The BCSD has invested between $750,000 and $1,000,000 each year for the last 10 years on technology related expenditures. As a Brighton taxpayer, I have a keen interest in the 2008/09 Brighton School Board’s objective to “Assess the effectiveness of the technology investment.”
From my perspective, the central question is: How will the District tie improved educational outcomes to the $750,000+ being spent each year on technology? The following is a diary of my efforts to become involved in this evaluation process.
October 14, 2008 Board Meeting:
I asked if I could participate in the assessment process. Mr. Sachs, the Board President, quickly told me that the evaluation would be conducted internally. Community involvement was not requested. Mr. Kokanovich, a Board Member, suggested that I provide input in writing.
October 15, 2008:
I wrote a letter to all the Board Members with 9 specific questions that I wanted addressed and asked for feedback on these questions.
October 18, 2008:
I sent an e-mail to all the Board Members with an additional question.
October 21, 2008:
I received an e-mail from Mr. Sachs explaining that 2 of the 21 Committee Members were from the PTSA. PTSA was asked to provide members with a technology background.
Note: The Committee is comprised of 21 people: 17 are District employees; 2 are Board members and two are PTSA members. I have a major concern that the Committee has no representation from any non-BCSD affiliated residents with a technology background.
October 22, 2008:
I telephoned the PTSA President and asked who was participating in the Committee and if they had a technology background. She told me that the Committee Members were listed on the BCSD website but was reluctant to share the background of the two PTSA people. She said she would call me the next day with the information.
I e-mailed her the documents that I sent to the Board and explained my interest in the technology background of the two PTSA members since they were the only two “semi” BSCD affliated members.
October 23, 2008:
I did not hear from the PTSA President. I left a phone message requesting the information on the two PTSA Committee members.
October 23, 2008:
I received a telephone call from Ms. Debby Baker, Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum. She expressed concern that my phone call was “challenging” the PTSA members. I explained that there was absolutely no “challenge” intended. I was simply trying to find out if the two PTSA members had any technology background. Ms. Baker then suggested that she and Mr. Kokanovich, both members of the Committee, meet with me to discuss my concerns and questions.
October 24, 2008:
I e-mailed Ms. Baker confirmation of our meeting date and time (October 29 at 1:00 pm). I also said I would prepare an agenda.
October 24, 2008:
Ms. Baker e-mailed me that an formal agenda was not necessary.
October 27, 2008:
I e-mailed Ms. Baker a listing of general topics that I wanted to discuss at our meeting.
October 29, 2008:
Ms. Baker, Mr. Kokanovich and I met.
- Are my questions going to be shared with the Committee? They stated that my questions will be shared with the Committee.
- If they are shared, what is the Committee response to each of my 10 questions? They stated that I will receive a response to my questions and will be provided with the final report.
- How will the Committee tie educational outcomes to the technology expenditures? We discussed this core issue at length. The question is: Could the same educational results be achieved with (e.g.) $500,000? I understand that is difficult to tie, dollar-for-dollar, improved educational outcomes to technology. However, we did agree that a strong attempt must be made to relate the expenditures to educational results if the objective is going to be responsibly addressed.
- How will a completely internal Committee conduct an unbiased evaluation? We discussed this topic at length. Mr. Kokanovich said he saw my point and would bring it back to the Board.
Mr. Kokanovich indicated that my concerns are not completely “out of line” with those of the Board. I expressed my appreciation that the Board was considering this long-needed evaluation.
