New Haven Independent

Posted by: teachertobe | September 24, 2007 6:17 PM

I have read a lot about ConnCAN and I am curious about whether or not Alex Johnston has ever been an inner city classroom teacher or even spent ample time in a school setting? If not, how does he know what schools are doing or not doing to close the achievement gap? How does he know what strategies work? I am currently working towards my certification and I have many hours of experience in inner city classrooms. It is not as simple as teaching the right content and strategies...there are psychological and behavioral issues that teachers have to deal with everyday that take away from consistent instructional time. Teachers have to deal with parents who are not always willing (or able) to provide them or their children with the support they need.

Not every teacher is a great teacher, and yes, there are many improvements that need to take place throughout the educational system. I have learned over the past couple of years that it is not an easy job and it isn't as simple to raise student achievement as some make it out to be - especially the "some" who have not worked in a classroom lately.

Posted by: New Haven Tea Party | September 24, 2007 10:00 PM

Whether or not Mr. Johnston has been an inner city school teacher or not is not the issue, nor does it make his critique of the New Haven public schools less accurate. It was a short couple of months ago the NHI reported how elated the central office was that test scores showed we were failing miserably, but failing less than we did last year. Everybody was smiling and Super Mayo said he was breathing a sigh of relief. It is clear to many of us that despite spending record amounts of money, despite some good stories, and at times some limited success, there is insufficient urgency for the kind of fundamental change required to either close the achievement gap or to improve the graduation rate of 65% in the City of New Haven. I am not impressed with all the butt covering, excuse making rhetoric, bluster, and demonization of critics, and far more concerned with what brings positive results. If ConnCan has success...let's embrace it...and get on to doing something positive for our children. Their future depends on it.

Posted by: Esbe | September 24, 2007 10:29 PM

The mayor and the school board use ConnCAN's political mistakes the way that Pres. Bush uses Moveon.org's "Gen. Betrayus" ad. By complaining about the horrible "unfairness" of clumsy political attacks, they are able to move the discussion away from issues they don't want to (can't afford to) talk about.

I don't know that ConnCAN is a very effective political advocate, but I know that Amistad works. My response to "Teacher Tobe" is that the Amistad folks do the work of actually raising the test scores of New Haven kids and they succeed every day. Every single class, every single day. They don't make excuses, they succeed. More important, their students don't make excuses, they succeed. The mayor and the school board make excuses and, by and large, most of the time (and, yes, with a handful of notable exceptions), they fail.

The city's response to this is to try to turn ConnCAN into a political bogey-man. They can't attack Amistad directly, it is too popular, so they need a villan. "Charter School" (i.e. a non-profit, non-sectarian school educating poor kids and running on state and charitable funding) becomes a swear-word. If you criticize the School Board or the Union, you are "against public schools" and therefore a traitor to New Haven. Just like: if you criticize The War, you are a traitor to America.

In the meantime, in Iraq and in New Haven, kids lives are wasted. Here in New Haven, the teachers' contract limiting the hours they work remains sacred. And that is the most important thing, the kids are secondary and disposable. Uneducated, hopeless, they die in the streets, but the mayor scolds us for not understanding the very important issue of Union Contracts, next to which the lives of children mean nothing at all.

The Amistad kids are selected by lottery, they are not the "cream of the crop" and they face the same issues facing most other New Haven school kids. They are given structure, pride, long hours and praise. They are poor, their homes are "broken" and yet they thrive.

We could help Amistad expand in New Haven and save more kids. Better, the public schools could try to really learn from them and the teachers' union could agree to necessary changes. But it wont' happen. And it is a crime. Yeah, I feel pretty strongly about this.

To the NHI: thanks for covering this; great job.

Posted by: josh jones | September 24, 2007 10:36 PM

Thios is obsene. Destefano thinks bilding masolems will cure the education crisis. Hitler bilt bid bildings. Misolinee built big buildings. Destefano built big buildings cos his political supporters Gilbane gave him contributins big time. You want to educate kids you give then books and good teachers. No way here. That would be to political. Keerp us down, if we complane get the illegals in to take our jobs. We need a new partie. New Leaders.

