“Number of Schools Missing Academic Targets Surges” Baltimore Sun

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This is a sobering article that discusses Baltimore’s progress (or lack thereof) towards reaching NCLB’s 100% standard by 2014. The term sobering may be an understatement when we consider that “90% of Baltimore’s elementary and middle schools fell short of academic targets on state assessments this year.”

To me, this article is upsetting for reasons that may not be quite as obvious. Our students' scores on the MSA matter little to me. It’s a poor test with frightening implications—teachers now have the overwhelming pressure to “teach to the test,” using any means necessary to make sure their students will score proficient or advanced on a multiple choice exam that relies on questionable standards and even more questionable measures of excellence. Students are unarguably getting a worse education, tied soley to passing state tests. What goes by the wayside is often, well, everything else: novel studies, creative thinking, innovation, engaging discussions, and the arts—some of the very things in our public education system that, in the past, have helped to make our nation great.

My concern, then, is the implication of the most likely reality that Baltimore City Public Schools (and most other school districts across the country) will not reach the unrealistic 100% goal by the 2013-2014 school year, only to face the demoralization of being labeled a failing school system, and what’s worse, all of the sanctions that accompany such a designation, including loss of funding. Is this truly the best method we can come up with for fixing broken systems?

Sadly, none of this has much to do with how much ACTUAL learning, quality instruction, and college preparedness is occurring in our schools. But of course, the article doesn’t address this point… and neither does NCLB.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-ayp-schools-20110714,0,7067530.story

Schools Chiefs See a Path to Proposing Their Own Accountability Systems

View Article Here (New York Times)

This article indicates that Arne Duncan and his aides have "signaled" that some states will be able to create their own accountability measures for schools as a sort of waiver to the proficiency provision of NCLB. Though this action is not by any means set in stone, it seems that state educational leaders have expanded their senses of possibilities in terms of what it is possible and desirable to do in their schools. Leaders in Indiana, for example, would be interested in exploring ways to ensure that the lowest 25% of every school is making gains and holding schools accountable for that growth. In Delaware, education officials are interested in experimenting with language immersion programs and summer programs in math, science, and engineering. Many of these states, in fact, have developed these accountability measures alongside NCLB provisions, and are working to meet both sets of requirements.

Maryland officials were not included in the article, so I could only imagine what might happen in classrooms if the MSA Finish Line books were packed up and stowed away. As a middle school language arts teacher, I would hope that practical measures would be used to assess writing across the entire state starting in elementary school. In general, I would like to know that my students have a working knowledge of computer technology before graduating from high school. Figures such as the number of students sitting AP exams and the graduation and attendance rates of individual schools could also be used to hold these schools accountable for rigor and engagement in the classroom. Still, action is yet to be taken, and it is possible that waivers will be granted only to states that agree to pursue specific reforms.

Charter Cherry-Picking

In the recent New York Times article, "Message from a Charter School: Thrive or Transfer," author, Michael Winerip, uses a situation with one New York family to ruminate on an issue that is especially prevalent with charter schools in the Baltimore area. As he says, " do [charter schools] cherry-pick students, if not by gaming the admissions process, then by counseling out children who might be more expensive or difficult to educate — and who could bring down their test scores, graduation rates and safety records." In this case, the student in question was admitted to the school and then dismissed from the school to P.S. 75, all with the child's best interests in mind according to the charter school's officials. Now, it is worth noting that the child is now thriving in his new environment, and in this case, the decision may very well have been the correct one.

However, I do not believe, simply from my own experience that this is always the case here in Baltimore. Working at a traditional PK-8 school, we often receive transfer students out of charter schools. As might be expected, the number one reason for a student's transfer is a dismissal from the charter school for behavior problems. As a result, my school becomes a dumping ground for those that the charter school has deemed too difficult to manage. Is this fair? When students are deemed too difficult to manage in a normal environment within normal K-8s, they are sent to alternative programs for smaller class sizes, not away from charters for often bigger class sizes. Should charters function outside of this system, inherently assuming that they are “above” traditional schools in the pecking chain?

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

Alonso responds to decline in MSA test scores with a new program idea

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-07-03/news/bs-md-ci-msa-score-follow-20110703_1_schools-ceo-andr-s-alonso-school-system-msa

After many years of increasing assessment scores, Baltimore City’s 2011 MSA scores have fallen three percentage points in reading and five percentage points in math. This small decline is considered normal for large urban districts, but is being referred to as a “wake up call” for the city’s educational leaders. In explaining this decline, Dr. Alonso cited ongoing problems with lack of quality instruction and teachers. He also reported cheating scandals at a few city schools, and noted that tackling teacher contract reform this year removed some of the focus on what was happening inside schools and classrooms. In the short-term, Alonso is doing an individual analysis of each school whose scores declined and considering opening weekend academies for 5^th and 8^th graders to remedy the decline in scores. In the long-term, Alonso plans to continue to implement innovative school choice options and to hold principals and teachers accountable for student achievement.

I am interested in learning more about Alonso’s potential short solution of weekend academies. Although I believe in the benefits of additional instruction time, I am skeptical that many educators and students would embrace weekend academies, especially if these academies were mandatory and did not generously compensate teachers. I therefore am wondering about the structural components of the academies, including whether or not they would target failing students and/or schools. In addition, I question why Alonso would limit these academies to 5^th and 8^th graders. While I understand the idea of targeting the weaker performing grades, it would seem to me that as many students as possible should get access to this supplementary program.

