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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
OUSD FACILITIES BOND POLLING
EXTRA: Greeley Tribune: Dreier to goes to OUSD for $250,000 a year
CLICK ON: DREIER
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
Independent insight into OUSD
OUSD FACILITIES BOND POLLING UNDERWAY
On July 24th, two days after a Special Meeting to hire the new OUSD Superintendent Dr. Renae Dreier for a salary of $250,000 a year, the OUSD School Board will meet in a scheduled regular session meeting. The July 24th OUSD Agenda includes Action Item C, a resolution to designate an underwriter and Bond Counsel for 2003 Certificates of Participation and “finance additional school facilities” . The OUSD Agenda also includes Item 13 D the Fourth Quarter Status Report on the OUSD Three Year Strategic Plan. That plan on page 23 outlines the Facilities #1 Strategy to “Promote passing of a facilities bond”. The report outlines the progress as “Conducting a survey poll to assess the feasibility of a bond election of November 2008”.
That poll is reportedly being conducted by Orange County’s Lewis Consulting Group. That same consulting group ran the second failed Measure A Bond election. The polling for that second failed measure was done by Orange County Pollster Arnie Steinberg. That poll found a 56% support rate for Measure A plus or minus 5% (the spread therefore was up to 61% pass or 51% fail). Lewis Consulting contract was for a reported $90,000, win or loose, for the second Measure A. The first Measure A campaign was conducted by bond service company GK Baum on a contract that reportedly only paid if the first Measure A passed. The failure of the first Measure A reportedly cost GK Baum an unconfirmed $200,000 plus for the campaign.
Magic Pill Consultant only costs taxpayers $10,000
The July 24th OUSD Consent Agenda (page 80) includes a $10,000 payment to Orange County Department of Education consultant Dr. Dennis Parker to conduct workshops for teachers at Handy Elementary School . Handy is a California designated Program Improvement School. The schools ranked as a 2-2 Academic Performance Index (API) school, Handy had a 2007 base API score of 674 (800 is the statewide target score for all schools). When the API scores are released for this year the Handy growth target is 6 points, or over 680. However, have no fear, Dr. Parker the $10,000 consultant will be here!
Dr. Parker’s $10,000 workshops teach the Strategic Schooling Initiative. Never heard of it? Well this is apparently the magic educational pill we have all been waiting for. For a mere $10,000 in educational tax dollars the Orange County Department of Education states that the Strategic Schooling Initiative will increase the schools API by 30-40 points (see link below).
That’s right, only about $1000 educational tax dollars for every increase of 10 API points. That should put Handy in the state mandated 800 point range within three years! What a find our OUSD Educrats Anne Truex and Rachel Morga have brought to OUSD. Of course ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE is planning to keep you informed over the entire next three years on how Handy’s $10,000 educational tax investment performs with the Truex-Morga Strategic Schooling Initiative 40 point Consultant. Hopefully for the Greater Orange Communities Dr. Parker is not a snake oil salesman because at $10,000 per school for a 30-40 API point increase and OUSD can easily go from Good to Great at all of its schools for only $400,000! That’s cheaper than one year of OUSD’s Focus on Results consultant program failure that taxpayers footed the bill for over four years. Stay tuned, we will.
Handy Elementary API Statistics; CLICK ON: HANDY API
For information on Dr. Parker and the Orange County Department of Education Strategic Schooling Initiative 30-40 point score guarantee: CLICK ON: OCDE/PARKER
INSIDE the OUSD Agenda
Agenda Item 13 A (page 11)- Legislative Coalition Report
Agenda Item 13 B (page 12)- Student School Year Calendars 2009-2012
Agenda Item 13 C (page 16) – 7/11 Committee Report on OUSD Surplus Property
Community Donations
Orange H.S. ASB- $13,312 AP Exams; Canyon Rim PTA- $8,239 Computer lease; El Modena Baseball Boosters- $6,300 Salary Stipends; Anaheim Hills PTS- $15,006 –Smart Boards; Linda Vista PTA-$1,685 – Walkie Talkies.
For a complete list of the $125,000 in Community Donations see OUSD Agenda page 27.
INSIDE the OUSD Budget
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.”
-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05 explaining his vote for Focus on Results
Former Superintendent Godley’s total “golden handshake” bonus (beginning 8/2008): $00.00*
INSIDE’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2008:
$774,500 Total
2008 Attorney Fee Tally:
6/19/08 Parker & Covert $ 60,000
6/05/08 Miller, Brown & Dannis $ 40,000
6/05/08 Parker & Covert $150,000
6/05/08 Parker & Covert $200,000
2/07/08 Parker & Covert $100,000
11/15/07 Parker & Covert (for 1/08 to 6/08) $200,000
$750,000
2008 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
7/24/08 Dr. Parker 40 pt Consultant $ 10,000
4/17/08 Dr. Kenneth Stichter Speaker Fee $ 6,500
3/7/08 Dr. Kathleen Weigel Speaker Fee $ 8,000
$ 24,500
2008 TOTAL $774,500
* The Godley Retirement Bonus presented here is an estimate of the amount in “bonus retirement” accrued since the Superintendent’s retirement on 6/30/08 using a 6% lifetime formula. The actual retirement plan the former OUSD Superintendent opted to take is not public information and the figures presented are only as an estimate of the taxpayer costs after the OUSD trustees voted against an amendment to exclude Godley from the retirement program. The on-going estimated figure is presented as a reminder to the community of the high cost in educational tax dollars the OUSD Board vote to allow the former Superintendent to participate in the 6% retirement incentive cost the OUSD education community in tax dollars. Godley retired from OUSD on June 30, 2008 after he worked for the school district for a little over five years.
