california
California Association of School Business Officials
The new bargaining Negotiations take on a new look under LCFF
One team, one dream Proven ways to build and manage great teams
The E-Rate catch-22 What do recent E-Rate changes really mean for districts?
FINANCING CALIFORNIA’S FUTURE
S
tifel is the leading underwriter of California K-12 school district bonds.* We assist local districts in providing
financing for facility projects and cash flow borrowing, including new construction, modernization, renovation, and technology improvements. Our work with California school districts includes general obligation bonds, Mello-Roos bonds, certificates of participation, leases, bridge financings, TRANs, and the refinancing or restructuring of previously issued bonds. We give back to the communities we serve by providing college scholarships to graduating high school seniors through Stifel’s annual Fabric of Society essay competition and by supporting school-related foundations and functions through the Stifel Education
LET US HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR FINANCING GOALS. Visit www.stifel.com/publicfinance or contact a member of our School Finance Group:
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE Bruce Kerns Managing Director (415) 364-6839 bkerns@stifel.com
Erica Gonzalez Director (415) 364-6841 egonzalez@stifel.com
Katherine Perkins Vice President (415) 364-5961 kperkins@stifel.com
Roberto J. Ruiz Assistant Vice President (415) 364-6856 rruiz@stifel.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES OFFICE Dawn Vincent Managing Director (213) 443-5006 dvincent@stifel.com
John R. Baracy Managing Director (213) 443-5025 jbaracy@stifel.com
Robert Barna Managing Director (213) 443-5205 rbarna@stifel.com
Scott Henry Managing Director (213) 443-5206 shenry@stifel.com
Program (“StEP”).
* Source: Thomson Reuters, number of issues for 2014
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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California School Business I Spring 2015
contents
Volume 80 I Number One I Spring 2015
departments 9 13
Checking in CASBO – the foremost authority in school business Molly McGee Hewitt
15
In focus CASBO member profile: Molly Schlange
17
In focus CASBO associate member profile: Keith Poch
56
Book club Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t
59
Professional perspective From job to career…
66
Last words
20
Bottom line An action-packed presidency Vincent Christakos
29
interview 29
Lisa Abel-Palmieri Innovation in education is the focus of this diverse educator’s prowess Julie Phillips Randles
cover story 38
The new bargaining Negotiations take on a new look under LCFF Linda A. Estep
48
features 20
One team, one dream Proven ways to build and manage great teams Julie Phillips Randles
48
The E-Rate catch-22 What do recent E-Rate changes really mean for districts? Lisa Kopochinski
California School Business I casbo.org
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ABOUT CASBO The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 3,000 members by providing certifications and training,
publisher
promoting business best practices and creating
editor in chief
opportunities for professional collaboration.
features editor
CASBO members represent every facet of school
contributors
business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an
Molly McGee Hewitt Tatia Davenport Julie Phillips Randles Linda A. Estep Lisa Kopochinski
entire career’s worth of growth opportunities.
design/layout
Sharon Adlis
advertising art
Lori Mattas
CASBO MISSION
casbo officers
As the recognized authority in California school business, CASBO is a member-driven association
president
Vincent J. Christakos Hemet Unified School District
president-elect
Leeann Errotabere Clovis Unified School District
that promotes ethical values; develops exceptional leaders; advocates for, and supports the needs of members; and sets the standard for excellence through top-quality professional development
vice president
and mentorship, meaningful collaboration and communication and unparalleled innovation.
immediate past president
Rich Buse Pajaro Valley Unified School District
advertising sales manager
CiCi Trino Association Outsource Services, Inc. 115 Spring Water Way Folsom, CA 95630 916.990.9999
CASBO BY DESIGN For the past 15 years, CASBO has been dedicated to the organizational planning discipline as
Melissa Anderson San Bernardino County Supt. of Schools
a method for guiding the association into a successful future. In 2012, the association embarked on its fourth such plan, CASBO by Design. This living, breathing document will guide the association for the next five years. The process CASBO uses for long-term planning is grassroots in nature, invigorating in procedure and motivating in outcome. CASBO has long been committed to organizational planning because the approach has consistently helped the association envision its future and determine the clear steps to get there. The road map that strategic planning provides has allowed CASBO to remain focused on its unique mission,
www.casbo.org
goals and objectives, and to respond effectively to a continually changing environment. For more information on CASBO by Design, visit www.casbo.org, click on “About Us” and then select
California School Business (ISSN# 1935-0716) is published quarterly by the California Association of School Business Officials, 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 447-3783. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento and at additional mailing office. Send address changes to the CASBO membership department at 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.
“CASBO by Design” from the drop-down menu.
Articles published in California School Business are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CASBO policies or positions. Endorsement by CASBO of products and services advertised in California School Business is not implied or expressed. Copyright 2015 CASBO. All rights reserved. The contents of the publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher. Published March 2015
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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No Data-Entry from Your District All Data Imported from State Database
43 Key Performance Indicators in Finance, Operations, & HR
“There are always competing priorities for our limited school district resources. We believe that no school district should be without the valuable information that KPIs can provide.“ Sheila Vickers, Vice President School Services of California, Inc.
www.actpoint.com/CA2
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California School Business I Spring 2015
checking in
‘casbo – the foremost authority in school business’ A few months ago, the Planning Team for our strategic planning process, CASBO by Design, met for its annual review and update of our current plan. This year, in addition to our mission statement, the team added a vision statement: “CASBO – the foremost authority in school business.” It’s a bold statement that is backed by the expertise and passion of our membership and our professional staff! What does that really mean for CASBO? What does it mean for our members? Is it just a powerful sound bite that grabs your attention? Is it another slogan to add to our list? We think not. This vision statement means our member leaders have set a course for CASBO that is about more than the Annual Conference & California School Business Expo or our workshops, certifications, networking and other activities. It means we are setting our sights on continuing to provide significant information to key decisionmakers, legislators and our educational colleagues that will shape current and future initiatives and actions. It means we are bringing the expertise and knowledge of our members to the forefront of decision-making, and continuing to impact our profession through the most powerful force in the universe: education. We are going to be the foremost authority in our industry. That means for us – for every one of our professional council disciplines, to our regional sections, to our committees, to our leadership – we will strive to be more! At a recent meeting of my executive director colleagues through the International Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), we were discussing legislation and the role of school business leaders. Often, our members are the “behind-the-scenes” people who provide the information to those who take the initiatives forward. In some states, the school boards or superintendents groups carry the legislative agenda. Some feel that if they become involved in legislative advocacy, it may put them at odds with their employers. In California, while our peer organizations do carry heavy legislative agendas that focus on all aspects of educational issues, CASBO has a clear directive from members to engage in legislative advocacy. Our vision statement doesn’t put us in competition, but instead leads the way for our members’ expertise to make a difference. Being the foremost authority carries responsibility. The responsibility is not limited to our state or federal advocacy efforts. It extends to CASBO providing the education community and general public with key information about school finance and school business. It also entails making sure that our members are well-trained and are provided with up-to-the-minute information and programs that enable them to lead their organizations. Serving as the foremost authority brings with it a forward momentum that includes doing more for our members and for our profession. It is both a call to action and a clarion call to attention.
Our vision statement doesn’t put us in competition, but instead leads the way for our members’ expertise to make a difference.
This year, our “Lead Strong with VIP Leadership” theme could not have come at a better time for the association. It recognizes the leadership role of CASBO members and it emphasizes vision, integrity and passion. VIP leadership is embedded in our vision statement. “CASBO – the foremost authority in school business” will only become a reality when every member of each of our disciplines joins with us. Together, we can accomplish more than we can even dream of individually.
Molly McGee Hewitt Executive Director California School Business I casbo.org
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Enhancing Education FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS CALI FORN IA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Last fiscal year, Lottery players contributed $1.35 billion in supplemental funding to public schools. That distribution includes K-12 schools, community colleges, the California State University, the University of California, and other school jurisdictions.
For more information on the Lottery’s contributions to California public schools and its Corporate Social Responsibility program please visit www.californialottery.com.
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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California School Business I Spring 2015
bottom line
An action-packed presidency It’s been a great year serving as your casbo president. As I look back on the last year and reflect on ev-
erything we’ve done, it makes me proud to be a member of such a great organization, and I’m truly honored to have
been president. During my presidency, I introduced the concept of “Lead Strong
with vip Leadership” to encourage our members to step up as leaders in their
school districts with a clear vision, un-
questioned integrity and a passion to achieve their organization’s vision.
casbo’s Board of Directors stepped
up and approved a number of new ini-
tiatives this year such as streamlining its strategic planning process called casbo by Design, and introducing the Ignite
program to get casbo members involved in educating local communities about
very impressed with the passion and dedication at the section-level events. The
Southern Section held its first holiday re-
ception that had great support from our associate members. I was able to go to
the Northern Section’s holiday luncheon where 300 people attended. It was an awesome event. I attended Eastern Sec-
tion’s Winter Synergy to see the excellent
professional development opportunities being offered.
