DMPS School Board Meeting 04/08/2008

A special meeting of the Des Moines Public Schools School Board was called for the purpose of holding a public hearing on the 2008-2009 district budget. At the request of Board President Dick Murphy during the April 1st meeting of the school board, and with the agreement of other board members, the April 8, 2008, meeting will also include a discussion regarding extension of the staff policy on inappropriate use of the district’s computer system, particularly its mail network, to members of the school board. Neither of the topics on the agenda should generate new information or reveal new perspectives.

Information on the proposed budget has been presented by district staff at several board meetings. A copy of the budget is available on the district’s website and was published, as required by law, in a newspaper of general circulation. The paper of publication is the Des Moines Register. A practical problem arises with legal reliance upon that publication because a significant part of the district’s population does not read the paper, or at least does not read the printed version. One of the people who worked on the public forums held by the school board last summer said that a survey the group conducted revealed only 53% of the population gets information about the schools from the Register. That leaves 47% who do not get information from the Register. Moreover, I did not hear any indication about the accuracy or completeness of information about the school district that the newspaper-reading 53% of the population holds. When I looked at the budget, as provided at a school board meeting, I noted a few typographical errors and some minor oddities but nothing of great significance.

The school board wanted restoration of academic-related positions that had been cut a few years ago during a time of constrained budgets. The proposed budget will provide for a principal at every school except the Walnut Street elementary school. That particular school is new and does not yet have a full set of classes from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Running a quick Internet-based search on school budgets in general, I came across an article from 2005 written by Karl Bruhn, a former director for market development of the National Association of Music Merchants. This is a basic primer on becoming involved in the budgetary process. Bruhn notes that from 1982 to 1986, “the number of students playing in [California] school orchestras [was reduced] by 50 percent….” He goes on to observe that “[t]he public outcry was weak.” Bruhn urged people who wanted music education to return to the California schools to start talking with school board members early in the budget process. By the time public hearings are held, it is too late for more than minor changes.

Based on observations of similar board discussions and on common industry practice, I expect the policy proposal for board member usage of district e-mail to be passed. There may be lots of talking before that vote, though.

M.R. Field covers the school board meetings for AroundDesMoines.com but is unable to attend this one.