New Haven Independent

posted by: mitchel on July 12, 2011  12:59pm

Seriously, why is Mayo still superintendant?

posted by: Cedarhillresident on July 12, 2011  1:32pm

one thing we have learned over all these year is student shifting is all part of the game..weather it is to make it appare a school has enough student for state and fed funds or to make it look like reform is working at election time….hmmm or I could be wrong.

posted by: Noteworthy on July 12, 2011  1:35pm

My disgust for the manipulation of these numbers cannot be truly represented here. It would not pass the censors. But let me be very clear in a watered down version.

1. Peggy Moore had nothing to do with rising test scores. Zero. Zip. Zilch. One year does not a trend make and this whole concept perpetuated by a Reggie Mayo that she did, is nothing short of fraud. It is patently untrue. The real question is why does Mayo go to such lengths to defend her? Why not just be honest about it? Why needlessly prostitute the results?

2. Any ninny knows that if you dump the low performers in large enough quantity, you will raise test scores because you are culling out the eduational problems. Downsizing Cross by eliminating alternative education curriculum may be the right thing to do but it is a major reason why test scores rose. When 50% fewer kids are taking the test, the ones who are will tend to be better students. If there is any doubt about that, look at George W. Bush’s eduation secretary who claimed a Houston miracle in test scores. It was later revealed that he dumped poor performers, language challenged and special ed students. Maybe that’s where Harries and Mayo decided to cook up the same scheme.

3. Last year, in private communications with the BOE, I raised this very question re: number of kids taking the tests and the fact that those numbers were dropping at an alarming rate. My question then was that an indice of a greater eduational failure than what we were told? The BOE refused to answer my questions.

4. Now at last, the story comes full circle and what we are told by the top education administrator is that 6 minus 3 is actually 9. That dumping poor performers is the way to make test scores look good; and while that is going on, use it to give “atta girl” awards to the neophyte principal with a spotty record and little support for the top performers in her own school.  Bet she loves them now. I don’t buy it. Never have.

5. Why is New Haven near bankruptcy? Why are our schools chronically and pathetically under-performing the rest of the state and any reasonable expectation of excellence for all the money we dump into it is never attained?  Why are we plagued by drugs and violence that has a dead body laying in the street every other week? It’s because those in power, people like Reggie Mayo and John DeStefano consistently and habitually refuse to be truthful about these matters. Why? For power and privilege, for politics and re-elections.

We need new leadership across the board - at the BOA, the BOE and the mayor’s office. They should take a lesson from the Japanese. If they don’t resign voluntarily and ask for forgiveness of a generation of failure, they should be thrown out on their collective arses.

posted by: streever on July 12, 2011  1:46pm

Why on earth does Cross have so many principals at over 100k a year base compensation (what, 180-200k in benefits?) if they have less students taking the CAPT than Hillhouse?

Harries, you’re a good guy. Don’t push snake oil. If we assume that the 160 students over two grades were distributed evenly (which is probably the most fair assumption until corrected), we are left with 120 students who did not take the CAPT.

What happened?

Then we get Mayo saying we should all praise Moore, who is rarely at her office for a full day of work, who has instituted crack-downs in a petty and tyrannical manner?

What a joke.

Great in-depth coverage by the NHI—thank you!

posted by: Threefifths on July 12, 2011  2:19pm

Charter Schools
Though their results weren’t included in the district’s announcement, the city’s public charter high schools also take the tests.

Maybe they score High,Because some of the charter schools do this.

Message From a Charter School: Thrive or Transfer

By MICHAEL WINERIP
Published: July 10, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/nyregion/charter-school-sends-message-thrive-or-transfer.html?_r=1&hpw;

posted by: another cross teacher on July 12, 2011  2:52pm

While the reduction in the number of students at Cross is a positive step, the CAPT participation level at Cross declined considerably in 2011. The percentage decreases in participation in all areas are roughly equivalent to the corresponding amount of increase in students attaining proficiency. The data below tell a much more accurate picture. These numbers are from the state website and show the number of students who reached proficiency divided by the number of students who were supposed to take the test.

Math   2010   163/449   36.3%
      2011   97/251   38.6%

Science 2010   174/449   38.8%
      2011   98/251   39.0%

Reading 2010   186/449   41.4%
      2011   100/251   39.8%

Writing 2010   225/449   50.1%
      2011   133/251   53.0%

These results show slight improvement. But given the overall decrease in the number of test takers, it seems that a larger improvement might have been expected.

posted by: RichTherrn on July 12, 2011  3:07pm

@ Noteworthy..
http://nhps.net/node/2357
The press release from Dr. Mayo made explicit mention of the hard work of the teachers.. All administrators/building and central office recognize that it is the instruction of the teachers (both in 9th and 10th grade for CAPT, by the way), that matters.
NHI is choosing to continue to focus on a different issue, but we know the hard work of the CT Scholars, Cross, Metro, Coop, Sound, Hillhouse, etc… educators, as well as their K-8 preparation, and parental involvement, is what makes the difference.
-Richard Therrien
-NHPS Science Supervisor

posted by: in the know on July 12, 2011  3:18pm

if you really want to know what goes on in these schools…talk to the ones that work there.  Do not speak to the ones that are administrators.  Administrators are afraid of their careers.  When you work with spiteful people you have to worry about your job and feeding your family not what is RIGHT.

posted by: It's a problem of leadership on July 12, 2011  3:31pm

I thank the NHI for doing a much more thorough job of reporting than did the Register, which didn’t look at all critically at Dr. Mayo’s presentation.  I’ll limit my discussion here to comments about Cross.

1. If Dr. Mayo considers the gains at Cross to be “extraordinary,” he has far too low a standard, that is, unless the status quo is acceptable.  The percentage of students who are supposed to meet proficiency this year is about 90%.  There is nothing extraordinary about the improvement at Cross.  At best, it is slightly less awful than it was last year, but it is still awful.

2. Whatever gains there have been have nothing to do with Peggy Moore, who has done nothing to provide instructional leadership at Cross.  Dr. Mayo is trying to find any leverage at all to justify his leaving Mrs. Moore in the principal’s slot at WCHS, and so he will try anything to make her look good.  Dr. Mayo, people who teach and learn at Cross know better.  Don’t play them for fools.

3. Has anyone looked at the state website to review the student participation rates on CAPT?  Compare the rate of students taking CAPT this year to the rate of students taking it last year, when Rose Coggins was principal.  The percentage of Cross students taking it this year is disgracefully lower, but Dr. Mayo didn’t bother to mention that. 

The law expects 95% of students to take the state test.  How did Cross do? 

The participation rate on the math test was 66.5% under Mrs. Moore, compared to 79.5% when Mrs. Coggins was principal.

The participation rate on the science test was 75.7% under Mrs. Moore, compared to 87.1% under Mrs. Coggins.

The participation rate on the reading test was 68.5% under Mrs. Moore, compared to 79.5% under Mrs. Coggins.

The participation rate on the writing test was 76.1% under Mrs. Moore, compared to 82.9% under Mrs. Coggins.

This begs the question:  Did the school administration try very hard to get all students to take the CAPT, or did they not bother to prod those students who wouldn’t do that well anyway?

posted by: Limited Life on July 12, 2011  4:43pm

Another glorious achievement for Mayor DeStefano. He’s brought transparency to how easy it is to make bad numbers look brilliant.
DeStefano is wonderful. DeStefano for Mayor till 2016. Err, how many more terms is that?

posted by: Cookie Monster on July 12, 2011  4:52pm

This theory doesn’t quite add up. If Cross were exporting failing students to other schools, wouldn’t you expect the scores at the other schools to drop? But this story reports that scores went up nearly across the board.

Why is it so hard to believe that we would see positive results after a year of major reforms in the schools?  Can we have a little more faith in our students and teachers, and yes, administrators?

posted by: LOL on July 12, 2011  6:24pm

Scores almost always go up whenever a new initiative is implemented, for it’s a novelty.  However, when the initiative is not properly focused and implemented by leadership, scores eventually balance and even decline.  This is exactly what happened when Mayo’s “Five Bold Goals” were introduced in the early 2000s.  Those “Five Bold Goals” are no longer around. Case in point.

