California Association of School Business Of f icials
Spring 2 018
The changing face of school business
Seven tips for getting ahead in modern school business
Climate control School climate is moving to the forefront of improvement, accountability systems
Be a goal-getter 10 strategies for making elusive goals a reality
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The California Association of School Business Officials is the premier resource for professional development in all aspects of school business. Founded in 1928, CASBO serves more than 15,000 members by providing certifications and training, promoting business best practices and creating opportunities for professional collaboration. CASBO members represent every facet of school business management and operations. The association offers public school leaders an entire career’s worth of growth opportunities.
As the recognized authority in California school business, CASBO is a member-driven association that promotes ethical values; develops exceptional leaders; advocates for, and supports the needs of members; and sets the standard for excellence through top-quality professional development and mentorship, meaningful collaboration and communication and unparalleled innovation.
For the past 15 years, CASBO has been dedicated to the organizational planning discipline as a method for guiding the association into a successful future. This year, the association embarked on its sixth such plan, CASBO by Design 2.0. This living, breathing document guides the association in its long-term planning process, which is grassroots in nature, invigorating in procedure and motivating in outcome.
CASBO has long been committed to organizational planning because the approach has consistently helped the association envision its future and determine the clear steps to get there. The road map that strategic planning provides has allowed CASBO to remain focused on its unique mission, goals and objectives, and to respond effectively to a continually changing environment.
For more information on CASBO by Design, visit casbo.org , click on “About Us” and then select “CASBO by Design” from the drop-down menu.
Published March
publisher editor in chief communications manager features editor contributors
design/layout advertising art
casbo officers president president-elect vice president immediate past president advertising sales manager
Molly McGee Hewitt Tatia Davenport
Joyce Tribbey
Julie Phillips Randles
Linda A. Estep
Jennifer Fink
Nicole Krueger
Jennifer Snelling
Sharon Adlis Tracy Brown
Nina Boyd Orange County Department of Education
Christina Aguilar Arcadia Unified School District
Molly Schlange University Preparatory School
Melissa Anderson San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
CiCi Trino
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Like many in leadership positions, I have been and always will be intrigued by the concept of leadership and those willing to accept the responsibilities it brings. I love reading and learning the stories of successful military, political, business, educational and religious leaders, as well as their reasons for aspiring to leadership positions.
Many who call themselves leaders don’t always practice leadership; and while I think it’s prudent to learn about those who have failed at leadership and find out what prompted their failures, most of my reading and research have been centered on positive and successful role models.
One attribute that I’ve often identified in successful leaders is passion. They are passionate leaders for their causes. Whether it is Nelson Mandela –whose passion allowed him to endure both revile and prison to persevere for success – or Martin Luther King Jr. – whose passion kept him focused on his agenda – to hundreds and thousands of others who kept that flame alive to keep them going, passion has been a key indicator of success in almost every arena. Passion appears to me to be a source of energy and an extra edge for leaders.
The success of these passionate leaders has rested on their ability to build relationships and coalitions, to communicate clearly, and to offer opportunities for others to join them in leadership. They can create a vision and bring others on board to follow that dream. The motivation rarely, if ever, centers on their fame, success or power but on a concept or ideal worth working toward or sacrificing for.
Passion unleashed for personal gain has a much greater failure rate, but has allowed certain entrepreneurs or leaders to gain a modicum of success. It appears that people are less likely to follow and support you if they think your actions are self-promotional. While most leaders possess healthy egos, to truly be successful, they must harness their passion and kindle it in others. Passion, like any other leadership characteristic, cannot be unbridled. It’s successful if it encourages you, propels you and helps you persevere when the obstacles and challenges come. “Passion with a purpose” is a good descriptor.
I continue to meet many passionate leaders in CASBO. From our presidents and board members to our section, professional council and committee leaders, I have seen professionals at every level of school business with a passion for leadership, for a strong public-school system and for a profession that makes a difference. You can see the passion in their personal careers and the work they do on their own time to advance our goals. They stand strong for ethical leadership and do not hesitate to advocate for what is right for students.
On a personal level, I share this passion for school business and for a strong and successful public school system. When my passion aligns with our professional staff and our member leadership, I see powerful and amazing things happen. I see that when passions align together – when we have a sharp vision and purpose – we become a force for our profession. CASBO is indeed a trusted voice and influencer in education, and our influence will continue to grow and evolve along with our association.
If you are reading this and have not already become personally involved in CASBO, now is the time to unite your passion with ours! z z z
Molly McGee Hewitt CEO & Executive Director
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As I write my final column as casbo President, it feels like my term happened at warp speed and that only yesterday we were in Long Beach at the casbo 2017 Annual Conference & California School Business Expo! Today, your member leaders and staff are preparing to welcome you and a new leadership team at our 2018 conference.
That feeling of moving at warp speed comes from the busy and productive year we’ve had at casbo
When I created my theme of “Diversity, Character and Inclusion,” it resonated with my personal and professional life and values. casbo helped to open doors for my career, and I want to leave a legacy that continues to open doors to all – with an emphasis on “all”– school business operations leaders. As we aspire to attract, engage and inspire future leaders, casbo has an opportunity to lead the education community in our call to action – building character and creating diverse and inclusive environments for positive engagement.
I also wanted to raise the awareness of equity issues in education to help ensure we have a workforce at all levels that not only represents the populations we serve, but also understands the values and benefits of cultural understanding, sensitivity and awareness. It’s our shared responsibility to ensure resources are distributed equitably across our districts to increase educational achievement and success for all students.
In March, along with our ceo and Executive Director Molly McGee Hewitt, we’re hosting some informal programs around the state to raise awareness and foster understanding about these issues. These meetings don’t just meet the objectives of my theme, they also reflect the
new mission statement and casbo by Design 2.0 Strategic Plan, as well as our association’s commitment to equity and cultural proficiency.
These meetings are a fitting conclusion to my presidency. They reflect important conversations and an increased awareness of character, diversity and inclusion. We need to demonstrate how we can create change, understand our conscious and unconscious biases, and build teams that embrace student and staff diversity.
By raising awareness and helping people understand these issues, we’ll build compassion, understanding and greater sensitivity. When we share our stories and open lines of communication, we build strong bonds and character.
Our work is about so much more than technical, managerial or administrative details and tasks. What we do must contribute to schools that welcome all students and encourage them to achieve their dreams. It’s also about creating a work environment that promotes collegiality and collaboration for our employees at all levels.
Everyone recognizes what it feels like to be accepted and welcomed. We also all recognize what exclusion feels like – it creates misunderstandings, results in poor communication, and fosters cliques or closed clubs.
Serving as casbo President has been an honor. I’m grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had this year representing casbo and meeting so many of our members who have expressed their shared commitment not only to our profession, but more importantly to our students.
It has validated the hard work of casbo ’s Board of Directors, committee and professional council members,
When we share our stories and open lines of communication, we build strong bonds and character.
and professional staff. I feel extremely blessed that our local education agencies, students and families will benefit in positive ways from the ripple effect of our actions today, tomorrow and in years to come! z z z
Nina Boyd President
No two days are alike for this chief business official
By Nicole Krueger
DAVID FLORES USED TO LIVE FOR THE DAYS when he could lock himself in his office and work on spreadsheets. A former budget analyst for the Shasta County Office of Education, he was more comfortable wrangling numbers than speaking to a room full of people.
Those days are gone. Now that he’s the chief business official (CBO) for Shasta Union High School District, there aren’t many decisions or conversations he isn’t a part of. And with six schools, nearly 500 employees and more than 4,000 students to look after, he’s learned to embrace unpredictability.
“I get involved with anything that has to do with money – and everything has to do with money,” he says. “The scope of what I do on any given day is so broad that no two days are ever the same. That variety, that challenge, and knowing we have an impact on students with the decisions we make – that’s the piece that keeps me going.”
Flores joined the district during the recession, when education budgets were getting slashed and most schools were shedding programs left
and right. Shasta Union, however, opted for a “reduce, not eliminate” policy, holding onto its art and music programs despite the financial squeeze.
