A debate over what should come first, the strategic targets or the budget overshadowed what has turned out to be an issue the School Board has been grappling with all year, how to reduce the minority achievement gap without setting quotas.
Seven of the 10 proposed Fairfax County School Board Strategic Targets, goals the School Board sets for the entire school system, were approved April 11. The remaining targets, all connected to reducing the achievement gap between whites and minorities, were tabled until June 6. The remaining three of the targets could be scrapped due to the lack of funding for the FY ‘03 budget.
"It is inappropriate to vote on targets that clearly need funding," said School Board member Isis Castro (Mount Vernon), who made the motion to table the three targets.
The motion created a debate among the Board members as to what is the purpose of the targets, if not to set priorities for the school system.
"I understand why we're choosing to delay some targets … but I think we're making a mistake. Our resources should be built around the targets," said School Board member Christian Braunlich (Lee). "When we delay the targets, we are making the targets secondary. I think we send the wrong message to the staff.”
TARGETS ON HOLD include reducing the gap in participation of black and Hispanic students in the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs by 10 percent while increasing overall enrollment in the programs, and having at least two-thirds of the students scoring at an average level on the programs' tests. Another target held would decrease, by 10 percent, the gap between minority and white students' SAT scores while aiming to have the overall scores top the previous year's totals. The third target held would increase the number of black and Hispanic students in the gifted-and-talented programs.
There were some parents who spoke out against approving the targets at all, saying they set quotas and bordered on being racist.
"Children should be admitted to the programs based on their abilities, not the color of their skin," said Louise Epstein, a parent of three.
Lynn Dysart, chairman of the Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee, urged the board to adopt targets that create forward progress and higher achievement for all students.
Oakton resident Tom Feeney also said the targets do not go far enough. "Merely enrolling our children should not be the end of our goal."
By contrast, the Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee recommended the school system establish a target for increased minority participation in the Gifted and Talented Program in its annual report released in January.
"We are dissatisfied. Our children are not being included in advanced programs," said Judy Howard, a committee member, at the time.
AMONG BOARD MEMBERS, though, the debate centered on what should come first, the target or the budget.
"In all likelihood, we will have to cut tens of thousands from the budget," said chairman Stuart Gibson (Hunter Mill). Gibson went on to say approving the three targets would in essence be prioritizing them over all other programs facing budgetary cuts. Braunlich said all the targets are affected by the budget.
"I think we are doing this backward," said School Board member Mychele Brickner (At large). "The budget should have been built around what the targets are."
The School Board is faced with trimming $47.4 million from the proposed $1.6 billion budget by May 23. Possible cuts proposed by two town meetings and the superintendent's office include eliminating the payment for students to take the AP and IB tests and eliminating the grade-three Gifted and Talented Center program. The board is waiting until after the budget public hearings scheduled for May 13 and 14 to announce any cuts.
"I don't think we should set up targets unless we have the resources to support them," Gibson said. "I don't want to set us up to fail."
THE STRATEGIC TARGETS are used to measure the success of the school system in meeting its mission statement, which says in part, the school system will "provide a gifted-quality education for every child."
The targets, said Michael Glascoe, assistant superintendent, Department of Educational Accountability, are a way to hold the schools accountable to the individual strategic plans they create to meet the targets.
The goals were created when schools superintendent Daniel Domenech was hired, his first day was Jan. 2, 1997, and are not required by law. Components within the targets and the school system's ability to meet the goals determine the amount of bonus Domenech receives according to the contract agreed to by the superintendent and the School Board in 1999.