10/29/2008 11:36:00 AM A Diverse Workforce Begins at School
I've read with interest recent articles relaying the challenges faced by the Fitchburg Fire and Police Departments in regards to hiring a workforce which represents the diversity of our community. I have faced similar challenges with hiring a diverse workforce in scientific and technical positions. The issue is principally that the diversity of the pipeline does not yet match that of our community.
The key issue to me is the educational achievement gap experienced by students of poverty. How can we expect to have a diverse representation in the applicant pool if these children are struggling to succeed?
I applaud the significant effort that the Madison school district directs towards meeting the needs of these students and the successes they have achieved. Much has been said about the rising low-income percentage in MMSD. What's often not mentioned is that the schools are also becoming more diverse and bilingual. Given that MMSD is managing the schools well, I see this diversity as a real educational asset for our community.
However, I struggle to reconcile the need to meet the educational needs of our diverse student body with the ever reducing resources provided to our schools by the statutory deficit created from the conflicting requirements of mandated annual cost increases and the revenue caps imposed by our state legislature.
In the Madison school district, for example, programs and services have been reduced by $60 million since 1993. Our schools face reductions of another $16.8 million in programs and services between 2009-10 and 2011-12. These reductions will directly impact every child and classroom in the district.
How can we expect to meet our civic opportunity to help every student succeed if we continue to remove resources needed in the classroom? In order to achieve a diverse workforce all of our students must be successful.
This is why I will vote YES for the Madison schools operating referendum on Nov. 4 - we cannot accept anything less for our future.
