Statement from AFT re: Central Falls

[proud2BlibKansan]

Statement by
Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation of Teachers;
Marcia Reback, President of Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals;
Jane Sessums, President of Central Falls Teachers Union,
On Central Falls High School


Attached is a report from then-Rhode Island Education Commissioner Peter McWalters following a district team’s visit to Central Falls High School on April 29 and 30, 2009. The visit focused on reading and literacy.

We are distributing the report on the same day as President Obama praised the Central Falls school board’s decision to fire the school staff.

WASHINGTON—President Obama’s comments today condoning the mass firing of the Central Falls High School teachers do not reflect the reality on the ground and completely ignore the teachers’ significant commitment to working with others to transform this school. We know it is tempting for people in Washington to score political points by scapegoating teachers, but it does nothing to give our students and teachers the tools they need to succeed.

What’s even sadder is that the firings and the President’s comments come in spite of a state report written last April that focused on the high school’s reading and writing proficiency, which have gone up 22 percent and 14 percent respectively over the past two years. Nowhere in the report is there any criticism of teachers’ efforts, skills or dedication to their job or their students. The report does, however, point to problems with constantly changing programs and the instability of school leadership. The report reinforces the fact that, today, teachers are being blamed unfairly for the schools’ problems.

“Because so many programs have been abruptly terminated, many teachers desire a formal program evaluation system to ensure that the strengths and weaknesses of programs are properly examined in the future before changes are made or new programs are implemented. Students share this concern,” the report said.

As for next steps, the report said, “Take the time to celebrate as a learning community the accomplishments, successes and positive changes that have taken place over the past few years.”

Students and teachers at Central Falls High School deserve the best and the fact is that they haven’t gotten it. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders to turn that around, not by mass firings but by focusing together on programs that work and on providing students and teachers with the tools they need to succeed. As Jane Sessums wrote in her Feb. 11 letter to Superintendent Frances Gallo, “We fully support the Central Falls School District adoption of the transformation model for school improvement and encourage your communication of that fact to the Commissioner of Education.”

We ask the Central Falls school district to reconsider the mass firings and attempt to work out a genuine reform plan through a mediator to achieve the best outcome for students and teachers.

http://www.aft.org/newspubs/press/2010/030110.cfm

Click on the link and read the report. Wow.

[sandnsea]

1. He didn't praise their decision

He simply stated is as a fact and why the board felt it needed to do something different. The point is to get them to do what works, instead of getting to the point of these drastic measures.

"So if a school is struggling, we have to work with the principal and the teachers to find a solution. We’ve got to give them a chance to make meaningful improvements. But if a school continues to fail its students year after year after year, if it doesn’t show signs of improvement, then there’s got to be a sense of accountability.

And that’s what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school, when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests - 7 percent. When a school board wasn’t able to deliver change by other means, they voted to lay off the faculty and the staff."

He praised the Met Center, a state funded public school distrct.

"So that’s why we’ll build on the efforts of places like Communities in Schools that make sure kids who are at risk of dropping out have one-on-one support. That’s why we’ll follow the example of places like the Met Center in Rhode Island that give students that individual attention, while also preparing them through real-world, hands-on training the possibility of succeeding in a career."

http://www.themetschool.org/Metcenter/home.html

[Hannah Bell]

3. his 7% figure? also bullshit.

Central Falls, one of the state’s poorest and lowest-achieving districts, is in its third year of a new literacy push, and has worked hard to boost student attendance, said Supt. Fran Gallo.

Scores rose nearly 6 percent in reading and 5 percent in math, with 51 percent of students proficient in reading and 35 proficient in math.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/school_test_scores_02-04-10_8PHB6G9_v47.3987a02.html



Central Falls HS Math scores = above the state average.

"However, high school math scores were much lower than the state average, with just 27 percent of the state’s 11,189 juniors able to do the algebra, geometry and statistics expected of them — the same percentage as last year."

[sandnsea]

4. Perhaps it was a typo, I didn't hear the speech

But even if it was 27% - give me a fucking break. There is no excuse for this. If the teachers and principal can't or won't make the necessary changes, then there really isn't another alternative.