Also, the scores at Cross represent microscopic progress.  I’ve personally seen teachers run out of buildings, after only one year, despite boasting more student progress than Moore has at Cross. Mayo, Harries and Co. have a spin for everything.  They will use a 7 percent score increase to defend somebody (in this case, Mayo’s handpicked choice of Moore) then use the 7 percent increase as grounds to place teachers on plans of improvement, noting the gain isn’t enough.

The same is happening at Celentano, where an inexperienced, unprofessional principal will be touted for minimal increase in scores despite two straight poor school climate surveys and embarrassingly poor parental involvement.

Anybody can come into a building and rule with an iron fist and get some immediate results through intimidation and harrassment to ensure teachers are teaching to the test.  But that’ll only get a leader so far.  Eventually, talent leaves, parents become angry and students move in and out.  Certainly no way to build a nurturing, productive, community learning environment that would lead to long-term success.

Such is the case at Celentano.

It’s all a farce.  And thanks to NHI for having the journalistic integrity to dig deep beyond the “showpiece”.

posted by: RichTherrn on July 12, 2011  7:03pm

to the cross teachers posting:
I’m not sure you are making your case. If you taught in the building, then you know that the teaching matters. And that impacts participation, attendance, etc..

Re the specific focus on Cross participation rates…
As explained, because different buildings (Riverside, Scholars, New Horizons, Dixwell, McCabe, etc..) have/are included in the state count of Cross & Hillhouse scores, we will have to take a closer look for last year and this year to tease out the true participation rate per building, which may take a few days.

Take credit for the job you have done well, but also take some responsibility: if you think the participation rate is low, you have the tools to help.. (for example, are there students that appeared on your roster that never came to class? What did you do about it? Did you seek out the parents, guidance, administration, data clerks and help fix the issue? did you check to see if the students on your roster were in CAPT, or just assume someone else was doing it? ) I’m not blaming, I’m just wondering why teachers who work in the building are commenting with such a hands off attitude.

Just as we can’t credit one adult with the success of the school, one adult can’t be blamed for any issues or problems. Research shows successful schools have all stakeholders actively involved to solve all the issues.

Richard Therrien
NHPS Science Supervisor

posted by: richTherrn on July 12, 2011  7:06pm

To add: As you continue to comment, let us think about all the other students, parents, teachers and schools who worked hard . For example NHPS is usually the school district with the second poorest student population in the state (I don’t have 2010-11 for the other towns at hand). Yet, for example, in the percentage of students reaching goal in science, they exceeded 7 other cities/towns (Bridgeport, Hartford, New Britain, Waterbury, New London, Meriden, Bloomfield), and the year to year improvement is higher than all those. There is much, much work to be done still, but some measure of gratitude to those people is warranted.
Richard Therrien
Science Supervisor

posted by: trainspotter on July 12, 2011  7:17pm

Mr. Mayo and Mr. DeStefano both need a lesson in basic statistical analysis if they can answer yes to the question in the first paragraph. What exactly does “downsizing” a school mean? Where did the kids go and why aren’t they on the radar somewhere else? Did they drop out completely? Is that the “success” we are measuring? This is all a shell game. These numbers should be viewed as pathetic and unacceptable by all. That is not to say the responsibility lies totally with Ms. Moore, but she seems to have done nothing to engender a feeling of empowerment or achievement among her students. Mr. Carolina on the other hand has been impressive. These numbers cannot be viewed as anything but complete failure.

posted by: New Haven Teacher on July 12, 2011  7:20pm

I wonder when we will stop persecuting those that are obviously working the hardest for our students. The students at Cross made great gains and it seems as though Ms. Bailey has spun the data and made her own inferences.  Are you knowledgeable about school data and do you fully understand why the sophomore class is smaller? Why are you, Ms. Bailey, an expert? I think it’s time to stop trying to bring people down and instead lets congratulate the teachers, staff and administrators who obviously worked hard to increase student achievement at Cross.

posted by: observer on July 12, 2011  10:15pm

This is yet another inkling that DeStefano’s “school reform movement” is a crock. This is a shell game, and thse folks will manipulate the numbers so blatantly that you can’t help but laugh as they explain them.  Anyone who continues to think that Mayo and DeStefano will “fix” the schools is just not dealing wiht reality.  As for Garth Harries, he should be re-thinking the Superintendent’s job he was promised to come to New Haven.  If he ever gets to sit in the chair, he’ll inherit a school system that is a shambles.  Isn’t Bridgeport talking about having the state takeover their system in order to really implement the reforms they need to make?

posted by: Tom Burns on July 12, 2011  10:19pm

There are some very interesting and informative posts here—as always——but all I hear us talking about is test scores—-why???—the education of MY children better be more than just test scores—but that is all these posters harp on—what a joke—do you think those students and parents at Choate are worried about test scores?—I think not—-but we are forced to play the corporate and political game which so diminishes what happens in our schools everyday to enhance each little boy and girls knowledge and ability to think critically——-Our teachers union has agreed to this reform and I am proud of the gains we have made so far—yet with so much still to accomplish——
And this doesn’tmean test scores and it never will———-unless we all want to capitulate to the self-serving so called reformers—

We have talent here in New Haven at all levels—so I remain hopeful as to where we are going and how it will positively effect our school community(not just the kids)—-as some clowns say “It’s all about the kids”(biggest cop-out in the world)—-if anyone says that to you again—please laugh in their face and tell them to get lost—-

Anyway—-we have a plan——it certainly isnt perfect yet—-but I believe we will get it right—

To my colleagues—-write this down—I promise you a change in culture over the next two years, where teacher voice gains authority and a system of support and community become the norm——there will be no more “fear”—no more negative criticism—-only a brother and sisterhood that will permeate our district————

I want all the parents of our district to know that your children are in good hands—-and it is only going to get better——All the best—Tom

posted by: Concerned on July 12, 2011  10:25pm

I am concerned over the fact that Ms. Bailey is using a photo of Ms. Moore to distract what the article is even about, all of the high schools CAPT scores, not just Cross… Way to go New Haven on improving your scores. Shame on the independent for trying to make something positive into something controversial, yet again. You (ms. Bailey and NHI reporters) are beginning to show a true biased attitude towards schools and people, that is not professional or ethical. I wonder if this post will even be approved for viewing, I will be surprised if it is. As I now keep track to see how many are not posted if they are not following the negative beliefs of the independent writers…

As a teacher in another New Haven high school, I think many of the teachers posting on here should stop airing their schools dirty laundry on here and be more proactive in improving the school climate rather than drag it down for everyone else to see (read).

posted by: streever on July 12, 2011  10:46pm

cookie monster/others:
I must be missing something. It looks like 90 or more kids didn’t take the CAPT who normally do take the CAPT.

What happened? Enrollment numbers don’t explain them away.

Can any of the cities defenders actually tell us what happened to those kids?

posted by: @Rich on July 12, 2011  10:54pm

Rich,

I appreciate your being here and contributing to these conversations.

I’m wondering why you hire so many Teach for America teachers and put them in some of the top-performing schools? I mean, Davis Street? Is that really true to their mission? Given their lack of training, do TFA teachers really understand the complexity of their work here and the deep structural problems in society that so closely connect to education, or do you hire them because they’re easily moldable? Why not work to recruit trained teachers?

Also, could you help me understand why the same schools are consistently the top performers in this district? We can celebrate a 3% increase, sure, but when can we expect to see legitimate reform? It’s the same curriculum at Clemente and Hooker, right? So, do you blame the teachers? Or is it the fact that some schools have students with parents with high social capital and know the skills kids need before coming to school and some don’t? What’s being done about that?

posted by: @LOL on July 12, 2011  10:59pm

Constantly tearing down Celentano in these forums under all your different usernames is unprofessional, unproductive, and in the end doesn’t help kids. For their sake, put your grudge aside and just know that your voice has been Hurd and now let’s all get on the same page to help them succeed.

posted by: Indefensible Moore on July 12, 2011  11:11pm

“Peggy Moore, who has actually been criticized on so many things, did well on this, and we’re very, very proud and pleased with the work that she has done.” - Doctor Mayo.

