Leadershlpfo'r 'Changing TimejS/
The 40-yearbistory , ofthe
Texas ~ociation of School Boards Leadership for Changing Times by Shirley Hall
The 40-year history of the Texas Association of School Boards © Copyright 1989 by the TexasAssociation of School Boards P.O. Box 400, Austin, Texas 78767 All rights reserved. Reproductions of any part ofthis book require permission from theTexasAssociation of School Boards.
2 Dedication
This book is dedicated to the civic-minded member of the Leverett's Chapel ISD Board; Joe volunteers of society who choose to be guardians Finley, a formerTASB Board member and origi of education-the school trustees on boards of nal trustee of the T ASB Workers' Compensation education. School trustees are the ones who Self-Insurance Fund, who served 30 years on the carry the torch of leadership, who make a stand United Consolidated ISD Board; D.O. Laird, also for a cause, and who persevere to raise our a 30-year board member in La Porte lSD, who education standard. Their goal is to provide the served on the TASB Board and the original opportunity for every child to succeed in arriving Workers' Compensation Fund Board; and Rich at his or her greatest potential. ard Teniente, a former San Antonio ISD trustee, To be remembered are the trustees, now liv who served on the TASB Board and was one of ing or deceased, who paved the way for present the first members of the Mexican-American progress. They gave their energies so willingly Caucus. These trustees are only a few of the and their love so generously that education for outstanding leaders who have given their time Texas children would progress and flourish. Texas and devotion to the Texas public school boards. owes deep gratitude to such dedicated trustees Mayall future trustees on boards of educa as Dr. Ray Daily, founder and first president of tion carry the same torch of leadership and be TASB; Willie Kocurek, also a founding member inspired and dedicated to serving and improving of TASB and the second president; Joe Kelly the education system, and may the Texas Asso Butler, a past vice-president of TASB who went ciation of School Boards continue to be an instru on to become the chairman ofthe State Board of ment to serve local boards in their endeavor to Education; Evalyn Swan, a former member of the promote excellence in education. TASB Board of Trustees and currently a 32-year
3
Contents
About the Author ...... 7 Acknowledgements ...... 9 Preface ...... 11 1 1949: A TIme for Beginnings ...... 13 2 1949-54: A TIme for Organization ...... 17 3 1955-68: A Time of Challenges ...... 37 4 1968-77: A Time for New Directions ...... 49 5 1978-89: A Time for Innovative Service ...... 65 6 Beyond 1989: A Time for Vision ...... 85 Appendix ...... 99
About the Author
For nearly 30 years Shirley Hall has served member of the state advisory committee for the public schools of Texas. Elected to the gifted education, she was appointed by the gov Weatherford ISO Board in 1960, she has served ernor to a five-member select committee to at as board president twice and in all other board tend the National Leadership Training Institute offices. Her personal history with the Texas for the Gifted and Talented in Washington, D.C. Association of School Boards goes back to 1962, Ensuing leadership conferences prepared the when she was elected to the TASB Board of committee to propose and pass legislation for the Trustees. Eleven years later, she was elected gifted and talented in Texas. Hall was instrumen president ofTASB. From 1973 to 1974, she led talinleadingTASH-and subsequently the state the organization in the development of several to proclaim gifted education a priority in Texas major programs, such as the TASB Workers' education. Compensation Self-Insurance Fund. Since her A nurse by profession, Hall is a mother of presidency, she has remained active in the Asso five children. She and her husband John also ciation and serves on the presidential advisory reared a grandson. In the past 18 months, she committee. has worked as TASB historian, researching Throughout the years, Hall has maintained a education and TASB archives. This book is a keen interest in gifted and talented education. A culmination of her efforts.
7
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Orbry Holden, Policy Service also joined the team. Jerry Edwards, and Mary Ann Briley of the From Communications, editor Tamara TASB staff for their inspiration and assistance in Thompson deserves special recognition and sin the history of the Association. Billy Walker and cere thanks for her collaboration with the au Mike Day were also contributing staff members. thor. The Communications Division staff, under To TASB Board members, both past and the direction of Karen Strong, was an integral present, who made the history a living memorial, part of the compilation of this book. Karen coor much recognition and thanks is due. Always to dinated a team effort in the division, which in be remembered is that dedicated board mem cluded Barbara Williams and Tamara Thompson, bers created their Association to give strength writing and editing; David Daniels, design; Mike and support to local school boards, to serve their Gray, printing; David Koempel, photography; needs, and, in turn, to serve the youth in Texas and Carolyn Ross, consulting. Dick Smith from public education.
9
Preface
School board governance demonstrates the management, legal and legislative affairs, finance, truest form of democracy. In Texas, more than curriculum, personnel management, planning, 7,000 school board members, all elected by people leadership training, and community involvement. in their local districts, dedicate long hours to The informal and formal roles TASB has education without monetary compensation. played in the last 40 years underpin the mission Through their work, they provide many oppor statement the Association adopted in its 1988 tunities for the diverse student populations in strategic planning process: their districts. 'The mission ofTASB is to facilitate the local Created in 1949 by a group of school trus governance and management of public educa tees, the Texas Association of School Boards is tion by providing leadership through vision, an advocate and resource for public education planning, and research, and by providing se and for local school districts, a helping hand in lected, specialized services that are high quality solving problems, a conduit for efficiency in con and cost-effective for individual districts." ducting school business, and a source of valu This book tells the story of the Texas Asso able and timely information. TASB has become ciation of School Boards-the dedicated trus distinguished for its leadership in orderly, pro tees who founded the organization and the lead gressive change to public education. ers who have formed and developed it into the Starting as a one-person office on the Uni multifaceted service organization it is today. versity of Texas campus, TASB now occupies Through this story, we hope to show the influ three buildings to house its projects and employ ence school board members have had on educa ees. The Association supports districts in every tion in Texas over the past 40 years. After all, this area of school services: research, policy, risk is their story.
11
Chapter 1 1949: A Time for Beginnings
_ ..._------ If we desire to establish a Republican government upon a broad and permanent basis, it will become our duty to adopt a comprehensive and well-regulated system ofmental and moral culture. Education is a subject in which every citizen, and especially every parent, feels a deep and lively concern. .. .It is the only dictator that freemen acknowledge and the only security that freemen desire. The present is a propitious moment to lay the foundation of a great moral and intellectual edifice, which will in after ages be hailed as the chief ornament and blessing ofTexas. -Mirabeau B. Lamar In the annals of education history, 1949 will the lieutenant governor, and the governor. HCR long stand out as legendary. That year the Texas 48 was sponsored in the Senate by AM. Aikin of Legislature made an all-out effort to reform the Paris, a long-time supporter of education legisla state's education system and passed the Gilmer tion. The committee was charged to study the Aikin laws. This legislation provided the climate governance and financing of the schools as well in which school board members across the state as other topics germane to the legislative issues. were finally able to form the Texas Association of Among the 18 members serving on the com School Boards. mittee was Austin School Superintendent ].W. The now-famous laws culminated two years Edgar, who was later to be named the first com of work on the part of many elected officials, missioner of education. L.D. Haskew, dean of school leaders, and citizens who examined the education at the University of Texas, was se state of education at the time. By 1947, the public lected as technical consultant to the committee. education system had become the victim of three Haskew would later play a major role in the decades of benign neglect, the Great Depres formation of TASB. sion, and W orld War II.Thepostwar world brought Although the Gilmer-Aikin Committee was increases in both school enrollments and the not the first to look at reforming education in cost of living, along with a fear that education Texas, it was unique in that this time a compre revenues could not keep pace under the existing hensive communication effort was undertaken to funding structure. In addition, legal attacks on involve every community and citizen. The com segregation were increasing, and gross inequi mittee set up a state advisory framework with ties in education spending for white and black local committees in each county. The local students were becoming more pronounced. More committee included both laypersons and educa than 5,000 school districts existed in the state, tors as well as the press and civic groups. In this the majority of which operated as tax havens. way many citizens were stirred to support wide The troubling concepts of equalization and equal spread reform in the Texas school finance and educational opportunity were beginning to filter governance systems. This support would prove into the school finance logic in Texas. valuable in the implementation of the laws for In 1947, the 50th Legislature created the many years to come. Gilmer-Aikin Committee as a compromise meas The press was responsive and supportive by ure arising from a legislative deadlock on a new publicizing Texas' ranking with otherstates. The minimum salary schedule for teachers. Although level of fiscal responsibility to students was a most legislators agreed that an increase was vi disgrace to Texas citizens. Texas ranked 39th in tal, the proposed method of financing provided percapita spending and 38th in academic achieve the controversy, and Senator James Taylor of ment. The entire state recognized the decline of Kerens and Representative Claud Gilmer of Rock its schools. Local committees made suggestions springs led the cry for a more equitable distribu for the committee report and later voted on tion model. Governor Beauford Jester supported which proposals should be carried forward into their efforts. Gilmer introduced House Concur the 51st Texas Legislature. rent Resolution 48, a measure establishing a In November 1948 the Gilmer-Aikin Com committee of 18 to be appointed by the speaker, mittee published its recommendations in To Have
14 Mat We Must, a report that contained 33 broad objectives under six major goals: Preston Hutchinson: 1. The committee wanted to provide for a A Gllmer..Alkln Expert minimum foundation program (MFP) that would guarantee 12 years of school, nine months per Preston Hutch year, with an average class size of 25 students in inson, currently a average daily attendance (ADA). This MFPwould consultantatTASB, provide not only classroom teachers but also worked with the librarians, supervisors, counselors, visiting teach Legislature in the ers, teachers of exceptional children, and both 1940sduringconsid campus and general administrators. eration of the 2. The committee sought to combine both Gilmer-Aikin legis local and state support to finance the MFP, with lation and was part oftheteam hired to the state underwriting the cost above a reason implement the. re able uniform local effort (called the local fund as forms. signment). The state would pay its traditional per Having begun capita grant plus foundation program funds after his career as a a local share was to be computed using a county teacher for $85 a month in 1930, Hutchinson economic index as a measure of tax-paying abil advanced to coach, principal, and superinten ity of districts. The unit of distribution was to be dent. In the late 1940s, he left his superinten ADA instead of scholastic census. The commit dent position in EastTexas to serve on the State tee also suggested that at a future date, after Legislative Committee, from which evolved anticipated school district consolidations had the Gilmer-Aikin legislation. occurred, the MFP should provide monies for Altholjgh he worked for legislative com adequate buildings and equipment. mittees to propose and pres~nt the Gilmer 3. The committee envisioned the establish Aikin bills, he took a neutral position on their passage "because I re.aliied if the laws passed, ment of local administrative units "fitted to give my job would be eliminated," he said. efficient management." Dormant school districts Bu.t Hu tch, as he is known to his friends, were to be closed, and all real property in the was too valuable to the state leaders to let go. state was to be placed on a school district tax roll. He recalls: "The morning after the so-called The committee also wanted a State Commission Gilmer-Aikin program was passed, the state on Reorganization that would enforce school auditor,C.R Cavness, calledme. He had been district consolidations where county citizens failed charged with setting up the new system be to do so. This radical proposal never reached leg cause he had expertise in finance. I ran into islative fruition. him as hegot off the elevatorin the capitol. He 4. The committee suggested that the ma stuck out his hand and said, 'You are now a chinery of state management of public education member ofthe state auditor's office. "Forwhat be redesigned. An elected State Board of Educa purpose?' I said. 'To implement the Gilmer tion was to replace the nine-member appointive Aikin program.' So I was the first person em ployed to implement the program." State Board in operation since 1929. The State Later he was hired by Commissioner of Board would appoint a commissioner of educa Education 1.W. Edgar, and for 22 years he tion, thus eliminating the elective state superin served in the TEA audit department as finance tendent position and its incumbent, L.A Woods. director. The state department would be revamped into In 1978 he was asked by Executive Direc the Texas Education Agency. tor Orbry Holden to join the TASB staff as a 5. The study group wanted to ensure an ade financial consultant. For the past 11 years quate minimum salary schedule for teachers and Hutchinson has managed investment capital other professionals and suggested a beginning forTASB. teacher salary of $2,400 per year (a proposal that was adopted in law). To encourage teachers and administrators to continue to improve their skills,
15 the salary schedule provided financial incentives ued effort to inform and involve those the law for a master's degree as evidence of improved would affect strengthened the support for the competence. The committee also wanted the new legislation. For some, it may have called at Legislature to authorize a two-year study ofteacher tention to the need for more periodic meetings of education in the state. school leaders. 6. The committee made miscellaneous rec In the following years, the improvements in ommendations concerning a new compulsory at education as a result of the Gilmer-Aikin laws be tendance law; the school census; textbook selec came readily apparent: tion, distribution, and management; a minimum • More than 6,000 districts were consoli safety code governing school facilities; and es dated and regrouped into 2,220 better and more tablishment of a commission to codify the school efficient units; laws of the state. • Many qualified teachers returned to the Although all proposals were not to be en profession because of better pay; acted into law, the major recommendations would • Enrollments in teacher training programs be; the other suggestions indicate the flavor of and graduate courses increased greatly; the committee's intent. • School staffs were enhanced by the addi The recommendations were packaged into tion of librarians and other special service posi bills introduced into the House and Senate of the tions; 51st Legislature. Opposition to the proposals • An increased emphasis was placed on stu came mainly from State Superintendent Woods, dent attendance since funds were distributed on his political supporters, the State Department of an ADA basis; Education, conservative legislators, rural dis • Services for minorities were improved by tricts fearing consolidation, and districts contain the funding system since pupil attendance was ing high private school enrollment. required for funding to flow; and Nevertheless, the three bills passed and were • Many districts experienced relief from fi signed into law almost immediately. Because nancial distress through the injection of addi both houses passed the legislation by more than tional state aid into the finance system through a two-thirds vote, the laws went into effect upon theMFP. signing. Obviously, the laws were not a cure-all for A last-minute change in one of the bills the state's education ills, but they solved some removed Woods from his position immediately, major problems. Most important, they set in instead of allowing him to serve out his term as motion a system that would become widely ac the state head. The job of implementing the new cepted and supported on the local level as a laws fell to State Auditor C.H. Cavness, who was welcome change. They also would bring together asked to serve as interim administrative officer neighboring districts to work together in solving to replace Woods. Cavness formed an implemen and facing new problems. tation team that included Bascom Hayes, a su If 1949 was a year of change, it was also a perintendent in Edna, and Preston Hutchinson, a year of beginnings. In November, a new 21 legislative accountant. Hayes would later be member State Board of Education was elected come executive director of TASB, and, years with RB. Anderson of Vernon as chairman. In later, Hutchinson would go to work for TASB as that same month, a group of school trustees a financial consultant. gathered in Austin to charter a new association In a rigorous undertaking, the implementa that would bring board members together to tion team managed to hold 32 regional meetings upgrade the education system for all Texas chil in the summer of 1949 to explain the changes to dren and provide a means for information and school superintendents and to notify each dis education for themselves. For school trustees in trict of its state funding entitlement for the 1949 every part of the state, the era of the Texas 50 school year. It was a monumental effort, but Association of School Boards was just begin the need for communication of such wide-sweep ning. ing reforms was readily apparent. This contin
16 ChaPter 2 1949-54: A Time·for Organization The reform movement of 1947-49 was sig the Gulf Coast area, and J.W. Edgar, newly cho nificant because it involved legislators and their sen Austin school superintendent. A meeting of constituents in setting up a new system of educa interested trustees followed early in 1949 at the tion, at a time when few education groups were TSTA convention in Fort Worth. organized. Teachers and administrators had long Following that meeting a school board com taken part in the Texas State Teachers Associa mittee was set up in Austin to investigate the tion and the Texas Association of School Admin formal creation of TASB. Serving on the commit istrators. But school board members did not tee were Daily; Mrs. John N. Olson of Galveston; have a unified voice to speak their concerns. So Kocurek, Austin school board president; Ronald where were school boards during this all-impor Byrum, Mrs. 0.0. Weeks, and James Amstadt, tant era of reform? all of the Austin school board; Edgar; and Mrs. "School board members had no power, nor H.R Stroube of Corsicana. did we have a unified voice to act as an organiza The committee was unified in its desire to tion," recalls W.I. ~ocurek, a past TASB presi bring together school board members to "grow dent and driving force in organizing the associa in service, help others grow in service, work with tion. "Only by banding together as an association all school board members to improve Texas could we be effective. There would be strength in schools, and meet with other school board numbers. members to discuss common problems." With "An association was necessary to give board new education laws going into effect, school membersthe power and influence to act in behalf board members needed a way to keep updated of school boards," Kocurek said. "We had no on the implementation process. voice in educational affairs until we formed an Needing help, the committee turned to the association. " University of Texas, which offered assistance An attempt at organizing such an association and assigned a consultant to seek funding. UT actually took place many years before the Gilmer advised the committee to organize a meeting. Aikin laws were even considered. In the Gulf So in November 1949 aU school board mem Coast area, a group of women, formerly active in bers were invited to assemble in Austin for a plan mothers groups, became school trustees and of action and service. Approximately 100 trus were determined to start a school boards asso tees attended the first organizational meeting, ciation. Consequently, in 1941 a group of trus and 26 school districts joined together under the tees from the Gulf Coast area tried to set up an aegis of the Texas Association of School Boards. organization of school board members. But World At that meeting, short-term goals for the new War II broke out, and the plans for a neworgani organization were set up in a four-point program: zation had to be put on hold. The incentive, 1. Select a professional educator as executive however, still remained. secretary. Afteran extensive search, ALChapman, Then in November 1946 the Houston Board a professor of educational administration at the of Education hosted a small group of trustees University of Texas at Austin, was selected to anxious to form an association. Heading the serve as executive director. Chapman was a "rec group were Dr. Ray K Daily, a Houston school ognized authority in the field of school public re board member and one of the women leaders in lations."
18 2. Encourage regional meetings ofschool board As for a location, UT offered an office on members. The regional associations would en campus at 111 Sutton Hall as the first headquar able school board members to meet within their ters. The academic setting proved valuable to the communities and discuss common problems. new Association. UT education professors of 3. Make membership in the Association free. fered guidance and assistance in establishing To become affiliated with TASB, a school board many aspects of the organization, and graduate just needed to pass a resolution to that effect and students served in staff positions. send it to the Association secretary-treasurer. The first year in the life of TASB proved 4. Provide a research and information service quite successful. In March 1950, the first issue of to which school boards could subscribe. The serv the 'Texas School Board Newsletter" debuted, ice included a subscription to the "Texas School featuring the four-point program adopted in Board Newsletter," which would include news November. It provided a brief profile on new and research on education. Subscriptions to the Commissioner of Education Edgar; some discus service cost: sion on Senate Bill 116, which set up the mini • $50 for school systems having more than mum Foundation School Program; and short 7,000 students (scholastics); interviews with school board members who had • $25 for systems having 2,000 to 7,000 stu met for the first time with the Central Texas dents; and Schoolmasters' Club. • $15 for all other school systems. Reports of regional meetings of board mem The first leaders of the organization were bers were to be regular items in the newsletter. elected at that meeting. Daily, who had been Not only was it clear that the Association encour steadfast in getting the organization under way, aged these meetings throughout the state (point was given the honor of being selected as the first three of the four-point program), but it was also president. Kocurek was chosen first vice-presi apparent that school trustees were eager to par dent; Mrs. JA Gooch of Fort Worth, second ticipate. vice-president; and Weeks, secretary-treasurer. "We need lots of help. These services will go These officers, along with the executive director, far in helping with our many problems. I would Executive Committee (later to be called theTASB like to suggest that we have more of this sort of Board of Trustees), and many others, would meeting and in those meetings allow board mem contribute time, money, and effort to putin motion bers to participate," Barney Barrows, a Camp a fledgling association that would have phenome Hood school board member said. nal growth in the next several decades. The Sabine-Neches area meeting set the rec ord attendance for a regional meeting in 1950. At The First Year its second meeting discussed in the April issue of With goals and leadership in place, the new the newsletter, 86 school board members at TASB was finally a reality. But goals and leaders tended. The agenda covered a number of topics do not necessarily an organization make. Fund that would take days to discuss in the 1980s: or ing and a headquarters were needed, and for ganization of the board; teachers' salary sched these, the organizational committee sought the ule; policies on teacher leave; health and benefit help ofUTs Southwestern Cooperative Program plans for school personnel; services, data, and in in Educational Administration, which assigned formation expected from the superintendent; new L.D. Haskew, a professor in the department, to board member orientation; public participation help. Haskew subsequently applied for and se in the planning of the educational program; ex cured a $400,000 grant from the Kellogg Founda pectations of an architect in the development of a tion; the university added $100,000 to that sum. building program; policies on purchasing and The Kellogg grant was earmarked for promotion accounting; exploiting students; special person of public school leadership; TASB fit this re nel salaries; length of controls; and community quirement well. Over the next five years, the use of school properties. grant would financially support the Association. Lest we think that trustees in the 1950s TASB was encouraged to gradually increase its either had long attention spans or were gluttons membership and become self-supporting by 1954. for punishment, Mrs. Jack Orrick, a Beaumont
19 school board member, assures us differently: just a few of the things in which each district is "We really discussed only two of the topics to any almost independent. extent. There were lots of things yet to discuss " "Therefore, all of us in Texas now have a when we reluctantly ended this profitable meet great stake in how well local boards of trustees ing." discharge their responsibilities. If we do not The Gilmer-Aikin laws received a great deal have expert management of local schools now; if of attention during the early fifties, as might be we do not have unselfish, honest seeking after expected. The "Texas School Board Newsletter" the best there is-our gains may be lost. carried periodic updates on the laws and their .. 'For these reasons, it is highly gratifying to effects. An early edition discussed the organiza see the rapid expansion of the Texas School tional structure of the new Texas Education Board Association [sic]. This means that school Agency and the effect of the Foundation School board members, always the backbone of our Program. educational system, are rising to the occasion "Almost universal approval of the Founda and that they are seeking, by mutual effort, to tion School Program is indicated by the fact that become more and more excellent in discharging 95 percent of the schools in Texas are participat the duties that are theirs. ing. Nonparticipation is due chiefly to extremely "'School board membership is ajob that has low average daily attendance or unusual wealth to be learned. Also, school management is a field in the districts. that requires study. Good education for Texas "In a recent interview, Commissioner J.W. will be safe when we have a thousand school Edgar stated, 'We certainly intend to follow those boards actively studying their jobs.' " patterns which provide that the educational ini Few would argue that Haskew's conviction tiative be derived at the local level. The State has still rings true today. set, by law, a minimum level of education without attempting to limit local initiative. We hope to The First Convention provide advisory services which will get the role Studying the job of a school board member of leadership into the hands of the local school has been a goal from the start of the organization. boards and theirsuperintendents. TheState Board The founders had this in mind when they began of Education and the Commissioner of Educa publishing the 'Texas School Board Newsletter" tion desire to administer public education intelli and encouraging regional meetings of school gently and democratically.' " board members. Another key way to ensure Edgar's emphasis on the local level was not education of school trustees was by holding a to be overlooked. In the next issue of the newslet state convention. ter, Haskew entreated school boards to take The first convention on record, held in San their role seriously: Antonio on November 24, 1950, had three ses "Dr. L.D. Haskew ... is convinced that the sions and a business meeting. Board-superinten future of Texas education is ultimately depend dent relationships, adult education, and teacher ent on local school board members. tenure were the session topics. " 'With all the talk about the Gilmer-Aikin '''The TASB state convention program will be legislation,' he says, 'it should not be overlooked jam-packed ~th information and ideas for action that the local school district has been re-estab for every school board member in Texas," the lished as the most important part of the Texas newsletter urged. '''The convention comes at a education system. Seldom, if ever, has state time when new problems are arising because our school legislation given wider leeway and more country is returning to a war economy before we responsibility to local school systems than have have corrected deficiencies occasioned by the the recent Texas laws. last war. In Texas the new Texas Education " 'Broad matters of policy have been left up to Agency has just swung into action to administer local districts. They decide class size; they de the Gilmer-Aikin bills. The need for an informed cide what courses to teach; they decide who school board membership was never greater should be employed to teach; they decide how than now." they shall use special service units. These are Although the number of participants of that
20 Your Texas As8ociIdJClR~ot$lhoollioards
This year, over $180,OOO,OOOwiU be spent by2,130sph~ld.smcts to provide educational opportunities for 1,500,000 Texas.phildren; The ultimate respOnsibility for the expenditure ofthis vastam01,lllt{)~ money to assure maximum benefit to Texasrllildren rests squa:r:ely·Otl the shoulders of the 2,221 schoolboards of thIS great state.
Board Members Want Help In fulfilling the responsibility delegated to them by the citizens!)! their districts, conscientious schoolboard.Ihembers want an th(;!help available to them. A fruitful source of help is the Texas Associati<:>n of School Boards. AffiJiated with theTSTA. it is the official organiza'tion through which schoolboard members can; 1. Grow in service 2. Help others grow in service 3. Work with ALL schoolboard m~berstoiInl)l·~ve.'te~assch()QIs 4. Meet with otherschoolboardmembers~discusscon:nn~nprobletns. Every activity of theTexasAssociationoiSchoo.lBoar([$ is:aimedatt:hetasK.Jlfllelping .YOU do a better job for the children of youl;con1PlPnity. . . .'
A Four·Point Program . .... '. ..., In its November 1949 meeting" theAs$.Q(jiationvQtedafourPQint~rogram:; PQintQne consisted of a resolution toobtaincQ~petentprok~$ionaI·assistal1ee.. After an extensive search,· Dr. AL.ChapDWl wasselectedto.serve~~xecuti~edirectorotthe Associa tion. Dr.Chapmap ispr:ofessorofeducationaladrninj~ationa~th~ JJlliversity<9fTe~, and.is a recognized authority in the field of schooipuhlic relation$. '., '.. Point Two isa program ofdistrict and regional.rneetingsofscllbo11loardrnembers through. out the stat(;!, The purpose ,of these meetings is to give members an opportUnity to discuss commonproblems. Ar, they are scheduled. board me:mbef'Swillbenotiflea .througbthese pages; Point Three makes it possible for any Texas boa.rd ofedu'<4ttioll to affiliate by passing a resolution to tneefted that it accepts the Association's invitati()ntoD1embe~hip. Acopy of this reS9lution should be forwarded to the Secretary~Treasttter:.Mrs.().D, Weeks, 1606 Notthwood Road. Austil'l, Texas. Point Four establishes a Research and Information Service. This service.is provided by the Association to study problems of particular interestandj;mportancetoT~sschoolboards, .One feature of the service is the publication of the lVfexas.SchoolBoardNewsletter." In addition, periodic research studies will be made available. Thisservicelstobepaidfor by subscriptions of school systems. The subscription rates are: :fifty dQlbu;:s per year for systems having 7,000 scholastics; twenty-five dollars for those havlng2,OOO to 6,999 scJ:iQli!.stics; and fifteendol1ar$ for all other systems. This service will be a very valuaDleone. andaU schoolboards are urged to subscribe.
