Minutes of Stanford Planning Meeting, June 19-21, 2014
Minutes
Horace Mann League Board of Directors Planning Meeting
Stanford University and in Palo Alto, California
June 19-21, 2014
Call to Order:
Meeting called to order by Gary Marx, President of the Horace Mann League, at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday, June 19, 2014, on the Stanford Campus.
Officers and Directors Present:
Officers: Gary Marx, President; Charles Fowler, President Elect; Christine Johns-Haines, Vice President, and Joe Hairston, Past President (via video conference).
Directors: Laurie Barron, Supt., Evergreen Schools, Kalispell, MT; Evelyn Blose-Holman, (ret.) Supt. of Schools, Bay Shore, NY; Martha Bruckner, Supt., Council Bluffs, IA; Carol Choye, Instructor, Bank Street College, New York, NY; Linda Darling-Hammond, Professor, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (Saturday); James Harvey, Exec. Director, National Superintendents Roundtable, Seattle, WA; Eric King, former Supt. of Schools, Muncie, IN; Steven Ladd, Supt. of Schools, Elk Grove Schools, CA; Stan Olson, Silverback Learning, Boise, ID.
Past Presidents: Kenneth Bird, Fred Hartmeister, Spike Jorgensen, Steve Rasmussen, and Colleen Wilcox.
Executive Director: Jack McKay.
Guests: Sharlene Karbowski, who assisted Kenneth Bird in the planning process. Jon David Snyder, who brought welcoming remarks.
Welcome: Jon David Snyder, Director of SCOPE, welcomed participants to Stanford University.
External Scan:
HML President Gary Marx presented a brief external scan of trends facing educators and the whole of society. See Attachment #1 for highlights.
501(c)(3) Update: Past-President Kenneth Bird reported on findings regarding the Horace Mann League’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt and incorporation status, both of which had expired. See Attachment #2 for further information, including a letter from Attorney Latisha Hough.
Strategic Planning Process: Ken Bird, working with Sharlene Karbowski, facilitated a strategic planning process that involved officers, directors, and past-presidents who were in attendance.
See Attachment #3 for a review of organization strengths and weaknesses.
See Attachment #4 for key focus points identified by planning participants.
See Attachment #5 for reports on work done during the meeting led by point persons and involving other participants in the planning process.
See Attachment #6 for reports on deliberations of on-site work groups devoted to three focus points/objectives, devoted to communication/identity, revenue generation to support the League’s mission, and membership.
Membership: The board reviewed and discussed membership issues, including agenda items and membership-related reports provided by the executive director. See Attachment #7 for further information.
Communication, Promotion, Outreach, and Identity: Board members reviewed and discussed a range of communication, promotion, outreach, and identity needs. See Attachment #8.
Finance and Funding: The board reviewed and discussed finance and funding issues. Attachment #9 includes a report summarizing discussion and budget reports provided by the executive director.
HML Advisory Council: The Board discussed the merits of an advisory council as a means of engaging past presidents, awardees, and others interested in becoming more involved in the League.
Motion by James Harvey, seconded by Martha Bruckner, to allow the Board to establish an advisory council when and if needed. Attachment #10 includes the advisory council item that was adopted.
HML Corporate, Organizational, and Political Relationships, including Contributions: Following discussion of an agenda item devoted to HML Corporate, Organizational, and Political Relationships, including Contributions, the HML board discussed and adopted a policy displayed in Attachment #11. The motion to adopt was made. seconded, and unanimously approved by the board. As noted, Attachment #11 includes the full text of this adopted item.
Engagement with Other Education Organizations: The League president reported on efforts undertaken regarding Engagement with Other Education Organizations since the 2010 planning meeting in Chicago. That type of engagement was a goal developed during that planning process. Attachment #12 is devoted to the basic text/content of that report.
Selection of HML Awardees for the 2015 Annual Meeting: The board discussed selection of Horace Mann League Awardees to be recognized at the 2015 Annual Meeting and authorized President Gary Marx and Past-President Colleen Wilcox to contact those selected.
Outstanding Public Educator:
Action Taken: The board discussed several “Outstanding Educators.” Gary Marx will approach the selected person for the award.
Outstanding Friend of Public Education:
Action Taken: The board discussed several outstanding individuals. Colleen Wilcox will approach the selected person for the award.
Friend of the League Award:
Action Taken: Past-President Mark Edwards was selected person to receive the Outstanding Friend of the Horace Mann League Award.
Nomination for Vice President and Member of the HML Board: The board discussed nomination of persons for the offices of vice president and director. Steve Ladd moved and Steve Rasmussen seconded a motion that the board nominate Martha Bruckner for the office of vice president. Unanimously approved pending her election.
Jeffrey Charbonneau was nominated for a vacancy on the board of directors, pending his election.