We will work together to develop the school business leaders of the future through our commitment to the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity in all we do. Executive Director Molly McGee
school finance to promote adequate fund-
Hewitt and her staff initiated Professional
casbo became involved with man-
Council chairs understand their duties and
ing for schools.
dated cost reimbursement issues and
Council Trainings to help Professional
maintain, getting a state facilities bond
approved, and assuring adequate funding for all students.
casbo has a bright future and will
create more uniformity across the state.
continue to serve its members with top-
capacity with our members through the
represented casbo very well last year
opportunities for member participation
ment courses. This year, we also added a
education issues, and at the International
is now focusing on building leadership
addition of personal leadership develop-
seventh regional section, Shasta Cascade, that gives more casbo members oppor-
tunities to be in leadership positions. The Continuing Education and Certification
Committee (cecc) held two cbo Boot
Camps this year, one in Northern Califor-
nia and, for the first time in several years, one in Southern California. Both were at capacity.
Our casbo staff has been reconsti-
tuted after six difficult years of cutbacks. We have included young and energetic
Your executive board members
in Washington, d.c., discussing special
Association of School Business Officials (asbo) conference in Orlando, Florida, where I was honored with asbo’s high-
est recognition, the Distinguished Eagle Award. Bill McGuire, a former casbo
president, was also honored at the con-
ference with the Pinnacle Award. And Michael Johnston, another past casbo president, represented California very
casbo’s reputation for “Leading
continuing staff.
Canada and the United Kingdom.
I’ve had an opportunity to visit
Sacramento and Washington, d.c., for ad-
equate funding and appropriate laws to improve public education. We will work
together to develop the school business leaders of the future through our commit-
ment to the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity in all we do.
Thank you for allowing me to be
your casbo president.
Board of Directors.
Strong with vip Leadership” is gaining
most of our sections this year and was
in leadership roles, and advocacy in
well in his running for a seat on the asbo
staff members who bring great skills and ideas to our organization, along with our
quality professional development, more
recognition throughout the United States,
Vincent Christakos President
We are now setting our sights on re-
pealing the cap on reserves districts can California School Business I casbo.org
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California School Business I Spring 2015
in focus
Molly Schlange She sees her job, casbo as investments in the future By Lisa Kopochinski
Photography by Hope Harris
ALTHOUGH HER BIRTH CERTIFICATE READS SACRAMENTO, Molly Schlange considers herself a native of Redding through and through. After moving to this Shasta County locale with her parents as an infant, she attended school and then college in this city of a little more than 90,000, and remains there to this day. “My husband, Josh, our two sons and I are blessed to have a large extended family in the area, so there is always a gathering of some sort taking place,” says Schlange, who is the school business manager for University Prepatory School, a charter school in Redding with more than 900 students spanning grades six through 12. “I could best sum up my responsibilities by saying – with the exception of the superintendent and instructional administration – I’m the ‘district office’ for our school,” she laughs.
UPrep – a charter school with a rigorous academic, athletic and performance program – operates like a small, single-site district, which gives Schlange the opportunity to wear many hats. “From fiscal responsibilities, master schedule planning, answering phones, taking attendance or cleaning cafeteria tables, I’ve done it all. Working within such a broad scope allows me to analyze the organization as a whole and evaluate how we move forward.” Schlange came on board in late 2005 as UPrep’s executive assistant and was promoted in mid-2012 to school business manager. She says for the past nine years, the most gratifying part continues to be graduation every year. “Just seeing students walk across the stage knowing I played a part in their success – even if behind the scenes – is the best reminder of why I do what I do. It’s more than a job: it’s an investment in the future.”
She views CASBO in the same light. A member since 2000, Schlange has been president of the Shasta Cascade section of CASBO for the past four years. “I’ve been able to build a professional network both within my section and throughout the state,” she explains. “And while it’s not possible to be an expert in every area of school business, having a network of individuals with different knowledge and expertise to call on is vital to our success as school leaders.” But at the end of the day, it’s all about the kids. “I know that seems obvious, but when your day goes sideways – as it often does – it’s easy to lose sight of why we persevere,” she says.“Sometimes, what’s best for the kids doesn’t fit our well-thought-out plans. But that’s OK! You have to be flexible, take on new challenges and not be afraid to change the way it’s always been done.”
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California School Business I Spring 2015
in focus
Keith Poch
Longtime associate member appreciates the partnership casbo offers By Lisa Kopochinski
Photography by Hope Harris
WHEN TALKING WITH KEITH POCH, regional vice president of VALIC Financial Advisors, it’s easy to see the similarities between VALIC and CASBO. A financial advisor for three decades, Poch loves developing partnerships with people to help them with issues and concerns regarding money. “Human beings have a wide range of emotions about money,” he says.“Being able to give a person peace of mind about their unique circumstances and establish a clear plan of action for them is very rewarding.” In his 29th year with VALIC – which has been an associate member since the mid-1980s – Poch says CASBO has allowed the firm to better understand the challenges that school business officials face. “It has helped us identify opportunities to partner with education leaders across California that will benefit both VALIC and CASBO members.
CASBO works very hard to develop partnerships that add value to its members by matching members with vendor areas of expertise.” In recent years, VALIC has become even more involved in CASBO by increasing its participation at various events and having District Manager David Creech serve on the associate member committee. “The educational video series that CASBO produces with associate member companies are very well produced and contain excellent information,” says Poch. “CASBO is very dedicated to ensuring that it benefits all members through outreach, education and running fantastic meetings and events. We appreciate the opportunity provided to us to meet with members away from the workplace where they may be less time constrained.”
their financial goals: retirement; college savings; risk management; and asset disposition. “For many, money creates anxiety often in terms of fear of making poor financial decisions or experiencing volatility in the markets. Personal finance can be overwhelming, so my advice is to look at the four rooms of your financial house and determine if you have taken action on each element and have a solid plan in place. This will make for a much more enjoyable life for you and those who care for you. It’s never too late to address these key financial areas of your life.” As one who definitely practices what he preaches, in his spare time, Poch loves to golf, run, hike and spend as much time skiing as possible. And, if that weren’t enough, he adds: “I’ve have been making wine for over 20 years and enjoy that hobby with friends and family.”
As regional vice president, Poch works out of VALIC’s Roseville office. He oversees six district managers and approximately 200 financial advisors located throughout the Western U.S. He says the firm is diligent at helping people go through the four “rooms” that help them achieve
California School Business I casbo.org
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California School Business I Spring 2015
feature
ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM
Proven ways to build and manage great teams
By Julie Phillips Randles
Perhaps you’ve heard the tale of three masons laying bricks who are approached by a passing stranger. The stranger asks the first bricklayer, “What are you doing?” He responds, “Laying bricks.” The passerby asks the same question of the second worker, who says, “I’m feeding my family.” He then poses the same question to the third mason, who answers, “I’m building a cathedral.” This fable provides insight into the organizational structure that experts say is key to success: teaming. The third mason’s response is what organizations should strive for; helping employees see the collective picture rather than toil at individual goals could advance the entire organization, and their own fulfillment.
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ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM
We’ve entered the age of teaming,
when organizations either thrive or fail
based on their ability to create effective squads willing to work, and learn, col-
“There are all sorts of aspects of our
what service you are providing or what
people,” warns Edmondson.
make it difficult to collaborate with other Competitive issues, understanding
done best by a team,” says Amy C. Ed-
that individuals come to the table with
ship and management at the Harvard
tance to let their guards down – all of
mondson, Novartis professor of leaderBusiness School. TEAM DEFINED
Working groups, task forces, committees, cabinets. Organizations tend to have a
lot of terms that might be considered
their own perspectives, people’s reluc-
these things work against the desire to team, Edmondson says. “So why would
I team unless I really understood the gain to me, and more importantly, to our clients or the world in some way?”
Enter the team-savvy leader who, in
synonyms for teams, yet experts say true
order to build an effective team, has to
Teams are not individuals who work
and why it will require team members to
teams have a specific definition.
independently in the same department. Nor are they co-workers who collaborate
first clarify the organization’s end game collaborate intensely to pull it off.
Parisi-Carew says clarifying the vi-
on tasks or loosely established groups
sion establishes why the team does what
“We tend to call everything a team,”
for. It also provides the opportunity to
that share information.
explains Eunice Parisi-Carew, senior researcher at The Ken Blanchard Com-
panies and an expert on teams, “but part of the definition is that it is mutually
responsible and accountable for an out-
it does, why it is important and who it is create a set of values the team will live by, and helps determine how people act
when they are using those values in their daily routines.