Dr. Ray K Daily President Texas Association of School Boards
21 first convention is not and chairman of the recorded, thenewslet National Citizens ter reporting on the Commission for Pub event emphasized a lic Schools; Stanley "spirit of growth and Marcus, president of vitality that character Neiman Marcus ized the convention. Company and mem These can only be ber of the executive reported inadequately committee of the Na by telling you that the tional Citizens Com meeting room over mission; and Edward flowed, that board L.D. Haskew AL Chapman Tuttle, executive sec members came from Consultant to TASB First Executive Director retary of the National all sections of the state, School Boards Asso that each session seemed too short, that after ciation. We do not know if Larsen or Marcus every session small groups continued to ex showed up, but Tuttle did attend and would be a change ideas and information and that the board featured speaker at TASB annual meetings for members there expressed an eagerness to do years to come. Early on, the Association had es their part to make the Texas Association of tablished ties to the National School Boards As School Boards be of benefit to all the school sociation. In February 1950 six members at boards of Texas.... tended the NSBA Convention in Atlantic City. In 'The earnestness of the board members fact, TASB President Daily, one of the partici who attended the convention was evident on all pants, served as second vice-president of the na sides....Those board members who attended tional organization that year. the convention came specifically to learn how At the 1950 TASB convention, Tuttle chal they can serve their communities more efficiently lenged the membership to increase the number as educational policy makers. Seriousness of of boards in Texas belonging to the Association, purpose was evident from the fact that the con to have at least five times as many members par vention participants sat on the none-too-comfort ticipating in the 1951 annual meeting (Tuttle able chairs all day long. The sessions were sched reported that the New York association had uled one after the other all day except for a break 2,100 participants in its convention a month ear between the afternoon and evening sessions." lier) , and to have more Texas trustees at the next Although there were no delegate assemblies NSBA convention than California (California had at the early conventions, the membership did 44 participants at the 1950 convention). consider and pass resolutions. Three of the five In reporting his speech about the function of resolutions passed in 1950 concerned the me school boards associations, the newsletter reads: chanics of the still-organizing Association. In "Mr. Tuttle emphasized 'service' as the primary those resolutions, the president was authorized aim of school boards associations. He stated, 'a to organize a committee to develop a constitution school boards association can be of tremendous and bylaws, to select a committee to set up a help to administrators, teachers, and lay public method to plan the annual meetings, and to by encouraging board members to acquire atti establish committees and take other action "to tudes conducive to the very best and highest insure that the Texas Association of School Boards type of education that the community can be becomes increasingly effective as a force for persuaded to provide for boys and girls.' ...The good education in Texas." The two remaining school boards associations encourage union of resolutions thanked Chapman for his leadership local board members in outlining definite poli and the members of the San Antonio Board for cies for the local districts, and in giving full making arrangements for the convention. support to the administrators of those policies A number of dignitaries were invited to the [Tuttle said] .... first convention. Among them were Roy Larsen, "Still another function of the school boards president of Time, Life, and Fortune magazines, associations [Tuttle said] is to encourage board
22 members to 'stand for something rather than against something.' Board members must be builders with objectives toward the future rather than the accomplishments of the past." Little did Tuttle know that he was prophesy ing the path TASB would take in the next 40 years-that of building the future. At the 1950 convention a new leadership was selected to take the organization into the future. The membership elected Kocurek of Austin to be the new president; he would be reelected in the following year, thus providing a continuity in leadership necessary for these formative years. Other 1950-51 officers were J.B. Fritchman of Port Neches, first vice-president; Mrs. H.G. Stin net of Plainview, second vice-president; George M. Conner of Fort Worth, third vice-president (an office that had not existed before); and Mrs. T.G. Tilford of Nacogdoches, secretary-treas urer. Daily, who had worked so hard to establish the organization, was named honorary presi dent. By the end of 1950 the Association had grown from 26 members to 170 members more than a 500 percent increase! But there were close to 2,500 school districts at the time, and much work had to be done if the member ship was going to meet the challenge Tuttle had laid out. So the Association took an aggressive move and adopted the slogan "500 Members in '51." "The goal can be reached if each member board will get two other boards to join the Asso ciation," the newsletter urged. But the goal would prove to be too ambitious for the fledgling organization. However, by May 1952 the member boards totaled 316, nearly double the 1950 figure. The Association would continue to grow steadily over the next several years. The members who did join were not to be disappointed. More and more regional meetings were being held, and TASB representatives were being asked to participate on advisory commit tees for TEA and joint committees with other or ganizations. Clearly, the Association was realiz ing its goal of providing a voice for school board members. One of the most notable activities of this type was the work of the Texas Committee ofTen. Es tablished in the first week of January 1951, the Committee was made up of five representatives
23 An early and useful tool for school trustees was the tor; Roy Hall, SWCPEA associate director and Handbook for Texas School Board Members, devel also TASB executive director in later years; and oped by the Committee of Ten. At a committee meeting are, from left; around the table, Floyd Parsons, James A. Sam M. Gibbs, SWCPEAresearch associate and Redmond, c.A. Nichols, Mrs. Warren Freund, Mrs. TASB editor. Harry Eaton, Irby Carruth, Mrs. George Swinney, E.N. In July 1951, Kocurek outlined the tasks that Dennard, Donald Nugent, Roy HallJ David Hill,John occupied the attention of the Committee ofTen O. Rogers, and WI. Kocurek. during its first few months. First, the committee was concerned with the organization of regional from the Texas Association of School Adminis school board associations. 'The committee feels trators and five representatives from TASB. Ini that before effective cooperation may be ex tially, it was charged with studying the relation pected school boards need to be brought into ships between board members and superinten some kind of an organization and encouraged to dents. Over time, ho~ever, the scope ofthe com participate in a statewide program for the im mittee's work would broaden considerably and provement of educational leadership." The culminate in the development and publication of committee was pursuing a goal that had been the Handbook for Texas School Board Members. critical since the founding of the Association. Serving on the Texas Committee of Ten Second, the committee sought to conduct were CA Nichols, Dallas County board mem some basic research "in order that valid bases ber; Mrs. O.D. Weeks, Austin board member; for improvement may be established." As a first ].]. Jones, Georgetown board member; Mrs. step in this research, the committee undertook a George Swinney, Abilene board member; W.G. survey of Texas school trustees to determine the Farrington, Houston board member (replaced major problems facing boards at the time. Appar by Mrs. Harry Eaton of Corpus Christi in August ently the first of its kind, the survey was sent to 1951); C.M Rogers, Amarillo superintendent; 1,400 trustees. The results would be used to de Henry Foster, Longview superintendent; M.P. velop programs for workshops, conferences, and Baker, Corpus Christi superintendent;]. Davis regional association meetings during the year. Hill, Galveston superintendent; and Irby Car Third, the committee was to devote time to ruth, Austin superintendent and committee chair improving those workshops, conferences, and man. regional meetings. Almost as a footnote to this A number of others served as advisers to the committee activity, Kocurek added, "It is ex committee: Mrs. Warren Freund of the Texas pected that workshops, conferences, and asso PTA; Joe R Humphrey, acting director of admin ciation meetings will provide essential materials, istrative services at TEA; ].0. Rodgers, William answers to questions, and descriptions of prac son County superintendent, representingTSTA; tices which later may become the content of a Kocurek, TASB president; Fred Kaderli, TASA handbook for Texas school board members. president; Bascom Hayes, secretary to the com Because school board members are seriously mittee, project coordinator for the Southwestern concerned about their responsibilities they are Cooperative Program in Educational Administra becoming more and more interested in securing tion (SWCPEA), and laterTASB executive direc and sharing information."
24 The following are quotations from a speech>deli'lleredbY1'ASB PresidentW.L Kocurek to apprmtimafe)y 1.St)Oeducatorsat~ndi:ngthe Mid~WinterConferenceonEducationatAustin,January6thU95tl. ..•.. "Fora long time I thought theeomment1Jy MarkTwainabout the weather also applied to board members, 'EverybodytalkeaaboJIt.them. butnobody did anything abouHhem: I am happy to repo,ttthatwetl()'w
"WoUldn't itbefine iftheTexas EdutatiotlAgert¢YGti~fdkll~wthat at least half of those whoparticipatedintbisconfer~neeandrecontmehUedsl>eclficactions for the solution ofthe m Association are encouraged todo1we believe tliatboard.membetsooc?ll1ebetterboard members. "Board members who belongto the A,ssociatiQIlal.so~erveona va:tietyOicommittees which are not only contrihuti~gto the improvemento{educationinTeJ{a~,buteacllboardlllem~rwhoseryes on one of these com.mittees isabetterboardmenlbetaft~r~ayatlg'.serVed.. ¥es.theobj~i,ves ofthe Texas Associatfon ofSchool Boards aremucn the saIne as th(J,seofl!drnini$tJrat1ors IH~,throtlf!h continuing, growing, enthusiastic group otl)oan'tmelllt~rl,jo!nedt()g€:th.~r ofSchool Boards that allof us in edlleat\Q1IlCGmtieltrt:o·$()~Ve1~bell1a\ior pr(>bJjemj~jn 25 Not much mention is made later about the Curriculum development. The problem was committee's involvement in the establishment of actually posed, "What should the schools teach?" the regional associations. The groups continued The influence of the early days of the Cold War to spring up all over the state, and reports of the and the Red scares could be seen in the ques regional meetings were carried regularly in the tions considered: ''What should be the aims of newsletters "with the thought in mind that simi education in American democracy?" "Should pupils lar practices might be very well repeated else be taught to identify propaganda?" "Should the where by others," one article said. But whether responsibilities of world citizenship be taught?" the committee provided the impetus for estab The group also wrestled with whether to teach lishing these groups was never brought out, nor religious education, sex education, labor rights, was it ever mentioned later as a committee goal. and controversial issues. The survey of school trustees was men Although the survey results were used for tioned again, however. The findings-that is, the the convention, these problems are not exactly five pressing problems of boards in 1951-were the issues that would be compiled later into a used as discussion topics at the convention in handbook. The preparation of the handbook November. Convention participants divided into Kocurek had mentioned briefly in his midsum five groups, each discussing one of the pressing mer speech soon became the committee's pri problems. Not surprisingly, the topics are simi mary task. It was true that school boards did not lar to the pressing problems of today's board: have any guidelines or formal written proce Financing school programs. One of the first dures to follow in their districts. There were no questions the discussion group considered was blue policy manuals sitting on the shelves of the "To whatextent has the state provided for equali administration offices. (In contrast, school boards zation of education opportunity?" The group's werejustbeginning to compile theirown adopted response: "We feel that this problem needs fur policies. An account amusing to trustees today ther study. We believe the state is making dili appeared in the February 1951 newsletter: "The gent and honest effort to provide equal opportu Board of Education of the Sabine Independent nity in education." School District recently completed the task of Providing adequate school buildings. Faced compiling its accumulated policies, rules and with a postwar haby boom, school districts needed regulations in a single, six-page document.") to add facilities and replace obsolete buildings. Nor were the school laws codified in a form Discussion on this topic focused on state aid and readable by the layman. (fASB called for the the issuance of school bonds. codification of school law in April 1954, but the Employing and retaining well-qualified task was not undertaken until the late 1960s.) A teachers. "What action can be taken by local handbook that would provide some legal guide citizens to make teaching more satisfying and a lines and common practices would be a welcome better recognized profession? How can the pro resource for the school board. fessionbe dignified?"thediscussiongroupasked. Concerned with producing a comprehen Their answers: "That efforts be made to broaden sive book that would benefit all, the Committee the participation ofthe citizens in the planning of of Ten sought help from superintendents and the school program, and that teachers take a board members statewide. After working dili more active part in overall community life. The gently on two drafts of the book, the committee community should give due recognition to teach published in May 1952A Tentative Handbook/or ers in their role as 'moulders of tomorrow's citi Texas School Board Members and distributed it to zens.' " 6,000 school board members and superinten Developing a public relations program. Dis dents. Although printed and bound in final form, cussion on this age-old topic hroughtoutsugges the book was considered a third draft. A fore tionson distrihuting information abouttheschool word to the book reads: "It is hoped that the third district and dealing with the public at school draft will be carefully read and studied by you board meetings. 'The end result," the group and other board members and administrators said, "should be to keep the public informed atall throughout the state, and that between now and times." February 1953 you will rely upon your experi 26 ence as a board member to make written sugges book. A work group at the 1952 TASB conven tions of changes to be included in the fourth draft tion studied the book and made suggestions for of the handbook." changes. In all, an estimated 400 people spent TASB encouraged review of the tentative 1,000 hours reviewing and revising the tentative handbook by regional associations, informal handbook. groups of school boards, individual school boards Finally, in October 1953, the first edition of and superintendents, college professors, and the Handbook for Texas School Board Members journalists. A Texas Education Agency commit came off the presses at the Texas Education tee reviewed the book and recommended changes Agency, which had volunteered to print and in both the legal and procedure portions of the distribute the book to every superintendent and A Guide toSchooLlioardUrvi. by. WI. K()f;uYek 1950-52· TASBPres~ileit.· Humility must be the essence of theindividualinBo'dof~u~~o?~ot~'The$pitif of. service to community through the education of boysmdgirls illust~.ean~erent part of the Board member. He must accept criticism with the feeling()fhavingor~quitingthe wlsdomto qualify that criticism and apply it in~tion that willhave just'oneend innUnd1ietter~hoolsfor: children in order that they might he better citiZens andthattheymightnwteablycontrlbutetheir share to human welfare and individual dignity...... The individual B 27 board member in the months later, in Janu state. First copies were ary 1953, the Execu available at the con tive Committee hired vention on October 8 Roy Hall, associate di and 9.' rector of the South Although very western Cooperative little is recorded in the Program and associ way of reaction to the ate professor at UT. book (probably be Despite these cause the audience changes, the leader . had been given a ship by the directors, wholesale preview), Bascom B. Hayes Roy Hall the officers, and the we can only imagine 1951-52ExecutiveDirector 1953-55 Executive Director Executive Committee that it was a welcome had been strong. publication. Nearly 40 years later, the book is In just five short years, TASB had come a considered a classic. Itwas the first statewide co long way in establishing itself as the voice of operative attempt to provide school trustees with school trustees. Two examples stand out. written guidelines and practices. The book was Thefirsttook place in September 1953. TASB in print for many years; a supplement-a check leaders and representatives of the TASB seg list of standards and practices contributing to ef ment of the Texas Committee of Ten met with fective school board-superintendentcooperation Governor Allan Shivers about problems in edu was added in 1962. Today, the TASB publication cation. Aneeded teacher pay raise had failed to The Law of Texas School Governance provides pass the Legislature that year, and Shivers en similar information for school boards. couraged TASB to develop a proposal to solve After the publication of the final handbook, the problem that was acceptable to the public. the Texas Committee ofTen took on new mem That afternoon the Committee ofTen designed a bers and new tasks. Although each was impor policy resolution concerning the teacher pay tant in its own right, none of the tasks would situation and distributed it to all trustees, super seem to have the significance of the handbook. intendents, and groups interested in the prob lem. Boards were asked to pass the resolution Becoming the Voice of Trustees and send their endorsements along to legisla By 1954, the Association had come to a tors. Meanwhile, the Committee of Ten organ crossroads in its life. Funding from the Kellogg ized a meeting of representatives of the educa Foundation, which through the Southwestern tion groups to discuss an acceptable solution. Cooperative Program in Educational Administra In a speech at the TASB convention the next tion provided TASB with personnel, travel funds, month, Governor Shivers sought to squelch the and office space on the UT campus, would cease rumors that he was against a pay increase or that to exist after August 1955. Alternatives to sustain he sought to tear down the Gilmer-Aikin founda the organization had to be found. tion. He saw the TASB membership as having By this time, TASB had experienced several "an interest that seeks only to better the schools changes in executive directors. Chapman, who as contrasted with others who might receive served as executive director for a year and a half direct personal monetary gain from advance while a professor of education administration at ment of a program." lIT, resigned in June 1951 and took a leave of ab A compromise proposal developed by a 25 sence from the university. Bascom B. Hayes, member committee was considered and passed who had served as a consultant to TASB from the into law at a special session the next spring. It is Texas Education Agency and adviser to the Texas not clear whether the committee was an out Committee of Ten, took a one-year leave of ab growth of the Committee of Ten's efforts. But sence as TEA director of administrative services the fact that TASB was called on to help solve this to become TASB executive director. At the end statewide matter was an indication of the status it of that year, Hayes returned to TEA, and six had already attained. 28 A Board Membe"$ Mrs. O. D. WeeksJormermember o:ftheBoatd QfEqucatiQn inAustinandalsoformermember oftheTexas Committee o{Tell"fisted "Do's andDon'tsforSClwol Ji3()ardMemllers." Weieel thatn.ew board membersespeci'ally mayw.antto studY' thislist carefully, [because] it~o.nf;(1ins some vital principles of effective board membership. 1. Keep foremost always inyour thinking thegood of all the sd-logl chfldt'tm, wbether they be normal, healthychUdren orhandicapped. .. 2. Confine your time andenergiestopolicy-makingandthe evaluation.oftHe school system---:-not details that are the business of the staff. .. . . 3. Use all available sources toinform yourselfasanewhoatdmetllber,~d 29 Better School Boards Make Better Schools A Keynote Address by James Redmond Presented at the 1953 TASB Convention Fromthe shores ofthe Massa factions, either social or business, chusetts Bay in the middle of the and motivated by a single objec Seventeenth Century, the local tive-The Concern for theWelfare School Board has grown in its vari ofthe Public Schools. ous forms into every city and community in America - an Insti Proper Functions. In the eraofthe tution of considerable substance Pioneers, the School Committees and stature. No other group has a found it necessary to exercise rather greater responsibility than that of complete control of the Public the local School Board. In addition Schools because there were no to formulating the policies for the trained administrators and very few Educational Program of the Public teachers. Such direct management Schools, the School Board oper of the Public Schools is no longer ates one of the biggest business James Redmond the necessaryorproper function of enterprises in the community. 1952-54 President a School Board. Too often taken for granted, Teaching, supervision, andAdmini disregarded, and, in many instances, criticized, strati on have become specialized professions the School Board is elected by the people to a necessitatingthe adjustment of School Manage public trust of great responsibility and of vital ment to new and broader purposes. importance as itis theTrustee and Guardian ... The School Board of today still has the re What is a good School Board? What are sponsibility of providing good school buildings some of the characteristics of a good School but it is concerned also with a modern school Board? Some of these qualities I will mention program, and is sensitive to the nature and edu briefly-notnecessarilyin the order oftheir im cational significance of such Institutions as the portance- Home, Church, and otherAgencies, and plans the educational policies accordingly. Unity. Unity is so essential to good School TheSchool Board cannot afford to waste its Board functioning and procedure that there time orjeopardize educational results by trying should be a minimum of 'Permanent Commit to do the work of professionally trained Educa tees.' Delegating too many powers and respon tors. On thecontrary,itmustdevoteitsenergies sibilities to a few members might result in to the study of needs, possibilities, objectives, cliques or factions, either between the mem effectiveness, and to the formulation and inter bers of the School Board orwith the Superinten pretation of policies and plans, and to the con dent of Schools. Also Committees oftentimes tinuous appraisal of Administrative results and find they are performing executive functions the evaluation of the School Programs. rather than the functions of the School Board. Good School Boards employ a capable Each member should have an opportunity to be professional Educator as Superintendent of present and enter into the discussion and ex Schools with relative fitness and ability to meet press his opinion at any meeting, whether it is the needs of the respective school system and a Committee Meeting or otherwise, where by a who is responsible to the School Board. The final decision is to be determined by the School good School Board authorizes him to admini Board. ster the entire school system subject to the Collective judgment and group thinking general policies of the School Board. Once a are at the highestlevel and effective decisions decision is made by the School Board concern are made when the School Board operates in ing policies, the School Board delegates the complete harmony and with cooperative effort authority to the Superintendent of Schools to as an Entire Board, free from prejudices or execute these policies without any interference 30 or restraint from the members of the School School Board rather than as individuals. This Board....,-and then appraises the results. can be done officially in regular meetings or in The School Board nor the professional stlchspecialmeetings asmay be required. The Superintendent of Schools determines the divi business coming before Ike School Board is com sion of their jurisdictional powers. functions, Or munity business, and, therefore, slwuld be trans responsibilities. It has been proved by experi aded in public or open meetings. While there ence of School Boards in theirreiationshipwith may be certain prQblems to be discussed only in professional Superintendents of Schools that executivesessions-forthe personal welfare of divided functions is the only sound procedure theindividualsinvolved-such sessions should for the best possible School Administration. be kept to a minimum, if the School Board is to TheSuperintendent of Schools not only admini have the support and confidence of the people. sters the Public Schools butisalso the executive The "Closed Door" or secret School Board officer of the School B{)ard. His duty is to make Meetings arouse suspicion in the minds of the recommendations to theSchool Board concern people and the Press. Experience has shown it ing the employment of personnel. give reports best to adopt the "Open Doar" policy-inviting relative to the progressofthe Educational Pm citizens to attend the School Board Meetings gram, provide timely and comprehensive re and having representatives ofthe local newspa ports, conduct research and supply theSchpol persattendallmeetings--thatthepeople might Board with necessary information and data to have firsthand information as to the action taken enable the School Board to render the best pos by the School Board and what transpires at sible decisions concerning personnel and the School Board Meetings. A Public Information General Welfare ofthe Public Schools. Program should be conducted to inform the The best Educational results can be ob peopleatall times as to the needs and problems tained when the School Board and theSuperin of the Public School$ and the Goal that the tendent of Schools freely seek the counsel of School Board is tryingt{) attain. each other and exercise teamwork in connec Although the School Board hasthepreroga tion with their respective duties and responsj tive and the responsibility of making the final bmties.TheSch~ol Board.theSuperintendent decisi{)n, the task is mucheasierfor the School of Schools, theTeaching Personnel all have the Boardifthepeople, who are mutually concerned • same objectives-The Education of the Boys . are allowed to participate in the formulating of and Girls-all are on the same team, whywould policies. The people will have a better under any rivalry or differences exist? standing and certainly will support any policies thatthey themselves help to make. Written Rules and Regulations. All School rhave told you that the qualities of a good Boards should have written Rules and Regula School Board are (a) Unity among themembers tions governing the operation and maintenance (b) Recognizing the jurisdictional powers and of the Public Schools and the usage of school functionswith the relationship to the Admini facilities, and, also, written policies concerning stration (c) Having written policies and records, the welfare of the personnel and students of the and (d)Having an Open-door policy, maintain Public Schools. ing a good relationship with the Press and an Since any action of the School Board be informed and confident people and working for comes the property of the people, it becomes the best interest of every child. necessary that accurate Written Minutes of How, then, can good School Boards become Meetings ofthe School Board be kept. These better? Only the individual board member himself Minutes become permanent records to be kept can make School Boards better. on file and available to any interested citizen, Service on a School Board isapublic trust of and for the protection of the School Board. the highestorder-trusteeship at its best. The expansion, improvement, and the preservation Community Relations. The confidence of of democracy will depend upon free public edu the people is essential to the successofthe local calion and, in turn, upon the School Board member School Board and the Educational Program of who is the guardian of the rights of every child. the Public Schools. In no area is itinore impor Ruskin expressed this thought which is en tant than in the provision of Public Education titled "Our Responsibility" -"OurResponsibil that the thinking, desires, and ambition of the ity: We are not sent into this world to do anything people be made effective. into which we cannot put our hearts. We have Every School Board should operate as a certainwork to do for ourbread, and that is to be 31 done strenuously; otherwork to be done for our The School Boards have a definite place in delight, and thatis to be done heartily-neither forwarding free public education, and they can is to be done by halves, butwith a will, and what fill this place only if the members, byassociating is not worth this effort is not to be done at all." themselves togetherwith experience and infor The Education of ourYouth is necessarily mation, understand the complexities of the pres related to the time and the CultureoftheSociety entage and see clearly the relation of the School in which we live. With the rapid advancement of Board to the Public School and the Community. a scientific and highly technical America, the Moreover, it can fill this place only if its mem Educational Program mustbe broadened to in bers understand the Goal of Education and their clude thefundamental knowledge ofthese new responsibility toward attaining this Goal. and advanced fields. Ourpublic schools might well befacing the Theexpansion ofthe EducationalProgram mostcrucial testin theirhistory. I am convinced brings new and different duties and responsi that the time has arrived for the School Board bilities for the local School Board. We, as members to step forward, take the initiative, School Board Members, mustkeep interested work in cooperation with other pertinent Asso and be concerned and, also, have a desire to ciations with group thinking, 0 btainingthe best know about School Board functions and Public collective judgment, and developing a plan-one School Administration as well as the Educa mutual plan or goal-for the betterment of the tional Program. Public Schools of Texas-becomingmoreeffec No longer is an intelligent citizen satisfied tive and objective, moving forward irresistibly to if his inquiry concerning specific acts of the new and highergoals in education. School Board is answered by a smiling "Well, As representatives of the people and in the the Superintendent of Schools re{;ommended interest of the boys and girls, we have a great it." No longeris the conscientious SchoolBoard responsibility. We mustbe concerned with and Member satisfied to make this reply. To keep have a voice in and, from group thinking and fully informed, to attain the broader vision, I collective judgment, express our opinions on stress the importance of ourState Association. policies, legislation, and other things affecting The Texas Association of School Boards the welfare ofthe Public Schools. has the facilities to carry on extensive research Ifthe School Board Members and the pro w{)rk. TheTexasAssociation of School Boards fessional people ofthe Schools do not know what places at the service of each of its members is best and what the needs are for the Public authoritative information concerning trends in Schools, then I do notknow of any other source education and legislation. It offers the factual from which this information could be obtained. knowledge which enables a School Board Ifthe Public Schools are to make the prog Member to create a solid background for his ressand we are to have the kind of Public Schools actions. Through research and through the the people want and demand, we mustputforth pooling of experiences, ourAssociation gives to ourconcerted efforts, working in close harmony local School Boards this information which would and cooperation with otherAssociations, Legis be too costly and too time-consuming for any in lators, the Administration and the people on dividual School Board to gather. In addition, as Teacher Recruitment, public information, addi men of goodwill join forces and work together, tional classrooms, and other things necessary their strength is increased and their influence is for the improvement of the Public Schools. We multiplied. must steer a carefully chosen, courageous course, I am certain thatall the membersattending calling for extraordinary strength and strategy. this Convention belong to ourState Association We must be very cautious and not become in because they are interested in the welfare of our volved in any political entanglements or pres Public Schools. However, there are many in our sures of innumerable varieties thatwould cast a state who do not belong-manywhodo not even reflection upon the Public Schools or any of its know ourAssociation exists. associations. Neither should we stand idly by I would like to askyou to join me in a pledge and let politicians or pressure groups restrain that, after we return home, each ofuswill make the progress or impede the free flow of Educa every effortto recruitatleast one School Board tion in the Public Schools. There is no place in to become a memberoftheTexasAssociation of our Public School System for petty politics, poli SchoolBoards. We need the assistance ofthese ticians, orpressuregroups. School Boards, and I am certain that we can In every rural district, crossroads town, and render some service to them. teeming city, the responsibilities of the Board 32 Members are the same-their mutual concern My doubts have faded away. Within me is a is that the doors of Educational Opportunity feeling thatwords cannot express, Call it prid e, shan stand forever open before everychild and caUitjoy, can it anything you will, for thatpart in have a common canse and their faith and confi-· molding the lives of these Boys and Girls of My dence in human achievement. Community, something that sh;111 continue long The Challenge is great, our responsibilities atter.I have departed. arelarge, the opportunities for service to chil We, as School Board Members. are Trus dren and the state are unlimited. tees of the Educational Opportunities of Chil I feel certain we can meet this Challenge .. drenand Youth. No other group in America is Sometimes when I am alone, relaxing and concerned with amorevital product. dreaming (aswe sometimes do) I find thatlalll .Wemustlook to thefuture moresteadfastly thinking about our Public Schools... .suddenly and with more vision than before-and such I ask myself "Joe, why are you a member of a planning requires a forward look, attempting to School Board?" I have to say "I don't know." foreseefuture trends by the careful study of all 'Then,why are you a member ofaSchoolBoard? availahle facts, understanding their meaning, You know the time you have to devote, the many having constructive conferences with worthy problems confronting the Public Schools, you associates followed bycourageous action. What know that the Schools have been subject to will be· the scheme of things? I don't know. vicious attacks, you know School Board memo Certainly, we must have ideals, and.an Educa bers receive criti cism and few pats on the back. tional Goal-Would thilt every School Board in You have prided yourself on your good common the State and Nation have one scroll of paper sense. Wouldn't itbe the part of the sensible attached to thediploma which they present each man to stay at home and do nothing? To let Graduate each year on whieh is inscribed the someone else serve on the School Board?" words: "Your Board of Education, in keeping Even as these doubts flit through my mind ahreast of the trends in Public School Adminic a vision appears: Kindergarten children-how stration and Education. developing a climate in cute they are, scampering and playing, leaving which democracy will grow and in cooperation home for the first time, associating with chil with the Administration and the confidence and dren ofdiffererit backgrounds, measuring them support of an informed people, has offered you selves and others by anew standard, learningto every opportunity, the best education, the best get along with each other, so smaUl-yetexpe instruction, thatwas possible under existing con riencing so great a change! Boys and Girls in the ditions. Providing you with the knowledge to Elementary Schools-Baby Bands, programs recognize the moral and ethical values in life; they bravely struggle through as theyfightagainst Academically, that you might pursue a higher shyness. pride of achievement as they learn new education; Vocationally, that you may find gain skills-lovable combination of awkwardness and fulemployment to provide for your economical grace! Junior High School and changing voices security; Physical and Health Education for the for the boys, new hairdos for the girls, develop development of your body. Teaching you to ing a feeling of pride, and fondness for each thinkfor yourself, to recognize your individual other. One day they are romping youngsters responsibilities, to use yourinitiative and ambi and the next they are imitating an admired tion togra,sp every available opportunity ,and to teacher. enableyouto become agood citizen. Then the Senior High School years-that "Withourvery bestwishesforyour success rush by! Before me is walking the procession of and happiness as you enter into Life's Ventures, boys and girls, grave yet excited, wearing Caps we presentyou this diploma. and Gowns! Leaving behind them their happy "Your Board of Education. " SchoolDays! Some will go to College and others Then, when wewouldgatherin our Regional immediately into their vocations. They are walk and Annual Conventions,we could greet each ing before me-talland strong; eager and intel otherwithpride andjoyand with self satisfaction, ligentl pointto our achievements, and say to each other THEY ARE MY ANSWER! Why am I a "AJob Well Done!" Member of a School Board? I probe no more. Betterschoolboarclsdomake better schools! 