Keeping all of those programs up and running, while also negotiating labor contracts and juggling building and construction upgrades from the recently passed bond, requires much stronger communication skills than his finance background initially provided.
“I think in business, especially school business, we’re not outward people, for the most part,” he says. “But as you move up in position, you start to get away from those technical skills and you start to get more into your soft skills like communicating and talking with people. That was not very comfortable for me, but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to be successful.”
Flores credits CASBO with helping him break out of his shell. Serving as president of its Shasta Cascade Section and chair of its CBO Professional Council has pushed him into new territory, such as presenting professional
development webinars and helping to plan the annual conference.
“CASBO has afforded me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and take on some challenges that ordinarily I probably would not have done,” he says. “It gives me the chance to practice those communication skills on a bigger stage.”
Although he thrives on the constant change, Flores still craves moments of solitude. In the summer, he likes to unwind with an evening kayak on the lake after most people have headed home. He also wakes up an hour earlier in the morning so he can read while everyone’s still asleep.
“My biggest hobby is reading. I always have book in hand,” he says. “It’s my quiet time.” z z z
By Nicole Krueger
IMAGINE YOUR TEACHERS WALKING INTO SCHOOL on the first day, equipped with fresh digital lesson plans and new ideas for leveraging technology in the classroom. Imagine hundreds of students firing up their tablets and laptops, ready to learn.
Now imagine discovering the network is already crowded with the chatter of more than 2,000 devices – the new smart outlets the district installed over the summer without telling anyone.
These types of snafus are common in the education space, where heavy compartmentalization continues to get in the way of technology integration, says Joe Jenkins, education business adviser at CASBO Associate Member and Premier Partner Development Group, Inc. (DGI), a Redding firm that helps schools and districts implement objective-driven technology systems.
“You have your facility master plan, your [Local Control and Accountability] plan, your instruction plan, your technology plan. The odd thing you’ll find in districts is that they’re
all operating in a vacuum,” says Jenkins, who spent two decades at a tech integration firm and 14 years as a district chief technology officer (CTO). “Often the instruction plan calls for digital curriculum, but it’s not in the facilities master plan or the technology plan. That’s fairly common.”
Jenkins now works with school and district information technology (IT) leaders to build better communication structures and bring their technology plans into alignment with their organizations’ objectives. Through conversations with various stakeholders, he helps clients identify each department’s technology needs and design an infrastructure that will deliver the desired outcomes.
“In the past, districts typically just bought stuff to replace old stuff; it was kind of a cycle. Now they have to ask better questions of the organization because everything they do impacts everyone in the company,” he says. “I learned early on to build bridges over silos.” Those bridges are more important than ever now that technology pervades nearly every aspect of school, he adds.
“Education is making a big mind shift right now. The consumption of digital curriculum is changing the way the classroom is supported. It’s changing the way teachers teach, it’s changing what’s in the facility supplies room, and it’s changing what IT has to support.”
He applauds CASBO for offering crucial opportunities for cross-pollination, where school business leaders can learn more about the various departments they’re trying to support. He first got involved in the organization more than a decade ago in his role as a district CTO. Now, as an associate member and partner, his goal is to create a connected ecosystem of member partners who work together to develop better solutions for school business professionals.
“It’s a phenomenal place, from an IT leadership perspective, to learn your business,” he says. “You can go to the annual conference, sift through all the people you’re trying to support and find out what problems they’re trying to solve.” z z z
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School climate is moving to the forefront of improvement, accountability systems
By Jennifer Snelling
One out of three students in California say they cannot identify a single caring adult on campus, according to the Californians for Justice ( cfj ) Relationship Centered Schools campaign. And yet studies show that when schools invest in positive relationships between students and staff, suspensions decrease, and graduations increase.
And now, even the state is taking up the issue. Recently, a study group overseen by California Chief Deputy State Superintendent Glen Price released preliminary recommendations that would thrust school climate and conditions to the forefront of the state’s school improvement and accountability system.
These recommendations include adopting a uniform definition of school climate, creating a menu of state-endorsed school climate surveys for school districts to choose from and requiring surveys be done annually in multiple grades.
California parents are certainly on board with this focus. In a recent EdSource-Berkley igs poll, three in four California registered voters (74 percent) said that creating a safe and positive school environment is far more important than higher scores on standardized tests. This is more than double the number of voters (33 percent) that rate standardized test scoring as highly important. Forty-two percent of parents of school-age children feel that bullying, school fights and other forms of intimidation or violence are a very serious problem.
To this end, Price convened a School Conditions and Climate Work Group (sccwg ) in 2017 . The sccwg met with focus groups of students, teachers, parents and administrators to address these concerns, releasing its recommendations last October.
“Schools should be a safe incubator in which to grow a student’s productive role in society.”
“Creating positive school conditions and climates ensures that all students attend schools where they feel cared for, valued, safe, connected and have access to proper facilities and resources. It also allows parents and families to feel welcomed and appreciated, and have a voice and agency as they support their student’s education,” reads the report.
“Additionally, when school staff work in supportive, collegial environments and are provided with necessary tools and resources, they are better equipped to both promote and assist in the creation of a healthy environment.”
Kweko Powers, a junior at Oakland High School, is eager to do her part. For the first time last year, students were included at her school’s meeting about climate and culture. Powers was invited to give feedback on how administrative decisions are made and how those decisions affect student wellness.
“Through cfj and our Relationship Centered Schools campaign, we are promoting valuing student voices in their education, investing in ways to keep new teachers and teachers of color as a reflec-
tion of the school population, and creating space for relationship building within the school,” she says.
Yet while a positive climate has been linked to better outcomes for students, what that climate looks like varies from site to site. The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments says that a positive school climate “is the product of a school’s attention to fostering safety; promoting a supportive academic, disciplinary and physical environment; and encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting and caring relationships throughout the school community, no matter the setting.”
Price says the sccwg saw defining a healthy environment for California students as its key task. According to its recommendations, school conditions and climate refer to “… the character and quality of school life. This includes the values, expectations, interpersonal relationships, materials and resources, supports, physical environment and practices that foster a welcoming, inclusive and academically challenging environment.
“Positive school conditions and climate ensure people in the school community (students, staff, family and community) feel socially, emotionally and physically safe, supported, connected to the school and engaged in learning and teaching.”
In other words, schools should be a safe incubator in which to grow a student’s productive role in society.
Sherry Skelly Griffith, executive director of the California State Parent Teacher Association (pta ), participated in the working group. She believes the definition addresses the concerns of many parents who may be worried about bullying, deteriorated facilities, student
behavioral expectations and support, as well as parents’ wanting to feel welcome at their child’s school.
“When parents are making sure they’re comfortable with a school in their neighborhood or inter-district choices, they want to ensure a positive or safe climate,” she says. “This almost predicates everything else. Climate is the driving force for the entire success of a student in terms of their academic, social and emotional well-being.”
But although defining school climate is a start, improving the environment at local schools will take a lot of work and funding. Four years ago, the Local Control Funding Formula (lcff ) named school climate as one of eight priorities school districts must address, listing student suspension and expulsion rates as a measure of school climate. And, of course, Local Control and Accountability Plans (lcap s) should spell out goals for student progress – and improvement, actions and spending that districts will take to achieve them.
The working group recommends that local education agencies (lea s) annually administer a school conditions and climate survey to parents/guardians, school staff and students in at least one grade level within the grade spans of k-5, 6-8 and 9-12
In addition, schools are encouraged to deepen the data by collecting and reporting additional information on the California School Dashboard in a narrative summary, including a link to a district website showing the survey results.
One possible way to meet this requirement is to adapt the current
“Climate is the driving force for the entire success of a student in terms of their academic, social and emotional well-being.”
Without restorative justice, students are suspended and then return to school with no tools or coping strategies to use when another difficult situation arises.
California Healthy Kids Survey (chks. wested.org), which many, but not all, school districts use. Quality surveys such as this cost money, says Price, which the state paid for in the past but no longer funds. The sccwg plans to approach the Legislature to ask for funding to provide surveys to all districts across the state.
