Tuesday Open Thread
What's on your mind?
Tuesday Open Thread
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Comments
Hanauer's letter is equal parts amusing and downright scary.
His letter and Charlie Mas's plea in the previous thread has motivated me. I'll be calling my legislators, and Chopp, today and telling them no on charters.
I am troubled that people like Hanauer think that their money gives them a corner on "right thinking". A whole lotta readers on this blog are more immersed in public education than he is. (Our kids are actually attending public school!) Our opinion counts too.
-skeptical-
So you need a charter board. No biggie, put together a few parents and maybe a teacher or two. Then you need a petition to pick up teacher or parent support. you only need a simple majority in either one of those groups, so getting ten to 15 teachers would do for a typical elementary school. Now the fun starts.
If your conversion is approved, you get the state and federal per-student allocation, plus a operations and maintenance levies on a per-student basis from the district. In a low minority area, that could close to double the school's per-student funding. The district also has to give you transportation and food service for free. The kicker? You get the school rent-free.
SPS could dump millions into renovating a school building only to have it pulled and turned into a charter school the next year. Any conversion charter would be an absolute money pit. The system is terribly ripe for abuse.
I have said this repeatedly: it does not matter if you like charter schools or not - this is a BAD bill.
But if you just want to get something, anything to get its foot through the door - as LEV, Stand and others do - then you have to want this bill.
We can do better.
For starters, perhaps you should opt them out of the MAP. They have to take the EOC, and should probably take the MSP, but what's the point in taking MAP on top of that?
a reader
http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/EndofCourse.aspx
a reader
"Dear Seattle Public School families,
I am delighted to announce that I have appointed Dr. Shannon McKinney as principal for the new K-5 STEM at Boren, which will be opening in September 2012 in West Seattle
Dr. McKinney comes to Seattle Public Schools from Tucson, Arizona, where she spent the last three years as Turnaround Principal for Hohokam Middle School, an ethnically diverse middle school in the Tucson Unified School District."
etc... It's a long press release. Hopefully this means good things for West Seattle.
Is anyone attending the informaiton night tomorrow? Maybe we can have a thread about it? I am unable to attend.
-yumpears
Is it about program placement?
That typically means a charter school principal brandishing a broom (see Time Mag. & Michelle Rhee).
(kidding -- sort of.)
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards
Grade 6
Reading
56% (2011)
54% (2010)
45% (2009)
44% (2008)
47% (2007)
The state average for Reading was 81% in 2011.
Writing
21% (2011)
47% (2010)
83% (2009)
69% (2008)
82% (2007)
The state average for Writing was 56% in 2011.
Math
28% (2011)
26% (2010)
40% (2009)
35% (2008)
40% (2007)
The state average for Math was 59% in 2011.
Source: AZ Dept. of Education, 2010-2011
Grade 7
Reading
59% (2011)
49% (2010)
53% (2009)
48% (2008)
50% (2007)
The state average for Reading was 82% in 2011.
Writing
20% (2011)
65% (2010)
80% (2009)
63% (2008)
78% (2007)
The state average for Writing was 53% in 2011.
Math
29% (2011)
23% (2010)
46% (2009)
47% (2008)
39% (2007)
The state average for Math was 61% in 2011.
Source: AZ Dept. of Education, 2010-2011
Grade 8
Reading
50% (2011)
40% (2010)
45% (2009)
47% (2008)
37% (2007)
The state average for Reading was 71% in 2011.
Science
34% (2011)
19% (2010)
28% (2009)
32% (2008)
The state average for Science was 63% in 2011.
Writing
80% (2009)
60% (2008)
66% (2007)
The state average for Writing was 86% in 2009.
Math
24% (2011)
18% (2010)
32% (2009)
33% (2008)
30% (2007)
The state average for Math was 54% in 2011.
Source: AZ Dept. of Education, 2010-2011
About the tests
•In 2010-2011 Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) was used to test students in reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and 10, writing in grades 5, 6, 7, and 10, and in science in grades 4, 8 and 10.
•AIMS is a standards-based test, which means that it measures how well students have mastered Arizona's learning standards.
•Students must pass the grade 10 AIMS in order to graduate.