33 The second ex Johnson had made ample ofthe enhanced special arrangements perception of school for our entire party to board members visit in the White through TASB oc House for nearly an curred in February hour. Space does not 1954. In that year, permit a description more that 80 Texans of the White House or attended the NSBA our visit. It seems Convention in Atlan sufficientto report that tic City. A group of every member of the 48, who pooled their party was inspired and resources to charter impressed by its dig a Braniff DC-4, expe Sutton Hall: Site offirst TASB Headquarters nity, practicality, and rienced some added great traditions. educational opportunities. During a stop in New "Our real thrill came when we visited the York City on the way to Atlantic City, the Texans Nation's Capitol Building, the headquarters of visited the United Nations, still relatively new the Congress of the United States of America. and somewhat controversial. In a written ac "We were escorted directly to Vice-Presi count of the trip, Executive Director Roy Hall dent Nixon's office wherewe met Senator Johnson, described the reaction of the Texas educators: who gave us a most cordial welcome to the Sen "Most of. us had heard about and talked ate. In just a few moments, Senator Knowland, about the United Nations, but few of us, if any, the Majority Leader, came into the Vice-Presi had ever visited the United Nations' permanent dent's office and talked to us about the genuine headquarters before. We were impressed al and wholesome respect that exists between the most as much with its magnificence as with its or leaders of the Democratic and Republican par ganization and purpose .... Most of the members ties. He called our attention to the fact that in of our party expressed the belief that regardless spite of the many heated and sincere debates the of whether a person is for or against the United leaders of the two parties more often than not Nations, a first-hand visit to its headquarters and vote together on those issues pertaining to the observation of its work increased understanding security and economic well-being of the United of what it is trying to do and how the United States of America. We also met Price Daniel and States is participating in its deliberations." Senator George of Georgia. On the way home from the convention, the "About this time, in walked the Vice-Presi group chartering the plane was treated to a once dent himself. Mr. Nixon first welcomed us to the in-a-lifetime experience-a meeting with Vice Capitol and to his office, and emphasized that President of the United States Richard Nixon. basically all Americans-Democrats, Republi "On our way back from Atlantic City, we cans, Independents, and others-feelpretty much stopped in our nation's capitol for about four alike when it comes to some of the great tradi hours as guests of Mrs. Lyndon Johnson. She tions of our country and to the basic issues of proved to be a most gracious and charming security, morality, and religion. He then told us hostess. She met us at the airport with box about his recent visit to many countries of the lunches for the 48 persons aboard the plane. We world, particularly the Far East. What the Vice found out later that she got up before day to be President said about his visit and education sure that the lunches, the busses, and the cook impressed us so much that we feel his words ies she prepared herself, were all in order and on warrant space in this 'Newsletter.' schedule. We ate our lunches while riding around "He said that after traveling almost all over the Capitol listening to the bus driver explain the the world and studying the various conditions points of interest. which tend to breed war, he is firmly convinced "Although visits to the White House are re that in the long run education and the quality of stricted, as a general rule, to the morning, Mrs. education throughout the world will have more 34 to do with bringing peace to the world than the the communistic colleges and universities. His force ofarms. He reminded us that ours is one of charge to us was that unless the United States the very few countries which attempt to provide and its philosophy of education can reach out to adequate education for all its people and that this these people they will turn toward the commu may, in part at least, account for our high stan nistic countries for their education. This means dard of living, our high moral and ethical stan that 10 to 25 years from now many of these dards, and our appreciation for the fundamental people who are now finding an educational haven principles of human dignity, and freedom. in the communistic countries will return to lead "He told how many of the countries other their own countries, imbued with a spirit of com than the United States educate only the potential munism as taught in the Russian colleges and leaders, leaving the rest of the population to universities. This, says the Vice-President, is a struggle in their illiteracy and subservience to much more real threat to the ultimate cause of the aristocracy. This, said the Vice-President, is freedom than the present force of arms of the conducive to the totalitarian state which we find communistic countries. so prevalent in some of the older countries of the "As a result of ourvisit to the United Nations, world. Mr. Nixon warned us, as educators, that to the NSBA Annual Convention, and to our one thing he found disturbed him quite a bit. The Nation's Capitol, we are determined to do our bit communistic countries, particularly Russia, are for education in this state, nation, and world; beginning to realize the value of education in the also, we are more keenly aware of some of the determination of ideologies and that Russia had influences bearing directly upon our welfare; we begun to offer many types of educational facili are, therefore, more able to fulfill our responsi ties to many of the countries where illiteracy is so bility to public education in our state and nation." great. The Vice-President said that the people in Meeting with the Vice-President ofthe United many of these countries are clamoring for ed uca States was an impressive step for an Association tion rights and that Russia is taking advantage of that only five years before had struggled to or their desires by offering them scholarships in ganize. Clearly, school trustees were being per ceived by government officials as the ones who could have a profound effect on education. The leaders of the Association knew that the 1954 Service Schedule organization had gained momentum and respect, and they also knew that it was providing a valu In 1954, theTASB membership approved able service to school trustees. So when faced a new service schedule that would provide with the prospect of funding and assistance run finances after funding from the Kellogg ning out, they needed to act. In May 1954 the Foundation ran out in 1955. Executive Committee proposed a new structure The new service schedule, based on and, for the first time, a fee schedule. The pro district size, would pay for consultative and posed program was printed in the newsletter and field services, research of practical solu the Texas School BoardJournal, a quarterly maga tions to common problems, information zine that had debuted that spring. provided through periodicals and meet At the convention in October the members ings, and cooperative planning projects, such adopted the proposed program and fee schedule. as the work of the Texas Committee ofTen. 'This Annual Meeting may be the most signifi The fees were set as follows: $300 for cant in the short history of the Texas Association districts with 15,000 or more students; $200 of School Boards," the newsletter reported. "If for districts with 10,000 to 14,999; $100 for the future is to be as bright as its promise, local districts with 5,000 to 9,999; $75 for districts school board members need to face the tasks i with 2,500 to 4,999; $50 for districts with before themwith new and greater courage, greater 1,000 to 2,499; and $25 for districts under vision, and increased understanding." 1,000. The Association was on its way to becoming a self-sustaining organization, providing more and better services to school board members. 35 Chapter 3 1955-68: A Time of Challenges As trustees ofpublic· educatiOn·in T8XlZ$, you inherit a tradition 01 courage and independence. You inherit a riCh kgacy 01 uncompromised ideals. It.is your opportunity and trust to build on this pasta system 01education which will responsiOlyseroe .. the destiny 01!ree,um for i1merica. -Lyndon B. Johnson. By the mid-1950s, the afterglow ofthe Gilmer Desegregation in Texas Aikin reforms had dimmed, and public education Shortly after Nugent became executive di was again facing some significant problems. Brown rector in the fall of 1955, representatives from v. Board ofEducation brought segregation in the TASB studied education's problems in the Texas schools to the forefront. The postwar baby boom and White House Conferences on Education. meant that school facilities and the supply of From those conferences came a set of recom teachers were quickly becoming inadequate. mendations about education. For the most part, School finance, not a new concern, was undergo the recommendations were general in nature, ing scrutiny at all levels. such as, 'The schools should provide opportuni The Texas Association of School Boards at ties for each youth to learn to think critically, tempted to help trustees deal with these and assume responsibilities, learn self-discipline, and other problems by providing research, informa develop to the fullest of his capacity." But they tion through publications, and conferences on provided the basis for discussion at workshops the major education topics of the times. In doing in 21 areas across the state the next spring. so, the Association continued to operate under Not mentioned in the conferences' recom the goals of helping trustees to grow in service mendations was the matter of segregation. The and bringing them together in solving common effect of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark problems. decision requiring integration of public schools With the new fee structure in place, the was not readily apparent. The TASB newsletter TASB executive committee appointed Donald G. carried a release from Chief Justice Earl Warren Nugent as executive director, effective Septem on how the states and local districts would be ber 1,1955. Former Executive Director Roy Hall affected by the decision. "Full implementation of would serve as associate director of the South these constitutional principles may require solu western Cooperative Program in Educsational tion of varied local school problems. School au Administration and assist TASB as editorial and thorities have the primary responsibility for elu research adviser as needed. cidating, assessing, and solving these problems," Nugent, hired in November 1952, had been Warren wrote. The State Board of Education serving as field director, research associate, editor reacted by passing a resolution that called for a of the ''Texas School Board Newsletter" and study of TEA's responsibilities and of appropri Texas School BoardJournal, and assistantto Hall. ate methods to implement the decision. In June He had worked closely with the Texas Commit the EI Paso Board voted to abolish segregation in tee ofTen in the development and publication of its schools, and San Antonio followed its ex the Handbook for Texas School Board Members. ample. Friona, the newsletter said, integrated in Now as executive director-a position he would 1954-55, "admitting five Negroes to the elemen hold for the next 13 years-Nugent, under the tary grades." direction of the Executive Committee, would The admission offive students hardly seemed guide the Association in its continued growth in like full integration, but, as State Board Chair membership and services for school districts, man Thomas Ramey reported at the TASB Con and in its quest for improvement of public educa vention in October 1955, this was representative tion. of most districts in the state. "Obviously, the 38 problems posed by the decision of the Supreme 1960s and 1970s. In 1971, U.S. v. Texas would Court of the United States are much more seri bring the issue home to many Texas districts. ous in certain sections of the state than in others, To keep school trustees apprised of this principally because of the extreme variance in volatile issue, the TASB publications would carry the density of the Negro population over the reports and articles about desegregation for the state," Ramey said. "You will recall that a recent next several years. Itwould be a topic for discus check disclosed that in 41 counties there are no sion at several conventions and meetings. Not Negro scholastics at all; that in 166 of our 254 until the words turned into action, however, counties only 10 percent of our Negro population would the issue receive proper attention. resides, and that 90 percent of Texas' Negroes reside in the remaining 88 counties which are Curriculum and Sputnik located in the eastern one-third of the state's In October 1957, three separate education area, in four of which there is a pre events coincidentally launched a dominance ofN egro population. Con closer look at what public schools ceivably, the problem of integration were teaching children in Texas and is much more serious and difficult in America: (1) The 1957 TASB con these counties last referred to than vention drew more that 200 school in the others." trustees to talk about school board Nevertheless, opposition to inte responsibilities for curriculum. (2) A gration soon would surface. In the statewide committee, authorized by 1957 legislative session, a number of the 55th Legislature, met for the first bills opposing integration were in time to make a grassroots study of troduced. Among them were two bills Texas education. And (3) the Soviet by Representative Reagan Huffman Union sent Sputnik into space. Donald Nugent of Marshall-one to make it a crime 1955-68 Executive Director At the TASB convention, Dr. for a local governmental body to hire Willis Tate, president of Southern a member of the NAACP and the other, cospon Methodist University, unknowingly forecast the sored by Jerry Sadler of Percilla, requiring seg sentiment of the entire country once the Soviet's regated schools to remain segregated and inte success in space was known: "No longer can we grated schools to revert to segregation. The just teach our children the customs and knowl latter bill allowed a local option election to be edge that we have obtained through the years. called by 25 percent of the qualified voters, re We must teach them offuture things to come and quiring a majority of residents in the districts to prepare them to face the ever-changing modem pass the integration measure. Fortunately, the and complex world." bills did not pass. In convention discussion groups, participants What did pass was a bill requiring a school recommended that boards create committees to board to hold an election called by 20 percent of evaluate the curriculum and make periodic re the qualified voters before it could integrate the ports to the board. Standardized testing and schools. An election could also be called to seg public opinion polls were also suggested as ways regate the schools. Pleasanton lSD, near San An to evaluate curriculum and instruction. A resolu tonio, was the first district to hold an election to tion passed during the convention urged boards integrate the schools under this law. The meas "to more fully investigate and become cognizant ure passed by a 4 to 1 margin. The 1955-56 of the preparation and functions of the schools in average daily attendance figures for the school their respective districts and with the system of district showed 1,223 Anglos and 43 Blacks. curriculum and instruction promulgated and It would be many, many years and many offered by employed professional personnel." court battles before the school districts in Texas Governor Price Daniel, speaking at the con would even approach being desegregated. Pas vention, discussed a 24-member Education Study sage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would provide Committee that had just begun its work a few the impetus for more integration. The issue of days earlier. "I hope this committee will come up forced busing would not come into play until the with some answers and will recommend means 39 of additional local or mittee released its state action to provide report two days after the classrooms the convention with needed by our school recommendations on districts and to im what could be done prove curriculum," about the problems. Daniel said. The Hale-Aikin The committee, Committee recom chaired by Senator mendations were AM. Aikin of Paris, among several other coauthor with Dewitt proposals considered Hale of Corpus Christi by the Legislature in Mose W. Glosserman Mrs. Will Miller of the bill creating the 1954-56 President 1956-57 President 1959. But the 56th Leg committee, was to islature was not unlike become known as the Hale-Aikin Committee. its successors in the 1980s: Mrs. Will (Margaret) Miller, immediate past "April 23 [1959]. As this report is written, the president ofTASB at the time and later a mem 56th Texas Legislature has approximately two ber of the State Board of Education, served on weeks left of this regular session. Texans who the committee with a number of legislators, did not realize that the State of Texas is broke .. education group leaders, school superintendents . have learned that the state is not only broke but and trustees, business leaders, and journalists. also in debt With two weeks to work, appropria Commissioner Edgar was secretary of the com tions and taxes with which to pay for them are big mittee. items of business. Veteran observers of the legis The study was indeed a grassroots effort. A lative process have decided that little short of a committee set up in each of the 254 counties held miracle can avert the need for a special session countywide meetings to study problems of the call so that the business at hand can be com districts in the county and report the findings to pleted." the state committee in May 1958. Junior colleges Senate Bill 5 by Aikin, which added nine and 137 organizations, including TASB, were amendments to the Minimum Foundation Pro invited to help participate in the county studies. gram and was known as the Hale-Aikin proposal, The Hale-Aikin Committee prepared and distrib died in the melee over funding. Only a few of the uted study guides to the counties. Local newspa proposals from the Hale-Aikin Committee be pers printed questionnaires from the study guides came law. In addition, the Legislature created and directed responses to the local committees. another study committee to look at curriculum All 254 counties responded to the study and and instruction. submitted reports that varied considerably in the Because of the national emphasis on educa findings and recommendations. The state com tion arising from the Sputnik launching, curricu mittee spent the summer compiling, lum would continue to be an issue. discussing, and preparing its report Eleven commissions established by to the governor and 56th Legisla the State Board of Education had ture. been studying Texas public schools' The statewide discussion of curriculum since 1957, and in July education's problems in 1958 may 1959 the commissions released their have been responsible for the nega recommendations for improvement tive theme of the TASB convention The commissions' reports would be that year: "What's wrong with public studied by local districts and pilot education?" Dr. Benjamin F. Pit tested in 175 school districts in the tenger, education professor emeri next year. The recommendations re tus at UT, even addressed the con sulting from this study would be re vention on the theme. As ifto answer George S. Gandy viewed and refined by the State Board 1957-58 President the question, the Hale-Aikin com- for another year. In September 1961, 40 Sputnik, Muttnik, and the American School Sputnik I and II (alias Muttnik) have tilted the educational world even more askew than the political and economic worlds, ifsuch a state is possible. No sooner had the Russian boast been verified than columnists, scientists. politicians, businessmen, sputnik-watchers and even editors trampled each other in their scramble to announce that in their infinite wisdom they had known for years that the American Education System was awry, amiss and amuck. They had let it pass because they were u~til-now willing to give the educators enough rope ... Yes, Sputnik and M uttnik have awakened them to the folly of their ways. From the uniform tenor of the dirge they sing, it appears that their only folly was not jumping on the bandwagon a couple of years ago when it was all the rage to blast the Public Schools, Progressive Education, the Teaching of Spelling, Recreation Periods, and Little Red Riding Hood. The boom built by sensationalism at that time passed; passed because people took time to look at their schools and saw beyond the selected samples picked by the Gloomy Gusses some very fine public schools with good programs, good teachers and good results. I would be as guilty of abbreviated vision as the critics if I maintained that all of the public schools of the United States were the world's best. We have many inadequate schools; we have many poor teachers; we have many high school graduates who will never be Einsteins; we have many other weaknesses in our educational system. But, and let's don't lose sight of this fact, we also have many, many strengths in our system and in individual schools. The problems confronting our public education system were neither created by nor changed by Sputnik and Muttnik. AIl they created was the realization in a large number of people, hitherto unaware of the fact that other countries as wen as the U.S. are involved in the Atomic Age. The fact that the Russian system of education, being autocratic and national in character, has produced more scientists than has the U.S. in the last few years merely means that the leadership in Russia recognized the need for technological advancement and moved to meet it. The same can be done, should have been done, in the U.S., but not by imitating the Russian method for getting the job done. Let's encourage, but not force, more of the capable students to develop an interest in the sciences. Let's provide financial help for those who can make the grade in all ways except financial, but let's don't subsidize science students and forget the other brains and knowledges necessary to the democratic way of life. In short, let's meet the challenge the American way through the American system of public education. And while we are donning our hair shirt of remorse, let's don't forget the human sciences and the worth of the individual. Must a man be a scientist to be of value to his country? That is the assumption forced o.n us by many today. Must a nation that is enslaved so that techno.logy can progress be our model? I feel not! Right or wrong, the American way, which includes the American Public School System, deserves a more careful appraisal than either the critics or I have given it before it is sacrificed on the altar of a staggering satellite. Let's take a critical but sane look at our schools (and d(ln~ , - .' ,<;-' ')1 ,', forget to look at the products of them) and then let's do whatever seems best for the American system (not the Russian system) of education and the national virility. Let's don't be stampeded into making our public schools into exclusive academic havens for the scientifically gifted. Neither let us be complacent aboutthose few public schools that may be exclusive country dubs for the mentally inept but socially graceful. There must be a middle and better ground. Let's work at finding it! (Authorunknown) 41 the State Board finally 1959, TASB moved approved a set of 11 from 102V-Hall, where principles and a re it had been since 1952, vised course list as into the Byron Build new accreditation re ing on the comer of quirements that would Guadalupe and 16th go into effect in Sep Streets in Austin. At tember 1962.The new 1512 Guadalupe, standards included TASB shared a build course requirements ing "available to other and graduation re educational agencies quirements for grades Ted Andress Arch H. McCullough and organizations and 7-12. Among the 1958-59 President 195%0 President toout-of-town business changes were revised callers." At the time, science requirements to provide for a stronger the staff consisted of only Nugent and graduate science program in the junior high school level, student help. an improvement stemming from the nation's de Under Nugent's direction, the Association sire to compete with Soviet schools. Revised worked to follow the recommendations for im policies also concerned the guidance program, provement. Regional workshops held in conjunc the library, and provision for gifted and talented tion with the area associations helped to strengthen students. In the "Texas School Board Newslet the ties between the regions and TASE. Each ter" in Apri11962, Commissioner Edgar would year the workshops would deal with current edu cite the improvements as the number one educa cation topics, and reports of the meetings would tion event of 1961. be carried in the newsletter orJournal. Begun in 1955 with the reports on the Texas and White New Directions and a Joint Convention House education conferences, these workshops While the state and local authorities were ex were expanded in the next several years. The amining the curriculum, TASB was continuing to meetings were the first in a long line of Spring grow and expand its services. In July 1958 a Workshops to be conducted in a number of group of 35 school board members met on the locations over the next several decades. UT campus to discuss new directions for the Membership in the organization was con Association. AmongTASB's strengths, thegroup tinuing to grow. In August 1957 the organization listed its publications (the Texas School Board had 306 members, with boards being added Journal and the "Texas School Board Newslet monthly, By 1962, there were 387 members, and ter"), the research conducted by the Association by 1965, 400 members. and the Texas Committee of Ten, and coopera The increased membership was apparent at tive relationships between TASB and other edu the TASB conventions each fall. Meeting at the cation-related groups and agencies. The group same time as TASA in 1955, TASB held its larg recommended theorganization enhance the area est convention to date, with an estimated atten associations and their ties to TASB, promote dance of 250. Holding their meetings concur membership, and continue to provide objective, rently, although not yet jointly, proved beneficial honest information about public education and for both TASA and TASE. Boards and adminis its costs, achievements, strengths, and weak trators could travel together, attend their sepa nesses. The groups stressed service to local rate meetings, and discuss what they learned on boards as key to the organization. the return trip. For the next four years, the two One of the steps taken to strengthen the As groups continued to hold their meetings at the sociation was to move the headquarters off the same time, with the annual banquet as the only UT campus to an independent location. For many joint event. Each year the attendance figures years the ties with UT had been strong, but continued to grow. Nugent and the Executive Committee decided Then in 1960, at the instigation of Nugent an office off-campus was necessary. So in August and TASA President Charles Mathews, the two 42 organizations decided to experiment with a joint convention. Planners for the two organizations coordinated to provide one program for conven tion participants. "In the opinions of the partici pants and planners . . . 'the experiment was a success,' " reported the newsletter in October 1960. Although TASA kept no attendance rec ord, 265 trustees from 119 districts registered with TASE. It is suspected that more trustees than that attended, because more than 600 par ticipated in the topic discussion groups. The next year the convention planners added the first commercial exhibit, and the convention drew 1,200 participants to the new Municipal Audito rium in Austin. A total of 330 board members from 160 school districts attended. One exhib itor commented that his display received more traffic at this event that it had earlier at the American Association of School Administrators Convention. With the merging of the convention with TASA, themes for the meeting were dropped for a while. Instead of focusing on one particular topic, a myriad of ~opics was presented for dis cussion. For example, in 1963 the topics included (Top) Senator A.M. Aikin of Paris, longtime educa teaching Americanism versus Communism, tion supporter, addresses TASB members at the 1957 certification of school administrators, textbook Convention. (Bottom) TASB moved into this building selection, religion and the schools, board-profes at 405 West Eighth Street in January 1968. sional staff relations, modern mathematics, legal problems and new laws, teaching economics in Foundation Program, which had been set up high school, physical fitness and the schools, under the Gilmer-Aikin laws, was showing signs local school finance, federal programs in educa of wear, and educators were calling for some tion, the dropout, school board in action (new needed changes. Rodney Cathey, superinten board member seminar), the space age and the dent at Bay City lSD, wrote a four-part series on curriculum, the public school library, separating the problems of the Minimum Foundation Pro board and administrative responsibilities, the gram for the Texas School Board Journal. In the migrant pupil, implications of Texas' changing final installment, Cathey, who now serves as a economy for education, school district reorgani TASB school services consultant, wrote: zation, the local tax policy study and the schools, 'The Texas Minimum Foundation Program experimentation in the schools, and automation is now in its fifteenth year of operation. It would in school management. The first exhibit of school be impossible to place a dollar value on what this architecture was added in 1963, featuring air foundation program has done for public educa conditioned schools. Although it was still held in tion in Texas. Its value can only be measured by Austin, the convention was beginning to take on the educational opportunities that have been the flavor of modern-day conventions. made possible for the boys and girls of Texas. Though the foundation program has been of in Equalization and the MFP estimable value in providing education opportu At conventions and workshops sponsored nities for our youth, the program itself should not by TASB, school finance was frequently a topic be held as sacred .... Several aspects of the Mini for discussion. Equalization was often brought mum Foundation Program are in need of serious up in those discussions. By 1964, the Minimum study. These areas are: (1) the measure of tax· 43 Implications for Education of the Space Age Address by U. S. Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson Presented at 1962 TASB-TASA Convention Oliver Wendell Holmes once made the essential that this installation be located near a observation that"a child's education should begin thriving, established, industrial complex. at least a hundred years before he is born." But the decisive factor was the proximity to This truth has seldom been proved more a first-class university. The space age must be convincingly anywhere than in Texas. In 1836, built on brains-trained brains-and those ar when the Republic of Texas became free, andin eas which cannot supply them will become eco 1845, when the Republic became a State, the nomic backwaters. first concern of the men guiding the Texas The space centerwill remain in Houston as destiny was the establishment and support of a long as there is a space age. The real matter of system of public education. concern to us is not whether the center is located A century later, almost to the year, those in Texas but whetherTexans will participate in it. hundred years of dedication to public education And this is a question that will be answered in returned their dividends. terms ofoureducational system-at all levels. The great Texas industrial breakthrough It is not enough to have universities and and expansion-whichbegan in 1939 and gained colleges of the first class. Those institutions of momentum in 1945-was possible because of higher learning can be no stronger than the base the background of education in Texas. upon which they rest-the supply of students The industrial plants which came to Texas from the secondary and primary schools. in that period-and which are continuing to Ifthe quality of those students is poor, the come-were influenced by the abundance of universities and colleges must either lower their natural resources here. But the real drawing standards or go out of business. And if that force-the decisive factor in Texas' growth should ever happen in Texas, our state would has been the skill and adaptability of ourpeople have a geographical connection with the space gained through our educational system. age-butno real participation in it. This perspective on the past serves tosharpen I know that you are dedicated men and ourfocus on our own responsibilities today. women determined t() maintain the quality of Texas education. I know you also realize that To Participate in the Space Age even to remain where we are in this rapidly Today we arefacing a far greaterchallenge changing world, we mustredouble our efforts. than confronted us in the industrial breakthrough These are times in which people must run and expansion of thethirties and the forties. The twice as fast to stay in the same place. world has entered the age of space. Our nation Therefore, I am confident that these prob cannot afford to lag in the competitive scramble lemswillpreoccupyyourthoughtsandyourde of adventurous men to explore the beckoning liberations. You have a heavy responsibility regions beyond the earth's thin layer of atmos upon your shoulders and I envy you the opportu phere. nity that lies before you. And the government of our country has The responsibility is to the child as an indi located in Texas one of the great centers of the vidual and to the state and the nation. We are not space age-acenterwhich will become the focal educating children to serve the state. We are pointfordaringjourneys through the heavens. educating children to be competent, self suffi Itwill also be the central point in which imagina cient individuals and to be citizens capable of tive men will unlock the secrets of nature and living in the modern world. thereby shape our future and our day-by-day Ifwe succeed in this goal, the needs of our lives. nation will be served. There were many reasons for bringing the There are so many problems before you. Space Center to Houston. Climate played an How do we treat the gifted child-bored if important role. The presence of year-round he is held to a pace below his capacity? water transportation was a crucial factor. Itwas How do we inculcate the new discipline of 44 the physical sciences-withoutcrowding out the highenough to absorb our produce. traditional and worthy values of the humanities The need for unskilled labor will continue to and the social sciences? decline. How do we increase the ability of ourpeople Theneed for highly trained and highly quali to speak with people of other tongues in a world fied manpower will increase dramatically-not which is rapidly shrinking and in which commu only in our own State and in our country-but nication is vital? throughouttheworld. We must solve these prob lems if we are to There will be a continuing concentration of beworthyofthe space age. Butwemustnotlose population in cities. sight of the fact thatwe are trying to solve them Families will move from place to place with for the individual and notfor the space age itself. greater ease and at a greater rate. Worldwide communication will bring all The Responsibilities That Wilt Outlive Us All people closer and closer together. We who serve the public-whether at the These factors will in turn mean a growing local level. State level, Qrnationallevel:':-aa:edis" interdependence of areas and nations and will charging responsibilities which will far outlive make oureconomic and social relationships in us all. Oursuccess--orourfailure-wil1n:otbe creasingly complex. measured by the results of twelve years of public schooling or byfour years ofhighereducation. Moral Force ThefinaljudgmentwiD bebased upon how effec Ifwe in the United States are to continue our tive we have been in meeting the challenges of leadership for freedom, we must make certain our times, and this affects the destiny of our thatour pu bUcly supported programs of educa nation and the destiny offreedom. tion provide each young person with those skills In the realm of education, local government and that training necessary to master the de faces its greatest challenge. In this realm-asin mandsofan increasingly complex world. But, at no other-local responsibilities must be dis· the same time, we mustrecognizethatourlead charged with a vision and an understanding of ership today does not rest upon our mechanical national needs. skills-but upon the moral force of what we The unique genius of our nation today is the believe and what we stand for. factthatwe have been able-farlonger than any Ournational purpose in theworld today is to other major nation on earth-to maintain among preserve peace and to keep freedom. We enjoy ourpeople and in ourway oflife the same values, peace today because Americans-devoted to the the same sense of purpose and dedication, the ideals of their heritage-havewillingly made the same high aspiration for nearly two hundred sacrifice necessary to contain the aggressor na years. The technology of the present would be tions of the world. Our system of public educa strange and confusing to the FoundingFathers tion has been the cradle of the dedication and of America were they to return to our midst. But devotion which hasbeen shown by this genera the spirit and values ofAmericans themselves tion ofAmericans. would make those who broughtthis nation into Because of what has been done between the being feel at home.... UnitedStates-andour allies of the Free World during the pastfifteen years, we can have hope Factors of Change that the cause of freedom will prevail in this In the next generation, knowledge-in all century. Thisgoal will befulfilled asthose of us fields-will continue to expand at a rapid rate_ with responsibilities to public education discharge Technological change will continue to berapid our duties mindful that our trust is not com as it is today. The job of our educational pro· pletely discharged in our lifetime-butis a trust grams will be greatly affected by many factors, as real to the children of America one hundred such as these: yearsfrom now, as it is to the children of Texas Steadily increasing efficiency ofh Uman labor. today. A great increase of leisure bringing with it As trustees of public education in Texas, you either increased unemployment or increased inherit a tradition of courage and independence. production. You inherit a rich legacy of uncompromised ide Economic growth thatwill probably increase als" It is your opportunity and trust to build on sufficiently for higher standards of living but thispastasystem Qfeducation which will respon which will present llS with problems of maintain· sibly serve the destinypffreedom for America. ing purchasing power for ourfamilies at a level 45 paying ability of local support has risen 145 school districts-the percent. In 1956, the economic index; (2) foundation program the measure of need amounted to 46 per and the allocation of cent of the total cost; professional units; and it now amounts to ap (3) local effort and proximately 53 per inequities within cent. Why does local school districts." support in Texas lag Speaking to the behind that in other TASB-TASA Conven states? Are local dis tricts bearing as much tion in September WHB. Fehl George C. Guthrie 1964, Governor John 1960-61 President 1961-63 President load as they can with Connally also pointed their limited tax out problems in school finance and other areas of sources? Are tax rates unrealistic? I don't know education, including illiteracy and dropouts. In a these answers with any degree of certainty. I do speech that could have been given today, Con think we need more objective evidence." nally said: (Earlier Connally had angered boards by 'The requirements of the technological age telling them to "drop your buckets where you in which we live are demanding to an extreme. are" to find funds for a teacher salary increase. We cannot meet these demands with mediocrity The governor advocated more local accountabil at any point in the education of both children and ity and more local funding of schools, and he adults. Neither can we satisfy the demands just sought to abolish the ad valorem tax for public with money. Money alone won't cure mediocrity. school purposes [state textbooksl. In an edito "What is needed are new approaches, new rial in the Journal, TASB responded: "We ap concepts, new dimensions in the role and scope plaud the effort to meet the expanding costs of of education in the 1960s.... We react to change, state government and to improve the state's but we seldom promote change." services without any appreciable increase in In 1965, Connally created the Governor's state taxes, but we do not subscribe to the Committee on Public School Education, one of temporary solution to this problem which would the first official bodies of Texas to address equali transfer the burden of increased taxes to local zation problems in school finance. Chaired by school districts of Texas. Ifwe may paraphrase Houston attorney Leon Jaworski, the committee an answer to the governor: 'Our bucket has a conducted extensive research into every phase hole in it-and we are dipping into a very shal of education. TASB, along with other educa low river.' ") tional organizations, worked on subcommittees, In the end, much of the report was ignored; gathered research, and contributed suhQt::mtivelv in regard to public school finance, the effect of to Connally's reform movement. the committee's recommendation In 1968,thecommittee published would have been substantial equali its recommendations in a document zation through massive injections of titled "The Challenge and the state aid into a broadened Minimum Chance." For its time, the report was Foundation Program. Widespread radical in scope and ambitious in consolidation of schools was another design. Quoting Connally from his equalization feature of the plan report: "We must meet the issue of and avery unpopularone.Theequali public school financing. Frankly, I zation issue-a factor in many other am not satisfied with the degree of states besides Texas-would have local support. Total school costs in to be fought later in court battles Texas have risen by 114 percent such as Rodriguez v. San Antonio Lee Ragsdale since 1956-a staggering amount in ISD and Edgewood ISD v. Kirby. The 1963-65 President itself-yet Minimum Foundation problem remains unsolved today. 46 HA~()LO FI YE"FlY PRESIOENT TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT • PO, BOX 534 • LAREOO. TEXAS 18040 May 14, 1968 IOXIECUTIVC COMMITTEe: EFI"'EST 1£ MARSHA,LL MAFI$HA,LL 1$0 Dear TASB Member: W C HOLLIS POI\!T NECHE$ 1$0 M~S t;VA,LY", SWAN Lf:vERI:TT'$ CHAPEL 'SO L W, CONRA,OT It is with stunned sadness that we announce the sudden death of TERRELL ISO our Executive Secretary for thirteen years, Mr. Don Nugent. Don HIOr-tL"NO PA~K 1$0 served us all through this Association far beyond the call of CALVIN R GUEST duty. But even as we mourn with his widow, Eloise, and mourn our A. C, SATTERWHITE own personal loss, we think with of George F. Kaufman's C/:(OCKtTT IS::; play "You Can't Take It With You." simple and powerful way C. BLAIR FlOWLANO SP/:(INO: El/:(A"C" ISO in which old Grandpa prayed: "Well, Lord, we're all left here. HARRY MCAi-fINCH TEXAS CITY ISO We're just a'gettin along fine and we're sure much obliged. Amen." HORACIE R WILLARD {LOOIr.GS 'SO The Executive Committee has met. In the next two weeks we will LOVETT LEOGER COPPEIOtAS COVE employ an Executive Secretary. Meanwhile Mrs. Marian Nachlinger LOYO I. TU' H lOt GOWA.N ditional help of Mrs. Guttman. I assure you that your Executive JA.CKSaO/:(O ISO Committee and officers will continue to do your bidding. W, p, ADNE\' WOODsnOJlO Most sincerely, MRS JOHN HALL WItA,THERPOR:; ISO JE~RY LACRONE eM,YeN '5:; MRS "!A.I'cY JOY COWPER tHG $PFI,"IO 1$0 Harold R. Yeary, President Texas Association of School Boards UVALDE ($0'" PAST PR£$ICENT$ JOHN E MF.a.DF. LEE /:(ACSOALE CECR'::;E C CUTHRIE W H _ a FEHL A H "!CCuLLOCH GEORGE S GANDY MRS WILL "'I!LLEIIl M w (;LO$S£I'cMA~ JAM£S A REDMOND W I KOCuREK O~ RAY K DAILY During the time that the Governor's Com cation, professional consultation, drug abuse, mittee was examining education, the TASB and proposed state and federal legislation. Executive Committee and Nugent saw a need to develop a coalition of education groups. So in Creation of the Delegate Assembly 1965, the Texas Council for Public Education In 1966, TASB had grown to more than 400 was developed as a liaison group made up of the members. At the convention that year, the mem presidents and executive officers of major or bership unanimously voted to create a Delegate ganizations and agencies in the state that deal Assembly. "1.be Delegate Assembly provides a directly or primarily with public education. Over structure for TASB member boards to have a di the next several years, the council met to ex rect and equal voice in the determination of change ideas and cooperatively act on the devel TASB policies, programs, and personnel," the opments in public education, such as the report communique to TASB members reported. Each from the Governor's Committee on Public Edu board was to elect a delegate and alternate to 47 represent it at the sistantexecutive direc assembly, notifyTASB tor, sat in for Nugent of its selections, re and guided the organi quire delegates to zation in its activities, share the assembly including a move to material with the full new headquarters on board and obtain the West Eighth Street in board's view for, ex January 1968. But pression at the Dele Nugent would not be gate Assembly, and able to enjoy his new pay its service fee office; in May,theman before the meeting who had been TASB John E. Meade Harold Yeary (only boards in good 1965-67 President 1967-69 President executive director for standing would beper 13 years died. mitted to participate). So on September 23,1967, For 16 years-longer than nearly any other 101 delegates attended the first Delegate Assem TASB employee in its 40-year history-Nugent bly in Austin to consider organization policy, served the Association. He began the Texas School hear management's and president's reports, and BoardJournal and served as editor of it and the consider resolutions. Commissioner J.W, Edgar ''Texas School Board Newsletter" throughout was the keynote speaker. The meeting, led by his tenure. As field director under Roy Hall, he TASB President John E. Meade, was held the setup several workshops and worked with school day (Saturday) before the regular convention, boards throughout the state. As executive direc which had been a two-day event since the early tor, he guided the association through a steady 1950s. Although no other convention event was growth in membership (from about 200 boards scheduled for that Saturday, it was the first time in 1955 to nearly 500 boards in 1968) and in the TASB meeting stretched to three days (Sat budget (from nearly $10,000 in the 1955 to nearly urday, Sunday, and Monday) for a portion of the $50,000 in 1968), two moves, expanded conven membership. tions, and more area workshops to discuss im That year was also the first time a registra portant issues. tion fee was charged for the convention. TASB "Don was a research-oriented type of indi and TASA members could attend for $3 per per vidual, probably more devoted to publications son; a nonmember had to pay $8. Banquet tickets than anything else," recalls Greer, who stayed cost $5 and luncheon tickets, a mere $2.50. with the organization until August 1968. Greer A little more than a week after the 1967 con recently rejoined the staff in development. vention, Executive Director Nugent suffered a Although one seldom hears his name men heartattack. In thenextseveral months, Nugent's tioned in TASB stories today, Donald Nugent work schedule was severely restricted. Clyde played a key role in makingTASB a viable, sound Greer, who had joined the staff in August as as- organization in its first two decades. 48 Chapter 4 1968-77: A Time.fOr·New Directions We have to fully sense our mission and where we are as school board members to locus the minds and wills 01 the nation's people and its .leaders on their responsibility to meet the really imporlant educational challenges· 01 the age in which we live. -_...... - WillD. Davis Within two weeks after Donald Nugent's representatives) to 35 members representing 26 death in May 1968, a selection committee hired districts. The four most populous counties men Cecil Rusk, a former administrator at Clear Creek tioned earlier became multimember districts Public Schools and public relations representa under the new plan. tiveforthe1.H.RoseTruckLine. Whereas Nugent The Delegate Assembly authorized the might be characterized as conservative and behind expanded board while meeting in San Antonio the-scenes, Rusk was more outgoing and dy for the first time. Conventions were drawing namic. He would stimulate the membership to larger and larger participation each year; the become more concerned about education legis 1970 convention drew a record 2,500. Because of lation, add several more services for school boards a lack of hotel accommodations and adequate and staff to provide them, and increase member convention facilities in Austin, the Convention ship nearly 100 percent. The next decade-1968 Planning Committee, under President Laura Doing 77-would be a time for growth of the Associa of Wichita Falls, moved the 1971 convention to tion, both in membership and service. San Antonio, where it would stay for the next 18 By 1968, Texas was third in public school en years. With the move, the convention drew 3,000 rollment, with 2.5 million students. Seventy-seven participants in 1971, a 20 percent increase over percent of the population lived in urban areas; 40 the previous year. percent of the students attended schools in four counties-Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, and Bexar. A Time of Expansion Sixty-five counties had fewer than 1,500 stu The year 1970-71 was a time of expansion for dents. TASS. Under PresidentDoing'sleadership, TASB The urbanization of Texas had several impli began, as authorized by the 1970 Delegate As cations for TASS. In 1969, the State Board of sembly, an extensive program of legislative con Education underwent redistricting following a sultation, both with other education organiza lawsuit by Dallas and Fort Worth residents claim tions and the members of the 62nd Legislature. ing lack of proper representation. In that same In conducting the consultation activities, TASB year the TASB Executive Committee authorized officers and staff members called attention to the the formation of the Texas Council of Major need for non ad valorem tax revenue for local School Districts to function under the umbrella public schools, the need for school insurance of of TASS. The council initially provided the seven all kinds, the increasing difficulty of tenninating largest school districts in the state an opportu the employment of incompetent staff members, nity to identify and provide solutions for their and the general need for maintaining and provid common problems. The group was a predeces ing a permissive structure within which a local sor of the Council of Urban School Districts, school board may act. which today provides similar opportunities for In June 1970, the TASB Executive Commit nine urban school districts. tee approved the implementation ofa policy service A few years later-in 1971-the TASB Dele that would be phased in over a four-year period. gate Assembly passed a major redistricting plan Rusk had proposed that the service be set up for TASS. The plan expanded the Executive using policy files, state and federal statutes, court Committee from 27 (six officers and 21 district decisions, attorney general opinions, and TEA 50 regulations to develop and maintain a set of Committee reviewed the legislative proposals of model policies that would be made available at other education organizations and recommended cost. The proposal further projected the develoIr the Delegate Assembly adopt one of five posi ment of a bimonthly updating service to alert tions on these proposals-active support, SUIr districts to information needed to keep policies port by resolution, a neutral stance, opposition current and the development of a policy research by resolution, and active opposition. Attached to service on a request basis. The proposal also the proposals of the other organizations were projected establishing field services to help dis some TASB legislative proposals recommended tricts adapt models and to assist districts during by the Executive Committee. the process of complete policy revision. Beginning in 1971, TASB delegates or board During 1970-71. the staff invited school boards presidents and superintendents received weekly to send copies of their policies and legislative reports. entitled "Educa administrative procedures and regu tional Scene from Capitol Hill," UIr lations to the TASB office. Several dating them on the activities of the policy manuals were received. and 62nd Legislature. In addition, board the policy clearinghouse was subse members were urged to contact leg quently established. The other as islators more often in support of or pects of the proposal had to be de opposition to education bills. The ferred until later because ofthe lim "Texas School Board Newsletter" ited and overloaded Association staff. records one waytrustees'voices were The model policies project, however, heard: was revived in 1973 in the form of 'The cards and letters that you as proposals for funding from the Texas school board members write to pub Cecil E. Rusk Education Agency and the Southern lic officials help you. When public 1968-77Executive Director Region School Boards Research and officials are aware of your opinions Training Center. The proposal called for devel and desires, they can consider your point of view oping model policies in critical governance ar in making decisions. A dramatic example of the eas, such as the discipline of students and dis effect letters have occurred when TASB learned missal of employees; providing assistance to of an attempt by Consolidated Freight Haulers to districts in adapting the models to meet local increase the rates on intrastate furniture shiIr needs; and conducting workshops across the ments, including school furniture. Executive Di state to review and evaluate the model policies. rector Cecil E. Rusk appeared before the [Texas Funding-in the amount of $1,500 for mate Railroad] commission to testify against the pro rials and partially to defray a librarian's salary posed increase. His testimony was accepted only were received from the Southern Region. There because the examiner in the case was able to is, however, no evidence or memory that the present a volume of correspondence he had re funds sought from TEA-$25,000 annually for ceived from school board members and superin three years-were provided. Despite this set tendents." back, TASB's policy clearinghouse continued. TASB was clearly gaining power as a school Also in 1970-71, TASB assisted in the forma board organization both in Texas and the nation. tion of two new regional associations-Bexar In the summer of 1971 Calvin Guest of Bryan County Federation of School Boards and the lSD, TASB president in 1971-72, was elected Panhandle Association of School Boards. president of the Southern Region School Boards Another development during this time was Association and served as chairman of the NSBA the Association's first legislative program. AIr Resolutions Committee. Rusk served as secre proved by the Delegate Assembly in 1970, the tary-treasurer of the Southern Region School program differed somewhat from modern-day Boards Association. Later Will D. Davis of Austin legislative programs, which are developed over a ISD. TASB presidentin 1974-75, would be elected period of months by the Legislative Network. In as a director of NSBA in 1973 and would become lieu of the Legislative Network, which would not NSBA president in 1977. be formed for several years, the Executive With the expansion of services and addi 51 tional staff to provide adopted in Texas and those services, TASB should warn TASB had outgrown its fa about untenable alter cilitiesat405 West 8th natives which should Street in Austin by be opposed by TASB. 1972. So for the first The committee will time the Association then proceed to de purchased a building, velop strategies for located at 507 West making school board Avenue in Austin. attitudes known and, 'The Executive Com to the greatestpossible mittee decided that it degree, accepted." WT. Crouch Calvin Guest would be wiser to build 1969-70 President 1971-72 President Guest pointed out equity than to collect that "school board rent receipts; in fact, the committee found that it members are an extension of the legislature for is decidedly cheaper to buy than to rent," wrote the local conduct ofthe state's system of educa TASB President Guest in the Texas School Board tion.... The board member is elected by the citi Journal. So Rusk and his five-member staff moved zenry to give leadership to public education. To into the two-story, 3,000 square-foot building in fail to provide leadership in seeking solutions to June. To help pay for the building and to alleviate school finance problems would be an abdication burden on the service fee structure, the Execu of responsibility to the citizens who elected us tive Committee requested tax-deductible dona and to the legislature that created local boards." tions from current and past board members and Serving on the committee were Albert Brown of friends. More than 70 people contributed. North East lSD, TASB first vice-president and chairman of the committee; Rayford Bates of School Finance Under Fire Seminole ISD; Ben Abney of Woodsboro ISD; In 1972, school finance, always a concern Charles McClure of]acksboro ISD; Mervil Moore among board members, suddenly took on monu of Laredo ISD; Charles Waters of Lubbock ISD; mental significance. In late 1971, a U.S. district and George Oser of Houston ISD. The commit court in Rodriguez v. San Antonio ISD declared tee published two policy statements establishing the state's financing scheme unconstitutional, TASB's position on a finance plan. and Texans were stunned into a realization ofthe Atthe 1972TASB-TASA Convention in Octo ramifications of years of neglecting equity prob ber, the opening general session featured the lems in school finance. The court ruled that the leaders of seven principal groups in the school state's method, which relied heavily on local finance arena presenting an overview of policy wealth, discriminated against children living in directions and research findings that showed poor school districts. On appeal, arguments were significant unity on basic issues. In brief, they heard before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972. advocated: Theevents thatfollowed somewhatresemble • "Retention of the Foundation School pro the aftermath of a district court's decision in gram concept but great expansion ofthe present Edgewood ISD v. Kirby more than a decade later. program to equalize at a level approximating the Throughout1972, many studies relating to school 90th percentile; finance options were undertaken, and many di • "State-local sharing of the costs of the verse recommendations were made regarding Foundation School Program with the local share both revenue and allocation plans. The TASB being financed by local ad valorem taxes; Executive Committee appointed its own school • "Maintenance of the present local control finance committee "to provide leadership for features; TASB's efforts in seeking solutions to the school • "Computation of a local school district's lo finance problems," wrote Guest in the Journal. cal fund assignment based on the market value of "'The committee will identify basic features that taxable property within the school district; should be included in any school finance system • "Revision of the ad valorem tax statutes to 52 ensure uniform assessing practices in all school sal, the Legislature failed to act in 1973. districts; and With the school finance issue still unsettled, • "Revision of the state program and finance in 1974 TASB set up the first Legislative Net system even if the Supreme Court reverses the work Through members of the network-at Rodriguez decision." least one trustee from each school district-the In March 1973 the Supreme Court did, in Association hoped to encourage more personal fact, reverse the lower court's decision. The contact with legislators on education issues. Texas system was held to be constitutional, but Although the network members did not estab even the majority opinion carried strong encour lish the 1975 Legislative Program, they would be agement to legislators to create a more equitable instrumental in carrying out its goals. method of school finance. Following the rever To no one's surprise, when the 64th Legisla- Reactions to the Rodriguez Va San Antonio ISD Decision Reactions to the Rodriguez decision have been varied. The recent landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which reversed the lower court holding in the Rodriguez case, has caused a flood of comments ranging from praise to condemnation. The decision which held that the Texas system of school financing, based on ad valorem property taxes, was constitutional left the problem of school financing reform to the various state legislatures. Justice Powell for the majority stated that the need for tax reform is apparent but that it is a job for the legislatures rather than the courts. He added that since there was no absolute deprivation of any right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, the Court had no alternative but to reverse the lower court. Other reactions to the holding have been both pro and con: Representative John Brademas (D.-Ind.) has said that the decision effectively kills any impetus that existed to reform the property tax-based method of school financing. He warned, "the Court's decision, coupled with Nixon administration proposals for massive cuts in federal help to schools and universities, signals a dangerous retreat from the American commitment to education/' Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Martin Essex said the decision was in line with what he considered the best interests of modern education. Essex stated that any decision which required an equal dollar expenditure for each student would have ignored the "varied educational needs of children that require different types of education." Three Democratic state legislators from San Antonio, all Mexican-Americans, criticized the opinion, saying that the state might not now bother to make necessary reforms. Representative Matt Garcia said that the Supreme Court took the softest approach it could have and that it disappointed many children of ethnic minorities. Texas House Speaker Price Daniel said he was glad that the pressure was off for an immediate change in school financing. He also stated that the decision would make it possible for the Texas Legislature to avoid a tax increase. Los Angeles County School Superintendent Richard Cowles said that he felt that the decision probably would not affect the earlier California Supreme Court decision in the Serrano case (similar to the lower court holding in the Rodriguez case) since that case was partially based on the California Constitution. 53 ture convened in January 1975, school finance 1969, the 61st Legislature passed the Texas Tort headed the list of major issues. The outcome of Claims Act, which severely limited any sover the 1975 session was House Bill 1126, which eign immunity governmental bodies may have TASB worked diligently and successfully to pass. had. The act, as originally passed, established The bill made notable revisions to the state's fi limits of $100,000 and $300,000 for personal inju nancing plan. Among the revisions was the addi ries or death. Thanks to some intervention by tion of the state equalization aid under the um TASB, school districts were excluded from the brella of the renamed Foundation (instead of provisions of the Texas Tort Claims Acts, except Minimum) School Program (FSP). Another revi when the operation of motor vehicles was con sion was in the calculation of the local share of cerned. the FSP, which was moved from the economic Aside from personal injury, school districts index to the actual taxable value in the districts. were becoming increasingly concerned with prop The local share rate was greatly increased from erty damage. An unnamed insurance consultant previous years, and aid entitlements were based writes in the Journal about these concerns: on adjusted personnel units instead of unad "Permissiveness that results in violence, justed teacher units previously used. breakdowns in discipline, assaults on teachers, For now, at least, something had been ac and acts of vandalism and malicious mischief complished in the area of school finance. have a decided impact on the insurance frater nity as well as on the school fraternity. . . . Insurance Needs Become Critical Vandalism and malicious mischief . . . has be Another issue that came to the forefront in come so frequent in the larger school districts the early 1970s was that of school insurance. In that most companies refuse to write such cover- Laura T. Doing: 1970-71 President In 1970, TASB elected a woman board member from Wichita Falls as president. The highlights of Laura T. Doing's presidency in cluded the expansion of the Association from a 27-member board to 35 members representing 26 districts, convention relocation from Austin to San Antonio, and the addition of clinics and work sessions at convention that Doing "almost single-handedly set up." In addition, Doing solicited more representatives from urban boards and initiated closer work with National School Boards Association. Statewide, TASB experienced a "period of comparative peace ex cept we worked closely with the Texas State Teachers Association to avoid legislative hassles... on subjects such as collective bargaining and salaries." Laura T. Doing Doing was a strong advocate for women trustees. "I sort of pio neered for women board members. There were only a few over the state when I was officer." She recalls that at one meeting at the Austin Headliners Club, the officers had been seated at First Vice-President Joe Kelly Butler's designated place "when in walked the maitre d' who ordered us out because women were not allowed!" Butler immediately cancelled the luncheon, adjourned the meeting, and moved it to the Driskill Club in the basement where women were allowed. "At the time, 1 was a newspaper staffer, a chairman for Governor Connally's Commission of Status of Women, but no amount of arguing would allow me in those sacred quarters. How times have changed!" 