The working group recommendations also note that, “To date … investment in California’s new accountability system has emphasized state indicators, while state support for local indicators, such as Priority 6 : School Climate, has been stagnant or non-existent.”
Last year, the board adopted a temporary school climate policy that requires districts to administer a valid survey at least every other year and publicly report the results to their school boards, but schools don’t have to take any action.
In order for climate to improve in schools around the state, says Griffith, an annual survey is essential. “If you have students, staff and parents feeling unsafe, that’s not an every other year issue,” she explains. “pta strongly supports [an annual] survey of how those in the school communities feel about climates and conditions conducted with students, all staff and parenting communities.”
Price says that, in addition to petitioning the Legislature for survey funding, the sccwg will be back before the board in March after it surveys stakeholders about the recommendations and reports.
While it will be up to the state board to decide whether to adopt its recommendations, the sccwg also specifies
actions for lea s. Griffith says that school business officials can play a particularly effective role in these recommendations.
“Business officials always have an eye to what can improve the support system for staff and students in terms of how we budget,” she says. “School conditions are a lot about the nuts and bolts, clean facilities, enough textbooks. We can’t create a positive school climate without the help of a cbo to create that vision.”
Ventura County Office of Education (coe ) stands out as an exemplar of school climate and conditions. “We partnered with instructional services staff as we discussed Local Control and Accountability Plans,” says Antonio Castro, Ed.D., associate superintendent of educational services. “We wanted them to be an equal partner in evaluated actions and services of the previous year. If the fiscal folks could see the actions and services and be a part of evaluating the efficacy of those services, we can see the effectiveness as it relates to student achievements.”
Castro stresses that providing Ventura coe staff with Positive Intervention Behavior and Support (pibs ) training has been hugely successful in improving school climate in the lunchroom, on buses and playgrounds, and with nonadministrative counseling staff.
Restorative justice is part of the pibs plan and helps reduce the suspension rate (priority 6 in the state indicators) by addressing the root cause of unacceptable student behavior. Ventura coe ’s program trains educators, and in some cases parents, to discuss why a student made a negative choice. Without restorative justice, students are suspended and then return to school with no tools or coping strategies to use when another difficult
situation arises, says Castro. The intention is to reduce suspension rates over time by connecting students with school personnel to help them make more positive decisions.
“If we do this well,” he says, “it creates a safety net for all students and helps us focus our resources so that more students feel connected to school and benefit academically.” Indeed, much of the infrastructure in their budget includes support systems such as facilities and transportation – areas Castro says affect how connected students feel to their learning environment.
Price agrees that cbo s can play a large role. “When facilities are in disre-
pair, it sets a bad tone,” he says. “And it’s hard to establish a positive school climate when the fountains aren’t working.”
In addition, he says cbo s can help schools be accountable by finding some of the resources to educate school personnel. The school team can then use that data to reflect on what is going well – and to properly understand what is not.
For example, one school’s survey results reflected that students felt unsafe at a particular time of day. After holding focus groups with the students, the administration and staff discovered that there was bullying in and around bathrooms in that timeframe. Thanks to that additional digging, the principal
“When facilities are in disrepair, it sets a bad tone.”
was able to improve security and better pinpoint actions that could be taken to make kids feel safer at school.
According to the working group’s research, safe and clean school facilities, as well as access to the most current standards-aligned curriculum technology and smaller classes for students and staff, all contribute to student achievement. The sccwg asks that districts also prioritize investment in activities like increased security personnel or restorative justice and, where possible, engage students directly in helping resolve issues.
“It’s important for cbo s to monitor this work,” Price says. “It’s a high priority and will take everyone working together
to get right.” But the rewards promise to be there. “Thanks to cbo s for all the great work they’ve been doing around the new accountability system, our efforts as a state are starting to take off,” he adds. z z z
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By Julie Phillips Randles
After 10 years in elected office , State Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) brings his 20 years of experience as a social worker and 12 years working in education to his bid for state superintendent of public instruction.
Thurmond, the son of a single mother from Panama and a military father who didn’t return to the family after the Vietnam War, was born at Fort Ord in Monterey, California, but was left parentless at age 6 when his mother died from cancer. He and his brother grew up in Philadelphia with extended family members. It was a rough start by any account, but the one constant in the young man’s life was school, as his family insisted on a good education.
“Public schools saved my life,” he says in his campaign message. He took their encouragement to heart and was the student body president while at Temple University. He then went on to earn dual master’s degrees in law and social policy/ social work at Bryn Mawr College.
As a social worker, Thurmond accepted the executive director position at Beyond Emancipation, where he helped provide aftercare services to youth who have left the child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Alameda County.
So, it’s no wonder his public servant role continues to evolve around students. He won election to the Richmond City Council, where he served as a liaison to the city’s youth commission and school district. That led to a seat on the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board and eventually election to the California State Assembly, where he passed legislation to provide funds to school districts to keep kids in school and out of the criminal justice system.
He’s also voted in support of funds for early education and fought for policies and funds to make sure children in state foster care have the option to go to college.
Thurmond’s platform includes addressing the shortage of qualified teachers, creating internship programs with tech companies and modernizing the curriculum to include technology tools. He also proposes a tax on private companies that run California prisons to fund preschools and after-school programs.
Some numbers bother harvard business school graduate Marshall Tuck. For instance, the data shows that 6.2 million students attend California public schools, but 3 million of them cannot read or write at grade level, only 15 percent of low-income African-American students can do math at grade-level, and only 17 percent of Hispanic Californians have a college degree, compared with 51 percent of white Californians.
It’s the largest achievement gap in the country – and it is a big reason Tuck threw his hat in the ring to run for state superintendent of public education.
Tuck sees the role as the proper route to help set a direction for public education with the governor, California State Board of Education and Legislature and to provide support to schools, districts and county offices of education.
It’s a position he’s comfortable with, having grown up in Burlingame, California, as the son of a classroom teacher. After graduating from ucla and then
Harvard, Tuck returned to the Golden State to work in finance and then worked his way up to a senior leader position at Model N, an enterprise software company based in the Bay Area.
Then the education industry grabbed his heart.
He served first as president of Green Dot Public Schools, a charter school operator based in Los Angeles, and then seized the chance to become the founding ceo of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools. Since 2015 and before launching his campaign, he immersed himself in mentoring programs for
teachers and principals as the educatorin-residence at the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz.
Among his ideas to support California’s schools: universal prekindergarten, free college for those who teach a minimum of five years and greater flexibility from the Education Code.
TUCK: I have dedicated the last 15 years of my life to public education. I’m strongly influenced by my faith and the idea that the most important thing we can do in life is help other people. I was fortunate early in my career to realize that I wanted to work in a capacity where I was helping others much more directly and decided to dedicate myself to public education. I knew that public education could be uniquely impactful in improving people’s lives. The fact that my mom and my grandmother were both public school teachers played a role as well.
Most recently, I directed school improvement efforts at the New Teacher Center (ntc ), a nonprofit organization working with school districts to help develop and retain effective teachers and principals. ntc has supported 166,000 teachers since 2012 .
Prior to that, I was the founding ceo of the nonprofit Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a groundbreaking collaboration between the mayor’s office and Los Angeles Unified School District to operate 18 struggling elementary, middle and high schools serving 15,000 students. Together, we raised four-year graduation rates in those schools by more than 60 percent and had the highest academic improvement among California’s school systems with more than 10,000 students. The partnership also launched the innovative Parent College, creating a model program for getting parents more involved in their kids’ education.
Before joining the partnership, I was the president of the nonprofit Green Dot Public Schools, where I helped create 10 new public charter high schools in some of Los Angeles’ poorest neighborhoods. Eight of those schools have been ranked among the top high schools in America by u.s. News & World Report.
Despite our progress at both the partnership’s Los Angeles Unified schools, as well as those in our Green Dot network of schools, I became convinced that we wouldn’t be able to educate all kids in our state until we changed the politics of education. Most of the money and rules governing our public schools come from Sacramento, and I believe we have to change education politics to finally give all children the education they deserve.