•The goal is for all students to meet or exceed state standards on the test
Hello!! We at Hohokam Middle School are excited about the wonderful things happening here. As I begin my third year as principal, I am pleased to welcome the following new staff members: Lupe Duran (Assistant Principal), Jennifer Marlow-Johnson (Ex Ed Language Arts), Sue Yarberry (Ex Ed Mathematics), Lynne Dehner (Girl’s PE), and Lisa Persinger (School Psychologist). It has been awesome to begin the new year with so many staff returning. We are on our way to becoming a true learning community focused on your students’ academic and social growth!
Philosophically, we continue to use Standards-Based Grading as a way to gauge student learning. Additionally, we are implementing a block schedule for students to go into depth into the content through Project-Based Learning. As we strive to meet Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), it is essential that we focus on the Arizona State Standards and our students mastering the essential performance objectives tied to these standards. An “I” on a report card indicates not enough information to determine level of mastery. Rubrics are becoming the common language. Must do assignments and activities to assist in your learning and ungraded practice are also part of the common language. We do not accept failure here at Hohokam. We will make sure that if a student does not complete a must do assignment, for whatever reason, he or she will be given the time to complete it. We need YOUR support in this endeavor – students will be required to stay after school and possibly come in on Saturdays if their work is not completed.
What else are we doing to support your students? We currently have students enrolled in our Success Academy class. This class is for 7th and 8th grade students who earned either an “I” or an “F” in mathematics or reading or both. They take this class instead of their grade level mathematics or language arts class. The receive instruction from their teacher and from SuccessMaker. This is a computerized program that is aligned to Arizona State Standards. Rather than socially promoting students into the next grade level lacking academic readiness, students are promoted to every other class in their grade except math and/or language arts - whichever they have not mastered. Students have the opportunity to fill in knowledge gaps so that when they join their peers in the grade level class, they are on track and will experience success. We think this is an innovative way to deal with retention issues.
cont.
Mr. Ed
Your student now has one academic support class for both Mathematics and Reading - Academic Literacy. Students are grouped in these classes according to their academic levels as determined by regular Common Formative Assessments (CFA's). Each student is receiving additional math and reading support at their level. Several weeks will be devoted to either mathematics or reading - your student's greatest need. We hope that this will help our students reach their full potential.
Each student is also enrolled in a Core Enrichment class (Homebase). This class meets for 15 minutes at the beginning of the day. The class meets again at the end of the day on M, T, Th, and F. The teacher is taking on the role of advocate for each student in the class. The class focuses on goal setting, organizational skills, standing up against bullying, and Character for Life. Additionally, there is an Academic Vocabulary Across the Curriculum component in this class. The relationship building that occurs between the teacher and each student is critical for middle school adolescents.
Our 21st Century Community Learning Center, CHARGE!, will again be available for students beginning in September! Tutoring, homework help, and engaging activities await your student from 3:45 to 5:00 M, T, Th, and F, and from 2:45 – 5:00 on W, 7:30 – 8:45 T, Th. We will be using teacher referrals to place students in an academic session tied to their needs, then to attend an elective session when permitted. Ms. RoseAnn Montano and Ms. Erica Kane are co-directors for this exciting opportunity!!
As part of our effort to stay connected to home, you will be receiving a progress report from your student’s teachers each two weeks. Be sure to ask for this from your student!
How can YOU become more involved? You are welcome to come to sit in on any of your student’s classes – all we ask is that you check in and out at the front desk. Please email or phone your student’s teacher any time! Also, we are having our monthly Cafecito’s on the first Thursday of each month. Our Site Council will be meeting the second Thursday of each month.
Mr. Ed
Is this the kind of "turnaround" we want here in Seattle?! Seems like a turnaround toward the wrong direction.
From her Welcome letter:
"Philosophically, we continue to use Standards-Based Grading as a way to gauge student learning. Additionally, we are implementing a block schedule for students to go into depth into the content through Project-Based Learning.
Former Supt. of New Orleans, corp. ed reformer Paul Vallas admitted this on NBC's corp ed reform fest, "Education Nation" in 2010.
Charter operators need buildings. Urban centers like ours don't tend to have lots of cheap real estate available. Buildings can be very expensive - to build, operate.
But guess who does have a lot of real estate? The Seattle Public School District. And when it closes schools, like it did in 2009 and 2006, suddenly there are buildings available.