So once again Doctor Mayo mentions the many legitimate criticisms of Peggy Moore but doesn’t even try to defend or explain them.  This is clearly because Peggy Moore’s repeated failures as both an educator and a leader at Cross are utterly indefensible. 

The only things more questionable than the numbers presented here are Peggy Moore’s character and leadership.

Defending Peggy Moore seems to require a great deal of double speak, spin, question dodging and number manipulation… wouldn’t it be easier to just fix the problem?

posted by: Ap on July 12, 2011  11:15pm

No one is talking AP scores, which came out last week. Hm.

posted by: trainspotter on July 13, 2011  5:20am

TeacherGal, you cannot view the data as an improvement in performance when you have removed the lowest performing students from the calculations. That is basic statistical analysis. The “gains” are only appearing on paper. Show me the percentage of students that weren’t proficient in a subject area last year but are this year. THAT is improvement. Unfortunately, that data can’t be measured by the CAPT because it isn’t administered every year. How are you tracking that information and what does the data show?

posted by: LOL on July 13, 2011  9:08am

posted by: @LOL on July 12, 2011 10:59pm
Constantly tearing down Celentano in these forums under all your different usernames is unprofessional, unproductive, and in the end doesn’t help kids. For their sake, put your grudge aside and just know that your voice has been Hurd and now let’s all get on the same page to help them succeed.

————————————————————————-

As the school climate survey results clearly indicate, everybody is NOT on the same page at Celentano, which is an indictment of the poor leadership.  You pass off legitmate concerns as “grudges”—so they don’t get resolved.  Problem is, the number of “grudges” is so great and still present and very LEGIT.  The NHFT can attest.  If the “grudges” were confined to 1 or 2 teachers, fine, but they are not. I believe if the principal wasn’t so well connected downtown, or worked in the corporate world, she would have been investigated long ago and likely fired. 

I urge Melissa Bailey to continue her fine work and to look into the poor working conditions at Celentano.  Take a close look at the principal’s background ...  how much staff has been turned over ... the rotten condition of the building itself and the poor parent-participation numbers.

...

As for your name reference, why not post yours?  ...

posted by: brutus2011 on July 13, 2011  9:12am

Someone mentioned Bridgeport schools asking the state to take over and wondering if NHPS should do the same. NHPS is much better at public relations than Bridgeport, although one might not think so reading the comments posted in the NHI. What I have a hard time with is why do people think this school reform is really going to work? The same people and the same or similar policies all add up to what? Different results? (I wonder how different NHPS is from Atlanta?) ...

posted by: William Kurtz on July 13, 2011  9:34am

Is there really a ‘scandal’ here?

I don’t know anything about Ms. Moore but from reading the story, there are supposedly about 200 ‘missing’ test-takers. 

One-hundred and sixty students (9th and 10th graders) left Cross as part of the closed CT Scholars program.  A reasonable assumption is to see that as accounting for about 80 missing 10th grade test-takers.

Mr. Harries said “a lot” of them went to Metro and Coop.  Do the numbers there account for them the remaining 120 missing sophomores?  If so, with the corresponding rise in scores at both Metro and Coop, it’s hard to see how anyone could look at the data and say that something isn’t working, even if they’re reluctant to attribute the improvements to the administration of the district or any particular school.

posted by: Seriously on July 13, 2011  9:40am

Really,, leave Peggy Moore alone,, she’s still trying to figure out what she’s doing,, or suppose,, to be doing.  ...

posted by: in the know on July 13, 2011  10:10am

Moore is the WORST administrator I have ever worked with.  She has the Napoleon complex.  She needs to prove SOMETHING what! I don’t know.  She cannot talk to people, she is a bully and condescending to the people around her. This woman need to retire.  Coggins is a saint compared to her.  At least Coggins was fair and would listen.  She never asked anyone to do what she wouldn’t do herself.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 13, 2011  10:15am

Tom Burns,

...

You don’t think that Choate parents care about test scores?  Ever heard of the SATs or APs?  These are themselves high stake tests which still are a major criteria for admission to the vast majority of competitive schools.  Not only do elite private schools like Choate and Hopkins prepare their students for high stakes tests, but they administer their own tests which are even more rigorous than the standardized tests.

CMT and the CAPT tests are only a more basic version of assessing what kids need to know to graduate, move on, and become productive members of our society.

No reformer ever says that tests are the be all and end all.  But to dismiss all test results the way you do would be disturbing to me if I was a parent of a child in your class. 

Until teachers accept responsibility for educating kids and stop trying to shirk this clear public mandate, they will continue to be cast in the role as being the major impediment in reforming education.

I don’t have a sense for how many are out there but I’ve got to believe that there are teachers, real professionals among you who do not subscribe to what Tom Burns writes.  And it’s a shame that you don’t speak up more often.
Because as long as you let the Tom represent your views publicly and at the negotiating table, you’re all singing from the same song book.

posted by: William Kurtz on July 13, 2011  10:30am

Trainspotter:

Show me the percentage of students that weren’t proficient in a subject area last year but are this year. THAT is improvement. Unfortunately, that data can’t be measured by the CAPT because it isn’t administered every year.

It may not be administered every year, but students who did not make goal on one or more sections of the CAPT can retake those sections in 11th grade. Many school systems encourage (they can’t really require) them to do so.  Is this happening at Cross or any other NH high school?  Is there data on whether these students improved? Unfortunately, the state site doesn’t allow the data to be filtered this way but the school system should be able to say whether there’s been any demonstrated improvement in these students—or whether they did not retake the tests at all.

posted by: ElisaQ on July 13, 2011  11:03am

@FTS:

...

In our public schools ... you will see hard working, dedicated professionals who have accepted a tremendous challenge because they care about our community’s young people.

CAPT is a good test that measures a variety of important skills, but if it is our only focus and the only way we measure our schools, our students will be missing out. Countries with the highest performing school systems emphasize creativity and problem solving, and we need to do the same. CAPT touches on these skills, but does not go far enough.

I have taught many students who struggled with the CAPT, but were brilliant in their own way. We need to help all students succeed, and these tests are not the only measure of success.

Mr. Burns is expressing that he wants our children to receive the absolute BEST education.  Teachers in New Haven’s schools work hard to give our students the basic skills they need to succeed and to pass standardized tests, but we don’t want them to miss out on achieving their full potential by only focusing on these rather limited instruments.

posted by: brutus2011 on July 13, 2011  11:15am

I must respond to “Fix The Schools.”
The statement, “Until teachers accept the responsibility for educating kids and stop trying to shirk this clear public mandate, they will continue to be cast in the role as being the major impediment in reforming education,” suggests that you have accepted the education establishment’s version of what ails our schools; namely the teacher corps. Consider this; who has the most to gain to continually cast teachers in the role as being the major impediment in reforming education? How about the ed execs who make 100K+ and who retire with pensions nearly six figures? If you brought in 10K/month, would you fall on your sword and accept responsibility and accountability for decisions and policies that have clearly been ineffective at best? Teachers have no power and all of the accountability. The question begs: why would anyone with an education, and a brain, want to put themselves in such a miserable situation? One of the main problems in our society is that teachers are, and traditionally have been, undervalued and essentially disrespected. Evidence of this is to examine other countries, such as Finland, where student achievement in high and teachers are valued in society. I suggest you visit some schools in our district as a fly on the wall—you will then see reality and not the propaganda that comes from those ed execs and even ed professors who make a good living bashing those they hire and train to be in our classrooms. If we change the hierarchy that has essentially turned public education into a pretense of learning and pork barrel local politics, then we stand a chance to truly reform public education. And, the real stakes are not whether or not our kids will grow up to be competitive in the world marketplace—the real stakes are whether or not future generations will be able to sustain our republic. Only an educated populace stands between our ordered liberty way of life and tyranny. And yes, it could happen here.

posted by: in the know on July 13, 2011  11:51am

I must say…having been in the school system for over 10 years the teachers do their very best.  Children need encouragement from home.  Don’t show up the child’s last year (if they get there) one week before graduation and want to know what happened and get upset.  Where are the parents at teachers night, when the report cards are sent home, when calls are made to discuss things.  All we hear is, I have to work, why didn’t I get notified etc.  PARENTS you need to take an active roll in your child’s education.  Even if you force graduation, what happens when they do.  They can even fill out an application.  I see it from the inside, I know the truth.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 13, 2011  12:50pm

ElisaQ,

Let me repeat - NO ONE said that tests are the only focus.