I’m running for state superintendent because I believe we need an education leader – not another politician – to bring California together around a plan to truly prioritize making our schools among the best in the country.
THURMAN: I was raised by a publicschool teacher in San Jose and attended k-12 public schools and a public college. I spent 12 years working in schools in one capacity or another. I’m grateful for all of the experiences public schools have provided me.
I also served as a school board member for a large district that was under state control. In that role, I worked very closely with the chief financial officer and I came to trust that person. We were able to pay down the debt and get out of state control in four years.
I believe deeply in public education, and I want to ensure that every student has access to a great education. As a parent of two public school students and a product of public schools, I want to do more.
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION? WHY AND HOW DID YOU SELECT THIS PATH?
THURMAN: At the top of the list is increasing funding for public education in our state. I’m glad we have the Local Control Funding Formula [ lcff ], but in many ways it doesn’t fully cover the rising costs of education. Districts are struggling to meet so many needs with the funding they are given.
When I was a school board member, I remember how many unfunded mandates there were, and the only way to deliver on all the things a district must do is to provide more funding.
I also want to provide more support to educators through professional development and peer mentorship.
Addressing the teacher shortage is also key, and I introduced a bill to recruit new teachers by providing scholarships to students who want to become teachers and a bill that would help districts provide affordable housing to teachers and school employees.
Then there’s improving special education, both how we fund it and getting students what they need. I worked as a special education classroom aide a long time ago, and then as a board member, and I heard frequently from families who weren’t getting what they needed. Right
now, I am working on a bill that would provide scholarships to recruit special education teachers – we have to have well-trained special education educators in every class.
I also plan to focus on preparing students for tomorrow with more stem (science, technology, engineering and math) education and career tech education (cte ). I want to be sure our students are ready for the workforce of tomorrow, and I believe cte can help create career pathways. Exposing students to what exists in the world of job opportunities is up to us.
I also want to expand what public schools are doing around bilingual education. We have an opportunity to create the global leaders of tomorrow. In younger students, bilingual education supports brain development; and we know that older students learn better when they have a chance to learn in their native language and then transition to English. I’m proud of the work I did to insert $5 million into the state budget to hire more bilingual educators.
And I plan to address the achievement gap, which starts before kindergarten. When I think about my own experience, we struggled and yet we never fell through the cracks because I had the opportunity to get a great education. I want to give every kid the experience I had and more. We have to invest in our kids from day one, from early child care and education programs to college and careers.
TUCK: To make California’s schools among the very best, we must make public education the top policy priority
in our state. That begins with developing a 10 -year plan – with collaboration from the governor, legislators, state superintendent, educators, parents, students, labor, business and community leaders. We have put together the starting point for such a plan, which you can read about at marshalltuck.com/issues.
But we aren’t starting from scratch. Our state has made progress on some areas in our public schools, significant research has been done, and there are good things happening in schools up and down our state every day. This plan builds on that knowledge and is informed by my 15 years in public education.
The plan is organized around four key areas we believe our public education system needs to prioritize over the next decade:
• Investing in our teachers and principals. Nothing is more important to a school’s success than our teachers and principals. We need to increase compensation and incentives, provide free college, and improve access to coaching and development.
• Schools for the 21 st century. A 21 stcentury education begins with universal pre-kindergarten that is designed to allow our educators to be more creative, enable our children to be more actively engaged in their learning and prepare students for the jobs of the future.
• A public education system that works for all kids. Groups of students, such as English language learners, African-American males, students with special needs, foster students and others, have been significantly underserved for decades. This is unacceptable. We need
to differentiate the support we provide to our students of greatest need and to ensure equity in our schools.
• Classrooms that are fully funded. My plan also describes how the role of the state superintendent and the California Department of Education (cde ) can be reimagined to better work for our schools.
GOV. BROWN IS PROPOSING TO FULLY FUND LCFF IN 2018-19. THE LCFF MODEL WAS A REDISTRIBUTION OF CURRENT FUNDS IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER BUT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE COST PRESSURES SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FACING, SUCH AS PENSION CONTRIBUTION INCREASES, HEALTH CARE COSTS AND OVERALL COST OF OPERATIONS. AS THE NEXT STATEWIDE EDUCATION LEADER, HOW DO YOU INTEND TO ENSURE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT INNOVATION AND CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS?
TUCK: The Local Control Funding Formula was a step in the right direction, more equitably distributing funding and providing greater spending flexibility to local communities. However, the base level of funding is not sufficient, and costs continue to grow.
California can’t have the best schools in the nation if it continues to spend among the least in the nation on our students. We were once among the top 10 states in the nation in per-pupil funding and are now 41 st, despite having the
highest rate of childhood poverty and the largest number of English learners. To serve all these students well, we must be among the top states in the country in per-pupil funding. Of course, money alone is not the answer, and we need to pair additional dollars with smart spending on high-impact programs and services.
Below are five strategies I plan to pursue:
• Bring greater transparency to how schools and districts spend money to build the public’s awareness, confidence and trust.
• Make sure more money is finding its way to the classroom. With greater transparency into how our schools are being funded, we’ll have greater visibility into dollars that are reaching the classroom and those that are being spent outside of it.
• Address pension liabilities. There is clearly no easy solution to such an enormous problem, but it first requires that our elected leaders take ownership of it and prioritize it.
• Fight for a bigger piece of the budget for public education. California’s public schools can be the best in the nation, but they need to be a top priority, and that includes being a top priority in our budget.
• Explore options for generating new revenue for public schools. Whether by lowering the parcel tax threshold to 55 percent, partnering with philanthropic organizations or revisiting our tax structure, we have to be open to finding the dollars our classrooms and students need.
THURMAN: I’m grateful for lcff and it has given us a chance to serve disadvantaged students. I was on a school board in 2008 during the Great Recession, and the first night I was sworn in, I was asked to close a dozen schools. That’s unacceptable. Our state budget and education budget are overly reliant on an economy that fluctuates, and school funding is too important to allow such extreme swings. I’d work on permanent and stable sources of revenue for education, with a goal of taking California to No. 1 in per-pupil spending and consistently at that level.
I’d work with business leaders and education leaders to identify permanent funding. At the same time, I’ve been working on some short-term measures including a bill that provided $35 million in grants to districts to reduce chronic absenteeism and fund restorative justice programs. I think there’s a huge upside to addressing chronic absenteeism, which is an issue for over 10 percent of public school students. By keeping kids in school, we can improve outcomes and recover up to a billion dollars in lost average daily attendance revenue.
I’m also pushing a bill that would tax companies that operate private prisons, which would create a revenue stream to fund early education and after school programs. We talk a lot about shifting funding priorities from prisons to schools, and we decided that we aren’t going to wait to act on that.
So, I would look at how to create short-term revenue streams while also identifying permanent funding sources going forward.
WITH THE EVER-CHANGING DEMANDS OF A GLOBALIZED ECONOMY AND NEW TECHNOLOGY EMERGING, WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION, SPECIFICALLY FOR EMPOWERING AND PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY?
THURMAN: I think we need a combination approach. It’s both how we teach technology and how we help kids to be critical thinkers.
Job sectors are going to change. Today’s students will have multiple careers. So, we have to prepare them to be critical thinkers and nimble enough to work in different careers throughout their lives.
Last year, I passed a bill that gives high school students a vote on their school board because I fundamentally believe in civic education and empowering the leaders of the future and also because I think a lot of students understand the skills that they are going to need in order to live and work in the future economy.
On the tech side, we should have k-12 computer science; we need to teach coding. As chair of the Assembly stem Education Committee, I introduced a bill that would provide $500 million per year for three years for cte , and I have a second bill that provides grants for school districts to create stem programs.
At the end of the day, we should be creating students who know how to think and preparing them for any profession. To do that, we need to be sure they’re grounded in critical thinking and civics and are citizens of the world.
