Senate Bill 4: Voucher Tax Credit or Public Theft

SB4 allows Texas businesses to take a portion of their taxes and dedicate them to a fund that will provide vouchers to parents who wish to send their children to private schools.  This bill is tantamount to Senate theft of public funds to pay for private wants.

Let me explain.  Texas businesses pay taxes.  These taxes go into the general fund and pay for state government.  Roads, hospitals, parks, schools, law enforcement, etc.  Because Texas Politicians believe that taxation is bad, these services are provided on essentially a “duct tape and baling wire budget.” In spite of the agenda driven political rhetoric we hear everyday, Texans are not over-taxed. 

So now to the theft.  SB4 allows businesses to self-select to not send a portion of their taxes to the general fund.  They can send their taxes to the (if enacted) voucher pool. This takes money away from the roads, hospitals, parks, schools and law enforcement that we all use, to pay for private schools for a few select families. If this sounds like they are stealing from all of us to pay for private services that most of us have no need or access to, it is because that is the case. If it sounds like the Senate values the wants of Special Interests more than the needs of the public, it is because that is the case.

It’s too late to tell your Senator and the Lt. Governor that this is a bad idea and bad policy. They are not listening to the majority of the state. They are acting for the small faction that funds their campaigns.  Instead, it is your State Reprehensive that you should contact. The house will either kill the bill or pass it.  You can still impact their decision.       

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Principal Writes... A Crazy Idea - Part 3

In response to the 4/23/15 post, “A Crazy Idea for Accountability Sanctions – Part 2” a LYS High School Principal writes:

SC,

Your plan is truly a "parent trigger."   You have never seen the likes of what a West Texas community will do if you were to take away their Friday night lights!"

SC Response

I know.  And that’s the point. If the collective “we” (community, parents, board and superintendent and principal) took academics as seriously as we took athletics, there would be fewer instances of underperforming schools. But we don’t.  

Sure we may talk the talk, but we almost never walk the walk.  At the very least, the plan I presented would make us confront the reality that in all too many cases we sacrifice the silent academic needs of the many for the vocal athletic wants of the few. 

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... Press On - Part 1

In response to the 11/19/2014 post, “Press On,” a LYS Principal writes:

LYS Nation,

...And don't start apologizing for high expectations!

I received a note from a departing student teacher today; made me stop and take pause.  Not because it was full of thankfulness for having the opportunity to be at our school and learn from some amazing educators, but because of one sentence. It read:

"I've appreciated learning from your leadership; you’re tough, but you're fair, and you never lose your high expectations."

That makes me that much more motivated to “Press on.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Good Advice From Bad People

Recently, I was reflecting on how fortunate I am. Throughout my life and career I have had some incredible mentors who have guided me, supported me and given me fantastic advice. As you would expect, these are good people with good intentions who had and have my best interests in mind.  My life is richer due to them.

I have also dealt with a rouges gallery of bad managers, backstabbing peers, fools, cheats, liars, and thieves.  For these people, I have been an impediment to their means and agendas.  I would like to say that nothing good has come from my association with these people.  Except, that would be a lie.  In spite of their motivations, my life is richer due to them also.  Yes, the advice from this group has generally been more extreme: sweeter from the liars and cheats; more bitter from the bad managers and thieves.  And you have to sift through more garbage to find the useful nuggets, but it can still be there. 

For example, the work I do today can be attributed to advice I received from individuals in both groups.  In fact, it was one of the bad people who forced me to get off of high center (being unhappy in a safe job position) and do something (being happy while taking a risky job).  And the seed of an idea for starting this blog came from a “friend,” who turned out to be a jealous peer, who was trying to derail a contract negotiation. 

My point is that being able to sift the good advice from the bad people can be good for your psyche and your career.  That and, if you are one of those people who needs to keep score, overwhelming success is always the best revenge.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top Tweets From the Week of May 3, 2015

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of May 3, 2015.

1. Systems for high performance are more sustainable than heroic leaders. All leaders eventually leave; systems remain. (By @eduleadership)

2. Texas teachers execute their calling day-by-day with quiet dignity and courage while certain Texas Legislature members attack them with impunity. (By @pastors4txkids)

3. The litmus test for my vote in the future is, "Do you believe Pre-K is Godless place and bad for children?" (By @PaulaKelm)

4. Starting late wastes time, punishes the punctual and conveys that in the future, attendees can arrive late. (By @MartyNemko)

5. Do vouchers improve student performance for the students who receive them? Spoiler: No. (By @eduleadership)

6. A one-point increase in high school GPA corresponds to an average increase in annual earnings by 12-14%. (By @UntoldSecrets)

7. More than anything else, instructional leaders need decisional information. That's why we can't hole up in the office. (By @eduleadership)

8. No research supports the efficacy of letter grades as a valid tool for learning. So it's par that the Texas Legislature likes the idea. (By @osunewell)

9. Senate spurned the teachers of Texas by sending their already inadequate public school money to private “religious” schools. (By @pastors4txkids)

10. When you give up on public schools, you give up on democracy. (By @johnkuhntx)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook