Page 6 Portland Observer, October 22, 1981
Speaking o f Schools
Dr. Manford Byrd
Dr. James Scamman
try. and at least 80 per cent o f the
there would have been visible steps
(Continued from page 1 col.4)
what students need to be effective
posed to achieve at every level. We
cost o f that budget (75-82 per cent)
along the way o f my moving toward
numerically with racial balances. In citizens in our society cuts across
developed
criterion reference tests
w ill be personnel and instructional
their realization. Indeed, I'd want
tegration deals with the educational those kinds o f lines. So the first is to
to be given in the 3rd, 6th or 9th
costs. And if you’ ve got an agree
that to happen within the first year.
aspect dealing with students in a di define the curriculum clearly. That's
grade to measure student progress.
ment with an employee group, those
But 1 cannot be any more specific
verse and m ulticultural school en a negotiation process; that's not just
In the two areas o f language arts
items are rather set. The only con
than to say that by two years I ’ d
vironm ent reaching educational something (hat’ s just arbitrarily set
and mathematics disciplines have
trolling element at the local site with
want this particular kind o f a thing
goals and I believe they can be dealt down. It involves the leaders an J the
been broken down in to about 60
regards to that expenditure is the
done. But I would certainly say,
with separately. There is a tie-over parents and sometimes the students
oasic concepts, fo r example the
monitoring o f the established pupil/
long before two years, to the extent
though and that is that if one o f the o f those ethnic groups in (hat nego
mastery o f using semi-colons, or
teacher ra tio . However, once you
that I would want the school system
goals o f education is achieving a real tiation process.
sp ellin g... .The tests are designed
set that aside, to the extent that you
organized, it would have been o r
understanding o f what is involved in
So establishing the educational
so every teacher and evrey student
can get the input on the local site on
ganized. To the extent that I. and
appreciating cu ltural differences, goals—or what could become o ut
gets a profile showing what objec
the textbook budget, the school sup
the budget would perm it, i f there
the sensitivities involved in treating comes— . . .involves treating ethnic
tives have been met at what grade
ply budget, equipment and furniture
were key staff needs, they would be
each other as individual human be considerations at the beginning.
level, then the teacher in the suc
budget— get com m unity input on
in place. To the extent that I found
ings with respect, regardless o f race, Once those standards or goals or ob
ceeding years has the profile o f that
the budget—ideally that's the way I
the in stru ctio n a l program and
I don’t know how you can do that in jectives are in place then I think the
student’ s achievements or lack o f
would like to see it go. A ll that has
curriculum offerings were disjointed
a one-race school.
process o f education—the delivery
achievements-----Also you can ac
to come w ith in the fram ework o f
and uncoordinated, that a giant step
So if the goal o f the district is to o f the educational services in the
cumulate profiles for a whole grade
the goals and objectives o f the
would have been taken to see that
have in all the schools in the system classroom should be adapted to the
so a principal can see what things
school system for that area. Because
they were coordinated and every
the first-hand personal experience specific learning needs o f all the stu
are covered in a classroom and what
one's budget is what one intends to
body knew what the curriculum was
o f dealing with their own attitudes dents. And that cuts across ethnic
are not .. Also we can look at ways
do— never mind what it says. To the
and what was expected along the
and biases and the ir own stereo lines.
schools have achieved . . . we have
extent that I could, I would start a
way.
types, I don’t know how you can do
The policy that I would have
published school scores.
budget from the school side out,
Over an extended period, I would
that by reading textbooks and by would consider the different needs
The overall approach is to devel
although I know it’ s easier said than
certainly we nt the district to take a
watching film strips. On the other o f ethnic children from m a jo rity
op a scope and sequence o f every
done.
