The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts

Introduction: Where the Conflict Begins Charter schools have been an integral part of an education system in a range of states for quite a while. However, with the evolution of pedagogy, the development of new learning theories and teaching approaches, the necessity for teachers to adopt new approaches has emerged.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As a result, charter schools are currently experiencing the necessity to grow and expand, yet this growth is halted by the lack of financial support from school districts. It should be born in mind that the emergence of the so-called charter schools is by no means an accident. The establishment of the charter school system was a response to the flaws of the U.S. education system, and an introduction of the model, that could authorise and build capacity in the education syste m of the state. A closer look at the way in which the Boston charter schools are organised will reveal that the existing system presuppose a complete independency in terms of defining the program and the teaching strategies required for addressing the needs of the target students (i.e., the necessity to assist ESL students and the students, who lack financial support from their families) (Peyser para. 1–6). Conflict Analysis: History, Participants and Environment The conflict between charter schools and school districts is not new; in fact, the history of confrontations between the local authorities and the people representing corresponding education establishments has been going on since the day that the two phenomena emerged. However, charter schools being a rather recent and specific innovation in the history of education, the dilemma regarding the freedom, which schools should be provided with, has taken a new turn. Among the key participants, Boston charter schools and t he local school districts must be mentioned. Neither of the opponents is willing to compromise, the schools demanding that they should be given the right to expand, and the school district authorities refusing to provide financial support from the establishments that they have practically no control over.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The environment, in which the conflict has been brewing for several years, is quite specific. Boston is a unique city with a rather rich history; however, as far as its economic success is concerned, the number of people coming from a low income background is quite high. Therefore, the school district does not consider investing into the development of the Boston charter schools a rational step and prefers to disregard the demands of the Boston charter school teachers. Dispute Resolution: A â€Å"Portfolio† School System The significance o f the conflict specified above is tremendous. While the confrontation between the parties involved into it is not as severe as military conflicts are (Harvard Business Review 69), it still causes a lot of concern and leads to a variety of questions, including the possible changes to the financial support for Boston public schools, which may suffer as a result of budget cuts that may be made by the school district. Therefore, it goes without saying that the method for addressing the situation must satisfy the needs and meet the demands of both charter and public schools, as well as the school district. The â€Å"portfolio† system, which has been suggested in order to address the problem specified above, truly is an original solution customised uniquely for the benefit of both Boston charter schools and local school districts. The solution suggested by the people concerned about the issue seems perfect; it hurts neither of the parties and at the same time works for the benefit of charter schools. The very title for the new type of schools represents a perfect solution to the problem and the satisfactory result for all the parties involved, since it presupposes that the control over the new type of charter schools will be split in equal proportions between school districts and heads of the charter schools. As a result, it will be possible for school districts to track down the financial transactions, which charter schools make, and check what charter schools’ administration spends the finances provided by the school district on. This is the power divide strategy that will help all those involved benefit (Melamed 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From the conflict management perspective, the solution to the confrontation between charter schools and school districts is impeccable. T hough it does involve a compromise and demands it from each of the parties, it rewards a positive response with an opportunity for charter schools to expand and for school districts to control the financial transactions of the Boston schools, therefore, making the process of budget distribution much easier. This, however, raises the question whether BATNA could be developed in case the school district refuses to compromise. Interpreted as the best alternative to a negotiated solution, BATNA actually does not require that a negotiation with the opponent should be carried out: â€Å"BATNAs are critical to negotiation because you cannot make a wise decision about whether to accept a negotiated agreement unless you know what your alternatives are† (Sprangler 1). The incorporation of BATNA in the set of tools for addressing the problem, however, invites the question concerning the future communication between the school district and Boston charter schools. Methods Implementation: The Negotiation Process While the solution described above seems quite obvious and presupposes that reasonable compromises should be made by both opponents, it would be too optimistic to assume that the negotiation process is going to be carried out impeccably and that the discussion procedure is going to flow smoothly. Instead, it can be expected that the participants of the negotiation will be unwilling to accept their part of the compromise and refuse to make the final step towards reconciliation and the improvement of their relationships. Therefore, the negotiation process must be thought through outstandingly well. Recognizing their mistakes will be the first step towards improving the situation for the Boston school district and the local charter schools. The process is not going to be easy, though, According to what Dunning’s research has shown, people traditionally fail to come to terms due to the inability to recognise their own mistakes:Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More â€Å"Recent research we have conducted, however, suggests that people are not adept at spotting the limits of their knowledge and expertise† (Dunning, Johnson, Ehrlinger and Kruger 83). As a rule, the unwillingness to admit the obvious failure can be explained by the fear of being socially ostracised and labelled as incompetent. Herein the key to solving the conflict lies; it is essential