The Tennessee School Boards Association continues to meet, both as a whole, and in small breakout groups tailored to specific topics. This morning, I attended a session with Sen. Jim Tracy, a member of the Senate Education Committee and a former school board member himself.
I was thankful to hear him say that he opposes the TACIR prototype model, simply because it causes so many systems to lose funding. He continues to support appointed superintendents, because the most qualified candidate to run a school system isn’t necessarily the best politician, and may not necessarily live in the community that needs him or her.
Schools should be as apolitical as possible. Our school system routinely scoops some of the best from a neighboring district, because the superintendent there is known to demote good people if he learns that they’ve interviewed elsewhere. Hey — mistreat your best people, and we’ll take them off your hands. Gladly.
Among the issues that will be before the Legislature this year is a bill to expand the “special school district” option to all Tennessee school systems that choose to convert. While the board of a special school district does not have its own taxing authority exactly, it requests that the Legislature set a property tax rate that funds the needed budget. The Legislature almost always does — kind of a rubber-stamp thing, because the constitution prohibits school boards from having taxing authority.
For many years, I didn’t think this would be a good option for Oak Ridge; for many years, the school system was a high priority to our City Council, and was generally funded at a high level.
Now, I’m not so sure.
I will definitely support the passage of this legislation, but still haven’t decided whether I think that Oak Ridge would be better off to convert to a special school district. Ponder it a bit, and let me know what you think.
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TSBA is under new leadership now, with the last president losing her re-election bid. Dawn Robinson, of Cleveland City Schools, took office early as a result. Her efficiency and enthusiasm have already made a difference in the quality of the programming at this convention.
NetMom, I haven’t done much pondering just yet, but on it’s face as explained I wouldn’t agree with the “special school district†option.
As I said, I promise to do some more thinking about it, but as I see it, I would much rather see a blood bath in the next city council election. Maybe it’s time to start electing a council that has the same priorities as most of the citizens.
This council is becoming infamous for the dollars that they waste, but they don’t want to raise property taxes to fully fund the school system? Yep, I vote for blood bath.
My inclination has been the same as yours for several years now… but the proposed legislation is enabling, not a mandate.
The TSBA delegation (representatives from every school board in the state) voted today — I think it was 152 for, 104 against — to support legislation enabling school districts to become special school districts. I’m still a long ways from endorsing this concept for Oak Ridge, but it would be nice to have as an option at some point in the future.
This, of course changes nothing. The Legislature will do as it pleases, and I’m not at all sure that the TSBA resolution carries any weight with them.