New Haven Independent

Posted by: unprotected | February 24, 2009 8:13 AM

does this mean he will close schools not meeting the state mandates on educational testing or what he deems to be a failing school??

Posted by: Harry | February 24, 2009 8:25 AM

This mayor is cool

Posted by: Kells | February 24, 2009 10:02 AM

He has got to go!!!! He's been in office way too long. I hope that the people of New Haven are smart enough to get him out!! There should be a limit on how long a Mayor can stay in office because this is ridiculous!!!! If he wins it won't be from my vote!!

Posted by: visitor | February 24, 2009 12:12 PM

To Kells,
While I am not saying the Mayor is perfect and that there are not problems that need addressing (foreclosure on houses by the WPCA, the way the federal highway system has cut us off from some beautiful portions of our shoreline, the schools) the fact that New Haven is a much better place now than 15 years ago cannot be denied. From the neighborhoods to downtown....do you want him to "go" only because he's been Mayor for a long time?

Posted by: Da Hill | February 24, 2009 1:01 PM

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely...

The accomplishments of yesterday are no excuse for what is not being done today.

It is time for the Mayor to Move On!

Posted by: MSM | February 24, 2009 6:17 PM

The suggestion that DeStefano is a "reform" candidate is disingenuous at best. He has had over a decade to enact change. No systemic reforms will be made until there are changes in leadership at City Hall and Meadow St. (BOE).

The 10th Ward saw upsets in both its last Alderman's race and its race for Democratic Committee Co-Chair. Both of these victories were the result of grassroots efforts in which candidates personally reached out to their constituencies. Ward 10 realized it was time for change.

New Haven needs a change candidate. I for one would like to have a forum in which to discuss possible contenders. I have not seen any names. It's not enough to say, "Anyone but DeStefano!" We need a candidate to get behind, and sooner rather than later. Who would you like to see emerge as our city's next mayor?

Posted by: City Hall Watch | February 24, 2009 6:50 PM

One has to admire Mayor DeStefano - he's as phony as a three dollar bill, but he sure makes it sound good. He almost makes his ideas sound original, which of course, are not.

Posted by: fac Chek | February 24, 2009 6:59 PM

"Now that he has rebuilt most of the city's school buildings, DeStefano announced he'll raise the standards for what goes on inside them -- and shut down the schools where those standards are not met".

A facCek correction is demanded as a result of this mis-leading claim.

NOW THAT THE STATE OF CT HAS REBUILT MOST OF THE CITY"S SCHOOLS.... is the more correct claim.

The state of Connecticut has paid up to 90% of the cost for the rebuild of New Haven's schools.
Destefano has contributed a debt to New Haven for education to the tune of well over 308MM. He makes no reference to this Fac.

The Mayor, after 16 years in office turns his attention to the poor performing schools.

Historically, the Mayor has said in his campaign announcements that the city's schools were performing.. "BETTER THAN OTHER CITIES and that New Haven was graduating 90% of it's seniors".

Now as it appears that an educator.. Bill Dyson.. may challenge him... he changes the focus to improving education, while only now admitting that Charter schools are the New standard.

The Mayor said this....

"We have an emerging consensus about reexamining what the role of the Board [of Education] is, the role of school management, how do you give school management the tools to be held accountable for the schools, and to create consequences for the schools that fail."
The mayor said he plans to start rolling out reforms in the spring. REALLY.

At the same time the Mayor announced:

"plans to make the Street Outreach Workers program permanent by moving it into the general fund budget.

On what basis?
Are we to assume that a critical program analysis has been completed, and as a result, this program has proven to be a success. At doing What?
How do we measure success for this program?

The rate of shootings and
fatal shootings is increasing....
The overall crime rate is increasing, according to your own last finding, announced by the Chief.

Teenage job development is a failure, particularly if you do not count the summer job program.

So, please explain to us Mayor your justification for the continuation of this program from Special contributory funds to the general fund which you say is now in a 25MM deficit?? REALLY,

Show me...