And countries with the highest performing school systems emphasize creativity and problem solving because they have already taught students to master the basics!  A student cannot benefit from academic enrichment if he doesn’t know how to read.

And “Brilliant in their own way”?  That sounds like another way to say “didn’t learn the basics”. And the problem with that is that that are thousands of children who didn’t learn the basics in NHPS yet were absolutely CAPABLE of learning the basics.  How do we know that?  Because plenty are now SOARING in other schools, parochial, private, and charter. Same kids, same parents, different school and different outcomes.

If you really don’t want kids in NHPS to miss out on achieving their full potential then do everything possible to give them that chance.  But by dragging your (collective) feet on LIFO, accountability, lengthening the school day, lengthening the school year etc. you’re not helping them to achieve that potential.

Brutus2011,

I think that the sad results in our urban public schools come about because of the dysfunctional relationship between two major adult constituencies:  1) A politically-motivated BOE and administrative hierarchy facing off against 2) A protectionist teachers union.

And yes, I agree that administrators sometimes like to see the teachers take the heat because it saves them from scrutiny.

And if as you say individual teachers have no power its because they handed it over to their union decades ago.  So if teachers want to take back their power and rights as hard-working, talented individuals and want to be recognized as such, then they need to take a chance and break from the corrosive, corrupt bargain that defines the relationship with their historic sparring partner, the administration. 

I maintain that the biggest step towards lifting the profession up from the factory floor mind-set, and turning public opinion around, would be to reject the current system of collective bargaining.  I believe that the public understands that unionism is actually counter-intuitive within a profession which ostensibly is all about inspiring young people to think and act for themselves.

And yes, you do have to wonder who would put themselves in such a miserable situation. Part of the answer can be found in the number of young teacher defections to suburban districts or elsewhere within the first 5 years.  Why pound your head against a wall if you see no signs of turning it around in your lifetime?

So if teachers want to be valued and respected then they need to fully embrace the mission and take on responsibilty for getting it done.  As an example of good professional values, please read Mr. Therrien’s post above about how he suggests absenteeism be addressed.  (I am pretty sure Mr. Therrien is not pleased that I am referencing him)

And as for the Finnish comparison, did you know that to become a Finnish teacher one must go through a highly selective process? Finland selects its teachers from the best graduate schools, and their students occupy the top tier among all graduate students, medicine, law, business.  In America, our teachers come from the bottom third of university students.  And when American teachers get to their school, they are literally forced to join a union which negotiates their work role as if they are on the shop floor instead of in pursuit of educational excellence. 

In Finland, the union is much more of a professional association. Finnish teacher enjoy far more freedom to innovate and be creative in the classroom.  Why?  Because they have earned that trust and privilege.  Bottom line - they have produced results. 

And I agree completely with your last set of thoughts.  Our democracy and freedom rely on the success of our education reform efforts.

posted by: Jane Q. Public on July 13, 2011  12:55pm

Lies, damn lies, and statistics. Isn’t that the old saw?

If my children were in the school, I’d opt them out of the testing and insist that actual instruction in subject areas be provided for them for the month leading up to the test and the week or two it takes to administer them.

CAPT scores are not included in any grade point average and there is no secondary school on the face of the Earth that cares what the applicants’ CAPT scores were. They are a “graduation requirement” only to increase participation numbers. Yet I can speak with absolute authority that there are dozens of kids who have graduated without taking some or all of the CAPT tests. They may be required to demonstrate the skills in some alternative manner, but actually taking the tests can be avoided.

CAPT is required for the DISTRICT to demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) a mandate under No Child Left Behind, and more recently, to use as a bar for teacher evaluation. But what happens if a teacher isn’t legally credentialed to teach what they’re being evaluated on?

It’s also interesting that the vast majority of parents have never seen the actual tests and have no idea what their kids are being asked to do and the amount of instructional time that teachers are required to give up to do direct instruction in test-taking.

posted by: teachergal on July 13, 2011  1:11pm

To Trainspotter…for once I didn’t even respond to this post. You appear to have confused me with someone else. BUT, I would love to know where 50% of the students that didn’t take the test were??? When we give CMT’s we better have every kid accounted for! And why are such slight gains celebrated. If I had put 3% increase on a skill as a potential goal for the year on my TEVAL, I would have been sent back to the drawing board to raise my expectations.

Re: Dirty Laundry.

Unfortunately, this forum is one of the very few places that teachers can air their “dirty laundry” as someone referred to it. I would like to change it to “teachers’ concerns/opinions”. To those who think that teachers can voice their opinions here’s an experience I once had. I went to speak to the Superintendent about a major “concern” I had about a situation I was placed in. I made an appt.and after 2 minutes was basically booted out of his office. I consider it one of my many “lifes’ lessons” regarding the lack of professionalism of NH leaders who are making the big bucks!...

Administrators, supervisors, and principals could care less about how teachers see things.
So, unfortunately, the NHI has become the forum for teachers to voice their opinions safely regarding a district that is far from perfect unless, of course, you are viewing from one of the highly paid, administrative perches!

posted by: robn on July 13, 2011  1:37pm

According to the data, the total number of New Haven students taking the tests stayed about the same and citywide the improvement was 4%. One thing is clear; either Dr Mayo erroneously believes that there was an 8% improvement at Cross, or he is disingenuously trying to strengthen the reputation his embattled appointee.

% of students at or above proficiency          
  students Math Science Reading Writing Avg
CT 2010 40587   78.8 81.5   82.9   86.2   82%
CT 2011   39972   80.3 81.7   81.9   88.6   83%
NH 2010   1165   49.4 53.1   59.0   70.7   58%
NH 2011   1063   54.1 57.6   61.2   74.5   62%
change         4.7 4.5   2.2   3.8   4%

posted by: to FIX and to TOM on July 13, 2011  2:48pm

...

@TOM - I’d like to know one reason why teachers shouldn’t be fearful for their job should they speak their mind for the benefit of their students?  Many have done so, including myself, and have punished one way or another for it. This is why so many good teachers in New Haven head for the suburbs.  Last thing they’re going to stand for is to be nit-picked apart for every little thing, yet still be expected to produce in already trying circumstances where support from parents and administration, and supplies are extremely short.

posted by: Tom Burns on July 13, 2011  2:56pm

Hey Fix,

Lets just say that you have a big horse in the race ...

So readers—-make a choice——-Public Education for all (using your taxpayer $$$) or corporate privatization of the public school system (using your tax dollars)

It’s that simple——for the BAD guys dont have a silver bullet and neither do we—but they will find a way to make $$$$$ off your children in any way they can——see “Edison Schools” and so many others who have donee the wrong thing already—While we will roll up our sleeves as we have done for over 100 years and give our students all we have each and everyday

Believe me—The RICH dont need to get any RICHER—

Do we really want to go down this path???Tom

posted by: Threefifths on July 13, 2011  3:41pm

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 13, 2011 12:50pm

In Finland, the union is much more of a professional association. Finnish teacher enjoy far more freedom to innovate and be creative in the classroom.  Why?  Because they have earned that trust and privilege.  Bottom line - they have produced results

Tell the whole story Fix.

