tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8282274008716663351..comments2024-03-28T23:38:22.511-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA News and FactsMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10495002285858047092011-04-19T21:34:52.808-07:002011-04-19T21:34:52.808-07:00Former teacher,
Kudos to you. Excellent explanat...Former teacher,<br /><br />Kudos to you. Excellent explanation of the real rules of the game.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62448119477668696272011-04-16T10:53:14.610-07:002011-04-16T10:53:14.610-07:00zb--
there are back doors to HQ status that don...zb--<br />there are back doors to HQ status that don't require anything remotely like a degree, or even a substantial amount of subject area knowledge. <br /><br />The state has tests for its endorsements, which are an easy way for someone to add endorsements in the same general area: an algebra teacher can test to become endorsed in calculus in one step.<br /><br />Getting slightly further afield, there are various college-sanctioned paths that choose related subjects (math and science, english and history) where if you hold the one endorsement, you can pass the state content test in your related subject and have someone from an accredited college watch you teach a class in the 'new' area, and if you do well you get the new endorsement.<br /><br />Then there are the weird HOUSSE forms, which can be used well or improperly. HOUSSE was formed because of NCLB, in order that teachers could reach HQ status quickly. It's a points based system, that allocates points based on various experiences, certifications (pre '87 general gets a lot of points, as do SPED), time spent teaching in the area in question, and other accomplishments. The level of difficulty in the college coursework is unspecified, and the time spent teaching is not as specific as it should be (and counts substitute time, which I'm not sure is a good idea). More than one district has gotten in trouble for submitting HOUSSE forms that were incomplete or without the receiving teacher's knowledge.<br /><br />-former teacherAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-32387932173081725702011-04-16T08:25:11.850-07:002011-04-16T08:25:11.850-07:00How about this for a TFA strategy -
RIF's and...How about this for a TFA strategy -<br /><br />RIF's and hiring concurrent May 15 (or whenever). Schools with the twisted low enrollment numbers let teachers go. These current SPS teachers go to the schools where enrollment numbers aren't twisted so low.<br /><br />Fast forward to fall - low and behold enrollment was underprojected and lots of "nice" schools now need to hire teachers. But the teachers we let go last spring are spoken for, or gone. Hey, look, some TFA kids are available!<br /><br />That's how you get TFA kids into schools where there may not be an "achievement gap".<br /><br />Clever, huh?<br /><br />OompahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-58261841817352530332011-04-15T17:53:20.825-07:002011-04-15T17:53:20.825-07:00zb:
Level 1-5 are from the Schools' Report Car...zb:<br />Level 1-5 are from the Schools' Report Card determined by MSP and MAP trends for elementary schools and HSPE (is that the right acronym?) and other District generated tests for secondary.<br /><br />You may recall the Blue-Green-Yellow-Orange-Red labels for schools. Level 1 school is a red school, Level 2 an orange school.<br />ken berryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7541565869310581672011-04-15T17:20:13.302-07:002011-04-15T17:20:13.302-07:00I love it when I am right. I told you so.
-Cassand...I love it when I am right. I told you so.<br />-CassandraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-43370262197710377312011-04-15T15:02:08.776-07:002011-04-15T15:02:08.776-07:00expdjunt =
moving quickly in a predetermined dir...expdjunt =<br /><br /> moving quickly in a predetermined direction (Club Ed Elites figured out the direction), despite the evidence, under the guise of "It is good for kids" and needs to rapidly happen.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71895802628491972562011-04-15T14:57:38.313-07:002011-04-15T14:57:38.313-07:00To clarify. I am No Child Left Behind Highly Qual...To clarify. I am No Child Left Behind Highly Qualified as a Math, Chemistry, and Science teacher.<br /><br />I have a BA in Math and the required 45 quarter hours of Chem for NCLB HQ status.<br /><br />In addition I have a smattering of Physics, Biology, Geology.<br /><br />So NO a degree is not necessary to be NCLB HQ in Chem. I have 45 qtr credits which is about equivalent to one solid year of only chemistry.<br /><br />When one walks into a low performing school, which is almost always a high poverty situation ... that Math or Science degree means not much as one needs experience. The fact that likely most TfA hires will be leaving after two years for somewhere else, puts SPS in the position of providing the poor trained and inadequate the equivalent of a "pseudo residency" to figure things out.<br /><br />SPS school directors failed to analyze the situation, or look at the evidence, and failed to think.<br /><br />Time to fess up and hire ZERO "TfA"<br />in light of the RIF and budget problems. When it comes to Seattle, the TfA is another scam.