Posted by: Anthony McCormack | February 24, 2009 7:31 PM

Is there something I'm not getting here?

If you want to improve education I think the best place to start is quality teachers. Next is the tools of their trade. Good text books, writing tablets, pencils, informational videos, computers. The list is endless. These have been overlooked and cut in the city budget for years.

We tax payers have gone in to deep debt to build new schools. I know that the state pays most of their cost, but why overspend?

Now we know that pretty buildings are not working. So we close them down after mortgaging ourselves to our last penny.

Can an expert in education please tell me what is going on? Am I mad? Is John DeStefano mad? It's crazy closing schools that are a few years old. They will be useless when they are stripped of their copper pipes.

Posted by: The Spanish Inquisition | February 24, 2009 7:53 PM

Can we please know how big a pay hike Johnny boy will ask the Board of Alderman in January 2010? Even Yale is making there staff take a 10% cut. Johnny Boy got 14% minus 3%. 11% increase when everyone else gets a decrease. Hes now 21% better off than ebveryone in New Haven. Tell you're children to go in to politics.

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | February 24, 2009 10:22 PM

For years this poster has been critical of the mayor's inaction in addressing the problems plaguing our public education system.

We have a strong mayoral system in New Haven. Mayor DeStefano calls the shots on schools. The buck stops with him. So I could never understand why a man with a reputation for keen intellect, who is a policy wonk, and who had developed over the years into a shrewd politician, was so blind on the problems with his schools. I didn't get why he didn't get it.

But now, believe it or not - I think he gets it.

Not only does the Mayor recognize what the city's students can accomplish if given the opportunity, but he also may now see that closing the achievement gap will be a boon for our city economically and socially.

If he is serious about education reform, and I suspect he now is, we are on the precipice of one of the most exciting and promising periods in our city's history. And if he can pull it off (and it won't be easy - he and Dr. Mayo will need lots of help), he will have accomplished something no other mayor of a city our size has ever been able to accomplish. Good luck Mayor, - and congratulations.

Posted by: bobob | February 25, 2009 8:43 AM

so the mighty mayor wants to close schools that don't meet the standards.. why not have the board of ed. find out why the shools do not meet standards and help the problem..not shut down schools ..the city has 2 faces in city hall and talks with a forked tongue...
why not have a tech school in new haven you want to close a school ..make it a tech. were the kids will learn a trade..mechanics are in great demand cars like the hybrds need special trained mechanics eveything today is tech....nurses..pysical therapist.etc,,a tech scool in new haven would work..maybe more kids will stay in school....

Posted by: Donna | February 25, 2009 9:15 AM

I can't wait for the New Haven Public School System to be fixed as my kids are school-aged now. We have been paying for parochial school education because public school is not an acceptable choice. How about opening up that free college tuition program to all New Haven Residents not just public school children. Educating our children elsewhere has allowed more resources to be allocated to public school children.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | February 25, 2009 10:36 AM

Fix The Schools:

I have been a fan of your posts for quite some time. But don't guzzle DeStefano's water too quickly. It can be intoxicating and when you wake up, you'll have nothing but a headache. This is an election year and the sustained frustration, anger and public outcry over skyrocketing taxes, poorly performing schools and the BOE's annual satisfaction with low expectations has lead the mayor to an abrupt foxhole conversion. When the bullets quit flying, it's amazing how fast the old sinful habits return.

Posted by: I wonder | February 25, 2009 12:14 PM

While I applaud the talk I can't help but wonder if our Mayor's new found school-quality initiatives are in preparation for a Dyson run (as an earlier poster stated.)

I also wonder if his new found acceptance of charter schools have anything to do with President Obama's promise to fund them better and hold public schools accountable. Is he now seeing a chance to get some of that money?

As for the poster who suggests a vo-tech high school. I agree. Gateway CC is about to launch a wonderfully exciting program (I think I read a press release about it somewhere) that will do just that for folks who graduate from high school. Combine that with Gov Rell's sure to fail proposal about technical training between high school and college (forget what she called it) and we might actually get people graduating with a skill that can get them a job doing what they studied.

