Privilege

I live a privileged life…

I was lucky enough to be born into a family that could support me attending a local state college.  This opportunity turned into graduate school.  This opportunity turned into career experience.  This opportunity turned into law school.  All these opportunities developed into… Wait, no it didn’t develop into anything.  This is where I was stuck.  I had worked hard with the opportunities that my privilege provided me, but I now had career experience, a lot of ambition and a ton of school debt.

I had an idea for a business that I was uniquely qualified to lead with my opportunities, my effort and my privilege.  But I was not privileged enough to start a business.  No bank would loan me money.  I did not have a rich relative to fund me.  My debt load did not allow for more debt.  No amount of effort would get my business started.

I needed to find someone who believed in me and was willing to part with money to get me started.  I am not “self-made”.  I owe a lot to a lot of people.  For my business, I owe a lot to my wife’s friend who had enough money and enough privilege to get my business off the ground.  Because I had some privilege, I could get to the beginning of a business start-up, but I needed someone with more privilege to fund me.  Because I had to take on investors, I don’t own a majority of my business.

I am in a great position now.  It was not just because of effort.  It was not just because of opportunity.  It was not just because of privilege.  It was all of these things together.

But remember, it all started with privilege.  Those less fortunate do not have the opportunity to attend college and no amount of effort will overcome some of the obstacles that exist in today’s world.  With income inequality growing, opportunities diminish and effort cannot create opportunities.

http://www.upworthy.com/a-short-comic-gives-the-simplest-most-perfect-explanation-of-privilege-ive-ever-seen?c=ufb1

EFFECTIVE

Personal Mission Statement

I will seek to have a proactive focus in accomplishing my life's goals and base decisions on conscience educated by principles.

I will achieve this by being patient, listening first in communication, being secure in change, constantly expanding my capabilities and choices, being optimistic, taking advantage of opportunities, and keeping a balanced and organized perspective in all matters of living; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

I will seek to balance my roles of husband, father, friend, son, brother, student, and employee as I achieve success in life through the fulfillment of commitments by principle-centered leadership.

Happy Anniversary!

When Tammi and I met (1990) she gave me a quote, which I have framed on my desk. To commemorate our 14th wedding anniversary (June 24, 1995), I'll publish it here.

RISKS

To Laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, or live.
Chained by their certitudes they are a slave; they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.

-Anonymous

Strong Community

Completing the topic of the "Cornerstones of Education", the Leader Telegram published the final installment of this series on July 9, 2007. The Voice of the People.

Invest in Education

There has been a lot of talk within the Chippewa Valley business community recently of stopping “brain drain”. Brain drain is the loss of professionals in the creative class to other communities. This human capital flight of trained and talented individuals begins and ends with education. To create and develop human capital, high quality and well funded education resources need to be available in the community. The more a community invests in the education of the individuals who enter the community, the more the retention and return on investment. The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance presented a report that shows that the state of Wisconsin lost $4.7 billion in net worth from 1995 to 2000 because of brain drain. That’s money that will not be invested back into the community.

In the current budget crisis, there is talk of yet another referendum and another tax increase that will not even meet the current needs of the school district. Some have talked of changing public policy to allow for larger increases in the tax base. This will not happen over night. We need to be creative to find funding solutions. Otherwise we will never maintain our school district, let alone lead. A strong school district should have ties to the business community, each marketing the strengths of the other to foster growth for the city, district and financial sector.

When I was a resident of Minnesota, I was on the Early Childhood Family Education Board. Every year we fought for state funding for the effective birth-K education that was unique to the state. In the process I became aware of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis study on education and financial return to the community (http://minneapolisfed.org/pubs/fedgaz/03-03/earlychild.cfm). I would like to highlight a section of this report- “Research has shown that investment in education brings a real (that is, inflation-adjusted) public return of 12 percent and a real total return, public and private, of 16 percent.” To strengthen the community, investment in education is the only solution. Any other investment is a zero sum return at best.

How do we invest in public education? A dedicated program would not come cheap, but if we invest in education and lift the whole community up, we will not need to increase the size of the jail or invest our tax dollars in other remedial ventures. With an endowment gathered from government and private sources, we could fund a high quality, targeted program that could develop “brain gain” for the Eau Claire community. Businesses can donate to support education (and hopefully expand it for birth to matriculation), using a non-profit model and create a foundation with dollars to support future generations.

“Brain gain” can also occur through the development of educational choice. Alternative education would provide a marketing tool for businesses to actively recruit creative class professionals with young children. Developing new options in the school district needs to occur; but until the current Charter schools are secure, established, fully funded and promoted by the school board and the school district progress cannot be made. The current group of parents and teachers at the existing Charter schools are the future investors in alternative education. They are the network that will grow the community, the district and the economy; if the rug is not pulled out from underneath them now.