Posted by: FairHavenRes | September 24, 2007 10:47 PM

Sounds alittle fishy, Johnson and ConnCAN. But that is what happens when there is alot of money to be had in these lastest trough of tax money. But this is not why I am posting.

Hey, Amistad Academy in Fair Haven is great. But miss something. There are 2 Catholic Schools in Fair Haven, how come no one gives these schools a second thought? They have produced many graduates who have gone on to successful careers, despite the poverty of their families and challenges they faced in their time.

I know we have the separation of church and state, but it is not like these schools are brain washing kids to be catholics, like the Talaban. In fact, I think one may find that many of the Catholic Schools in New Haven are serving noncatholic kids, and producing a good product. It is too bad that the state, in collusion with the NEA, will not let Catholic School students take the mastery exams.

Catholic schools are efficient in their use of resources, as they are funded from tuition and donations. There is even a Catholic school in New Haven that does not even charge tuition. If you did a comparision between the cost per student, I think one would find an incredible difference, the public school costing nearly 3 times more than the Catholic school tuition.

Computers,lavish technology, and 15 students per classroom, can not replace high quality, value based teaching, discipline, and respect for oneself and neighbor. A child who reads on grade level, can compose a sentence, defend her thoughts, speaks well, and is ready to do high school work should be the measure of a school.

I think St. Francis and St. Rose Schools have nearly 200 years together in education here in Fair Haven. We dont need to reinvent the wheel. We ought to help all schools, public and private, be the best they can be for our future, our daughters and sons.

Posted by: I'm Just Saying | September 25, 2007 6:55 AM

"The Amistad kids are selected by lottery, they are not the "cream of the crop" and they face the same issues facing most other New Haven school kids. They are given structure, pride, long hours and praise. They are poor, their homes are "broken" and yet they thrive."

THIS is the BIG lie that ConnCAN tells and people like you "ESB" perpetuate. While the students at Amistad may come to Amistad through a lottery pick, they do not stay there because they were picked up by lottery. Amistad has the luxurey of returning kids to the public school who will not or cannot work within their system, so that while they may not start with the "cream of the crop" they end up with a institution-selected "cream of the crop" and then claim to have the "same students" with the "same problems" as the public school. But, of course, this is NOT true.

While the public schools must deal with ALL of the students it enrolls, along with their social, psychological, and academic "shortcomings", Amistad and other charter schools get to pick and choose who they will keep and who they will disgard.

When this fact is accepted and factored in to the reality of these places then, and only then, can a FAIR comparision be made of the "success" of Amistad, New Haven Public Schools and other charter programs across the country.

So when you begin to praise Amistad look at the facts and "Don't Believe the Hype".

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | September 25, 2007 8:32 AM

I'm Just Saying - On what basis do you make the claim that Amistad "has the luxury of returning students"? Have you looked at the enrollment and transfer data, or are you simply perpetuating the BS put out by the BOE? If you have stats, perhaps you would be willing to publish the data, then we can all see it for ourselves. BTW, like any New Haven public school, charter schools cannot prevent parents from voluntarily transferring their kids out of the school even against loud protestations by school faculty.

Of course, I am sure that you would be shocked to learn that adminstrators at BOE district run schools may sometimes encourage their toughest kids (and their parents) to consider entering the lottery for an alternative school where the environment is a bit more supportive, like maybe a charter? I am sure you have the data on that as well.

Perhaps the district might cooperate in a little experiment. Of all the kids who put their name in the lottery for Amistad, the majority don't get in because the lottery for the school is oversubscribed. So to put the question to rest, how about if the district supplied the academic records (on an anonymous basis) of those kids who DIDN'T get into Amistad, and intstead had to go to their second or third choice school? In other words, how did those kids do in the schools that they ended up attending? Presumably, there would be lots of the "cream of the crop" who would do well in any school, as you are suggesting.