--Except, of course, when the school district is obliged to reopen schools because of growing enrollment.
That's why charter operators want our public school buildings. And they want them for free.
I suspect that is one of the reasons why businesses like KIPP, Inc., Green Dot, Inc. and Rocketship choose to be charters instead of opening their own independent private schools.
They get free buildings, taxpayer money for each student, can cherrypick which students they accept, and are not accountable to the school board or voters in the way purely public schools are. It can be a very sweet deal for them.
This is one of the reasons why many of us were highly suspicious of Goodloe-Johnson's "capacity management plan" of 2008-09 which closed TT Minor, was gunning for Lowell and other buildings when we knew they would be needed. Were they being set aside for incoming charters?
Another negative scenario to watch out for: in dense cities like New York, charters literally compete for the same space as regular public schools, and in many cases, squeeze existing schools and kids out of their public school building.
There was a heartbreaking video that went around a couple of years ago that showed an elementary school back east losing its library to the charter school that was sharing its building. The charter school elbowed in and turned the school library into its administrative offices.
This is the corporate, business mindset at work here. Those who support charter schools, which they disguise as "choice," believe that schools should "compete" with one another. They don't care to understand that education is a cooperative, collaborative endeavor. But their business model does not work for education. It destroys education and all the relationships that are necessary to nurture our children and build a safe community where they can learn.
That community is called a "school." It is not a "portfolio investment."
We do not need charters in Washington State. Voters have already wisely said No three times.
Or is it planning to turn Boren into a stealth charter school, like it kind of has done with Mercer MS?
Staffing it with charter-trained types and TFA-ers, bending the rules that no other schools get to bend (ie. magical math waivers), focusing on test prep and raising standardized test scores at the expense of a full, enriched curriculum, etc?
Could this be Plan B for the corporate ed reformers if charters bills don't pass in Olympia?
And if you add to this scenario the fact that our school board president recently tried to weaken the power of the school board...hmm, starts to look like the corporate ed reform dream scenario. Broad and Bloomberg et al, for example, prefer mayoral control of school districts with no school board at all.
Food for thought...
The Transformation zone district gets the same rights to use "failing" schools as conversion charters, with the same funding streams and financial pain to the district. They go into a statewide district run by OSPI, with management of schools contracted to (someone, not clear who, but at least it appears that they have to be nonprofit). OSPI is mandated to propose 10-20 schools statewide to go into the transformation zone district, with the final decision made by the state board of education.
Anyone go to the Good News Club book event? Because we could get some interesting church-state issues with this bill. The charter board for each school has to be non-sectarian, but there's nothing to stop the leadership of the Mars Hill Church* from forming the Mars Hill Charter Board (totally non-sectarian and non-profit) to open up a school. They could then open up the Mars Hill School (public, nominally non-sectarian) that meets in space donated by the Mars Hill Church (also specifically OK). They could even put in a student code of conduct that strongly discourages those not of the church from joining the school. If a little religion slips into the classroom and nobody complains, who's to say it ever happened?
This bill is bad from start to finish. If I supported charters, I would be embarrassed to be associated with it.
* I'm picking on Mars Hill here, but it could just as well be the Lutherans, Mormons, Scientologists, Muslims, or Pastafarians.
So here's an interesting idea. Suppose KIPP* Shell Company A leases space for a school that KIPP will run. They then "donate" the space to the charter school, picking up a nice tax break in the process. KIPP Shell Company A also runs a massive loss on paper, because it's got all kinds of rent and no income, so there's another tax break for the parent company, which gets all the revenue. You'd have to run it past a tax attorney, but I would be shocked if you couldn't weasel that around to make even more money.
* Again, I'm picking on KIPP. Could be anyone.
http://www.tusd1.org/resources/math/index.asp
Discovering Algebra and Everyday Math are listed along other texts.
From the press release (posted on West Seattle blog):
She is also deeply knowledgeable about STEM subjects, as she served as her district’s Mathematics Coordinator, and was responsible for facilitating the vertical articulation and subsequent curriculum development of K-12 Mathematics for the district.
It would be interesting to know what math mterials would be used at Boren STEM (Everyday Math?), and what programs McKinney brought to Tucson as part of the curriculum development.
math parent
And, of course Sue is right. She does her homework.
