Page 13 - The Edge - Back to School 2018

VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES CAN OPEN EYES money actually go to teachers? Some are skeptical. ey think the
districts are going to pocket everything themselves and the teachers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 won’t get the money.”

“Once this information was put together in a really clear Another topic that pops up every few years is district uni cation.
message, it changed the governor,” Essigs said. “Why? Because AASBO is ready for this one with displays and maps, Aportela said.
Prop. 123 was his baby. All of a sudden, he was our best friend in AASBO will show lawmakers that consolidating districts, especially
terms of districts doing the right thing – there just wasn’t enough large geographical ones with few schools, isn’t feasible and doesn’t
money. e message was really simple and clear. Simplicity is so save money.
much better than what we used to do. We’re getting the message AASBO will be relying on visualizations for decision-makers.
across so much better.” “We’ll provide the bottom line and why it matters to them, and we’ll
Aportela emphasized that data provides insights, and hopefully keep it as simple as possible so it is printable,” she said.
those insights lead to knowledge. And that knowledge will lead Essigs said the plan is to show individual legislators how
to good decisions. “If you start collecting information when the uni cation or consolidation would a ect their legislative district.
policy conversation has already begun, you’re probably too late to On administration expenditures, an Auditor General’s report
contribute to that policy conversation,” she said. indicated that the reason teachers aren’t paid enough is because
Looking into her “very cloudy crystal ball” to see what the district o ces spend too much money, Aportela said, adding: “ is
Legislature is going to be up to next session and trying to be one never goes away.”
prepared for that, Aportela rst talked about what AASBO and Essigs agreed, saying, “People are going to want to know how
ASBA are not prepared for. much psychologists, counselors and bus drivers make.”
Regarding salaries for non-teacher employees, she said, “We And Aportela added: “ e key to reducing administrative costs
have no data on that at all.” is in the Legislature’s hands.”
A second topic is health insurance costs. “We’re hearing about Looking ahead to next year, Aportela said: “We have to
that in the atmosphere.” foresee their questions, concerns, or criticisms and have back-up
What we are prepared for, Aportela said, involves raises for visualizations. We need to be able to connect the dots for
teachers: “What actually happened to teacher salaries? Did the policymakers.”

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