Dayton, 0 H 45402 - Dayton Public Schools

December 3, 2014
Dayton Public Schools
115 S. Ludlow Street
Dayton, 0 H 45402
ATTN: Superintendent, Treasurer and 80 E
Dear DPS Leader,'i'Y\JJ
Jtu&w
During the October 30, 2014 Town Hall meeting seeking public input on the best use
of district dollars to make the greatest impact on classroom instruction, one of the
potential areas highlighted for redirection of dollars was Special Programs: Adjuncts.
As you know, the majority of adjunct expenses are incurred at Stivers School for the
Arts, and so we have a vested interest in any proposed changes to funding for
adjunct staff. Knowing that DPS was holding a second Town Hall on December 3,
2014, the Parent Association at Stivers School for the Arts held a special meeting in
November to discuss three key questions:
1. How do adjuncts contribute to the overall success of Stivers?
2. What are the benefits of adjunct staffing?
3. Why is it important to continue to fund adjuncts at current levels in future budgets?
These questions were initially discussed in small groups with responses being
recorded and then shared with the entire group for further clarification and
consensus building. The results of our discussions were then compiled into a white
paper, which you will find attached. On behalf of the families and community
supporters at Stivers, I humbly ask that you take the time to read this paper before
making any budgeting decisions.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna LaChance, Chair
Stivers Parent Association
Stivers School for the Arts
1313 E. Fifth St.
Dayton, OH 45402
The Importance of Adjuncts at Stivers School for the Arts
Submitted by the Stivers Parent Association
November 2014
As the DPS administration and the Dayton Board of Education begin the budgeting
process for 2015-2016 and consider options for increasing per pupil classroom
spending, the parents and community supporters at Stivers School for the Arts
respectfully request that funds not be diverted from Special Programs/Adjuncts. While
we understand and support the need to assign financial resources to direct classroom
instruction in a fiscally responsible way, we strongly believe that reducing Adjunct
funding will negatively impact the overarching effectiveness of Stivers.
Stivers School for the Arts is well respected in the Dayton community and beyond. U.S.
News and World Report has recognized Stivers as one of the best public high schools in
Ohio as well as the nation in four of the last six years. Additionally, The Thomas B.
Fordham Institute profiled Stivers School for the Arts in its 2012 "Needles in a Haystack:
Lessons from Ohio's High-Performing Urban High Schools." Stivers was selected, in
part, because it delivered "truly uncommon results over multiple years."1 Furthermore,
by pairing a rigorous academic program with focused instruction in the arts, Stivers
consistently produces Ohio Department of Education test scores that are on par with our
suburban school counterparts and that far exceed the scores of all other high schools
within DPS. While there is always room for improvement, it cannot be disputed that
Stivers is a high performing school.
The Arts programming at Stivers is a significant factor in our success. Research has
consistently shown a strong correlation between arts education and student academic
performance. For example, a 2002 study by Dale Rose and Michaela Parks entitled "The
Arts and Academic Achievement What the Evidence Does (and Doesn't) Show" found
that "learning to play music can enhance math-related abilities and that that drama is an
effective tool for enhancing reading skills."
1
In a more recent study, the Florida Center
for Fine Arts Education enlisted Dr. Stephen Kelly of Florida State University to conduct
a cohort study on the relationship between participation in arts education and
performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, as well as the math and
verbal language portions of the SAT exam. The results of his study demonstrated that
"students who routinely participate in Arts education programs have greater levels of
overall academic success, higher state test scores, higher GPA's, reduced drop-out
rates and higher graduation rates than those students who do not participate in regular
Arts education".2 A review of Stivers ODE report cards in comparison to other DPS high
schools and other districts in the greater Dayton area substantiates these findings.
While Stivers does employ full-time certified teachers to lead and instruct students in our
Arts Magnet areas, adjunct teachers play a critical and vital role in the daily education of
our students. Adjuncts at Stivers are hired not only for their knowledge in a given arts
area, but also for their professional experience. They are able to bring the "real world"
into the classroom and in turn help prepare our students for the "real world". By
employing local arts professionals as adjuncts, Stivers students can see that their
passion for the arts can be more than an avocation; it can actually become an
occupation. Members of the adjunct staff teach our students not only the technical
aspects of their craft, but the professional standards and expectations of their field . This,
in turn, better prepares our students for entering the world of the visual or performing
arts, should they choose to pursue that career path after graduating high school.