If you look at the two things existing charters want now, it's real estate (or access to it with the help from the state) and lifting of caps of the numbers of charters in a state.
What are states who have charters finally seeing? That they have a whole bunch of bad schools to close and really, it's harder than it looks.
To keep in mind, Eric, if a district is leasing/sell property, a charter has first right of refusal at or BELOW market value. Terrible stuff.
http://publicola.com/2012/02/14/major-democratic-donor-to-meet-with-mckenna/
just goes to show -- you can be right about some things (progressive income tax) and really wrong about others. he's pretty awful, particularly the big middle section where he professes his undying love for unions while pressing the need to dismantle the protections of the teachers unions...
Since Boren STEM is essentially Schmitz Park Annex (my words), you can be dammed sure they aren't using Everyday Math.
So what was her expertise? Giving good interview? She was principal 2.5 years.
Mr Ed
Counting the days
There was overwhelming evidence presented that New Tech Schools despite greater spending and teaching a more favorable demographic were underperforming nearby schools. The Project Based Learning requirement at NTN confirms Hattie's effect size of 0.15 for Problem Based Learning.
The HoHoKam Middle School test results certainly support the idea that Enfield hires those that push the politically correct learning agenda and that results DO NOT matter.
Enfield had no substantive plans for k-12 math and she hired a principal that produced an abysmal record in both math and reading. ... So what are the criteria that Enfield uses for screening applicants and eventually selecting principals?
Looking at what Enfield wants for instructional materials "Waiver criteria" and what Enfield would like for Collective Bargaining Agreement "Value Added Measures" of teacher proficiency .... it is clear that Enfield's standards for hiring new principals are much much lower.
The following results are calculated from a huge sample of millions of students. Enfield's wants are patently ridiculous and the hiring of Dr. McKinney was bogus.
[effect sizes from "Visible Learning" by Hattie : the hinge effect value of 0.40 or greater indicates an intervention is likely to bring success]
The current math direction in vogue in many places is centered on:
a. Inquiry based teaching (0.31)
b. Problem based learning (0.15)
c. Differentiated Instruction (no empirical evidence)
Consider the effective practices that could be used:
a. Direct Instruction (0.59).
b. Problem Solving teaching (0.61),
c. Mastery Learning (0.58), and
d. Worked Examples (0.57).
These four innovations are not only effective but could be easily combined into a deliverable package. ..... but Susan Enfield does not care.
How can Enfield be a Highline SD superintendent finalist? .... The easy answer to that is Results DO NOT Matter.
I meant abysmal record in both Math and Writing
(not reading)
Grade 6 Math:
worst previous score
35% (2008)
Dr. McK =>
28% (2011)
26% (2010)
---------------
Grade 7 Math:
worst previous score
39% (2007)
Dr. McK =>
29% (2011)
23% (2010)
-----------------
Grade 8 Math:
worst previous score
30% (2007)
Dr. McK =>
24% (2011)
18% (2010)
----------------
This reminds me of when Santorno stuck the District with Everyday Math and left.
This is disgusting.
Some reminders include, "make sure you have your Objectives posted [for district walk-throughs] and are reviewing through it throughout your lessons...Data talks will continue." Coming up - "Grade level assemblies to review expectations and share achievement data."
Discuss.
I thought we didn't evaluate people based on student test scores.
SPS mom
The issues are two-fold. First, trends from test scores have never been discounted here. Second, hypocrisy and double standards need to be called out.
When a superintendent defines principals as "instructional leaders" and uses test scores as a major component of evaluation (as in Martin Floe and subsequent commentary by Enfield), the hiring of an individual with apparently contrary attributes puts the credibility of the superintendent in a tailspin.
--enough already
CHARTER SCHOOLS FAIL TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO DISABLED STUDENTS
This is an example of a cheap shot:
-----
a Republican candidate who supports the corporate takeover of public schools and who tried to make (and lost) the argument that schools were well funded in the recent Supreme Court decision
------
The State Appealed the decision ... CHRIS is the GUV and chief administrator responsible for the decision to appeal.
McKenna as AG has the duty to make the appeal after the GUV makes the decision.
As near as I can tell .. McKenna has regularly supported fully funding education since he declared to run in the race to be the next GUV.
