WHY PAST TWO ‘RETIRING’ C. R. SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS FAILED
About 15 years ago, a Cedar Rapids Gazette editorial complained of the C. R. school district hiring young superintendents who gained a few years experience and then left for more pay and a ‘better’ job.
Since then, two ‘retiring’ superintendents were hired by the district, and both failed to significantly improve performance or student achievement, before they retired and left. To their buyout and pay raises, they added an Iowa retirement package to boost their total retirement compensation by about 15%. They accomplished their purpose and left the district holding the bag.
Having learned no lessons, the school board has now hired another ‘retiring’ superintendent, who will come to Iowa to boost his retirement, and do it to them again—for the same reasons.
HERE IS WHY THEY FAILED AND WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL
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REASONS WHY PAST TWO C. R. SCHOOL DIST. SUPERINTENDENTS FAILED. Source: Iowalive 6-27-09 |
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RANK |
CONTRIBUTORS TO C. R. SCHOOL SUPT. FAILURES |
FAILURE CONTRIBUTION FACTOR, ON SCALE OF 0 TO 20 TOPS |
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1 |
THEY CAPITULATED TO SCHOOL PRINCIPALS & OTHER ADMINISTRATORS |
19 |
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2 |
DISTRICT, COMMUNITY AND GAZETTE ARROGANCE--NO NEED TO IMPROVE. THERE WERE 67 CLAIMED VALEDICTORIANS IN WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL ALONE—IN ONE YEAR!! |
19 |
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3 |
THE BOARD DIDN'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO IMPROVEMENT MILESTONES. THEY WERE GIVEN PAY RAISES FOR FAILURE |
18 |
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4 |
SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WOULD NOT LISTEN TO THEM |
18 |
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5 |
THEY HAD NO MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENT PLANS |
17 |
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6 |
THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO STOP RAMPANT SCHOOL CHEATING |
16 |
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7 |
THEY LACKED LEADERSHIP SKILLS |
15 |
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8 |
THEY CAPITULATED TO THE TEACHER'S UNION |
14 |
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9 |
THEY NEVER INTENDED TO SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE DISTRICT PERFORMANCE OR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT |
12 |
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10 |
THEY LACKED MANAGEMENT SKILLS |
11 |
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11 |
THE TEACHER'S UNION FOUGHT THEM |
8 |
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12 |
ALL OTHERS |
1 |
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Anyone claiming to have better numbers is asked to provide them. |
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THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL FAIL FOR THE SAME REASONS!! NOTHING HAS IMPROVED!! |
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Sincerely hoping for something to improve and prove us wrong!! Will the school board turn the reasons for failure around and turn them into reasons for success? We certainly hope so, but the board has given us no reason for hope, to date. Nor have the Gazette or school administrators. All in the district received pay raises for failure to improve—anything!!