Goodbye 2013

From Blue Ribbon to a Black School, Hapeville to Harvard to Law... this is my journey, and it'll move on still.

Winners! This Round of Race to the Top Goes to ...

Houston (TX), Clarksdale (MS), Clarendon Co. (SC), Kentucky Valley (KY), Springdale (AK).

According to yesterday's news in Edweek:

• Clarendon County School District Two, a consortium of four rural districts in central South Carolina that describes itself as "very diverse." It encompasses districts with both rural and urban poverty, districts with a high percentage of minority students, and districts with a burgeoning population of English-learners. Winnings: $25 million.
• Clarksdale Municipal School District in the Mississippi Delta, a mostly black district with 3,350 students. Winnings: $10 million.
• Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative, a consortium of 18 rural districts, that narrowly missed winning last time around. Winnings: $30 million.
• Springdale School District in the northwest corner of Arkansas. This district near the Tyson Foods headquarters enrolls 20,500 students, including many English-learners. Interestingly, the city of Springdale has one of the largest populations of Marshall Islands immigrants in the country. Winnings: $25.9 million.
• Houston is a 200,000-student urban district and two-time Broad Prize winner.

I am happy to resources going to the South and rural places where they are certainly needed.  Now, to track the applications from these winners...

Debriefing the 2013 Atlanta-Fulton Co. Election results

• one of my favored city councilpersons no longer has a seat (pretty bummed about that),
• a new member of the school board will be representing "me" (though was completely unimpressive/uninspiring when we spoke one-on-one),
• the mayor is still the mayor (silver lining), 
• municipal judges running unopposed (hmmmm.....), 
• FOUR former TFA'ers are now on the APS school board (#onedayall)
• turnout for my polling place was below 15%--shesh.

Full results can be found here: http://www.fultoncountyga.gov/county/election/results/ 

Kellogg Foundation chooses its Next CEO and President: Ms. Tabron aspires to change the world for vulnerable kids

Ms. Tabron is many things:  an employee of the company for 26 years, a woman who grew up in Detroit, the current the executive vice president of operations and treasurer, the organization's 12th leader since its founding in 1930, a Michigan alumna, and the company's first African American leader and first female leader in its history.

After conducting and international and U.S. wide search, Tabron was the best candidate for the job.  She will replace Sterling Speirn, "who announced he will step down this year after heading the organization for nearly eight years."

For more:  http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20131021/NEWS01/310210017/Kellogg-Foundation-looks-within-new-CEO?nclick_check=1

Research from Boston Public Schools: Student Achievement Scores over Art/Science Offerings

A recent report from a Harvard Kennedy School researcher analyzed parents' school preferences for Kindergarten, Sixth Grade, and Ninth Grade to determine which factors made the most differences.  In his new paper, the researcher, Edward Glaser, found:

"parents favor closer schools and schools with higher levels of academic achievement (as measured by the MCAS test). It also finds that certain school structures -- K1 (over K2 only) schools and K-8 (over K-5) schools – are preferred. . . .
Overall school size, computer facilities, and gyms did not have a significant impact. Art, music, and science lab facilities had minimal or no impact."

For the abstract and more on the paper, see here: https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/workingpapers/citation.aspx?PubId=9043&type=WPN 

An agriculture degree instead of a finance degree--makes some sense to me

A recent article by Alex Rosenberg (of course forwarded to me by my father who retired from agriculture field), argues that real goods are going to be much more important than speculative goods in the future.  Precisely, Rosenberg argues that fields like finance are going to be less pivotal than fields like agriculture. He captures this in his article:

 "We are going to be trying to feed 9 billion people by 2050 with the same number of acres of arable land," said Timothy Burcham, dean of agriculture and technology at Arkansas State University. Calling that task "overwhelming," Burcham notes that "the opportunities for a person that has a graduate degree in agriculture are great now, but they are going to be really, really excellent going into the future."

The article (and the argument) have some staying power with me.  By my own admission, I have always thoughts that great mind power should be applied to public policy issues:  education policy (of course), food policy, energy policy . . .

Anyway, for your reading pleasure: Jim Rogers: Skip the MBA, get an agriculture degree

UPDATE 1/8/2014:

From reports in England, it seems that His Royal Highness Prince William is prepping to study agriculture at Cambridge soon.  Hat tip to him.

Interested in Education Leadership in New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Hartford, Dallas, Houston? See Education Pioneers below.

This came across my email, so I thought I would share it with everyone:

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On the heels of Education Pioneers’ incredible 10^th anniversary celebration, our work is underway to realize our bold vision to transform education into the best led and managed sector in the U.S., with 10,000 pioneers working full-time in the sector by 2023.

To get there, we need your help to identify new emerging leaders and organizations that need top talent for our 2014 programs:

• Do you know top emerging leaders who could make an impact in the education sector? Please refer the leaders you know or forward this message to them to encourage them toapply for an Education Pioneers Fellowship today.

For our Fellowships, we are seeking over 500 talented emerging leaders from diverse academic, professional, and personal backgrounds.  Specifically, we are interested in recruiting people who:

• Are skilled in data analysis, strategic planning, and finance and operations;
• Are interested in working in our high-priority cities, including New Orleans, LA; Memphis and Nashville, TN; Hartford, CT; and Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston, TX;
• Have roots in and ties to the communities where we work.

We also remain committed to engaging and supporting emerging leaders of color; 55% of our 2013 Graduate School Fellowship cohort identified as a person of color.