Eau Claire has a chance, even in tough budgetary times, to make proper use of its limited public resources: Invest those resources where they can get the best possible public return, which is the correct way to evaluate economic development. Eau Claire’s community cannot wait for budgets to improve. Parents cannot wait for elected officials to understand the importance of alternative education choice. If there is no “brain” there can be no “drain”. A child’s mind under construction won’t wait.

Thank you.

Mark David Miller

Strong District

Continuing the 3 Cornerstones, the Leader Telegram published the following essay on March 24, 2007. In addition, Volume One published this essay on March 8, 2007.

Educational Revenue

To balance a budget there are two sides to the equation, revenue and spending. Most, if not all the current School District budget discussion has been on cuts in spending. I would like to emphasis growth in revenue. The Eau Claire School District is not growing, but this trend can change. Presented recently in Milwaukee to the School Board at the 86th WASB-WASDA-WASBO State Education Convention, school choice is a necessity to grow a school district. A strong school district should have ties to the business community, each marketing the strengths of the other to foster growth for the city, district and financial sector. As an example, my family chose to move here from the Cities to have a stronger sense of community. I was working for 3M and had my choice of communities to transfer to. The number one factor we considered in our move was education. The presence of the Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School made the choice clear. Since moving here, I have met others who made the same decision and an educational choice is what made these professionals chose Eau Claire. Strengthen the school district, provide alternative educational choice. How does educational choice increase revenue?

The number of home schooled children has increased by 12% since 1999, while the number of children in public school has increased by 1%. The Eau Claire Area School District has the largest percentage of home schooled children of the 10 major metro areas in the state. These 251 families have chosen to home school because of various reasons, but one is the lack of choice. One way to increase revenue in the school district is to provide an option for families that have chosen to remove funds from the district by home schooling. Each child that is home schooled or going to private school is a loss of $5884 to the district. If we could provide an alternative that even half the families would consider, the income to the district would be close to $1 million.

Another way to increase revenue is to open enroll students from outside the Eau Claire School District. Each student brought into the district provides an additional $5884. The Montessori Charter School has the highest percentage of open enrollment students in the district. Simply by providing an alternative, we have encouraged families to send their children to the district. The more choices a district has, the more revenue the district can create.

I hesitate to write this final section: A final way to increase revenue is to charge for “non-essential” items. The state of Wisconsin does not consider college education essential to an education, therefore it charges tuition. All day Kindergarten is not considered essential and I am aware of districts that charge for this option. 4K is not considered essential and tuition could be charged. I consider this fee-for-use system a poor option. I consider not only college, all day Kindergarten, and 4K essential to the education of our children, but I would prefer to expand the investment in our community by providing Early Childhood Family Education for all families from birth on to matriculation. This model of education is prevalent in Minnesota and has been shown to provide a financial return to the community.

Alternative school choice is essential to a sustainable district. To show stability for school choice, existing Charters must be strengthened. Eau Claire can grow, let’s invest in our future!

Thank you.

Mark David Miller

Please refer to the following policy report for more in-depth information regarding alternative education choice and the future of the Eau Claire area School District: http://www.frcec.org/pdf/Educationpdf/HomeSchoolWI.pdf

Strong Academics

The "Cornerstones of Education" was well received and the CVMCS asked me to publish an opinion in the local paper. The Leader Telegram published the following essay on February 9, 2007. Volume One also published this essay on February 22, 2007.

Educational Priorities

On November 14, 2006, a document was presented to the Eau Claire School Board showing costs for extra-curricular activities for 2006-07. The total costs are $2.2 million. These costs are employee compensation only. This does not include the cost of care and maintenance of multiple athletic facilities. Nor does this include the cost of transportation for extra-curricular activities which comes to $189,191. Revenue from extra-curricular activities totals $120,000. High School Booster Clubs contribute $40,000 per year. Together, these funds are not enough to pay for the busing of Eau Claire’s athletes. The total cost of athletics in Eau Claire School District could fund our community out of the budget deficit.

In comparable school districts the cost is much lower. The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Janesville is 10,589 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Janesville’s operating budget is $1.3 million. The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Sheboygan is 10,278 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Sheboygan’s operating budget is less than $1 million ($921,552 according to the DPI). What makes Eau Claire cost twice as much to serve the same size student population?

