Governance

Curriculum

Math

Community Input Embraced or Ignored?Report of Committee to Redesign Middle School Curriculum: Top Secret for NowWhy is the MMSD Afraid to Have a General Discussion of Their Mathematics Program?

Perceptions: www.schoolinfosystem.org—task_force_insi.php

Reading

Reading First: Reading program not worth cost; Rainwater pledges that it will continue

Community Input: embraced or ignored?

UW's Mark Seidenberg: There�s something deeply wrong here.Madison schools distort reading data

Teacher Barb Williams: www.schoolinfosystem.org—barb_williams_l.php

Parent Sheryl TrumbowerMy 7th Grader's Lost Year at Sherman Middle School?

Budget: (The MMSD budget has grown from $200M 1994/1995 to $329M in 2005/2006 while enrollment has remained flat). This despite, or because of revenue caps.

Does the Board discuss substantial financial decisions ($2M), ie, Reading First Rejection and Reading Recovery effectiveness and cost? Madison Superintendent Declines $2M in Federal Funds Without Consulting the BoardMadison Board Will Not Discuss Superintendent's Decision to Quit Federal "Reading First" Program

Does the Board Consider all aspects of the budget and put the children's interest first, or is it a fait acompli? Administrator and Teacher Contracts - Timing and Position do Seem to Matter

Clear and easily understood description of the District's Sources of Funds and how this has changed over time: www.schoolinfosystem.org—help_me_underst.php

Describe the District's annual spending growth and why, given this growth, why there is annually a need to "cut budgets" despite overall budget growth

Federal (income, licenses, gas, fees and other taxes)

State (income, licenses, gas, fees and other taxes)

Describe the State Revenue Caps

Local (Property Taxes): Tax Base, City Growth and the School District's Budget

Describe the significant penalty Madison taxpayers pay if and when referenda pass. For each dollar in new spending, the MMSD loses state aid, which means that every new dollar in spending requires ($1.70+) in property taxes

Grants

What is the MMSD doing to develop other sources of funds

What is the cost of losing students (in terms of spending authority)? www.schoolinfosystem.org—where_have_all.php Is this a curriculum issue?

Clear and easily understood description of the District's Uses of Funds

How does the MMSD's overhead compare to other Districts? WISTAX: SchoolFacts 2005: Madison School District Comparison

Administration

Teachers

Curriculum

MSCR "Fund 80". Fund 80 is a source of funds outside the revenue caps Fund 80

Health Care Costs: Is the District using our $329M in the most efficient manner?: Permanent Link

Are there district facilities and services that could be repurposed or eliminated?

Facilities: Doyle Administration Building: www.madisonblogs.com—mt-search.cgi

Facilities: Hoyt Building www.madisonblogs.com—mt-search.cgi

Administration: Teaching & Learning:Permanent Link

Wellness

Does the Madison School District's Population Reflect Our Town?

Missing Students: www.schoolinfosystem.org—where_have_all.phpThis is Not Your Grandchild's Madison School DistrictResponse to "This is Not Your Grandchild's Madison School District"

Suburban Growth