Posted by: East Rockette | February 25, 2009 1:44 PM

Naturally, the Mayor will also be marking National Recess Week (March 2-6) by announcing the return of full daily recess to all New Haven public schools, in light of the latest research and decades worth of common sense.

Won't he?

Posted by: MSM | February 25, 2009 4:20 PM

Is there no one out there who would like to see New Haven with a new mayor before DeStefano's projected voluntary retirement date of 2014 (may be just a rumor)? Do you think he joking when he tells a teenager he will keep the seat warm for him?

We need someone with twenty-first century ideas, not reactionary policies and "business as usual."

Mike Bloomberg has successfully elongated term limits in NYC, but he only takes $1.00 a year from his city. People down there may not agree with him but there is no question that he has made efforts to truly transform public education. He dismantled the BOE and replaced the ineffective Superintendent of Schools with someone willing and able to enforce his agenda. He has an agenda and a rather transparent one at that.

FIX THE SCHOOLS, do you really think the current administration has the desire, let alone the know how, to effect change?

And what is this? "I cant wait for the New Haven Public School System to be fixed...." Before you can treat the patient you have to identify the problem.

I, for one, have yet to hear how this is going to come about. Closing schools and playing musical chairs with administrators is not going to close the achievement gap. One way to fix the schools is to send your children to them and get involved. Certainly teachers and administrators should be accountable but so should we as parents and as citizens.

To paraphrase the former Poet Laureate of New Jersey Amiri Baraka, "Who? Who? Who?... Like an owl exploding..." Who can lead our city into the future? Who will be the bearer of real CHANGE rather than keeping us stuck in the mire of mediocrity and of finger-pointing and of business as usual politics? Who? Who? Who?

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | February 25, 2009 5:02 PM

CHW,

I hear you and understand your scepticsm.

Time will tell, but I think he is really committed. Better late than never I always say.

Best thing we can do is to take him at his word(s), and offer our help to push forward into this
very exciting unexplored territory.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | February 25, 2009 6:06 PM

When it comes to education, those of us in the hood would like to see a few things happen:

1. Emphasize the significance of great teachers!

2. Use assessments that have high expectations that we all can understand--not just CMTs.

3. Clearly explain the achievement gap problem. It begins long before kids even start school..but show how schools must work to address it.

4. Show some kind of vertical growth in student learning where kids who start school already far behind can and are making progress (with intense intervention) but maybe not enough to show up on CMTs --until later grades.

5. Have a courageous conversation about some of our neighborhood schools which, -- for whatever reasons -- are going to have high numbers of students who are entering school way way behind.

6. Pay reasonable bonuses or give some type of reward for teachers who are making progress with student learning. Fire those who are not! Same for principals!

7. Find creative ways to engage parents and community. We shouldn't have to do that... but that's our reality in the hood.. Maybe use local block watch organizations and Management teams, to help reach disconnected parents. Too many parents are not connected to their childrens' learning. That's probably a political campaign all by itself.

Posted by: Tom Burns | February 25, 2009 11:53 PM

Fix the schools ---I wish Charter Schools were the answer---I am glad a group of children get to attend Amistad--but here's the difference for all those of you who have asked in the past:
Apples and Oranges
At Amistad/Conncan/Fix the Schools----
Parental Involvemnet is a must
They have a static student population
Due to parent involvement attendance is better
Due to Parent involvement - less behavior issues
Lottery Selection--kid doesn't work out--parent puts them back in public school
No new students allowed in High School unless they attended Amistad
Staff/Admin get to set own academic agenda--sans the state dictums

NHPS
Parental involvement is a wish
Transient/ever changing population
Huge truancy issues in spite of a great truancy program(parent not involved)
Many behavior issues(parent not involved)
We take all comers--while there schoolis closed to newcomers during the year(if a student is a problem we have to keep them)
State gives us many directives that are not conducive to learning but we have to follow