Motion by Steve Ladd, seconded by Steve Rasmussen that the nominations for officer and director be presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting. Passed
Presentation on the “International Indicators” by James Harvey:
Board member James Harvey presented a status report on the International Indicators for Education Project being undertaken in collaboration with the National Superintendents’ Roundtable. This project has grown from a goal established for this general purpose during the 2010 HML planning meeting. It also enhances another of the 2010 goals devoted to engagement with other education organizations. Portions of the report to the board are included in Attachment #13.
Presentation on “Five Tumultuous Issues Facing Public Education during the
Next Five Years.”: Board Member Linda Darling Hammond presented remarks devoted to “Five Tumultuous Issues Facing Public Education during the Next Five Years.” Following her presentation, members of the board discussed her remarks and engaged in a question and answer period. Lead questioners were Laurie Barron, Steven Ladd, and Martha Bruckner. See notes Attachment #14.
Possible Sites for 2015 Summer Board Meeting: The board discussed possible sites for the 2015 Summer Board meeting, including Columbia University’s Teachers College or Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
Tentative Locations and Dates of Upcoming Meetings:
The executive director presented tentative locations for 2015 winter meeting of the HML Board of Directors and the Annual Meeting.
The HMLWinter Meeting of the Board of Directors is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2015, at the Marriott Hotel in San Diego, starting at 2:00 pm.
The HML Annual Meeting and Luncheon is tentatively scheduled for Friday, February 27, 2015, also at the Marriott Hotel in San Diego, starting at 11:45 am.
Minutes of Meetings Approved:
Stan Olson moved and Carol Choye seconded a motion that the minutes of the winter board meeting, February 15, 2014, in Nashville and the annual meeting, also held in Nashville on February 16, 2014, be approved as presented in the agenda booklet. Unanimously approved.
Adjournment
A motion was made, seconded, and approved to adjourn the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 21st. (The Saturday, June 21, portion of the meeting was held at the Creekside Inn in Palo Alto.
Notes on items discussed immediately following adjournment. See Attachment #15.
Submitted by Jack McKay, Executive Director
Attachment #1, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Highlights of External Scan
Presented by HML President Gary Marx
- Expect significant demographic change. Boomers began turning 65 in 2011 and Millennials began turning 30 in 2012. Millennals will likely have a profound impact on expectations and leadership. By 2043, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 50 percent of the U.S. population is expected to be non-Hispanic White. For children up to age 5, during 2014.
- Millennials will likely expect a Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE).
- Life-long learning will be available anywhere, any time, any place, any pace, and any way.
- Personalization will be expected from nearly every institution, including schools and colleges.
- Educators and society will be challenged to deal with a scoreboard mentality that unfortunately treats education scores like football or basketball scores.
- Leadership, while maintaining some essence of the vertical, will become increasingly horizontal. Collaboration and engagement will be expected.
- Globalization is bringing people, countries, and markets closer together but is challenging the ability of political systems to manage the rapid change. International/global skills will become increasingly essential.
- The number of mega-cities on the planet is increasing dramatically as the world becomes more urbanized.
- As we move from an Industrial Age into a Global Knowledge/Information Age, we will experience not just a transition but a complete reset for every institution, including education.
- Our lifestyles and technologies have increasingly outgrown our physical and social infrastructure.
- While the world population will increase by 50 percent between 2000 and 2050, less developed countries will increase much more rapidly than most developed countries.
Attachment #2, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
HML 501(c)(3) and Incorporation Status
An agenda item was devoted to reminding board members about the basics of the organization’s tax-exempt status. Facilitator and Past-President Ken Bird reported that he had asked the Omaha law firm, Fraser Stryker, to examine HML’s current status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and as a corporate entity. He noted that the IRS tax-exempt status had expired since the organization had not submitted annual 990 forms.
In addressing corporate status, Bird shared a finding from the law firm, which was read to the board by Past-President Fred Hartmeister. The statement, prepared by attorney Latisha Hough, stated: “This entity was a Non-Profit in the State of Nebraska but has since been administratively dissolved for failure to pay taxes/file biennial report back to 2001.”
Executive Director Jack McKay noted that he was not aware of the requirements and had not received notices but added that he discovered the 501(c)(3) lapse and had reapplied to the IRS for restoration of that status. He added that the current status is under review by the IRS. Officers will further investigate the findings and implications of not having that status up to date. They will also consider and take next steps.