54 age anymore. . . . A survey conducted by the percent off commercial rates and would make TASB revealed that no less than 14 states have a needed insurance available to all school systems. state insurance fund or permit some form of self Although the delegates approved the bill draft, insurance.... School people simply are irate be the matter was tabled and the bill draft never yond the belief of insurance people about the on went to the 63rd Legislature. again, off-again atmosphere that exists." However, the insurance committee and the To meet some of these concerns, in 1972 the TASB staff continued to study the problem. In TASB Executive Committee appointed an insur June 1973, the Association announced an agree ance committee to investigate Association alter ment with the Southern Region School Boards natives in assisting local schools with their insur Association to offer insurance on school proper ance programs and in offering group insurance ties for Texas school districts. The insurance opportunities to school board members. Serving program, offered to 13 states in the Southern on the committee were Will Davis of Austin ISD Region Association, was underwritten by Crum and Bruce Hibbitt of Denison lSD, cochairmen; & Forster Insurance Company and was offered Bobby Carley of North Forest ISD; John Plath at the lowest possible cost. The new approach to Green of Dallas ISD; Bob J. Griffin of A & M selling insurance through associations had sev Consolidated ISD; Tess Norris of San Marcos eral advantages. One significant advantage was ISD; C.W. Duncan, Jr., of Killeen ISD; Franklin the ability to gather sufficient statistical data on Bass of Corpus Christi ISD; David Shirey of actual loss experience in the determination of Greenville ISD; and Richard Teniente of San the cost of school insurance. In many states, no Antonio ISD. breakout had been made for actual loss experi At the 1972 Delegate Assembly, the dele ence for extended coverage, or windstorm, in gates considered a bill draft on a state self surance.laterthe Southern Region School Boards insurance pool for public schools. The delegates Research and Training Center Insurance Trust were told that similar plans were operating in six would add legal liability coverage to its program. states and that the plan would save at least 40 Atthe same time TASB leaders were making Georgia Kimball: TASBParliamentarian Georgia Kimball, a Mesquite ISD trustee, became parliamentar ian in ·1971 after serving on the TASB Executive Committee. Policy service had just gotten under way, and the risk management pro grams for districts were being examined. Nationally. the problems ofintegration and school prayer were in the forefront. In fact, "Mesquite was the first district in the area and among the first to integrate," she said. 'We were the second faste.st growing ISD in the United States and had to average building one classroom per week to keep up with the demand. From 1962 when I was elected to 1978, [the district] went from five schools to 26." In a joint effort, the city developed playgrounds and parks, and districts built the buildings on the land the two bought together. Georgia Kimball Kimball adds: "Credit goes to the TASB Board then and now for their outlook and work and projections to the future. TASB looks to the children of Texas." 55 ber board of trustees, appointed by President Hall to oversee the fund, met for the first time in February to adopt bylaws and dis cuss promotional and operational issues. Members of that first trust fund board were Davis, chairman; Rib bitt, vice-chairman; (Left) In 1972, TASB purchased a building at 507 West Avenue with the help ofmembers' contributions. (Right) Albert D. Brown Jr. served as president in 1972-73. Norris, secretary; Hall; Ferrell Ray, Jr., Dal an agreement with the Southern Region Associa las ISD trustee; Robert R. Ashworth, Amarillo tion on the property insurance, the 63rd Legisla ISD superintendent; Harlon Gaskill, Dalhart ISD ture was considering a bill on workers' compen trustee; D.O: Laird, La Porte ISD trustee; Linus sation. The lawmakers passed Senate Bill 283, Wright, acting general superintendent at Hous which required school districts to provide work ton ISD; Joe B. Finley, Jr., United CISD trustee; ers' compensation coverage for all employees. A and John F. Townley, Irving ISD superintendent. schedule of implementation according to the By July 1, TASB was providing coverage for budget size of a school district was included in employees of 270 districts, 70 percent of the dis the bill; consequently, two-thirds ofTASB mem tricts required to have coverage that year. Pay bers had to offer the coverage by June 30,1974. ing only 75 percent of standard rates, the first The bill allowed any two or more political subdi year membership had a standard premium of visions to establish a joint fund and pay into the $6.2 million, far surpassing the $3 million that fund a share that could be used to make pay was necessary for successful operation. ments to employees of the contracting political In the next several years, the TASB Work subdivisions. In short, it provided for a pooling ers' Compensation Self-Insurance Fund would arrangement similar to what the Delegate As grow rapidly. By 1977-78, more than 785 school sembly had discussed earlier. districts would join, paying a standard premium UnderTASB President Shirley Hall, the TASB of $5.5 million. Excess premium refunds to dis Executive Committee acted quickly to authorize tricts, made possible as a result of the savings in the development and implementation of a joint the cost of operating the fund and high returns of fund for the protection of all TASB members. A interest on the reserve funds, totaled more than questionnaire requesting actuarial information $1.5 million from 1974 to 1978. Through the was sent to school districts through the '''Texas fund, TASB had successfully met the needs of School Board Newsletter." Because so little the school districts and saved them money in the accurate information like this existed, it was process. nearly impossible to determine the amount of money necessary for adequate protection of The Growth of Policy Service su bscribing districts until such information could By the end of 1974, the TASB staff had be gathered. With responses and additional in grown to seven. Richard Hooker, who had started formation in hand, the TASB insurance commit shortly after Rusk was hired in 1968, left in 1973 tee drew up specifications and solicited propos to become head of the Governor's Office of als from insurance companies for the develop Education Research and Planning. Russell Gra ment of a TASB self-insurance program. On ham, an attorney, took over some of Hooker's re January4, 1974, the Executive Committee awarded sponsibilities and was instrumental in setting up the contract to Texas Employers Insurance As the TASB Workers' Compensation Self-Insur sociation, and the TASB Workers' Compensa ance Fund. He also served as director of legal tion Self-Insurance Fund was born. An ll-mem research. Marian Nachlinger, office manager 56 and administrative assistant, had been on staff cently joined the staff as director of governmen for nearly 13 years, handling such tasks as ac tal relations, hired a corps of writers to develop a counting, convention information and reserva Policy Reference Manual. The manual would ad tions, and general office supervision. The staff dress districts' need for authoritative informa also included a director of informational serv tion and model policies to guide local policy ices, a director of publications, a librarian and decisions. At the same time, a significant recon editorial assistant, and a secretary. figuration of the dues structure and growing With the addition of new services, the staff membership permitted the Association more lati would continue to grow. Policy Service, which up tude to undertake the costly development of until this time had been primarily a clearing such a service. house, was to take on a more significant role in Perceived early on as a subscription service the Association services. Under the provisions of that would eventually recoup developmental ex House Bil11126, passed by the 64th Legislature penses, the effort was initially guided by Jim in 1975, every school district had to be accred Luce, who had served as associate executive ited by TEA by the 1977-78 school year. A major director at South Carolina School Boards Asso consideration in the accreditation process was ciation and developed the Georgia State Refer that the school board had "developed, codified, ence Manual. Luce gave the manual its distinc duplicated, and disseminated to all school em tive alpha coding system. Assisting the effort on ployees and the public, the policies that govern a consulting basis was Lanier Cox, a professor of the operation of the school." school law at UT. So in 1975, Policy Service took a giant evolu A cadre of specialists was assembled to re tionary step when Orbry Holden, who had re search and compile materials appropriate for the Shirley Hall: 1973-74 President Among the many accomplishments she sees in her term asTASB president in 1973-74, Shirley Hall, a trustee in Weatherford lSD, considers TASB's involvement in gifted education as one of the most significant. In May 1972, the State Board of Education authorized educa tional programs for the gifted. In the following year, Texas Education Agency staff developed the first state plan for gifted and talented education. TASB passed a resolution in the 1974 Delegate Assembly calling for gifted education to be a priority in Texas education, and the State Board subsequently followed with a similar action. Hall served as chairman of the gifted education advisory board in 1976. In addition, during her presidency, the TASB Worker'sCompen Shirley Hall sation Self-Insurance Fund started. State and national legislative networks were created. "After 1968, with Cecil Rusk as director, I saw TASB change from a growing, modest, conservative association of three staff members to an explosive rocketing association of tremendous growth and services with five staff members in 1968 to 26 staff members in 1978," she said. Hall sees honoring teachers by raising salaries "to truly professional levels" as the way to improve our school system and to produce "educ;lted, productive citizens." 57 Leadership Takes Strength and Vitality Address oy Will D. Davis Presented at the 1977NSBA Convention It is appropriate that a speech on leadership should be delivered by Will D. Davis. Davis kimsel/has oeen a strong leader in education on local, state, and national levels since the mid~1960s. Elected to the Austin ISD Board in 1966, he serv13d three termsas president. He went on to serve on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Dur£ng his term as TASB presidentin 1974-75, he led theAssociation successfullythrough a legislative session, increased TASB's Profile on the national education scene, and encouragedgreaterTASB personal contact with itsmembers. In 1977he was elected president ofthe National School Boards Association. Since then, he has served on the Select Committee on Education (1983-84) and chaired the School Finance Symposium. Davis, an Austin attorney, currently is a member of the State Board ofEducation. Will D. Davis No school system is greatwithout leadership and thatleadership 1974-75 President is the most vital element in schools today. I want to say to you that in my travels around the United States this year. .. I have learned that the greatestneed throughout this country isforeducational leaders in every community who understand the true meaning ofleadership. Its responsibilities, its risks, its rewards, its challenges, and its costs. N ow we Americans are not interested in justany kind ofleaderora wishywashy kind ofleader. We are interested in leaderswho stand for things thatare important. Who actually know which direction they are going. Who in every community, town, and city concern themselves with challenges that really count. Our nation really needs men and women who will take hold oflife and mold itand do something with it. We need them because thesecommunities will drift if they don't have leadership, And the only way drift takes you is downhill. We need them because strength oftheAmerican educational system certainlydoesn'tlie in Washington, D.C., orin Austin, Texas, or in any otherstate capital. Itlies in the strength of every main street. Itlies in the local control exercised by every public school board from coast to coast. .. , Yes, ourgreatestneed is for true educationallead~rship .. , In an age thatcries outforleadership is it not possible that in our complex society we have provided too many shiny leadership examples where this man or woman who feels its driving force can enjoy the rewards of leadership without incurring any of the risks? ... Have we become content with the moderate, risk-free success? ... Or can we meetthe manychallenges with which we are being bombarded daily and find the answers to the serious, social, and educational questions on which the future of America's young people hangs? One might wonder really when we see the confusion of purpose that often marks our progress as educators. A confusion that leads too many of us to become more anxious to work on an athletic programorsome extracurricular activity than On a sound education program for the handicapped child. Orthe unwillingness ofthe pu blic to think ofcommunity involvement in education except in the most innocuous challenge-free form of cake bakes, bingos, raffles, orraising money for some school activity fund rather than spend six months trying to pass a bond issue. Thequestion for school board leaders is simple. Can we raise such a bannerof real challenge to ourselves? One that will rally us to our cause. To create an interest in education simply by the very strength and vitality ofwhatwe stand for and which we proclaim. TheanswerI give. after seeing the challenge and the conviction and the courage of American school board leaders, is a strong confident YES. I have observed school board members across the countryas they have learned to understand which challenges really countin shaping the future. I have become convinced thatwe really can make a difference in America.... Theyhave learned that school board activity is certainly not a social club; although there is no close bond offellowship than thatlinking men and women serving a cause in which they deeply believe. They have learned thatschool board membership is not merely anotherdo-gooder organization; although we do care very deeply about the problems we face as human beingslivingtogetherin a mostcomplex 58 society. But, most important, I find that school board members have developed a passionfor doing .things that count to betterthe education ofthechildrenoftheircommunity,theirstate,andtheirnation. Why? Because theyknowthatwe mustprovide educational programs thatwiU serve thechild of the community bestin terms of life-long progress and preparation. Otherwise, wewill have a partin extinguishing theflame thatsetsAmerica apart from all theothercountries ever created in thehistory ofthe world. Yes, we can drift aU too easily into the inertia, the ineptness, the indifference, and the mediocrity thatbrandseveryotherpublic educational systemin the world. Great school board leaders will not avoid the ri~kycommunity challengesandtheerroneous belief thatthecommunity and its schools outranktheirown ideals; and thatthese communities and schools must beprotectedatall costs, even atthe costoftheirshattered pride and theirshatteredfaith. Great school board leaders realize thatleadership does notmean easy success asmuch asit means bearing thedif:ficultwith a constant riskof failure. Sometimes the biggest successes often result from programs checkeredby failure thatmadeusplan better and workharderto achieve success. As Woodrow Wilson expressed it, so can we: "We would ratherlose in a cause thatwill one day win, thanwin in a catlse that will one day lose." Thecritical que stion for usaseducationalleaders isthis~How c::rllweacivertise this frame of mind togetthegeneral public, the legislators, the congress, the governors, andthe presidents,to have the same concernfor accepting the real challenges thatwill makepur schools and c.ommunities better? How.can we getother public leaders to settheir sights on the educational mountaintop? First, I thinkwe have to makecertain that we can earn therightto lead; theway in which we conduct ourselves as leaders. This is valid whether we be a state association president like Charlie or the greenest local school board member here for the first time. We do not become leaders merely by gettingelected and calling ourselves leaders. Next, we have to care enough about the future of children to treasure them above all else, more . than taxpayers. Howmany of you read the book, The Last Angry Man? It is a book about an elderly doctorin New York City hemmedin by everything around him. The authoroithat book called himthe last angry man pointing outthatthere are so many people around today who do not care enough about their ideals or their principles to really getangry when they find these ideals in jeopardy. Can you imagineourimpactifwehad thegood doctor's state of mind, if we hadsuch concern for ournationthat we would lead within theTASB and NSBA, theASAA to develop 90,000 angry school boardmembers who would care enough about educational progress to really getmadwhen things do not measure up. I h;lVe also heard school board members say more and more that we must lose our concern for ourselves, think more of what we can give andless of whatwe can get. We all know that any successful cause, all the way from Christianity through Communism, has held as its first tenet thefactthat you have to convince people thatthe cause is importan t enough tothem to lose themselves to the cause. Next. we mustworkfortomorrow. Education is built on ourfaith in theittture. We mustconvince ourselves, and our constituents, that it is worth sacrificing some time, today, some money in taxes, today, some talent, today, in orderto have a bettertomorrow....We need to pose thatchallenge to those board memberswho ten us theywould rather not participate in an incompetent teacher's dueprocess appeal and so they don't fire them. We need to challenge a business man who says he can not spare his junior partner to run for the school board or to serve on some school committee to help the community. But, most of all we have to fully sense ourmission and where we are going. Itlies in ourhands as school board members to focus the minds and wills of the nation's people and its leaders on their responsibility to meetthe really important educational challenges oftheage in which we live. Avery wise person oncesaid that"geniusisonly the power of making continuous efforts." The line between failure and success is so fine thatwe scarcely know when wepassoverit. So fine thatwe are often on the line and do not even know it. How many a man or woman has thrown up their hands and quit in a time when a little more effort, a little more patience would have achieved sUCCess. We mustremember as the tide goes outsoitcomes in. Sometime prospects forsuccess mayseem darkestwhenthey are actually on the turn for the better. A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seems hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. I believe really that there is no failure exceptin no longer trying. Thereis no defeatexceptfrom within. No really insurmountable barrier save ourown weakness Qfpurpose asschool board members and administrators chargedwith the responsibility of educating thechildren of this state. We cannot letdown-we musthold fast-we cansucceed. 59 manual. Throughout The result was the winter of 1975 and the Policy Reference spring of 1976 work Manual, which pre proceeded on the draft miered early in the of the manual with summer of 1976 PhiIip Tyler compiling through a series of the B section (govern workshops. The man ance); Joe Hairston, ual represented acorn the D section (person prehensive catalog of nel); Paula Rose, the statutory and case law E section (instruc passages affecting tion); and Jon Bible, local governance and Ross Borrett Charles Waten the F section (stu 1975-76 President 1976-77 President contained a number dents). With the ex of model local policies ception of Rose, who held a doctorate in educa in areas where school districts were obligated, tion, the authors were attorneys. by law or by sound management practice, to The policies went through several review develop and adopt policy. By the fall of 1976, 152 processes, first by Cox and then by a select districts had subscribed to the service and par review committee made up of business manag ticipated in workshops across the state using the ers, superintendents, and board members. manual. Richard Hooker: 1968-73 Associate Director Richard Hooker, now professor of educational administration at the University of Houston, gave TASB six productive years from 1968 to 1973 as associate director and later served as consultant to TASB. Hooker describes the educational climate during his tenure with TASB as "one of impatience with the status quo. Texas was being compared to other more aggressive states, both on the east and west coasts that were making education changes more rapidly. Parents and educators were demanding better and more in-depth curriculum and a wider variety of courses to meet the ever-demanding need for changing socioeconomic job skills. TASB was becoming a vital or ganization, highly respected in Texas and reaching out to educate board members as to their role for improved standards and legisla Richard Hooker tion." Hooker believes he was in the right place at the right time to direct and capitalize on the exploding energies of citizens seeking change and a higher level of education excellence. He attempted to bring educational expertise into school boardmanship and directed services to school boards on that premise. Writing and publishing were some of Hooker's accomplishments. He provided packets for all new board members containing information on board roles, legislation, current education issues, and a code of ethics for trustees. In 1972, he published Issues in School Finance, written for the 1972 regional school board workshop series. 60 'The reception out on the road was very In 1977 Ted Hayes was hired as director of good," recalls Hairston, who later served as a Policy Service, and the task of generating local TASB associate executive director and now prac ized policy manuals was assigned to an emerging tices school law in Austin. "In essence, the serv staff of trained staff consultants. Staff attorneys ice sold itself and was clearly an idea whose time then provided legal review of all policy docu had come." He also observes that a second as ments generated by the consultants. pect of the service-the creation of customized In May 1977, the revised Policy Reference or "localized" policy manuals for districts-was Manual was complete and sent to the approxi similarly well received. During the summer of mately 300 subscribing members at the time. Up 1976 and throughout the winter, staff members until then, three updates had been issued. Up were engaged in creating the first 10 localized date 4 was the first one to include an update of the manuals. Each of these early manuals was pro localized policy manuals created thus far. duced at a substantially discounted cost-$300 The Policy Reference Manual and the grow and was edited and presented entirely by staff ing number oflocalized policy manuals prompted attorneys. Because the original format of these "significant changes in the way districts did manuals made policy maintenance cumbersome business," says Hairston, adding that districts and labor intensive, they were soon reformatted were willing to embrace their responsibilities for ease in use. when they became aware of them. As a result, Marian Nachlinger:TASB's First Office Manager Marian Nachlinger was the first secretary, keeper ofrecords, and business manager at TASB. She dedicatedly served the Association for 16 years. Before she joined the staff in 1961, Donald Nugent had single-handedly run the office. Her salary of $325 a month was meager even in those days, especially considering the work and responsibility Nachlinger handled. Wearing many hats on any given day, she was the one-person office manager, record keeper, board liaison, and general communications officer. She kept trustees informed of events and arranged aU meet ings and accommodations. She prepared and kept the budget, organ ized meeting agendas, and did all secretarial work. Now retired, Nachlinger helped organize and getTASB off the Marian Nachlinger ground, to make it a workable, viable organization. Her contribution to TASB's foundation and strength cannot be overestimated. In Nachlinger's estimation, there was a great need forTASB to survive and take its rightful place as the leader in educational issues. Teachers had their organizatiQn in TSTA, which was growing by leaps and bounds; administrators had the Texas Association of School Administra tors. TASB members needed TASB tQ be a strong voice, she believes. Board members needed to be educated and informed so they could in tum create the best education environment. She speaks highly of the dedication school board members demonstrate, volunteering their time, money, and service to continuously improve the processes ofbetter educational methods and programs. She sincerely shared board members' desires to improve the education ofTexas children. 61 the specificity ofthe manuals strengthened school base development. The plan required 100 per board decision making and served as a source of cent employee participation, with the school district information concerning teacher and studentrights. funding the employee contribution only. The 100 ''The manuals greatly enhanced the strength and percent participation provided coverage for those quality of local governance while concurrently employees who could not be covered under other guaranteeing the rights of those who deal with policies. boards," Hairston says. ''Today, it is hard to To oversee the TASB Group Health Insur imagine running schools without this wonderful ance Trust, Borrett appointed a board of trus tool." tees. Serving on the first board were Floyd Myers, Clear Creek ISD trustee, chairman; Lee Barnett, Risk Management Programs Increase La Porte ISD trustee; Don Blankenship, Phillips While Policy Service was being developed ISD superintendent; David Clark, Dickinson ISD and implemented, another program was on the trustee; Bob Harmon, Nederland ISD trustee; drawing board-health care insurance. In 1976, Bill Sheffield, Victoria ISD business manager; a number of school districts were experiencing Paul Simmons, Pampa ISD trustee; Ed Staggs, difficulties in obtaining health care coverage for Texas City ISD trustee; Kenneth Wilson, Bra their employees. The marketplace for school zosport ISD superintendent; and E.W. Rose, insurance services was not very competitive. In Sundown ISD trustee. response, the TASB Executive Committee, un By the end of 1976, 23 school districts had der the leadership of President Ross Borrett, become a part of the new health care program, authorized the planning and development of a covering 10,000 full-time employees. In the next group health insurance program. TASB retained few years, the market for health care coverage Boon-Chapman Insurance Managers of Austin would become much more competitive. The to assist with the benefit design and underwriter increasing competition helped to provide for placement. The firm also served as a contractor cost-effective health care benefits where no serv for claims administration, marketing, and data ices were previously available or where costs Russell Grabam: TASB's First Attorney Russell Graham became TASB'sfirst attorney about the same time as Shirley Hall was being sworn in as president. He recalls that in March 1973 when he was employed, Rodriguez v. &zn Antonio ISD had justbeen decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. In response, "the Texas Legislature was attempting to revamp th~ entire system of school funding," says Graham. When Graham started, he said, ''TASB was a relativelysmalt, .understaffed, and underfunded organization." In 1975. TASB adopted Graham's redesigned dues structure, which allowed the Association "to r~achproper staffing and service levels." AsTASB's attorney, he advised numerous school distriets on their legal rights and responsibilities. He remembers his position at RusseU Graham the: Association as "an extremely valuable work· experience. The acquaintances Imade, the knowledge I gained, and the experiences I had were instrumental in my personal development and the eventual development of my legal practice." 62 were prohibitive. Closer to the Capitol In 1977, another The addition of sev risk management eral new services soon program became nec pushed the total num essary for school dis ber of staff to 26 by tricts. The 65th Legis September 1976. In lature mandated that, that month, the staff effective January 1, moved into a building 1978, political subdi at 406 East Eleventh visions provide unem StreetinAustin, about ployment compensa three blocks east of tion benefits. On July the Capitol. The loca 406 East Eleventh Street 10,1977, theTASBEx Headquarters in 1977-88 tion would be idealfor ecutive Committee, an expanded govern under President Charles Waters, authorized the mental relations program in the years to come. establishment of the Unemployment Compensa In fact, in 1977 school finance once more tion Group Account to provide such a service tai headed the agenda of problems facing the Legis lored to school districts at a cost savings when lature, and again a number of proposals were ever possible. In August 1977, the Reed Roberts sent to legislators. Failure to reach a consensus Company was hired as the servicing contractor, resulted in a special session in July of that year, and in November of that year, Boon-Chapman when the Legislature passed Senate Bill 1. The was retained to provide unemployment compen new law increased foundation program aid, re sation services (a contract that would be termi vised the local fund assignment rate downward, nated in August 1980 when TASB staff would adjusted equalization aid, and changed voca assume operations), tional and special education to be included as In November 1977 the Unemployment Com units in the Foundation School Program calcula pensation Group Account Board of Trustees met tions rather than treated as bonus units. for the first time in Houston. Serving on that first In that year, two long-time employees would board were James Wilks of Sweetwater lSD, leave the Association. Marian Nachlinger, who chairman; Carl Schwartz of Pasadena lSD, vice had started working at TASB under Donald chairman; Robby Collins of Dallas lSD, secre Nugent, left in the spring after 16 years serving tary; Waters; Frank Adams, Plano ISD; TASB as administrative assistant to the executive di President Tess Norris, San Marcos ISD; Harlon rector. In the fall, Cecil Rusk left after nearly 10 Gaskill, Dalhart ISD; C.W. Duncan Jr., Killeen years as executive director. He became execu ISD; Bobby Laird, Houston ISD; and Joe Schultz, tive director of Associated Builders and Contrac Dickinson ISD. tors of Texas, Inc. The Unemployment Compensation program During Rusk's tenure, the number of mem was the first and largest of its kind in Texas. By ber school districts nearly doubled-from 480 in the end of 1977, 350 districts had joined the 1968 to 914 in 1977. With additional services, program. By 1978-79, it would have 920 mem such as the policy and risk management pro bers and approximately 200,000 persons cov grams, school boards were finding that member ered. ship in TASB was a necessity. 63 ChapterS 1978-89: A Time for Innovative Service Ilr(),fl1p:n'1-<; we have discerned in American education can be both understood and corrected ifthe peoPle 01 our country, together with those who have public responsibility in the matter, care enoUf!h ...... ,.,..