It seems that it has become fashionable for Maryland’s elite to use the backdrop of breakfast as a platform for delivering scathing addresses in front of the area’s intelligentsia. On February 27, Dixon Valve CEO Dick Goodall played the role of Dr. Benjamin Carson to deliver an address that served multiple purposes.
Mr. Goodall introduced the Kent Forward initiative. The initiative seeks to enhance “the educational, economic, and social well-being of Kent County. The educational goal of the initiative is lofty – “Top five in five.” Mr. Goodall aims to have KCPS positioned as a Maryland top five system within five years. The path to this goal will be lit by seven achievable benchmarks, though improving attendance appeared to be the initiative that was most ready for prime time.
Even the most optimistic onlookers would say that becoming a top five system in five years is pretty big talk when KCPS places twenty-first out of twenty-four districts. Mr. Goodall believes that the blame for the current situation comes from an “epidemic of low expectations” which has reset our priorities and tarnished the region’s perception. Goodall brought a few statistics to bolster his case.
- 52% of students are on free or reduced meal plans.
- 72% of students are absent more than five days a year.
- 23.5% of students are absent twenty days or more.
- 53% of first graders are not at grade level in reading.
- 23% of eighth graders are not at grade level in reading.
- Over 350 school aged children in Kent County are not enrolled in KCPS.
Goodall points out that actions taken on the classroom level are not to blame. For instance, while the statistics above do not follow the same students over an eight year period, it should be noted that our educators are doing their part to reduce that 53% figure over time. Attendance appears to be the main culprit that drives many students’ shortcomings. Absent students must catch up, while the majority of the class has to downshift in order to keep everyone on the same plane.
Many might wonder why this intiative isn’t being rolled out by the Board of Education. After all, the leaders of this initiative do not aim to become a “shadow school board.” So why should the Kent County populace take notice and react to this call for action? How is this initiative different than the water cooler conversation one might hear on campus, in the coffee shop, or online?
We can’t ignore the subtext to this address. Given the changes at the hospital and the overall business climate, we can no longer feel a sense of permanence regarding our largest employers. This meeting was the business community telling the Board of Education and the community at large that “you need to start thinking about the workforce you are supplying.”
Mr. Goodall made it a point to talk about his trouble recruiting thirty-something professional types with children. The underlying cause was the perception of the schools. As your columnist scanned the room of more than 100 attendees, he noticed a few handfuls of thirty-something types with children in KCPS. While many areas and the culture at large look at this demographic as golden geese (they made Seth MacFarlane the host of the Oscars for goodness’ sakes!), Goodall lamented their unicorn status in the immediate area.
Now this touches on the cultural divide in the region. What I want usually differs from what others in my demographic want. Some have made the leap to the upper shore, hoping that their mere presence will bring all of us store A or restaurant B. It is easy to equate the standard trappings of suburbia to economic development. For those who migrate to the area and fall into that boiler plate argument, the answer is simple: not having those things is part of the bargain they strike when they settle here.
All of that being said, what should never be lost in the bargain is an area’s quality of education or its ability to provide prosperity for future generations. What Goodall is saying in all of this is that he understands the workforce we need. If he cannot recruit it, then we must cultivate it. If we are to have it cultivated within five years, we must start now.
Final Thoughts
If this initiative is to be successful, KCPS must embrace the benchmarks proposed by Kent Forward’s leadership. The benchmarks need to be realistic. To remove the appearance of a shadow board, Kent Forward must remove itself from the business of policy making and morph into advocates for the community. At the same time, because the heads of the organizations comprising Kent Forward are the model employers for parents of KCPS students, Kent Forward must listen as much as it wishes to be heard. As part of his closing remarks, Goodall told the business community to “talk to your employees.” The feedback from that conversation will be critical to achieving the benchmarks.
My Feedback for Kent Forward
52% of students are on free or reduced meal plans: This is more of an economic indicator than anything else, but fits the narrative of lowered expectations. Three years ago, schools were dramatically redistricted in an effort that many thought was more about positioning the county for certain meal funding programs than being necessary for education. Was this pennywise and pound foolish? In other words, have we increased transportation or other costs (at the expense of the classroom) to secure the same amount (or less) in food subsidies?
Absenteeism: As I type this, my child sits home with an illness. The stats are striking and the problem is exponential in nature. If one sick child comes to school, that creates four more sick children, and so on. It is easy to say that keeping that child home for two days would net the classroom anywhere from two to eight days of instruction. What is most often said is “I can’t afford to stay home with my child.” Kent County’s employers can do a great service to their employees and the community by examining their benefits packages. If applicable, would it be possible to replace the stringent sick time/vacation time construct with a friendlier PTO policy?
