N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors William H. Leighty Chief of Staff to Governor Mark R. Warner Commonwealth of Virginia Turning Around Low-Performing Schools Advising the Governor: A Chief of Staff’s Perspective

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors What can we accomplish without cash? Where can we make cuts with the least amount of pain? When can I expect to see results? How should we handle special earmarks? Why did we accept this job anyway? Questions to Expect from Governors

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors What can we accomplish without cash? Where can we make cuts with the least amount of pain? Across the board states have reported budget shortfalls in the billions for FY 2003/2004. Since 49 of the 50 states have balanced budget requirements, many have had to cut spending or increase taxes to close spending gaps.

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors In Virginia we have done the following to continue to move forward with a strong education agenda in the midst of a $6 billion dollar budget shortfall over the past two years: Launched Governor Warner’s Partnership for Achieving Successful Schools (PASS) as a catalyst for partnerships among educators, businesses, agencies, community and faith-based organizations to support struggling schools in Virginia and to improve student achievement. PASS provides academic intervention, mentors, tutors, computers, software, books and other support services to primarily Title I schools (approx. 45,000 students) that are potentially subject to federal sanctions under “school improvement.”

Asked educators where the cuts should be made when we had to resort to that option. We added $65 million, cut categoricals and gave divisions the flexibility to apply cuts where it made sense (drop out prevention, school health education). We also used metrics in determining if one cut vs. another was best. Provided the Governor with data and tools to be able to explain measures to legislators, stakeholders and the public at-large using examples to bring the magnitude of the shortfall into scale (cutting the entire state share of salaries and benefits for public school teachers – a shocking option we would never choose but one that helped get the message across regarding the magnitude of the issue). N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors

When can I expect to see results? Nationally states are struggling to meet the challenge of improving student performance in low-performing schools. To date no model of school improvement has proven to be consistently successful, as noted in the recent Fordham report “Can Failing Schools Be Fixed?” citing the success rate on any intervention to be only 50%. Research indicates it takes as long as three years to improve an elementary school and six years for a secondary school. (M. Fullan, Phi Delta Kappan, Online Journal 81[8], p )

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors It is important for Governors to be able to see gains quickly. Especially in Virginia with one term. It is helpful to highlight incremental progress made toward the overall goal, providing small “wins” for the Governor, schools and partners along the way. Having the Governor acknowledge schools that progress toward accreditation and those that see gains in test scores is very effective. Press conferences with the Governor held at target schools to announce major donations by partners (books, computers, supplies, mentors, tutors, etc.) has been helpful for Virginia in showing progress in terms of support provided to schools.

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors How should we handle special earmarks? Even during tight budgetary times, there are special earmarks that everyone has to address. The only solution is to bite the bullet and continue them. (Virginia examples: Jobs for Virginia’s Graduates & Chesapeake Bay Education)

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors Why did we accept this job anyway? Tight budgetary times can lead even the best administrations to wonder what they got themselves into. It is always helpful to reflect upon the incredible responsibility that we have accepted to affect change even in the midst of very austere times. “ The truth is that we only have so much time, the question is, how will we use it?” Gandalf

N G A Center for Best Practices Institute for Governors Education Policy Advisors Quick Virginia Stats Number of School Districts132 Number of PK-12 Schools1,900 Number of Students1.2 M PASS Priority Schools34 (in 9 districts) Students in PASS Schools45,000 (in warned schools) 14,000 (in priority schools)