look at its capital investment—what
hand you can’ t, in reaching that children at the inception phase o f
thin children are supposed to learn
C urriculum evaluation— C u rri
was happening to the plant—there
goal, cause the defeat o f the goal it the curriculum, and then be equitab
in every discipline area___That is
culum evaluators must not have a
would be a constant review as to
self by the turmoil that you cause in ly applied across the board, so that
the approach 1 would use to try to
close relationship with the develop
whether we had too much, too little,
the com m unity bv reaching (hat regardless o f cultural background or
improve test scores.
ers.
too few physical facilities, if we had
solution___
language d iffic u ltie s the expecta
Personnel recruitment: One very
too many, what we were going to do
I ’ve been quite instrumental in es
tions are the same but the programs
I think you have to look at fa ir
useful way to approach quality o f
about them. I would want a research
tablishing research and development
are redesigned to meet the specific
ness in two ways, one being racism
teachers is to deal more closely with
arm that could give us some enroll
in curriculum evaluation. I think a
learning needs o f the youngsters.
that
could
be
considered
illegal
or
the
higher education institutions, to
ment projections to see where we
good research arm is v ita l to a
really
in
violation
o
f
a
person's
hu
cooperate
in the fin a l stage w ith
were going down the road. 1 would
school district, but it must have the
Fiscal management: The budget
man and civil rights, and then much
internships
. PLUS A FIXED EX
have
wanted
a
survey
to
have
been
independence not to be influenced
needs to be reflective o f distinct
more
subtly
those
issues
o
f
dealing
PER
IEN
C
E.
PLUS A C T U A L
made
as
to
what’
s
happening
to
our
by the program developers so that
goals.. . . 1 don’t think it is useful to
with people without cultural bias. It
T E A C H IN G RE S PO N S IB ILITY
students who leave the school
whatever is developed in the system
have a separate budget-building
is certainly much easier to deal with
PRIOR
TO
A C TU ALLY
system— how successful they are,
always works and nothing is ever
process which ignores all those other
the
blatant
discrim
ination
issues:
SIGNING
PEOPLE
U
P ... the pro
what are their deficiencies—to assist
eliminated.
factors. That just frustrates people
it’s
much
more
difficult
to
deal
with
bationary
period
should
genuinely
us in planning to make them more
Personnel selection/evaluation—
and they don’ t see the consistency—
the issues o f subtlety that may not
be probationary.
effective
in
the
larger
society.
I th in k in any evaluation scheme
they see c o n flic t___Probably in
even be acknowledged or id e n tifi
I have an accountability problem
I was very proud o f decentralizing
both the evaluator and the person
Portland 85 per cent o f the budget is
able in people’s own psyches or atti
with some kinds o f parent involve
the school system (in Chicago]—o f
being evaluated ought to be clear
for salary and salary fringe, so when
tudes. In instructional materials you
ment i f it becomes parent decision
developing local school councils and
about the crite ria being used and
you talk about building the budget
can
deal
with
some
blatant
insensiti
. . . We can’t undermine the princi
district councils— o f establishing
what’ s going to be used in the evalu
you talk about people. When you
vity
in
instructional
materials
but
to
pals
and expect them to conform.
guidelines that are still being used in
ation process. And the evaluator
talk about people you talk about
get
at
a
real
level
o
f
fairness
I
think
I
’
ve
done it for years and it’ s been
the district o f community participa
ought to objectively go about the
programs so you’ ve talked yourself
it’ s going to take a growth o f all o f
minimally
successful because people
tion
in
the
selection
o
f
principals.
process—pointing out how progress
right to the point you started from.
our society over many, many dec
start
playing
politics with you right
A
ll
those
items
I
was
very
proud
of.
is being made or is not being made.
So the budget its e lf... if it is reflect
ades.
away.