Attachment #3, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Strengths and Weaknesses of the League (2010 and 2014)
Strategic Planning Activity
Ken Bird and Sharlene Karbowski led a strategic planning activity devoted to reviewing and updating HML’s perceived strengths and weaknesses using a template and list begun during the League’s 2010 planning meeting. The following chart includes items that were identified by those involved in the planning process.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Composed of Influential leaders and thinkers. | Meeting-based organization, and meetings as a form of influence are diminished. |
| Our central purpose is more important today than ever. | Membership is not reflective of emerging field. |
| Organization represents a noble cause and is based on the work of a person who was a radical leader. | Lack of alignment in incorporating behaviors that support public education (not positioning ourselves to contradict the billionaire clubs or business community) |
| Too passive in reinforcing or modeling our purpose. | |
| We need to expand the base of membership in part by admitting and regarding all educators as leaders. | |
| Our number of members is too low if we are really going to have an impact on the current day. | |
| Very admirable cause (high ground). | Have not identified activities we want to really be engaged in and would determine what our target audience would be. |
| We recognize educational leaders across the country. | Our minimum resources. |
| Our mission has been said in different ways, but a powerful idea. | We want to do more, but do not have resources to do, but how do we do more if we do not have money to do more . . . objectives limited by that. |
| Quality of membership of league as it is and recognition of members at national level. | Forces against us have risen over past 20 years and on defensive. |
| Executive Director. | Media coverage of public education has been negative. |
| How do we engage our members on our list? | |
| If we had more $$/resources/corporate sponsorship what would we do other than what we do now to meet the purpose of the League. | |
| Identity Crisis (difference between an honorary [passive] organization and active organization). Do we need to clarify that we are activist? | |
| Defending cannot be a substitute for initiating. | |
| Not politically active or more involved. | |
| Membership down overturning (863 last year, 1173 at peak, net loss in new membership). | |
| Quality, demographics of memberships. | |
| Retiring superintendents. | |
| Racing to recruit new members. | |
| (Younger Generation) Not as many joiners. | |
| More joining ASCD. | |
| So attached to one organization, sensitive to one organization rather than many | |
| Use of technology and use of social media in effective way. |
Attachment #4, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Key Focus Points
Strategic Planning Activity
The following are among results of the strategic planning process, including key focus points and members of the board or officers who will serve as point-persons for committees charged with developing recommendations in each of these areas. Those recommendations were to be presented to the president and executive director by the end of July 2014. Officers were asked to compile them into a cohesive plan by the end of August. (Also see Attachment #5 for notes on further activity.)
- Increase the visibility and communication (Branding) of the League’s identity — Steve Ladd and Steve Rasmussen.
- Increase the sources of funding in order to meet the League’s objectives– Charles Fowler.
- Increase the membership of the League by 20% per year–Christine Johns-Haines.
- Initiate two nationally prominent projects to improve the identity of the League. (Not Assigned)
- Initiate critical conversations with educational “influencers” and “disrupters” about the process of improving public education. (Not Assigned)
- Establish 25 League chapters in schools of education. (Not Assigned)
Attachment #5, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Highlights of the Strategic Planning Process with Ken Bird.
Notes by Sharlene Karbowski
Objective 1-Message – Branding (value proposition- Why I would join?)
- By September 2014, the HML will develop a message and implement a marketing campaign to increase visibility and communication to help shape the HML identity.
o Steve Rasmussen, Chair.
o Define Value-Added Proposition
- Join something because I get something for it!, workshops, etc., bringing back information . . .
- What do we have to sell?
- Give people what they want and they will pay you for it, i.e. survey membership, engagement, market survey!
- What should we be doing to support public education?
- Value added TED talk model.
- Speakers function to have experts come and speak and people pay for it.
Focused added-value proposition in print and online to tell people what we stand for.
- Talking points.
- Offer and acceptance.
- Answer “What are we going to do about this?”
- 12 confirmed Talks “Horace Talks” (What you get for the next 12 months?)
Objective 2. Funding – Money.
- By November 2014, identify, solicit, and secure an additional $100,000 of funding for the Horace Mann League. (more than membership)
- To increase the sources of funding in order to meet the League’s objectives. Stated as: By November 2014, identify, solicit, and secure an additional $100,000 of funding for the Horace Mann League (more than membership). This group was led by Charles Fowler.
Objective 3. Membership.
- To increase HML membership by 20% per year in each of the next five years.
- “Christine Johns-Haines. Membership.
- Recommend plan. Task Force??
- Assigns Team Members. Call for Action
- Short-term Campaign,
- Long-term. What makes HML valuable
o Membership recruitment campaign
- Board
- History
- Next generation of leaders to be next members
- Web site, letters, membership list
- Social Media Outreach, donate immediately, twitter, auto goes unless cancelled!
- Every member get a member
- Meeting attendance bring HML packet envelope (fact sheet)
- Letters
- Developing Lists, e.g. 400 largest districts (wrote to 140 letters more than once)
- Everyone loves a deal!
- Flash mob membership drive “May 4th be with you!”
- Target 100 non-members and reach out to them, e.g. letter about Stanford meeting and selected you as potential members and offer them something, e.g. 10 top leaders present.
- Paid memberships for a year paid by ______!
- $500 lifetime member and then ask for donation.
- Create a president’s council and us for support new members.
- Go outside current membership of Board.
- New York Times
- Local Chapters?
o Redefine our membership base
- Missing principals, teachers, concentrated effort to at least 5 of ea.
- Organizational member
- Who we are and who we are soliciting?
- E.g. Chamber of Commerce, United Way
o Non-renewal Follow-up
- Perform previous analysis, why they did not renew?
Additional Focus Point:
- By June 2015, the HML will initiate at least two nationally prominent projects that will positively focus attention to the work of the HML.
