Another Garcia poll

Karen Johnson and I (see poll at top right) aren't the only ones conducting a vote on Garcia's status. Look what showed up on the Metro Council Agenda for Tuesday:

RESOLUTION NO. RS2008-137

A resolution requesting the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education to make a recommendation as to whether it is appropriate that the Metropolitan Nashville Director of Schools be removed by the Tennessee Board of Education.

WHEREAS, during the tenure of the current Director of Schools, the Metropolitan Council has shown tremendous support for Metro Schools by fully funding, if not exceeding, the Mayor’s recommended budget; and

WHEREAS, although the Council has no direct oversight as to the operation of the school system, the Council has a responsibility to ensure that the funds appropriated for public schools are used in the most prudent manner possible and that student achievement is progressing at an acceptable level; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Nashville Public School (MNPS) system was recently moved into the “corrective action” phase of the federal No Child Left Behind law by the Tennessee Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, as a result of dismal academic performance, state officials acted to remove the principal at Maplewood High School; and

WHEREAS, the 2007 TCAP results show that MNPS fourth graders scored below the minimum growth standard in math and reading, and sixth and eighth graders were below the growth standard in social studies by at least two standard errors; and

WHEREAS, the state high school Gateway test results indicate that Metro public schools’ progress is significantly below the average system in Tennessee in Algebra I, Biology I, and English II; and

WHEREAS, Metro public schools ranked at the bottom of the list of Tennessee school systems on the Math Foundations end of course exam, and have the highest dropout rates and lowest graduation rates in the state; and

WHEREAS, the average ACT score for Metro public schools’ students is a 19.08, which is below the minimum requirement for the HOPE scholarship and precludes our students from admission into 99 percent of the colleges in this country; and

WHEREAS, Davidson County property taxpayers fund the Metropolitan Schools at the second highest level of 135 school districts for the local portion of the per pupil expenditure; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-1-602 authorizes the Tennessee Commissioner of Education to recommend to the state Board of Education that the local schools director be replaced if a school system does not make progress to meet the minimum standards after being on probation for two consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Tennessee Board of Education take the action necessary to determine whether it is appropriate that the MNPS Director of Schools position be vacated by the state Board of Education.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education to make a recommendation as to whether it is appropriate that the Metropolitan Nashville Director of Schools be removed by the Tennessee Board of Education.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to Lana Seivers, the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education.

Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Councilman Eric Crafton

I have no doubt that Crafton's got his 'whereas' stats correct. It's not enough to be able to point to a couple of schools that are doing well. We're not getting our money's worth from this director. Our students only have so long in the system and too many of them aren't being taught to an acceptable level. Someone has got to step up and demand 'whatever it takes' to get this job done. If the school board won't...it's time for the purse-holders to draw the line.