New DOE chief: We will do more with less in Georgia
New Georgia school chief John Barge met with the press today.
In his first big media appearance since taking office, new State School Superintendent John Barge said two priorities this year would be creating multiple pathways to the state’s single diploma and responding to concerns about the math curriculum. (He said DOE had math teachers in last week — they could not come in this week for a second session — to participate in a “precision” review of the math curriculum.)
Barge made his comments at a media symposium sponsored by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. I will update this blog all day as new speakers appear.
Right now, we are hearing about Race to the Top from Erin Hames, formerly with DOE and now with the governor’s office, and Teresa MacCartney, RTTT implementation director with DOE. MacCartney just introduced Kathie Wood, a teacher who recently joined the RTTT team — she was a state teacher of the year finalist and taught at Marietta Middle School — to provide the teacher perspective. Wood is speaking now; she is very inspirational so I can understand why DOE tapped her to be part of the RTTT team.
Here are Barge’s comments:
On the state budget: “I do have a lot respect for the difficult job that Gov. Deal has. We expected the budget to be worse than it was. I think Gov. Deal took a great deal of care to prevent deeper cuts than what we even anticipated. We were encouraged by what we saw…the budget he proposed seeks to strike a fiscally sound balance in tough times. We have to do more with less. Revenues continue to decline.”
“We continue to work at better leveraging technology. We must embrace technology to deliver what we need to deliver to our students with less resources. We are already working within our department to look at efficiencies and model doing more with less for local school districts. We continue to make the Department of Education the most efficient, best customer service agency in the state of Georgia. Can we streamline? Yes, we can.”
“One of the benefits of growing up in poverty is that you figure out how to get things done with limited resources. Limited resources will not prevent DOE from finding ways to deliver the best education we can to the students of Georgia. I want to be transparent in the department. That has been one of the issues. As a person out there in field, sometimes we didn’t always have best communication from the department.”
Barge then gave his bio: Youngest of five kids. Dad was an alcoholic and abusive to his mother. Very difficult and challenging childhood in Georgia.
He said:
“I decided very early on when I was little that you know what, when I am an adult, I want better for my family. I want a better life. I want to provide for my family. And the only way I could do that is education. No one in my family ever went to college,” he said
“School gave me the opportunity to be me. It gave me the opportunity to escape home. I had scholarships to a number of schools. I ended up at Berry College in Rome where I paid the least amount of money to go. I really came to love Berry. I realized that Martha Berry understood education better than anybody I have ever known. It is about education of the head, heart and hands,” he said.
Barge said he raised his brother’s two children for five years. The youngest child was 4, and was hiding food when he first came to live with Barge and his wife because the child had never known from where his next meal would come. The child was far behind, but by second grade was the best reader in his school, said Barge.
“We are passionate about education,” he said. “I know that education is a great equalizer. It didn’t matter when I walked through the doors of Campbell High School that maybe all we had to eat that morning for breakfast was popcorn. It didn’t matter that my dad was an alcoholic. It didn’t matter what was going on at home. When I walked through doors of that school, I had the same opportunity as every other child in that building.”
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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68 comments Add your comment
whatever
January 15th, 2011
3:39 am
“do more with less” = layoffs
What's best for kids?
January 15th, 2011
7:48 am
How does coming from poverty=being a good leader? At some point in life one’s past is not applicable. Does anyone care that I lost my dad at eight years old? Can I put that on a resume and hopefully people will feel sorry for me and I can get the job?
ENOUGH with the poverty, Barge. No one particularly cares.
justjanny
January 15th, 2011
8:11 am
Unfortunately, there are many, many dumb bunnies out their homeschooling their kids – especially those bad butt kids who were expelled from school. Oh! Maybe that’s a good thing!
justjanny
January 15th, 2011
8:12 am
Oh, another thing – John Barge is kinda cute and I love his compassion (in dealing with personal family issues). Why don’t we give he guy a chance, all youse black and white folk!!
justbrowsing
January 15th, 2011
9:26 am
What I am impressed with is that he is knowledgeable about all the difficulties of the educative process- from that as a student, teacher, administrator, and district level and state level leader. It makes him more than qualified in my book.
justin
January 15th, 2011
10:39 am
@ Toto,
Are you somehow related to the Talibans? I think you guys can get along pretty well.
ScienceTeacher671
January 15th, 2011
10:44 am
@justin, it seems to me that a whole generation of teachers and community leaders of my parents’ generation came from Berry College.
In fact, I think I like Martha Berry’s model of giving young people an excellent education if they are willing to work for it a lot better than Zell Miller’s model of giving them free tuition.
justin
January 15th, 2011
11:22 am
@ Science Teacher,
I wonder if the state can create a program like a co-op program where students intern every other semester to engage in some “service” projects to receive scholarship? I’m sure there are only so many opportunities you can create, so such a program must be competitive. But, the pay off should be basically all tuition, room & board, plus some stipends. Students can intern at various state agencies throughout the state – maybe the state can reduce the number of full-time employees to partially cover the expenses for such a program.
Toto
January 15th, 2011
1:46 pm
“Are you somehow related to the Talibans? I think you guys can get along pretty well.”