(Leadership for this focus area was not assigned in order to give more immediate attention to the first three.)
Additional Focus Point:
- Initiate critical conversations with educational “influencers” and “disrupters” about the process of improving public education.
An additional comment focused on the possible role HML should play in the improvement process with specific focus on HML organizational development and transformation in these conversations. (Leadership for this focus area was not assigned in order to give more immediate attention to the first three.)
Additional Focus Point:
By 2017, the HML Organization will establish 25 HML Chapters at schools of education in the USA. (Leadership for this focus area was not assigned in order to give more immediate attention to the first three.)
Attachment #6, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Planning Session, On-Site Work of Planning Committees
Notes
The following items relate to identified focus points/objectives that emerged from on-site work sessions involving those who joined in discussions with each of three groups. (While no objective number was provided for the following 50 suggestions, all have implications for Objectives 1, 2, and 3, addressing communication and identity, funding, and membership.
Fifty (50) suggestions we can do to increase identity and recruit members.
- Continue the “Member Nominates a Member” campaign.
- Explain the history of the Horace Mann League.
- Identify the needs of public education.
- Improve access to the website and links to other HML media.
- Make use of social media.
- Put the membership list on the HML website.
- Develop of statement of what the HML stands for.
- Create a fact sheet about the League.
- Create a wider distribution of the HML Post/Blog.
- Create an automatic renewal process for those paying by credit card.
- Identify a project with goals and then seek funding.
- Recruit principals and teachers – not just superintendents.
- Have the League more inclusive in the membership brochure.
- Create a category for organization/district membership.
- Approach the National PTA and the Chamber of Commerce.
- Create a “flash” effort to increase membership.
- Create a survey to find out why some do not rejoin the HML.
- What is the “value added” for becoming a member?
- Create a professional development service provided by the HML.
- What do we have to sell?
- Target 100 potential members that we identify as educational leaders.
- Promote the “Life Time” membership option.
- Reduce the membership for those who recruit a new member.
- Encourage the Past Presidents to nominate a new member.
- What do we do to support the improvement of public education?
- Why do we support public education?
- Why would you want to be part of the League?
- What is our cause or purpose?
- Survey the membership about what public education means to them.
- Create a TED talk about the importance of public education.
- Create a position or presentation about the Common Core.
- Create a “pre-conference” workshop at AASA to raise funds
- Ask the President of Starbucks, Richard Schultz, to be the luncheon speaker.
- What do we stand for? A “Value Proposition”.
- Create a sense of community amongst the membership.
- Why should you join the League? What are the benefits?
- What are the talking points about public education? (for the Post/Blog)
- Create a League webinar of an educational issue.
- What are the principles of a public education?
- Create a brochure on “Public Education is a Sound Investment.”
- Create a Tweeter (Twitter) account for the League.
- Ask the members to complete a specific task.
- As the question, “What are we going to do about that?”
- Create a “value proposition.”
- Reduce the initial membership dues to $50, instead of $85.
- Create “Horace Talks” – a 30 minute talk like TED.
- Who are we? What is our brand?
- What is our “value added” piece?
- Relate their concerns to those of the League’s.
- Ask the question – What is corporate citizenship and responsibility?
Attachment #7, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Membership
Following up on strategic planning, the Board discussed the need for rethinking the strategies related to recruitment, retention, and engagement. Among items presented in the agenda to further stimulate discussion were:
- Review of the current situation: Current membership. Impact of dues. Retired members. Membership trends. Accounting for members. Renewals.
- Developing key directions for enhancing member recruitment.
- Efforts under way to begin spring and fall membership campaigns and an every-member-get-a-member campaign.
- Ideas noted for students and trial access to the HML Post.
- Retention and engagement of members.
- Engagement of members in substantive efforts that reflect the importance of public education.
Executive Director Jack McKay reviewed current retention and recruitment strategies and included illustrations indicating membership in the League each year since 2000. He also pointed out numbers of new members recruited annually since 1999.
Membership Goals and How We Will Reach Them?
Action taken during the strategic planning process: included creation of a working group or committee to develop a process for increasing League membership by 20 percent per year for the next three years (approximately 80 to 100 new members per year).
Attachment #8, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Communication, Promotion, Outreach, and Identity
The board considered and discussed items included in the meeting agenda focusing on communication, promotion, outreach, and identity. Those items included: A review of the imperative of effective, credible, continuous, two-way communication for the Horace Mann League and for public education.
- Our identity. How would people describe us today? How would we like to have them describe us?
- A review of and comments on current methods used for communication, internally and externally. Examples might include: the HML Post, HML Blog, Cornerstone, the HML web site, newsletters, email messages and announcements, and surveys.
- Communicating HML and member news and information, ideas, and activities to build and reinforce an informed sense of community.
- Communicating value to members and non-members, educators, the broader public, and the media.