The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Waukesha is 13,611 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Waukesha’s operating budget is $1.6 million. The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Green Bay is 20,314 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Green Bay’s operating budget is $2.1 million. The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Racine is 21,175 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Racine’s operating budget is less than $1 million ($932,016 according to the DPI). The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Kenosha is 22,131 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Kenosha’s operating budget is $1.3 million. The number of students served by the extra-curricular services in Madison is 24,452 while Eau Claire serves 10,809. Madison’s operating budget is $2.1 million. What makes Eau Claire cost the same as a student population more than twice the current size?

If per pupil cost in the schools in Eau Claire need to be comparable and financially accountable across the district, then it is time for the school district extra-curricular budget to be comparable and financially accountable across the state.

(All data can be validated at the DPI website: https://www2.dpi.state.wi.us/safr/default.asp)

The first step to developing strong academics is to establish learning as the priority for the district. This means placing any items that are extra to the curriculum (extra-curricular activities) on the outside of the budget looking in. The current option list the School Board is considering would close a school before cutting even $100,000 from athletics. What are our priorities? I would never ask my neighbor to pay for my children’s swim lessons. Why would anyone feel comfortable using public dollars to pay for the athletic efforts of a few children through the school? Schools should not be in the business of organized athletics. Schools should be in the business of education. The Eau Claire School District and School Board need to keep this in mind as they approach the coming budget crisis. If we have only enough money to fund K-12 education, that is what we should do. All extra-curricular activities are a luxury that we cannot afford. Once we begin with a solid foundation of academics, the community will invest and grow to provide the luxury items we now protect. When you look at possible options for cuts for the Eau Claire School District, be brave. Weaken luxuries and strengthen academics. Businesses would line up to subsidize extra-curricular activities. They will not jump in to save a teacher. Priorities!

Thank you.

Mark David Miller

Cornerstones of Education

2007 academic year. Eau Claire Area School Board meets to discuss costs and revenue cuts. The Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School is being considered for closing to save money. I wrote the following essay that was presented to the ECASB at a listening session in January, 2007.

3 CORNERSTONES

There are three cornerstones I believe the School Board and School District need to balance the future on: strong academics, a strong district and a strong community.

The first step to developing strong academics is to establish learning as the priority for the district. This means placing any items that are extra to the curriculum (extra-curricular activities) on the outside of the budget looking in. I am not privy to the total cost of 5 swimming pools (1 for each middle and high school), 5 athletic directors (again 1 for each middle and high school) and multiple athletic facilities, but I can imagine the savings created by eliminating items that are extra to the curriculum would be substantial. I would direct your attention to Birmingham Southern University; a school that reduced its emphasis on extra-curricular activities and grew as a result (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/frank_deford/01/10/birmingham.southern/index.html). Once we begin with a solid foundation of academics, the community will invest and grow to provide the luxury items we now protect. When you look at possible options for cuts for the Eau Claire School District, be brave. Weaken luxuries and strengthen academics.

To balance a budget there are two sides to the equation, revenue and spending. Most, if not all the discussion has been on cuts in spending. I would like to emphasis growth in revenue. The Eau Claire School District is not growing, but this trend can change. As you were presented recently in Milwaukee at the 86th WASB-WASDA-WASBO State Education Convention, school choice is a necessity to grow a school district. A strong school district should have ties to the business community, each marketing the strengths of the other to foster growth for the city, district and financial sector. As an example, my family chose to move here from the Cities to have a stronger sense of community. I was working for 3M and had my choice of communities to transfer to. The number one factor we considered in our move was education. The presence of the Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School made the choice clear. Since moving here, I have met others who made the same decision and an educational choice is what made these professionals chose Eau Claire. Strengthen the school district, provide alternative educational choice.

When I was a resident of Minnesota, I was on the Early Childhood Family Education Board. Every year we fought for state funding for the effective birth-K education that was unique to the state. In the process I became aware of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis study on education and financial return to the community (https://minneapolisfed.org/publications/fedgazette/early-childhood-development-economic-development-with-a-high-public-return). I would like to highlight a section of this report- “Research has shown that investment in education brings a real (that is, inflation-adjusted) public return of 12 percent and a real total return, public and private, of 16 percent.” To strengthen the community, investment in education is the only solution. Any other investment is a zero sum return at best. Developing new options in the school district needs to occur; but until the current Charter schools are secure, established, fully funded and promoted by the school board and the school district progress cannot be made. The current group of parents and teachers at the existing Charter schools are the future investors in alternative education. They are the network that will grow the community, the district and the economy; if the rug is not pulled out from underneath them now.

In conclusion, please keep the three cornerstones in mind (strong academics, a strong district and a strong community). Alternative school choice is essential to a sustainable district. To show stability for school choice, existing Charters must be strengthened. Academics first and athletics dead last.

Thank you.

Mark David Miller