TUCK: California’s public schools need to be organized for the 21 st century, but many of our schools were designed for the economy of yesterday. Today’s world demands innovation and flexibility, creativity and problem-solving. Those are the traits we need in a 21 st-century public school.
That begins with universal pre-kindergarten – because it’s simply too late for children to start school at 5 years old. It means offering a robust curriculum that prepares students for success – whether in college or in skilled professions that do not require degrees.
It also means thinking creatively about how schools use time and how learning experiences can extend beyond the four walls of a classroom. State leaders must work with educators and parents to help California’s public schools broaden and improve their academic programs and push to give schools the flexibility they need to more effectively develop students’ skills and engage their passions.
Technology, of course, can have an enormous impact. Technology can help personalize learning, extend learning time and help bring curriculum to life. Our state should support efforts to maximize the potential of technology in our classrooms and schools.
California is the innovation capital of the world. Let’s eliminate barriers that stand in the way of educators, spur the creativity necessary to bring our schools into the 21 st century; and help grow and replicate the best practices that emerge. A key step in unlocking innovation and creativity is to give schools much more
flexibility from the California Education Code.
LATE LAST YEAR, THE NEW CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DASHBOARD WAS MADE PUBLIC, SHOWCASING EACH LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY’S RESULTS ON ACADEMIC AND READINESS PERFORMANCE. IT HAS BEEN GREETED WITH SKEPTICISM AND CONCERN. AS THE STATE VOICE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN ASSIST IN ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS, BRINGING STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE, AND ENSURING THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO A CONTINUOUSIMPROVEMENT MODEL THAT FOCUSES ON OUR STUDENTS’ OUTCOMES VERSUS A PUNITIVE COMPLIANCEBASED SYSTEM?
TUCK: First and foremost, I believe the cde needs to reorient itself from a compliance-driven organization to a support-driven one. I believe we need to provide school districts a great deal of flexibility and resources to do what’s necessary to provide the best possible education to their communities.
With regard to the dashboard, the inclusion of multiple measures is a step in the right direction. Now we need to work with educators and parents to ensure it’s user-friendly and that it adequately identifies schools that need support.
If a district requires support, the cde needs to be great at helping to diagnose the precise issues and then bringing targeted support to address those areas. And rather than relying on the expertise
within the cde , the cde should be leveraging practitioners in the field, finding educators who are doing great things in that particular area, and fund those educators to share best practices and provide direct support.
THURMAN: I think it’s a good start. We’ve learned that students are more than a test score and that there’s more to learning than memorizing information. I want to create critical thinkers, and we have work to do there. The dashboard looks at creating more well-rounded students and helps us meet benchmarks.
I would love to work with education stakeholders to monitor this new system, figure out where it works and where it doesn’t work and determine ways to create well-rounded students.
Tony Thurmond and Marshall Tuck were contacted for interviews in lieu of an appearance at cbo Symposium. We’ll reach out to the other candidates for state superintendent in future issues of California School Business. z z z
Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, California.
By Linda A. Estep
Take a look around your district. The face of school business is changing, and it’s a change that reflects skill sets that transcend the aptitude for proficiency in technical tasks in favor of leadership readiness in an increasingly complex field.
“I’m one who has always opened recruitments internally and externally. I have promoted people but not in every case, because I don’t want someone to assume they are entitled to the job. I want that person to convince me they deserve the job, and that is why I open it to external candidates.”
While not extinct, the “homegrown” employee who puts in years of service under a single business department umbrella and works his way up the ladder is increasingly finding that the pool of aspiring school business leaders is filled with candidates from other departments inside education as well as the private sector or even the military.
There is room for all, say five casbo experts and consultants, but the key is understanding what’s required today to be an effective leader in this field and to take advantage of the training opportunities abundantly available.
We asked them to share their advice:
Find your big-picture connection
Eric Dill, who today serves as superintendent of San Dieguito Union High School District, a casbo organizational subscriber, readily admits he started his career in a business entry-level position. He says he was always looking at how to fit into the big picture, whether at a school business department or the entire district. “I was always willing to take on tasks I hadn’t done before,” he explains.
Dill served his district as director of risk management and executive director and associate superintendent of business services prior to his appointment as interim superintendent in 2016 and then superintendent in 2017 . He has business
experience from working in the private sector before he entered the school business arena.
Dill further expanded his leadership skills by serving in a number of casbo positions, including former chair of its Legislative Committee and current San Diego/Imperial Section State Director. He is also casbo Chief Business Official (cbo )-certified, having completed the association’s rigorous certification training program.
Dill believes there are more outside candidates vying for leadership positions in school business today than there are those from inside education, and he encourages employees with an interest in career advancement to let their goals be known.
“I’m one who has always opened recruitments internally and externally. I have promoted people but not in every case, because I don’t want someone to assume they are entitled to the job. I want that person to convince me they deserve the job, and that is why I open it to external candidates,” he explains.
When an internal candidate is not selected, Dill sits down with that employee to explain why someone else was chosen, outlining the abilities they need to acquire for the job and where to get them. It reinforces the fact that as job responsibilities change, so do the skills to fulfill them.
Officially certify your training
Joel Montero is one of California’s most familiar faces in school finance, having served as chief executive officer of the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (fcmat ) and as fiscal adviser to school districts and statewide
agencies. Currently, he serves as a CASBO consultant and also is the faculty director of the University of Southern California ( usc ) School of Education School Business Management Certificate Program, among other pursuits.
The highly popular usc program is capped at 40 qualified applicants and is conducted over an 11 -month period. A rigorous course of study co-sponsored by fcmat and School Services of California, Inc. ( ssc ), a casbo Strategic Alliance Partner, it is delivered online and in person, covering 13 competencies identified as essential to leading a school business operation.
A weeklong boot camp, complete with dorm rooms and cafeteria food, kicks off the course in July, followed
by periodic meetings and weekly online courses and problem-solving assignments throughout the year. A graduation ceremony for those who have completed the course is conducted the following June, and graduates are immediately eligible to apply for casbo cbo Certification.
Emphasize leadership skills
Montero agrees that the proverbial career ladder is still in place, but there are more avenues for more people now than in previous decades. “In the old days, you had to be ensconced in a business office to advance. Now we see interest from principals, superintendents, the private
“In the old days, you had to be ensconced in a business office to advance.”
“People who come into these roles must know how to listen. Good leaders are good listeners.”
sector. Inside, it is not uncommon to see interest expressed from people with different backgrounds such as food services, facilities and others – people who manage large budgets.”
Concentrating on the technical aspects in financial management is not enough anymore, according to Montero, who points to leadership skills as essential tools for success in school business today.
“Training programs delivered by fcmat, casbo and usc recognize the new skills needed, and the primary focus is now on leadership. We think leadership can be learned, but it requires a different mindset. It is more than spreadsheets these days.”
Today, the effective cbo must possess or develop communication skills, commonly the most dreaded to learn. “When I meet with students, I tell them they must learn to speak in public at various levels, so that all audiences understand. I tell them ‘if you can’t do that, you can’t have this job,’” Montero says emphatically.
The ability to write concisely is another critical element of communication, as is the ability to listen, according to Montero. “People who come into these roles must know how to listen. Good leaders are good listeners.”
With more than 40 years in a variety of leadership roles in California education ranging from local to state influence,
Montero says he is still learning and doesn’t have all the answers. No one does, he adds. He points to the value of networking in seeking answers and solutions. “You can’t lock yourself up in an office and learn everything. You need to figure out who in your network knows what.”
Montero also believes business officials need to know how to assess politics accurately at local, state and federal levels in order to make informed decisions.
Think beyond budgets
“In the old days, we concentrated on building budgets. These days, we are in transition. We are not there yet. Now we have resource allocation, and the business person must be more program savvy,” Montero explains.
“Have conversations with program people,” he advises. “Know children’s needs and a program’s goals and objectives. Make it a team effort, focusing on resources and what works in closing the achievement gap.” Other moves that make sense: direct resources to what works and stop what doesn’t. “The new face of business is now about understanding the best way to allocate resources. Be a good resource allocator,” he says.