That's evaluating someone in ser
ive o f the purposes wanted by the
So I would separate the question
Long range planning: In ten years
D ro p o u t p re ve n tio n — In the
vice. I f that process can be broad
com m unity then falls right in to
in three parts, one dealing with ra
what
I would hope to accomplish is
school system you’ re going to have
ened, and I would have to take a
place with consistency, without a lot
cial balance as a separate issue; deal
getting
personally acquainted with
all [suspension, expulsion and drop
look at a model that would yield
o f extra work and hassles and me
ing with blatant forms o f illegal ac
the
district,
to rally the various com
outs]. The best defense is effective
tha t, so that the person fro m the
chanical processes. I f the budget it
tivity, and then the much more sub
m unity interests around common
teaching. The best assurance o f
self is causing disfunction between
outside, a parent, a citizen, would
tle and more im portant issues that
goals and get the tax base raised.
keeping a youngster in school when
have a continuing opportunity to re
those goals and the way the money
are going to take many, many years,
In five years I would like to see
he reaches dropout age is sending
is spent then there is a lot o f need
view the job performance o f the per
if not generations, to deal with.
the good progress that has already
him to high school equipped to do
son being evaluated so that it ’ s not
for input and negotiation___And
been made toward defining the cur
high school w ork. This does not
the disfunction I'm describing can
just happenstance, I would be in fa
Student achievement: Probably
riculum refined and at some point
mean that youngsters don’ t drop
vor o f taking a look at that evalua
be as much status quo disfunction.
the two factors that are most clearly
placed in to u n ifo rm application
tion and their participation in it. I
out for some other reasons, but the present in districts that have high
.. .The budget-building process
throughout the district.
single most important thing you can student achievement are the very
know I would be amenable to and
can become almost farcical when
In ten years I think you recycle
do is to equip a youngster to do high distinct and identifiable delineation
you knwo ahead o f time you’ re not
encourage participation in selection
the whole thing because that's about
processes.
school w ork. Secondly, to try to
o f purpose—what it is that is to be going to be able to do half o f what
as long as a planning cycle can be.
have some good counselling for
Long-range planning— Within two
taught. Another one is the dedica people want to do.
Five years is about all you can
youngsters to address other kinds of tion and enthusiasm o f classroom
years I would want to become a
Curriculum evaluation: We have
p la n . . . . There’ s a convergence o f
concerns that may lead to dropping
force in the community and a force
teachers. Another one is the extent
developed learner outcomes (here
philosophy here between what I ’ ve
out—personal problems, lack o f fi to which, through the principal, re
in the school system so that my per
you call them scope and sequence)
done in the post and what Portland
nancial support, clothing, needs for
sona, style, my expectation and my
sources o f the individual school can
or objectives every student is sup
is already doing.
a job— all o f these reasons conspire
directions fo r the school system
be merged into meeting the common
and contribute to a dropout rate.
would be clearly enunciated and
goal o f increasing student achieve
But the greatest cause is lack o f suc ment.
cess in the school situation, so what
Another one, which is beyond the
ever
you
can
do
to
make
him
more
control
o f the school, is the ethnic
October & November
successful will enhance that.
and social background o f the stu
E ffo rts at dropout prevention
dent. So those factors come in to
must be across the board. I frown
play in student achievement___
when I see dropout prevention being
I think there needs to be a basic
— Carefree & California Curls
addressed only as a vocational edu definition o f the minimum essentials
cation problem . I t ’ s across the a student needs to be effective in our
—Shampoo & Set (Thurs. & Fri only)
board.
society. We are a national society-
Senior Citizen Discount
X
In regards to suspensions and ex no, we are a global society. The im
For Appointment Call
pulsions—and they occur for a vari pact o f our nation is world-wide;
289 9492
ety o f reasons— not necessarily re our students from the P ortland
schools will go all over the world. It
lating to success with school work.