<br /><br />Directors are still as a group (at least 4 out of 7) still walking the ED Reform is perfect direction. Thus Enfield was the pick for interim Supe.<br /><br />It does not have to make any sense in the irrational world of education.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-35743001894512183082011-04-15T13:53:39.566-07:002011-04-15T13:53:39.566-07:00@Dan.... churn, churn, churn .... burn, burn, burn...@Dan.... churn, churn, churn .... burn, burn, burn..... watch the dollars go up in smoke... and our kids with them....<br /><br />WV = expdjunt... as in UW/SPS/TFA will do/say whatever's expdjunt....Sahilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610179287237833742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51017067282065325672011-04-15T13:19:52.419-07:002011-04-15T13:19:52.419-07:00"Any math or science teacher with a secondary..."Any math or science teacher with a secondary teaching endorsement must have a degree in the area they will be teaching in."<br /><br />Does this mean that all secondary science & math teachers in SPS have undergraduate degrees in science or math? <br /><br />Mind you, I think there are people who believe that the kind of degree the TFA folks might have earned, say, from Caltech or Harvard, might matter. I'm not sure that it does.zbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13205346985598789513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-38449341416140660582011-04-15T13:19:11.745-07:002011-04-15T13:19:11.745-07:00WOW!! TfA
It seems everywhere I look the complet...WOW!! T<i>f</i>A<br /><br />It seems everywhere I look the complete failure of Directors to make evidence based decisions ... leads to a string of linked expensive failures.<br /><br />This appears to be a result of irrational decisions, where Directors like Carr decide to go with the plans of Central Admin while ignoring the evidence.<br /><br />The Change I am looking for in the SPS is using intelligence to make decisions.... Instead we have Churn, Churn, Churn and the same failure to think.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36391439842846235082011-04-15T12:38:14.759-07:002011-04-15T12:38:14.759-07:00The main problem Dean Tom Stritikus -- and U.W. it...The main problem Dean Tom Stritikus -- and U.W. itself -- faces if U.W. does decide to sponsor TFA,Inc. is, how could he not come across as a hypocrite?<br /><br />After all, there he would be, telling one group of students that it takes a full year of dedicated preparation and study towards an education degree, and actual in-class, on the job, student-teaching experience to be fully qualified and ready to be a solid teacher, while telling another group, a five-week crash course is all you need. <br /><br />To have these two programs side by side at U.W. would send a pretty schizophrenic message to the students there. It's also a recipe for huge resentment.<br /><br />And both groups would be ostensibly vying for the same jobs.<br /><br />Add to that the fact that students in the U.W. MA teaching program are likely paying their own way (or into debt), while the TFA-ers get their training funded by TFA, Inc. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/education/05grants.html" rel="nofollow">$50 million of it coming from taxpayers via the Obama Administration's largesse</a>) and local school districts (including SPS) which have to pay an extra bonus of at least $4,000 per year for each TFA-er they hire, and you've got economic inequality in the mix as well.<br /><br />Also, how could Stritikus, a TFA alum, not show favoritism towards the TFA-ers? So there's a potential conflict of interest problem well.<br /><br />The U.W Dept of Ed site emphasizes the rigor of the state teaching requirements and U.W.'s teaching program: <i>"In order to meet State of Washington requirements for teacher certification, the requirements of the Teacher Education Program are rigorous and highly structured."</i> More details about U.W.'s MA in teaching program can be found <a href="http://education.washington.edu/degrees/mit.html" rel="nofollow">here.</a> <br /><br />More info on who pays for what for TFA, Inc. can be found <a href="http://www.teachforamerica.org/about-us/regions/new-regions/faq/#whopays" rel="nofollow">here.</a><br /><br />Here's a local teacher's perspective on TFA, RIFs, and the non-shortage of teachers in SPS: <a href="http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/letter-from-a-teacher-to-superintendent-enfield-and-seattle-school-board-dont-outsource-our-jobs-to-tfa/" rel="nofollow">Letter from a Teacher to Superintendent Enfield and Seattle School Board: Please don’t outsource our jobs to TFA.</a><br /><br /><i>--Sue p.</i>suep.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17281578510716234624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25241562758561547452011-04-15T12:27:02.033-07:002011-04-15T12:27:02.033-07:00And I gotta say Robert Boesche's gonna be swim...And I gotta say Robert Boesche's gonna be swimming upstream against the current. He's been nothing but nice to me. I wish him the best. He's trying to set the groundwork in place for the eventual permanent CFO. I'd say one of the best ways is to clear the deadwood. Do that bottom-up review of what's needed to accomplish the mission.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8666212239054620962011-04-15T12:00:25.718-07:002011-04-15T12:00:25.718-07:00Ann Chan out = good.
