Like so many others in Whitewater, I am a believer in both proper schooling and lifelong learning. My father and uncle first introduced me to campus life when I was still a small boy. Years later, I had the pleasure of their visits to campus when I was a student. On those visits, my father…
School District
Elections, School District
Whitewater Educational Referendum Post 2: Local Campaign
by JOHN ADAMS •
There are a few aspects of the referendum campaign that stand out. Here are five notable characteristics of the local campaign: 1. No organized opposition. There’s no organized opposition to the budget referendum. None at all. There is a district campaign on the referendum’s behalf and a tandem Whitewater YES effort among some residents, but…
Elections, School District
Whitewater Educational Referendum Post 1: Overall Politics
by JOHN ADAMS •
This is the first of three posts on the Whitewater Educational Referendum. In this post, I’ll look at the overall political climate for the referendum, one week out from the election. There are three key considerations for the referendum, but only two of them are commonly discussed. 1. The gubernatorial election looks to be close.…
Politics, Poll, School District
The 9.17.14 Marquette Law School Poll (and Our Schools Referendum)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Charles Franklin’s latest Marquette Law School Poll is out today, with polling on the governor’s race, attorney general’s race, and on several key political issues. Although the Wisconsin gubernatorial election is a huge topic within the state, there’s not much polling on it beyond the Marquette Poll. The poll has its critics, too. Democrat Ed…
Education, School District
Whitewater’s Educational Focus
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s perfectly reasonable to choose from among many diverse occupations. Location makes a difference in these choices: students in desert communities don’t dream of becoming local fishermen. For Whitewater, while there’s sure to be more than one career path, it’s practical and reasonable to contend that a university town should encourage a university education as…
Education, School District
The Better, Reasoned Approach on ACT Scores
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s been ongoing discussion about the ACT test results at our high school. Among a smaller percentage of students, those scores are higher over these last two years. That’s good news for those who actually took the test. Results require a context; the fitting context for scores is the participation rate of students taking a…
Education, School District
Checklist for Evaluating a School Budget Referendum
by JOHN ADAMS •
1. There’s time to evaluate a proposal. The November election isn’t far, but it’s not tomorrow, either. There’s time for a careful assessment. 2. Numbers, Figures, Results, Metrics. Information should be presented fairly, and in context. Old Whitewater has the mental tic of wanting to look good, regardless of whether performance is good. They’re not…
Education, School District
Whitewater’s ACT Scores and Participation Rates
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last week, I wrote about the lower number of students who were taking the ACT at Whitewater High School. Although the scores are higher, fewer students are taking the test. That’s to the credit of students taking the test (and those teaching them), but it’s an unfavorable sign for the district. See, What’s Being Done is…
Education, School District
What’s Being Done is More than Just a (Sketchy) Number
by JOHN ADAMS •
A good discussion about education is one about substantive work in academics, athletics, and art (an expansive curriculum). A few days ago, press releases touted the ACT scores of some of our students over the last three years. The data showed progress from 2011 to 2014, as against the statewide ACT average. They’re good scores;…
Education, School District
The Visigoths Who Love Music
by JOHN ADAMS •
It was quite some time ago that the Visigoths sacked Rome, acquiring thereafter (if not before) a bad reputation. It’s safe to say that whatever challenges Whitewater faces do not involve rampaging hordes seeking to overturn our social order. We’ve had parents protesting over possible budget cuts, to music or other programs. You’ll see below,…
School District
A Whitewater Schools 2014 Referendum (Quick Politics of It All )
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Whitewater Schools will likely vote to exceed revenue-caps by something over a million dollars a year for four years. The proposal is in response to projected structural deficits of about a million-and-a-half dollars. A formal vote is yet ahead, and beyond that there are details and justifications to consider. It’s reasonable to review all…
City, Local Government, School District
The Bigger the Project, the Greater the Need for Substantive Justifications
by JOHN ADAMS •
It seems – to most people, I’d guess – that to say ‘the bigger the project, the greater the need for substantive justifications’ is simply reasonable and practical. In almost all public efforts, municipalities, school districts, and other public bodies should Lead Substantively, and Support Fiscally. The best way to win big is usually a…
Open Government, School District
The Whitewater Schools’ Recent Budget Cuts
by JOHN ADAMS •
I wrote last week about proposed budget cuts in the Whitewater Unified School District. (See, The Whitewater Schools’ Budget Cuts.) Since that post, the WUSD School Board met Monday, and following that contentious meeting made modifications to proposed cuts on Wednesday afternoon. (At each stage of this process, proposed cuts have been in the aggregate…
School District
Note on the Whitewater Schools’ Budget Cuts
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve received emails asking if I’ll comment on the Monday, April 28th WUSD board meeting, during which dozens of residents spoke in person about proposed budget cuts (among other topics). I will write about the meeting and cuts, but I’ll wait to see if the district’s board modifies the current proposal. There’s a lot to…