First grade reading level: Kent Forward encourages school attendance as a habit beginning at the pre-K level. There appears to be a cultural shift (see the President’s recent remarks) towards universally opening pre-K education to the public. The County should take an inclusive approach, which will help drive the unenrollment figure (which drives State funding) downward. Many parents lamented that the Superintindent sent letters to parents of preschool aged children saying that she was “pleased to announce” full day pre-K instruction when all that occurred was a halving of the students included and a doubling of the instruction time allocated to accepted students. Since State funding formulas currently account for the K-12 population, public pre-K education could be considered an unfunded mandate. If grants guaranteeing universal pre-K are still years away, Kent Forward should coordinate and track parent volunteerism by parents in this age group as a means of offsetting the costs of the pre-K program.
Eighth grade reading level: It would appear that Dr. Harvey’s presentation of KCPS test scores, and Dr. Wheeler’s shock that these would be presented, spelled the beginning of the end of the Wheeler era. I never understood how anyone was aghast at the results. An educational neophyte could see that our middle schoolers were falling behind. What was and is missing in the discussion is that the back of the baseball card is what contains the true picture. There is limited to no data on Kent County’s special education scores, often listed separately on MSA report cards.
Kent County’s biggest disadvantage can be used to its advantage. With 2,000 students in the system, one student per grade per school moves the needle. Certainly there are underserved students in need of IEP or other special programs. These students are more easily identified in other school systems. Launching a program for 30-40 students countywide is cost prohibitive, and all students are entitled to free appropriate public education (FAPE). That is why a regional approach is necessary. The same thought process that goes into supporting Chesapeake College can be used for special education in the upper and mid-shore regions.
Funding is the obvious hurdle. This is where the leadership of Kent Forward must flex its muscle with our State delegation. The citizens recently passed question 7. Our delegation can do the region and the State a great service by demanding that these revenues tie into education without cuts from the general fund (a technicality conspicuous by its absence on question 7). The resulting increase in funding for the area should go towards special education initiatives for the region.
by Michael Troup
Stephan Sonn says
Well done Michael in style and substance.
Not only did your analysis educate me,
but it speaks well to your well defined role.
Very objective, focussed and articulate
Glad to see you back
Fletcher R. Hall says
This article leaves me more than a bit confused. Is the writer for or against the Kent Forward proposal? Why be so sarcastic and derisive of the proposal in its infant stages?
What does the comment about the “intelligentsia” mean? I attended the Kent Forward meeting and am far from being in anyany intelligentsia group, if there is such an animal in Kent County.
Why the comment about the “few statistics” that Dick Goodall presented. The ones he did present were eye openers and certainly most relevant to his excellent presentation. Both steakholders and just interested citizens needed to hear these facts abount the local school system and its relevance to many essential components of the entire county.
I really resent the negative comment about Dr. Ben Carson, one of America’s great men of medicine, science and a great humanitarian. His telling it like it is, at the National Prayer Breakfast, with positive suggestions, and not just hackned retoric, was indeed refreshing and inspiring.
I recently saw an interview with former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor, who is of the outstanding women in American history. She is now spending her time and talent on a new website, I. Civics, to help middle school students learn about American government and how it operates. She is reaching out to all 50 states with this program. A daunting task. But like the newly announced Kent Forward program, she believes in the project, and with appropriate support and promotion, it will make a difference. So can Kent Forward.
Kent Forward with its vital mission, commnity penetration and perceptive look at future needs of Kent County can also achieve a record of success as the initiative launched by Justice O’Connor.
Yes, funding is important. But, I hope the concept of simply throwing money at the problems is not the only outcome of the recommendations from Kent Forward. Too much money, with concepts not well concieved have been a problem for many school systems across the country. and our entire education system in the United States.
Yes, there is both a cultural divide and a racial divide that coutinues to exist in the county. The somewhat isolated location of Kent County only helps in preserving these divides. Along with the educational sysytem these issues need real attention, not just lip service and talk fests.
Regarding the future workforce, all segments of inustry, including agricultural, require an educationally competent and thechnologically trained work force. Farms use GPS and many other forms of technology to survive and thrive today.
These challanges are serious and significant, if not monumental. They can be intelligently and aggressively attacked. I do not believe the leadership of Kent Forward wish to be a “shadow school board”. The mission of the group of large employers mirror initiatives launched in many communities, both large and small, across the nation. Remember what the Baltimore Inner Habor looked and smelled like prior to Jim Rouse and the rejuivination of this eye former eye sore? Corporate ans business leadership is essential.