What makes education in Finland that good? 10 reform principles behind the success.
Posted by Bert Maes on February 24, 2010

1) When Finnish kids turn 7 years old they go into compulsory primary school during nine years. All kids start at the same level, no matter what socio-economic background they have. They learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes of lifelong learning, which is consistently paying off with better academic achievement in later grades. These primary schools are places where playing and learning are combined with alternative pedagogic approaches, rather than mere instructional institutions.
- •(2) All teachers are prepared in academic universities. Teachers are highly respected and appreciated in Finland, partly because all teachers need a master’s degree to qualify for a permanent job. And the selection is tough: only 10% of the 5000 applicants each year are accepted to the faculties of education in Finnish universities. Finland improved its public education system not by privatizing its schools or constantly testing its students, but by strengthening the education profession and investing in teacher preparation and support. Their high level knowledge and skills makes that Finnish teachers
1.can have considerable independence in the classroom to choose their preferred appropriate pedagogical methods;
2.are very willing to continuously update their professional skills via post-graduate studies;
3.are more willing to work on themselves, are open to new ideas and developed broader perspectives (I refer slightly to the article: MBAs Make Better CEOs… But Why?);
4.are eager to be involved into the school development processes in their own schools as well as in national and international projects.
- •(3) Since the 1960s political authorities always have seen education as the key to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive world. All governments, from left to right have respected over the past 4 decades, that economic growth is the primary goal, with education as the critical driver (according to some researchers, education explains 25% of Finland’s growth): “Investment in people is the best investment”.  To be competitive, the governments concluded, Finland has to substantially boost investments in education and research to foster innovation and cutting-edge development.
- •(4) Because the central government ensured sustainable funding to ensure FREE education for all, i.e. took care of ALL costs of tuition, warm school meals, learning materials, text books, transportation, new equipment, new facilities, student counseling, etc,  the teachers are able to focus on teaching and learning, and bringing new ideas and practices in schools.
- •(5) There are no mandatory tests or exams; except for the nationwide National Matriculation Examination, in mother tongue, foreign language, mathematics and social/natural sciences, at the end of the upper-secondary school (from 17-19-year-old). Teachers make their own assessment tests, not quoting numeric grades, but using descriptive feedback, no longer comparing students with one another. This helped teachers and students focusing on learning in a fear-free environment, in which creativity and risk-taking are encouraged. Teachers have more real freedom in time planning when they do not need have to focus on annual tests or exams.
Notice Fix there is no privatizing its schools or constantly testing its students, but by strengthening the education profession and investing in teacher preparation and support.

Read the rest.

http://bertmaes.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/why-is-education-in-finland-that-good-10-reform-principles-behind-the-success/

U. S. Education Reformers’ Cartoon Version of Finland’s Teacher Education System

Friedman’s “Teaching for America” (as in Teach for America) in the Times on Nov. 20 highlights the schizophrenia of the corporate ed reformers’ approach to having their cake, eating their cake, and not paying their cake all at the same time.  As the media mouthpiece for Gates, Broad, Walmart, and Arne Duncan, Friedman encapsulates in his little op-ed an approach to reform based on syrupy rhetoric, arrogance, ignorance, and deception.

If Friedman knows anything about Finland’s education system or their teacher education process, it doesn’t show.  The closest he comes to advocating an American model based on what the Finns have done can be found in his advocacy for recruiting the best and the brightest into teaching.  And that’s where similarity with the Finns ends.  The Finns do not take their best and brightest, indoctrinate them for 5 weeks, and dump them into the most challenging classrooms to learn to teach on poor people’s children (see Teach for America).

Instead, the Finns put an “intensive investment in teacher education—all teachers receive 2 to 3 years of high-quality graduate-level preparation completely at state expense—plus a major overhaul of the curriculum and assessment system designed to ensure access to a ‘thinking curriculum’ for all students” (Darling-Hammond, The Flat World and Education, 2010, p. 167).

Nor do the Finns place teachers in little corporate charters run by CEOs, who may be humane and generous or tyrannical and sadistic without anyone knowing.  Nor do the Finns base hiring, salary increases, and firing on state test scores, nor do they demonize the teachers’ union to which 95% of Finnish teachers belong.  And guess what: “there are no external standardized tests used to rank students or schools in Finland” (, p. 169). Nor have there been for almost 30 years!

Here is clip from a piece written for Adviser Perspectives by Charlie Curnow, sent to me by one of my students, which points out some other facts that Friedman should know before his next commissioned piece from Bill Gates:

In Finland, the country that ranked first in the world in math, reading and science on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams, and which Guggenheim holds up as a model for a successful education system, teacher training programs recruit from the top 10 percent of high school graduates each year. Moreover, places for new teaching trainees are strictly limited by the government to match school demand, making competition for seats fierce. In the U.S., by contrast, only 23 percent of new teachers come from the top third of their class, including just 14 percent of new teachers in high-poverty schools,
according to another McKinsey report released in September. The number of places in U.S. undergraduate education programs is left up entirely to the universities. In stark contrast to the Finns, who filter their recruits up front, U.S. schools tend to wait until the hiring stage to filter out new teaching recruits, leading to an uneven and frequently flooded labor market.

Teacher qualification standards are also often higher in top-performing countries than in the U.S. All new Finnish teachers, for example, must hold a master’s degree in education or in the subject they wish to teach, and must also pass two rounds of exams for literacy, numeracy, problem solving and communications skills before entering training. After all of that, there’s still a third round of tests conducted after they graduate college by the individual schools at which they apply to work. Compare that to the U.S. system, where just 52 percent of traditional public school teachers and 36 percent of charter school instructors hold a master’s degree or higher, according to the National Center for
Education Statistics. Many charter schools don’t even require their instructors to pass state licensing exams, a minimum qualification for starting teachers at traditional public schools.

This marked difference between the teaching qualification standards of U.S. charter schools and traditional public schools may help explain much of the performance gap between them. Furthermore, this gap illustrates one reason why a unionized teaching profession actually makes sense. While trade unions in any industry can indeed flatten wages for workers with disparate performance levels, they also help enforce uniform qualification and training standards. Ninety-five percent of Finland’s teachers belong to labor unions, and those teachers tend to enjoy many of the same rights and privileges (including “tenure”) that unionized teachers in the U.S. do. Furthermore, the suggestion that union contracts shield teachers from any negative consequences is absurd — “rubber rooms” and other aberrations aside, even long-time teachers in the U.S. are subject to regular observation and performance reviews by administrators, and can, in fact, be fired after due process hearings.

But what about merit pay? Surely the top school systems must place heavy emphasis on material incentives to reward their best instructors and punish the laggards? Not necessarily, says the McKinsey report. Separate independent studies of schools in Denver, Texas and North Carolina all found no substantial gains in student performance after the institution of merit pay systems.

The more important incentives for teachers, according to McKinsey, are non-financial: high expectations, a shared sense of purpose, and a collective belief in their ability to make a difference in the educations of the students they serve. Also essential are regular check-ups to bring specific methodological weaknesses to light and the constant sharing of specific best practices, spread through their demonstration in actual classrooms.

Finland’s system once again sets a good example in this regard. Instead of breeding a culture of cutthroat competition, Finland encourages its teachers to work together, and it gives instructors one free afternoon per week to plan lessons jointly, observe each other’s classes, and help one another improve.

If teachers are so bad in the USA How Come China wants them.

Teacher Ambassador Program (TAP)

Work Abroad in Great Teaching Jobs in China!
China is eager to incorporate the best in American teaching into its own educational system. That is creating teaching jobs – and incredible cultural and educational opportunities abroad.

The Teacher Ambassador Program provides a way for you to apply your experience to a new, meaningful endeavor that makes a difference in the lives of bright, young students, while also providing a dependable income, travel and cultural opportunities abroad.

http://www.uwc-usa.org/tap

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 13, 2011  4:29pm

Tom,  Why not just have the BOE set a policy against working with for-profit charters? 

It’s as simple as that if the BOE feels that an organization’s tax status is for some bizarre reason more of a concern than how well it educates its students. ...

Given that the best charter school organizations (both for profit and not-for-profit)outperform their host districts educationally and also spend far less $$ on administration costs as well as tend to pay their teachers more than the district, why would taxpayers and even great teachers for that matter be against them?  Seems like they are the best option for students, taxpayers, and great teachers.

posted by: ElisaQ on July 14, 2011  10:13am

@FTS:

Most charters have the same or lower results than public schools. Only 17% outperform.