Learn to problem solve for multiple situations
Among Montero’s fellow usc instructors is casbo cbo Certification Program Trainer Tamara Ethier, associate superintendent for the administrative services division of the Yolo County Office of Education, a cabo organizational subscriber.
Once a student of the usc program herself, Ethier recognizes the challenges of serving a small rural educational institution as well as an urban one. As a mentor in fcmat ’s cbo Mentor Training Program, she understands that many small-site business officials must wear different hats and often do not have the benefit of being mentored. This is an area where she sees casbo having a positive influence in offering programs to enhance cbo learning.
Ethier puts a high premium on the value of problem-solving and points to the usc program as fertile ground to hone such skills. “We want our students to be able to demonstrate learning through the problem-solving lens. There are many problems in practice, and a cbo needs to know what to do in various scenarios,” she explains.
In the end, an effective cbo needs to see herself as a teacher. “When I [came] to Yolo, there were a lot of mysteries to some in the administration, so I explained how it all fits (allocation of resources). Just as I have taught some of them, they have taught me.”
Ethier echoes Montero’s emphasis on the importance of good communication skills, in both speaking and writing. “Finance people like to express themselves in Excel not Word,” she says with a chuckle. “We can tell in boot camp those students who struggle, and we tell them we know they are uncomfortable. We reiterate the importance of good communication skills in this job.”
Update your job interview prep
Susan Speck is vice president of ssc and is responsible for leadership in the company’s executive search services.
“We want our students to be able to demonstrate learning through the problem-solving lens. There are many problems in practice, and a CBO needs to know what to do in various scenarios.”
“In every school district, the biggest complaint is about the lack of communication. A CBO must be able to tell the story of how funds are allocated. Become engaged in training. Understand what the job is. It is difficult but rewarding.”
She has a very broad background in California public ed-ucation, serving both in instructional and business administrative roles. She also contributes to training in the usc program.
She points to the natural ability to collaborate, but she also believes it can be taught.
Today, the needs of the k-12 student drive everything. “It is different now than it was six years ago, before the new funding formula was put into place.” With Local Control and Accountability Plans, it’s incumbent for the business official to demonstrate competence in communicating with all stakeholders, presenting a comfort level in that environment. “Some people are natural public speakers, but if not, it can be taught,” she says.
At some point in the usc training, instructors offer a full day of job interview preparation, beginning with how to
get your foot in the door. “People in human resources ask a lot more behavioral questions than before. They want to know how you handled a problem and what you learned from it,” Speck explains.
ssc encourages districts to invest in training for someone who is a rising star and expresses an interest in school business. She believes even new hires who have financial experience in the private sector should enroll in school business training because education finance is different than private business. “Lots of people make the transition from private to public but understanding school finance is complex and there is a learning curve.”
(Career Builder Members, check out the casbo webinar “Resume Fundamentals: Tips & Tricks for Marketing Yourself on Paper” at casbo .org under the “Resources” tab).
Highlight your outside experiences
Bill McGuire, deputy superintendent for administrative services at Twin Rivers Unified School District, a casbo organizational subscriber, has 35 years of experience in school business and definitely sees a shifting landscape in the field.
He points to two high-profile school business officials with career backgrounds in the Navy and Air Force as examples of success stories that do not have roots in school finance responsibilities.
“People are not locked into one career anymore,” he adds.
A casbo past president and honorary life member, McGuire also believes that, in today’s environment, a cbo does not even need an accounting degree. “It is no longer a jump from cpa to cbo. We are a people business, and we provide services to people in our business.”
And just how is the new face of school business helping students? For McGuire, it’s the ability to use resource allocation for students’ maximum benefit. And he believes the cbo plays a huge role in explaining the school funding formula and accountability plan.
“In every school district, the biggest complaint is about the lack of communication. A cbo must be able to tell the story of how funds are allocated,” he points out. “Become engaged in training. Understand what the job is. It is difficult but rewarding. I believe I have the best job in the world ... and we only exist in our roles because of the students we serve.” z z z
Linda A. Estep is a freelance writer based in Fresno, California.
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10 strategies for making elusive goals a reality
By Jennifer Fink
Big goals can be scary. And invigorating.
That’s why Ed Manansala set an ambitious goal shortly after taking over the principalship of a high-needs high school. Absenteeism was rampant, discipline challenges were ever present and academic successes were few and far between. Only about 20 percent of the school’s graduates were accepted to fouryear universities. So, Manansala and his team established a new goal: a 100 percent college acceptance rate.
“That was an elusive, huge goal,” says Manansala, who currently serves as superintendent of schools for El Dorado County, a casbo organizational subscriber. “It had an impact on school culture. On discipline. On classroom practice and on the counseling department. But we wanted a big goal that would trigger multiple other goals, and it did.”
Approximately seven years later, 93 percent of the school’s graduates are accepted into college.
“There was collective ownership of this big goal, from administration to teachers, support staff and the student themselves,” Manansala says. “Each week, we identified short-term goals that were important and ultimately aligned with the bigger goal.”
Bit by bit, the school culture evolved. Students experienced academic success and rewards. Staff spent their time helping students learn rather than resolving fights. School leaders cultivated a climate of pride, collaboration and determination.
“Big, compelling, authentic goals create focus and motivation,” says Manansala. The team’s elusive goal provided a shared focus that ultimately transformed the school.
Of course, achieving big goals is easier said than done. Life gets in the way of our best intentions, and professional (and personal) goals can be derailed by things like unexpected occurrences and crises of confidence.
Here are 10 strategies you can use to reach your elusive goals:
1. Act in the face of resistance. Fear – of the unknown, of failure and even of success – keeps many people from achieving their goals. If you find yourself at
a standstill, despite your desire to move forward, international sales consultant and business coach Eric Lofholm suggests taking positive action.
“The key is to understand that resistance is a normal thing,” Lofholm says. Rather than letting your fear or worry paralyze you, move toward and through your resistance. For many years, Lofholm actively avoided opportunities to present webinars, preferring in-person presentations. But when the economy shifted in 2008 , demand for his hotel-ballroom-based seminars dried up.
“I either had to pivot, or get a new career,” Lofholm says. “So, I had to confront my fear of webinars.” Despite his discomfort, he learned more about online seminars and built his first one. Today, webinars are a core part of his business.
2. Consider your present circumstances.
High achievers often have no problem setting lofty goals. However, it’s important to be realistic about your present circumstances. Are you working full-time or full-time plus? Do you have a young family at home? What kind of knowledge and support do you already possess?
When you make goals without fully considering the reality of your current situation, you set yourself up for disappointment. It’s much better to set goals that make sense within the context of your life.
Journalist-turned-entrepreneurial coach Damon Brown loves public speaking but purposefully did not pursue public speaking opportunities last year because he was the at-home parent of two young children. This year, both kids are in school or childcare a few hours per day. “My goals for 2018 are really big because my life circumstances have changed,” says Brown, author of “The Ultimate Bite-Sized Entrepreneur.” He’s already booked to deliver multiple keynote speeches in 2018
casbo Past President Pearl Iizuka, interim assistant superintendent of business services at West Covina Unified School District, a casbo organizational subscriber, is using her present circumstances to help her achieve her goal of visiting every u.s. National Park. When work recently required her to travel to central California, she did some research and discovered that Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were both within a few hours of her destination. So, she tacked two extra days onto her trip.
“We got there a day early and stayed a day longer, so I was able to see those two national parks,” Iizuka says. “Because this is a big lofty goal, I have to think about how I can get the most out of what I’m doing.”
3. Collaborate with others.
Tap into the expertise and enthusiasm of those around you. “I tend to share my goals with someone I respect,” Lofholm says. “I’ll also share my plan and say, ‘This is the best plan I can come up with. What ideas do you have?’” Because we all have different experiences, a friend or colleague may be able to visualize a different approach. Their input may help you overcome obstacles you hadn’t even anticipated yet.