The HYA rep says she's getting LOTS of people who are interested or who are putting a name forward.
HYA says they've done 800 searches. First question comes to mind - "how many are two-peats or three-peats?" This could be the same 80 people moving from district to district.
Charters do not serve Special Ed students appropriately or the same numbers as traditional schools.
You think just charter schools underserve disabled students?! The district has a long history of confining special ed students/programs to failing schools to leave more room for the "regular" kids in the popular/high performing schools. Just check out the current discussion in the Special Ed PTSA board on Yahoo groups.
-timetoraiseyourawarenessofwhat'shappening
http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/2012/02/lowell-sadly-plot-thickens.html
interested reader
Proposing? Where have you been? Inclusion programs - you mean programs that enable students with disabilities to go to college? Cheaply, efficiently, and to the satisfaction of parents? Those are GONE. The district has already spent 2 million on ICS, has served not 1 student more in general ed than it ever did before, has served all students WORSE, and has left students hanging out to dry everyhwere?
That's what happens when you have hit and run special ed.
Let's spend $2,000,000... and then let me get a new job. Who cares what happens? Oh yeah. That Obama ed funding won't be coming around next year to continue the mess I made. I'll be on my next job so it won't matter.
-sped parent
another parent
I would like to see proof of that statement. You can't make a broad statement without data.
As for charters, be careful what you wish for.
Mr. Ed
-critical-
Perhaps I should send one to the Republican legislators and ask them if they agree with Hanauer. If so, they don't belong in a deliberative body.
Mr. Ed
Chaos rules the administration of the MAP testing process. Students are pulled nearly at random from class to be tested. Students wander in and out of the testing room almost at will.
Students are allowed to take part
of the test and then take more of the test even weeks later. Students talk to their friends about the test and share info and answers, etc.
The test is given during different times of day (squirmy students before lunch and sleepy after) and different times of the year (before or after certain topics are covered in class).
Distractions are the norm with
talking among the students and noise from other parts of the school.
The lack of scientific rigor or even minimal testing security is
breath-taking. Gathering honest or valid data under these conditions is impossible.
So kudos to Sarah Pritchett for letting all McClure teachers off the hook, rendering the onerous testing/evaluation contract clause completely invalid.
And now our wonderful teachers can now let their shoulders drop six inches and get back to teaching academics, not "testing".
McClure watcher
McKinney interview
Well, yes, they COULD be worse. And as the parent of a SPED kid who went to SPS schools for high school -- I am not part of your "we." Frankly, I think we need to sue -- but I have no clue how to organize it (and my kid has graduated, so maybe I don't even have standing). But if you think a bunch of for-profit folks who want to take as much taxpayer money (and assets) as they can get their hands on -- which means devising systems to weed out any kids who require any extra time or attention -- are going to be your white knight for providing better educational opportunities for SPED kids, well -- I disagree. I know of NO statistical evidence to back up your hope -- and some evidence that specifically indicates that charters do worse at serving special ed kids than regular public schools.
Two more points -- first, those creating "chaos" in hopes that people will throw up their hands and accept ANY change in hopes that it will be better are hoping that people will decide as you have done.
Second, I actually DO think that you could devise a charter system that would create schools that would work BETTER than many current public schools for special ed kids. My child attended such a school (no more expensive than public, very small, probably 40 percent SPED, 60 percent regular/gifted). But it is not any charter legislation that the current proponents would EVER promote -- because it actually funnels money and resources to the kids, and requires a very lean, non-profit management/staff structure at the top. NOT what KIPP, TfA, etc. have in mind. At. All!
Mr Ed
A couple of years ago, the school district reached a revolutionary contract with teachers. Pay and benefits would rise, but teachers would embrace reform — including sacrificing job security. With a stronger evaluation system, tenure no longer mattered and weak teachers could be pushed out.
Teachers were protected by a transparent process, and by accountability for principals. But if outside evaluators agreed with administrators that a teacher was failing, the teacher would be out at the end of the school year.
Last year, the school district pushed out 34 teachers, about 2 percent of the total in the district. The union not only didn’t object, but acknowledged that many of them didn’t really belong in the classroom.
So far this year, administrators have warned about 50 more teachers that their jobs are in jeopardy because of weak teaching. That’s out of 1,800 teachers in the district.