This is what is wrong with the public school system

[Ibanez]

http://www.newson6.com/story/23078269/tulsa-public-schools

Yes, the solution to a problem is always to hire more management.

[Gaspar]

It's matrix management.  Do you expect it would be different than any other government work?

[Ibanez]

It's matrix management.  Do you expect it would be different than any other government work?

Oh, I know. It's just that when my teacher friends start complaining about the lack of money for educational funding and I mention something like this they all tilt their heads like a confused dog and ask me W T F I'm talking about. It's like they all have selective amnesia about how bloated the school system is with administrators who don't need to exist.

The truly sad part is when the teachers move into these positions and totally forget what it was like to be on the other side and think they are more important than the teachers. I have, well had, one friend who did this and was in an administrative job where she would openly admit to only having two days a week of work to do and that was stretching it. The rest of the time she spends running errands, shopping, etc... Still does as far as I know. I got so disgusted I quit socializing with her.

[AquaMan]

Ibanez, have you worked for a lot of companies? I have to laugh at that pic. It describes about every place I ever worked and most of those places we had the same conversation we're having here! I remember watching out the window of the Cities Service building one day as my fellow workers described city workers below us who could have posed for that picture. We stood there with coats, ties, coffee and donuts doing the same thing.

That said, TPS is the weirdest place I have ever worked. It is imbalanced racially, lacking in leadership skills, embraces negative incentivism with the same zeal they ignore solid business practices. Once you leave the trench and become administration, the pressure is intense to not rock the boat.

[guido911]

The private schools I am familiar with do not have that sort of nonsense management structure.

[AquaMan]

Are the private school systems you're familiar with employing thousands of workers? Are they the largest private school system in the state?

My friend at American sees the same practices at his company. We were the 6th largest oil company in America when I worked at Cities and saw this stuff. Large operations are unwieldy and difficult to manage.

[Gaspar]

Are the private school systems you're familiar with employing thousands of workers? Are they the largest private school system in the state?

My friend at American sees the same practices at his company. We were the 6th largest oil company in America when I worked at Cities and saw this stuff. Large operations are unwieldy and difficult to manage.

That's exactly why schools should not be "Large operations that are unwieldy and difficult to manage."  The evidence in this report is a great case for smaller districts. 

[AquaMan]

That's exactly why schools should not be "Large operations that are unwieldy and difficult to manage."  The evidence in this report is a great case for smaller districts. 

Yeah, its hard so just don't do it.

Why don't we consolidate some of the smaller districts and save some overhead as well? Either way, the legislature has the control.

[Gaspar]

Went to "Meet The Teacher" day on Saturday morning at Jenks.  Jenks elementary had 16 positions to fill this year, but they hired 30 so that they could reduce class sizes.  She has significantly fewer kids in her classroom this year.  My daughter's new teacher is young, bright, and energetic (she should get along well with my daughter).  She came from TPS after 4 years there, and said most of the new Jenks hires came from TPS.

What is TPS doing wrong that makes it so hard to acquire talent this year?

[cannon_fodder]

Is there an administrator to teacher ratio?

[rdj]

What is TPS doing wrong that makes it so hard to acquire talent this year?

My sons' school (TPS magnet elementary) lost a long time teacher to a suburban school district this year.  In talking with the principal he indicated they offered a compensation package TPS couldn't match.