Ever since Governor Snyder signed the new law, now known as Public Act 102, changing the accountability levels of teachers and creating a council to create the assessment tool for teachers, we have been waiting patiently to hear who will sit on this committee. The final appointee to the Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness was made today. Here's how it looks: the governor gets to appoint three people, the House and Senate each get to appoint one person, and the state superintendent gets to appoint one person.
Governor Snyder has appointed Mark Reckase, a professor at Michigan State University and expert on measurement and quantitative methods. Professor Reckase has been conducting research on computerized adaptive testing. One can assume that this appoinment is to assist with the student testing piece that will tie student test scores to teacher effectiveness. Ugh! More testing and data collection. It makes me want to scream!
Snyder has also appointed Nicholas Sheltrown of National Heritage Academies of Grand Rapids. National Heritage is a for-profit charter school company that runs charter schools in Michigan and seven other states. Mr. Sheltrown also has a background in "performance technology" as he is listed in the staff directory for Grand Valley State University as a Performance and Technology Specialist. Looks like another "bean counter" type to make sure the teachers are doing their jobs. The fact that this guy works for a for-proft company makes my stomach churn!
Snyder's final appointment was made today. He appointed Deborah Ball of the University of Michigan School of Education. She has been an elementary teacher, and she specializes in math instruction. It looks like Snyder wants us to get those math scores up! While I don't really have any reasonable objections to this appointee, her math focus makes me ponder.
The others members of the council are Senate appointee, David Vensel, principal of Jefferson High School in Monroe. The school's website didn't have much information about him at all. I think that maybe in these fiscally tight times, the district hasn't put a lot of effort into their website. Maybe this guy has teachers' interests at heart, maybe not?
The House appointtee is Dr. Jennifer Hammond, principal of Grand Blanc High School, and president of MASSP. In other words, not a friend of teachers. The MASSP lobbied heavily for the new teacher tenure laws, and they got what they wanted! She is "one of them."
The state superintendent's office has appointed Joseph Martineau who works for the Michigan Department of Education in the Bureau of Assessment and Accountability. Again, another math person. As far as I can tell, no one on this council has any English or social studies background. Sorry all you English and social studies teachers out there, I guess we are out of luck!
I only hope with all my heart that these people do nothing to further damage the public school system in Michigan. Well, I can hope, can't I?
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The Story That Should Have Been Written
This is the story that should have been written about Linden's school board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011. Instead, the story was about how Mancino's donated free coupon's for good student behavior. Give me a break...
The media center was filled with teachers of a single mind, dressed singularly in the color black. It was very obvious to anyone that it was intentional. The meeting was called to order. The school district's superintendent was noticeably absent.
The meeting proceeding very quickly with the agenda being approved, then moving onto the recognition of the fall sports coaches by the athletic director, Cathy North. Then came public comments.
LEA president Meg Walton took the podium and gave a very rousing and emotional speech about the district's inability to settle a contract. She raised several salient points about the union making a minimum of four offers while the school board has only has only made one offer. That offer is a substantial pay cut, plus a hard cap on insurance, something much more drastic than is required, considering the district's fund balance. In fact, the district voted just about a month ago to lower the fund balance to 3% in order to save teacher jobs. Apparently, they want to build it back up again. In the past, the district' fund balance has been as low as 2%.
After, Ms. Walton's speech the audience stood and gave her a hearty round of applause. Two other teachers also took the podium and spoke on the issue of a lack of contract.
It should be evident to the Linden School Board that the teachers are not happy with the current situation. Even some parents are not happy, as was evidenced by two parents addressing the board about the very large class sizes at Linden Elementary.
I hope the board was paying attention...
I hope the public realizes that it is not the teachers' fault that there is no calendar and no contract. Of course, they might, if the media did its job....
The media center was filled with teachers of a single mind, dressed singularly in the color black. It was very obvious to anyone that it was intentional. The meeting was called to order. The school district's superintendent was noticeably absent.
The meeting proceeding very quickly with the agenda being approved, then moving onto the recognition of the fall sports coaches by the athletic director, Cathy North. Then came public comments.
LEA president Meg Walton took the podium and gave a very rousing and emotional speech about the district's inability to settle a contract. She raised several salient points about the union making a minimum of four offers while the school board has only has only made one offer. That offer is a substantial pay cut, plus a hard cap on insurance, something much more drastic than is required, considering the district's fund balance. In fact, the district voted just about a month ago to lower the fund balance to 3% in order to save teacher jobs. Apparently, they want to build it back up again. In the past, the district' fund balance has been as low as 2%.