Well Justin, you certainly know how to drive home your point…um, what was it?
Robro
January 15th, 2011
3:11 pm
I personally know Dr. Barge. We grew up in the same town, but attended different high schools. We met at Berry College. You have no idea what this man has accomplished in his life. It is amazing. With that in mind, please don’t forget that he had numerous challenges facing him when he walked in the door as State Superintendent. He is going to have to remedy those things as well as meet objectives he has set for Georgia education. So…give him a chance. I don’t see him doing anything. but his best for Georgia education. I am proud of you, John.
BKB
January 15th, 2011
3:35 pm
I went to Berry College in the early nineties. While working on campus was no longer a requirement, the vast majority of students did work. I worked at the college dairy (now defunct), grounds maintenance, and as a resident assistant in the dorms. Berry instills in its graduates the importance of working hard and the importance of real life experience, not just textbook learning. It’s a beautiful school with an incredible campus – if you’re not familiar with it, check it out. It’s a not so hidden education gem in NW Georgia…
justin
January 15th, 2011
3:48 pm
@ Toto,
Another similarity with those guys with over there…
An American Patriot
January 15th, 2011
4:20 pm
WOW, You think we could learn anything from this? and why did we get away from this?
Superintendent’s Message
My Dear Boys and Girls:
I asked someone last Friday morning why every child whom I met was smiling, and they replied, “Don’t you know? The children are back in school; they are happy at their work again.” How different it is from the old days when children were driven to school, and how happy I am to receive you into our school buildings and to see you working to develop your personality, to enjoy your games and exercises, to find real pleasure in your books and your activities. To each and every one of you I send my very happiest greetings for the very best year of all your school life.
The teachers look so much better; they have rested and they are ready to give you their very best efforts. Our supervisors and administrative force are at your service. The whole object of the school system is to see that you receive the instruction which should be given you and that you profit by the opportunities which the city offers. You must work hard in order that when you become grown men and grown women and have children of your own that you will give them better opportunities even than you received. Each of us owes an obligation to the oncoming generation and to the years that are in front of us. It is our business to act in the present and to prepare for the future. Each little boy and girl and each big boy and girl has this obligation. I trust you will remember it during this year, and use, to the very best possible advantage, all the opportunities which come to you.
Always your friend,
Willis A. Sutton Superintendent of Schools.
This appeared in the Atlanta Constitution on Sunday, September 17, 1933
Mr. Sutton was Superintendent of the Atlanta Public School System
Dr. Craig Spinks /Augusta
January 15th, 2011
8:43 pm
Dr. Barge,
Godspeed to you and your team in your efforts to improve our public school system!
Toto
January 16th, 2011
12:11 am
I would like to ask Mr. Barge why we have less (money) in Georgia. According to Georgia law, public schools are to be tax (property) supported. How did Georgia schools end up in such dire straits? Which elected officials failed to reign in housing starts when so many were being purchased with liar loans? Who did not see the bubble coming? Why is Georgia taking RTTT money to fund local schools? Why should the Federal government dictate local policy?
Well, here is a possible solution to our state and national debt problem, first used by Abraham Lincoln. States should not accept any Federal Reserve loans. Instead, the Federal Treasury should follow the Constitution and coin/print it’s own money, DEBT FREE (Lincoln’s Greenbacks) and loan it to the States.
Here is an amazing bankster inspired excerpt from an editorial in the London Times from 1865 which shows how terrified the banksters were of Lincoln and his ‘greenback’ policy.
“If this mischievous financial policy, which has its origin in North America, shall become endurated [sic] down to a fixture, then that Government will furnish its own money without cost. It will pay off debts and be without debt. It will have all the money necessary to carry on its commerce. It will become prosperous without precedent in the history of the world. The brains, and wealth of all countries will go to North America. That country must be destroyed or it will destroy every monarchy on the globe.”
Who will stand for the people of Georgia and throw off the shackles of bank debt?
http://foolscrow.wordpress.com/2010/09/19/irish-government-to-auction-national-assets-criminal-stupidity-or-national-sabotage/
Toto: exposing New Jersey Scrooges
January 16th, 2011
12:23 am
This is why people leave their one-bedroom flats in New Jersey and move to Georgia…..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110114/ap_on_bi_ge/us_foreclosure_missed_last_payment_1
Banjo
January 17th, 2011
3:38 pm
Doesn’t he mean that we’ll do less with less? Do the laws of physics (and dollars and cents) not apply to Republicans? If we need to cut the budget, then fine let’s be honest and transparent and do it – but please don’t lie to me and tell me that this pile of hooey smells great. The budget situation is a mess, and it’s just getting worse for working folks. If you get your money from stock investments though, you’ve had an awesome year!
DOE: Systems that spent federal stimulus may furlough | Get Schooled
January 20th, 2011
9:44 am
[...] Here is the PAGE summary of school chief John Barge’s and DOE Deputy Superintendent of Finance Scott Austensen’s presentation Tuesday to the House and Senate joint appropriations hearings on the 2011 Supplemental Budget and the FY 2012 Budget. Barge’s comments are very similar to what he told the media Friday. [...]