New Haven Independent: Mayo to Rell: Restore Kids' Future

Mayo to Rell: Restore Kids’ Future

by Allan Appel | May 6, 2008 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

(Updated 6:31 p.m.) The heads of the school system and the Board of Ed made a dramatic 11th hour appeal to the governor to restore what they called a devastating $2.3 million cut in the Early Reading Success program.

At a press conference hastily convened in the first-grade classroom of Jeanine Amendola at King/Robinson Interdistrict Magnet School (“Quiet, my beloveds,” the teacher said to her sweetly hushed first graders, “there are microphones in the room”), Superintendent Reginald Mayo and Board of Ed Chair Brian Perkins appealed before television cameras directly to Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

They signed a letter to her, which read, in part:

“A cut in this vital grant will roll back the success we’ve made in improving reading outcomes for our most vulnerable students… I don’t have to remind you that these are the very grades for which the State holds us most accountable and for which we can’t suffer a diminution in resources.”

“The governor proposed in her ‘08-‘09 budget $19.7 million each year to priority schools for early childhood programs,” said Rell spokesman Chris Cooper. “The legislature left the ‘08 money alone but eliminated the $19.7 million for ‘09. That is why that money is not available this year.

“Municipalities did nonetheless receive monumental increases in municipal aid, specifically for education. Even in this budget that some of the big city leaders are complaining about, municipal aid goes up $131.5 million.;$101.1 million of that is for education alone. In the five cities, New Haven has an increase of about $4 million this year, Bridgeport about $6 million, hartford $11 million, Waterbury $5 million. Stamford loses about $40,000.”

The $2.3 million pays for 19 literacy coaches — such as (pictured below, right to left) Raeanne Reynolds, Christina Sagnella, and Lynn Kelly, from Nathan Hale, King/Robinson, and East Rock respectively — and 10 paraprofessionals. They model lessons for teachers, deploying testing data to tailor reading programs for struggling kids.

The coaches’ work, Mayo said, was responsible, for example, for the overall 7 percent gain in third grade reading across the system, and King/Robinson’s third grade improvement of 13 percent.

The $2.3 million is part of $19.7 million in Early Reading Success funds statewide that support similar programs in a dozen Connecticut cities. Restoration of funds could not come to New Haven without, Mayo said, restoration of funds statewide.

“We all thought the funds had been restored to the budget,” Mayo said, “and we’ve only found out in the last few days that the governor said she was holding firm to the biennial budget. This is a very serious moment for us. We know this program works. Without it, we’re in serious danger of backtracking.”

A huge secret for the program’s success is that this professional development takes place right in the classroom, with teacher and kids, and no traveling to outside conferences. “We don’t evaluate teachers. We support, praise, and inform them of the best, research, and data-based techniques,” said Reynolds, who is also this month’s BOE “Super Teacher”. “It really works.”

Reading coaches usually have five years of classroom teaching minimum, plus advanced degrees in reading. They work with new as well as veteran teachers. In the NHPS system, with lots of retirements and new teachers coming in, Reynolds said, this kind of mentoring is essential.

Mary Derwin, one of the reading coaches whom the BOE leaders assembled, said that foundations for reading were established by the second grade. Early Reading Success focuses on kindergarten through third grade.

Mayo was asked whether, if the state does not restore the funds before adjourning Wednesday night, he would ask the city for the funds.

“As is, we already need to trim our budget $1.5 to $2 million,” Mayo responded. “You know the budget hole the city is in already. I don’t see how the city could restore the funds.”

Did that mean all the literacy coaching jobs and the materials Early Reading Success supports would be eliminated?

“It’s hard to say. Sure, we’d try to save some of the jobs. But it might mean that a reading coach goes from school to school. Would that work? No. Our model works, and this cut pulls the rut out from under our success.”

How had Early Reading Success, which Mayo described as a priority for both parties, come to such an impasse?

Reached by email, New Haven State Rep. Pat Dillon explained: “A coalition of legislators restored the $20 million in the Appropriations Committee adjustments. Then the costs rose (given that energy costs, etc are driving state costs just as local) and revenues dropped. Given that the Appropriations budget would then require some increase in taxes, the governor and the top leaders agreed to stick with the existing budget and not do what Appropriations recommended. It’s a real cut.”

Mayo said copies of the letter were being sent to State SEn. Toni Harp and all members of the city’s delegation. He said he’d spoken to Harp, co-chair of the powerful Appropriations committee, two weeks ago. Restoration of the Early Reading Success program had also been the top priority of the BOE’s recently hired lobbyist.

The superintendent said he did not know if other superintendents were taking similar action in Bridgeport, Stamford, or the many other cities affected, but he hoped New Haven’s action would resonate. “You young people,” he said, turning to the first graders, who were poring over the kiddie National Geographic’s and other colorful program materials arrayed on their desks, “you are our future. We’re working on your behalfs.”