- Constantly redesigning and bringing greater interconnectedness and coherence to the HML web site, including presentation, accessibility, creation of value, and a reflection of the purpose and work of the League. Making and promoting the web site as an indispensable resource.
- Considering HML use of other social media.
- Building expectations for accuracy and quality control in the content and presentation of all communication, since HML is a public education leadership organization. What we do reflects on the institution conceived by Horace Mann as well as on the League, its board, and its membership. (Those high standards should apply to everything we communicate, from the web site to a letter inviting someone to become a member.)
- Expectation of compliance with Fair Use under the Copyright Law.
- Promotion of the Annual Meeting and other activities and events, as needed.
- Creation of a media list and communication of finely crafted news items to the education community and broader public about actual events, activities, position and issue statements, honors, and appropriate meetings of the League. Becoming a valued source for news media, both inside and outside education, who are communicating about public education as an institution.
- Becoming a prime source of information about the principles of public education.
- Engaging and listening to members in a way that encourages them to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise, while building a sense of ownership for and community with HML.
- Engaging members in development of substantive public education related bodies of knowledge, statements, and collections of points of view to be shared internally and often externally.
- Giving voice to the League through substantive initiatives.
- Considering the multiple views and situations of Horace Mann League members.
Executive Director Jack McKay reviewed a number of current communication methods, such as the HML website at https://hmleague.org; the weekly HML Post, the Horace Mann League Blog, the Cornerstone, the HML Newsletter, and periodic surveys. He also discussed methods used for promotion and a strategy used for identifying and attracting new HML members, such as: each board member submitting 20 nominees per year, acquisition of AASA National Conference mailing lists, inviting state association officers to the HML Annual Meeting, and encouraging all members, upon renewal, to nominate professional colleagues. McKay also noted HML programs presented at the annual ASCD Conference and applications that had been prepared for presentations during 2015 annual conferences of ASCD, AASA, and NSBA.
Following up on strategic planning, the Board discussed current and potential ways of creating an identity and engaging the membership.
A committee was established to pursue an objective that included counsel on creating a high profile identity of what the League supports and believes. The committee also discussed branding.
Attachment #9, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Finance and Funding
Also as a follow-up to strategic planning, the board discussed the League’s tax status, e.g., 501(c)(3), currently under review by the IRS, as well as corporate status.
Officers will investigate status and implications of not having the 501(c)(3) and incorporation status up-to-date. Board members also considered enhancing, cultivating, identifying, pursuing, and developing acceptable and plausible sources of funding and the need to produce financial/budgetary support to do what the organization would like to accomplish.
Sources of funding are primarily…membership, products and services, the annual conference, and sponsorships. During a brainstorming session, board members noted what some considered an increase in retired members. Some possibilities noted were bequests; possible salable member service publications, some possibly sponsored; other sponsored activities that include overhead for the League; video presentations; posters; possible crowdsourcing; the use of Kickstart; and a reminder to members of the value to them of HML membership.
Budgeted and year-to-date revenues and expenditures, were presented by the executive director.
| Revenues | 2013 | 2014 | 2014 |
| Source | Actual | Budget Revenues | Actual June |
| Membership | $28,823.06 | $28,000.00 | $9,900.00 |
| Retired | $3,500.00 | $3,500.00 | $2,550.00 |
| Books/Prints | $5,100.00 | $3,000.00 | $180.00 |
| Luncheon | $3,470.00 | $4,000.00 | $2,146.00 |
| Corp. Partners | $4,000.00 | $8,000.00 | $12,000.00 |
| Donations | $410.00 | $500.00 | $165.00 |
| Totals | $45,303.06 | $47,000.00 | $26,941.00 |
| Expenditures | 2013 | 2014 | 2014 Actual |
| Budget Area | ActualExpenditures | Budgeted Expenditures | YTD May 31 |
| Supplies | $1,372.47 | $1,500.00 | $404.08 |
| Postage | $2,221.81 | $2,500.00 | $763.75 |
| Printing/Publish | $1,853.16 | $2,500.00 | $2,677.18 |
| Executive Director | $15,000.00 | $20,000.00 | $4,500.00 |
| Annual Mtg. | 8930.12 | $9,000.00 | $9,320.78 |
| Sum. Bd. Mtg. | 5270.64 | $5,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Books (Art of Teach) | 3765.24 | $2,500.00 | $551.56 |
| Display/Shipping | 70.03 | $100.00 | $260.77 |
| Memberships | 930.6 | $700.00 | $254.94 |
| Technology | 2754.84 | $2,500.00 | $676.64 |
| Refunds | 0 | $0.00 | $150.00 |
| Totals | $42,168.91 | $46,300.00 | $19,409.70 |
Attachment #10, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
HML Advisory Council
As noted, the board took action to approve the following proposal:
The Horace Mann League Board of Directors and its officers may appoint an advisory council for the organization. The council, which may consist of 10 to 25 individuals, would be composed of people who could be called upon for advice and counsel on certain issues and who would be available to assist with membership promotion and recruitment, fund raising, communication, and special projects, as requested.