Negative responses, critical evaluations, continuing lack of positive thinking and low expectations can only serve to lessen the impact, value and worthiness of Kent Forward.
This should not be allowed to happan.
Fletcher R. Hall
Chestertown
Stephan Sonn says
The piece was a critique in the form of a workout. Which is to to say his opinion peppered with personal opinions.
And it is a bit stylistic but it the nature of the beast and consistent with his running dialogue style. It is not fan mail.
Keith Thompson says
I think Kent Forward has to be viewed as an economic development program which means it’s far more than an education initiative. Improve the county’s economy and you improve the school system as you can’t have a healthy school system without an economically vibrant community. Perhaps the key to Kent Forward is initiating a culture change by pushing quality education as a benefactor to economic development initiatives.
MBTroup says
Stephan – Thx for the kind words.
Fletcher – Good reply. We see eye to eye on many things. I think you mis-read my intention, especially on the Ben Carson bit. Yeah it was a bit TiC, but I honestly didn’t mean it as a slam on anyone. The thing is, the same people wind up at these various discussions . In some sense, that’s Mr Goodall’s point, right? Recruiting active families that will contribute to the region potentially for generations has been a tough task. If he can’t recruit it, then we have to cultivate it. If we can’t do that, then the next gathering will still feature the same 100 people (or worse yet, fewer). Agree? Kind of a chicken and the egg thing.
So I’m all for Kent Forward as a liason between the trinty of schools, community, and employers. That’s what this is all about – piecing together that quilt. While this initiative is chock full of good intentions, hopefully you don’t begrudge someone giving its leaders a few words of warning. Mr Goodall himself said the point isn’t to act as a shadow school board. So that means the solutions have to be more about grass roots leadership. He pretty much said that. And as you noted, we’re talking infant stages here. So the idea is still malleable (evidenced by the fact that all of the benchmarks they wish to tackle weren’t published). That’s the intent of my input.
Oddly enough, the same phenomenon happens in youth sports. There appears to be a coaching/team mom clique (maybe another poor word choice on my part, so don’t filet me please), but there is a lot of support work that could use some volunteer efforts. One theory why these hours wind up unfilled is that many folks simply don’t know how to go about volunteering. That’s as much a messaging problem as anything else. And I think there are many more disconnects (think recreation here) like this in our area where we have the nodes, but not the vectors to connect them. So if Kent Forward plays the rrole of creating the vectors, then it has a great chance to work.
Anyway if you want to chat it out sometime, touch base with Dave for my addy.
Hope Clark says
If folks are interested in viewing more local statistics we well as local community dialogue on the themes of Health, Education and Family Community Environment in Kent County, then you may go to the Local Management Board for Children’s and Family Services in Kent County (LMB) website https://www.kentcountylmb.com/publications.htm and download the 2012 Needs Assessment that I produced when I was Director of the County/State office for the short period of 11 months until mid-October of 2012. It reviews 8 Result Areas and 23 Indicators, which include Academic Performance, and School Absence and Truancy, that show a range of statistics from 2007-2011, as well as the important breakdown of MSA Math and Reading results at the Basic Level by Ethnicity and Gender. I gave this to Mr. Goodall, all the Commissioners, and all the members of the LMB Board, made up of all the heads of County Agencies, community members and students who wanted a copy. It does not have the scores of Special Education students but does show the rate of Graduation/School Completion of Students with Disabilities. Just before I was let go, I was in the planning stages of two initiatives: Courageous Conversations, an approach that has test scoring evidence to show that the method significantly closes the Academic Achievement Gap in school systems and Building Community Assets, a partnership to foster an alternative approach for community development between the Department of Social Services, the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board and the Small Business Development Center at Chesapeake College. On this initiative, I also approached the local Chamber of Commerce who responded positively to support the large vision. If you read the Kent County News you will know that the Diversity Dialogue Group that I coordinate as a volunteer, has initiated Courageous Conversations with a kind donation from a Diversity Dialogue member to purchase books. I believe that people who are trying to improve the community of Kent County need to be supported.
Bob Kramer says
Monsieur Troup’er,
Now that the excitement has died down… what’s next for Kent Forward? What’s the action plan? Where does it fit in the BOE’s Ten year plan? Does it matter in the scheme of things as the BOE sorts through 30 candidates for Super? Lots of Q’s.
Maybe we’ll get a clue to what’s next at the BOE meeting on 4/2. See you there?