Even in the 17%, there are questions. When I visited Amistad High two years ago, there were more than 40 sophomores. Yet, a much smaller number of students graduated from the school this past June. What happened to those other students? They returned to public schools because they and/or their parents believed the public schools offered a better education.

posted by: Jane Q. Public on July 14, 2011  11:39am

@ElisaQ,

Amistad/Elm City does not have NEASC accreditation. According to the NEASC website, the school is a “candidate”, but has not yet been given the NEASC imprimatur.

I have taught several bright “refugees” from Amistad, each family expressed they were unhappy with the rigidity of the program and their kids were burnt-out. I had another student who received very good grades at Amistad, but as a 16 year old freshman had a reading level around the 3rd grade. He was “counseled out” as his mother told me.

Yet, there are plenty of children and families that are deeply devoted to the school. It’s not for everyone, but it’s right for some.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 14, 2011  1:21pm

As you said Jane Q., “lies, and damn lies”.

I challenge you or anyone else to produce one family, one parent, or one student who will publicly back up a tale of being “counseled out” of Amistad/Elm City. As I have stated in the past, it is AF’s policy never to counsel children out.

Conversely, AF does everything in their power to CONVINCE parents to keep their children in school even though it is hard, no, achingly hard work.  Climbing the mountain to college is not only hard on the kid but its hard on the parent as well. As all parents know, sometimes it is so much easier to just sit back and coast a little bit.

But what’s more is that AF has persistently asked the district to NOT ALLOW parents to transfer their youngsters out of AF until at least the end of the school year.  This would give AF staff more time to convince the student and the parent that all the hard work is ultimately in their best interest. Unfortunately the district has consistently failed to implement that policy. 

Yes, AF is unapologetically rigorous because they believe that students need academic rigor if they are to survive economically in this world.  And it is not easy to climb onto a college track if you weren’t on one before. 

I also dispute your claim that a 16 year old who could only read at a 3rd grade level was not identified as needing developmental help. 

As for your last comment, even I recognize that AF is not for everyone.  No school should be “for everyone”.  Kids come in all shapes and sizes and so should schools. 

But the fact is that the overwhelming majority of children who attend Amistad and Elm City today (>1,500 in New Haven alone and 6,400 in total this Fall in 19 schools) and the hundreds of graduates of AF schools over the last decade are deserving of a GREAT education.  And there is no dispute that AF has provided a high quality education with far greater consistency than any of the districts in which they operate.  The tests show it, the graduation rates show it, and the college attendance and matriculation show it.

There are plenty of understandable operational reasons that account for the differences in outcomes.  But what is not understandable to me is the constant criticism about an organization that consistently works for the vast majority of kids who enter the doors.  What would have happened to the kids whose educational lives were transformed by Amistad or Elm City if charter schools were not allowed?

Even if you accept the premise that some kids are “counseled out” (and I DON’T accept it btw) or that AF is not for everybody, why would anyone in their right mind be against literally thousands of kids succeeding in school when they hadn’t before?

And ElisaQ, I do not dispute the 17% figure.  But your argument is like saying since only 17% of diabetes medication has been shown to control the disease we ought to toss out all diabetes medication! 

The point is, there are identified charter organizations that are among the high performing 17%.  We need to CLOSE the ones that are no better or worse than district schools and GROW those that are in the 17% - those that are making positive life changes for thousands of low income children today.

posted by: WCHS Data To Consider on July 14, 2011  3:24pm

The data below is very disturbing, especially in light of the superintendent’s and the mayor’s comments about “extraordinary” progress at Wilbur Cross.  All of this is easily verified by referring to CTREPORTS.COM.

1. At Wilbur Cross this year, about one-third (33.5%) of the grade ten students enrolled at the school failed to take the math test. 

2. Nearly one-fourth (24.3%) of the sophomores failed to take the science test.

3. Close to one-third, 31.5%, failed to take the reading test.

4. Almost one-fourth of the students, 24.3%, failed to take the writing test. 

These percentages were much worse than they were last year.  The law, by the way, requires 95% of students to take the tests.  Failure to reach that standard alone will put a school on the NCLB list of underperforming schools.

Mr. Harries mentioned that an “additional 15 truant students” failed to take the test this year.  15 is a significant number, but he meant 15 plus the usual number who fail to take it.  Since students who fail to take the test are almost always low academic performers, their absence skewed the average scale scores at Cross because their scores would not have been good.  (Note that I am not at all suggesting that anyone encouraged these students to skip the tests, but their absence makes the test scores far less reflective of achievement at the school.)

How was last year’s participation?  It was bad, too, but not nearly as bad as this year’s.

Participation rates at Cross:
2010 Math 79.5%
2011 Math 66.5%

2010 Science   87.1%
2011 Science   75.7%

2010 Reading 79.5%
2011 Reading 68.5%

2010 Writing 82.9%
2011 Writing 76.1%

posted by: Jane Q. Public on July 14, 2011  3:30pm

@FixTheSchools,

I am screaming in frustration that so much of this conversation is under “cover of darkness” because of fear of retribution.

And I hate the idea that I can’t just point to a SchoolNet report for my student who was reading at the 3rd grade level and say “See?”. But you know because of privacy laws I can’t do it. Because of fear, I can’t even tell you who I am and how I know. Which naturally makes my assertions suspect. I get that part.

Please let me clarify that the students who were “refugees” did not at all number in the legions, but I can name at least eight of my own students who were “ex-Ami”. Most were good kids that felt burned-out and/or stifled. Two sets of parents had concerns about the lack of NEASC accreditation, but their deeper concerns were with their child’s general unhappiness with the program.

Amistad is the right school for many, many kids. Would I send my own children? No. From the sample of students I’ve seen in my own classroom, I can attest that they had good study skills and were productive. However, I was not at all set on fire about their critical thinking skills. But, that is not necessarily a dysfunction of the curriculum at Amistad. I would rather take a kid who has a self-reference of hard work and diligence and then work with the child on the critical thinking skills.

I stipulate that my sample size is small. I also stipulate that I am not a fan of most forms of “corporatized” education. The reason Amistad works for most kids is the mandatory parental involvement.

This issue can never be resolved in a comments section but I wonder if you would agree that the climate of reform in New Haven would change radically if the teaching staff felt free to express opinions without fear of losing our jobs or facing other retribution? Reform will truly begin when we are free to make a fearless inventory of the ways we all, parents-students-teachers-admins-on up to the superintendent screw up. Shine that light in all the dark corners.

I feel it’s my ethical obligation to make the call-outs, because the kid in front of me is somebody’s child and there is no such thing as a disposable child.

Yet when we make those call-outs, we’re called on the carpet, read the riot act, threatened, bullied and scorned. We have been lied to, and lied about.

My building has a staff that ranges from brand new and amazing TFA educators to deeply experienced veterans. And we also have some not-so-amazing staff, but many are really working on getting rid of the “not-so” part.
We’ve seen some TFAs come and go. The ones who have stayed have become educators devoted to the profession of teaching kids at risk. A few others did their two years and bolted for the suburbs. We’ve seen astounding and deeply experienced educators leave the district because of politics.

So many comments recently have focused on the huge number of administrators in my building. But I am absolutely certain that even given the wide-range of teaching experience and philosophies, if the teaching staff could vote a few off the island, there’d be darn near 100% consensus as to who should go and who should stay. Yet, perhaps our opinions are uninformed? If there was a better communication to staff as to what the responsibilities are of these “extra” administrators that might help. That communication in a clear and detailed manner is non-existent. Room for improvement. Someone should write that down.

I would crawl across broken glass and run through burning buildings for some of our admins, and I don’t always agree with them. But they respect us for the professionals we are and even when there’s a disagreement, and even if it gets heated, when it’s over, it’s over and we go on being professional colleagues.

When an administrator describes themselves as someone’s “superior”, that’s about all you need to know. Our good administrators would describe themselves as supervisors and/or instructional managers. The attitude difference is profound.