Lastly, please stop using the familiar BOE tactic of labeling schools "charter" vs "public". Charters ARE public schools. But you wouldn't want people to recognize that fact, would you?

Posted by: LAFAYETTE | September 25, 2007 10:29 AM

Alex Johnston (the ConnCAN ExecDir) has the facts on his side but is making his argument terribly. It's almost as if he would rather have a public conflict rather than work with relevant players and get something done.

There is demand for more of what Amistad offers. We know it from the oversubscribed list and from the fact that so many people in civil society are excited about it. It's not a magic bullet and it seems unlikely that the solution could scale system-wide, but there is certainly space for more of its style of public charter schools. Whether there is a teacher workforce that can handle the Amistad hours and intensity beyond a few additional schools is hard to know, but that itself is not an argument against incremental expansion.

Unfortunately, ConnCAN seems intent on waging some public moral crusade demonizing "the system" which leads to silly statements like Johnston's that all the NHPS is good for is as a large employment base. It's like the man wants to live his own MLK fantasy instead of move partnerships along. I doubt the vast majority of teachers, administrators, and support staff think their work is some kind of patronage job. Many of them would probably point out that if you gave them the families from Fairfield County, they would give you Fairfield County test scores. I'm not "blaming the kids." I'd just like an honest discussion to arrive at the right solutions.

I guess I don't understand why ConnCAN leadership would carelessly make comments that antagonize the bulk of public school workers, which in turn galvanizes the Mayor and the Supt. to stiffen their backs and be wary of engagement.

So, ConnCAN, please keep doing the work you do, but change the message.

Posted by: Esbe | September 25, 2007 10:36 AM

To: "I'm Just Saying"

The "big lie" is that Amistad is "returning kids to the public schools." You want facts about what works in educating poor kids? You might start with this article (by Carole Bass) in the NH Advocate. Money quote:

And the school does not expel students. Ever.

Maybe then move on to this long NYT magazine article.

And stop this stuff about "Charter Schools" vs. "Public Schools". On average, charter schools do no better than public schools. The question is whether you employ successful teaching strategies -- read the NYT article for many details. Amistad works because of what it does, not what it is. Opening random "charter schools" isn't going to help. This is a debate about Amistad's methods vs. the methods of the NH public schools. One works, one fails.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 25, 2007 10:37 AM

FairHavenRes
I have to say...very good point. Catholic Schools are disappearing. They offer a solid good old fashion education! Solid moral values. To catholic and non-catholic students. No fluff...no excuses you have no chose but to learn attitude, and to be honest with the way kids acting the way they do now a days a scary old nun is just what they need! I am serious.

Posted by: I'm Just Saying | September 25, 2007 11:31 AM

"On what basis do you make the claim that Amistad "has the luxury of returning students"? Have you looked at the enrollment and transfer data.... If you have stats, perhaps you would be willing to publish the data, then we can all see it for ourselves. BTW, like any New Haven public school, charter schools cannot prevent parents from voluntarily transferring their kids out of the school even against loud protestations by school faculty."

Dear "Fix The Schools"

Not only do I have stats, that are available for anyone who wants them (but don't expect me to do your research for you), but I know personally of situations where Amistad manipulates the process so that kids that they don't want have no choice but to "transfer" back to the public schools.

Further, there is no false distinction begin made between "Charter" and "Public Schools"; there are REAL and CLEAR distinctions. While Charter schools are using PUBLIC monies they are not under the same legal controls, restrictions or policies as Public Schools. The extra freedoms that they enjoy allow them to manipulate people like you into believing that their "success" is merely a result of their superior technique and intelligence. Of course, this is not true.