Sharing your goals with another human being, particularly one you respect, also increases the likelihood that you’ll take consistent action. None of us likes to look foolish or incompetent, so we work harder when we know others are watching.
High achievers often have no problem setting lofty goals. However, it’s important to be realistic about your present circumstances. Are you working full-time or full-time plus? Do you have a young family at home? What kind of knowledge and support do you already possess?
4. Focus on activity, not results.
Tony Robbins, the well-known author and business strategist, once said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in two or three decades.” We want quick results, and when we don’t see them, we tend to abandon our efforts. That’s one reason why gym attendance tapers off after January; when people who hoped to remake their bodies fail to see dramatic results after a few weeks of working out, they quit. Many resume their old habits.
Keep your long-term goal in mind, but don’t obsess over whether you’ve achieved it yet. Instead, simply do the next right thing. “The next right thing might be as simple as cleaning the dishes, or it might be closing a million-dollar deal,” Lofholm says. “Just focus on what’s next.”
Iizuka uses calendars and checklists to help her stay on track. That way, “if something comes up and disrupts anything, I know I need to figure out another time to do what’s on my list,” she says.
5. Establish milestones and review progress.
Manansala wants to qualify for the 2020 Boston Marathon, which means he’ll have to run 26.2 miles in about 3 hours and 20 minutes. “I’m looking at that as a three-year goal. I know where I currently am in terms of my marathon time, so I’m breaking my big goal down to annual goals, which lead to monthly goals, weekly goals and day-to-day goals,” Manansala says.
Such pre-determined setpoints allow you to realistically measure your progress toward a big goal and make changes if necessary. “If you set small milestones along the way, it’s really a lot easier to do course correction,” Brown says.
6. Figure out your why.
Working toward and achieving goals is hard work. If you don’t have a solid or compelling reason for pursuing a goal, your energy and effort will flag. If, however, you are reaching for a goal that’s deeply meaningful to you, you’ll find the strength to persist despite challenges.
“If you can find something that drives you, you don’t need to be motivated because you’ll wake up motivated,” Lofholm says. Manansala is driven by the desire to positively affect communities. Lofholm wants to be the top sales trainer of his generation. Those big-picture intentions help both men stay on track.
7. Use failure to move forward.
Many people misinterpret setbacks as failure, Lofholm says, rather than part of the process. A healthier approach is to skip the judgment, rather than labeling a setback a “failure.” Instead, reflect and analyze the situation.
“Think about, ‘what could I have done differently?’ and learn from that so you can be successful next time,” Iizuka says. “Unless you are willing to accept that you’re not perfect, you’re never going to get there because you won’t be able to learn from what you do.”
8. Embrace limitations.
So many people blame a lack of time for their lack of achievement. But limited time and resources can become one of your greatest assets, Brown says.
Most people, he says, will take as much time as available to complete a task. So, if you only have 15 minutes to get the dishes
Keep your long-term goal in mind, but don’t obsess over whether you’ve achieved it yet. Instead, simply do the next right thing.
cleaned up before dashing out the door after dinner, the task will likely take you 15 minutes – or less. But if you have all evening, the dishes might not be finished until bedtime.
In the same way, having unlimited time to pursue a goal can be counterproductive. “If you have a main gig and the best you can do is a half hour a day toward your big idea or goal, you’re able to become more productive because you only have a half hour to work on what you truly love,” Brown says. Brief periods of laser focus are far more effective than long stretches of scattered effort.
9. Look for small wins.
Celebrate mini-achievements, especially when you’re struggling.
“Failure has a momentum to it, but so does success,” Lofholm explains. “If you’re spiraling down, stop. Think about, ‘how can I get a win right now?’” That “win” can be as simple as taking the next right step, whether that step is making one
phone call, checking out a book from the library or heading out for a walk around the block.
“You feel a sense of accomplishment, and it stabilizes you,” Lofholm says. “Go get a small win, and then get another small win. After three or four wins, you’re in a different space energetically.”
(What are your wins? Share them with us at Facebook.com/ CASBO.ORG/).
10. Create habits of success.
Human beings are creatures of habit. You might want to run a 5k , but if your habit is to sleep in until the last possible minute and spend your evenings playing with your kids and watching TV, you’ll probably struggle to achieve your goal.
“Big goals are often contrary to our habits,” Brown says. “Let’s say you decide you want to work on your side gig 20 hours a week. If your habit is not working on your side gig, but watching ’Game of Thrones,’ I’m not sure how realistic that goal is.” Start small: decide to devote one hour of your TV watching time toward your goal and take it day by day.
“The anecdote is that it takes 21 days to break a habit. So, if you have a particular thing you want to do, you’re going to have to be fully present and aware for 21 days – almost a month – to actually get this new thing implemented,” Brown says.
The good news is that healthy habits beget other healthy habits. “If you successfully exercise and get in better shape, you actually increase your chances of making more money in your profession, because that changes your outlook as far as what’s achievable,” Brown says. z z z
Jennifer Fink is a freelance writer based in Mayville, Wisconsin.
Our professional certification programs are part of that plan. And they’re a main reason why we are the premier resource in leadership and professional development for California school business leaders!
CBO CERTIFICATION
Designed for current or prospective CBOs. Covers a broad range of skills in school business disciplines important to master your responsibilities and achieve success as a CBO.
DIRECTOR OF FISCAL SERVICES
Ideal for management-level fiscal or CBO professionals. Covers skills in finance-related disciplines necessary to identify yourself as the expert in your profession.
SCHOOL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL I, II & III
Perfect for management-level school business professionals. Combines core training, education and experience-based benchmarks to secure a professional designation appropriate for any discipline in which you want to thrive.
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Created for management-level human resources professionals. Covers skills in human resources-related disciplines key to establishing your role as a recognized authority.
Get ready to achieve new levels of professional recognition with a CASBO certification. Find complete program and application requirements on our website under Learn > Certifications.
For any questions about certifications, please visit our website or email us at certifications@ casbo.org
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• Solicitation, evaluation and award process led by an independent lead public agency
• Dedicated field Program Managers focused exclusively on public agency support
The term “trigger” usually makes us think of something that sets off a memory or flashback, transporting us back to a specific trauma. Forget that definition for now and replace it with one from executive coach Marshall Goldsmith.
In “Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts – Becoming the Person You Want to Be,” Goldsmith provides a hard look at the triggers that often derail us at work (and in life). He then shares how we can overcome them – be they people, situations or environments.
His solution? Daily self-monitoring paired with active questions designed to measure our efforts, rather than our results.
Throughout the book, Goldsmith details six engaging questions designed to help us take responsibility for our efforts to improve and help us recognize when we fall short. Filled with stories from successful CEOs and power brokers, “Triggers” is a playbook for how to achieve change and make it stick. And it’s all based on the author’s real-life experiences from over 30 years as a coach.
Readers and coaches say this book will help you become a better version of yourself while providing the tips needed to make the new you permanent.
By Molly McGee Hewitt CEO & Executive Director
If you’re in a position to hire, you’re aware of the limitations of interviews and background checks in helping to secure the perfect person for your job opening. Often, candidates will inflate or exaggerate their skills and indicate experience that may not always be true. Wouldn’t it be great to see, before you hire, samples and examples of their best work?
As a job applicant, it’s often hard to showcase your skills and talents in a cover letter, resume, application or even an interview. You know what you can do and have done, but how can you demonstrate this to a potential employer?
There is a way to do this! It is called a professional portfolio: a hard copy or online repository of samples of your best work. It can consist of board reports or documents that you’ve prepared for your job. It can be samples from university classwork or from training programs. It can include everything from written documents to PowerPoint presentations to articles you’ve written to professional reviews and evaluations. It can contain anything that showcases who you are, what you can do and what you have accomplished.
A portfolio gives you the chance to match your resume and skill set to the work that you can do. Your examples can show a potential employer that you are a professional with exacting standards who has experience doing work similar to that which is needed. It shows them you can write and pay attention to detail, and it puts your professional style and standards on full view.
