Monday, May 7, 2012

Paying for Failure - Vision Network - Where is the Return on Investment

Let's be real - we can't ignore failure.

Christina joined the Vision Network back in the mid-2000s, prior to my election to the board.  At the height of our investment (Vision is not free, we pay them) CSD had seven schools in the network - all of our secondary school (middle and high schools for those less familiar with edu-jargon.) Each school entered the Vision Network with a failing status. 

Developed in 2006 by a coalition of education, government, business and civic leaders throughout Delaware, it also laid the foundation for Delaware’s first-place selection in the federal Race to the Top competition.

So, here we are in 2012.  Let's talk about ROI, Return on Investment:

  • Despite years of tax-payer funded Vision-intervention, two CSD Vision schools were named to PZ.  In all fairness to Vision, DOE delineately one erroneously and withdrew its PZ status.  However, DOE did have a message for CSD - this school will likely be named to PZ next year and the funding will be considerably less than if it had been named this year.
  • For the 2011/12 school year, the leader of the other CSD PZ school has opted her school out of the Vision Network. My guess, ROI?
  • One CSD Vision School made AYP with safe harbor in 2010-11.  The school was able to achieve this status in part b/c the DOE changed the way they calculate AYP by factoring in student growth.  The students do not have to actually achieve proficiency for a school to rank commendable or superior - they just have show growth.  And don't forget, those commendable and superior titles will be changing soon to further confuse the masses.
  • What happened to CSD's other four Vision school?  Oh, they are still failing. ROI? Haven't seen it.
So, is Vision producing a return on the tax payers investment?  Probably not.  Can Vision be blamed for persistant failure? Not really.  They partnered with these schools knowing that they were already in trouble.  Vision just hasn't produced results in the majority of these schools.

Which brings me to one last point that I would like to make -

Last week my daughter, despite being challenged by autism, picked up a Voices 4 Delaware Education Action Fund postcard and spontaneously said "Mommy, you got a report card?  And you failed."  God that knife cut deeply.  But, then I got to thinking - Shirley Saffer, John Kowalko, Elise Diller, Red Clay School Board Members - all those folks have denounced V4DEAF for their campaign tactics. 

So why hasn't the Vision Network?  Those mailers are as much an indictment of the work of the Vision Network as they are of the Christina board members who have spoken out in opposition of RTTT. 

If CSD's board is failing our children, so is the Vision Network.  Just look at the ROI!

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