However, quite often the acting out would be grossly unfair, in the name
that leads to suspensions and/or ex o f local control, to deprive students
pulsions may grow out o f a young o f the tools they need to compete ef
fectively in those w orld e nviron
ster’ s inability to deal with the work
ments.
and his rebellion o f the frustrating
I think there needs to be a clear
situation he finds himself in. But if
there are clear cut rules o f what ex statement o f the essentials that every
student needs to learn, the attitudes
pected behavior is on the part o f
they need to have, the values they
school administrators and staff, and
need to hold in order to be effective
if there is fair, consistent addressing
members o f our society. Those can
o f those rules, I find it w ill tend to
be states; they can be stated in terms
reduce the need fo r suspensions
o f responsibility that each teacher
and/or expulsions.
has at each grade level. We can
Post high school choices— I think
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youngsters who leave our school make sure that those students meet
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those goals. It is a base that is built
system
ought to be prepared for I)
TWO LOCATIONS
the world o f work, or 2) for further on from the firs t day o f school
Lloyd Center
training. T h a t’ s the mission o f the through every other day, through
Inside Newberry's
every grade, through every s c h o o l-
school as I would see it.
Phone 281-2141
For some youngsters, they can be all the way until students graduate
successful in being trained and from high school. So we need to or
H o u rs 9 a m -5 :3 0 p m
equipped to go in to the w orld o f ganize our cu rricu lu m so that all
work fo llo w in g high school. For teachers know what they need to be
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others, it would be a tragedy if they teaching, so the teacher after them
Phone 2 2 6 1328
do not go on fu rth e r in to profea- can build on that base. We also need
isonal tra in in g o r fu rth e r college to assess the students’ performance
toward those goals so we can rede
training to develop their potential.
O ur youngsters can be successful sign those programs so their needs
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both ways, and I think we have to can be met, not at some long time in
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o f youngsters coming to us and we
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must help all o f them fin d their
Educating ethnic children: Could
with the purchase of any
niche, raise their sights, urge them you clarify what you mean by ethnic
new wig
to go on, but impressing on them children a little more specifically?
while supply lasts
that they must be employable and
. . . I think the educational standards
they must be productive, and help
that apply should be free o f any
■LoutetHnJIewber^^
them in becoming that way.
consideration o f e th n ic ity —that
(Continued from page I col. 3)
one would fine-tune to see if that oc
curred would just be to constantly
review its actions and have those ac
tions open to public scrutiny.
1 have participated in establishing
programs that had to have admis
sion crite ria attached to them. I
have watched those go into practice.
It was my office that developed the
first affirmative action program for
the Chicago Public School system.
The connection between racial
balance and equality in education
meet in my m ind. When 1 define
quality education as a dimension be
yond mastery o f com m unication
and computational skills, but qual
ity education providing a socializ
ation process where people learn to
live w ith others and fin d out how
they learn to f it in this society o f
ours. I think o f racial balance.. .in
the definition o f quality. However. I
would hasten to add, in the m ajor
ity o f cases, the matter o f race as it
relates to schools is introduced as a
constitutional issue, rather than as
an educational quality one.
Student achievement—Schools
are in the businesss to help young
sters to achieve, to socialize them
and make them successful adults. I
think in order fo r youngsters to
achieve, number one, they must
come to school as prepared as they
can fo r in stru ction — ready fo r in
struction, reasonably well-rested,
have an interest in school, and come
from an environm ent that is sup
portive o f what schools ought to be
about. Number two, they will succeed
if they are effectively taught and if
they are skillfu lly taught, and they
will succeed if they try and give their
effort. Learning is so personal that
an individual must do it for himself.
There must be a commitment from
the learner.
There must be an environm ent
that relates to his needs and poten
tials, if he has any learning handi
cap, it must be addressed. To do
this, you must recruit the best peo
ple you can. You’ ve got to see that
they stay on top o f their skills, their
craft, and then you’ ve got to super
vise them.
Educating ethnic children— I f the
ethnic youngsters have a problem o f
com m unicating in the main lan
guage o f the school, and it is Eng
lish, then I think the first responsi
bility o f the school system is to com
municate with those youngsters in a
language they understand.
Fiscal management— You con
tinue to look for ways to develop the
budget from the school side up to
the central office unit, rather than
from the central o ffice unit down.
Education is a labor-intensive indus
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