Among possible members of the advisory council might be past presidents and past board members, recipients of HML awards, and representatives of other education or not-for-profit organizations whose counsel could be valuable to the League.
HML will depend on the contributions of advisory council members as individuals. The council will not be a formal organization. The advisory council will not hold regularly scheduled meetings, will not elect officers, and, as an advisory council, will not act as a separate governing body for the League. The advisory council will be an advisory, not a decision-making group.
The immediate past president, after serving one year in that position as a member of the HML Board of Directors, will be invited to serve on the advisory council. After initial appointments to the advisory council, one-third will be considered for rotation off the council each year so that others might be appointed to share that experience, and the League would be able to benefit from their further insights, connections, and assistance. In consultation with the HML executive director, the HML president, when possible, will ask members of the HML Board to share the names of those who might be considered for appointment to the advisory Council.
Attachment #11, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Statement Articulating Policy on HML Corporate, Organizational, and Political Relationships, including Contributions
The following is the adopted agenda item devoted to policy devoted to HML Corporate, Organizational, and Political Relationships, including Contributions:
The purpose of this item is to articulate a Horace Mann League policy on various corporate, organizational, and political relationships. A current policy/Bylaw related to Corporate Partners specifies various rules for endorsements of corporate programs, products, and services. Endorsements of this far-reaching nature should likely be considered off-limits for an organization such as the Horace Mann League.
As a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization, the Horace Mann League may not contribute to or campaign for political candidates. While the League may express points of view on various issues affecting education and society and may become a party to supporting views on appropriate legislation or court cases, its primary role is to provide information, ideas, support, and sustenance to public education as an institution. The rules for tax-exempt organizations of various types are spelled out by the IRS and have been interpreted through years of experience by the American Society of Association Executives.
With that in mind, the following is a draft of generally how an approach to this area of operation might look:
The Horace Mann League agenda or editorial control of its publications or online materials will not be for sale or trade for monetary or other types of potential support for HML. The League does not endorse commercial products, services, or candidates.
The following describes more specific types of these relationships:
Partnerships: The Horace Mann League may, in order to pursue a program or project, develop a partnership with another organization or institution. In these more formal relationships, the League recommends a partnership agreement that clearly articulates the project, an anticipated time-line, the roles of each partner, and “what’s in it” for each of the organizations. In these arrangements, how the partners are identified in printed materials and online should be clarified. If income is derived from the project, the division of it should be clearly spelled out, along with responsibility for expenses. A basic partnership agreement matrix will be developed for consideration in pursuing this approach. (When partnership agreements are developed, they will be shared with members of the HML Board for comment or concurrence. That sharing, unless in close proximity to a board meeting, would likely be handled by email.)
Collaborations: The Horace Mann League is encouraged to collaborate with other credible education and other not-for-profit organizations as they work together in common purpose. These less formal collaborations generally focus on collective expertise in getting a project developed and in pursuing mutual goals. (Progress reports on how HML is working with other individuals and organizations in common purpose would be expected to be presented as information items or progress reports to the board and as updates or news items to membership.)
(Clarification: Collaborative efforts, sometimes referred to as “getting our heads together,” inter-organizational teamwork, or sharing ideas horizontally across people and organizations, are not formal partnerships. However, some collaborations may eventually lead to more formal partnership arrangements. Without the ability or permission to collaborate, short of formal partnerships, organizations are sometimes left out of discussions. Collaborations are such a natural part of getting things done that they are often not even thought of in those terms until those involved describe how they are sharing information or working together to make progress on their mutual goals. For example, development of the International Indicators for Education resulted from an HML objective. While HML and the National Superintendents Roundtable have, of necessity, collaborated in developing these indicators, they are hoping, at some point, as needed, to establish a partnership with an organization such as a university or foundation to provide further infrastructure and funding for the effort. That leap would likely require a more formal partnership agreement.)
Sponsorships: Corporate as well as not-for-profit organizations may sponsor the League and some of its identified individual activities. Sponsorships might include support for HML in-kind programs, projects, or services or may be presented as monetary contributions. The cost of HML overhead should be considered in developing appeals or applications for this type of support. The primary benefit for a sponsor is to demonstrate corporate citizenship and social responsibility. Sponsors may be acknowledged with an appropriately worded, sized, and placed, generally one brief statement credit line. Sponsors may be recognized in an annual document and in an appropriate location on the HML web site. When appropriate, sponsor representatives may be present for the activity they have sponsored or for their support of the League and may be recognized for their support or service. At that time, they may also make short comments about their support for the League. (Sponsorships will be sought appropriately and regularly by HML within these guidelines. HML may wish to develop categories of sponsors based on the monetary value of their sponsorships and other contributions to the League.)
Contributions/Bequests: The Horace Mann League may accept monetary and in-kind contributions that contribute to the League’s mission. HML may also receive bequests. Use of those contributions or bequests will be determined by the board. All will be gratefully and graciously acknowledged.