---~------...... - and are courageous enough to do what is required. -Terrel H. Bell In the next decade, membership in the Texas stand before we can determine the goals we want Association of School Boards would become to achieve. We are a threefold organization: even more important-if not critical-to the life "1. We are service-oriented. We are ... an aid of a school district. New laws and lawsuits and an to the board members and school officials to give emphasis on education reform would change the them the services that they need in order to fabric of education. Under a new executive direc perform their functions better. tor and consistently outstanding elected leader "2. We are management-oriented in that we ship, TASB would not only respond to these new handle the budget and aid in developing the leg challenges, but would also anticipate the future islation that will enable us to achieve this goal in needs of districts and take the initiative to pro providing for the school children. We need to vide for them. Consequently, the number of retain· the power to set the policies in our own TASB services and the staff to provide them local districts. would increase dramatically. By 1989, TASB "3. We are product-oriented because we pro would be the foremost education service organi vide insurance, legal, and policy services for our zation in the state Clnd the nation. members. " McCash stressed the goals of providing valid The Board Reevaluates Goals services, offering educational opportunities to Following Rusk's resignation in December board members, holding local and regional meet 1977, Orbry D. Holden, director of governmental ings, supporting the development and passage of services, was named acting executive director. good education legislation, supporting and devel At a meeting of the TASB Board of Trustees oping close working relationships between board (formerly the Executive Committee) in January members and superintendents, and keeping school 1978, President Tess Norris appointed an execu children as a first responsibility. In the next dec tive search committee. L.D. Haskew, UT profes ade, the Association would develop many serv sor and long-time friend ofTASB, was hired as a ices and programs based on these goals. consultant to the executive search committee, In July, the Board reached its decision on a which consisted ofTASB trustees Franklin Bass new executive director-Orbry D. Holden. Serv of Corpus Christi, chairman and TASB presi ing as acting director, Holden had already dem dent-elect; William T. Peace III of South San onstrated outstanding leadership and manage Antonio ISD; Billy W. Willig of San Angelo ISD; ment capabilities. The Board and the Association Floyd Myers of Clear Creek ISD; and Charles were just beginning to realize his keen insight Waters of Lubbock lSD, TASB immediate past into the future and his ability to spur the develop president. ment of services to meet districts' needs in chang At that meeting, the TASB Board felt the ing times. These traits would enable him, under need to reevaluate its goals and objectives. Paul the direction of the TASB Board, to mold the As McCash of Texarkana lSD, TASB second vice sociation into the innovative, proactive service or president, presented a platform that reiterated ganization it is today. the Association's goals, which was unanimously approved by the Board. In part, McCash said: A New Organizational Structure "Philosophically we must know where we Change and growth in the Association began 66 to happen even before Holden's official appoint were James Deatherage of Irving, chairman; ment as executive director. Early in the year, Kelly Frels of Houston, assistant chairman; and Holden had reorganized the services into operat Hairston, secretary-treasurer. ing divisions, a change that would make the Governmental Relations. In the spring and services more accountable. The divisions in summer of 1978, Legislative Network members, cluded Policy Service, Legal Services, Govern under the leadership of President Norris, began mental Relations, Communications, and Work work on a legislative program for the 1979 ses ers' Compensation. A Research and Develop sion. Their work was suddenly interrupted by a ment Division was added in mid-1978. Holden special legislative session called to deal with put an emphasis on recruiting professional per property tax reform and relief legislation in re sonnel with special sponse to passage of ized expertise re Proposition 13 in Cali quired in each area. fornia in June. Texas Policy and Legal. was able to ward off a Policy Service, already similar measure from recognized as a divi passing, and about the sion headed by Ted only significant law to Hayes, serendipi come out of the ses tously gave rise to an sion for school dis other division. The tricts concerned valu Legal Services Divi ation of agricultural sion, headed by Joe land. Hairston, was a wel Orbry Holden, shown here with associate director Mary During the Ann Briley, became TASB executive director in 1978. come addition for special session, members in January 1978. Up until this time, the Holden hired David Thompson to serve as direc staff attorneys had been primarily involved with tor of Governmental Relations. Thedivision began Policy Service because of the legal review proc to take shape with pUblication of the ''TASB leg ess. Policy Service members were entitled to islative News," a newsletter published during legal consultation as part of the service. Eventu the session, and representation of school dis ally, as members became aware of the availabil tricts' views at legislative committee meetings. ity of TASB attorneys, their contacts to the legal (The newsletter replaced the old "Educational staff increased. As needs and questions were Scene from Capitol Hill" published in the early raised in various areas that required legal re 1970s.) search, the Legal Services Division expanded to After the session, the Legislative Network meet those needs. concluded its work on its proposals for the next At that time, staff attorneys would receive Legislature, which were approved by the Dele five to eight telephone calls daily from members gate Assembly at convention. For the first time, seeking legal information. (Today, calls to the the Legislative Program included recommenda Legal Services Division average about 75 daily.) tions on federal issues. Other services included policy review, presenta Adoption of the Legislative Program was fol tions at Spring Workshops and policy work lowed in December by the first Pre-Legislative shops, and summaries of important legal devel Seminar, cosponsored by TASB and the Texas opments for staff members, especially policy Association of School Administrators. The semi consultants. nar, featuring addresses by Governor-elect Bill In the fall, groundwork was laid for the for Clements, Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby, and mation of the TASB Council of School Attorneys, Speaker of the House Bill Clayton, drew more a group of attorneys who represent school dis than 1,200 participants. The level of interest of tricts in Texas. The new group was designed to school trustees and administrators in education seek ways to foster cooperation among school legislation was not to be underestimated. district attorneys and to benefit public education Interest concerning federal legislation was in Texas. Officers elected at the first meeting equally strong. In January 1978, Holden had en 67 couraged strong participation in the National book for Texas School Board Members, and bro School Boards Association's Federal Relations chures and pamphlets. Network (FRN). A large Texas delegation had By 1979, however, the training end was broken participated in the FRN meeting in Washington, out into a separate division, known as Education headed by NSBA President Will D. Davis, past Services. Jerald Smith, who had served as a leg TASB president. A year later, TASB took 85 islative consultant for the Association periodi school board members to the FRN meeting in cally,joined the staff full-time to lead the division. Washington. Itwas the largest Texas delegation Smith started the Preparation for Leadership and the largest representation from a single state Workshop that year and continued with the other ever to participate. training activities. Communications. Under Holden's organiza Workers' Compensation. In 1978, since all the tional plan, two long-time services-school board risk management programs were administered training and publications-were combined into out of house, only the Workers' Compensation one in the Communications Division, headed by program required an in-house accountant, Linda George Lowe. In addition to the Spring Work Rodriguez. The next year ,however, Holden hired shops, held annually since the mid-1950s, a se George Lewis to oversee the details of the vari ries of workshops for school board presidents ous programs under a new Risk Control Services were held in eight locations. The division also co Division. With this division, TASB, its contrac ordinated the annual convention with TASA and tors, and consultants collected and classified in worked on plans for the Texas delegation at the formation about school districts' experience with NSBA Convention. Publication ofthe Texas School losses and exposure to losses. Board Journal and the 'Texas School Board Research and Development. At the meeting Newsletter," which became 'TASB News," was where Holden was named executive director, still a priority. Additionally, the division pub the TASB Board of Trustees approved the crea lished handbooks, such as the Spring Workshop tion of the Research and Development Division, Workbookand the third revision of the Hand headed by Lloyd Tate, formerly an editor in '" .<~,,' '''', ~,:': ': ,~;"" ;'::" :,.. '. :: '. - . ;iiess~orri~served as TASB president in 1977-78, after serving on m,e]ASl3Board since 1971. As she remembers, ''We had justcome .tht'~gh:theturbulent sixties. Students were flexing their muscles for th~irfiJh~s."· In·· fact, in her home district of San Marcos, some st:luileJl~sstarred.a school boycott, not because of the dress code, but over~he~nistration's right to run the schools. NOrris. "became a champion for open meetings law and public's rightto know. We ID.stituted two student representatives to the school board. They didn't have voting rights but they did have lots of input ... lthelped to enhance trust with communication." AttheAssodation, Policy Service was expanded to help "identify andepcapsulate a better, more acceptable way of meeting problems." Tess Norris Norrisledthe Board during its search for a new executive director andorehestrated the development of the Legislative Program for the 1919aession, 68 Policy Service. The new division had a special In mid-1978, the Association reached a mile emphasis on personnel relations, and by 1980, stone in its history-membership totaling 1,000 would become the Personnel Relations Division. districts. The TASB Board's work in emphasiz Initially, however, the division also concentrated ing the Association's goals of service had not on an assessment of service needs for the Asso been in vain. ciation membership and coordinated activities with other associations and agencies, such as Risk Management Services Grow education service centers, to maximize shared By 1980, the staff had grown to more than 30 involvement and to foster good will. people. To accommodate the increasing number In addition to the service divisions, an of staff, 12,500 square feet were added to the administrative division, headed by Kathie Holli building on East Eleventh Street, and existing man, kept up with the membership records, office space in the building was renovated for handled the logistics of meetings, and managed more efficient use of space. The plans nearly the business end of the organization. Overseeing tripled the size of the building. the legal end of the operation was Tom Doyal, Much of the staff growth in that year-and general counsel. throughout the 1980s-occurred in the risk man With the growth of these services and the ad agement area. An out-of-court settlement against ditions of many more, the divisions would con Boon-Chapman, program managers of the Un tinue to evolve and change over the next several employment Compensation Group Account, years. enabled TASB to bring administration of the Franklin Bass: 1978~79 President Franklin Bass served as president of TASB in 1978-79, a time when the organization was expanding its legislative goals, particu larly in the federal area. Under Bass' leadership, many of those goals were met. Texas represented one-sixth of the delegation at the Federal llelations Network meeting in Washington, D.C., with 85 Texas board mem bers involved. Federal bills were monitored throughouHheyear, and important developments were reported in TASB newsletters. Partici pation in the Pre-Legislative Seminar was up 50 percent over the previous seminar, with about 1,200 people in attendance. The legis lative Network was expanded and became very active during the session, contacting members of the Legislature when critical votes Franklin Bass were needed. In addition to these goals, Bass guided TASB in promoting more trustee involvement in Association activities. Several new regional associations were started, and record numbers of board members attended the state and nati'Onal conventions. The Spring Worksh'Ops and Board Leadership Workshops were highly successful. Several membership programs for non trustees began, including an affiliate membership f'Or interested groups and individuals, an organizational membership for education-related businesses and services, and a sustaining affiliate membership for former school trustees. Since his year as TASB president, Bass, then Corpus Christi ISD trustee, has retired from school board service. 69 account in house on September 1, 1980. To gear elaborate programming, refined and enhanced up for this action, several staff members were over the years by Association data processing added, including former TASB Board member specialists, permitted Policy Service to store, and Marble Falls ISD trustee Jerry Edwards, retrieve, inspect, alter, and output policies sys who was hired as data processing manager and tematically and reliably. quickly became director of Risk Management. By 1981, the Legal Division had a solid set of Bringing the Unemployment Compensation services available-telephone consultation, work program in house required the addition of a shops, publications on such topics as student dis completely automated information system to cipline. employee rights. and school district expedite claims processing, auditing, and report· governance, and a monthly ''TASB Legal Report" ing. The system also provided individual sum newsletter. In that year, the TASB Legal Assis mary and comparative reports for claims analy tance Fund was created to lend support to school sis and management reports. districts challenged on issues of statewide sig Computerization was also becoming a ne nificance. A joint effort by TASB, TASA. and the cessity in the Policy Service Division. After con TASB Council of School Attorneys, the program tracting with a printing and graphics firm for two started with 80 members, each contributing $200 years for typing, duplicating, and shipping local into a fund. A board of trustees to oversee the ized policy manuals, the Association decided to program consisted initially of TASB President tackle these tasks in house. To handle the dupli Paul McCash of Texarkana ISD; TASB Presi cating, an in-house print shop was set up and dent-Elect Floyd Myers of Clear Creek ISD; shared with the Communications Division. Typ TASB First Vice-President Julianan Cowden of ing was performed on a word processor. Alvarado ISD; Kelly Frels, a Houston attorney; Computerization of Policy Service began in William H. Bingham, an Austin attorney; and earnest in 1981 with the employment of Informa Donald E. Robbins, Diboll ISD superintendent. tion Resources Management Associates to begin Patterned after similar programs in other states, software development in advance of the 1982 the Legal Assistance Fund in its infancy was able purchase and installation of a Texas Instruments to fund briefs in a few cases involving education minicomputer. The computerization allowed the of the handicapped and student discipline. As division to abandon the maintenance-byhand membership and the fund grew, so too did the of a growing archive of hard-copy manuals. The grants of assistance. Ifnl.~eSlla.e: 197.9-80 President ;~I~~:Wijite~>ide of Kilgore lSD, TASB president in 1979-80, "'UJ..v ••~ofEducation come into existence. Under his gave opposing testimony for bilingual education: f1e,!ldCilUairtelrs underwent a big change when "Ute LUlU.' w ..." enlarged." '...... ", .. " ..., as "a time of reconciliatlonafter some several months earlier," 70 Over the years, the Legal Assistance Fund maintenance and operation allotments, and state has filed briefs in cases from the commissioner equalization aid. Senate Bill341,theTerm Contract of education and federal district court all the way Nonrenewal Act, for the first time set up proce to the U.S. Supreme Court. Doe v. Plyer, the dures that school districts had to follow to dis original undocumented alien student case, was miss a teacher at the end of a contract term. The one of the first efforts. Since then, the fund has new law required a board to give a written state filed briefs in cases involving student injury, ment of all the reasons for nonrenewal and to teacher contracts, handicapped student catheteri provide a hearing if requested by the employee. zation, attorney's fees in special education settle Nearly 900 districts that used term contracts ments, continuing contracts, home schooling, were affected by the bill, which capitol watchers and numerous other issues. Additionally, the initially thought would effectively eliminate term fund financed motions for all the school districts contracts in Texas. Eight years and many com when they were involved as class action defen missioner's decisions later, most school districts dants in a home schooling case. still use the contracts. Besides the development of the Legal Assis The most important single bill from a public tance Fund, the attention of the Legal Division school perspective during the 67th Legislature and the rest of the Association in 1981 focused on passed in a special session during July and Au the activities of the Legislature. Although most gust 1981. House Bi1l30 amended various provi education issues took a back seat to the decen sions of the Property Tax Code, passed in 1979, nial task of legislative redistricting, a few bills of and implemented a constitutional amendment significance for school districts passed. The general approved by the voters on November 4, 1980. appropriations act added approximately $1.5 bil The amendment required a single appraisal within lion to the Foundation School Program, with the each county of all property subject to ad valorem heftiest increase coming in teacher salary raises, taxation. HB 30 set up boards to govern the Paul McCash: 198()..81 President When Paul McCash began his term as TASBpresident inl980• .the issues facing educators across the state and the nation practically mirrored those of today, "School finance issues were OUf. biggest concern," recalls McCash, who served nine years on the TASB Board of Trustees. ''We were dealing with many of the iSsues still here today-such as trying to address the idea of equity. making sure all the districts were treated fairly.» McCash, who also served on the National School Boards Associa tion Board ofDirectors, believes one of his greatestaccomplisnmentil while serving as a TASB trusteewas helping select OrbryHoldenas the Association's executive director. "Mr. Holden has done an out standing job at TASB; his selection was one of the most important PattI McCask decisio.ns we made as a board," McCash said. Under McCash's leadership, TASB also experienced expansion of its district and .policy services and in TASB membership representation in the Delegate Assembly, McCash served 16 years on the Texarkana ISD Board before leaving the board in 1981. He served as president of his local board three years. McCash lives in Texarkana today, Where he works as a dermatologist. 71 appraisal districts and Risk manage the procedures they ment programs were must follow. In addi constantly adding new tion, the new law called members and new for a truth-in-taxation services. Underthedi notice and authorized rection of Jerry Ed voters to call an elec wards, now associate tion to reduce taxes if executive director, the the school district Risk Management Di adopted a tax rate that vision developed and exceeded the calcu presented training pro lated effective tax by Jerry Edwards, shown here in 1982 with staff member grams for school dis more than 8 percent. Jodie Tatum, became executive director 0/ the Texas trict employees in risk The rollback election, School Seroices Foundation in .1983. management areas. as it came to be called, Through a bimonthly was one of the more controversial parts of the newsletter "Risk Management Report," the divi bill, and, although TASB supported the bill for sion educated risk managers and school trustees the most part, it fought this measure on the and administrators about various topics such as grounds that it might encourage many costly, loss control, health care cost containment, and time-consuming, and unnecessary votes on school purchase of insurance. A relatively new pro district budgets. In the years since the law passed, gram, the School Professional Legal Liability In more than 50 districts have undergone a rollback surance Program, had attracted 108 new mem election. bers in a year, for a total of nearly 250. The In the aftermath of the legislative sessions, Employee Benefits Joint Account (health care SB 341 would require the most education of program), with a new plan and provider, quin school board members. Staff in Policy, Legal, tupled in size, going from 32 districts to 156 Risk Management, and Personnel Relations districts in a year. The Workers' Compensation worked to write and revise policies, conduct Self-Insurance Fund and the Unemployment workshops, and advise trustees on various as Compensation Group Account were now serving pects of the new law, including liability. Several 76 percent and 83 percent, respectively, of the articles on the Term Contract Nonrenewal Act eligible educational entities. appeared in the Journal and the 'TASB Legal In the risk management area, school dis Report." Some months later, the Legal Division tricts needed help with property/casualty insur wrote How to Conduct Nonrenewal Hearings, the ance. In the early 1980s premiums were high and predecessor of A School Trustee's Legal Guide to options limited in the commercial market. As a the Term Contract NonrenewalAct available from result of the increasing difficulty school districts TASBtoday. were experiencing when shopping for property and liability coverage, TASB formed the Prop Service Foundation Formed erty/Casualty Joint Account, another self-insur By 1982, growth had become the norm for ance program, in 1982. Serving on the first board TASB, particularly in the area of services. To of trustees for the program were W.D. Hilton, provide better and more efficient services, the Greenville lSD, chairman; Jose Rael, Amarillo Association expanded its technical capabilities ISD trustee, vice-chairman; Andy Anzaldua, through the use of computers, word processors, McAllen ISD trustee; Kathee Lupton, Shallowa and phototypesetting and printing equipment. ter ISD trustee; John Quisenberry, Ector County By performing these functions in house, TASB ISD trustee; Gwen Selby, Round Rock ISD busi reduced outside costs, enhanced its capabilities ness manager; AI Chrisman, Connally ISD busi to provide better services, and had better control ness manager; Eli Douglas, Garland ISD super of the development of its programs. The new intendent; Lee Williamson, Wichita Falls ISD su functions also meant additional staff, which now perintendent; and Andy Nutt, Beckville ISD numbered more than 50. superintendent. The program was established 72 with the assistance of Employers Casualty printing functions for both TSSF and TASB. Company acting as excess insurer on the ac· To govern the Foundation, President Cow count. Employers Casualty provided contracted den appointed a nine·member board of direc services for the account, including rating and tors, six of whom were on the TASB Board. Serv· underwriting, claims adjusting, and loss control. ing on the first board were James Wilks, Sweet By the end of the program's first year, member· water ISDtrustee, chairman; Mike Day, Longview ship in the program had grown to 46 districts. ISD trustee, vice-chairman; Claudia Brummett, The growth in the risk management area Alvarado businesswoman, treasurer; Robert caused leaders of the Association to examine the Hester. Dallas ISD trustee; Harris Hill, Garland service areas closely in conjunction with legal ISD trustee and TASB second vice-president; and tax considerations. At a December 1982 John Quisenberry, Ector County ISD trustee TASB Board meeting, Jonathan Howe, a recog· and TASB first vice-president; Jose Rael, Amar· nized association attorney, discussed with the illo ISD trustee; Eli Douglas. Garland ISD super Board TASB's organizational structure and its intendent; and Billy Willig, San Angelo ISD trus limitations resulting from its tax-exempt pur· tee. Floyd Myers, TASB immediate past presi poses. Howe suggested that, as part of a long· dent, served as an adviser to the board, and range plan, TASB should consider some alterna· President Cowden was an ex officio member. tive organizational structures that could facili· FormerTASBAssociate Executive Director Jerry tate the delivery of services and protect tax Edwards was named executive director ofTSSF. exempt status. The following March, the Board, In August 1983 the 31-member staff of this new under the leadership of TASB President Juli· organization moved into a building at 7620 Guada anan Cowden, established theTexas School Serv lupe in Austin, about six miles north ofthe down ices Foundation (fSSF) to administer services in town TASB headquarters. In the next several the risk management area. In addition, the new years, it would continue to experience tremen Foundation would perform data processing and dous growth. 73 Education Reform and House Bill 72 who was hired in 1980 as loss control manager While TSSF was being formed, work in the and later worked in the Personnel Relations other service areas was increasing to meet Division, became director of the division. Al members' needs. Policy Service, at the request though Hardy and her staff still planned and con of the Texas Association of Junior and Commu ducted Spring Workshops, the Preparation for nityColleges, developed a Policy ReferenceManual Leadership Workshop, and the convention pro and localized policy manuals for junior colleges. gram with TASA, the division's focus became Staff attorneys began a series of legal presenta broader with the reorganization. Goal-setting re tions in five locations throughoutthe state. About treats, assistance in superintendent selection, 250 participants attended the workshops, which and a library of educational materials were added have been held annually since 1982 and now as special services. attract about 750 participants in seven locations. Another long-time service for T ASB-publi Board training functions, a long-time prior cations-was also growing and changing. With ity for TASB, were reorganized into the Informa typesetting capabilities now in house, the Com tion Services Division in early 1982. Paula Hardy, munications Division was producing handbooks JuliananCowden: 1.982-B3President In 1981, TASB elected Julianan Cowden from Alvarado lSD, president for 1982-83. On the national level, the Articulation Commit tee for Secondary and Higher Education discussed education in the form of higher,college entrance standards. On a statewide level, it was an exciting time. 'The State Board of Education appointed a number ofcommitteesto work on curriculum development, textbook improvement, and teacher qualification stan dard improvement," says Cowden, who has served TASB since 1973. In particular, the governor appointed the Select Committee on Public Education. In her district, locally funded programs took off, including gifted and talented, better teacher evaluation, and a high school English ]ulianan Cowden program to improve writing and communication skills. As she puts it, Alvarado "built and rebuilt every building in our system." TASB grew phenomenally while Cowden was president. Texas School Services Founda tion was developed to provide risk management programs. "1 consider the employment of Orbry Holden as executive director a major step forward for TASB/' she said. Cowden is glowing with praises for TASB. "The staff did everything to make my presiden tial year outstanding. TASB has been able to attract creative people who have presented innovative programs, and Orbry has encouraged flexibility and program development." Now retired from her local board, Cowden offers these words of advice for trustees today: "Remember each individual is part of a team effort andthere is little room for prima donnas. The quality of education each of us advocates should be the best available presented in the most innovative way possible. "A trustee should possess patience, an open mind, the courage of conviction, a sense of humor, and dedication to public service." 74 written by the various divisions, several newslet format. In the smaller format, themagazine would ters, brochures, and other printed pieces for become a near-monthly, produced 10 times a workshops and convention. Board members could year. now purchase books on school bonds, employee In the same month as Texas Lone Star de rights, student rights, teacher organizations, handi buted, TASB held its biennial Pre-Legislative capped students, the open records act, the school Seminar to preview issues for the upcoming board president's duties, personnel evaluation, legislative session. Armed with a Legislative recruitment and selection of a superintendent, Program prepared by the Legislative Network in discipline of handicapped students, school fi 1982, T ASB prepared to face a large group of new nance, and school governance. legislators, a new governor, and new chairmen of As for periodicals, board members still re the education committees in both houses. But ceived the quarterly Texas School BoardJournal, the regular session in 1983 dealt with revenue and, in addition, many trustees received a num constraints resulting from static state revenues, ber of newsletters, such as the ''TASB Legal particularly taxes from oil, gas, and the general Report" and the "Risk Management Report." In sales tax. Legislators faced an unfamiliar di an attempt to ease the information overload that lemma-whether to increase state tax rates for trustees' mailboxes were experiencing, a new the first time in over a dozen years or curb publication premiered in December 1982to replace spending by providing only those funds neces the newsletters and the Journal. Dubbed Texas sary to carry out current law. The lawmakers Lone Star, the new bimonthly publication offered chose the latter option; they did not have a desire a departure in the traditional format, going to a to increase state taxing levels for education with magapaper, 11 by 17 format. The periodical still out concurrent reforms of the public education featured a topic section on a key education issue; system. departments carrying news and practical infor In 1983, Governor Mark White appointed a mation, formerly carried in the newsletters, Select Committee on Public Education and named rounded out the publication. Dallas billionaire H. Ross Perot as chairman. The new publication was well received by The committee was charged with investigating readers, butthe awkward size proved unpopular. the financing of education in Texas with a view In April 1985, the magazine would be downsized toward reform of the system to be achieved in a to 11 by 15, and again in August 1987 to a 9 by 12 special session of the Legislature in 1984. Under Harris Hilt: 1983..84 President Harris Hill, a TASB trustee since 1975,served TASBas president in 1983-84. ''The Select Committee on Public Edu.cation began multiple hearings in 1983 Gust before I became TASBpresident) which ulti mately led to passage of House Bill 72 in the summer of 1984, as I was ending my term as TASB president," Says Hill~ Hill himself testified about career ladder before Select Coqunittee, .as .. well as various subcommittees and separate and joint meetingsofthe House and Senate Public Education committees. At the Association. technological innGVatiolls began that eventu ally led to the formation of Texas Learning Technology GrQup in 1985. Hill is in his 17th year as a trustee on the Garland TSD Board. Hams Hill 75 the leadership of outspoken Perot, the Select • Establishment of a price differential in Committee broadened the scope of its charge to dex; many other areas of education. • A broadening of adjustments for small The months during the Select Committee's and sparsely populated districts; study proved quite interesting. Perot, appearing • Use of full-time equivalent students in spe at several education functions including some cial and vocational education; TASB Spring Workshops, angered administra • Expanding of compensatory and bilingual tors with remarks about their credentials, claim education allotments; ing that most of them were ex-coaches, and • Movement to a one-line state minimum alarmed trustees, students, parents, and some salary schedule; teachers with comments about elimination of • Addition of a career ladder program; extracurricular activities. By the time the Select • Computation of local share of the FSP on Committee's report was issued in April 1984, few a variable rate at a higher level than utilized after kind words were spoken among educators about 1977; the committee's leader. Itwas a stark contrast to • Enhancement of the enrichment equaliza the leaders of the Gilmer-Aikin reform move tion allotment to replace state equalization aid; ment in 1949, who worked with all levels of a • Mandated prekindergarten education for school district to gain insight. disadvantaged four-year-olds; The committee's report, however, received • Mandated summer bilingual education support from several groups. Among the com programs for limited English-speaking four- and mittee's suggestions were an appointed State five-year-olds; and Board of Education, structural changes to the • Class size maximums of 22 in kindergar school finance system, increased teacher sala ten through grade 2 by 1985 and in grades 3 and ries,acareerladderprogramforcIassroomteach 4 by 1988. ers, smaller class sizes, a longer school day and year, restrictions on extracurricular activities, The bill called for accountability at all levels and prekindergarten education. of education, including school board members. In a special session in the summer of 1984, Administrators and teachers were required to state legislators were greatly pressured by both pass the Texas Examination of Current Admin liberal and conservative elements in the state istrators and Teachers (IECAT). a literacy test, with regard to school finance reform, tax in in 1985. School trustees were required to re creases at the state level, and other education ceive 20 hours of accredited training in 12 stan issues. Although the prospects for school fi dards set up by the State Board of Education. nance reform and state tax increases did not look With the passage of House Bil172 and the al promising at the outset of the session, pressure most simultaneous implementation of curricu was brought to bear by Governor White, Lieuten lum standards in Chapter 75 of the Texas Ad ant Governor Bill Hobby, and House Speaker ministrative Code (House Bi1l246 from the 67th Gib Lewis, as well as other influential state offi Legislature in 1981), TASB, along with school cials. The most significant impact was made by districts, faced a mountain of work. Policy Serv Perot, who used personal funds to marshal a ice had to write, update, and revise over half of cadre of influential lobbyists. the Policy Reference Manual and localized manu House Bill 72 resulted from the special ses als, and advise districts throughout the process. sion. Perhaps the most important bill since the Staff attorneys in the Legal Division spent more Gilmer-Aikin laws, the new legislation touched time on the telephone providing consultation to nearly every aspect of public education in the districts seeking help with the new laws. Gov state. In addition, the Legislature increased state ernmental Relations continued to analyze the taxes sufficiently to fund the provision of the bill. new law and advise districts and other staff The major points of the bill were: members on appropriate action. • A change from adjusted personnel units to A number of measures passed in House Bill weighted pupil units as the basic distribution 72 affected personnel, and school officials had to vehicle; rethink their personnel management strategies. 