pic from flickr

The number of students dropping out of school is getting worse in most districts.  However, there are those schools that seem to be able to encourage their students to stay in school.  The common denominator is that they are engaging the students.  The response from students is that they feel that the teachers and the school are engaged and care about them getting an education and reaching their potential.  While it may seem simple, it still comes back to adults showing that they care. 

Motivation today is no different with youth than the time I had the privilege of working with youth in a minimum secure facility in the 1980’s.  100% of the youth told me in my discussions with them that, ”Why should I care about me if no one else cares.”

An educational system without student choice creates a psychological battle ground that states to the youth:  “It’s what we give you, take it or leave it.”  The easy way out is to leave school.  Youth have shown over and over again that confronting the educational system is not their concern.  As the youth begins to turn into a young adult and reaches their 22nd birthday, there is a realization that the educational system failed them. 

Charter schools are able to better handle providing the personal approach to learning for each student. 

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

Students have the right to demand equal access to a good education even if it means the need to remote into the right course online.  The web needs to become a utility that all citizens have the right to access.  It is during periods of budget cuts that the education system shows its commitment to underachieving students to be weak.  While the district schools that state it is not their fault that students fail, they also fail to admit the fundamental problem that one approach does not fit all students.  The use of technology, especially the web, has been shown to bring access to learning. 

The public library is a critical source of such access and the Internet has opened this resource, where distance and time prevented access previously.  The public library system should be incorporated into all public schools as their library resource to equalize access.  This will further increase library access to neighborhoods and be safe havens for learning. 

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

What is 21st century learning? 

• Outcome based
• What students know, can do and are like after facts learned
• Learning by analysis and evaluation
• Research driven
• Active participation
• Global classroom approach through classmates and others around the world
• Student-centered
• Co-learners
• Integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum
• Grades based on what was learned
• A lot of student freedom
• Self, peer and others assess work
• Curriculum connected to students’ interest and real world
• Project based opportunities are used for learning and assessment
• Curriculum and instruction address student diversity
• Literacy goes beyond traditional 3 R’s of reading writing and math aligned to living and working globally
• Global model based upon a high tech society
• Education not driven by NCLB and standardized testing
• High expectation

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

The lack of sufficient improvement in the education system has given rise to charter schools which function as semi-governmental entities.  These charter schools are more accountable to higher standards, creating results and delivering what the market forces want from the education system.   

While district schools have a school committee that is elected by the voters, a charter school has a board and staff that are accountable to the students attending the school, as well as to their parents.  Each student is the customer and the educational achievement of each individual student is the goal.  That is what is called choice.  If the charter school does not adequately meet the needs of the student then the student has the right to go somewhere else.  The end result is that the charter school loses the funding attached to the student. 

Some larger urban district schools have begun to allow students to change their school, but have run into the problem that the schools being saught after are full.  Students seeking slots at charter schools with successful records have found a similar problem. 

The fact that some district schools have turned to setting exams to be admitted to some of their schools seems to go against equal access to an education.  Charter schools are prevented from taking such action and I am in agreement that no student should have to take an exam to get into a public school. 

The one fact that is hard to overcome is that there is not enough room for every student to go to the school of their choice.  The result is a lottery system, and luck plays into whether a student gets what they consider to be the best education. 

“The Race to the Top” should create opportunity to shut down low performing schools and reinvent them with the high expectations of performing schools.  If the statistics show that it takes at least an associate’s degree to obtain a job that pays a living wage, why would anyone allow an educational system to do less?  Allowing students to graduate with a D is not preparing students for college. 

Charter schools represent an opportunity to bring the higher standards to education and hold specific public entities accountable.  It is faster and cost effective.  Choice in the public education system is the fastest way to change it across every state and local educational authority. 

pic from PBS HAWAII.ORG

The “Race to the Top” initiative for education has the opportunity to make a major impact for the long term by learning what states and local educational authorities did with their stimulus money.  The question should be asked:  Will there be more of a lasting effect on education by giving the money to a district school or to a charter school? 

Those that changed the rules by lowering standards to comply or by supplanting federal monies for what would have been state funding or by refusing to participate show what the commitment is to performance and the economic strength of the country. 

The pattern that has been common among charter schools throughout the country is that regardless of the fact that charter school obtain fewer funds than school districts, the charter schools are able to meet or exceed the school district’s academic performance in most cases.  The first and foremost difference is that charter schools are creating brand new school facilities without taxpayers bonds.  It is through fundraising and fiscal management that this has been accomplished.  The second type of school facility is through renting old (private or public) schools, renting office space, renting mall space, renting warehouses or college space.  Charter schools, while pubic entities, are managed by a small group and are able to make decisions fairly quickly to get a facility negotiated and created into a school. 

The other aspect of a charter school is that it is much more open to the community taking an active role in the school.  The board of the school and its leadership actively want parent and student participation.  The charter school has a larger number of volunteer, work-study and internship opportunities.

pic from Ken’s Aviation

Congress just might want to educate itself about its self dealing interests.

The Supreme Court recently overturned spending limits placed on corporations or unions for promoting their position on a candidate.  There has been a lot of complaining about the influence that the corporations and unions can now make in the outcome of elections.  While all of this complaining has been going on there has been little complaining about the many charities that congressional members have created to support their efforts.  There is no limit to what amount the corporations and unions can give to these nonprofits. 

