Mr. Heymann says the money that finances team up programs doesn’t take away from other programs. WC Gentry said he wants to know if team up is enhancing kids academically and if not says we should spend the money elsewhere.
Mr. Heymann told me yesterday: In fact, even the School District Team Up dollars are federal "Pass Through" funding -- in other words, the Children's Commission writes the grants for these pass through federal dollars which "pass through" the school system as required by law --- these dollars are not bilking any local funding for teachers and/or programs.
Gentry must see it differently: From the Times Union: Gentry instructed the district staff to find a way to measure the effectiveness of Team Up, “because if we’re not making a difference, I think we should spend the money elsewhere.”
Mr. Heymann has a vested interest in being right but unfortunately I can’t see how both could be. Since millions of dollars are on the line I think they should get their stories straight.
Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/schools/2012-07-23/story/duval-school-board-seeks-separate-legal-team#ixzz21Uz8FkLB
A little education on Mr. Gentry's part would go a long way.
ReplyDeleteTEAM UP is fully funded by the Jacksonville Children's Commission (JCC). The dollars are granted to several local non-profit providers (who do more with less every year and have proven to be a wise investment of these dollars)to run the afterschool programs known as TEAM UP.
In fact the TEAM UP programs have not only proven to assist in academics but the non-profit staff assigned to run the programs are often called upon to assist with school related events and programs (many are called upon to assist with school day disciplinary issues or to cover lunch duty when staffing is short)- in effect, "free labor" to these schools.
TEAM UP staff also garner community partners for the schools and bring in needed resources through businesses and personal donations.
The school board pays NOTHING to finance this program- in fact, the in-kind facility space donation that was originally worked out over 10 years ago and provided for custodians, toilet paper and paper towels are now bills footed by the providers of the program.
TEAM UP is not only about academic outcomes, but also about the exposure to arts, sports, character education and life skills that have all but disappeared from the school day that will help to make our children more well rounded and willing to focus on their academics.
It is also about being a safe place for children to go during the trecherous hours between 3pm and 7pm where study after study shows youth crime, sexual activity and drug use are most prevalent.
Mr. Gentry can't put a price on that...but he doesn't have to because he doesn't pay for it.
If you would write this up for me I would be glad to post it...
ReplyDeleteAnd just where does JCC get it's money? Just how much does DCPS hand over to JCC who turn around and hand it over to TEAM-UP?
ReplyDeleteWhat TEAM UP claims to be about and what it accomplishes are two different things.
During the last meeting, one school board member expressed he had no real evidence that TEAM UP was getting academic results. He went so far as to say some students appeared to do worse after joining and they would have been better off not being involved in TEAM-UP.
Wake up Jacksonville!
Most of the CEO's of these so-called non-profit groups are making 6 figure salaries. They want to ride the gravy train as far as it will take them.
JT