Next, the team must establish a set
come. Teams are a deliberate strategy to
of agreements regarding how it will
Teams are made up of people who
establishing a foundation for the team
get something accomplished.”
care about each other, personally and
professionally, and that closeness advances employee passion and commitment.
BUILDING EFFECTIVE TEAMS Organizations that are ready to take
teaming seriously should follow an intentional set of steps, starting with the established leadership team sitting down
to clarify its real purpose and establish its vision of excellence. California School Business I Spring 2015
a challenge.
makeup cognitively and emotionally that
product you are developing, it can be
22
teaming comes naturally or easily. Expect
laboratively.
“No matter the goal or the setting,
We’ve entered the age of teaming, when organizations either thrive or fail based on their ability to create effective squads willing to work, and learn, collaboratively.
But don’t be fooled into thinking
work. Parisi-Carew calls it chartering,
that identifies why the team exists, why it is important and how it will get where it’s going.
Chartering answers additional ques-
tions including: What are the team’s roles and goals? Where are we headed? What matters to our organization? How will we
communicate? How will we hold each other accountable?
Skip the chartering step and the
team will flounder down the road, ParisiCarew warns.
Once a team is defined, the leader
ficer for the Pajaro Valley Unified School
take risks and try new things. In other
That’s certainly the case in school
must make it safe for team members to
A CULTURE OF TEAMING
District and a casbo member.
Benefitting from the team approach
words, make it a community in which
districts where employees are often pro-
an organization’s culture has to support
group’s goals is both valued and without
to stay in their roles for the long term.
taking interpersonal risks to advance the threat.
“If I put my neck out and offer a new
idea or raise a concern and someone in
vided employment protection and tend
Getting to the ultimate team may take years, not months.
It’s worth the wait and the effort,
takes more than just forming the group; the approach and be structured around
creating an environment that backs
teaming. It’s this one step beyond creation that allows teams not just to survive and do well, but to thrive and advance the
authority lashes back, I won’t do it again
McFadden says. Strong teams make the
Instead, the organization’s leaders
vide a sense of trust and cohesiveness
very collaborative in nature, with clear
is so strong now that if they contact me, I
ture that encourages sharing and mutual
soon,” Edmondson points out.
must embrace failures, as well as successes.
And leaders must be patient as they
assemble their platoons. “Team building takes time. There is no nirvana for this,” notes Brett McFadden, chief business of-
workload more manageable and pro-
throughout the organization. “My team know there is a serious problem. For the most part, they come to me with solutions, not problems.”
organization’s mission and vision.
“Ideally, it’s an organization that’s
performance goals, reciprocity and a culaccountability,” describes Parisi-Carew.
Creating a culture that supports
teams happens at the leadership level. “It starts with the mindset that you can build
California School Business I casbo.org
23
ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM
a team of champions or you can build a
posts. It wasn’t a task he took lightly. He
heart of the leader,” Parisi-Carew says.
and felt the best approach was to “get
champion team. It has to start from the “Leaders fail to work effectively with
teams because they see teams as collections of individuals rather than an entity.”
He says he started building his “A
and do? The leader models the team
cies. His list included candidates who
leagues, Edmondson says. “It looks like
engagement, curiosity, humility and collaboration when it makes sense. And the leader rewards these behaviors and
doesn’t put people in competition with
ployees he was seeking to fill the vacanwere people-oriented, valued working
toward consensus, focused more on
results than recognition and were more concerned with the group succeeding than any individual succeeding.
As far as personality attributes, Lebs
each other.”
sought out candidates who were humble,
Edmondson says ongoing learning is a
mise, could lead as well as follow, were
Once the team culture is in place,
requirement in order to stay ahead of changes. “It can take the form of continu-
ous improvement or radical innovation. Either way, both are best accomplished as team sports.”
With the culture established, the
able to collaborate, knew how to compronot yet at their full potential, weren’t sat-
isfied with the status quo, could motivate others and were passionate and hungry to make a difference in any organization they were a part of.
In the end, it came down to a vision.
positivity around the structure will be
“What I tried to do was envision that
curiosity, activity, Edmondson describes.
with the team. I wanted to find people
palpable. There’s energy, excitement, “People are up and around. They are in
project rooms working with each other. There’s a pride in their ability to create new things and pride in being part of
individual sitting at the table, engaged
who could help create the environment for where I wanted to go. There was a
vibe I was going for, and my team has it.” And as he built the team, he let
building the future.”
early team members participate in the
GETTING TO THE ‘A TEAM’
employees – literally putting them at the
c a s b o member Ron Lebs, assistant
superintendent of business services for the Fullerton Joint Union High School
first round of interviews with potential
table just as he had imagined – to look for a fit and that elusive vibe.
Interestingly, Lebs says everyone he
District, was in the unique position of
hired is the direct opposite of himself.
years ago, he became the leader of
weaknesses.”
building a dream team when, several a department with significant staff
“I hired people who make up for my
changes.
HOW TEAMING ADVANCES
the creation of a new position meant
Teaming isn’t just the leadership flavor
Employee retirements, attrition and
Lebs needed to fill four of five director California School Business I Spring 2015
of their way.”
Team” by envisioning the types of em-
approach in his interactions with col-
24
the right people on the bus and get out
And what does a leader who values
the team approach look like, sound like
“ People are up and around. They are in project rooms working with each other. There’s a pride in their ability to create new things and pride in being part of building the future.”
had learned the value of collaboration
ORGANIZATIONS of the year, the experts say. It’s backed
Books that back the team approach Our experts recommend the following books for additional inspiration and advice on creating a culture of teaming. by science and organizational success.
communication starts to flow. Collabora-
engagement and an uptick in the
the needs of the organization speeds up.
Expect increased productivity, improved employee satisfaction quotient.
A team culture also allows the best
ideas from among the group to rise to
the surface, and when everyone’s ideas
have the opportunity to be heard, the
tion takes off and the ability to address “What happens is, as you build the
team, it gets stronger and that unit is marching in the same direction, and that becomes invincible,” Mijares says.
Lebs also has a list of benefits he’s
decisions that are made stick. Innovation
seen from the teaming approach. He
Trust also gains a trajectory, notes Al
level of ownership and increased stability
goes through the roof.
Mijares, Ph.D., Orange County’s superin-
tendent of schools and an organizational member of casbo. Teams develop a sense
of cohesiveness among members and the
points to buy-in, cooperation, a higher for the organization.
And the level of commitment team
members feel to the larger group means they feel a strong sense of accountability.
• A Leader’s Legacy by James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner • How Full Is Your Bucket by Tom Rath • Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan • On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis • Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy by Amy C. Edmondson • The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization by Peter M. Senge • The Will To Manage by Marvin Bower
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ONE TEAM, ONE DREAM
That accountability frees up the leader’s
time and keeps him out of the weeds, Lebs says.
“I spend little time one on one with
the group because they know what they are doing and they will always reach out
to me with an issue. I don’t have to sweat the details, so it frees me, as the division leader, to be more responsive to the superintendent and the board.”
Then there’s the positive psychology
aspect, which is not only warm and fuzzy,
it reduces employee turnover because
employees are content and happy to be part of the synergy.
PERFORM rating scale gives snapshot of a team’s virtues, gaps
“People are happier to come to work
when they feel connected and engaged
with others. We want to be with other people who appreciate us and we want
to work on something that is larger than ourselves,” Edmondson says.
“I know that when I am with people
I enjoy, I offer more verbally, emotionally
and in the form of commitment, and I’m
more willing to take on responsibilities,”
Parisi-Carew adds. “If you really have everybody aligned, they can outperform any collection of individuals.” z z z Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance
writer based in Roseville, California.
Weigh in on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/CASBO.ORG and share the successes teaming has brought to your district.
Once established and operating, it’s essential to assess whether a group has the characteristics of a high-performing team for productivity and success. Using various evaluation methods, team members can identify their collective strengths and weaknesses. The Ken Blanchard Companies established the PERFORM Rating Scale to provide a snapshot of a team’s virtues and gaps on seven characteristics it says are common to all high-performing teams. Eunice Parisi-Carew, senior researcher at The Ken Blanchard Companies, provides a brief overview: Purpose. The team has a clear purpose and stretches performance goals. Empowerment. The team has a sense of empowerment and the knowledge, skills and ability to make decisions within boundaries. Relationships. Relationships among team members are the lifeblood of how the group communicates. The team deals well with conflict and provides feedback. Flexibility. All team members feel responsible for leadership results; they cover for each other and handle change well. Optimal performance. The team is constantly pushing to continually improve. They hold themselves accountable for improvement and don’t rely on the leader to force them to meet standards. Recognition. Team members celebrate milestones together and earn recognition from their leader and the organization. Morale. The team has a sense that it can succeed and deal with challenges. There is pride among team members. To assess whether yours is a learning organization where teams can thrive, turn to a diagnostic tool provided by the Harvard Business Review at https://hbr.org/2008/03/ is-yours-a-learning-organization/ar/.