Employing adjuncts within the Arts magnets at Stivers also improves the student-toteacher ratio. Our adjuncts typically work with either small groups of students or one on
one with a student; something that is challenging for a teacher in a traditional classroom
setting to accomplish. This individualized teaching leads to greater mastery of skill in a
shorter period of time. While adjuncts may be classified in the "special programs"
category for budgeting purposes, one can easily argue that the instruction provided by
the adjunct staff is, in fact, direct classroom instruction and that it is very impactful. We
strongly recommend that, if possible, all adjunct funding be included in the districts "per
pupil classroom" spending figure. This would help move the district closer to the goal
the administration has set to bring spending in line with comparable districts, without
actually having to reallocate dollars.
With respect to financial impact, employing adjuncts in our Arts areas is not only a cost
effective strategy; it is also a revenue-generating stream for the district. Adjuncts are
paid significantly less than full-time certified teachers and the district does not provide
the health benefits that would normally be afforded to a full time staff position. This is a
cost saving. Beyond that, the high quality academic and arts education offered at
Stivers has actually attracted families from outside the district. Students from Oakwood,
Tipp City, Centerville, Yellow Springs and Lakota school districts (to name a few) have
successfully auditioned and have been permitted to enroll at Stivers. These families are
paying tuition to the district for the opportunity to attend Stivers and participate in the arts
programs, thus contributing to the bottom line of the district and making adjuncts a
revenue-generating source. Reducing funding for adjunct staff could result in a
reduction in the Arts programming at Stivers, which, in turn, could result in a loss of
income to the district.
Finally, it is important to remember how adjuncts initially became an integral part of the
instructional fabric at Stivers. When the decision was made to implement an Arts Magnet
program model, it was understood that using professionals from the community would
greatly enhance the quality of the program. In order to cover the cost for employing
those professionals, DPS administrators and our building leadership agreed that Stivers
would forgo funding a varsity football program. The dollars that were budgeted for such
a program were instead reallocated to the Arts program. Therefore, the funding of our
adjuncts is not "in addition to" the general instructional budget, but rather "instead of'.
The choice not to fund a football program is not the only thing that sets Stivers apart
from other DPS High Schools. It should also be noted that, unlike other DPS high
schools, Stivers does not employ a curriculum coach. Furthermore we only employ one
Guidance Counselor when other high schools employ two. There also has not been a
need to expense dollars on "Positive School Climate" programming at Stivers. The very
nature of our arts programming creates an environment in which students feel a sense of
belonging and contribution, thus reducing the need for purchasing/implementing conflict
resolution and disciplinary intervention programs. The bottom line is this: Stivers has the
same "per child allotment" of educational dollars as other DPS high schools, we just
spend those dollars on different services. This has served us well.
In summary, parents and students are very passionate about and appreciative of the
adjunct faculty at Stivers School for the Arts. We view these professionals as an integral
part of our educational program . To reduce or reallocate the budget dollars earmarked
for Adjunct staff would have a negative impact on our Arts programs, which in turn would
have a domino effect on academic outcomes, customer satisfaction, and community
reputation. We earnestly request that budgeting dollars for adjuncts remain in tact for
the 2015-2016 budget and beyond.
1 Meyer, Peter. "Needles In a Hay Stack: Lessons from Ohio's High-Performing Urban High
Schools." The Fordham Institute. December 2012. Pg . 6
2
Rose, Dale and Parks, Michaela. "The Arts and Academic Achievement: What the Evidence
Does (and Doesn't) Show. Grantmakers in the Arts Reader. Volume 13, No. 3, (Fall2002).
Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
3
Kelly, Stephen. "Fine Arts-Related Instruction's Influence On Academic Success." Center for
Fine Arts Education Florida. (2012). Web. https://cfaefl.org/dnn/Portals/cfae/advocacy/201 02011 %20Cohort%20Study.pdf. 15 Nov. 2014