Principals, Teachers Weigh Options
The Selling of 'School Support'

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

Nonprofit groups and school superintendents vied for millions of dollars in city funding last week, dueling with dvd's, glossy brochures and Power Point presentations to convince Principals and Teachers that they could help their schools succeed.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow  'SOUNDS GOOD ON PAPER:' Elementary school reading Teacher Tara Lanza found it difficult to judge school support organizations in the abstract, without seeing how they worked in practice.

The school support organization fair at Martin Luther King High School in Manhattan was the final one of a five-borough tour to allow school leaders to meet their potential advisors, who will take the place of staff at the 10 regional offices being dismantled this summer. The organizations, designated as part of Mayor Bloomberg's school reorganization plan, will give instructional advice, help analyze test scores and offer professional development.

'Need Outside Help'

Some organization leaders were mobbed by educators with standing-room only inside their classrooms, while others sat furtively waiting for the handful of interested educators to stop and ask questions.

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow STILL DECIDING: P.S. 46 Principal George Young said he was 'looking and asking questions' of the various support organizations to find one that fits his school's needs.

"The changes that are needed can't come from within the institution," said Anthony Cavanna, touting the attributes of his nonprofit, the American Institutes for Research. "They need to come from without. If they were high-achieving, they wouldn't need us."

But the classrooms jam-packed with educators were for the most part those headed up by regional superintendents - the four so-called Learning Support Organizations (LSO) - which will be staffed by city employees, most of whom are already working inside the system.

Mr. Cavanna was not deterred. He noted that all of the consultants who would be working inside the schools from AIR were former New York City Principals. "It's more effective to have a relationship only around instruction," said the former Mott House Principal, flanked by a former PS 33 Principal and a former IS 125 Principal. "It's more effective without the other things, like the internal politics. Believe me, I was in the system; I know."

Choosing 'Empowerment'

Schools may budget as little as $24,432 and as much as $145,215 to retain one of the nonprofits, depending upon the size of the school and the group they pick.

Nonetheless, the second most popular destination was the "Empowerment" grouping, which would allow schools to keep more of their money and rely primarily on other schools in their network for assistance.

Several Teachers said they were leaning towards urging their Principals to choose a known quantity.

"Some of the people in the LSO's we know," said Tara Harrison, an art Teacher at PS 242 in Manhattan, "but the nonprofits, we don't really know what their track record is. It's kind of scary."

Institutions with a base in the city, such as Fordham University, the City University of New York and New Visions for Public Schools, were having more luck attracting interest.

Several program officers noted that the nonprofits had only started "recruiting" in mid-April after they were notified that they received a city contract, while the LSOs were set up in February.

'Stretched My Brain'

Marcia Lyles, the Region 8 Superintendent who will lead the Community LSO, said the process of matching schools to her group has been a learning experience. "I've stretched my brain more than I ever knew I could," said Ms. Lyles. "We have been in the schools since February, talking and listening. This is something like version 8.7 of my Power Point presentation."

The director of district and school services for the nonprofit Learning Innovations at WestEd was doing his best to stop educators rushing past his table. Stephen Hamilton said that the San Francisco-based group was at a disadvantage in not having an office in the city, but also noted that he was looking to take on less than 20 schools, unlike the LSOs, which have no limit.

He managed to stop two Manhattan-based Teachers. "Let me just tell you a few things about WestEd," he said, handing them pamphlets. "What makes us unique is our national expertise."

The Teachers paused. "Have you worked in the New York City schools?" asked an elementary school Teacher.

Not Quite the Same

"I was a Principal for many years," Mr. Hamilton told her. "In New York?" she asked.

"In Vermont," he answered. She took the brochures and promised him she would return.

Some of the educators roaming the hallways looked liked dazed shoppers trolling the mall the week before Christmas. Many said they thought the timeline was too rushed. Principals must make their final decision by May 15.

Others said they appreciated the opportunity to compare the groups in person. They peppered the presenters with questions about the role of parents, what would happen if they were unsatisfied with a group's services, and what aid was available to special education, transfer and English Language Learner students.

"I'm looking and asking questions, and I'm going to find out which option will fit the needs of my school," said George Young, the Principal at PS 46 in Washington Heights. "I'm looking for a certain amount of autonomy, and I want to make sure we have performing arts, because I think art, music and dance is very important for children's development."

Mixed Reactions

Several Teachers decried what they saw as a privatization of the school system, but some administrators said they thought choice made all the difference. "I think we have a lot of freedom here," said Steve Castle, an Assistant Principal at the High School of Graphic Communication Arts in Manhattan. "I will listen to any group if they will help my students get into college."

As the educators trickled out of the building, laden with brochures and information packets, some hauling them in tote bags handed out by the Knowledge Learning Support Organization, several were angry about the new support plan. They said they hadn't heard many new ideas.

"It's like they're taking the cereal out of the box," said Gloria Winograd, a 21-year veteran who currently teaches at P.S. 6, "changing the packaging and then putting the same stuff back on the shelves."

Others said they had learned a lot but thought the final decision would ultimately be a leap of faith.

"It all sounds good on paper," said Tara Lanza, who has been a reading Teacher for seven years, "but it's hard to know if it will work in our school. I guess we'll find out."