26
California School Business I Spring 2015
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California School Business I Spring 2015
interview
Lisa Abel-Palmieri
Innovation in education is the focus of this diverse educator’s prowess By Julie Phillips Randles
Lisa Abel-Palmieri is the director of technology and innovation, head of computer science and director of the Learning Innovation Institute at The Ellis School, an independent, all-girls college-preparatory school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her background is as diverse as her role at Ellis.
Abel-Palmieri worked in industry for the United States Nuclear Navy and
in higher education as an assistant professor and technology transfer expert for more than a decade before joining The Ellis School. She focused her doctoral studies on curriculum development and technology integration.
In addition to her role as cio at The Ellis School, Abel-Palmieri directs
partnerships and helps build innovative teaching and learning practices across
the curricular program. She teaches in both the middle and high schools, and is passionate about helping girls gain creative confidence, learn perseverance and be comfortable taking risks.
Recently, Abel-Palmieri designed the Ellis CoLaboratory, a design think-
ing and collaboration space in the Ellis Upper School. She also launched “The
Active Classroom for Girls,” with a focus on engaging girls in physics and engineering in new and exciting ways.
On Saturdays, Abel-Palmieri is often mentoring Ellis’ steam Powered
Girls, the Middle School First LEGO League robotics team.
Abel-Palmieri is on the board of trustees for Online School for Girls, is a
consortium member for the Center for stem Education for Girls, and is co-
founder of EdcampPGH, an unconference for teachers. She also serves on the Edcamp Foundation’s national public relations committee and is on the plan-
ning committee for the Three Rivers EdTech Conference and the Pittsburgh stem Summit. She is a proud member of the Sprout Fund Kids+Creativity
Photography by Renee Rosensteel
Network.
In 2013, Abel-Palmieri was awarded the Non-Profit cio of the Year Award
by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. She also earned an honorable mention for Leader of the Year from Tech & Learning magazine, and was named a nais Teacher of the Future in 2014.
California School Business I casbo.org
29
Innovation in education is the focus of this diverse educator’s prowess
Considered an expert in education
innovation, Abel-Palmieri provides
scientist and an engineer. That said, there
transformation in schools and how dis-
don’t want to do. That’s part of life. When
leading-edge thinking on how to inspire trict leaders can act as change agents.
If you could have another career, what would you do? I would be an anthropologist. I love
will be times you have to do things you
within their school and out in the com-
munity, and they design support systems to promote innovation in schools.
Support systems can include a
that happens, give it a try. Be fearless and
schedule that fosters and grows innova-
anything, especially those things that are
and students, common planning time
don’t let anything stop you from trying out of the norm.
learning about other cultures, seeing
What’s a secret talent you have?
new things that can bring us all together
machine! As a kid, I built a lot of obstacle
what makes people tick, and discovering
I can build a mean Rube Goldberg
in spite of our differences.
courses and I’ve made tons of scavenger
hunts for friends. Tinkering is one of my
tive learning opportunities for teachers
for teachers from multiple disciplines, and opportunities for co-teaching and
peer mentoring. At The Ellis School, we have designed a school schedule to best
promote opportunities for co-teaching, particularly in our three-hour block in
the middle and upper schools. We call
If you had to choose only one book for your library, what would it be and why?
favorite things.
That would be “Anne of Green Gables.”
ers from beyond our campus in mutually
book transported me from blue-collar
You have a doctoral degree in instructional management and leadership and you’ve said that your research focused on how to be a change agent in education and what qualities education leaders need to bring about change. Can you summarize what you learned in those areas?
Pittsburgh to Nova Scotia, which I still think of as a magical place.
You need to be a mix of strategic and
Anne faced a great deal of adversity –
operational at the same time, and have
First, you have to focus on fixed ver-
the ability to build relationships and
teach our students that intelligence isn’t
I love this book. Anne was one of my role models, especially as a middle school student. Back then, girls who
were bold and curious were not really
accepted. My family is from just south of Pittsburgh, right in the Rust Belt. This
she was an orphan, she had almost noth-
ing – but she persevered in spite of all of these setbacks. She ended up being a very
successful woman who charted her own
path and didn’t do anything that was the expected. Someday, I want to visit Nova Scotia and revisit that time in my life.
rally a team. My research showed that
technology and innovation leaders
within schools have many job titles, wear many hats and have a variety of
backgrounds. Additionally, the lines are
beginning to blur between instructional
this program Community Connections because it also involves community leadbeneficial ways.
In California, experts have said that innovation tends to run against the grain of education. What advice do you have for school leaders about how to begin creating a culture of innovation? sus growth mindsets. As educators, we static. Skills and talents are developed when we make the space for them to
emerge. It is up to school leaders to create time and space for an innovative culture to grow.
You’ve got to set aside collaborative
technology leaders and curricular leaders.
time for faculty to plan and work togeth-
If you could give your 10-year-old self a piece of advice, what would you say?
is leading both of these key areas with a
to learning, such as blended learning, de-
Don’t spend so much time worrying
programs, practices and approaches
about what other people think of you. Don’t be afraid to do something different
In progressive schools, often one person
robust support team infusing innovative across the system.
In my research, I found that a few
from what everyone else is doing. I used
things ring true about leaders who are the
realize now I did those things to please
not afraid to take risks and grow from
be a cheerleader and a dancer, but I other people.
30
What I really wanted to be was a
California School Business I Spring 2015
er; demonstrate innovative approaches sign thinking and maker education; and then task them with showing other teach-
ers, by co-teaching or by role-modeling, what they’ve learned.
Teacher-directed professional de-
most effective change agents: they were
velopment is also highly effective. I
mistakes, they build partnerships both
where teachers identify what they are
love the EdCamp Unconference model,
most interested in learning. It’s crowd-
Learning and Kids+Creativity initiatives.
We’ve also had great success by naming
is now gaining national and international
sourcing for professional development.
annual Innovation Fellows. These faculty
are essentially innovation coaches who share their knowledge with their peers and foster interdisciplinary approaches
If you’re meeting with data-driven
They are a major reason why Pittsburgh
faculty, show them the data that this
recognition as center for innovative learn-
who are focused on their classroom ex-
ing practices.
works. If you’re meeting with people
perience, show them case studies of how
others in their subject area have applied
to learning. We’ve also offered small in-
blended learning and design thinking
novation grants to help kick-start specific
How can school leaders help their teams and stakeholders overcome fear, the single biggest enemy of innovation?
proposals by teams of teachers who are developing a cross-disciplinary unit or
Knowing your audience is really import-
project.
ant. I’m a big fan of the StrengthsFinder
also establish themselves as partners to
program as a way for discovering areas
Ellis has also had a tremendous
partner in The Sprout Fund, a small foundation that has had a major impact changing the conversation about education in our region through its Remake
where each member of your team excels.
You may find that, depending on their individual strengths, each member of your team may need some individualized professional development support.
methods successfully in similar settings
or content areas. Administrators must faculty in planning new curricular ap-
proaches, assessing students in different
ways, and developing a school schedule that best supports innovative learning.
The Ellis School went through a significant curricular shift in the last two years
California School Business I casbo.org
31
Innovation in education is the focus of this diverse educator’s prowess
in an attempt to remain relevant. How did your knowledge about education innovation influence those changes? Do you feel those changes are replicable for likeminded school systems in other states?
School, a graduate program jointly offered
an approach others can replicate and use
engineering and art departments. Social
in their districts.
Staying on top of innovation in the field
24 hours a day.
has been enormously influential to our
by Stanford University’s mechanical
media has made educational innovation
novation at Ellis. Not all administrators
The key is talking to people and
take on that role. If that’s the case in your
asking them what works. I also really
results of our own research here at Ellis.
meeting with inspirational peers, is often
I am also extremely active on Twitter,
connecting with leading thinkers and innovators. Through these channels,
we’ve stayed out in front of what is new
and innovative and we’re constantly in dialogue with our peers, including the
team from the k-12 lab at the Stanford D.
Now, I’m the director of learning in-
a global conversation that’s happening
process. I constantly read academic journals, and we are beginning to publish
to devise a plan for innovation that works
recommend conferences. The social time,
as valuable as the sessions. We’re also planning and hosting our own confer-
ences, like EdCampPGH and the Active
Learning Summit to bring leaders to our campus. This combination of reading
and research, connecting with others via social media and meeting face-to-face is
will have the background or the time to district, name someone as your official
innovation champion and ask her to carry
the ball, with regular briefings to you, so you can act quickly and be an effective advocate for time and resources.