Nice person. Wrong personali...Ann Chan out = good.<br /><br />Nice person. Wrong personality for housecleaning and huge step up in professionalism needed YESTERDAY. Plus I think she was commuting here from Chicago or somesuch. Get us someone from our community, please. It's not like there aren't dozens of highly talented HR folks that have been underemployed these past few years.<br /><br />And that HR leader better be on the warpath first with his/her own department and then with everyone else's. This is another historical source of rot at the roots downtown.Central Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05411595538958030193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53930799845829141792011-04-15T11:58:44.999-07:002011-04-15T11:58:44.999-07:00Hey! I like this! Susan Enfield is putting her s...Hey! I like this! Susan Enfield is putting her stamp on things (of course, it'll mean we pissed away money on yet another MGJ Big Idea, but what else is new). If I were the new sheriff in town, I would do the same.mirmac1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10183460709639638172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62641937477652240382011-04-15T11:54:03.326-07:002011-04-15T11:54:03.326-07:00What the hell is going on down there?What the hell is going on down there?Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15747386970588090362011-04-15T11:47:44.127-07:002011-04-15T11:47:44.127-07:00zb
Any math or science teacher with a secondary te...zb<br />Any math or science teacher with a secondary teaching endorsement must have a degree in the area they will be teaching in. So TFA has no advantage over someone from the UW masters (or for that matter any program in the Seattle area.) The degree was a requirement of NCLB to meet the "highly qualified" stamp of approval that all teacher within at least the past 6 years have had to meet.peonypowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17509224675997284520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-60195758135644410162011-04-15T11:22:56.434-07:002011-04-15T11:22:56.434-07:00Dear staff,
Today I am announcing a change in lea...Dear staff,<br /><br />Today I am announcing a change in leadership at Seattle Public Schools.<br /><br />After five months as Chief Talent Officer, Ann Chan will be leaving the position. I appreciate her guidance during a difficult period for our school district, but I am moving Human Resources in a new direction. Ann’s last day is April 29, and we all wish her well. <br /><br />I am focusing on Human Resources because it is a key part of restructuring our central office to best support teaching and learning. It is time to closely examine how we are organized, and this starts with Human Resources. The Human Resources Department will now report to Robert Boesche, Interim Chief Financial Officer, while we conduct a search for an Executive Director of Human Resources. I will announce an Interim Executive Director after Spring Break.<br /><br />Central office has experienced significant change in the past several months and I know this decision adds more uncertainty. I appreciate your continued focus on your work. I also want to express my thanks to the Human Resources department and my appreciation for their continued work during several leadership transitions.<br /><br />As always, I have an open door policy and would welcome hearing from you. Please let me know if you have questions, concerns or ideas.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Susan<br /><br />Susan Enfield, Ed.D.<br />Interim Superintendent<br />Seattle Public SchoolsSalandernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-4623718349329852102011-04-15T10:39:56.210-07:002011-04-15T10:39:56.210-07:00Also please point out to the Board that of the doz...Also please point out to the Board that of the dozens, yes dozens, of higher ed teaching degree programs in WA, the District has relationships with only a few, and those relationships are tenuous at best because Central Admin can't pull it together enough to structure ongoing, mutually beneficial, partnerships with even the top tier schools. <br /><br />The term "dysfunctional" comes up a lot from the colleges' perspective on JSCEE.<br /><br />Frankly, I'd rather see the District's time, skills and $$ going into bolstering those partnerships than going down the TFA rabbithole. There's only so much time in the day. Our state's own colleges offer a GREAT solution to providing a consistent source of skilled teachers. The TFA program isn't nearly as sustainable or comprehensive a solution.Central Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05411595538958030193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69115306959937862952011-04-15T10:28:33.376-07:002011-04-15T10:28:33.376-07:00Some facts, perhaps? Charlie mentioned recruiter w...Some facts, perhaps? Charlie mentioned recruiter which Melissa turned into head of recruitment. That's a big leap. Are we talking of a head of recruitment? Not that I know of.<br /><br />The new recruiter is specifically tied to the TIF grant. Therefore is specifically for recruiting for the 29 or 34 schools listed in the grant. <br /><br />And, this recruitment is supposed to "identify and recruit high performing teachers and principals to low-performing, high-needs schools."