Teacher Contracts, Evaluation Policies, and Termination « PWC Education Reform Blog

Teacher Contracts, Evaluation Policies, and Termination « PWC Education Reform Blog:

Teacher Contracts, Evaluation Policies, and Termination

February 21, 2012 — pwceducationreform

The VA General Assembly is considering a number of bills that affect education. One is HB576, which deals with teacher contracts, evaluation policies, and reasons for terminating a teacher, among other things.

Current Law

Currently teachers are hired for what is called a continuing contract after they’ve completed their probationary period. A continuing contract runs for 5 years and specifies step and grade increases, as well as the length of the school day and number of days in the school year.

Current state law requires each teacher to have an evaluation every three years, and requires the evaluation to include: “student academic progress and the skills and knowledge of instructional personnel, including, but not limited to,

“The School for Workers survived McCarthyism. It may not survive Walker.” « Fred Klonsky

“The School for Workers survived McCarthyism. It may not survive Walker.” « Fred Klonsky:

“The School for Workers survived McCarthyism. It may not survive Walker.”

by Fred Klonsky

The School for Workers was established in 1925 as an extension program of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

They had planned an art exhibit of posters and other political art created during the past year of labor struggle in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Republicans wouldn’t hear of it.

The Progressive:

The University of Wisconsin’s School for Workers was planning on hosting an

Daily Kos: A few things I do not understand

Daily Kos: A few things I do not understand:

A few things I do not understand

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

How does lowering the minimum wage in Greece do anything to improve the economy of the nation? Does lowering the income of those barely making it in any way contribute to stimulating the economy, or is it merely to increase profits of those already benefiting from wages that are insufficient?

Why is the Obama administration taking $6 million dollars from the funding of NAEP - the National Assessment of Education Progress, aka the nation's report card on education - and devoting it instead to creating yet another international comparison?

Why do we insist on "looking forward" and not holding to accountability CIA agents, military planners, elected and appointed officials who lied us into a war that cost trillions, committed war crimes, and worse, yet we are willing to destroy the lives of teachers and principals who are trying to help our children because their scores on poorly designed tests being used for purposes for which they were never intended are not high enough?

How if we think people gamed the financial system or worse, do we not insist on full accountability and

Schools Matter: Perfect Hour for Parents, Ed Students, and Teachers During Black History Month

Schools Matter: Perfect Hour for Parents, Ed Students, and Teachers During Black History Month:

Perfect Hour for Parents, Ed Students, and Teachers During Black History Month

by Jim Horn

Still Separate, Still Unequal: Racism, Class and the Attack on Public Education

With Brian Jones

Public education is under an unprecedented attack. The powerful people who want to privatize our schools are using many different means: charter schools, mayoral control, high stakes standardized testing, school closures, merit pay and attacking teacher unions are all a part of this assault. Often, these "reformers" claim that the sweeping changes they want will bring genuine educational justice for communities that have long been underserved -- especially for African American families. But will privatization actually create racial justice? Or will it exacerbate the problem? Will these "reforms" strengthen the educational rights of students and parents, or weaken them? Will turning education over to the free market lead to less segregated schools, or more so? Who

League of Education Voters to Apologize to Rainier Beach High School | Seattle Education

League of Education Voters to Apologize to Rainier Beach High School | Seattle Education:

League of Education Voters to Apologize to Rainier Beach High School

by seattleducation2011

The LEV flyer with notations by Rainier Beach High School

To follow is a statement that was issued by the Rainier Beach PTSA this afternoon:

On Monday, Feb 20, 2012, a few parents from Rainier Beach High School (RBHS) and South Shore Middle

PSAT for 2-21-12: Do something! Parents United for Responsible Education

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 2-21-12: Do something!:

PSAT for 2-21-12: Do something!

by admin

Anger and action are cranked up to 11 on the volume control in preparation for tomorrow’s Chicago Board of Education vote on school closures and turnarounds.

Overnight camp outs.

School occupation.

Marches. Press conferences. Releasing new reports. Noble critiques. Call-ins.

You name it, folks in Chicago have done it – and mostly in the last week!

Enough already?

Nah.

Let’s crank it up a little more. So, for Public Schools Action Tuesday today, please DO SOMETHING!

-> Set your alarm for tomorrow’s Board meeting.

Come to CPS, 125 South Clark at 4 am–we need 40 people there—URGENT

6 am–Picket line begins. Teachers, plan to come before school. Other folks, come before work. Spread the word. Urge your colleagues and coworkers
**********
Parents 4 Teachers wants you to call CEO Brizard one more time.
Keep the pressure on today! Call CPS at 1-773-553-1500 and ask the board to halt the closings and turnarounds.

And please get TWO more friends, co-workers, family members to call today. Say which school your children attend when you call so we can show there is city-wide opposition to these school “actions.”

Please forward this to everyone you know who’s committed to working for quality schools for ALL Chicago children.

*****

Call or e-mail the members of the Illinois House Education Committee regarding HB 3239, the moratorium on CPS closures and turnarounds bill that will come before the committee on Friday. Details here.