Your school has “innovation stations” where students take part in pre-selected, hands-on projects designed to open their minds to new ways of thinking and col-
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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Innovation in education is the focus of this diverse educator’s prowess
Learning Summit, which we’re hosting
I would use some of the incredible
Any tips on how districts, once they establish a culture of innovation, can pass those ideas along so that their successes can be replicated?
engagement methods developed by the luma Institute. These methods facilitate
We created the Learning Innovation
based in Roseville, California.
looking, understanding and making.
Institute at Ellis to do just that. The institute focuses on three main areas:
laborating. Do you have any resources or tips school business leaders can turn to for similar inspiration?
Rose, Thorn, Bud Technique is a re-
ally successful method for schools. Roses
connote programs or initiatives that are
working well. Thorns are challenges or difficulties. Buds are the potential for change. Working in small groups with
colleagues, you can rapidly get excellent feedback from a large group of people at
once. The idea is to turn thorns into buds, and to open as many buds as possible.
34
California School Business I Spring 2015
cultivating partnerships and outreach that bring the world into your school (and
vice versa); initiating original research and publication to test ideas and share
outcomes with others; and holding professional development sessions
centered around learning innovation. At Ellis, we hold “Teach and Lead” workshops, Google Hangouts and annual conferences such as the Active
July 13 and 14 in Pittsburgh. z z z
Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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38
California School Business I Spring 2015
cover story
The new bargaining Negotiations take on a new look under LCFF
By Linda A. Estep The groundbreaking passage of the Local Control Funding Formula (lcff) and accompanying Local Control
and Accountability Plan (lcap) does more than revamp how
schools in California will be supported financially. It also ushers
in an era of collective bargaining where thoughtful collaboration
of stakeholders is essential to satisfy expectations of long-deferred salary increases while adhering to the statutory and regulatory requirements governing the expenditure of funds under lcff.
Funding under lcff is allocated based on each school district’s
student demographic profile. That doesn’t mean funds are un-
available for increased compensation, but across-the-board salary increases will not come so easily given the requirements of the lcap
to focus on services and outcomes for all students, with special emphasis on English learner, low-income and foster youth students.
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE c a s b o reached out to several noted experts and veteran
administrators familiar with collective bargaining for their perspectives of the new bargaining climate.
School Services of California President John Gray, a casbo
Strategic Alliance Partner, acknowledges that there are some local bargaining units demanding a share of all funds in the formula,
California School Business I casbo.org
39
The new bargaining
including supplemental and concentration grant funds, without
prove services for high-need students, the factual circumstances
generate those dollars.
funding “are very narrow.”
agreeing to improve or enhance services for the students who
“However, the majority of bargaining units do understand
The paper further suggests that districts may use those
that there is a difference in base grant funding that is appropriate
funds to increase salaries in targeted ways, such as paying
funds generated by the English learners, foster children and low-
retention/incentive bonuses to attract and retain teachers who
for across-the-board compensation increases and the targeted income children that must run through the lcap,” Gray says.
“Under the old Revenue Limit and Categorical Program
model, the state would announce and sometimes provide a cost
for extending the school day at targeted schools or providing provide the types of services that would particularly benefit high-needs students.
of living adjustment (cola) and most districts would receive
TABLE TOPICS
at the table had a lot of experience with the old model and it was
additional representatives at the bargaining table are good
roughly the same increases in discretionary funding. Both sides
Gray at School Services says improved communication and
more easily explained. Under the lcff during the implementa-
things. “I see a positive movement to include more instructional
tion period (targeted to be complete in 2020/21), it is a bit more complicated for our stakeholders to understand,” he explains.
“Since the base grant is generated by every student (in a
district) and its use is fully at the discretion of the board, we think
that looking at the funded increase in the base grant as subject to negotiations and available for compensation is perfectly appropriate, just as districts did with the Revenue Limit cola s of the past,” he says.
expertise and school site leaders at the bargaining table than in the past. Both sides have always had an interest in
compensation articles, but more and more I am seeing districts and associations focus on articles that can improve instruction.
Transfer, evaluation, staff development and instructional minutes are some of the current hot topics at the bargaining table,” he says.
Gray notes that the early years of lcff implementation have
“We do not see the increase in supplemental and concen-
come at the same time as a large infusion of dollars for education,
“Those targeted funds need to be expended in accordance with
increases to bargaining units. However, he cautions, there will
tration grants in the same way as the base grant,” he continues. the lcap. We recommend that districts then separately negoti-
ate the effect of the initiatives in the lcap if any of the proposals affect matters within the scope of collective bargaining.”
Transparency is a key element under lcff, and because of
its relative newness and specific requirements, it is imperative
to provide continuous updates and public study sessions with
making it possible for many schools to provide compensation be bargaining challenges in coming years with the expiration of
Proposition 30 taxes and increased contributions required by the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (Calstrs) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (Calpers). Another recession could also impact bargaining.
The practice of comparing neighboring districts for com-
boards and stakeholder groups, according to Gray. “This new
pensation under lcff has become impractical for many because
from there.
by the demographics of each district’s student population, not
system has forced people to talk,” he says. The benefits flow
ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS WEIGH IN Adding pressure to bargaining discussions at the local level is
the very public scrutiny by organizations such as the American
much of the funding received by each district is determined
regional pay and benefit scales. Gray points out that there can be a dramatic difference in what districts separated by short distances receive.
“For 2014-15, I have seen some districts receive nearly 15
Civil Liberties Union (aclu) and Public Advocates, advocacy
percent in new dollars while others (in the same region) receive
including education.
districts with similar funding, as it would be a more level play-
organizations focused on social justice in public policy areas In a recent policy paper jointly authored by the two orga-
nizations, aclu and Public Advocates advised local education agencies that while it is theoretically possible for a district to
demonstrate that a general salary increase would increase or im-
40
justifying such a use of supplemental and concentration grant
California School Business I Spring 2015
almost nothing,” he says. “Our advice is to select comparable ing field.”
Gray quickly notes that districts need to attract and retain
employees from the local labor market because they have an interest in remaining competitive with neighboring districts. To
do that, he adds, a collaborative labor relationship is essential as creative ideas in nontraditional compensation increases become warranted.
Overall, Gray is optimistic about collective bargaining
outcomes under the new funding and accountability systems.
“There will be rough spots in the beginning; however, I remain hopeful that the new system, with enhanced stakeholder in-
volvement as a requirement in the new law, will produce better working relationships at the bargaining table.”
LEGAL VIEWS Another name familiar to many school districts in California is the law firm of Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost, a casbo Premier
Partner with offices throughout the state and attorneys wellversed in education issues, including collective bargaining.
Firm partner Peter Fagen serves clients from the Los Angeles
and San Diego offices, often participating on district negotiating teams. He is the 2015 president of the California Council of
School Attorneys. Namita Brown is a partner working in the firm’s Oakland office and has extensive expertise in collective
“ Transparency is a key element under LCFF, and because of its relative newness and specific requirements, it is imperative to provide continuous updates and public study sessions with boards and stakeholder groups.”
bargaining on behalf of school districts. She is a popular speaker for casbo, the California School Boards Association (csba) and the Association of California School Administrators (acsa). Both attorneys agreed to share their perspectives from their experiences serving a broad swath of the state.
Brown agrees with Gray that nontraditional conversations
are developing in negotiations under lcff. “I have been at the
California School Business I casbo.org
41
The new bargaining
table where they are asking ‘How do we get what teachers need
ership, rewarding high-performing teachers and designating
sional development for teaching the Common Core curriculum
Fagen agrees. “I’ve heard more about curriculum and train-
other than salary increases?’” she notes. Topics such as profes-
and administering the Smarter Balanced Assessment are no
ing in the last two years than I have ever heard. With the focus of
“During the lean years, teachers took a hit. Now we are talk-
Both believe that classified employees are not necessarily
strangers to the bargaining table.
money and the planning process, it is more about kids.”
ing about how districts invest in their teachers,” she explains.
left behind in the new funding structure, as there are areas where
of other teachers. It is a fundamental shift. Teachers have been
serve them. They cite bilingual community liaisons to help par-
“Teachers are being groomed to be in the first line of training hungry for training.”
Brown notes that many districts look at building a sustain-
able structure from the inside, nourishing growth toward lead-
42
master teachers districtwide or at individual school sites.
California School Business I Spring 2015
their work is in direct contact with students and programs that
ents become engaged and translators who are learning Common Language, an approach that closes the gaps in current transla-
tions. Others outside of the certificated realm who could be tied
to initiatives in the lcap might include teacher aides, librarians and technology personnel.