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2007: $704,090.00
2007 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
4/30/07 Debra Ford Speaker Fee $ 4,090
4/30/07 Danny Brassell Speaker Fee $ 3,500
3/8/07 Dr. Daggett Speaker Fee $ 9,000
9/27/07 Dr.Daggett Speaker Fee $ 35,000
11/15/07 OCDE High Priority Consultants $115,000
Total $166,590
2007 Attorney Fee Tally:
1/18/07 Parker & Covert (1/07 to 6/07) $175,000
(6/07-12/07) $200,000
2/08/07 Miller, Brown, and Dannis $ 7, 500
2/22/07 Parker & Covert $ 45,000
5/10/07 Miller, Brown and Dannis $ 50,000
7/19/07 Parker & Covert $ 60,000
Total $537,500
2007 Administrative Conference/Travel: hidden since 6/8/06**
**JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to APPROVE Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2006: $849,717.00*
2006 Consultant Fee Tally: Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally: Total Approved $655,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel: Total $ 18,317 *
* JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to
APPROVE OUSD Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2005: $978,300.00:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
Next OUSD Board Meeting July 24, 2008. For more information
CLICK ON: BOARD AGENDA
OUSD CLOSED SESSION STARTS 6:30 PM, Regular Session: 7:30 pm
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/
Orange_NetNews@yahoo.com
CLICK ON: DREIER
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
a news service of Orange Net News /O/N/N/
Independent insight into OUSD
OUSD FACILITIES BOND POLLING UNDERWAY
On July 24th, two days after a Special Meeting to hire the new OUSD Superintendent Dr. Renae Dreier for a salary of $250,000 a year, the OUSD School Board will meet in a scheduled regular session meeting. The July 24th OUSD Agenda includes Action Item C, a resolution to designate an underwriter and Bond Counsel for 2003 Certificates of Participation and “finance additional school facilities” . The OUSD Agenda also includes Item 13 D the Fourth Quarter Status Report on the OUSD Three Year Strategic Plan. That plan on page 23 outlines the Facilities #1 Strategy to “Promote passing of a facilities bond”. The report outlines the progress as “Conducting a survey poll to assess the feasibility of a bond election of November 2008”.
That poll is reportedly being conducted by Orange County’s Lewis Consulting Group. That same consulting group ran the second failed Measure A Bond election. The polling for that second failed measure was done by Orange County Pollster Arnie Steinberg. That poll found a 56% support rate for Measure A plus or minus 5% (the spread therefore was up to 61% pass or 51% fail). Lewis Consulting contract was for a reported $90,000, win or loose, for the second Measure A. The first Measure A campaign was conducted by bond service company GK Baum on a contract that reportedly only paid if the first Measure A passed. The failure of the first Measure A reportedly cost GK Baum an unconfirmed $200,000 plus for the campaign.
Magic Pill Consultant only costs taxpayers $10,000
The July 24th OUSD Consent Agenda (page 80) includes a $10,000 payment to Orange County Department of Education consultant Dr. Dennis Parker to conduct workshops for teachers at Handy Elementary School . Handy is a California designated Program Improvement School. The schools ranked as a 2-2 Academic Performance Index (API) school, Handy had a 2007 base API score of 674 (800 is the statewide target score for all schools). When the API scores are released for this year the Handy growth target is 6 points, or over 680. However, have no fear, Dr. Parker the $10,000 consultant will be here!
Dr. Parker’s $10,000 workshops teach the Strategic Schooling Initiative. Never heard of it? Well this is apparently the magic educational pill we have all been waiting for. For a mere $10,000 in educational tax dollars the Orange County Department of Education states that the Strategic Schooling Initiative will increase the schools API by 30-40 points (see link below).
That’s right, only about $1000 educational tax dollars for every increase of 10 API points. That should put Handy in the state mandated 800 point range within three years! What a find our OUSD Educrats Anne Truex and Rachel Morga have brought to OUSD. Of course ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE is planning to keep you informed over the entire next three years on how Handy’s $10,000 educational tax investment performs with the Truex-Morga Strategic Schooling Initiative 40 point Consultant. Hopefully for the Greater Orange Communities Dr. Parker is not a snake oil salesman because at $10,000 per school for a 30-40 API point increase and OUSD can easily go from Good to Great at all of its schools for only $400,000! That’s cheaper than one year of OUSD’s Focus on Results consultant program failure that taxpayers footed the bill for over four years. Stay tuned, we will.
