the New York area.
The fact is, most of the Dallas residential areas are saturated and there is very low new home development compared to the suburbs.
The way DISD boundaries are drawn in some locations, you could live on one side of the street and be in DISD boundaries and live on the other and be in another district boundary--not to even mention the cost benefits of living in the suburbs when compared to a similar (house size and neighborhood atmosphere) of a good Dallas neighborhood.
The positions of top officials are not voted upon by the public but rather hired and appointed by the district for being expert professionals in their field.
Does it really create that much of a conflict of interest if an official lives in Richardson, Plano, Mesquite, Desoto, Lancaster, Irving, etc.?
Often the commute from the suburbs is actually closer to district offices than living in the city.
I honestly believe this perception of conflicts of interests and not paying city school taxes is highly over-exagerated and unfairly compared to positions in which people vote their constituents into office.
In those cases, I agree if you are voted for a particular position, you should represent the people who voted for you by being among them and sharing their experiences. But being a professional in education of working for the district as a top administrator should not be so strictly tied to geographic location.
Of course there should be a limit so that there isn't extreme cases of someone living hours away, or further. It still needs to be "commutable".
Just think: it is "illegal" for Microsoft employees to own an Apple computer (believe me many do)?
Do stock holders of Ford Motor Company ask for the resignation of top officials because they own a Mercedes?
Yes, in many cases it is appropriate to have a strict alliance with their employers products and interests, but a line has to be drawn somewhere.
DISD is losing qualified candidates to other districts and preventing others from wanting to work for Dallas simply because of this issue. I think it's time we re-think the positives and negatives of this policy and see if it is truly in the best interest for DISD to continue with the policy as is.
[Ed Note: Two comments: (1) they knew the job required residency and (2) as a taxpayer, I would like to have my senior DISD execs have a stake in the area. It has nothing to do with a commute, it has to do with an investment in his or her community.]
Residency Requirements
Not only should DISD execs live in the district, maybe their children should attend some of the low-performing schools.
None of them has ever exhibited a critical sense of urgency regarding true reform (financial transparency or instructional) during their extended terms of serving the public.
Moreover, they are seldom chosen for expertise as much as their relationship to the power structure in the downtown offices.
Some of the downtown administrators have been there for decades through every financial and instructional case of fraud, and they manipulated extended stays.
Don't kid yourself regarding their expertise. The least they can do for their overpaid underperformance is to live in Dallas. And we could do with cutting a least a third more of them out of the district completely.
From the interview with the current superintendent in the Sunday DMN (Superintendent is big on change), there was absolutely very little that indicated he has ever performed in an instructional role in an outstanding way.
He spoke of himself as having a strength in putting together teams, but so far there is little to show academically for the restructuring efforts.
As far as having an "Inspector General" who is supposed to be tough on fraud, exactly how does it work if his boss, the superintendent, needs to be investigated??? There is a huge conflict of interest in having this role in-house, and other districts that have used this approach found it ineffectual.
I'm still waiting for all the teachers and administrators who committed P-card fraud to pay back the money in cases where they have no receipts. Still waiting and waiting and waiting, and until something substantial occurs here (besides handing out a million dollars to Paul Coggins who is useless), nothing else matters.
Exactly who is "Illegal"?
Good points, sir, but if I were you, I'd be careful about the word, "illegal."
Seems people don't much like that word. They prefer "undocumented." So let's just say that her residency requirement is so far, "undocumented."
Puts a new light on what the words "illegal" and RESIDENT mean, doesn't it?
Plaques
If they're so anxious to have their name on a school building, please include all their phone numbers so we can call when the grass is 3 feet high, the HVAC isn't working or the toilets are backed up with sewage on the sidewalks.
It was approved (7-2) to make a correction? Where does the line start for parents and teachers to be reimbursed for "corrections" they righted with their own checkbooks when a campus needed something for STUDENTS!!!
What are they drinking down there? If I'd thought Leigh Ann Ellis would drink the Kool-Aid, I wouldn't have campaigned so hard for her. Actually, I still would have - ABP: anyone but Parrot.
[Ed Note: One question I would pose: do you think that Leigh Ann would do anything to harm the District? I don't. She's been nothing but a breath of responsibility in a District that badly needs it.
Leigh Ann is a freshman who needs to get her confidence up to stand up to some pretty strong personalities.
Dedication plaques have been around a long time and they should be accurate. I certainly don't support retrofitting, but it is probaly right to recognize strong volunteer efforts.
Leigh Ann needs to get her comfort level up. But I've found her to be scrupulously honest, and a proponent of accountability. I think that will carry over to board policy.]
Ellis and Kool-Aid
I agree, Ms. Ellis really has her constituents' interests at heart. However, your previous poster also got it right. Something happens when they get on the board. It was really obvious under Moses. Teachers thought common sense would prevail once he was gone---and all the Moses era scandals had been unearthed, but nope.
The "Kool-Aid" is the Broad Prize. Now anything that increases student achievement is a godsend, but teachers are sick to death about a "prize" that will only dress up the DISD's top 10 executives' resumes when they retire. We can see it now, "Accomplishment: I was integral to DISD getting the Broad Prize. Hire me to speak to your district on how they can win, too!"
What about AFTER the prize? What if we DO NOT get it? Has anyone seen the goals? It is absurd. Does anyone really believe that 90% of any group outside of Highland Park could pass across the board? 90%!!
If you thought cheating happened before, just you wait. When the mission is to prep the kids for life, but the prize is based on scores, come on.
Raises for Teachers?
I have not seen anything published regarding the anticipated teacher raises. Anyone that was at the board meeting have any helpful information?
Teacher's Salary for 2007-2008
I'd like to find out if there will be an increase in teacher's annual income to help to compensate for higher cost of living in the Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX-The Metroplex Area?
I'm new in the area & recently relocated from the Ea TX twin cities of Lufkin-Nacogdoches, TX (a mini Metroplex).
Have a good day & God bless America!
[Ed Note: We'll update the Salary Database in September.]
Teacher salary
I can tell that the answer is "NO."
Many school board members think we are all overpaided in the first place.
You want to beat the cost of living?
1. Try living near the school you are working at. It's nice living across from where you work.
2. Ride with someone that works at your school and lives near you.
What hurts so many of us is that we have money taken out for retirement/retirement health insurance and we have no say in how much is taken out. I think many would like to have the choice to have either have that money now instead of later.
Health Insurance
Teachers may also want to take a look at working part time at Walmart because the insurance plan that Walmart is offering far better than what you can get as a teacher through TRS active care.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/business/24mart.html?ex=1287806400&en=...
The TRS Medicare and TRS Retirement is what is taken out instead of the Federal FICA and Medicare.
Teacher in N. Dallas
Well, I teach in a school by 635 and the Tollway.
The houses by the school are $200,000 to $300,000. How can a single high school teacher afford this?
BTW, because of this I live in the southern sector of Dallas where it is more affordable.
I rent in a neighborhood
I rent in a neighborhood that I cannot afford to buy in. Luckily our landlord's mother was a teacher. The homes here have gone from the 120's to the 250's in five years. The neighborhoods we can afford are not the ones where we feel safe in. Oh well. Didn't get into teaching for the money but might have to move to the suburbs to get a nice house.