Grants: HML may seek grants to complete various mission-related projects. In applying for or accepting grants, HML will consider the credibility and reputation of the source and whether it has the ability to fulfill requirements of the grant. Grants are generally approved by the board.
Co-Marketing Arrangements: Occasionally, HML may wish to reach co-marketing agreements with publishers to offer books or similar materials for purchase from the League with a portion of sale guaranteed for the League. (While procedures would need to be further defined, the concept is one that might be on the agenda for future possibilities.)
Advertising/Exhibits. HML may carry advertising in its publications at rates that are pre-established for the size, nature, and frequency of the ads. If ads are carried, readers should be informed that they are viewing paid advertising. HML retains the right to accept or reject advertisements.
(Additional Information): If the organization, at some point, decides to offer opportunities for advertising and exhibits, fee schedules, appropriateness, identification criteria, and other factors/guidelines will need to be established.)
Distribution of Third-Party Materials: From time to time, the League may be approached about including third-party materials in a mailing or electronic distribution. An established fee might be established for this type of distribution and the fact that it is a form of paid advertising should be readily visible to the reader. (This mailbag approach would require appropriate pricing and other guidelines. More specific guidelines for this type of activity would likely be included in an advertising policy.)
Reviews: HML may review intellectual materials, such as books, articles, web sites, etc. (To a great extent, this is an editorial issue. Reviewers might comment on the content but would not generally offer an endorsement of these materials. Editorially, the League might recommend certain materials for reading. This approach is largely a description of current HML practice.)
A Bottom Line: Good judgment and good taste should be considered in each of these categories, as well as the specified guidelines. An organization and its members are often known by the company they keep.
Attachment #12, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Engagement with Other Education Organizations
In an agenda item and presentation/discussion, the HML president provided the following report to the board about progress on a goal to develop engagement activities with other education organizations:
At its 2010 planning meeting in Chicago, engagement with other education organizations became one of three major focus points for the Horace Mann League. Discussions centered on the need to be more connected within the education community and other issues, such as declining attendance at annual meetings, the continued connection of the annual meeting with one organization, and the possibility of further collaboration. A special HML committee/task force was assigned to determine how the League could better collaborate with other organizations within the education community.
Since then, HML has done programs at ASCD meetings in 2011, 2012, and 2014. A special meeting was held with ASCD Executive Director Gene Carter to discuss the possibility of collaborating with ASCD, presenting an annual program at that organization’s conferences, and perhaps holding a meeting that would rally HML members or potential members during those annual events. Carter, a member of the League, expressed appreciation for our efforts but did not want to develop a formal commitment, preferring instead a loose relationship but with the possibility of further discussion.
Proposals have been submitted for HML programs during 2015 national conferences of AASA, ASCD, and NSBA. While proposals for presentations at AASA conferences have not been accepted in the recent past, a proposed program for 2015 has been accepted. The HML Annual Meeting has been held during the AASA conference for decades.
HML is now collaborating with the National Superintendents Roundtable on development of International Indicators for Education and with the National School Public Relations Association on development of its roll-out plan for that study. Part of the plan would be to include a presentation to the Learning First Alliance, an organization that includes the executive directors and elected representatives of most national education leadership organizations.
It is anticipated that HML will, on a regular basis, share information with, learn from, and collaborate with other bona fide not-for-profit education organizations in pursuing projects and activities that support its mission.
Attachment #13, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Presentation on the “International Indicators” by James Harvey
Board member James Harvey presented for discussion the most recent version of a project focusing on International Indicators of Education. A fall roll-out plan for the collaborative HML-National Superintendents Roundtable (NSR) program is being planned working with the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). In November, those directly involved in development of the project are scheduled to present the program to the Learning First Alliance (LFA), which includes elected and appointed leaders from most national education leadership organizations.
The following are descriptive items featured in the presentation:
A Collaborative Project – The Horace Mann League & The National Superintendents Roundtable
International assessments are a hot topic but reductive and loaded with inappropriate comparisons. We need to judge schools on performance, but we also need to understand them as cornerstones of our democracy. This four-year study from the Horace Mann League and the National Superintendents Roundtable examines what’s left out and the nations we should be compared with. This report will provide another way to look at comparative performance by examining school achievement within the economic and social context of ten advanced economies: Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Student performance data is just the tip of the iceberg. The public needs to look at the whole picture and then draw its conclusions. China’s the biggest country among the ten. Finland’s the smallest. The US is the wealthiest on average, but with world-class income inequities. That’s just for openers. Educators will learn a lot from this exercise and many will be surprised by what they hear.
The Horace Mann League (HML) is an honorary organization with more than 500 members. It represents the principles of its namesake, a founding father of public education. The National Superintendents Roundtable (NSR) provides a forum for approximately 100 school leaders across the nation. The study was developed by a team made up of James Harvey (NSR), Jack McKay (HML), Gary Marx (author of 21 Trends for the 21st Century), and Charles Fowler (President of School Leadership). All are Horace Mann League board members.