*******

Spread the news on your networks about today’s Designs for Change report showing that LSC-led schools elementary outperform turnarounds: 33 LSC-led elementary schools serving 95% or more low-income students scored above the city wide average on state tests, while NO turnaround schools achieved that level. More here.

********

From the SOS March:
Thank you to all who joined us for a very successful #SOSchat on Twitter last Tuesday! We’re committed to weekly #SOSchat’s and hope that you will join us today at 6 pm PDST – 9 pm EST to discuss the upcoming National Save Our Schools Convention and the national dialogue!

Please share on Facebook and Twitter! Invite your friends in all other listserves, etc. Follow me @GetUpStandUp2 and @SOSFlashMob on Twitter! Also follow @SOSMarch on Twitter! Find each other and tweet using #SOSchat hashtag ALL WEEK long to be able to easily connect on edreform topics and RT easily!

******

Finally, because the fish rots from the top, please sign the “Dump Duncan” petition if you have not already done so!

Schools Matter: Reconsidering testing in Texas

Schools Matter: Reconsidering testing in Texas:

Reconsidering testing in Texas

by skrashen

Reconsidering testing: Some fundamentals
Sent to the Austin-American Statesman, Feb 21, 2012
A year's delay to reconsider the role of testing is a very good idea (“It’s smart to step back on STARR,” Feb 20).
I hope that those assigned to study this issue will look at the evidence showing that increased testing does not result in increased achievement, the evidence showing that teacher evaluation of high school students (grades) is a better predictor of college success than standardized test scores (the SAT), and studies showing how much time is spent on “test preparation” (activities designed to boost scores on tests but do not result in learning), I also hope the study group will attempt to determine the true cost of standardized testing.
If the study group does this, I predict that they will conclude that making standardized tests a part of students’

Santorum’s children went to a cyber charter school - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Santorum’s children went to a cyber charter school - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Santorum’s children went to a cyber charter school

by Valerie Strauss

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has said some pretty provocative things about public education on the campaign trail recently, declaring that it is not the job of government to educate children but rather the responsibility of parents.

Read full article >>

RheeFirst! » Michelle Rhee makes no apologies for firing a principal on camera

RheeFirst! » Michelle Rhee makes no apologies for firing a principal on camera:

Michelle Rhee makes no apologies for firing a principal on camera

by admin

In a February 2012 interview, Michelle Rhee makes no apologies for firing a principal on camera. Her only regret is that it damaged her image of caring for people. Read her chilling response for yourself.

---

Q. Is there anything you’d take back — perhaps your firing of a principal in front of PBS cameras?

A. [I would take it back] to the extent that [it] communicated a message that I was unfeeling or didn’t care about people. [My] point was that it’s important to hold people accountable. That principal was leading a school that was a hot mess. If you’re not serving our kids well, we’re not going to let you work in our school district anymore.

---

Read the entire interview here.

It takes a strong stomach, but you can watch the video below. Out of a sense of compassion and decency, the PBS crew chose not to film the principal’s face.

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » New report: LSCs and democracy outperform turnarounds

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » New report: LSCs and democracy outperform turnarounds:

New report: LSCs and democracy outperform turnarounds

by admin

On the eve of a potentially catastrophic Board of Education vote to turnaround ten more Chicago schools, the school reform research group Designs for Change has released a report showing that school turnarounds are not worth the extra expense, and that the unheralded reforms brought about under the authority of parent-led, democratically-elected local school councils have been far more effective.

9 key conclusions of the report:

Conclusion 1. The study’s evidence does not justify the continuation of the School Turnaround Strategy in

Hechinger Report | What the U.S. and Chinese school systems have in common: Inequality, segregation

Hechinger Report | What the U.S. and Chinese school systems have in common: Inequality, segregation:

What the U.S. and Chinese school systems have in common: Inequality, segregation

by Sarah Carr

Americans who visit Chinese schools quickly realize that many of our beliefs and assumptions about education hold little water in China: In the United States, our urban public schools perform relatively poorly, but in China the urban systems rate among the nation’s best. Here we often regard private schools as a cut above public ones (though the truth is far murkier), but most Chinese consider public schools to be superior. Americans view public education as a crucial equalizer for a democratic society, in theory at least—but the Chinese see it partly as a means to sort their massive population in a distinctly undemocratic fashion.

Sarah Carr

Despite these differences of conceit, the American and Chinese education systems share one common, defining characteristic: They are both plagued by gross inequalities and rampant segregation. In the United States, these

Chicago: Charter schools collect almost $400,000 in discipline "fees" | iWatch News by The Center for Public Integrity

Chicago: Charter schools collect almost $400,000 in discipline "fees" | iWatch News by The Center for Public Integrity:

Chicago: Charter schools collect almost $400,000 in discipline "fees

Would you pay $5 as a penalty for your kid neglecting to have shoelaces tied at school?

Chicago is buzzing over a controversial practice aimed at forcing inner-city school kids to follow rules. The Noble Network of Charter Schools, which has received high praise from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, is charging its mostly low-income students five bucks for violating certain rules, which reportedly include bringing “flaming hot” potato chips to school, chewing gum and falling asleep in class.