“This year, there is more stakeholder involvement. Now we
know where the money is going. It used to be that we would sit down and look at what we could afford,” Fagen notes.
Terilyn Finders is the firm’s director of communications
and legislative affairs. She is also a former school board trustee and stresses, “More than ever, there is a need to help boards see
negotiations as a component to drive student achievement.” To
assist districts in bargaining preparations, she invites districts to download a document called “Setting the Table: Steps to Guide Bargaining Preparations” on the firm’s website (www.f3law.
com). It can be found under the tab of Resources, Tips and Tools. This step-by-step guide to preparing school boards for negotiations is offered at no charge.
STAYING FOCUSED From the district level, former casbo President Bill McGuire,
Classroom Innovation
Unified School District, is a veteran of collective bargaining on
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sounds a warning bell about how targeted funds (supplemental
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deputy superintendent, administrative services, Twin Rivers behalf of several California school districts during his career. He
and concentration grants) can be used. He suggests that those
involved in their district negotiations need to be careful with proposals.
“They must be true to the purpose of the funds. We must
be sure we are delivering the goods or the funding stream will
be diverted,” he warns. “And I believe every superintendent or business official will make better decisions than those in Sacra-
mento,” he adds. “We have a responsibility to do the right thing
for students. Sometimes we can lose focus in the bargaining process. We are a people business and justly well-trained staff will do great things for kids.”
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Attorney Fagen concurs with that word of caution, adding,
“It is important to stress how the supplemental and concentration funds can be used. There are accountability groups watching to see that funds are going to the right places.” Fagen sees the
lcap requirement as the basis for conversation of where funding
goes, providing a more structured plan than what existed before it became law.
NOT ALL DISTRICTS BENEFIT EQUALLY One district that does not anticipate a significant windfall from the new funding formula is the Coronado Unified School District
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(cusd), which will receive only approximately 70 percent
California School Business I casbo.org
43
The new bargaining
of the statewide average, according to Keith Butler, assistant superintendent, business services and casbo San Diego/ Imperial Section director. And, he adds, that gap will grow.
layoffs and furloughs, but there is still the concern of restoring funds that had been cut from budgets.
“There are lots of questions, and we always suggest
cusd does not have the demographic numbers to draw
educating various constituencies. We are seeing more presenta-
that his district had to cut 8 percent of its budget for 2014-15
agrees that overall increased collaboration is a byproduct of
significant supplemental and concentration grants. Butler notes and filed a Qualified Certification with the San Diego County Office of Education.
“While it is reasonable to ask for raises, we’re still digging
tions to school boards than in the past,” Bridges says. He also the lcff and lcap.
VOICE OF OPTIMISM
out of a hole,” he explains. Still, Butler insists, he is optimistic.
Namita Brown, the negotiations legal counsel to many district
budgetary requirements and how discretionary funds can be
districts initiating collaborative discussions that will jointly
His district engages in many forms of communication to explain spent.
Anthony Bridges is deputy executive officer of the Fiscal
Crisis & Management Assistance Team, an agency that provides
fiscal advice and assistance but does not get directly involved
in school district negotiations. He agrees it is encouraging that
lcff has earmarked $4 billion to distribute after years of district
clients in northern California, adds her voice of optimism for
enrich the lives of students and the employees who serve them. “It is energizing and invigorating to see. It is an exciting time for negotiations.” z z z
Linda A. Estep is a freelance writer based in Fresno, California.
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“TerraVerde is the best partner I have ever worked with in my 28 years of school construction experience.” “TerraVerde emphasizes education and transparency. We feel confident that they provide us an unbiased assessment of the risks and benefits.” “We utilized a third party, TerraVerde, to assist us and I must say they have been a huge asset in this process.”
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California School Business I Spring 2015
Give us a call and let’s create energy savings – together. Northern California: Doug Stoecker 650.868.0410 Southern California: Kevin Ross 949.212.6555
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California School Business I casbo.org 800.248.2878 | TANDUS-CENTIVA.COM
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SSCAD_CSB_MAG_2014.pdf
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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Use of technology in education and the workplace is exploding. (New legal issues are too.) Emerging technology is radically changing how school districts operate and how our students learn. Having been at the forefront of technology legal issues, Lozano Smith’s
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California School Business I casbo.org
47
The E-Rate catch-22 What do recent E-Rate changes really mean for districts? 48
California School Business I Spring 2015
feature
By Lisa Kopochinski
W
ill it or won’t it help? That’s the million-dollar –
or rather the $1.5 billion – question.
That is the figure the Federal Communications Commis-
sion (fcc) approved last year for the annual funding increase for the E-Rate program, which subsidizes schools’ and libraries’ purchases of telecommunications services.
Considered long overdue by many (funding has re-
mained flat for a decade), federal officials have dramatically overhauled the E-Rate program to provide expanded support for Wi-Fi access, fiber-optic lines and Internet service.
“The increase in support is significant. It is justified and
it is smart,” says fcc Chairman Tom Wheeler. “In the 18
years since E-Rate was established, technology has evolved,
the needs of students and teachers have changed and basic connectivity has become inadequate. The greatest responsi-
bility that any generation has is the preparation of the next generation.”
The fcc voted to raise the annual spending cap from
$2.4 billion to $3.9 billion and approved a series of significant rule changes that caused strife (what else?) between Democrats and Republicans. These changes followed the fcc’s decision last July to prioritize broadband and Wi-Fi connectivity to schools nationwide and phase out older technologies.
The funding for the new E-Rate program will come from
increased fees on telecommunications providers, which are
generally passed on to consumers via their phone bills. The fcc estimates that most u.s. households will pay an extra $1.90 per year.
The fcc also said that telecommunications service pro-
viders must contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund based on a percentage of their interstate and international end-user telecommunications revenues – generally a small fraction of the overall consumer bill.
These companies include wireline phone companies,
wireless phone companies, paging service companies and certain Voice over Internet Protocol (voip) providers. These
contributions fund all four of the fcc’s Universal Service programs: the High Cost program, which helps extend
phone and broadband service to rural areas; the Lifeline program, which helps support basic phone service for lowincome Americans; the Rural Health Care program; and the E-Rate program.
California School Business I casbo.org
49
The E-Rate catch-22
Funding is expected to begin flowing
to help our schools be part of the digital
vice, says it’s difficult to gauge whether
most of the new fcc-approved rules –
with the Obama Administration’s Con-
will be sufficient, particularly since the
to schools and libraries this summer with
including changes that could help rural schools – taking effect in 2016.
Many rural schools struggle with
access to fiber-optic cable and, although
nectEd initiative, which aims to connect 99 percent of students with broadband
and high-speed Internet in their schools
the federal $1.5 billion funding increase
E-Rate program does not allocate money by state.
“This increase in funding is critical
by 2017.
and timely as schools are implementing
earmarked specifically for rural schools,
the spending-cap increase was put to a
and computer-based assessments. We
the wireline-competition bureau, says the
O’Rielly opposed it.
the new E-Rate funding has not been
Patrick Halley, fcc’s associate chief of combination of new funding and rules
Not everyone is a fan though. When
vote, Republicans Ajit Pai and Michael Pai says he is particularly concerned
the new Common Core State Standards
need to ensure that schools are designing
scalable fiber-based solutions that help them ‘future-proof’ their investments in
should help this situation.
with the service fee increase, which he cal-
cally been prohibited from using E-Rate
fall on families struggling to “make ends
to be distributed to schools and libraries,
He emphasized the need for pro-
plication process – by no means an easy
For instance, schools have histori-
to build their own fiber-optic networks, which has been a problem for rural dis-
culates to be a 17-percent hike and would meet in this lackluster economy.”
tricts that cannot find more than one bid-
gram dollars to flow to needy schools
on the private market.
He says the E-Rate subsidy system
der for broadband connectivity services Halley says the new rules will ease
this by allowing for “self-provisioning”
when no other affordable, high-speed option is available.
HISTORY OF E-RATE Established in 1997, the E-Rate program, authorized under the Telecommunications
Act of 1996 and overseen by the fcc, is
the largest federal technology program
in place. Over the years, it has played a huge role in increasing public school classroom Internet connection – from
14 percent in 1998 to approximately 95
percent today. The program has also been responsible for helping many lowincome, minority and rural students gain high-quality access to the Internet.
However, for many years, E-Rate’s
without having to increase spending.
gives some schools and libraries up to a
90-percent discount on technologies and encourages wasteful spending.
IMPACT ON CALIFORNIA In the short term, the most noticeable
change for schools across the United States and in California will be the
program’s emphasis on their internal Wi-Fi needs, a definite welcome due
California School Business I Spring 2015
task. cenic has been very successful in helping schools with the application process.