These congressional nonprofit affiliates are a potential liability for the rest of the nonprofit industry.  There are too many examples of big spending by corporations with legislative bills before these same elected individuals. 

I found the example of corporations donating to the capital fund to pay off the Black Caucus Headquarters interesting since the brochure for the fundraiser is reported to have stated that the greater the donation, the greater the access, such as a private reception with members of congress.

These affiliated nonprofits seem to have one thing in common:  a means to be tied to the political process and not have limits on the amount that can be raised.

In most states elected officials would not be allowed to promote special access to anyone for their donation to a charity of their interest, especially if the corporation had pending legislation before an elected body.

It goes to the IRS’s question of whether the nonprofit has members, what benefit will members be provided and whether any board member or their immediate family will benefit.  I would not be surprised if the IRS or citizen groups take a look at these types of nonprofit organizations, causing a backlash for all nonprofits to have to deal with.

It might just be a good reason why elected officials choose not to serve or should not serve as board members.

pic from Hiking Artist

Finding that one idea for your nonprofit to build upon for sustainability is within the organization’s means of finding it.  Create your own solutions.

1. Print out by vendor the total dollar amount you spent in the last two years. 
2. Now check off whether any of these vendors promote recycling the products you purchased.  If the vendor will not recycle you should request that they do so or switch to someone who does.
3. Buy more that is locally made.
4. Come up with your own recycling program. 

Just a few ideas:

• Replace bottled water with a filtered watering system
• Return printer cartridges for a store credit
• Dedicate a location for returnable bottles for the office coffee supplies
• Have paper recycling
• Reuse the other side of the file folder or use a label

You will be surprised the amount of money that is saved each year and the impact the nonprofit has on lowering its carbon footprint.  So if you are not already doing something, what are you waiting for?

pic by Bearman, 2007

The selection of candidates for elected offices seems to have created a new type of citizen calling themselves the Tea Party Voter.  They represent those tired of hearing the same promises and inaction by those elected.  While the voters look to make change in the government many nonprofits are looking to turnover their leadership.

It looks like government should take a better look at nonprofits for examples of how to lead and make change.

The ability to know when to hand over the reins of a nonprofit organization one created is not supposed to be easy.  It is a lot harder when it is not done in a planned manner.  The heart and soul of a nonprofit usually starts with its leadership.  There are a few nonprofits that were started by a community, a group of dedicated individuals or a cause, but in reality they survive with the leadership that represents the passion of why the nonprofit was formed.  The board of the nonprofit has an equally important role to play in the planning of succession.

Nonprofits should not think of succession planning as being unique to their sector.  All corporations, regardless of their corporation type, have to deal with succession planning eventually.

One of the key decisions to this planning is to groom the successor to assure they have the passion and the ability to bring the organization into the next century.  Unless the successor is from within the organization, the first year will be about the individual learning and living the mission of the organization through the eyes of the board, founding leaders and the community they serve. 

Another key decision is the transition between the old and new leadership.  I would suggest that first the day-to-day operations get passed to the new leader of the nonprofit.  Have the previous leader concentrate on courting the nonprofit’s supporters and assuring a role for them as the nonprofit enters into its next stage. 

The use of a merger as the succession plan is an exit strategy to use when the nonprofit is at a loss to replace its founding leader and does not have the heart or the ability to agree to a replacement. 

pic from Bearman Cartoons

Some think the government’s response to the swine flu was an overreaction.  However, caution was better for preventing the worst, which might have meant death for many. 

While some think the climate change agenda is an overreaction, especially when Washington DC gets three feet of snow, it might just be that the unusual weather is due to the climate change’s effect on the jet stream. 

The federal government has begun making climate change initiatives a national focus and a number of foundations have begun to make it their local focus.  The interesting part about the term ”climate change” is that I find it to be more of a general description that a fair number of initiatives fall under.  It should be easy for every nonprofit to come up with a way to participate in making a DIFFERENCE toward climate change. 

You’re a nonprofit that can create a community program identifying uses of recycling materials and/or promoting participation in recycling. 

You’re a nonprofit that needs to weatherize your facility to reduce its energy costs.

You’re a nonprofit that can switch to a renewal energy source or less green gas energy sources.

You’re a nonprofit that has decided to locate your services near a central transportation hub.  This means you’re part of the smart growth initiative to be located within walking distance of a rail stop or bus stop.  When looking for such locations try to link individuals to your location by only having to take one ride to the stop.  If there are multiple connections they must be easy and convenient.

You’re a nonprofit that promotes urban farming that reduces green house gases by having more locally grown produce.  Hydroponics and greenhouses on roofs just might be the answer. 

Take time as a nonprofit to come up with your plan to participate.

Planning and implementing change is necessary for the nonprofit to evolve and adjust to the market place.  While it may be hard emotionally to implement, inaction can lead to failure.  A severe recession is what it took to show which nonprofits were prepared to make decisions and which ones were not.  It also showed nonprofits where their true strengths and commitments were.  The advice is to make strategic planning an annual event.  A nonprofit will never know when its importance will be paramount to its survival.