• If you work in the education sector, does your organization need more talented leaders, managers, and analysts for mission-critical work?  Apply to partner with Education Pioneers and let us find the talent you need.

Applications for the 2014 Graduate School Fellowship (10-week summer and yearlong placements) and 2014 Partnerships are now open; please encourage the emerging leaders and the education organizations in your network to apply!  (Applications for the 2014 Analyst Fellowship will open later this year.)

Thank you for helping our 2014 Fellowship and Partner recruiting season be our best yet!

Sincerely,

Frances McLaughlin
President

This is what a hero looks like: An Atlanta School Shooting Averted

This is what a hero looks like: Tuff, a school clerk, dissuades the gunman at a nearby (to me) Atlanta school. Watching the footage yesterday of the babies running from the building completely tore my heart. Very happy all were safe.

Photo Credit: EverydayJoe/Antoinette Tuff

Here's the article:  http://www.policymic.com/articles/60379/antoinette-tuff-meet-the-woman-who-prevented-a-mass-school-shooting-yesterday

Top Universities in the World -- Another LIst

According to a British higher education magazine, Times higher Education,the rankings for the Top Universities in the WORLD are as follows.  Not bad Michigan (special place in my heart), The Ohio State University (dad's alma mater), U of Florida (SEC pride?), and of course... Harvard :-)

More after the break...

Job Opportunity: Annie E. Casey Foundation

Senior Associate, Capacity Building

Deadline: Until filled

Location: Baltimore, MD

Group: Capacity Building Team

Division: Talent and Leadership Development

Position Summary

The Senior Associate, Capacity Building is a full-time, senior-level professional position at the Foundation and reports directly to the Director of Capacity Building. The Foundation’s Capacity Building efforts are based on the belief that supporting Casey staff and Mission Critical Grantees & Networks to improve their leadership, management, strategy, and execution will lead to improve outcomes for children and families. The Senior Associate will have primary responsibility for strengthening Casey’s Mission Critical Grantees & Networks. The Senior Associate will also be responsible for contributing to all Capacity Building work:

 Strengthening Mission Critical Grantees & Networks

 Building Critical Capacities at Casey

 Advancing Equitable Opportunities within Casey and for the children and families we serve

Senior Associates have opportunities to deepen their formal knowledge, expand their networks, and challenge their thinking about improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and distressed neighborhoods.

Responsibilities

Specific

 Develop and implement an organizational capacity building strategy that:

o Strengthens Mission Critical Grantees & Networks to have greater collective impact;

o Is responsive to high need, time sensitive, priority grantee capacity building needs; and

o Contributes to building the infrastructure required to support more broadly nonprofit capacity building efforts aimed at improving results for children and families.

 Partner with Casey Program Officers and Mission Critical Grantees & Networks to make high-quality organizational development grants that build their capacity to meet programmatic results.

 Build and maintain clear, respectful, results driven, and action oriented communication with Casey Program Officers and Mission Critical Grantees & networks.

 Provide thought partnership and technical assistance to Program Officers and Mission Critical Grantees & Networks to assess and support capacity building efforts.

 Work closely with Director and Capacity Building Team to integrate and improve the team’s collective capacity building efforts

 Make grants, further strategy, and engage leaders in the field of nonprofit organizational and network effectiveness

 Implement strategic planning, oversight, and deployment of technical assistance.

 Serve as a technical resource providing content expertise and strategic input to Foundation staff working on a diverse range of projects and initiatives.

 Prepare budget requests for assigned projects and monitor spending.

 Assist in establishing and maintaining positive relations with key contacts, leaders, public officials, residents, and organizations as required.

 Perform analyses in support of reform initiatives, including financial and statistical analyses.

 Prepare written reports and program/policy analyses.

 Representing the Foundation’s mission, principles and work, as assigned and requested, by participating in meetings, public presentations, and the preparation of written materials.

 Exhibit sensitivity to and respect for differences in personal, professional, and business relationships on behalf of the Foundation. Seek to use Foundation resources in an equitable manner with regard to race, ethnicity and gender.

 Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of the Foundation’s mission, values, standards, principles, and programs, drawing on Casey’s Knowledge Management System, intranet, website, staff development sessions, and other learning opportunities to establish this competency.

 Perform administrative duties in support of the above work.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications

 Minimum requirement includes a graduate degree in business administration, law, community development, political science, human services, urban planning and development, public policy, public administration, or a related field. Senior public sector experience may substitute for a graduate degree.

 Candidates should also have substantial relevant post-graduate experience in public human services management and/or private sector that includes but not limited to:

o Background in implementing outcome-oriented initiatives for disadvantaged children, youth and families.

o Experience in self-managed, task-driven initiatives with the ability to balance demands related to multiple projects and meet multiple deadlines.

.

Essential Skills & Abilities

 Strong diagnostic skills, strategic planning, management, and public policy analysis.

 Exceptional writing ability and excellent oral communications.

 Intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for diverse professional challenges.

 Political savvy, good judgment and instincts, and excellent social skills.

 Commitment to a service concept of philanthropy and to the public trust.

 Proficiency with computer software such as Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access.

 Ability to build and use analytical frameworks, models and approaches for use in large-scale system change efforts.

 Ability to travel extensively up to 40 percent of the time.

 Ability to take responsibility for day-to-day work activities and projects with very little direction.

Compensation

 Salary will be commensurate with experience.

To apply or for further information contact:

Maxine Norris

The Annie E. Casey Foundation

701 St. Paul Street

Baltimore, MD 21202

Online: www.aecf.org/careers.aspx