Attachment #14, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Five Tumultuous Issues Facing Public Education
During the Next Five Years
Notes on Linda Darling Hammond Presentation
Discussion led by Linda Darling Hammond – “Five Tumultuous Issues Facing Public Education during the Next Five Years.” (Notes by Jack McKay)
- Poverty and inequality on top of poverty – Less funding in the urban school settings. There is a growing inequity in the finding of public education within state and even within cities. In California, 68 % of the children are living in poverty. Poverty and the impact on student success is not being discussed at the state or national level.
- Privatization is the current political strategy for dealing with urban schools that are serving the most children living in poverty. The scenario is to test the children to prove urban schools are failing, thereby justify the need to close public schools and introduce vouchers for private school choice and charter schools. Deny the needed resources to help the child, then test to prove that the child is failing, then introduce the alternative to public schools.
- Poor Testing – No country tests students to the degree that the United States does. The current tests are flawed with regard to testing to the standards. The current tests have little relationship to higher order thinking skills – emphasis on multiple choice and recall rather than thinking and problem solving. The testing overwhelms the conversation about instructional practices and learning theory. The tests are designed on the “grade span” rather than progression – where the child is in acquiring and applying new knowledge.
- Punitive accountability – NCLB legislation is the tool to get schools closed and to privatize the schooling experience. The legislation has created a way to allow parents and their children to flee the public schools. And in almost all cases, the school is the heart of the community. The ability, or choice, leads to diminishing resources for the most in need of additional schooling and support services. New approaches to accountability need to have an emphasis on meaningful learning within a full curriculum, by competent teachers that have extensive pre-service training and follow-up support. The limited resources need to be wisely allocated to adequately address the student’s needs. Finally, there should multiple indicators to measure student achievement.
- De-professionalizing the profession – The Race to the Top provided opportunities for alternative teacher certification. Thus, a growing core or classroom teachers are ill prepared with little interest in methodology and learning theory. This core of inadequately prepared teachers, leaves the profession within one or two years. In California, a teacher with alternative certification usually does not stay for the second year. And, the average number of years of experience of a California teacher is ten, down from 20 years in 1990. The possible motives for alternative teacher certification programs are to increase teacher turnover, thereby reducing salary costs based on experience, lower pensions costs based on number of years of service, and eliminate or reduce union influence. These (The Billionaire Club) motives and implications result in a very small pool of experience teachers to model and mentor the new teachers, particularly in the very schools that need the best experienced teachers – the urban school system. What you have is a “Bubble Group.” Teachers providing “scripted learning” monitored by the “reading police.”
Questions: Laurie Barron: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Common Core Standards?
LDH: The adoption of a new practice in schools should be on a 7 to 10 year cycle to provide for developing and refining. The Common Core was an immediate adoption with little time to refine and develop the process. The motive to have standards is okay, but implementation is top down. The standards are grade level standards. Rather, the standards should be “learning progression” of the child.
Questions: Steve Ladd: With high levels of poverty and inequality of educational opportunity, how are the school districts to address social issues existing in the schools. As a service to the community, how are we to address this embedded social service?
LDH: The state has not adequately funded the base needs of educating the child, let alone the other social needs that children bring to school. The state legislature needs to rebuild the social support system within the state. The school is now the community center for services. Poverty is a national issue. It has not been a major issue, partially due to the lack of leadership at the presidential level. We are in a phase where educational outcomes are more important, resulting in an ignorance about the impact of the inputs. We need community groups to become activists and motivate their local, state and national representatives to speak on the issues of poverty and the impact on learning.
Questions: Martha Bruckner: How do we do the fight? How do we help you?
LDH: First, we need to scale back on grade testing. There are more states pushing the issue of testing-AYP. We need to encourage local assessment and with state approval and validation of the local assessment strategy. We need to maintain the good parts of NCLB, but don’t dumb down educational experience. Some states and districts are refusing to give the test. The push-back has to be stronger about testing. “We are not going to go along with Federal leadership.”The “Non Waiver Conversation” is getting larger. Community groups want strong and healthy public schools.
Attachment #15, Stanford Meeting, June 2014
Items Introduced Immediately after Adjournment
For Possible Future Consideration
Just following adjournment of the meeting, some directors and officers discussed the possibility of holding the Annual Meeting later in the day on Saturday, February 27, 2015, linking it to a perhaps sponsored reception, to avoid conflict with regularly scheduled luncheon meetings during the AASA Conference.
Past-President Spike Jorgensen asked for future consideration of developing a collaborative relationship with the Century Club.
Additional Program Note
Jon David Snyder, who provided a welcome on behalf of SCOPE at Stanford University, also spoke at a board luncheon, held from noon until 1:30 p.m., on Friday, June 20, 2014. He was speaking in his capacity as director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education.
Past-President Colleen Wilcox led members of the board on a walking tour of the Stanford campus after adjournment for the day at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 20.briefs designed to help members respond to these trends and issues.
Submitted by Jack McKay
Reviewed and revised by Gary Marx