New Haven Independent

Differentiating a program’s actual effect from apparent “selection” effects (e.g., the impact of a school versus the role of motivated parents and students) — and analyzing longitudinal data such as about performance of students and graduates over time — can be difficult. Partial data exist in the form of test scores and dropout rates, but review of individual students’ growth over a period of years is still evolving, both as a diagnostic tool and as a means of reward or sanction. Standardized tests are one, but not the only, valuable measure of growth. The Independent’s commentators raised provocative questions about what constitutes a fair comparison and how various schools ought to be judged, depending on their budgets, policies, and other constraints.

The rhetoric of a few critics was extreme. One skeptic of charter schools claimed their defenders “are interested in good schools for the social and economic elite, while those running the new charter-led system rape the public… ” It’s possible to support public schools without inflammatory caricatures of the competition.

In the same spirit of fairness, anonymous agitators against the public schools shouldn’t get away with broad attacks on its people. One statement, that for unionized teachers under contract, “the kids are secondary and disposable,” was egregiously cynical. This corrosive slander should be answered.

New Haven teachers deserve respect. They have a demanding and crucially important job, which nearly all pursue with motives that include deep commitment to young people’s learning. Most devote considerably more hours than they clock in the classroom. They are assigned to teach all students, including the fraction who may often disrupt everyone else. Many seek out extra preparation. For example, more than 200 current New Haven teachers have successfully completed the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute at least once. This requires participation in a months-long seminar, and the research and writing of a curriculum unit for students. Nationally, there are efforts to place more of each district’s most proven, experienced teachers in schools with the greatest needs. In New Haven’s system of over a thousand educators, the majority are dedicated, skilled professionals who warrant encouragement, not glib aspersions against their character.

Every year New Haven seeks additional well-qualified teachers, especially in areas such as math and science. Let’s attract, develop and retain these colleagues. We all can be ambassadors in this — and for the cause of improving the foundational skill of reading, among people of all ages.

The Independent’s series on parents’ involvement in education is welcome. Everyone, parents or not, can reinforce the high expectations our community should have for ourselves and our educators, as well as for students.

Accountability for tax dollars is a universal concern. Achievement gaps are, too — urgency is the right word with kids’ futures at stake. New Haven students on average have both significant needs and immense potential.

An underlying dynamic has roots among education pioneers from John Adams to Horace Mann to New Haven’s own Constance Baker Motley, who worked on cases including Brown v. Board of Education. To what extent should we be concerned with individual students and schools, versus a system of schools and their students? Ultimately, every child can learn, and we are all responsible for creating that opportunity. While schools, families and students themselves are the prime actors, there are ways — in addition to paying our taxes and monitoring results — that the broader public can help.

There are abundant avenues to volunteer as a tutor or mentor. The New Haven Public School Foundation — as well as community-based non-profits addressing priorities from early childhood and literacy to youth development — would invite more volunteers and other support. Businesses can join the Youth@Work program, providing work experience and aspirations to teens. The New Haven Reads Book Bank offers free books to students, teachers and families; you can donate books they can use.

“Be nice” is not a prescription for the hard decisions and compromises of governance. There will be struggles for resources. Toughness and friction are to be anticipated.

But attitude matters. The tactic of blame and shame has limitations. Civility and open minds are part of the formula for further progress.

Running down our teachers is no way to build up our students. Let’s work — and learn — together.

Josiah H. Brown (who’s pictured at the top of this story) lives in New Haven with his wife and two-year-old daughter. He is associate director of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute and a volunteer with organizations including the Greater New Haven Literacy Coalition, whose events were featured in the following New Haven Independent articles:
Their Second Chance Starts With Reading
A Day For Literacy.
Curriculum units that New Haven teachers have written as Institute Fellows — working as colleagues with members of the Yale faculty in the humanities and the sciences — are freely available here.