For most of my career in public education, I have kept a portfolio. On
a regular basis, I save copies of work that I am proud of: reports, budgets, publications, columns, articles, conference programs, evaluations, letters of reference, awards and commendations. Since I know a potential employer will not ask for my latest evaluation, having my portfolio ready without being asked for it gives me an advantage. It showcases concrete examples of what I have done in the past – and what I will bring with me to a new position.
Another advantage of having a good portfolio is that it maintains a record of your career accomplishments. When I look at what I produced years ago, I can see how my skills have grown and evolved. I can see that I was able to master new skills and technologies and grow in every aspect of my career. It gives me personal pride and a sense of accomplishment.
interview question or at the end of the interview when you are offered a chance to ask questions or share anything you haven’t yet discussed. You may also take the opportunity to show selected samples post-interview by offering to email them for later review.
It’s important to remember that you want to be selective: they don’t need to see your entire portfolio! You’re going to choose the right samples that will highlight what you need for the position you’re interested in. If your current job description or position doesn’t indicate that you have a certain skill, here is your chance to show them what you can do!
In today’s market, your cover letter, resume, application and interview are vital to your future success. While a portfolio will not make up for education or experience, it can enhance your chances for selection. z z z
As a job applicant, it’s often hard to showcase your skills and talents in a cover letter, resume, application or even an interview.
Once you begin your own portfolio, updating it on a semi-annual basis is key! I keep a file in my desk with items that I wish to add, as well as an online file where I save other materials. By keeping it current, you will be prepared when an opportunity arrives.
Once you have secured an interview, it’s not necessary to bring your entire portfolio to the interview. The key is to showcase the skills you want your interviewer to see. Select a few printed items or create a file on your laptop that you can share, either in response to a specific
As the insurance market shows signs of hardening once again, our commitment to our members is stronger than ever. For more than 30 years, Schools Excess Liability Fund has been a tried and true partner for California’s schools, carrying the weight of the catastrophic losses that would otherwise end with financial devastation.
Commercial liability coverage alternatives can be fickle, but SELF JPA has continually demonstrated our ability to carry our members through a devastating loss fortified by millions in assets, a strong and committed membership and more than three decades of public entity excess claim handling experience.
Leading with purpose.
Every step of the way
From budgeting and bond counsel, to contracting and construction, our attorneys carry out your vision.
Together, let’s build up the next generation.
446-7517 www.sscal.com
School Services of California, Inc., (SSC) is the leading provider of consulting, governmental relations, and information services for K-14 educational agencies in California. Since 1975, SSC has been proud to provide services to nearly every educational agency in the state.
• Management Consulting Services
• Governmental Relations Services
• Collective Bargaining and Factfinding Services
• Executive Searches and Recruitment
• State Budget Conferences and Issue-Specific Workshops
• The Fiscal Report and Specialized Publications
CASBO staff, leaders & members alike were all about giving recently: sharing knowledge, donating to needy kids, advocating for schools … giving of THEMSELVES.
That’s the CASBO way!
together to provide a complete business system specifically designed for the needs of California School Districts and County Offices of Education.
We
Please
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Aeries Software Inc. (888) 487-7555 aeries.com
American Fidelity (760) 917-1158 americanfidelity.com
ASCIP (562) 677-2012 ascip.org
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (562) 653-3428 aalrr.com
AXA (866) 401-3030
axa.us.com
Bay Alarm Company (925) 808-4350 bayalarm.com
California Financial Services (916) 733-0400 calschools.com
California Schools Joint Powers Authorities (909) 763-4900 csjpa.org
California's Valued Trust (559) 437-2960 cvtrust.org
Christy White Associates (877) 220-7229 christywhite.com
Cisco (800) 553-6387 cisco.com/go/education
CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (626) 857-7300 CLAconnect.com
Climatec (415) 940-2587
Colbi Technologies (714) 505-9544
Dannis Woliver Kelley (916) 978-4040 DWKesq.com
DecisionInsite (877) 204-1392
Castellanos Architects (916) 847-0519
Direct Energy Business (732) 750-6888
School Outfitters (800) 260-2776
SchoolOutfitters.com
School Services of California, Inc. (916) 446-7517 sscal.com
Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) (866) 453-5300
Sehi Computer Products, Inc. (800) 346-6315 BuySehi.com
Self-Insured Schools of California (SISC) (800) 972-1727 sisc.kern.org
Smartetools Inc. 866 Smarte-1
Southwest School & Office Supply (800) 227-7159
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company (415) 364-6839 stifel.com/institutional/public-finance
Tandus Centiva, a Tarkett Company tandus-centiva.com
Trine, Day & Co., LLP (909) 466-4410
”
Goals are dreams with deadlines.
– Diana Scharf
In schools with more positive school climate ratings, teacher retention is higher and teachers and staff feel safer and experience less student harassment.
Source: Review of Educational Research 50%
People with written goals are 50 percent more likely to achieve than people without goals.
Source: goalband.co
” Always let your talent and tenacity do the talking. Never your tantrums or sense of self righteousness or entitlement. For it is your talent and tenacity that will carve out, shape and seal your possibilities and destiny.
– Rasheed Ogunlaru
” What makes a professional is not merely an academic excellence; it is in the possession of the relevant virtues related to the professional’s area of
– Michael Quansah
expertise.
Source: Harvard 83%
Eighty-three percent of the U.S. population doesn’t have goals.
Piper Jaffray California Public Finance
Piper Jaffray is a leader in providing financial services for California school districts and community college districts. Our team of dedicated K-14 education finance professionals has more than 150 years of combined experience and service to the education industry.
• General Obligation Bonds
• Certificates of Participation
• Mello-Roos/CFD Bonds
• Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes
Timothy Carty
Managing Director
310 297-6011 timothy.p.carty@pjc.com
Elaine Reodica
Assistant Vice President 310 297-6034 elaine.v.reodica@pjc.com
Mark Adler
Managing Director 310 297-6010 mark.j.adler@pjc.com
• Interim Project Financing
• Debt Refinancing/Restructuring
• GASB 45 Liability Funding
Rich Calabro Managing Director 310 297-6013 richard.n.calabro@pjc.com
Ben Kaiser Associate 415 616-1627 benjamin.j.kaiser@pjc.com
Pam Hammer Office Supervisor 310 297-6023 pamela.a.hammer@pjc.com
Jin Kim
Senior Vice President 310 297-6020 jin.y.kim@pjc.com
Trennis Wright Senior Vice President 310 297-6018 trennis.l.wright@pjc.com
Piper Jaffray California public finance investment banking offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Orange County.
piperjaffray.com
Ivory Li Managing Director 415 616-1614 ivory.r.li@pjc.com
Ilya Barats Analyst 310 297-6016 ilya.x.barats@pjc.com
Stifel is the leading underwriter of California K-12 school district bonds.* We assist local districts in providing financing for facility projects and cash flow borrowing, including new construction, modernization, renovation, and technology improvements. Our work with California school districts includes general obligation bonds, Mello-Roos bonds, certificates of participation, leases, bridge financings, TRANs, and the refinancing or restructuring of previously issued bonds.
We give back to the communities we serve by providing college scholarships to graduating high school seniors through Stifel’s annual Fabric of Society essay competition and by supporting school-related foundations and functions through the Stifel Education Program (“StEP”).
* Source: Thomson Reuters SDC, by par amount and number of issues for negotiated transactions in 2017.
LET US HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR FINANCING GOALS.
Visit www.stifel.com/institutional/public-finance or contact a member of our School Finance Group:
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE
Bruce Kerns Managing Director (415) 364-6839 bkerns@stifel.com
Roberto J. Ruiz Vice President (415) 364-6856 rruiz@stifel.com
Erica Gonzalez Managing Director (415) 364-6841 egonzalez@stifel.com
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES OFFICE
Dawn Vincent Managing Director (213) 443-5006 dvincent@stifel.com
Robert Barna Managing Director (213) 443-5205 rbarna@stifel.com
John R. Baracy Managing Director (213) 443-5025 jbaracy@stifel.com
Scott Henry Managing Director (213) 443-5206 shenry@stifel.com