Adventures in Ed Funding

Crossing the Crises Intersection So Schools Can Carry On

June 04, 2020 California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) Season 1 Episode 20
Adventures in Ed Funding
Crossing the Crises Intersection So Schools Can Carry On
Show Notes Chapter Markers

California educators, school leaders and communities have never faced a moment with so many intersecting crises: pandemic, economic, educational, civic. While schools just wrapped up the 2019-20 year, the push is on to determine how to ready schools for the coming year. It's no easy task. 

Guest Daryl Camp, Superintendent of San Lorenzo USD in Alameda County and President of the California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA), helps us continue to explore the complex decisions and challenges facing California's school communities: How can districts provide quality educational experiences for students within the parameters of COVID-19 health and safety precautions? And how to pay for it when state policymakers are contemplating severe budget cuts to a school system that is already chronically underfunded?

Dr. Camp describes how planning conversations in best district have centered on three principles: Student and staff safety; student learning; and equity. He further discusses difficult trade-offs with different approaches to restarting schools. 

To support school districts, Dr. Camp advocates for greater flexibility, changes to certain ways that schools are funded (such as shifting away from funding based on attendance to funding based on enrollment); more clear guidelines from the state and public health officials about safety; and more guidance regarding learning expectations in the context of the extra safety precautions. 

We also discuss Dr. Camp’s recent testimony to the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance and why the connection between legislators and educators needs to be strengthened.

MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Daryl F. Camp began serving as the superintendent of the San Lorenzo USD in 2019. Previously, he served for seven years as the superintendent of the Riverbank USD. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Morehouse College, his master’s degree at CSU Hayward, and his doctorate degree in educational leadership at CSU Sacramento.


VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR RE-OPENING SCHOOLS


About CASBO

The California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) is the premier resource for professional development and business best practices for California's school business leaders.


About your series guide
Paul Richman is a public education advocate and consultant. Contact him at edfundingca@gmail.com. We value your feedback and ideas!

Introduction
Context for our conversation: Reflecting on the impact of racial injustices
"We need people to lead in difficult times -- that's why I wake up."
What do school districts most need right now to re-open schools and provide the education that your communities need and want?
Flexibility is critical given the diversity of California's 1,000 districts
Safety is paramount -- and more practical guidance is needed. If guidelines must be highly restrictive, let's be clear about the limitations and the impact of that on the delivery of educational services
Approaches to grading/credit need to be examined for the fall
Safety and educational "trade-offs" -- key considerations that have to be thought through
Superintendent Camp testifies before the Assembly Budget School Finance Subcommittee and highlights the funding "crisis before the crisis" that so many districts were facing
Paul provides a very brief "Coronavirus Budget Blues" update -- promising steps in the legislature, plus a ballot measure to raise revenues qualifies for the November statewide ballot
Do the current crises also provide an opportunity for us to more assertively take on inequities that have persisted in our system?
Looking more closely at rethinking the grading system for students and why it is inequitable
Additional advice from Dr. Camp for school leaders and school communities
What keeps him optimistic despite these very daunting pressures and challenges? California's LCFF is an example of something good that came out of a past crisis
Sharing and working smarter together -- words to leave us with, for this time...