76 TASB and TASA joined efforts to develop Per Information Services Division had to plan work sonnel Services, which would provide special shops that would address the 12 Statewide Stan ized services for personnel management in edu dards on Duties of a School Board Member. cation. Cindy Holdway, who had been a part of When the State Board established the standards the old Personnel Relations Division, became about a year after House Bill 72 passed, the the director. The new service, offered on a sub division, working in conjunction with several scription basis, included cost-effective research, other divisions in the Association, developed a training, and information resources to subscrib series of 40 Board Institutes presented at 20 ing member districts. During the first year, Per locations in the state. The annual convention sonnel Services conducted workshops on the became a major vehicle for board training, and in career ladder and pay systems. In addition, "Net 1986, a portion of the sessions offered carried work," a bimonthly newsletter for subscribers, training credit. When trustees jammed the ac began publication. "Network" is now offered to credited sessions and ignored the sessions not superintendents, personnel administrators, and offered for credit, the impact of board training hit board members. home with both TASB and its members. The Every year since its development, Personnel next year, convention planners obtained accredi Services has added more workshops, seminars, tation approval on nearly all sessions. and board training sessions. Publications have included Designing Employee Pay Systems, Sala Development of TLTG ries andBenefitsfor Texas Public Schools, Personnel In 1985, Executive Director Orbry Holden Management Manual, and The Teacher Career truly demonstrated his foresight by leading the Ladder: A Guide for School Managers. Localized Association in a bold move. A nationwide aware consulting services began in 1986 to help dis ness of a lack of math and science teachers and tricts design and install better employee pay sys a lack of interest on the part of students in this tems. Individualized salary studies and computer area came to the forefront with numerous stud software were also added that year. ies. The studies pointed to the significant decline With mandated board member training, the in the number of people prepared to teach sci- John Quisenberry: :1984-85 President John Quisenberry's term as TASB presidentbegari in 1984 shortly after the Legislature passed House.BiU72, a ~form bill that touched nearly every aspect of school district operation. Under Quisenberry's leadership, TASB sought to help districts with the changes they were. facing. Because the legislation affected several areas oipersonnel man agement, including a new pay system and a career ladder, Quisen berry led the Association in setting up and expanding Personnel Services in conjunction with the Texas Association of School Admin istrators. The Legislative Program, developed under Quisenberry's leadership, focused on changing some problem areas in House Bill 72, such as class-size mandates. John Quisenbeny The 1984-85 president, then a member of the Ector County ISD Board, moved to Amarillo shortly after leaving office, necessitating his resignation from his board after 11 years. He now resides in Fort Worth. 77 ence, the inconsistent quality of science educa lSD, chairman; Ron Knight, Plano ISD adminis tion, the low number of students enrolling in trator, vice-chairman; Nan Clayton, Austin ISD advanced science education classes, and the trustee; Leonard Clegg, Dallas ISD trustee; George generally low achievement of minority and fe Culp, University of Texas professor; Senator male students in science. Chet Edwards of Duncanville; Representative In response, TASB, under President Oscar Bill Hammond of Dallas; Gerald Hill, vice-chan Hernandez, created the Texas Learning Tech cellor for governmental relations at UT; Sue Ann nology Group, a partnership with the National Mackey, Mesquite ISD trustee; Margaret Rach, Science Center Foundation, TASB, and 12 Texas Fort Worth ISD administrator; Don Sheffield, school districts. The goal of this consortium was Carrollton:FarmersBranch ISD trustee; Dorothy to involve educational groups in the integration Snyder, Baylor University professor; and Don of new technologies into curriculum delivery Wright, Arlington ISD superintendent. Paula systems, evaluate the effectiveness of a technol Hardy, former Information Services director, be ogy-based curriculum, train teachers in the use came director ofTLTG. of new technologies, and provide support to The first task was to find practical ways to schools implementing these new, technologi bring technology into the classroom. TLTG con cally advanced curricula. tracted with AT&T to help accomplish this goal. To oversee the new group, a board of direc Next, it formed planning committees, each com tors was created, with members being appointed prising science teachers, technical advisers, and byTASB, the State Board of Education, the gov management personnel from school districts, ernor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker the Texas Education Agency, and Texas univer of the House. Serving on that first board were sities. The four planning committees focused on Neal Adams, trustee from Hurst-Euless-Bedford curriculum, teacher training, technical aspects. I Oscar Hemandez: 1~ President According to Oscar Hernandez, if a person "is really serious about contributing to education and having an impact, there's no better vehicle than the TASB-TASA partnership:' And Hernandez is an example of a trustee who has made an impact throughTASR During Hernandez's tenure as TASB president, theTexas Learn . ing Technology Group began laying the foundation for its TLTG Physical Science interactive videodisc project, and the School Fi nance Symposium was formed, bringing education. groups together to discuss challenges and changes in Texas school finance. "It was really rewarding to see TLTG take off," Hernandez said."At the time, it was just like a dream to us." And from the state Capitol came the mandate for school board Oscar Hernandez member training, and statewide standards for board members were soon on the drawing boards. Hernandez, TASB's first Hispanic president, is active today in assisting minorities to step into education leadership roles. He serves as president of the Texas chapter of the Mexican American School Boards Association, A veteran of the San Antonio ISD Board since 1973, Hernandez lives in San Antonio today, where he devotes his time to Project: STAY for the schoolchildren of Bexar County. 78 and evaluation. Usingthe design document as a guide, AT&T TLTG decided to develop a physical science developed in 1986 a prototype lesson on the topic curriculum using interactive videodisc technol of the electromagnetic spectrum. Development ogy. This technology enables students to receive ofthe prototype provided a considerable amount instruction via a video monitor and immediately of information to aid development of the total cur respond to questions and problems by touching riculum. After completing the prototype, AT&T the screen on the monitor. The group produced had to terminate its involvement in the project, a project design documented in February 1986 to promoting TLTG to hire its own staff to develop guide decisions relating to curricular objectives, and produce the curriculum. instructional design, and hardware specifications Production ofTLTG's Interactive Videodisc during the course's development. Involved in the Physical Science Curriculum began in Septem development of this document were physical sci ber 1986 and was completed in February 1989. ence teachers, students, school administrators, Development of the videodisc-based instruction science coordinators, curriculum specialists from and supporting materials required a coordinated the 12 participating districts, state agency per effort. The TLTG staff provided expertise in sonnel, and nationally known scientists and sci design, computer programming, and graphic ence educators. They analyzed existing teacher production. IBM contributed hardware support, and student physical science materials from par authoring support, and courseware review. Ex ticipating districts and developed a curriculum ternal consultants provided courseware review outline and target time frame. The design docu and evaluation. ment called for three levels of interactive vide Seven units of the curriculum were pilot odisc instruction: teacher-led instruction, small tested in the fall semester of the 1987-88 school group activities, and individual instruction. year. Twenty-four districts field tested units be- W.D. "Dee" HUton:1986-87 President In 1986, W.D. "Dee" Hilton became TASB's president. In Texas education, "Chapter 75 and House Bill.72 began a new. emphasis ort 3.cademics and a round of underfunded state mandates," says Hilton. In addition to House Bil1246 (Chapter 75) J these pieces oflegislation "significantly shifted decision-making away .from local school disc triets while shifting the increased financialburd:enof educational reform to the local taxpayer." During this time, too, "the average tenure·of supedntendents was significantly shortened. School board members became the only officials required to have training after election. Rollback elections became a very important consideration for local $chooldi$tricts." At TASB, several new projeets got under way. Project 2000 and w'D. Hilton the Texas School Cash Management Program siartedunderHilton's presidency. The TLTG curriculum development was expanded and prepared for pilot testing. In addition, step$ were taken to purchase the lamar Towers and reunify TASB and TSSF. Of this merger, Hilton says, "My influence was negligible, but lam very excited about the reunification and the new management philosophy ofTASR It('lllows every TASB staff person to focus on his or herjob and: how itrelates to bettereducational opportunities for our children." A local trustee for 13 years, Hilton continues to serve on the Greenville ISD. 79 tween September 1988 and May 1989. Today the trustee. Russ Edwards became director of the curriculum is being marketed nationwide as an Cash Management Division of TSSF. innovative curriculum that is sparking students' The Capital Acquisition Program completed and teachers' interest in science. The curricu its first bond issue in August 1987. Seven dis lum has been highly acclaimed by all those who tricts participated in the bond issue, which made have used it in a classroom. more than $7.2 million available to the districts. The success of the TLTG curriculum dem onstrates the ability ofTASB leaders to perceive Equity Lawsuit Rocks State a need and develop a service to meet that need, School funding took on great significance in no matter how complex the need is. April 1987 when one of the most significant court cases in Texas history rocked the education Emergence of Cash Management Services community. After three months of testimony in Another innovative program came about in his court, State District Court Judge Harley Clark 1987 indirectly as a result of the passage of declared the school finance system unconstitu House Bill 72. TSSF Executive Director Jerry tional and unenforceable. Ruling in favor of 67 Edwards started looking at the financial effect property-poor districts, Clark said the system the bill would have on school districts. Because "fails to insure that each school district in this the bill provided little funding, school districts state has the same ability as every other district would have to stretch their limited funds to meet to obtain funds for educational expenditures, some of the mandates, such as facilities for the 22 including facilities and equipment, such that each to 1 student-teacher ratio in the lower grades. student ... would have the same opportunity to To help districts stretch their finances even educational funds as every other student in the more, TASB set up the Texas School Cash Man state." The ruling in Edgewood ISD v. Kirby is agement Program in February 1987. Admini based on Clark's determination that the state stered by TSSF, the program has three compo financing system denies to schools and students nents: in property-poor districts the "equal protection of • The Capital Acquisition Program, which the law, equality under the law, and privileges allows districts to finance personal property at and immunities" guaranteed by the Texas lower interest rates through the issuance of debt Constitution. Additionally, the system is not an obligations; "efficient system offree public schools" required • The liquid Asset Fund, which enables dis by the Constitution, Clark said. tricts to pool their available funds for investment The ramifications of the ruling are profound returns; and and are still being discussed in educational and • Tax Anticipation Notes, a financing tech legislative circles. In 1988 the Third Court of nique based on anticipated revenues of assessed Appeals overturned the lower court's decision, property taxes payable normally on either De and the plaintiffs appealed to the Texas Supreme cember 31 or January 31 of each fiscal year. Court. The case was argued in July 1989 before An II-member board, made up of school the Supreme Court, and, as of this writing, all of board members, superintendents, and business Texas awaits the Supreme Court's decision. officials, was established to oversee the Texas Since the ruling in 1987, many proposals on School Cash Management Program. Serving on school finance options have been bandied about. the first board were Ronald Gooch, Lubbock ISD For years, school board members and superin trustee; Augusto Guerra, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo tendents had discussed the desirability of having ISD superintendent; Terry Harlow, Albany ISD an independent research facility to provide reli superintendent; Oscar Hernandez, San Antonio able, unbiased information in cases such as this. ISD trustee; Charles Lowry, Mount Vernon ISD Now with school finance at a critical juncture, the trustee; Ann Pfaff, Irving ISD trustee; Bill Phipps, need for such a facility to provide sound research Conroe ISD business manager; Beth Salim, Dumas in this area became even more evident. After ISD trustee; Mike Say, Humble ISD superinten many hours of discussion and deliberation, trus dent; Charles Wade, Monahans-Wickett-Pyote tees of TASB and TASAgave their approval to ISD trustee; and Loftin Witcher, Fort Worth ISD establish the Texas Center for Educational Re 80 search (TCER), which began operation in Janu ing at committee hearings, and working with the ary 1988 under the direction of former TSSF committee's staff. Today TCER, housed in the Associate Executive Director Linda Schulz. TCER same building as the TASB headquarters, con held its formal organizational board meeting in tinues to research and provide information assis May 1988. Serving on the six-member interim tance in critical education issues, such as school board were TASB President Janis Petronis of finance and technology. Copperas Cove lSD, TASB President-Elect By ron Black of Burleson lSD, TASB Executive A Merging of Services Director Orbry Holden; TASA President John By 1987, TASB and TSSF had grown re Horn of Mesquite lSD, TASA President-Elect markably and their respective buildings were George Crowson of Harris County Schools, and filled beyond capacity. TASB had added TASA TASA Executive Director Johnny Veselka. TASB Personnel Services and TLTG staff mem Following the 1987 legislative session, Gov bers to its already crowded building. TSSFwas in ernor Bill Clements appointed a new Select Com the process of adding the cash management mittee on Education to examine possible alterna programs and pulling all health care claims tives to the school finance structure in light of the administration in house. The size of the Field Edgewood ISD v. Kirby ruling. TCER lived up to Services staff, which had taken shape in 1982 to its purpose by playing a major role in supplying handle the marketing, education, and service research information to the committee, testify function for the risk management programs and Janis Petronis: 1987-88 President To say that 1987-88 was an eventful year for Janis Petronis may be an understatement. As TASB president that year, Petronis led the Association in an internal strategic planning process, a TASB-TSSF reorganization effort, an evaluation of TASB Board operations by trustees for thefirst time, and the purchase of two buildings in North Austin. She also played a key role in the development of theTexas Center for Educa tional Research and served as chairman of its interim board. In addition, under her leadership, the organization initiated a new strategic planning service, began a major bylaws revision, developed an environmental service to help districts meet federal deadlines on asbestos management plans, and formed ad hoc committees on Janis Petronis trustee orientation and Hispanic board members. A few months before Petronis took office, District Court Judge Harley Clark declared the school finance system unconstitutional in Edgewood ISD. v,Kirby_ The ruling was discussed by school trustees and many others throughout her year in office. On behalf of TASB, Petronis herself testified before the Select Committee on Tax Equity about spending pressures facing school districts. A trustee at Copperas Cove ISD from 1978-88, Petronis moved to Stephenville shortly after her term as president ended. Today she serves as university relations officer at Tarleton State University. Petronis regards her election as TASB president to be her greatest accomplishment-and her busiest year. 81 to serve as primary contacts for the districts, was under the leadership of President Janis Petronis, mushrooming with the increased number of reaffirmed the philosophy that both TASB and districts using the services. The membership in TSSF serve school districts by providing for their the Property/Casualty Program was rapidly needs and emphasized that the two should blend increasing, and by 1988, TSSF would bring in the services for maximum benefit to member house some of the services previously contracted districts. To help with this task, TSSF Executive by employers, including underwriting, rating, Director Jerry Edwards was named chief operat claims adjusting, and all accounting. ing officer of TASB. Since the summer of 1986 TASB and TSSF In 1988, TASB underwent a strategic plan had been concentrating on combining some ning process to consider its future path. TASB common services. Communications and Data Board members and staff worked side by side in Processing were the first divisions to be merged. committees to develop action plans for 14 strate With the completion of a second building at the gies. The planning process took several months, Guadalupe site, TSSF was able to free up some but helped to cement some relationships in the space in the original building, which Policy Serv organization and define direction. The result was ice and TLTG moved north to occupy. More and a sound plan built into the accountabilities of more the emphasis was placed on closer interac many jobs in the Association. tion between TASB and TSSF. In addition to undergoing the strategic plan Leaders of TASB and TSSF recognized the ning process, TASB leaders also decided to add need to work together more closely. At the a similar service for school districts to the Asso December 1987TASB Board meeting, the Board, ciation's repertoire. A strategic planning service Byron Black: 1988..89 President Byron Black took office in 1988 about the time the Select Commit tee on Education, which studied school finance, was finishing its work The committee was charged with developing finance options for the 71st Texas Legislature in answer to the Edg8W()()(i v.Kirby de ciSion. School finance would be the major topic during Black's presi dency. In an effort to develop options afits own,.TASB,under Black's leadership, set up a Committee of 52, which presented a school funding plan to the Legislature. Although the bill that finally passed provided much lower funding that TASB recommended, Black be lieves the committee was successful in getting school trustees in volved in the legislative process. A number ofothermethods were de Byron Black veloped to involve school trustees and the Legislative Network in the legislative process. In addition to legislative activities, Black led theAssociation in initial efforts to develop a par enting program that school districts could provide to their constituents; a program to provide technology services to school districts, including distanceleatning; and refinement of board training services. TLTG's physical science curriculunrsuccessfuUy completed a year of pilot testing, and marketing efforts began nationwide. Now TASB immediate past president, Blackcontinues to serve on the Burleson LSD Board, to which he was elected in 1978. 82 was added as a compo nent of training, and the Information Services Division became Educa tion and Planning. Jim Brady, an experienced strategic planner and school administrator, was brought in to head the Strategic Planning Program, which assists districts in creating their future through coop erative planning with the community. A Plan for Today After undergoing strategic planning within the organization, Holden and Edwards looked at the current structure and devised an organiza tional plan that would better serve school dis tricts. The plan was put into effect in the fall of 1988 and remains in effect today. The organiza tional structuregroupsdivisionsbyservice, form In 1989. three buildings in north Austin house staff ing six groups and a management group, which members o.lthe Texas Assoriation ofSchool Boards and the Texas School Services Foundation. acts as sort of an executive branch of the organi zation. It includes Holden; Edwards; Mary Ann Briley, group director for special projects; Linda Schulz, group director for planning and develop In 1989, TASB sold its downtown building ment; and Ray Morrison, general counsel. The and moved into the Lamar Crest Towers adja six groups are: cent to the Guadalupe site. The staff now occu • District Services, which includes Educa pies three buildings, with the headquarters lo tion and Training, Planning (now a division of its cated at 7703 North Lamar in Austin. own), Communications, and Field Services. Group director is Mike Day. Focus on the Future • School Governance, made up of Govern Ithas been a long, winding road since a small mental Relations, Policy Service, Personnel Serv group of trustees organized the Association in ices, and Legal Services. Jim Crow is group 1949. There have been many crossroads and director. junctures along the way, but the goals have • Risk Management, consisting of Prop remained the same: to provide a vehicle for erty/Casualty, Unemployment Compensation, school board members to join in improving edu Workers'Compensation, and Loss Control. Group cation. Through its many services to school dis director is Roger Hembree. tricts, TASB has sought to save districts money, • Internal Services, composed of Finance, meetdistricts' needs, and shape legislation in the Data Services, Personnel, Cash Management, most beneficial way for educators. The Associa Day Care Center, Cafeteria, and Meetings and tion has become a leader among education asso Travel. Mike Jolly directs the group. ciations in its ability to provide the needed serv • Employee Benefits Services, which con ices to its constituency. tains Health Care and is directed by Dubravka After 40 years ofservice, the Association can Romano. look forward to the next decade with profound • Development, made up of Research and pride in its past. Throughout its history, the Development, TLTG, and TCER John Carlton future has always been TASB's focus-that is, directs the group. the future of the schoolchildren of Texas. 83 what:~llt i$ Wofthk!zefJingraial OllhilfJtt~'1!tlme; . whatt:tji~1fJtienekJ.1l~t;~eI4i~WJtl" With its rich history as a foundation, the future of TASB is not to be underestimated. Ifthe past is an indication ofhow the Association operates in a changing society, TASB will continue to be a front-runner in meeting the needs of school board members. In this chapter, past, present, and future leaders of the Association discuss their vision of the future of TASB. Participating in the discussion are the1988-89 officers: President Byron Black ofBurleson lSD, President-Elect Charles Wade ofMonahans-Wickett-Pyote lSD, First Vice-President Patti Clapp ofRichardson lSD, Second Vice-President Amber Yeary ofLaredo lSD, Secretary-Treasurer Charles Lowry of Mount Vernon lSD, and Immediate Past President Janis Petronis, formerly ofCopperas Cove ISD. Looking back, what do you think is the proudest accomplishment of TASB over the last decade? Patti Clapp: Information was one of the purposes of the organization when it was founded. I believe our proudest accomplishment is the network that TASB provides for school districts across our state and the fact that we can allow and help board members and districts learn from each other. Janis Petronis: I would hate to single but anyone program and say 1LTG is the greatest or the board insurance programs are the greatest. Whatever-the vision this organization has, has made it what it is. And I know that Orbry [Holden] has led that vision, but I think he pushed us all to be visionaries in what we do. To me, the greatest distinction of TASB is that we have been the trend setter. I think we're all tired of hearing the "cutting edge." But I think maybe we've been the knife that has led a lot of other organizations and in dividuals to reach further. Byron Black: Being a catalyst and pulling together all school board members in Texas to educate them on more statewide issues, rather than just those issues that they deal with locally, is something we can be proud of. Our Association is bringing together more and more people. And the Association has fostered a working relationship with other educational associations. Our Association is looked to by a large majority of those organizations as the leader in education. They might have different func tions and different purposes, but school business officials and teacher or ganizations look to TASB as the leader on issues. 86 Petronis: And the change agent on many issues. A lot of groups want to take the problem and rework it, or look at it in a myopic form, and TASB has been the one to say this is how you can change. Technology, definitely strategic planning, insurance programs-the fact that we've gone into all these areas makes a difference. Charles Wade: From the human standpoint, TASB has helped each district overcome jeal ousy they might have imagined about other districts. That attitude is het ter, one toward another, and cooperatively, we can do more things together. If accomplishments of TASa revolve around vision and networking and presenting a broader view, what are our strengths? What makes those accomplishments possible? Clapp: One primary strength is the diversity of our membership. We represent the poorest to wealthiest, the smallest to largest, from rural to urban. We have every aspect and capacity education has to offer represented in our mem bership. That allows us to have vision and look atwhat the broad needs are. Black: Another strength is the dedication of trustees. They are genuine and genuinely concerned about where education in the state is heading; they want to do something that will channel it into the future, whatever that future may be. They're willing to do what it takes to put issues in front of everyone. Petronis: The TASB staff has to be a strength-the quality of the people and their dedication. People make the difference. And the quality of TASB staff in Austin and in the field is an absolute strength. I continue to be amazed at the quality people we continue to attract and bring in. Black: We are in the people business. To be committed to that, you've got to have dedicated full-time employees, you've got to have dedicated trustees, and we do. Petronis: One ofTASB's strengths has been the board, executives, and staff willing to take risks. We've stepped out and taken a chance with a lot of programs. Thatgoes back to being visionary. But you can be a visionary and talk about it, or you can be a visionary and do something about it. And TASB is a doer, a mover, a shaker, and a risk taker. Black: Anytime we start a new program or service, ifwe stub our toe on the way, we just take one step back and go a different direction to getit accomplished. This is not a give-up organization. We don't give up. What about weaknesses of the Association? Petronis: Let's go back to that Iaccoca comment (see inset). I think we've got to know the people we're working with and not make assumptions that they know what they don't. One thing we need to look at is how we contact school board members versus the school district. If you call the superintendents in the district, they know TASB and our services. We need to do a better job of informing 87 .«Mqybeu~siness .. leatk'$ .0.(1 over.,the count",sh(Jltld·tle$~enduponthe school bO(J/J(d$i .. lock·.~. with ··th~paffflt$ an4()tke'f·comW;'ltn~ty groups: and begin· making some~~~ghdt!mand$., .. MYt:ompanyisstrong(tt:lJeeausef,fje li$tento the customer. Wb~nt#ecu$tomernz.o.kesa .d~11JI1ndof ftS,wemeet.it,eve.ni/Wt! naoeto sho.ke. up th~tJ)ht:Jleblfle~.And the productgetsbetterastl'ft!S'ltlti.. !thin/0·tkesamethingcan happen i~n.thoSfr$chQol$ ift:h~custom~t'$"f-lhepe(JpktlilWget>the products ofthose sch(}ols-a118qtt(}l1etherandsaid.~ This is·f,fjMtw;e1fOnhllnd if~ou don't give it to us we'llfindsomeQne else who w#l~ ? "-Lee IaCOC41 . the school board members. We can't give up concentrating on the super intendents, but we need to do a better job of informing boards. Where does lASB fit into the future? What's going to be happening, and what can lASB do about what's happening? Black: Our Association has an opportunity to have a lot to do with what happens. The big issue is school finance. Texas is going to have to find, or local school districts are going to have to find, a new source of revenue rather than add more taxes. Taxpayers are revolting. So what do we do as an Association to put some relief in that area for local school boards? Do we really want to become a totally state-funded education system? Ifwe do, we lose control. What role will lASB have in deciding? Petronis: We can be a catalyst to look at a long-range solution. We might need to start with something new. TASB's role can be working in alliance with others to come up with some new and creative solutions. We can continue with our visionary role and be the first entity to say we don't have to keep doing the same thing. Maybe there are new ways of getting more quality teachers by recruiting out of state. Maybe that's the role we need to play. There are a lot of things that we can do to break the mold and try something totally different. We have to change the thinking of a lot of people. And that is where better communication with local board members can be vital. We have got to involve board members better. There's a huge turnover of board members, so we have a constant opportunity to be educating over 7,000 people. Clapp: One way we can affect all issues is by educating the board member in one district about how issues impact the next district. That's one of the biggest things I've seen in the 52-member school finance committee [a special committee that studied school finance proposals during the 71st session of the Texas Legislature]. Trustees would say: "I didn't know how this pro posal was going to affect your district. ... I didn't know you had the same policy." Those trustees now have an understanding of school finance across the state-knowledge they didn't have before. They now have an ap preciation of what's going on in neighboring districts. Ifwe can help board members across Texas understand education beyond their borders, be 88 Jerry Edwards: Leading TASa in Service Interview by Shirley Hall Jerry Edwards sees TASB as ues to be over 20 percent a year. If morethan "services, budgets and they are over20 percent a year, that buildings"; he believes it is the means that the cost is going to con people who make itcomealive. As tinue to rise and you can't counton chief operating officer, Edwards where it is. If our program did not inspires board members, who, in exist, 1 believe that the price for tum, envision what needs to be mostoftheschool districts would be done to make TASB a viable aSso higherthan it is now becausewe set ciation. Edwards and TASB Execu the standard for quality and price. tive Director Orbry Holden, who "Ourprogramnowisprobably areparticuiar about the people they running better than it hasever been. hire, make T ASB come alive. TASB We have a better, more economi trustees and employees are the cally efficient programand a better Jerry Edwards people who affect the lives of the Chief Operating Officer data analysis than we've ever had be children in the schools that they fore. That, to some.extent, allows us serve. to controlcosts betterthan we'veevercontrolled "Ouremployees like to feel a part ofbene them before. The consumer price index would fitingthe child in the classroom," Edwards said. tell you that inflation for all things is one level Whether they work with thebudgetorcomput and that the index is two or three times as high e:rs ortrainboard members,TASBemployees for health insuraJ;lce. Butthekey is setting a stan like to feel a part of helping schoolchildren. dard for quality and price." whetherdirectly orindirectiy."So whenTASB RegardingWotke:r'sCoinpensation, Edwards adopts a school, orwe adoptafamilyto help. otlr explained, "You must rememberthatWorkers' TASB people see that it does directly affect a CompensationCOsts are a combination of what's child or family. That's the reason I've tried to called indemnity-that's the weekly payments encourage some type of civic involvement for for injured workers who are offthejob-andthe all of our employees," Edwards a,dded. TASB medical part. Itused to be thatthe indemnity pay has adopted two schools through the Austin ments, ortheweekly payments to injured work ISD Adopt-a-School and sponsors projects where ers, amounted to 70 percent of the cost and the money earned goesdirectly toward helpingthe medical payments amQunted to 30 percent of the children in the schools. cost. Nowadays, it's 50-SO. In otherwords, it's the Edwards, who also serves as executive di medical payments that are going up, so essen rector of the Texas School Services Founda tiallyWorkers'Compensation payments are being tion, has directed the risk management pro driven up by the high cost of medical inflation. gramsfor nine years. During the interview, he And there is less cost containment over the talked aboutthose programs. Workers'Compensation than there is in health "1 think what we try to do more than any care.We have to do a betterjob of containing the thing-else is to set standards-a standard for medical costthroughourutilization and monitor quality and a standard for price," hesaid. 