After, Ms. Walton's speech the audience stood and gave her a hearty round of applause. Two other teachers also took the podium and spoke on the issue of a lack of contract.
It should be evident to the Linden School Board that the teachers are not happy with the current situation. Even some parents are not happy, as was evidenced by two parents addressing the board about the very large class sizes at Linden Elementary.
I hope the board was paying attention...
I hope the public realizes that it is not the teachers' fault that there is no calendar and no contract. Of course, they might, if the media did its job....
Friday, September 16, 2011
When is enough enough?
More attacks on public education, especially teachers, have been taking place here in Michigan. It wasn't enough that the Republican-dominated legislature has passed and Republican Governor Rick Snyder has signed into law sweeping changes in teacher tenure and evaluations in June. No, while the legislature did take a break from the onslaught temporarily this summer, they have been back at it full-steam-ahead during the past week and a half.
First, Sen. Pavlov introduces a package of bills (SB 618-624) that further deconstruct public education as we know it. This package of bills does a number of things such outsourcing teachers (yes, hiring teachers from a private company), lifting the cap on charters, lifting the restrictions on cyber schools, allowing foundation money to go to private schools, and requiring public schools to participate in a statewide schools of choice, with restrictions on turning down out-of-district students.
What these bills essentially say to current public school teachers and the parents of the children who attend these public schools, is that ANYTHING GOES!! It doesn't matter about teacher quality, more taxpayer money going to private companies or private religious schools, or even real, face-to-face contact with students. No, none of this matters because the legislature is "reinventing" public education in Michigan, by bypassing unions, siphoning money to private companies and forcing money-strapped districts to accept expensive out-of-district students without any additional funding. No, this is what is best for the students of Michigan. Our trusty legislators are education experts, you know, because they themselves have been through the public education system and send their children to public schools (Ooops, they send their kids to private schools, don't they?).
It gets even better...A few days ago, both the Senate and the House introduced bills that would prohibit the collection of unions dues through a payroll deduction. Why? It's not that this costs school districts any money. It's not because it would benefit students in any way. No, it is only because the MEA supported the recall effort of one of their own, Rep. Paul Scott. This is nothing more than retaliation for a successful attempt to get the recall of Rep. Scott on the November ballot. Paybacks. I'm pretty sure it won't stop here.
If you are a public school teacher, or the spouse of one, or the friend of one, or a parent of public school students, you need to let our Michigan legislators know that this attack on public education and public school teachers must stop! Please, contact them and let them know that you value our public school system.
I have included a video of MEA President Steve Cook's message to members taped earlier this evening. He encourages everyone to get involved. It is no longer acceptable to sit by and do nothing.
First, Sen. Pavlov introduces a package of bills (SB 618-624) that further deconstruct public education as we know it. This package of bills does a number of things such outsourcing teachers (yes, hiring teachers from a private company), lifting the cap on charters, lifting the restrictions on cyber schools, allowing foundation money to go to private schools, and requiring public schools to participate in a statewide schools of choice, with restrictions on turning down out-of-district students.
What these bills essentially say to current public school teachers and the parents of the children who attend these public schools, is that ANYTHING GOES!! It doesn't matter about teacher quality, more taxpayer money going to private companies or private religious schools, or even real, face-to-face contact with students. No, none of this matters because the legislature is "reinventing" public education in Michigan, by bypassing unions, siphoning money to private companies and forcing money-strapped districts to accept expensive out-of-district students without any additional funding. No, this is what is best for the students of Michigan. Our trusty legislators are education experts, you know, because they themselves have been through the public education system and send their children to public schools (Ooops, they send their kids to private schools, don't they?).
It gets even better...A few days ago, both the Senate and the House introduced bills that would prohibit the collection of unions dues through a payroll deduction. Why? It's not that this costs school districts any money. It's not because it would benefit students in any way. No, it is only because the MEA supported the recall effort of one of their own, Rep. Paul Scott. This is nothing more than retaliation for a successful attempt to get the recall of Rep. Scott on the November ballot. Paybacks. I'm pretty sure it won't stop here.
If you are a public school teacher, or the spouse of one, or the friend of one, or a parent of public school students, you need to let our Michigan legislators know that this attack on public education and public school teachers must stop! Please, contact them and let them know that you value our public school system.
I have included a video of MEA President Steve Cook's message to members taped earlier this evening. He encourages everyone to get involved. It is no longer acceptable to sit by and do nothing.
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