About the Webinar:
This session featured a Collaborative Roundtable Discussion, conducted as part of Year 4 of The Charter School Leaders and Authorizers Compliance and Best Practices Training and Collaboration Grant.
ESSER Cliff: Myth or Reality? Navigating Economic Challenges: Running a Cost-Effective Network of Schools
Presenter:
- Tony Arza, School Leaders Fellowship / District Charter Collaborative, DynEval Solutions, LLC
Date/Time: November 20, 2024
Conference: 2024 FL Charter School Conference
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Session Summary
This presentation, "ESSER Cliff: Myth or Reality? Navigating Economic Challenges: Running a Cost-Effective Network of Schools," is a roundtable discussion moderated by Tony Arza from the School Leaders Fellowship / District Charter Collaborative. The session aims to foster dialogue between school districts and charter schools on how to navigate the financial implications of the end of ESSER funding.
The discussion begins with Superintendent Mark Sarnoff from Osceola County Schools addressing the question of whether there is enough money in education. Sarnoff argues that while funding has increased, it hasn't kept pace with the growing demands for individualized learning experiences and programs tailored to the changing economy.
The conversation shifts to the impact of regulations on school budgets, with Osceola School Board Chair Heather Cahoon highlighting the burden of unfunded mandates and the need for greater flexibility in how districts allocate resources.
The discussion then turns to the topic of trust between the state and local school districts, with Julio Cabrera, CEO of Academic Charter Schools, emphasizing the importance of empowering schools and teachers to make decisions based on their students' needs.
The session also explores the concept of earned autonomy, with Superintendent Sarnoff suggesting that schools demonstrating high performance should be granted greater flexibility in how they use resources.
The roundtable concludes with a discussion on strategies for running cost-effective school networks, including conducting initiative inventories to assess the return on investment of various programs and addressing opportunity costs by proactively recruiting and retaining staff.
Overall, the session provides valuable insights into the financial challenges facing schools and districts and highlights the importance of collaboration, innovation, and trust in navigating these challenges effectively.