'Those hospital studiesand things like that. are the keys in health care. It is such a volatile "As you can see, Workers' Compensation marketthatthe trend in price increases contin- costs have goneoutof sight with unlimited claims 89 losses, However, we've ~trengthen~d our fe,. :FallslSD schoolboardmembergave Edwards serireshy$16mi11ionthisyear.Whatwethpught· . tneillsight needed to understand a board mem claimsW(llildcost since the beginning of tbe ber's task and how things could be changed. program!i~d what they will ultimately cost is "I like to feel tbat my life has had some mucbmqrethatwhatwehad initiaIlyte!5erved. purpose because I served on a board," he said. So we have to do something to cause thatto go "It'sjust like what we do here atTASB. Take risk the otherway. We are beefing up loss control, management. You think. what difference will tryingto do more aggressive c1aimsadministra that make? Well, it's pulled millions of dollars tion, watch our legal costs,trying to get all back into school districts to educate kids. So districtsto do abetterjobatioss con trol andloss tbere's a purpose in life outof what we db here. prevention." "1 constantly think. though, that the ones Turning to smdent and curriculum prob who really make the difference are tbose teach lems in Texa~. Edwards discussed the method!5 ersin the classroom. And howeverwe help them of, andproblems involved in, raising academic do their job is the name of the game. There's achievement standards. Referring to minority always going to be aneedfor that special person populations in schools, whicb amountto 49 per who cares about the kids and can help motivate cent in Texas, Edwards said, "Lookattbe growth them. push themin the rightdirection, and do it in the number of students at aU grade levels. and with love and care." you arelooking at English as being the second Concerningthe public perception ofteach language to mostofthese people. How can you ers, Edwards commented that he did not feel accurately compare academic acbievementwhere thatteachers were appreciated as they should English is nottbe primary language? When we be. "In oneway or another, we must upgrade tbe do onrstatistics, we need to make those correc public's view, and I thinkTASB can have apart tions. Variances and deviations must be ad in this through public information and the up dressed." grading of a teacher's professionalism. I think Addressing what must be changed in our that more than money, a teacher wants to have educational system. Edwards said, "With the the rightkind of working environment and the numbers we have to educate, we must change freedom of teaching children the way they see the delivery systems in education. We need to best,according to the children's varying abili educate more people tQ be master teachers, in ties and their different ways of learning," he cooperation with technology. TLTG's physical said. science program demonstrates theinterestand Edwards is a valued asset to theassociation enthusiasm kids have for the use of technology." in his role of leadership and management and A.totmer math and physics teacher in the his ability to work with such a variety of people MidlMdPuhlic schools, Edwards knowswhat it andservices. He credits thefine standing of the is like in tlIc classroom. "The lecture system, Texas Assodation ofSchoolBoards to the people goitl,gtothe huard, working a few prohlems is inthe organization-trustees and staff-who not as effective. The way we deliver education arededicated to thechildren they serve in pub mustena:Jige,!' he said. liceducation. •Peerleru:ning h~ anew, effective approach "Pbilosophically,TASB is driven to service way that works well even at the lower levels, by the needs of the school districts of Texas. Edwru:ds said."Yau see three or four first- or These needs vary from year to year, butessen second.graders workitl,g together as a team; thw tially cover all activities of management and belpeachotherandtheyru:ee~dtedaboutleam governance," hesaid. "TASB in most instances lng.There is human value in thatinteraction of basbeen a catatystfor cbange and consistency the high and the low level. I've always been in the governance and management arena. We againsthigh and low grouping of students. Stu must continue this catalysis: our ultimate goal dents should be intermixed, then letthem help mustalways be to help each individual student, each other. That'swhatthe world isall about" wherever we receive him or her on the educa His past experience asateacher and aMarble tionalladder. achieve maximum potential." 90 yond district boundaries, we're going to see more solutions and more crea tive ideas for education as a whole. Why is it important for school board members to have a broader viewpoint? Clapp: When statewide solutions are needed, the only way we're going to move to consensus is for all of us to understand what's happening, see more creative solutions, and understand how the solutions we're reaching will impact the quality of education as a whole-not just our district or our neighbor. We need education to be of high quality across the state, not just in one district or two districts. Charles Lowry: Education in that light-what your neighbor's doing-parallels our world situation. In the economy today, you don't think about what's going on in your own little circle. You've got to think about]apan and all the other coun tries. Likewise, ifwe don't look beyond our borders or our school district boundaries, we might as well put up a fence and just crawl in a shell. Black: This is how I see the future for education in Texas: We're going to have year round school. Students, once they get to the secondary level, will be required to attain a certain number of credits. If they obtain those credits within a certain time period, they can graduate. Doing some of these things may reduce the cost of education in public schools. t'It's like Pearl Harbor. The Japanese have invaded, and the U. S. has been caught short. Not on guns and tanks and battleships-those are yesterday's weapons-but on mental might. In a high-tech age where nations increasingly compete on brainpower, American schools ar-e producing an army ofilliterates. "Companies that cannot hire enough skilled workers now realize they must do something to save the public schools. Not to be charitable, not to promote good public relations, but to survive. "-Fortune magazine, November 1988 Wade: We'll see public schools contract with private enterprise to teach certain subjects. Corporations in our community are saying, "Look at the idea of contracting our staff out to teach math, to teach physics." We're going back to private enterprise to do what should be public work. Black: As Fortune magazine says (see inset), businesses are going to get more and more involved. Like Iaccoca is. They're going to lock arms with parents; they're going to go to the school board and say, "Hey, you're not doing what you should be doing. This is what we want you to do. Ifyou do it, we'll help you." Clapp: We must understand we're teaching a different student population than educators were 50 years ago, but we're teaching the same way they were back then. We were teaching kids who wanted to go to school, who wanted 91 to be there; the ones that didn't want to be there left and got a job doing something else. And it was OK Well, today, we're supposed to teach eve rybody, but we're still trying to do it as if everybody wanted to be there. We need to work and find the most effective way to teach the population that we're teaching now. We're locked into a 175-day school year, and we're locked into "ifyou fail a semester, you've got to go back a semester. You can't do it right then; you've got to wait until next summer." We haven't looked at the creative solutions. We all need to help that change evolve in a positive way. What about the changing student population, the rise in minority student populations? Petronis: We have to recognize even more than ever before where the kids are from. We're teaching a different child. We've got to adapt and know how to work with those kids the best way possible. Clapp: Education needs to increase its networking with business and with other agencies and entities. Because we have a different student population doesn't mean we need to solve all the problems. We need to work with other groups to solve problems. Public education cannot stay in its own house. Yeary: We've dealt with several generations of Hispanics in our community [Laredo]. They're a minority only on a statewide basis. They've always been a majority [in our community]. And their needs were not different than middle-class white Texas families. But, all of a sudden, along the border communities of the state, we have a new generation of Americans that are creating a very difficult situation for school districts because their family orientation is even further behind than the family orientation of my forebears. And we have a difficult problem in the southern part of the state and along our borders on how to deal with this problem. What I'm hearing you say has always been my perception ofTASB. The only reason for our being is to change. We should be that change group. Anybody who serves on the TASB Board ought to be looking for some way to change what we do for a better system. We have to take education out of the control ofthe legislative process in Texas. The legislative process is a system of compro mise, and anything that we do in education begins to be compromised for our needs, and then itis compromised to a greaterdegree and diluted by the time it becomes law. And then we have the responsibility for compliance. Until we get out ofthat mindset of compliance, we probably will not be able to deal with the change that's necessary to drive public education to the point of seeing to the needs of its diversity. Ifwe have any contribution to make as an organization, it will be to insist thatwe constantly look atchange. Black: All trustees of the Association must be change agents, and my definition of change agent is that person who can rise above the norm and look to the future. Look above the horizon, and see what's coming, and adapt to make ready for those changes. I think our Association does that. Yeary: Another thing we probably ought to think about because it's been success ful is the committee on school finance. I've got a new board member that changed 180 degrees from what he was earlier because of serving on that 92 committee of 52. These 52 people know more than they did when they started out. And they're going to have an effect. Maybe we ought to figure out some more committees to deal with specific issues that have an effect on public education statewide and bring them to Austin. The benefit would far outweigh the cost. Black: One of my goals this year was to do something in an effort to bring our area associations together. Those area associations have been out there for a long time. By working together, we can bring different parts of the state together to do things collectively. How does the diversity of school board members play in this scheme of working together? Black: The diversity of school board members is a strength. Because of the per spective that each individual brings, they have to draw from their education, their upbringing. They draw from all those things; that wide variety is a big plus for an organization. Petronis: We have so many board members out there that draw on a single issue but on the board they don't have a broad understanding of school business, of school relations, and of what it takes to make the whole system work. Informing those people is a monumental task. The opportunity to do a better job is there. We are made up of the largest group of elected officials in Texas, and we talk a lot about that. But we don't utilize it. Not only are we the largest group, but that group turns over by a third every year, and the potential for change in this state through that group is just phenomenal. But if there's something we have not exploited to its full potential, it is really bringing those people along. There's so much opportunity there. We look at things in a global atmosphere, and I think we need to do that. But we also need to get back to individual board members and see how well they are informed and make sure management is making good, knowledgeable decisions. Clapp: There are two issues we're talking about. One is informing and bringing people together. The second is involvement, and I think that's the success of the 52-member committee. Not only did they become informed, but they had a mission, a goal; they were involved. There was a purpose for them being there beyond the information. And I think we create more interest in the organization, more enthusiasm for becoming more knowledgeable by coming up with vehicles to involve people, to give them a purpose. I'm not just asking you to come to a meeting; I'm asking you to come to a meeting because this is going to be the outcome. And that's more difficult to do than just inform. These thoughts and aspirations oftoday's leaders harken back to the early days when TASB was formed. The goals on which TASB was founded-to grow in service, help others grow in service, work with allschool board members to improve Texas schools, and meet with other school board members to discuss common problems-continue to be the major thrusts today. By informing, involving, and, most important, serving school board members' needs, TASB will continue to meet the challenges that lie ahead. 93 Executive Director Orbry Hotden: A Man of Vision Inten;iew by Shirley Hall Orbry Holden, executive One of Holden's main tasks is director of the Texas Associa keeping in touch with the needs of tion ofSchool Boards, has great local boards. "You have to listen. enthusiasmandexpectations for You mix and mingle and talk to the Association. Referring to people. You listen to what their TASB as an "agent for change," problems are," he said. Holden views TASB as an or "We're not any different than any ganization that works with local other state, in that the same prob school boards to offer the serv lem that may be happening in flor ices they need to make school ida or California Qr any other state districts function effectively and may be coming our way. So part of economically. what you have to do is look at your Orbry HoJtien As executive director, demographics. You have to look at Holden has guided TASB under the direc what the problems are throughout tion of inspired and motivated school board the nation. You have to analyze the reports, members serving on the TASB Board of evaluate them. Then you have to think in Trustees. Together, the team envisioned terms of 'Okay, if we have this problem, how services being offered to boards so districts do we fix it?' It's not any secret. It's just a can save money and serve students' needs. matter of how you're going to change to meet When Holden became executive direc the problems." tor in 1978, TASB had a staff of 17 people. The Association looks to Holden as the Today there are 400 employees. Reflecting "idea man" or the man of vision for the future. on the direction of the Association, Holden "Well, that's my job. Myjob basically is to look said, "We've established programs that save atthefuture and seewhere we need togo, and districts money. That's the concept we've how we must plan to move for the future," builttheorganization on. Therearetwo things Holden said. "When we were a small organi to look at when we starta program: can we do zation, with six orseven people, we could only it better, and can we do it cheaper. There do maintenance-type things ... but now, plan must be a need for the program for TASB to ning, research, and development are all a do it. You have to listen to what districts are critical part of any organization. If you don't saying, evaluate their needs and their prob invest in new ideas and new projects, you die. lems. You decide if we can do it better and You have to find other programs thatkeep the cheaper. That's what we have built on. When energy of the organization coming." TASB established the workers' compensa One of the newest programs Holden has tion insurance plan and the health care plan, led the organization in developing is theTexas there was a need and we were able to do it Learning Technology Group ([LTG). The cheaper." TLTG program is a videodisc physical sci 94 ence program to be used in the classroom for teaching each other; then they retain it. That's ninth-grade science. where you get your 90 percent retention. Just "We started looking at that program in 'talking' to students is the lowest retention 1982 and 1983 because the cost of education area, probably about 10 percent retention. in Texas was going up so rapidly, using the With the technology approach, you transform current system. Our projection for the cost of boredom into a situation where they hear it, education by the year 2000 was between 25 to they see it, and they work with it to teach the 35 billion dollar expenditures a year. The machine what to do. You're actually getting economy in the state would not support that. the same transfer that you would working We were only spending $5 billion and the with a peer. As you add your peer-learning spending this time will be up close to $14 model, students think of different ways to do billion; we're not even half-way there. We are something to put into the learning experi going to max out on what taxpayers are will ence. 1 think TASB's role is to help districts ing to pay; the economy won't support it," he plan for a transition into this modern era. said. The future is often on Holden's mind. 'The board wanted to look at other ways "School districts must be involved in planning to deliver education. So that was the whole their future and determining where they are concept for the TLTG program and that Was going. Their thinking should be: what do we how it evolved. We were looking at satellite want students to learn, then how will we help systems-and still are-and other delivery them to accomplish that, and what is going to systems. Nobody was doing what needed to be required, what hardware is needed. what's be done in the educational delivery. The text our bottom line going to be for students. Then book was not working. So the concept was to you buy equipment to fit your plan. Too many build a full-year course using technology. We times school districts buy computers with no wanted to see ifit could be done and ifit would real plan, teacher training, nQr proper soft be a marketable situation. ware in mind. Districts say, 'We bought 20 "In my opinion, the place to make a differ Apples, now what do we do with them?'" ence is in the classroom, where it touches "In my opinion, schools in the future are students. And the TLTG project touches stu going to have needs for great expertise in the dents and involves teachers. You're involved technology field, specialists who are consult heavily with teachers for preparation. It also ants. TASB could provide that service as a means that boards and administrators must one-day-a-week service. They will need, for change what they are doing. Learning styles instance, a one-day-a-week curriculum spe have changed, and we can't keep doing more cialist or·one-clay-a·week management spe of the same that's not working for so many cialist people. The program is a cooperative effort "School districts will be facilitating, COOf with IBM using their advanced technology, dinating their operations rather than being coupled with the expertise of exceptional the experts in all of these fields. The districts teachers presenting and guiding the program. have to be the managers of the process, and Students using the program are excited hi~ the expertise. Now the districts hire a about the learning technology and how much business manager or curriculum supervisor knowledge they retain because oftheir shared and expect them to be budget experts, invest experience. 'The peer-learning model is the ment experts, facilities experts, technology most powerful tool that you have because experts, and they simply cannot be expected they will learn far more from each other than to know and do it all. they will from the teacher," Holden said. "Itall "I see our role at TASB in developing boils down to getting people to where they're these kinds of expertise that are very special 95 ized, then helping districts where they do not is chemistry for senior high, another earth have the expertise. That's what we've done in science, and another geography in coopera risk management and planning and with the tion with National Geographic. nTGprograms. Itis a money-saving plan for "We are looking at satellite systems and schools. Th.e job of administrators is not to we're looking at different kinds of broad know everything, butto recognize their needs delivery systems, fiber optic kind of delivery and get the people who have the answers to systems, tape delivery systems that go right do it. TASB can supply that expertise." into the home," Holden said. "All of our edu Trustee's roles in the future are going to cation systems must be. community-based. I change, according to Holden. "Board mem think that is the key. A community must feel bersmustviewtheirrolesasproblem solvers. that it istheir education system. Ifthe educa They need to learn how to look at the big tion system fails in any way, it's the commu picture, how they are going to get there, nity that fails, notjust the schooL notjust the recognize if they do or do not have the re teacher. So we've got to build that whole sources. They need to recognize ifthey need concept of a community-based education to consolidate or they need to restructure, system." and they have to take the initiative to get the Concerning parent education, Holden job done. spoke of inherent problems that must be "So many times, board members come considered. 'Wehave families," he said, "who Qn aboard with an ax to grind. Theirmain olr cannot teach their kids because they don't jective should be to be the bestadvocates for have the background or experience. Pro ¢ducationthat is possible and to build asys grams could be directed into the home to tern thatlsgoing to move us into the21s~ provide parent education as well as school century-, They have to be the spokesmen based parent programs. within the· community for education and be "How do we get the education to where above nit-picking and back~biting. the students are? They're in school part of "Board members must assure that 100 the day and at home part of the day. We percentofthe students do well. Ift'tleyare not shouldgetinto both places. Parents can learn doingweU, address the resourceS and the at home, too." problems. All ,(,000 school board members in Lookingatthelong-range picture, Holden the state must contact every one of their said TASS is meeting the challenge to view legislators to do what is best and needed for theeducational conceptofa community-based school districts. We must also work with the education system, including the student, the State Board. parents, the teacher, administrators, and the "The role of the board member is chang community. He said in order to educate the ing. There must be a strategic plan over a student effectively with new and advanced longer period of time. Trustees need to view methods of training, we must educate the the areas that need to be fixed and go about parents and the community; we must all be fixing them. That's the reason every district partners to coordinate our goals. in the stateneedsto have a planning process. "We need to build about a $50 million We can't do it like we've always done it. The dollar trust fund over the next few years to board members need to be committed and have enough resources to invest in programs. actively involved In the planjustlike the peer And we'll have to have partners like IBM and learning model." National Geographic to get there," Holden As for future plans and roles for TASB, said. 'We are working on it; we're building Holden commented that TASB is looking at those partnerships." other courses for the TLTG programs-one On the subject of disadvantaged popula 96 tions, Holden mused how TASB could help policy issues, school finance being one," he these people, and how T~as can answer said; "But it doesn't make any difference how their educational needs. "I thinkthat's.where· fine the research is, if the Legislature is not we have to influence the Legislature to help. willing to implement it. For example, there The state's responsibility in finance is to were at least three groups that had plans that make it possible for every child to have an would have worked to get us 'to the equity' in education. Itis notthe locatresponsibiUtyto sbtyears, but the 71st Legislature refused it. do everything. TheirlJrobte:ms are so severe These plans for a solution and an answer to that the locals cannot do everything; and the Edg~WfJ!)dv. Kirby lawsuit must be re theirneedsand problemsmustbeaddressed.· solve.d." Itmeans we mustprovide facilities; it means Concerning TASB employees, Holden putting technology in their schools and pro, said, ''You need to have bright people, and viding for students' needs throughstafe service-oriented people with good attitudes funding," about helping districts to do better-then In the area of research and develop you'H besuccessful. Building a good attitude menti Holden discussed the Texas Center is9() petcentofan organization's success; it's for Educational Research. "Research and all about helping people in districts. Our developmentis a major component ofany or employees· must feel accountable for what ganization. When you start cutting your they do and the responsibility to get the job research and development, you're cutting done. You can't mandate an attitude to em your lifeline. Now the purpose for setting up ployees.It all depends on their own willing the Texas Center for Educational Research ness." was to give us high" 97 Appendix 99 TASB Presidents (1949 to present) 1949-50 Dr. Ray K Daily Houston ISD 1950-52 Willie I. Kocurek Austin ISD 1952-54 James A Redmond Beaumont ISD 1954-56 Mose W. Glosserman Lockhart ISD 1956-57 Mrs. Will (Margaret) Miller Corsicana ISD 1957-58 George S. Gandy Wheeler ISD 1958-59 Ted Andress El Paso ISD 1959-60 Arch H. McCulloch Highland Park ISD (Dallas) 1960-61 W.H.B. Fehl South Park ISD (Beaumont) 1961-63 George C. Guthrie San Antonio ISD 1963-65 Lee Ragsdale Jacksonville ISD 1965-67 John E. Meade BonhamISD 1967-69 Harold R Yeary Laredo ISD 1969-70 W.T. Crouch Tarrant County 1970-71 Laura T. Doing Wichita Falls ISD 1971-72 Calvin R Guest Bryan ISD 1972-73 Albert D. Brown, Jr. North East ISD (San Antonio) 1973-74 Shirley Hall Weatherford ISD 1974-75 Will D. Davis Austin ISD 1975-76 Ross Borrett Ysleta ISD 1976-77 Charles Waters LubbockISD 1977-78 Tess Norris San Marcos ISD 1978-79 Franklin Bass Corpus Christi ISD 1979-80 Charles Whiteside Kilgore ISD 1980-81 Paul McCash, Jr. Texarkana ISD 1981-82 Floyd Myers Clear Creek ISD 1982-83 Julianan Cowden Alvarado ISD 1983-84 Harris Hill Garland ISD 1984-85 John Quisenberry Ector County ISD 1985-86 Oscar Hernandez San Antonio ISD 1986-87 W.D. Hilton, Jr. Greenville ISD 1987-88 Janis Petronis Copperas Cove ISD 1988-89 Byron Black Burleson ISD 1989-90 Charles Wade Monahans-Wickett-Pyote ISD TASB Executive Directors 1949-51 AL. Chapman 1951-52 Bascom Hayes 1952-55 Roy Hall 1955-68 Donald Nugent 1968-77 Cecil Rusk 1978-89 Orbry Holden 100 TAsa Regional Associations Bexar County Federation of School Boards Big Bend School Boards Alliance Coastal Bend School Boards and Administrators Study Group* Far West Texas School Boards Association Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards* North Texas Area Association of School Boards* Northeast Texas School Boards Association Panhandle Area School Boards Association Permian Basin School Boards Association * Region 6 School Boards Association Rio Grande Valley School Board Members Association* Sabine-Neches Administrators and School Board Members Association* South Plains School Boards Association Southwest Texas Schoolmen Association* Tri-County Federation of School Boards * Listed as active organization in 1952 Establishment of TASa Trust Funds and Other Entities 1974 TASB Workers' Compensation Self-Insurance Trust Fund 1976 TASB Group Health Trust Fund, now TASB Employee Benefits Joint Account 1977 TASB Unemployment Compensation Group Account 1981 TASB Legal Assistance Fund 1982 TASB Property/Casualty Joint Account 1985 Texas Learning Technology Group 1987 Texas School Cash Management Program 1988 Texas Center for Educational Research 101 1988-89 TASB Board of Trustees (As o/September 1, 1989) President: Byron Black, Burleson ISD President-Elect: Charles Wade, Monahans-Wickett-Pyote ISD First Vice-President: Patti Clapp, Richardson ISD (District 6) Second Vice-President: Amber Yeary, Laredo ISD (District 13) Secretary-Treasurer: Charles Lowry, Mount Vernon ISD (District 4) Immediate Past President: Janis Petronis Trustees Mary Jean George Paul Belton Frank Hametner Ronald Bradberry District 1 District 9 District 15 District 21 Port Arthur ISD Borger ISD Aransas Pass ISD Stephenville ISD Martha Watson Johnny Fowler Catherine Gunn Mary Knox District 2 District 10 District 16 District 22 livingston ISD Jayton-Girard ISD WeimarISD ColemanISD Jim Cunningham James E. Nelson Jesse Hibbetts Jerry McDonald District 3 District 11 District 17 District 23 Chapel Hill ISD Ector County ISD Brazosport ISD Eden CISD Alan Leverett Carl Dwayne Blair Joe Cathey Leroy Goodson District 5 District 12 District 18 District 24 Wylie ISD Clint ISD Deer Park ISD ComalISD Mary Rutledge Fernando Pena, Jr. Tarrant Fendley Nan Clayton District 6 District 12 District 18 District 25 Dallas ISD Ysleta ISD Houston ISD Austin ISD Scott Smith Barbara Coleman James Handy Shannon McMakin District 6 District 12 District 18 District 25 Carrollton-Farmers El Paso ISD Spring ISD Taylor ISD Branch ISD Ruben Pena Kenneth Lloyd Virginia Myers Georgeann Gallian District 14 District 18 District 26 District 7 Harlingen ISD Spring Branch ISD Northside ISD Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD Romeo Villarreal John R Pechacek Christine Hernandez District 14 District 19 District 26 Sue Sparvero South Texas ISD Bellville ISD San Antonio ISD District 7 Fort Worth ISD Leslie LeRoy Lynn Allen Jose Escobar, Jr. District 15 District 20 District 26 Richard McKee Corpus Christi ISD Hico ISD Southwest ISD District 8 Henrietta ISD 102 1989 Organizational Structure 1.··•.••ll1tet...t,.·"m..' DevelQpme~t tailtel~ll~ . .. John Carlton Girlu; J)i~ctor "~~··:lOr~rYHoldell .••..•..•.. Risk Managel11em I.EServices... n1...•. '.pI.D.' ..•.. ".·.···..18.·. neflt$"~ Roger Hembree i Duhravka~mano GrouP Director I GrQUp DireCtl1r Property/Casualty I Health Care Workers' Compensation Unemployml;lnt Compensation PropettyAp.PnUsaIs Loss Control Environmental Se,fV~ces 103 Chronology of Major Education Developments in Past 40 Years 1949 Gilmer-Aikin laws, passed by 51st Legislature, reorganize state administration, establish the Minimum Foundation Program, and set into motion a number of other reform measures. 1954 The U.S. Supreme Court rules segregation of schools is unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education. 1957 Soviet Union sends Sputnik into space, causing Americans to reevaluate their educational system. 1958 The Hale-Aikin Committee conducts a grassroots study of education in Texas, involving a11254 counties. The recommendations resulting from the study fail to pass legislative muster. 1965 Governor John Connally appoints the Governor's Committee on Public School Education, one of the first official bodies to examine the issue of inequities in public school finance. After a three-year study, the committee publishes The Challenge and the Chance, which recommends sweeping changes. Most of the committee's recommendations are ignored by the Texas Legislature in 1969 and 1971. 1969 The 61st Legislature passes the Texas Tort Claims Act, severely limiting any sovereign immunity of governmental bodies in liability claims. 1971 The federal district court in San Antonio rules the Texas system of school finance is unconsti tutional in Rodriguez v. San Antonio ISD. The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the decision in 1973, but even the majority opinion carries strong encouragement to create a more equitable system of school finance. 1973 The 63rd Texas Legislature passes Senate Bill 283, requiring school districts to provide workers' compensation coverage for all employees. 1975 The 64th Texas Legislature passes House Bill 1126, which provides increased funding of the renamed Foundation School Program (FSP), equalization aid to certain property-poor districts, and a shifting of the county economic index method ofdetermining local fund assign ments to actual market value of property. Italso requires that every school district be accred ited by the Texas Education Agency by the 1977-78 school year. 1977 The 65th Legislature, in regular session, mandates that school districts provide unemploy ment compensation coverage for employees. Meeting in special session, the Legislature passes Senate Bill 1, which increases FSP aid, lowers the local fund assignment rate in two different configurations, provides equalization aid in two different configurations, and includes special and vocational education costs in the FSP instead of as categorical aid. 1979 The 66th Legislature passes Senate Bill 350, which expands FSP aid again, adjusts local fund assignment rates again to use index values, and adjust state equalization aid again to a single formula, among several other measures. 1981 The 67th Legislature passes Senate Bill 341, the Term Contract Nonrenewal Act. In a special session, House Bill 30 passes, providing mandatory reappraisal of property every four years, revised truth-in-taxation provisions, and rules governing tax rollback elections. 104 1983 Governor Mark White appoints the Select Committee on Public Education to be chaired by Dallas computer magnate H. Ross Perot. The committee study the financing of education with a view toward reform of the system. 1984 Meeting in special session, the 68th Legislature enacts House Bill 72, a comprehensive law touching nearly all aspects of public education. Included in the law are an appointed State Board of Education, a more equalized school finance structure, increased teacher salaries, a career ladder program for teachers, class size maximums, restrictions on extracurricular activities, and mandated teacher testing and school board member training. To fund the new programs, the legislators raise state taxes. 1987 State District Court Judge Harley Clark rules the state school finance system is unconstitu tional in Edgewood v. Kirby. 1988 The Third Court of Appeals overturns Clark's decision in Edgewood. 1989 The 71st Texas Legislature passes Senate Bill 1019, a $450 million, two-year finance plan that increases the basic allotment, raises the state minimum teacher salary schedule, and provides for a guaranteed system of school funding. In July, the Texas Supreme Court hears oral arguments on Edgewood v. Kirby. 105 Bibliography Board minutes and report, 1960-89. Texas Association of School Boards. Richardson, Rupert N.; Wa11ace, Ernest; and Anderson, Adrian, The Lone Star State, 5th ed. New York: Prentice-HaJl,1988. Shannon, ThomasA., The Sto ryofthe National School Boards Association. Alexandria, Virginia: NSBA, 1987. Still, Rae Files, To Have What We Must. Austin: 1949. Texas Lone Star. December 1982 through July 1989. Texas Association of School Boards. Texas School BoardJournal. September 1954 through June 1979.Texas Association of School Boards. "Texas School Board Newsletter." March 1950 through December 1980. Texas Association of School Boards. Texas State Archives: Guide to Geneological Resources. Austin: Texas State Library, Archives Division, 1984. Walker, Billy D., and Kirby, W.N., The Basics ofTexas Public School Finance. Austin: TASB, 1988. 106