“Applications have been known to
be rejected because an applicant forgot to check a box,” he notes.
He says there are still some schools
and libraries in California that are neither applying for E-Rate nor are they part of the cenic consortium. “Unfortunate-
ly, they will miss out on accessing this funding.”
He also stresses that these E-Rate
“There is still a good portion of
keep costs low for broadband.
16 budget proposal, Gov. Jerry Brown
California that lacks adequate broad-
for boosting Internet connectivity and
impacts the rural parts of the state. There
said he would earmark $100 million infrastructure for schools across the state.)
Louis Fox, president and ceo of the
corporation that represents the common
“will ensure the program will continue
they must successfully complete the ap-
(Additionally, in unveiling his 2015-
tion that didn’t begin until 2010.
can said in a statement that this vote
Fox adds that in order for funding
funds are critical for schools to be able to
computing and digital instruction.
Corporation for Education Network Ini-
u.s. Education Secretary Arne Dun-
broadband.”
to the rise of online testing, 1:1 student
annual spending cap had been stuck at $2.25 billion, with adjustments in infla-
50
age.” He calls it a step forward in line
tiatives in California (cenic), a nonprofit
interests of California’s education and
research communities in achieving highcapacity Internet communications ser-
band infrastructure, and this primarily is a real need for E-Rate to relax some of
its rules to allow for creative solutions to improve connectivity in the hard-to-
serve areas. For instance, if investments in ‘middle-mile’ infrastructure were
allowable, extending networks to these communities not served by broadband, schools (and libraries) would have greater access.”
CATEGORIES 1 AND 2 SERVICES In 2014, California received more than $303 million in E-Rate support – which
may seem like a sizable amount but, in reality, is not.
Eligible schools and libraries may
receive discounts on Category 1 services (telecommunications services and In-
ternet access) and Category 2 services (internal connections, a.k.a. ic, managed internal broadband services and
basic maintenance of ic). However, no Category 2 services have been funded
in recent years, so there “will probably be pent-up demand with a lot of 1:1 and
bring-your-own-device initiatives,” says Fox. “I suspect that Category 2 services
the big question is how far the new fund-
Emil Basilio, it director for Hemet
needed to distribute and use high-speed
will see a surge in applications.”
Unified School District and a casbo
member, says since its inception, E-Rate has benefited his district in ways that
ing will go to support ic – the hardware
connections – not just for California, but nationwide.
“There’s a big push to get all schools
would not have been possible without
connected with high-speed connections
programs.
first year of a pilot two-year program
adverse effects on funding for other
“We have qualified for up to 90-per-
cent reimbursement for both Categories 1 and 2. Throughout the years, these re-
imbursements have totaled in the tens of millions of dollars. The program has been beneficial in bridging the digital divide
for many students by providing them
of at least 100 mb,” she says. “This is the where they are going to fund ic on a perpupil basis versus need. Need was determined by how many children qualified
for free and reduced lunches at a school, among other things.”
According to the fcc, discounts
range from 20 percent to 90 percent, with
with access to the Internet and the op-
larger discounts for higher poverty and
to compete in the digital age. Since most
and libraries are responsible for paying
portunity to develop the skills necessary of our instructional, curriculum and as-
sessments programs are now web-based,
more rural schools and libraries. Schools at least some part of the cost of service.
“If 75 percent or more qualified, a
and use of mobile devices continues to
school would get a 90-percent discount
program has and will continue to benefit
percent would get a school an 80-percent
increase within our network, the E-Rate Hemet usd in order to keep up with the demands.”
for the entire project, and 50 percent to 74 discount,” Waggoner says.
“But at $105 per student for a 70-per-
Nanette Waggoner, director of in-
cent school, and $127.50 for a 90-percent
Merced County Office of Education, says
tion of students (and Merced County
formation technology services for the
“ In order for funding to be distributed to schools and libraries, they must successfully complete the application process – by no means an easy task.”
school, unless you have a large popula-
California School Business I casbo.org
51
The E-Rate catch-22
schools do not) that does not equate to a
school sites that have never qualified
next five years or more is expensive, but
he says. “For us, the funding will have a
lot of money,” she says. “Not when one
and scalable technology that will last the
in network equipment and $150,000 in
worth it in the long run.
school could need as much as $70,000 cabling.”
This means that schools all over the
nation will be paying more out-of-pocket for telecommunication services and ic.
“They added more funding, but they
also are limiting what they are funding,” Waggoner says. “Cell phone service, analog telephone services, Centrex, did, voip services are all being reduced by 20
percent a year until the school’s discount gets to zero.”
The fcc recently said in a statement
that “given the level of public scrutiny
of the E-Rate program, we think price
transparency will shine a light on any anti-competitive behavior.”
52
Waggoner adds that good, reliable
California School Business I Spring 2015
“Yes, you can go down to your
local electronics store and buy some
wireless access points off the shelf. But when teachers and students complain
for E-Rate reimbursement in the past,” positive impact overall.” z z z
Lisa Kopochinski is a freelance writer based in Sacramento, California.
because they can’t go from classroom A to classroom C without being prompted for their password again, you’re going to wish you had put in place an enterprise
solution. You’ll be paying for the cheap solution in labor and frustration.”
Meanwhile, Basilio remains hopeful
that this additional funding will assist
schools in both Category 1 and 2 services. “The changes with our new E-Rate
order will assist us to upgrade some of
the network equipment for some of our
CASBO POLL: What is the most significant impact the increase in E-Rate funding will have on schools? Will it: Increase ed tech initiatives? Benefit rural schools? Reduce broadband costs? To vote, go to www.casbo.org/poll
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ReLiEF
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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55
CASBO book club
Learn the ins, outs of building a loyal team Make the Smart move Find out how other districts have leveraged SmartePCR to gain efficiencies. info@smartetools.com
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Take the right steps.
CASBO members can turn to “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t,” by Simon Sinek for a dose of inspiration this spring. The book includes motivating case studies, fascinating research and explanations regarding why the most successful organizations are based on a culture of safety. Author Sinek hypothesizes that when people feel safe in an organization, they are able to work together in amazing ways to create long-term success. He dives deep into science – including biology and chemistry – to explain why humans work best in certain environments. Those environments, rooted in human biology, feature leaders who serve the group, offering protection from external threats. Throughout the book, Sinek illustrates his ideas with true stories from the military to manufacturing, and from government agencies to investment banking. According to Sinek, the biology is clear: when it matters most, leaders who are willing to eat last are rewarded with deeply loyal colleagues who will stop at nothing to advance their leader’s vision and their organization’s interests.
Join
CASBO.
www.casbo.org > Membership
56
California School Business I Spring 2015
Get inspired alongside your CASBO colleagues with this spring book club pick.
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California School Business I casbo.org
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As a result of providing dedicated service to public schools throughout California for over thirty years, the SISC name is one public school district administrators know they can trust. We feature: • Customized plans and services • A wide range of options • A long track record of stable and affordable rates We currently cover: • Over 400 Public Entities • Over $1 Billion in Annual Payroll • Over $11 Billion in Total Insured Value • Over 225,000 member lives For more than thirty years, we have been keeping our promise to provide quality construction management services specifically tailored toward each client. We will do the same for you. Vanir Construction Management Inc. 888.912.1201 | www.vanir.com Program Management | Project Management | Construction Management Master Planning | Constructability Review | Scheduling Cost Estimating Building Information Modeling | Energy | General Contracting
We offer: • Workers’ Compensation • Property and Liability • Health Benefits • Risk Management Services • GASB 45 and Post-Employment Benefit Solutions Please call 800-972-1727 or access http://sisc.kern.org for more information A Joint Powers Authority administered by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office Christine Lizardi Frazier, Superintendent
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California School Business I Spring 2015
For 20 years FRISK® has served as an essential desktop resource for evaluators in addressing below-standard employee performance. To learn more about FRISK®, including ordering books and scheduling trainings, visit: www.aalrr.com/publications/frisk or call the AALRR Leadership Training Department at (562) 653-3200.
professional perspective
From job to career… By Molly McGee Hewitt Executive Director
OFTEN, PEOPLE WHO ENTER the school
a decision to become a member of the
It goes something like this: they were
that requires an exit from your comfort
business profession do so via a “job.”
looking for employment, saw an opening and were attracted to the profession for its perceived benefits.
Schools and educational agencies are
viewed as good employers by the public. They have a retirement system, offer
health benefits and have a fair vacation and sick-leave policy. Many who have
worked in the for-profit world, and have
the scars to prove it, look admiringly at
A homeowner has an investment
management team. This is a huge move
in their home. They’ve invested money,
zone. You may be put in a position that
own. They value it and continually in-
requires you to supervise employees,
implement initiatives and become part of the decision-making team. This leap
and often sweat equity, to make it their vest in the upkeep and well-being of the property.