I would love to have the NHPS measured against any competitors on an EVEN playing field---the socio-economic situation of our families is the biggest variable---student attendance is another huge variable--you can't teach someone who doesn't show up---

I wish these charter schools really stood for what they say they do --and maybe some do---but my guess is that they are just another way for people to form a business so that they can make money---isn't big business the reason our economy is the way it is today---the last thing we need to do is allow greedy private individuals to take over our schools---Please hear me----

Parents out there---we need you---you are the primary educator in your childs life---please support us as the parents do at the private, catholic and charter schools. I promise you, we are better prepared to serve your child to enable him/her to reach their highest potential than these private entities. Haven't we had enough of these business people---

Together we can all succeed if we stop putting each other down----Tom Burns

Posted by: vatar Simpson | February 26, 2009 7:16 AM

OMG! I can only hope that Fix the Schools isn't the "Fix" the mayor is seeking to make change in the schools. FIX is not a fix -- s/he's a union busting, privatiztion of public education. The schools need a new direction, but FIX is not it.

Posted by: Former teacher | February 26, 2009 7:36 AM

The problem with the New Haven schools is that they have been for many years a cesspool of nepotism and political patronage. Positions are often awarded on the basis of family, political,and church connections. If you want to find out what really has been going on survey those very dedicated and talented former New Haven teachers who never could get promotions into the ranks of administration because they were not considered to be 'the right fit' This has been the 'dirty little secret' for some time now. School positions have been awarded in order to secure campaign donations and community support for the De Stefano political machine. The local media as well as Yale has not dealt with this scandal as they should have -has there been a convenient cover up?

Posted by: O Brother | February 26, 2009 11:51 AM

Who's seen "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Pappy O'Daniel wasn't the reform candidate because he was the incumbent. This reminds me of the scene where one of his advisors say, "Pappy, we should get ourselves some of that reform!" I think Pappy called him an "ignorant cracker."

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | February 26, 2009 2:23 PM

Hood Rebel: After reading your post, I can only attribute our disagreements in the past to an inability on my part to listen and/or communicate effectively. You are right on the mark with every single point you make.

Then there's Tom Burns.

Tom, I have re-read your post several times and I must congratulate you. I don't know how you did it, but there isn't a single sentence which does not contain an outright fabrication.

Parents: Read Tom's post carefully. He is essentially blaming the schools' failure to produce results on parents. No responsibility on the adults who are hired by taxpayers to provide quality education. Just on parents. If only parents didn't move their residence, if only parents controlled our kids behavior, if only the parents would make their kids show up for school.

Tom, the problem is that we need a school system which meets children where they are, not where you would like them to be. I think the mayor realizes this.

(What is this, the Twilight Zone? I'm the only poster coming down on the side of the Mayor!!!)

Posted by: RichTherrn | February 26, 2009 2:52 PM

As we prepare for state testing next week, it is heartening to have so many citizens and interested parties care so much about the schools and public education, including the mayor. His public statements in the last few weeks have mirrored the essential components of the New Haven District Improvement Plan approved last fall, with measurable, reasonable student achievement goals, and targeted strategies around teacher and administrator quality, use of data in continuous improvement, instructional time, and literacy intervention.
Having come from another district, as many of my colleagues have, I reject those who think that any school or district leaders are working for any sort of political gain. Our first and only priority is to improve the lives of all the students and effect this "exponential change". We welcome your support.
-Richard Therrien
-NHPS Science Supervisor