to help the parties involved realise that their ability to recognise their fault redeems them as people, who are capable of telling the right solution from the wrong one. As Dunning put it, â€Å"If poor performers are given the skills necessary to distinguish correct from incorrect answers, then they would be in a position to recognise their own incompetence† (Dunning et al. 85). The negotiation process, therefore, must be steered towards the compromising approach. In other words, the emphasis must be put onto developing a compromising strategy instead of focusing on the competitive one. It would also be a good idea to steer the discussion to a more comfortable analysis of the financial changes with the help of accommodative approach. Mediation Process: In Search for a Compromise Though it is desirable that the opponents in question, i.e., school district members and the people representing charter schools, should attempt at solving the issue on their own. Unless both sides of the conflict recognize the necessity to reconcile and find points of contact, there will be no point in addressing the situation. However, it could be argued that with the introduction of a third party, which will represent and entirely objective point of view, the process of negotiation will take place faster and more smoothly. Therefore, it will be reasonable to suggest that the mediation process should be facilitated by the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education. As a third party that is not interested in the outcomes of the negotiation, yet is a major authority in the field of ed ucation, it will be a perfect mediator for resolving the specified conflict. It can be suggested that charter schools should provide additional opportunities for students; thus, it will be possible to provide the schools with the status that they need. For instance, creating courses for the students, who are willing to study specific subjects in depth, could be a way to solve the problem In addition, it is desirable that the Massachusetts charter schools should design a flexible system of upgrade based on the concept of economic and financial sustainability. Thus, the costs will be reduced impressively, and the school districts will see the potential that charter schools and their students have. Finally, it will be a good idea to arrange basketball and soccer facilities in several charter schools so that major school sport related events could be held there. Attracting participants from other schools will help raise the money that will be used as the means to upgrade charter schools to the necessary level. Key Stakeholders and Major Factors: Evaluating the Situation When it comes to defining the major stakeholders involved into the conflict, one is most likely to mention teachers of Boston charter schools and the members of the Boston school districts. Indeed, these are the sides of the conflict that remain in the spotlight most of the time; they are the main participants, and they are involved in most of the discussions concerning the issue in question. True, the Boston charter schools and the Boston school districts are obviously two essential stakeholders in the specified conflict. However, there are other stakeholders that deserve to be mentioned. First and foremost, students of the Boston charter schools must be recognised as the key stakeholders, since their future academic life, as well as their career and success in the business world, hinges on the decision that the local authorities make in order to address the situation. Naturally, such a great depe ndence on the outcome of the conflict makes the Boston charter school students the key stakeholders. However, it would be wrong to disregard the aforementioned opponents when listing the major stakeholders. The choice that the Boston school district will make will obviously affect the school staff as well, as the latter will have to alter the teaching approaches, as well as introduce new teaching strategies in order to meet new requirements. Indeed, expansion of an education establishment presupposes that the diversity rates in charter schools are going to increase significantly, which will call for designing additional strategies for meeting the needs of children with various ethnic backgrounds, gifted children, children with disabilities, etc. Moreover, the rise in the amount of students will also entail the necessity to hire more staff and, thus, to reconsider the school budget and the current schedule. Needless to say, the school districts are also highly dependent on the soluti on that will be chosen in order to address the situation. Using the budget funds for expanding charter schools means that the school district will have to cut costs for other issues concerning financial support of schools; therefore, it is in the interests of the school districts to address the issue in such a way that the costs should be minimised. Thus, the members of the school districts must also be viewed as the key stakeholders in the conflict in question. As far as the factors are concerned, there are key financial, economic and social issues that may hinder the process of conflict resolution. The financial issues top the list of the key factors. Because of the need to re-establish the current principle of a charter school operation, the costs for the innovation are going to be impressive. Carving the money out of the budget means that public schools will be left without the required support. The fact that charter schools are practically independent from school districts in t erms of their education policy, in contrast to public ones, investing into the development of charter schools hardly seems reasonable for the Boston school districts. More to the point, the fact that students from low income families, as well as students belonging to ethnic and national minorities, make most of the student population in charter schools in Boston, does not add any credibility to the plea of the heads of Boston charter schools. Though the issue specified above seems to be financial, it, in fact, should be deemed as a social one, and related to the discrimination problems within the modern society. Conclusion: Revisiting the Principles of the Education System Though the solution, which requires responsibilities distribution and power divide between school districts and school authorities, requires that major concessions should be made by both parties, mutual compromise is the only way to settle the conflict. Moreover, the specified strategy seems the only rational appr oach to be taken in this situation. Once both sides of the conflict are secure about their control over the issue, they will be able to come to terms. The mediation process, which is the key towards reaching a compromise, must be based on the principles of cooperation and presuppose that the charter schools should use their key assets to solve the conflict. At present, to reach a compromise, charter schools need to prove that they are worth investing in. Works Cited Dunning, David, Kerry Johnson, Joyce Ehrlinger and Justin Kruger. â€Å"Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence.† Current Directions in Psychological Science 12.1 (2014), 83–87. Print. Harvard Business Review. Extreme Negotiations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review. 2010. 67–75. Print. Melamed, James. Maximizing Mediation. 2014. Web. https://www.mediate.com/pfriendly.cfm?id=97. Peyser, James A. â€Å"Boston and the Charter School Cap.† Education Next 14.1 (2014), para. 1–6 . Web. https://www.educationnext.org/boston-and-the-charter-school-cap/. Sprangler, Brad. â€Å"Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).† Beyond Intractability. 2012. Web. https://www.beyondintractability.org/. This essay on The Conflict between Boston Charter Schools and School Districts was written and submitted by user Frankl1nSt0rm to help you with your own studies. 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Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Example

Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Example Tuesdays with Morrie Essay Tuesdays with Morrie Essay I read the assignment in the syllabus, I was disgusted. I didnt want to read a book, and I didnt honestly plan to do so. I mentioned my frustration to my roommate. When she asked what book, I told her. It turned out she owned her own personal hardcover copy of Tuesdays with Morris. I took the book, and read the first couple pages. The first couple of pages turned Into the first couple of chapters. I ended up reading the book in record time. When I finished reading It, I went and ended the movie as well. Then I went back to the syllabus. Read the book, and write a reflection paper on it. Thats a pretty broadly stated assignment I thought. At first, this bothered me and I didnt know where to start, but now I am relieved that I have that kind of freedom in writing this paper. I am not going to sit and report on what the book contains as far as plot. That would make this a report and not a reflection. As I think back to the book, many things go through my head. First, I think of Mitch, then Morris, and then I think of the many parallels between this story and my own relationship with a close teacher of the past. Mitch Album proves In this book that he has beautiful writing skills. At first I cried, and couldnt bare the thought. He had always inspired me to be a teacher, but now for a different reason then before. At one point in time while reading the book, I stopped mid-sentence, pulled out a piece of lined paper, and rote a letter to my eighth grade teacher, who was a friend of my father. When I finished the book, I began to wonder what I would do when my teacher of life lessons died. The start of the book to the finish, he walks the reader through his own meetings with Morris. He appreciated silence, food, and dancing among many other things. As far as the interpersonal communication that can be observed through this book. There is an awful lot to mention. There was an extremely effective amount of indirect communication between Mitch and myself, the reader. Because of the effect on me, another set of communication took place between my teacher and me. His philosophy was that you must learn to die before you know how to live. He appreciated life and all the little things in it. Even though I dreaded this assignment when I first received it, I have come to appreciate it and be thankful for it. The reader Is pulled in wanting to hear the next life lesson. Then I realized that I have the chance to do what Mitch did.

Management of IT Systems and Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management of IT Systems and Projects - Essay Example Looking up and practically testing the implemented fruitfulness of the blessings of information and technology themselves, the new generation of students takes pride in choosing the studies for computing and information technology as their main field of study. However, since the said field of study is relatively newer as compared to the seasoned sciences and humanities related courses students are often unsure as to what their main career paths would be after they have graduated from their computing degrees. Among the basic careers of becoming a computer programmer or a computer science engineer another plausible domain that can get cherished by the advent of the computer science graduates is the field of IT project management. DEFINING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project Management is an integral task that supports the overall structure of an organization. The application of project management techniques such as establishment of communications among stakeholders and project designers, the or ganization of tasks, the linking of processes within an organization, highlighting of the motivating factors at hand, planning tasks, scheduling subsequent deliverables and the management of resources in pursuit of targeting goals are few of the specific tasks that a project manager needs to perform within his organization. MAIN IDEA With respect to IT, the field of project management becomes even more challenging. IT does not remain the cup of tea of a mere project manager but becomes a specifically designed arena which is best suited to graduates who have specialized in the field of computing and information sciences. With reference to the study done by Downey (2010) it is quoted that Downey considers the conventional career path of a computer programmer as that of an analyst which then eventually ends up as the CIO of an organization after being promoted as an IT manager in the middle. The denomination of being an IT project manager, on the other hand, involves the insight of bot h the business related concepts and also information technology intricacies. It is all about implementing the required technologies into the just right business processes. An IT project manager is the key person who controls the overall working of information systems within organizations. Information systems nowadays are the building blocks of each unit of the corporate world. They are inevitable as they link together all business processes with the latest bits of technologically advanced products thus resulting in the efficient performance of each business unit in the real time environment. However, despite all the above mentioned benefits that a project manager is responsible to address the studies done by Downey (2010) show that there is a point of saturation that each IT individual eventually comes to. Since the technologies are getting renovated at a very rapid rate these individuals can survive at their present positions only if they keep themselves up to date with the latest trends in their field. This is owing to the flexibility of the newer trends but is majorly because of the increasing competition posed by the new-coming IT individuals. It is also mentioned that the input of time and money into the seasoned