With only a day left in the General Assembly, time was dramatically short. Mayo said he had a meeting with the state commissioner of education scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Comments

Posted by: Webblog 1 | May 6, 2008 6:11 PM

From the Governor:

Governor Rell also noted these highlights from the FY2009 budget:

• Implements the second year of a budget that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers

• Contains sizable increases in municipal aid, particularly for education: From FY08 to FY09, all municipal aid increases by $131.5 million, of which 101.6 million is for education

• Continues significant investments in early childhood education by providing funding so that 1,000 more of the state's most disadvantaged children can attend preschool

• Maintains historic Medicaid rate increases in FY08 and further increases rates in FY09 for hospitals, HUSKY providers, behavioral health providers and residential care homes

• Is $98 million under the constitutional spending cap and does not increase any structural problems for future years.

According to the State of CT. budget, New Haven will receive 4.3M more than in 08. Also, all CT. schools will receive 134.9M additional $$$ in 09 than in 08(124.5M)a 10M increase.

Therefore it appears that there are significant increases in many categories in education and some decreases in other area's as well.

It therefore appears that Mayo, Perkins and the Mayor must make due with more overall money and decide where to transfer funds from-to in order to maintain this special reading project.

That's it boys.. do more with more $$$ and stop the whining.

Posted by: Ned | May 6, 2008 6:58 PM

Now if only the BOA members could speak English. What could the following sentence possibly mean? : "They model lessons for teachers, deploying testing data to tailor reading programs for struggling kids." Using Google's translation tool, I translated from English (as there is no Educationalese) to French, the language of diplomacy, and then back to English.
The hidden meaning was revealed! : "They model lessons for teachers, the deployment of data on tests to measure reading programs for children from evil."
I am not kidding.
Is it any wonder some kids in New Haven are struggling with literacy?

Posted by: Gary Doyens | May 6, 2008 9:33 PM

I thought we were paying for a lobbyist with all these successes and conditions. How could he be caught flat footed and not know this funding was not included? Bottom line: We're getting more money than we did last year, like we have every year. Now it's time for real leadership. Let's see who stands up or who plays the blame game.

Posted by: nfjanette | May 6, 2008 11:10 PM

The $2.3 million pays for 19 literacy coaches -- such as (pictured below, right to left) Raeanne Reynolds, Christina Sagnella, and Lynn Kelly, from Nathan Hale, King/Robinson, and East Rock respectively -- and 10 paraprofessionals.

If it only pays for personnel, that's $79,310 per employee (for the 29 positions).

Posted by: John Tulin | May 7, 2008 11:07 AM

Literacy coaches (and other consultants) = people who couldn't wait to get out of the classroom. More pay, less work.

Lets let teachers teach, retirees.....retire, and people who don't want to be in the classroom can find real jobs.

A real close look needs to be given to the school system top to bottom....so much waste. Security guards sleeping on job (literally), an abundance of worthless administrators, a top heavy BOE, custodian on OT who don't clean. Oh, where does it end with this city.

It is this stuff, not the crazy kids, that drives many teachers out of New Haven.

Posted by: evst1 | May 7, 2008 11:43 AM

What a bunch of whiners. Hundreds of millions of tax dollars spent on new school buildings, including legal fees incurred while forcing these on neighborhoods that don't want them...a high school that's a "drop-out factory"...hmmm. Exactly WHY should the state government throw good money after bad at New Haven? Why is this Jodi's problem? After all, King John got us into this mess in the first place.

Possible solution: fire the entire BOE and make each and every one of them re-apply and interview for their old jobs.

Posted by: JMAC | May 7, 2008 3:16 PM

If you want a really good Mayo laugh check out the feature that New Haven Business Times did on him.

What a joke!

Posted by: Andy Ross | May 7, 2008 7:52 PM

I think it is rude and disrespectful that this Mayor would cancel a budget hearing meeting at city hall on Wednesday night at the last minute. It takes some effort for people to make arrangements for baby sitters etc, in order to come out and let their voices be heard. This Mayor has regard only for himself. The reason given was that he is going to come out tomorrow with an announcement about some budget cuts. That is great, but what about the hundred or so people that made an effort to come out and are heard?

The right thing to do was to sit down with them any way. Have a discussion; listen to what the people have to say. Give them a feeling that making the effort has some value.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | May 8, 2008 1:41 PM

Literacy coaches? You gotta be kidding! We have a 14 million dollar shortfall in the budget and are creating positions out of thin air that duplicates the role of a teacher? What next, virtual students?

Posted by: elmcity69 | May 12, 2008 7:14 PM

Interesting point, EVST1- let me guess, you are one of the elitist, racist malcontents who fought the placement of our middle school into your --actually, our, because I live on Everit also- Garden of Eden. So disingenuous of you, I have to say: you know that the city incurred thousands of legal fees because our neighbors initiated the lawsuit! No tax dollars needed fight that battle if folks like you didn't view public school students as inferior. Grow up and realize Worthington Hooker students are here to stay and be educated -- and are certainly worthy of placement anywhere in this neighborhood.
Anyway, I'd bet the farm on the premise you send your children to private school, and frankly, you can do that from the suburbs.

Posted by: Bridget | May 12, 2008 10:03 PM

I think these two fellas need their own "thought person" who can tell them what to do.

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Mayo to Rell: Restore Kids’ Future

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