Posted by: eyeswideopen | February 26, 2009 3:14 PM

Does anyone besides me see this politician for the coward that he really is? Let's be clear on a few things Mr. DeStefano, you were going to eliminate state jobs (mainly teachers) before your campaign on school reform. You now have a neat little slogan to hide your real intention so now people won't say DeStefano took away valuable educators in a city that needs them the most. Instead he is hoping to snow us all by making us believe he really is for school reform. Hey Destefano what happened to the rest of the schools that were supposed to be built in New Haven. What happened to the money for the construction project? Instead a halt was put on all future construction projects and any building that had begun erecting steel would be finished and the others would be forgotten. Lets not think about the money that went into planning these projects. Lets not think about how many time's you have changed New Haven's curriculum for something with new bell's and whistles. Let's teach this new curriculum....wait let's try this one this year... HOW ABOUT TEACHING THE BASICS, READING, WRITING,MATH SO OUR CHILDREN CAN SUCCED AND PASS CMT'S. Changing the curriculum every year is harming our children they have no consistency. It also hinder's your teachers how can they teach something that keeps changing. How can they get a grasp on how to best teach a concept when you and the superintendent keep changing it. Now you have decided to write your own curriculum. How much did that cost? Instead of closing down failing schools how about using our tax money for books that our children can bring home instead of endless worksheets. How can you expect children to succeed if you have no faith that they can care for a school book. They can't even bring it home. Instead they must save every worksheet given out to keep track of their progress. How can their parent's help them without a book to show how lesson's were taught? Let's not think about how you have your schools teaching to the CMT test for an entire month before the test comes out. Yes Mr. DeStefano let's think about your new platform "School Reform" and how you with your superhero cape will swoop in and close all the schools that are failing. Yes, let's do that instead of fixing the problem. Let's spend more money on new programs and new curriculum's instead of teaching basic skills. Let's dump money into magnet schools with cool slogans instead of making sure all schools challenge all learners. You are a true politician Mr. DeStefano, you don't really want to change anything, that would requires true leadership. You would just rather look at test scores and close schools. Question: Where are you going to put all the children in the schools you close? Let me guess in other already overcrowded schools. Please do the taxpayers a favor, stick with ONE curriculum that way you can keep track of your good teachers and replace the one's that need replacing. Your version of school reform promises to get rid of good and bad teachers at the expense of our children's education. You were going to cut jobs anyway, now you have a cool slogan to hide behind. Congratulations anybody who doesn't do their research will probably reelect you and your bogus school reform platform.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | February 26, 2009 4:08 PM

Tom Burns,

You are just not convincing!

First, prove that during the 6hours in which students spend learning in schools they are consistently exposed to high quality education by a highly EFFECTIVE Teacher, not just a highly qualified teacher.

Every sorry teacher a child comes in contact with sets the student back 2-years or more.

Urban schools are going to become even more complex. If teachers don't have what it takes to ensure high quality instruction and principals don't have what it takes to lead by driving great instruction...now, is a good time to quit!

Posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS | February 26, 2009 4:26 PM

I won't answer for the mayor, but there have been lots of comments/questions about "closing failed schools"

What does it mean to "close a failing school"?

Unless the building is decrepit and in disrepair, closing a failing school does not mean literally that the building would be shuttered and demolished.

Schools which would be closed are those schools which have had a long and chronic track record of failing to teach children the skills they need to be successful in later grades. Schools fail due to lack of leadership at all levels and as a result they have not been able to turn the dial up on school performance. In most cases, due to the inability to successfully educate its students, the school culture falls into an almost irreversible tailspin. Failing schools are detrimental to a child's development and can be even dangerous due to the growth of a negative culture in the building.

Instead of betting the ranch on a turnaround, which is amazingly difficult to execute, an increasing number of superintendants are deciding break up the failing school by re-assigning the student population to either a neighboring school with a better culture of success, or in some cases allow a new school to re-open and absorb some of the population. The staff at the closed schools is typically re-assigned, and hopefully re-evaluated for competency.

The whole idea is that a bad school does great harm to children, and that almost any option is better than leaving children in an environment that is failing and potentially dangerous.

If and when schools are closed in New Haven, all children will be given alternatives which are far better than the school from which they are coming.

For those of you who are interested to learn more, the Hartford Public schools have begun to close failing schools and re-assign children to other schools. And last years CMT scores showed that Hartford had the most growth of any urban school district in the state after only one year of Dr. Adamowski at the helm.