And to wrap this back to the issue at hand…our numbers seem weird. I’m anxious to see how my own students did. I would love for the district to offer a CAPT Open House and let the parents get a look at the actual tests.

Maybe we can start talking about what we’re really looking at, and if the amount of time we devote to it is in any child’s best interest.

That would be a really revolutionary conversation.

posted by: ElisaQ on July 14, 2011  3:32pm

@FTS:

“AF has persistently asked the district to NOT ALLOW parents to transfer their youngsters out of AF”

Yet you have repeatedly insisted that we should allow for greater school choice and that parents and students “will vote with their feet” when determining which schools are of the best quality. If parents and/or students are not happy at AF and choose to leave, that is exactly what you have been calling for. We should not allow a school to pressure families to make another choice simply because the school wants them to stay—that doesn’t sound like putting the kids’ needs over the adults’ to me.

And, again, I find even that 17% suspect. The students at charter schools are NOT exactly the same as those at public schools. Every single one of them had someone who cared enough to fill out the simple piece of paper that enters them in the lottery for acceptance. That cannot be said for every student in our public school system, and those are the students who struggle the most. We also have more students with significant special education needs, because their parents see that most charter schools cannot meet their children’s needs. Finally, we teach the students that AF could not. For whatever reason, the AF system did not work for these students—and there are many of them, especially at the high school level.

Public schools work hard for ALL students, working tirelessly to teach ALL of our children.

posted by: A Question for Fix the Schools on July 14, 2011  4:45pm

I have many friends on staff at AF, Amistad, and Elm City Prep all of whom have stated to me in no uncertain terms that they would NEVER send their kids to an AF school.  Will you be sending yours?

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 14, 2011  5:06pm

Jane Q.,

The quality and sincerity of your post convinces me that you are not someone to make stuff up. 

Obviously you have lots on your plate but if you can, you should call over to the AF school which you feel did not accurately assess your student’s reading skills. I can tell you that tracking and analyzing student performance data is a discipline to which AF is dedicated.  The kind of mis-identification that you described would be highly unusual.

I do have to correct another assertion that you made though, that is the success of Amistad being due to mandatory parental involvement.  Just because Amistad uses a student-parent-teacher “contract” does not mean that all parties’ roles are fulfilled.  In fact, AF enjoys just about as much parental involvement as any other high poverty urban public school - and certainly far less parental involvement than several schools in the NHPS system.  You may not know it but the parental involvement argument is one of the last and most persistent falsehoods explaining the success of the model. 

The relationship which you describe between your teacher colleagues and the administrators is disturbing.  On one hand, if that kind of bullying behavior is rampant then I guess I can understand why a union exists after all!  And yet I have not heard about any serious level of grievances that speak to the atmosphere you describe.  If that behavior does happen with regularity then I agree that it is outrageous.

And yes, using the word “superior” connotes all types of personality hang-ups.  By comparison, you should know that at AF the administration is referred to as “AF Support”, which intentionally communicates a sense of lifting from below (not from on high) to assist great principals and teachers do the best job for their students. 

And when a teacher or a principal makes a special request of AF Support for action, attention, or additional resources in pursuit of their student-centric mission, AF Support has been instructed that when in doubt, the default response is “YES”.

But I must make the observation that if your union is not effective in defending you and your colleagues from capricious actions by administrators when you speak out, AND if the NHFT is in the business of defending the “not-so’s”, why then do you and other professionals join and pay dues to the union? 

ElisaQ,

Of course we want school choice.  But to allow transfers in the middle of the year is chaotic and disruptive to all parties and ends up not serving anyone’s interests. Better to have a controlled mechanism. 

And as you say Elisa, every single kid had someone who cared enough to fill-out the simple piece of paper that enters them in the lottery for acceptance - even if that someone was a principal, guidance counselor, or teacher looking to “counsel out” the student from their own school.

And with over 60% parent participation in the school choice program, it is clear, and to the superintendant’s credit, that a culture of choice is pervasive in New Haven.

AND yes, you also have more students with significant special education needs - which you promptly ship off to ACES, Adult Ed. or now DOMUS (a CHARTER SCHOOL) because their parents see that most public schools cannot meet their children’s needs.

AND are you referring to “Students that AF could not teach (sic)” as those students who opt out of AF and return to the district?  If so, then I assume you would include those kids who transfer TO Amistad as students that YOU could not teach?  As you must know, the number of students and parents who want to GET INTO Amistad dwarfs the number who end up opting out.

Lastly, public schools do work hard and tirelessly for ALL students….for 6 1/2 hours a day…180 days a year, with movies in class, vacations, holidays, and full summers off.  Enjoy the beach.

posted by: Laura McCargar on July 14, 2011  5:50pm

Researchers have repeatedly documented that students that are deemed “behavioral problems” and/or struggle academically are pushed out of school as a result of high stakes testing.  Check out Collateral Damage by Nichols and Berliner and the Advancement Project’s recent report, “Test, Punish, Pushout: How High Stakes Testing and Zero Tolerance Fuel the School to Prison Pipeline” available at http://www.advancementproject.org/

posted by: ElisaQ on July 14, 2011  6:31pm

@FTS:

I teach year round, and most of my students attend some form of summer program. I also attend professional development workshops in the summer. I do not “enjoy the beach,” but even if I did, it would be after months of working for hours and hours after the school day ended and on the weekend.

I have never met a teacher whose day ended with the final bell, and I doubt you have either. I ask you with the greatest of sincerity to please spend some time in our public schools talking to our public school teachers—I think you will quickly realize how many hardworking, intelligent, dedicated professionals are working with our students.

posted by: Threefifths on July 14, 2011  6:42pm

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 14, 2011
5:06pm

Lastly, public schools do work hard and tirelessly for ALL students….for 6 1/2 hours a day…180 days a year, with movies in class, vacations, holidays, and full summers off.  Enjoy the beach.

And how charter school need a waive certification for charter school teachers.
 

Charter schools, like regular public schools, are allowed to hire teachers who lack state certification, but the teachers must get certified within two years. Generally, that requires returning to college.

Meeting the certification requirement has been a problem at some charter schools. Seven of Achievement First’s 57 teachers in Hartford are uncertified, according to the State Department of Education, which has repeatedly warned school officials that teachers must be working toward certification or lose their jobs

Notice Achievement First’s in Hartford.How mant teachers at Achievement First in New Haven are uncertified?

Read the rest.

Bill would waive certification for charter school teachers
April 22, 2011
By Jacqueline Rabe

http://www.ctmirror.org/story/12320/charter-school-teachers-risk-pink-slips-if-they-dont-go-back-school

posted by: Tom Burns on July 14, 2011  10:35pm

Jane Q Public—-perfect post—thanks

Fix—Lets start with the fact that I personally like Amistad and what it does for its students——
Now what I dont like is you comparing apples to oranges——when you take all kids in the neighborhood and not by lottery and your student population doesnt remain static throughout the year and years—then we can talk—why dont you ever talk about this MAJOR MAJOR difference between our schools and yours——
...
And your posts against our Union ...—-We are the most progressive union in the country and we prove it by our actions everyday——...—the NHFT and its members are what will put an end to the charter school movement as well as vouchers—
Your leader Rupert Murdoch has fallen——and the people have spoken——the rich conservatives and the Tea Party have pushed us to far—-no longer will the rich get richer on the ordinary working peoples backs——-we are rising and will take the day—-
...
...You see in America we do it right—with balance——-
17% of charters do better with select students—wow—what a movement that is—
Its one I dont want to be a part of—-Tom

posted by: brutus2011 on July 15, 2011  11:31am

Jane Q. Public said a mouthful with these statements:“This issue can never be resolved in a comments section but I wonder if you would agree that the climate of reform in New Haven would change radically if the teaching staff felt free to express opinions without fear of losing our jobs or facing other retribution? Reform will truly begin when we are free to make a fearless inventory of the ways we all, parents-students-teachers-admins-on up to the superintendent screw up. Shine that light in all the dark corners.”
This is where and why reform will not work. Why the central office will trumpet ANY rise in test scores as a vindication of their policies and jobs. (How many of you are aware of the test score fraud in Atlanta and Pennsylvania? Is it possible that, with the high political stakes on the CAPT and the CMT, that the same kind of fraud could happen here in New Haven? And, are you aware that in Atlanta there is the same climate of fear, intimidation, and retribution that exists here in New Haven public schools? Evidence of this is the many posts by anonymous NHPS teachers lamenting this culture.) My question to the NHFT execs is this: How can you claim to be the most progressive teacher’s union in the country when you make no movement to exploring the very viable policy shift to teacher-led schools? It is clear that we will have to more with less money. Efficiency and effectiveness are keys to making meaningful urban district school reform a reality. Old style politics led by a Tammany Hall style local government and an authoritarian appointed school superintendent is doing the same thing and expecting different results. This, by the way, is a definition of insanity.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 15, 2011  12:23pm

3/5, There is ZERO, NUNCA, NONE correlation between certification and teacher effectiveness in the classroom. In fact I would go so far as to say that a teacher who refused to be certified would automatically go to the head of the interview line for “most promising”. 