[Hannah Bell]

7. "27%" is the proficiency figure for *all* 11th graders in Rhode Island.

So if there's "no excuse" perhaps they'd better fire every teacher & administrator in the state, including gallo & gist.


7% is indeed the figure for central falls 11th graders, looking at the data from individual schools.

2007 = 3%
2008 = 4%

i was looking at the aggregate score for all 7 central falls schools in math = 35%.

[sandnsea]

9. Which is horrifying

It remains shocking to me that teachers can continue to oppose changes in the public schools.

[Hannah Bell]

11. teachers don't oppose "changes in the public schools". they support them.

[wcast]

2. I totally Agree

It takes the AFT, their union, to put out fact, not opinion, not supposition, not"Oh those teachers make too much?!!" If the President can point to the Met school as a solution, why not give the dollars needed to implement that in all schools?! I looked at the Met application. There is a student essay, and parent essay, both asking why the student wants to go there and why it's the best option.

To me that speaks of two things. 1. The students who apply, and their parents, are more likely to be highly motivated to succeed. 2. The school picks and chooses who goes there. Both have the same outcome, which is boosting test scores and showing success more easily.

Why do private schools outperform public? It's for the same reasons above. They can pick and choose, and parents who are willing to pay to have their children attend are more likely to be highly motivated parents who help their kids succeed. Public schools do not get that luxury, they can not pick and choose. They are charged with educating everyone, regardless of disability, language difficulties, etc.

These staff members are placed in a system that is rigged against them. What was their class size, what monies were available to provide extra support, smaller classes, textbooks for all, etc? We are in such a hurry to condemn the schools and run to charter schools, but very few want to spend the dollars necessary to remake public schools that work.

I believe that the ultimate goal of NCLB is to get rid of the unions and collective bargaining. The law already spells out this as a consequence, and few schools will be spared. The aim is to get teachers on the cheap. Millions for CEO's, millions for investment bankers, millions for politicians, but $70,000 a year is too much for a teacher.

[sandnsea]

5. He Is

These teachers don't want to do it. They just want to make promises that they'll do better if they're just given more money.

There was nearly $100 billion in the stimulus for education, $5 billion just for states to propose methods to turn around schools, and they did not have to choose a charter.

[Hannah Bell]

8. "These teachers don't want to do it." = bullshit.

[sandnsea]

10. Not the Central Falls teachers

I have no idea what they do or don't want to do.

I specifically meant the teachers at DU and whoever they claim they speak for, and teachers like those who wrote the article in the OP. They just don't seem to want to do anything that has proven effective in changing schools that are complete failures.

[Hannah Bell]

12. that's bullshit too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I am blown away that they had made such significant progress that the state praised them a year ago

Now they want to fire them all?

It makes zero sense.

[soleiri]

13. of course it makes no sense

It has nothing to do with how good or bad they think the teachers are,
otherwise they wouldn't have offered the first plan.

I've been looking at the data for the middle school and elementary schools.
They're pretty much on par with the high school test scores.
So, why are high schools getting all the blame?


And if all they can point to is math scores (whether you buy the 7% or not),
why not introduce a shiny new innovative math program and train the teachers?
Why does the PE teacher, English teacher, health teacher, theater teacher, history teacher, etc.
have to be fired because the students are not proficient in math?
Oh, that's right, it has nothing to do with educating the students.

[Hannah Bell]

14. +100

[sandnsea]

15. Ooooh, a new math program and train teachers

Kind of like Obama has introduced with Race To The Top and turnaround schools - that DU teachers also object to.

And it's not just the math program. There are problems with the entire school and its 48% graduation rate.

[soleiri]

16. I'm sorry

I'm sure there are others more knowledgeable about the race to the top program than I am,
but isn't that about rewarding successful schools and not helping struggling schools?
How will that benefit the students at the struggling schools?

If you can fire old teachers and hire new teachers and train them,
why not train the teachers with the most experience?