A career requires an investment. The
requires you to take ownership for the
investment is in your perspective, your
ership role. It requires you to change
development. Sweat equity is what you
organization and embrace a new lead-
from the job mentality to the career perspective.
Careers are different. Careers are for
time and your continual professional
put in by going the extra mile and taking on additional responsibility. It’s about
changing your perspective from a renter
our profession as a safe haven from cor-
those who seek advancement and new
But what separates a “job” from a
quire a new perspective about your work
in school business history to make the
to manage, lead, direct, supervise and
leader! The opportunities will be great in
porate politics.
“career?” The answer to this question may be the determining factor in your
future success and promotion in our
industry. If you have struggled to find a way to move up the ladder in your Lo-
cal Education Agency (lea) or to secure a promotion, you may have wondered
what’s keeping you from success. Why are others passing you by? Why are those with no experience in our industry securing key positions?
The answer lies in the perspectives of
the employees. A job is just a job, a place we go to and work at but don’t truly in-
vest in. We show up on time, do the work and then go home. A job has no require-
ment of loyalty to the organization and
doesn’t usually encourage you to take initiative or to be a leader.
opportunities. Careers require you to ac-
and your employment. They require you develop new skills and talents. You must
improve your communication skills and enhance your leadership skills while
maintaining your technical expertise. In
the next few years, and the promotions will go to those who are prepared to lead. Are you ready?
for your organization. You are privy to insider information and have a new un-
derstanding of the challenges and issues facing the lea. You can have a voice in
the decisions being made and help chart
the organization’s direction. You have access to other key decision-makers and you value the access and information they provide.
Jobs don’t offer these opportunities.
A good analogy is going from being
non-management personnel who be-
your property. It belongs to someone else
to move forward, they have to make
change from a job holder to a career
new roles and serve as an ambassador
a renter to a homeowner. No matter how
come employees. At some point, in order
There has never been a better time
a career, you have added responsibilities,
Many casbo leaders start out in
a job. They may be union members or
to an owner of your career.
good a renter you are, it will never be
and there are a set of rules you live with in order to enjoy the property.
California School Business I casbo.org
59
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California School Business I Spring 2015
2/19/15 2:33 PM
California School Business I casbo.org
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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California School Business I casbo.org
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Financial/Human Resources Sungard K-12 Education (866) 905-8989 www.sungardk12.com/lead Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fraud Prevention, Detection & Investigation Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman LLP (626) 857-7300 #315 www.vlsllp.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Furniture Vicro Manufacturing Corp. (310) 533-0474 www.vicro.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
Healthcare Services/Insurance California’s Valued Trust (559) 252-2500 www.cvtrust.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Healthcare Services/Insurance Southern California Schools Joint Powers Authorities (909) 763-4900 www.scsjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Insurance and Financial Services American Fidelity (800) 365-9180 www.afadvantage.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 ASCIP (562) 677-2012 www.ascip.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
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AXA (415) 276-2151 www.axa.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Horace Mann Companies (402) 290-3116 www.horacemann.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Keenan & Associates (310) 212-0363 www.keenan.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
SunGard K-12 Education has been helping districts successfully manage finance and human resources administration for more than 40 years—contact us today to see how we can help your district Lead without Limits!
866-905-8989 | sungardk12.com/Lead © 2015 SunGard K-12 Education. SunGard, and the SunGard logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
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California School Business I Spring 2015
Regional Liability Excess Fund (ReLiEF) (310) 212-3344 www.reliefjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
advertiser index
Insurance Benefits/Services
Retirement Benefits
Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) (866) 453-5300 www.selfjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Public Agency Retirement Services (800) 540-6369 #127 www.pars.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) (800) 972-1727 www.sisc.kern.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Retirement Programs
Legal Services Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (562) 653-3428 www.aalrr.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP (323) 330-6300 www.f3law.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Lozano Smith LLP (559) 431-5600 www.LozanoSmith.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz (800) 399-3122 www.sashlaw.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
LVT, Hybrid Resilient, Modular, Broadloom and Woven Flooring Products Tandus l Centiva (800) 248-2978 ww.tandus.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Mandate Reimbursement School Innovations & Achievement (877) 954-4357 www.sia-us.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Network Solutions, Servers & PC Solutions Sehi Computer Products, Inc. (800) 233-7344 www.sehi.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
On Demand Operations Management Software School Innovations & Achievement (877) 954-4357 www.sia-us.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Performance Management Systems and Data Analytics ACTPoint KPI (425) 977-2120 www.actpoint.com/CA Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Public Finance Stifel, Nicolaus & Company (415) 364-6839 www.stifel.com/publicfinance Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
VALIC (916) 780-6051 www.valic.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Risk Management Services
AD INDEX ACTPoint KPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 American Fidelity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 ASCIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 AXA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 California Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 California Lottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) (866) 453-5300 www.selfjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
California’s Valued Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Southern California Schools Joint Powers Authorities (909) 763-4900 www.scsjpa.org Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Creative Bus Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
School & Office Supplies
Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Office DEPOT (888) 263-3423 www.business.officedepot.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Horace Mann Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Southwest School & Office Supply (800) 227-7159 www.southwestschool.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Lozano Smith LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
School Bond Underwriters
Public Agency Retirement Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company (415) 364-6839 www.stifel.com/publicfinance Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
School Bus Sales Service & Parts Creative Bus Sales (909) 465-5528 www.creativebussales.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Solar Energy Solutions SunEdison (415) 535-9875 www.sunedison.com/wps/portal/casbo Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Student Information Services/Systems Eagle Software (888) 487-7555 www.aeries.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Christy White Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Cossolias, Wilson, Domnguez and Leavitt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
DecisionInsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Eagle Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Infinite Campus, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Keenan & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Office DEPOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Piper Jaffray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Regional Liability Excess Fund (ReLiEF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 School Innovations & Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 School Services of California, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Security Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Sehi Computer Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Smartetools, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Southern California Schools Joint Powers Authorities . . . . . . . 11 Southwest School & Office Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 SunEdison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Sungard K-12 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Infinite Campus, Inc. (651) 631-0000 www.infinitecampus.com Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tandus l Centiva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Sungard K-12 Education (866) 905-8989 www.sungardk12.com/lead Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
U.S. Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
TerraVerde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Cooperative Purchasing Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
VALIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Vanir Construction Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co., LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Vicro Manufacturing Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
California School Business I casbo.org
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last words
”
Leaps of greatness require the combined problem-solving ability of people who trust each other. – Simon Sinek
39% 39% of schools in affluent areas currently meet Internet speed targets, but only 14% of schools in low-income rural and urban areas meet those targets.
$3.9 billion ”
Source: Federal Communications Commission prior to raising E-Rate funding
Raising annual E-Rate funding to $3.9 billion translates into an estimated additional cost to an individual rate payer of approximately 16 cents a month, about a half a penny per day or about $1.90 a year – less than a large soda at a fast food restaurant or a cup of coffee.
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall. – Stephen Covey
Source: Federal Communications Commission
” 66
84 vs. 31%
Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.
Eighty-four percent of highly engaged employees believe they can positively impact the quality of their organization’s products, compared with only 31 percent of the disengaged.
– Vince Lombardi
Source: Towers Perrin
California School Business I Spring 2015
Do you have an inspirational quote or interesting statistic to share with your colleagues? Send your favorites to tdavenport @casbo.org.
Choose a Guide who Knows California Education Finance Piper Jaffray is a leader in providing financial services for California school districts and community college districts. Our team of dedicated K-14 education finance professionals has more than 150 years of combined experience and service to the education industry. • General Obligation Bonds
• Interim Project Financing
• Certificates of Participation
• Debt Refinancing/Restructuring
• Mello-Roos/CFD Bonds
• GASB 45 Liability Funding
• Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes
Piper Jaffray California public finance investment banking offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Orange County. Mark Adler Managing Director 310 297-6010 mark.a.adler@pjc.com
Jeffrey Baratta Managing Director 415 616-1617 jeffrey.a.baratta@pjc.com
Rich Calabro Managing Director 310 297-6013 richard.n.calabro@pjc.com
Jin Kim Vice President 310 297-6020 jin.y.kim@pjc.com
Ivory Li Managing Director 415 616-1614 ivory.r.li@pjc.com
Trennis Wright Vice President 310 297-6018 trennis.l.wright@pjc.com
Timothy Carty Managing Director 310 297-6011 timothy.p.carty@pjc.com
Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. © 2015 Piper Jaffray & Co. 1/15 CM-15-0052
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California School Business I Spring 2015
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