Nashville schools are in the news for the huge changes coming up in hopes of averting low test score results. In the news, new Director of Schools Jesse Register is planning to eliminate 225 jobs. On the MNPS web site, Register has outlined his plans to overhaul the district to increase student performance. On top of this monstrous list of 8 huge changes, there is the rezoning plan going into effect, which will change the dynamics of schools across the district and possibly lead to the closing of 5 schools.
Just read the tag line of the transformation plan – “The district realizes it will be difficult to undertake eight major areas of reform simultaneously. But, this is what we must do. None of these areas can wait.” I can feel the weight of the competing pressures smooshing this poor district – NCLB requirements with a possible mayoral takeover on one side, and the sheer size and number of changes necessary being almost overwhelming on the other.
These themes might come up again in another blog, but for now, I want to focus on numbers because I am a numbers geek (surprised? really?). So, I am looking at the closing of 5 schools and the loss of 225 jobs thinking, how in the world can any district absorb this many people? Surely most of them will bump out teachers without tenure, leaving the district with no new teachers and a lot of shuffling of those that stay. But then I went to the web site and counted the number of job position open for certificated staff. (Yes, I sat and counted them all out. I told you. Total numbers geek. It was actually a little fun for me.) Now, before I tell you the numbers there is something you have to know. This does not count the new middle school or elementary school, nor does it count the additions needed at newer schools that are now growing. These numbers only represent the number of jobs open at current schools that are separately and distinctly posted as of April 23, 2009.
Elementary – 113 positions
Middle – 159 positions
High School – 161 positions
Total – 433 positions
That’s enough to drop in the 225 from central office AND those from the 5 closing schools, shake them around for a bit, and still need to go out and recruit.
In other words, all you recent graduates out there, there does not seem to be cause for fear. It would seem that even with a gigantic restructuring plan in place, MNPS could still use a few good men (people).
-Ted Murcray
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