A group of parents whose kids attend Noble’s 10 Chicago charter high schools rose up this month to publicly object to the practice, which they are denouncing as both overkill and a cynical way for the company to collect extra money, according to reports in the Chicago Tribune and other media outlets.

Some parents also allege the practice is used to push out kids the schools would

Missouri Education Watchdog: An Education in how the Nanny State Operates

Missouri Education Watchdog: An Education in how the Nanny State Operates:

An Education in how the Nanny State Operates

by stlgretchen

Guest commentary: Will my child be allowed to work on my farm?

This is a sad and alarming guest commentary from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on the control the American government wants over your children. It doesn't stop at the school door. It's in your home,

D.C. charter schools: Student expulsions reveal data problem - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

D.C. charter schools: Student expulsions reveal data problem - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

D.C. charter schools: Student expulsions reveal data problem

by Valerie Strauss

For years the D.C. public schools system was publicly ridiculed for its inability to accurately maintain basic statistics, such as how many students were enrolled in the system. Now it’s the turn of the public charter schools — the alternative schools that were supposed to show the traditional public schools how education is done right — to have trouble with their stats.

Read full article >>

‘Rigor mortis ’ in teacher evaluation systems

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 8 hours ago

This *was written by Aaron Pallas, professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He writes the Sociological Eye on Education blog — where this post first appeared — for The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, non-partisan education-news outlet affiliated with the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media *. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Presidents’ Day: The quiz

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago

It’s Presidents’ Day Monday, but whom the holiday is meant to honor depends on whom you ask. Even the placement of the apostrophe is open to question! To the U.S. government and Virginia, the home state of George Washington, the holiday is recognized as “Washington’s Birthday.” Some states jointly celebrate the birthdays of George Washington, born Feb. 22, and Abraham Lincoln, born Feb. 12, while others honor Washington and Thomas Jefferson but not Lincoln. In some Southern states, all of the presidents are commemorated on Presidents’ Day. Read full article >> [image: Add to Faceb... more »

‘You are so smart…why did you become a teacher?’

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 2 days ago

This *was written by Carol Corbett Burris, principal of South Side High School in New York. She was named the 2010 New York State Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of New York State. She is one of the co-authors of the principals’ letter against evaluating teachers by student test scores, which has been signed by nearly 1,400 New York principals.* Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Common Core won’t likely boost student achievement, analysis says

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 3 days ago

A new analysis on the Common Core Standards Initiative by the Brookings Institution says it is wrong to believe that the effort will do much of anything to improve student achievement in coming years. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Why don’t top private schools adopt corporate-driven reforms?

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 3 days ago

This *was written by Bruce D. Baker, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. This first appeared on his School Finance 101 blog.* By Bruce D. Baker Lately it seems that public policy and the reformy rhetoric that drives it are hardly influenced by the vast body of empirical work and insights from leading academic scholars which suggests that such practices as using value-added metrics to rate teacher quality, or dramatically increasing test-based accountability and pushing for common core standards and tests to go with the... more »

Jon Stewart tries to talk to Arne Duncan

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 4 days ago

Jon Stewart tried to engage Education Secretary Arne Duncan on *“The Daily Show*” Thursday night, but the effort was an exercise in the futility of conversing with someone who won’t deviate from his talking points. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

How to stop cheating on standardized tests

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 4 days ago

In light of repeated cheating scandals on standardized tests in school districts across the country, the Education Department recently asked members of the public for ideas on how to prevent, detect and respond to irregularities on completed tests. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

In defense of NAEP

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 4 days ago

I published a guest post that was highly criticial of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, an exam sometimes referred to as the nation’s report card and the gold standard of standardized assessment. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Are public schools unfairly blamed for America’s economic woes?

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 5 days ago

This *was written by Mark Naison, professor of African and African American Studies at Fordham University in New York and chair of the department of African and African-American Studies. He is also co-director of the Urban Studies Program, African-American History 20th Century. A version of this first appeared on the blog With A Brooklyn Accent.* Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Parent Trigger proposal would convert failing charters to neighborhood schools — Amazing report

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 5 days ago

Here’s the lead “story” from the new spring edition of a satirical Onion-esque publication designed for those of us who religiously follow education policy and choose to laugh rather than cry about it. The publication is called Education Tweak and it’s anonymously authored and published. The latest issue is the 21st; this and all the back issues are available at edtweak.com. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Principal forced out in Dallas and D.C. says she is innocent

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 6 days ago

A principal who was forced out of a Dallas school for “unethical” behavior and then hired and subsequently fired by D.C. school officials has now issued a statement (see below for text) saying she was unfairly accused in Dallas and should be allowed to work in the District. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

Parent Trigger proposal would convert failing charters to neighborhood schools — Amazing report

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 6 days ago

Here’s the lead “story” from the new spring edition of a satirical Onion-esque publication designed for those of us who religiously follow education policy and choose to laugh rather than cry about it. The publication is called Education Tweak and it’s anonymously authored and published. The latest issue is the 21st; this and all the back issues are available at edtweak.com. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]