<br /><br />So I read this as saying that this person is supposed to look within the district and identify high performing teachers and convince them to take the stipend to move to a TIF grant school, as well as find new hires for same schools.<br /><br />The fact that his background is all TfA is troubling. because new hires, new to teaching by definition do not have a performance track record at all. <br /><br />So when you want to write to the school board, superintendent or press or union rep, use as much factual information as possible. This is a TIF grant funded recruiter to get high performing teachers and principals into high-needs schools. How does a former TfA recruiter fit that job description? How will we know that this recruiter combed through existing high performing teachers to find folks willing to move? Wouldn't that be number one priority to ensure high-needs students get experienced teachers who are not likely to leave after two years? <br /><br />And, very troubling, as Charlie pointed out and the board is Very Aware OF -- the enrollment projection figures look skewed and purposefully destructive. Point out to the board etc how this factors into the questions raised.Dorothy Nevillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17108759281089768738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-46527668202945609612011-04-15T10:18:16.385-07:002011-04-15T10:18:16.385-07:00Should the dean of the College of Education at UW ...Should the dean of the College of Education at UW recuse himself from determining whether UW should sponsor TFA? <br /><br />I truly am asking what people think. My husband thinks it's a gray area.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-41591230957319174432011-04-15T09:51:19.479-07:002011-04-15T09:51:19.479-07:00I would say Joe Recruiter should recuse himself fr...I would say Joe Recruiter should recuse himself from consideration of TFA applicants.StopTFAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08605108615707039386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28550666101529711452011-04-15T09:46:38.722-07:002011-04-15T09:46:38.722-07:00another mom asked:
"And if candidates are fil...another mom asked:<br />"<i>And if candidates are filtered to be primarily from TfA, is this cronyism?</i>"<br /><br />It may be cronyism, but it would be cronyism that is in no way prohibited by the District's Ethics Policy. The District's Ethics Policy only precludes people from profiting in cash from their decisions.<br /><br />In other words, a District employee could hire their friends and relations to positions - over more qualified applicants - and it would not be a violation of the Ethics Policy. A District staff person could award contracts to friends and former colleagues - over more qualified proposals - and it would not be a violation of the Ethics Policy.<br /><br />The Ethics Policy does not forbid cronyism, only self-dealing.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-83408680946545838482011-04-15T09:33:55.503-07:002011-04-15T09:33:55.503-07:00"There is reason to believe that this person ..."There is reason to believe that this person views TfA favorably and may promote TfA corps members to schools making hiring decisions. I'm not entirely sure what a recruiter's job is, but it may include filtering the hiring pool and rejecting some applicants before the hiring committees at the schools get to see them."<br /><br />And if candidates are filtered to be primarily from TfA, is this cronyism? I dunno but it appears that TfA would benefit financially and otherwise for every candidate that it is able to place.another momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12303476240929715442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78826502005480613752011-04-15T09:27:04.190-07:002011-04-15T09:27:04.190-07:00I recall reading Bill Gates gave U of W dollars un...I recall reading Bill Gates gave U of W dollars under the condition they support TfA.<br /><br />The TfA contract states level 1 schools skip the thrid phase of hiring. Thereby, TfA candidates enter the first pool of considered applicants.<br /><br />If directors are unaware of this fact, they failed in their duty to read the contracts.Just sayingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50321420890452199862011-04-15T09:12:24.902-07:002011-04-15T09:12:24.902-07:00"It remains unclear to me why someone with a ..."It remains unclear to me why someone with a teaching certificate -say a 23 yr old young energetic graduate- will be rejected for someone also 23 but without the required certificate."<br /><br />Me neither. From what I know of the UW Masters in Teaching program, there is extensive mentored student teaching involved (including a requirement that students applying have observed classrooms). So, we're not talking about paper certifications; we're talking about real experience in the classroom. <br /><br />There's the potential that the students with the teaching certificates won't have the science/math content experience. That's the only excuse I can imagine to find legitimate. And, I wouldn't find it relevant for an elementary school teacher.zbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13205346985598789513noreply@blogger.com