And they're ability to send students that they don't like or want back to the public schools make them quasi-private schools using public monies to "help" a limited amount of students with a limited amount of issues (social, psychological and academic). They essentially become segregated schools using public funds to educate some and dismiss others - sounds familiar? (Thing pre-Brown v. Board of Ed. 1954)

You can make that argument a shrill of the BOE if you want to, but I KNOW the deal and you should come to learn that truth too.

Posted by: Esbe | September 25, 2007 11:51 AM

Catholic schools are disappearing, in part, because they used to rely on the very low cost labor of nuns and other devoted individuals. But the fact that still-existing Catholic schools provide a decent education at very low cost is another good model to look at. Catholic schools share a large number of effective policies with Amistad (and other Acheivement First schools). But because they are non-sectarian, the Amistad-style schools can be supported by the government.

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | September 25, 2007 3:27 PM

Dear IJS,

If you have a legitimate source on how many kids Amistad "kicks out", please provide it. I am sure that like me, everyone interested in this topic would like to see your proof of forced transfers.

But to get to the heart of the arguement, are you saying that there are NO programmatic differences between Amistad and district run schools which account for the vast difference in results? You really think that Amistad initially receives a representative population of the district through the lottery, but then through a sinister process of manipulation and creaming, the teachers and adminstrators conspire to kick out all the underperforming students, thereby resulting in a population of high achieving students? Is this what you truly believe?

And just what extra freedoms do charters enjoy as a result of law? Every public charter school has to comply with all state education laws - and laws in general! What laws are you talking about? Is there a law that says urban district schools have to stop classes after 3:00? Is there a law that says school leaders can't ensure that the BEST teachers that they can find are put in front of their students? Is there a law that says students and teachers can't work through the summer and on weekends to help close the abominable achievement gap?

The only difference in law that I am aware of is that New Haven's district schools receive $13,000 per student from taxpayers (not even including bonding money for construction)while charter schools receive less than $10,000 per student from taxpayers (and MINIMAL facility funding)

Posted by: Esbe | September 25, 2007 4:24 PM

To: "I'm Just Saying"

So, you have the super-duper, triple-secret data that would convince us all that you are right, it's right at your fingertips, but it would be unfair of you to do our research for us. So, rather than put a little extra effort into educating us all, you prefer that we remain ignorant. That reminds me of something, I can't think what.

Boy, if I had your data, the questions I would ask! What is the % of Amistad/Achievement First kids who transfer back to the public schools (honestly, I want to know!) How does that compare to the % of BOE kids who transfer to "alternative" schools for tough-case kids? To the % of BOE kids who drop out? To the % of BOE kids who "transfer" to prison? If 100 kids start in an Achievement First or KIPP High School in 9th grade, how many graduate 4 years later from that school (and yes, no credit to them for "transfers back to the traditional system") How does that compare to similar rates at Wilbur Cross or Hillhouse?

If Amistad reaches "only" 90% of kids and the BOE reaches 30%, is the only "fair" conclusion that we stick with current BOE methods and contracts? Is the "fair" allocation of state resources that each kid taught by Amistad generates 12k for the BOE and less than 8k for Amistad? Would it be unfair if the numbers were reversed? Is is fair that the mayor spends his time attacking folks who wonder if we could spread the Amistad results more broadly?

Too bad it isn't fair of me to ask!

Posted by: I'm Just Saying | September 25, 2007 9:07 PM

"You really think that Amistad initially receives a representative population of the district through the lottery, but then through a sinister process of manipulation and creaming, the teachers and adminstrators conspire to kick out all the underperforming students, thereby resulting in a population of high achieving students? Is this what you truly believe?

And just what extra freedoms do charters enjoy as a result of law?"

To: Fix The Schools

To your first question qouted above, the answer is simply, "YES!" No further elaboration required.

To your second question the answer is simply "You should know better". Of course the charter schools are set up with certain freedoms that the public schools do not have. Even the casual observer of these issues are aware of this. They are not hampered by some of the union stuff that tend to restrict educational freedom sometime, for example. You SEEM intelligent enough to know AT LEAST that.

