Challenges - Interviews and Activities
At the start of each year, school board members and administrators evaluate the challenges their districts face, knowing how they respond will impact students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the greater school community. In a newly consolidated school district, those challenges loom even larger.
California’s Twin Rivers Unified School District became official on July 1, 2008, as three elementary school districts and one secondary district formally merged. In the weeks and months leading up to the merger, Twin Rivers’ leadership team faced challenges that would scare most school boards and superintendents.
Imagine being faced with an administrator buyout that denies you access to individuals with the greatest understanding of the middle and high school programs. Or, what would you do when the construction of a $159 million high school is on a fast track, and your new district may not have the funding to pay for it?
ACTIVITY:
Listen to voices from the new Twin Rivers Unified School District. How would you handle the challenges of an administrator buyout that will cost more than $2 million and the construction of a new grades 7-12 building without a definite funding stream?
If you’re thinking about consolidation for your district, are there similar issues that could shut your entire effort down?
How would you respond to those issues? What due diligence is required to ensure you will not face challenges that could impact the future of the new consolidated district?
Resources
- Frank Porter, Superintendent, Twin Rivers USD - Interview
[MP3 5,355,413kb]
The distraction of dealing with budgetary threats.
- Annette Emory, Former School Board President, Grant High School District - Interview [MP3 832,282kb]
Focus and utilize expertise that is available to deal with first year challenges.
- Frank Porter, Superintendent, Twin Rivers USD - Interview [MP3 2,355,719kb]
Impact of decision to build high school.
- Frank Porter, Superintendent, Twin Rivers USD - Interview [MP3 6,981,274kb]
Buy-out of Grant High School Administrators.
- Frank Porter, Superintendent, Twin Rivers USD - Interview [MP3 1,816,134kb]
Efforts to unify the district.
- Rob Ball, CBO of Twin Rivers Unified School District [MP3 1,723,758kb]
Consolidation challenges.
- James Shelby, Sacramento Urban League President - Interview [MP3 464,869kb]
Consolidation challenges.
- Scott Plotkin, CSBA Executive Director - Interview [MP3 1,488,038kb]
Transition time challenges.
- Kathy Young, Community Leader, Parent & Employee of Twin Rivers - Interview [MP3 1,692,621kb]
Challenges for the new district.
- Dave Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools - Interview [MP3 1,362,675kb]
Academics and leadership.
- Dave Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools - Interview [MP3 867,812kb]
Beginning Challenges.