As far as the graduation rate goes,
it's not much different than other schools serving similar student populations, is it?
Isn't it a transient community with students transferring in and out?
Until they fix the system they use to keep track of students,
and don't count students who move away or transfer out as non-graduates,
I don't trust any of their data.

[sandnsea]

17. No it's not

It's about implementing programs to turn around failing schools. A state can choose a variety of methods, including teacher training. If experience was all that mattered, then experienced teachers wouldn't need training. Some teachers really are just bad.

As to counting graduates, all schools count them the same. There is a drop-out rate and a graduation rate. There's no excuse for any school to have a 48% graduation rate. There are any number of school models that take these failing schools and have dramatic improvement. I am sick of excuses. Teachers in these schools either need to take responsibility to turn them around, or get the hell out and let someone who is willing to try something new take over.

[soleiri]

18. I don't believe I said that experience was all that mattered

I said that if you combine training with experience, you'd get better results than just training new people.

Does mass firing differentiates between "just bad" teachers and those that are successfully helping students?
or do you believe that every teacher in that school is bad?

[Hannah Bell]

19. all the bad teachers work in poor districts & all the good ones work in rich ones. funny how that

happens.

[sandnsea]

24. Poor kids are stupid

and rich kids are genuiuses.

Funny how that happens - until the poor kid is put into a different school and then suddenly the same poor kid turns into a genius too!

[Hannah Bell]

27. i have a better idea. lets send the suburban teachers to the ghetto, & the ghetto teachers to the

suburbs, & see who fares best.

[radical noodle]

20. Teachers have most of the responsibility but none of the authority to make changes

Teachers cannot change a system over which they have little or no control.

For example, let's say you're asked by your employer to train ten other people in your office to do a task. Of the ten, two don't speak the language, two don't come to work half the time, two won't pay attention, one has special needs that require a different teaching method, and the other three are good, willing workers. Although you talk to your employer about the problems you have with the first seven, your employer wants to keep those particular trainees, and tells you to train them under the conditions and in the time period you've been given. In addition, you only have one training workbook and must make copies for all, your equipment breaks down, and a spouse of one of the three willing workers comes in to complain that you've been "mean" to his wife. Finally you're fired because you haven't trained the ten. Would you say it's your fault the ten aren't trained?

Add to the work scenario the legal aspects of being a public school teacher, the regular emphasis of sports rather than academics, and the lack of discipline because the principals don't want to upset parents (and I'm NOT talking about corporal punishment) and you still have a drop in the bucket compared to what a teacher faces every day.

[sandnsea]

22. Sick Of Excuses

My kids have been in schools with all of those problems and guess what. In successful schools, the principal implements programs to involve the parents, increase attendance, overcome language barriers and increase initiative.

There are several means for districts to initiate change within the President's programs. They all include means for teachers to be involved in the creation and implementation of the programs.

Oh, and the school that was about 1/4 migrant workers' kids - guess who didn't want to work with the principal who demanded success and accountability -- the teachers.

Teachers need to get with it or get out.

[radical noodle]

29. Bingo!

The *principal* implements programs. How many times a year do you think teachers with good ideas get shot down by administrators who don't want to be bothered or school boards who think discussion of new basketball uniforms is more important? I thought you might like to have some insight into the teachers' side of this, obviously not.

[soleiri]

23. With your permission,

I'm stealing that. :)

and a belated welcome.

[sandnsea]

25. You need stupid excuses in your job too? n/t

[soleiri]

26. If you disagree with the premise of the post

I replied to, why not address the post directly?
what in it was a stupid excuse?

[radical noodle]

28. I'd be honored

Thanks for the welcome!

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. Wow. I love that.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[radical noodle]

31. Thanks proud2blibKansan!

:hi:

[Catshrink]

32. Wow!

How did I miss this post? It sums up the challenges perfectly.

[radical noodle]

33. My timing seems to be off

My posts normally seem to be after everyone else has moved on to another topic. I have to work on that.

Thanks.

:)

[mzteris]

21. copy of the contract

for those interested in reading it:

http://www.ntlongcber.com/cber/docs/_CF.htm