There are others, of course, but I suspect that you already know what they are. So I won't waste my time or yours listing them.

And even if you don't know, just know that I know. Nice chatting with you though. Bye now.

Posted by: Wiseman | September 25, 2007 9:17 PM

School choice is the cure for 'elasticity of demand' of education. Unless a child's parents are invested in to getting a quality education for their child then throwing $1.5 billion at the problem is just as good as flushing the money down the toilet. Of course what Amistad does is creating successful students. Some of the students leave probably because the program is demanding. That's their choice.

Placing the Francis Ford Coppola of education in charge of your schools has proven to be falling short of expectations. (Hint Reggie: Higher production cost don't mean you'll be a success at the box office.) Good press and lots of money gives the apparence that things are happening in the city's educational system. They are not. The culture of demoralization of students and staff persists. (It gets worse when you rehire a former employee who has racked up five DCF investigations, suggesting you condone his methods).

House cleaning is in order, and yet the Mayor has sign-up the Superintendent for 3 more years. Much about cutting school construction costs has made it into the press, only after the States Attorney General has started and investigation into the district's methods for making demographic projections. (That mistake may end up costing $100's of millions in taxes and years to remedy. (Can't bluff your way out of this one can you.)) Education Leadership needs to prefixed by 'Responsible' Educational Leadership.

Somehow, I think the troubles are only beginning. I do know that the present leadership of the district has not had the answers the kids need and the parents want. Still much is decided by who you know, and not by what you know. (Knowing something can actually be detrimental inside an organization seeped in political favoritism.)

I went to Parochial schools when I was a kid. Very few of us were ever expelled - and that's a fact. For all the power and budgetary expenditures that go with leading a public school district, We have a right to expect more.

Posted by: cat2000 | September 26, 2007 9:50 AM

Excellent point Lafayette.

Posted by: New Haven Tea Party | September 26, 2007 4:00 PM

Lafayette: Mr. DeStefano's approach is always confrontation. There is not a single issue facing the city that he doesn't go out of his way to demonize critics, or to publicly trash those with alternatives competing with his. ConnCan may change it's message...it will likely fall on the same deaf ears and the reaction will be the same. One has to be able to listen, absord and embrace. I don't see those traits in anybody leading the BOE, City Hall or NH BOA.

Posted by: robn | September 26, 2007 7:40 PM

Non-profit charter schools may do well in the current environment, where they are shooting fish in a barrel, but I fear that they may be a trojan horse...waiting to dissemble public schools and soak up profit from our tax dollars (current so-called conservatives have shown no hesitation to profiteer from civil and military disasters, so my fear isn't without merit). I have no argument with those that want improvement from New Haven schools, but if Charters are the answer, how do we protect the weakest and poorest in our city and guarantee them an education? Is it wrong to be worried about this? Is wanting a smarter, more successful population in New Haven liberal or conservative?

Posted by: I'm Just Saying | September 27, 2007 7:13 AM

ROBN wrote:

"I have no argument with those that want improvement from New Haven schools, but if Charters are the answer, how do we protect the weakest and poorest in our city and guarantee them an education? Is it wrong to be worried about this?"

Now THAT is the statement (and questions) of year! And your concerns are more than warrented. The NOW non-profit Charter schools are looking to disassemble the public schools, pick up the public monies now used to fund the present system and turn the public education system into something that resembles what has happen to the Health Care in this country with the HMO's.

No one should be fooled. If we are not careful and vigilent, ConnCAN can con all of us into believing that they are simply interested in good schools for everyone. They are not. They are interested in good schools for the social and economic elite, while those running the new charter-led system rape the public of the funds which are suppose to be used to educate all of our children.

"No Child Left Behind"? Tell that to the parents of children who cannot sustain the efforts demanded by The Amistad Academy and have been "encouraged", through various tactics, to withdraw from this vaulted citadel of educational superiority and equality.