Handy Elementary API Statistics; CLICK ON: HANDY API
For information on Dr. Parker and the Orange County Department of Education Strategic Schooling Initiative 30-40 point score guarantee: CLICK ON: OCDE/PARKER
INSIDE the OUSD Agenda
Agenda Item 13 A (page 11)- Legislative Coalition Report
Agenda Item 13 B (page 12)- Student School Year Calendars 2009-2012
Agenda Item 13 C (page 16) – 7/11 Committee Report on OUSD Surplus Property
Community Donations
Orange H.S. ASB- $13,312 AP Exams; Canyon Rim PTA- $8,239 Computer lease; El Modena Baseball Boosters- $6,300 Salary Stipends; Anaheim Hills PTS- $15,006 –Smart Boards; Linda Vista PTA-$1,685 – Walkie Talkies.
For a complete list of the $125,000 in Community Donations see OUSD Agenda page 27.
INSIDE the OUSD Budget
“We’re a $220 million dollar business; we’re going to spend the money somewhere.”
-OUSD Trustee Wes Poutsma 9/22/05 explaining his vote for Focus on Results
Former Superintendent Godley’s total “golden handshake” bonus (beginning 8/2008): $00.00*
INSIDE’s EDUCATIONAL TAX DOLLARS WATCH 2008:
$774,500 Total
2008 Attorney Fee Tally:
6/19/08 Parker & Covert $ 60,000
6/05/08 Miller, Brown & Dannis $ 40,000
6/05/08 Parker & Covert $150,000
6/05/08 Parker & Covert $200,000
2/07/08 Parker & Covert $100,000
11/15/07 Parker & Covert (for 1/08 to 6/08) $200,000
$750,000
2008 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
7/24/08 Dr. Parker 40 pt Consultant $ 10,000
4/17/08 Dr. Kenneth Stichter Speaker Fee $ 6,500
3/7/08 Dr. Kathleen Weigel Speaker Fee $ 8,000
$ 24,500
2008 TOTAL $774,500
* The Godley Retirement Bonus presented here is an estimate of the amount in “bonus retirement” accrued since the Superintendent’s retirement on 6/30/08 using a 6% lifetime formula. The actual retirement plan the former OUSD Superintendent opted to take is not public information and the figures presented are only as an estimate of the taxpayer costs after the OUSD trustees voted against an amendment to exclude Godley from the retirement program. The on-going estimated figure is presented as a reminder to the community of the high cost in educational tax dollars the OUSD Board vote to allow the former Superintendent to participate in the 6% retirement incentive cost the OUSD education community in tax dollars. Godley retired from OUSD on June 30, 2008 after he worked for the school district for a little over five years.
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2007: $704,090.00
2007 Consultant/ Speaker Fee Tally:
4/30/07 Debra Ford Speaker Fee $ 4,090
4/30/07 Danny Brassell Speaker Fee $ 3,500
3/8/07 Dr. Daggett Speaker Fee $ 9,000
9/27/07 Dr.Daggett Speaker Fee $ 35,000
11/15/07 OCDE High Priority Consultants $115,000
Total $166,590
2007 Attorney Fee Tally:
1/18/07 Parker & Covert (1/07 to 6/07) $175,000
(6/07-12/07) $200,000
2/08/07 Miller, Brown, and Dannis $ 7, 500
2/22/07 Parker & Covert $ 45,000
5/10/07 Miller, Brown and Dannis $ 50,000
7/19/07 Parker & Covert $ 60,000
Total $537,500
2007 Administrative Conference/Travel: hidden since 6/8/06**
**JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to APPROVE Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2006: $849,717.00*
2006 Consultant Fee Tally: Total $176,400
2006 Attorney Fee Tally: Total Approved $655,000
2006 Administrative Conference/Travel: Total $ 18,317 *
* JUNE 8th, 2006 Trustees VOTE to Give OUSD Superintendent the power to
APPROVE OUSD Travel Requests taking this item OUT of the PUBLIC AGENDA
Total for Watched Tax Dollars approved in 2005: $978,300.00:
Total 2005 Conference Administrator/Board Fees: $ 7,500.00
2005 Attorney Fee Tally: $730,600.00
Total Watched 2005 OUSD Consultant spending: $ 270,200.00
Next OUSD Board Meeting July 24, 2008. For more information
CLICK ON: BOARD AGENDA
OUSD CLOSED SESSION STARTS 6:30 PM, Regular Session: 7:30 pm
For more information call the OUSD Superintendent’s office at 714-628-4040
For budgeting questions call Business Services at 714-628-4015
ORANGE Unified Schools INSIDE
Independent insight into OUSD
is an independent news service of /O/N/N/
Orange_NetNews@yahoo.com