Similarly, Chancellor Klein in New York and former Supt. Duncan in Chicago (just newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Education)have had success in "reconstituting" schools and breaking up concentrated locations of failure.

The ultimate winners in all of this are the kids.

Posted by: Not any more | February 26, 2009 5:17 PM

Tom Burns,

I used to be a fan of yours when you were part of the effort to remake the teachers union via election into a more effective group committed to educating children while standing up for younger teachers, and making the district commit to quality professional development.

You recall that, where after it was found by the national union that there was cheating, there was to be a new election. (Tom's side lost the union election, and almost certainly there was ballot stuffing which caused that loss. Tom was running for vice-president of the union.)

It was likely that your team would have won that re-vote but then you chose to blow up your team. You decided that instead of running for VP, you wanted to be the President of the Union.

That in turn led to your side imploding. Do you want to remind us why it was that you believed you were more likely to win than your running mate?

Ever since then I had basically forgotten about you until you showed up making comments here. And your comments reminded me of your past actions. Because in both cases, when other people were willing to work hard together to make improvements in the schools, you looked for a way to tear them down.

Teachable moment: don't put down others who are trying to make change.

Posted by: Tom Burns | February 26, 2009 6:36 PM

Hood Rebel--you are right on in all your posts---keep on keeping on----I totally agree with you on how a poor teacher can set a child back---We have 1810 teachers and I wish they were all excellent but I have a feeling that not every surgeon is excellent either. (I hope I pick the right one for my operation) And our Public Schools do weed out the weak- more than you know- Im sure every occupation has a variety of people of different ability--Isn't it unrealistic to think they would all be excellent----I put no blame on anyone in particular, especially all the great parents I work with---but theres enough blame to go around for everyone----Stop the blame game and lets get on with doing whats best for our children--And Fix all those facts I stated were from a phone call I made to Amistad to ask about their policies---these are the things that they told me---Give them a call and let me know what they tell you----Tom

Posted by: Bill Saunders | February 26, 2009 8:43 PM

Rather than striving towards unattainable rhetoric like exponential progress, I'd be happy with a managerial commitment to positive, incremental achievement that is statistically Significant.

It all starts with a good measurement system.

Posted by: RichTherrn | February 26, 2009 10:25 PM

Bill, I feel like I am repeating... that's exactly what the district and school improvement plans have (such as closing the achievement gap by 10% a year, etc..)... but the point is that the expectation is not just that the average goes up, that all school improve and that is reflected in their plan.
If they don't... that's when this idea of "closing" failing schools comes in.. which by the way HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE in New Haven, both through the reorganizations, staff replacements, and new curriculum that FIX mentions.
King/Robinson (a merger of two other schools) that then reorganized/restaffed and then went to an IB curriculum is an example... and has shown great improvement. (there are others as well)
And I would venture to say that students in New Haven have had a wide choice of inter/intra district magnets (which includes the charters) and restructured schools long before our good friends in Hartford made it fashionable
I'm unclear what EYE is talking about with changing curriculum, but doesn't mention science.. which has been fairly set since 2006. Just coming home from a session with a PTA and told them: "best way to help students in science... talk with them about it!"
-Richard Therrien
-NHPS Science Supervisor

Posted by: Bill Saunders | February 27, 2009 4:03 AM

Rich,

Believe me, I am on your side. I guess my point is commitment to goal is one thing , but a change of goal doesn't necessarily mean a change in commitment.

One of the greatest faux pas' of the BOE has been praising cherry picked data from school's that marginally perform above the expectation (year after year). This IS success in the New Haven School system.

New measurements that work aren't necessarily about test scores. With the current outlook, all school data seems to be equally important on a cover-your-ass basis. We are talking about an extremely diverse population of students, and for comprehensive growth to occur, imo, it will require some major management restructuring.

For starters, if we can have a management team that is brave enough to accept responsibility upon getting unfavorable yearly reports, we'll be an incremental step in the right direction.