Thanks for writing ROBN.

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | September 27, 2007 12:55 PM

IJS,

There you go again. "The social and economic elite"?

Amistad serves the most disadvantaged children in our state. Clearly you have never been to Amistad or Elm City College Prep. (it's sister school, located in an old church parish house right behind Conte school). Not only are the school(s) populations made up of a higher percentage of minority students than the average in New Haven, but they also serve a higher percentage of children from low income families. (Not to mention that a couple of years ago Amistad decided to accept Mayor Bloomberg's invitation to open schools in several Brooklyn neighborhoods, all of which make Fair Haven look like Greenwich.)

BTW, the only other public school in New Haven that compares favorably to Amistad/Elm City in terms of CMT results is Worthington Hooker - Now that's a school TRULY for the economic and social elite.

IJS, whaddya say that instead of spouting your brand of dis-information, why not sign up for a visitor day at Amistad (where their policy is to actually INVITE the public in, vs. trying to keep parents out) to see the school and observe classes. That way you can actually see who attends the school. Then come back and let us know how many of the students who you meet are socially and/or economically elite.

As for ConnCAN, it's mission like Amistad's, is to close the achievement gap. Period. Find one piece of evidence or comment in any of their materials that advocates for a strategy of bringing for profit businesses into the education sphere.

At least ROBN asks a reasonable, if naive question: "How do we protect the weakest and the poorest...?" ROBN, newsflash: We aren't protecting them NOW. Never did. Ever.

But finally now we're starting to. After 60 years, we have figured out that every child can learn. Yes, it takes different levels of resources based on the kid's starting point, but that's why schools like Amistad, Elm City, KIPP schools, and yes, St. Martin De Porres were started. Finally, after decades of buying excuses from inept central district bureaucracies and caving into the regressive bargaining positions taken by union leaders, we have schools where kids from poor backgrounds are finally getting the PROTECTION that is supposed to be afforded to them under law. These PUBLIC schools are stepping in to do the job that the central district leadership should strive to do but doesn't do for political reasons.

No Child Left Behind? Tell that to the hundreds of New Haven parents who each year put their kids names in the school choice lottery in the hopes that they are picked to attend Amistad or Elm City, and then draw a low number and end up on the outside looking in. You think it's fair that New Haven parents should have to win a damned lottery to get a decent education for their kid?

Just a reminder IJS, still waiting for that forced transfer info. you said you had.

FTS

Posted by: I'm Just Saying | September 28, 2007 12:11 AM

Fix The Schools:

It's obvious that you're a mouthpiece for ConnCAN, and you've articulated their arguments well. Unfortunately, they are bad arguments.

While it might be argued that Amistad serves a certain minority population, that does NOT mean that that population is inherently disadvantaged socially and economically. I guess it says something about your racist perceptions and understanding of Af-Am and other minorities to automatically assume that they are.

Visiting Amistad and seeing a number of Black or Hispanic kids there will NOT serve as proof to an intelligent person that they are educating a population that the public school system has failed. And it does not automatically convince, again, an intelligent person that those students are the "same students" who have socially and academic disadvantages in the public schools.

You should further consider that your tangents to the positions I raised do not serve as appropriate rejoinders. I did not say that Amistad and other charter schools only serves the elite NOW. But I do contend that if they are allowed to deconstruct the public school system and replace it with their system they will be in a position to rape the schools of excellent students and financial resources that will go to those who are most capable of "working the system" and leave out (read: BEHIND) those who cannot. They have shown a tendency to do this by how they are dealing with the limited students and resources they control now.

Lastly, (tonight), I have already said that I'm not here to do your research for you. So you can keep asking if you want to, but the information I have, I HAVE, and it informs my perspective. What, besides the half-truths you've spouted on this forum, inform your's?

Posted by: Ned | October 10, 2007 8:49 AM

The only thing worse than children are their parents!