And Tom, my response to you is ... ... and ...

posted by: LOL on July 15, 2011  12:52pm

If the NHFT is so great, then why all the concessions of so many of the rights our predessors fought so hard?  Teaching just isn’t worth it anymore, what with inexperience school and district leaders bowing down to the gov’t to improve test scores to secure federal money, and teachers, who are in the trenches daily, taking on the chin from administrators and the general public.
...

So, Tom, how can teachers at Celentano be expected to buy into what the NHFT says regarding reform, which includes teachers having a say in school decisions and policies, when one of the very principals who ignores that aspect of reform is allowed to continue without any consequences?

posted by: Threefifths on July 15, 2011  3:25pm

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 15, 2011 12:23pm
3/5, There is ZERO, NUNCA, NONE correlation between certification and teacher effectiveness in the classroom. In fact I would go so far as to say that a teacher who refused to be certified would automatically go to the head of the interview line for “most promising”.

But there are laws on the Books that say you must be certified.

Become a Teacher
in Connecticut

To become a certified teacher in Connecticut, you will need to fulfill all prerequisite coursework, teacher preparation, and testing requirements

Prerequisite Coursework All states require that certified teachers at a minimum have a Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Connecticut teacher certification requires course specific endorsement:
Elementary Education: State regulations for elementary cross-endorsement require 30 semester hours of course work specifically related to elementary education including six semester hours of credit in language arts, which may include reading, writing, speaking, listening and spelling and six semester hours of credit in child growth and development.
Middle Grades: A minimum of 15 credits in a specific subject area (English, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, earth science, general science, integrated science, social science, history, political science, economics, geography, anthropology, sociology) and a minimum of 12 semester hours credit specifically related to middle grades education
Secondary Subjects: Generally, the certification regulations require the completion of a total of 30 semester hours of credit (undergraduate or graduate) in the subject you wish to add.

Teacher PreparationTeacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program.
Alternative Certification Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree was not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements. Information about alternative certification in Connecticut is coming soon!
Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (or the art and science of teaching), and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching, and an internship.

Required TestsIn order to become a certified teacher, you must satisfactorily complete the Basic Skill Test requirement and any Subject Area Competence assessments needed for your desired area of instruction.
Basic Skills Test
PPST (Pre Professional Skills Test)
Subject Area Competence
Praxis II: Subject Tests in your specialty area or
ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Proficiency Assessments

Read the rest.

http://certificationmap.com/states/connecticut-teacher-certification/

posted by: Threefifths on July 15, 2011  3:34pm

FIX THE SCHOOLS on July 13, 2011 12:50pm

And if as you say individual teachers have no power its because they handed it over to their union decades ago.  So if teachers want to take back their power and rights as hard-working, talented individuals and want to be recognized as such, then they need to take a chance and break from the corrosive, corrupt bargain that defines the relationship with their historic sparring partner, the administration.

How about the administration at the Charter Schools who try to stop there teachers from starting unions.

Opportunity Charter teachers stand up for their fired colleagues
by Geoffrey Decker
July 13, 2011

For the first time since more than a dozen of their colleagues were abruptly fired last month, current teachers at Opportunity Charter School spoke publicly about the administration’s response to their efforts to join the United Federation of Teachers.

A small group of the teachers joined UFT organizers outside of the school in Harlem this afternoon, carried signs and distributed fliers to passersby. They said the schools used a draconian lateness policy as cover to terminate teachers who voted to unionize earlier in the year.

Of the 15 staff members whose contracts were terminated last month, all but one voted pro-union.

The firings had a chilling effect on staff morale, said Jennifer Mitchell, a fourth year teacher.

“People don’t feel safe here. They don’t feel appreciated,” she said.

Mitchell, one of the longest-tenured teachers at the school, which opened in 2004, said the school had drifted from its founding mission to serve high need students.

“The school has changed dramatically since I started,” she said. “Now I feel like I work for a company, not a school.”

Much of the ire was focused on a rigid lateness policy that the teachers said has been inconsistently altered and enforced this year. Several former teachers lost their jobs because of the policy, which suspended teachers for a week without pay if they arrived at school after 7:45 a.m.

One of those teachers was Meg Fein, an English teacher. Fein said the school suspended her the week before her students took last year’s ELA exam. She asked the administration if she could come in anyway – without pay – to prepare her students for the exam, but was denied.

“Immediately before an exam, it’s beneficial to review everything. It’s fresh in their minds. It’s absolutely important,” said Fein.

“I think it had a hugely negative effect,” Fein added, referring to her students’ test scores.

Several of Fein’s supporters attended the protest, including Qays Sapp, a recent graduate of OCS, and his mother. Sapp is dyslexic and was reading on a third grade reading level when he entered Fein’s class.

“I had dyslexia and she took the time to help me after class,” Sapp said. “She really cared about her students.”

In the fall, Sapp will attend Bunker Hill Community College in Massachusetts.

School management, meanwhile, remained silent and have not spoken publicly since the staff voted in May. Even internally, administrators have not officially indicated a position on unionizing activities, said teacher Nayomi Reghay, who said she last interacted with them at a board meeting last month.

“I got the impression that they didn’t want to share anything that their lawyer hadn’t already scripted,” Reghay said.

In an awkward encounter today, one administrator, Emily Samuels, Director of Development at the school, took a flier from an organizer and smiled before she entered the school.

“We have no comment,” Samuels said.

http://gothamschools.org/2011/07/13/opportunity-charter-teachers-stand-up-for-their-fired-colleagues/

posted by: Tom Burns on July 15, 2011  3:50pm

Brutus and LOL—
I hear your cries and we are working on these issues everyday—- this whole movement is about teacher VOICE in the schools and moving to a culture of support and community between all players——we need your support and patience and of course perserverance—-just give us a chance and some time and we WILL get this right—The New Haven school system has been run a certain way for quite awhile so the change may take awhile (not more than 2 years though)—moving from a top down model to a bottom up model is where we want to go——student behavior is our next big issue and we are putting a group together to address this area of concern—
I have been here for 15 years and understand all of your concerns and thats why this REFORM is our moment for real positive change.
To LOL with all due respect our Union predecessors allowed all the things you are saying—-we have done something about it—you had no protections then but you do now—tangible things we have accomplished—-Class size issues were won by the present NHFT leadership along with Ex-President Pat Lucan—-we now have a survey that allows for teacher voice (and subsequent action), Principals have an evaluation system similar to ours where they are now rated 1 to 5 and we have a one of a kind Validation System to make sure teachers in need of improvement are treated fairly and professionally. There is so much more to come—-stick with us and give me a call sometime if you would like to talk—-we need your support—-I won’t let you down—Tom

posted by: janyce murphy on July 17, 2011  11:33pm

I’m still getting over my shock at seeing a mayor refer to this achievement (whatever one considers it) as “kicking ass.”

Low class and vulgar. Hardly appropriate role modeling for our children.

A little class, please, Mr. Mayor.