What are charter schools really doing?

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

I know that cream rises to the top. I also know that it is important to make sure that the students who are the most capable are challenged. It is especially important in today's global economy to produce crops of students that are as strong as possible. However, what does it say when we are willing to sacrifice the education and well-being of the struggling to ensure the development of that "top level" student? This is most certainly an effective way to make certain a school performs at the highest level of academic rigor (there will not be any students who slow the class down), but is it the right thing to do?

This article tells the story of a little boy who was (arguably) forced out of a charter school because he was doing just that, slowing the class down. He later proved to be a successful student elsewhere. The disturbing part is he was only in first grade when the high performing charter decided to "redirect" this student. Should charter schools be able to select their students in this way? Is it the burden of the truly public school to take all those unwanted students? What does this do to a child's psychology? Will every student be as successful after being kicked out of a charter? I cannot know the answer to these questions and I know they are a little bit dramatic, but the point is one worthy of discussion. What do you think?

New statewide evaluation system denounced by BTU

In a vote at the end of last month, the Maryland Council for Educator Effectiveness approved a new standardized evaluation system that will be implemented in seven districts, (including Baltimore City and County), at the start of next year. Under this system, student performance will be worth 50% of the total evaluation - a notion so unpopular that every state and district teacher allowed to sit on the panel voted against it. BTU President Marietta English decried the system as "yet another misguided example of an obsession with test scores," and in the wake of this year's testing scandals I am surprised that there was not more trepidation on the parts of non-teachers with regards to this tremendous emphasis on student achievement. It only seems logical that the more emphasis is placed on test scores as an evaluator of one's acumen as an educator, the more likely incidents such as the recent MSA testing scandals will become. This evaluation tool is not yet even in place, but educators are already feeling enough pressure regarding test scores to forge results outright. In my opinion, it follows that the more emphasis is placed on test scores as a measure of teacher quality, the lower the actual quality of teaching being delivered will become. There will be no cause for teaching anything other than the test. People want to protect their livelihoods - to be surprised at the lengths some will go to to do so is nothing more than extreme naiveté.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2011/06/baltimore_teachers_union_denou.html

Plan for emergency school reform in Detroit resembles reforms in Baltimore

Michigan’s governor Rick Snyder and Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts recently announced a joint plan to reform schools throughout the state. Beginning in the fall of 2012, the lowest performing five percent of Detroit public schools will taken over by the Education Achievement System (EAS) – a newly created statewide school system. At each school taken over by EAS, decision-making and responsibility will by placed in the hands of principals, staff, and parents rather than the Detroit Public Schools central office. Emphasis will be placed on hiring of qualified principals and teachers (current teachers would have to reapply for their jobs).

Gov. Snyder’s announcement has been met with strong reactions, both negative and positive. Opponents view the installation of Roberts as Emergency Manager - able to make unilateral decisions - and the severing of union contracts as deeply undemocratic. Supporters believe the reform plan is focused on student achievement and may be radical enough to give Michigan the impetus it needs to truly change. Many elements of Snyder’s plan are considered drastic, but in fact we have already seen many of these elements in Baltimore City, with turnaround, transformation, and charter schools leading the way. (Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Federation of Teachers have opposed the expansion of charter schools despite the rampant failure of its public schools.) Reform efforts proposed by Gov. Snyder may serve as blueprint for (or a warning against) future education reform in our country.

http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,1607,7-277-57577-258186--,00.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ii5X6xIoI0g4tB5U-N6XabVk-U5g?docId=ae4510d640274d94b3879e60efd98115

Biting the hand that teaches you

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/us/12aft.html?_r=1&ref=education

The president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Randi Weingarten, gave an impressively strong speech at the kick off for the first day of the National Conference, according to the New York Times. I say strong because she voiced opinions that are controversial in a time when most people in the public eye strive for political correctness over their own feelings and opinions. She was not afraid to make claims like, "[the debate over the education system] has been hijacked by a group of self-styled reformers" who, in her mind are working to save the system in the entirely wrong way.

Weingarten argues that the transformation needs to be headed by and stem from the teachers and those on the front lines, not by "by people who are happy to lecture us about the state of public education — but wouldn’t last 10 minutes in a classroom" (another rather controversial remark!). Personally, I think she is right! The change does have to come from those in the classroom. No matter what happens outside (policy change, introduction of merit pay, certification changes, etc), if teachers don't change then the schools will not change. The question is, will teachers change without impetus from the outside? And will teachers stick around in the profession long enough to see that change through? It is clear, from what I have read and heard, as well as my own limited personal experience, that a transient teacher force limits the achievement of students. It is even more clear that teachers who last more than a few years become increasingly more effective (unless, of course, they become disenchanted or burnt out). So, how will we get teachers to stay? That is the real question. I think if the policy makers focused on that question and saw the lack of student achievement as a symptom (instead of the main problem) we could really make some change without biting the hand that feeds us.

Building School Ties Over Language Barriers

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/for-burmese-refugees-english-lessons-at-work-build-school-ties/2011/06/23/AGPnxOsH_story_1.html

In Howard County, there was been an incredible influx of Burmese refugees in the past several years- many of whom work at Coastal Sunbelt Produce. And this year, the company forged a partnership with the local Bollman Bridge Elementary School. Laurel Conran is an elementary school teacher who has volunteered her time to go to the company’s lunch break to teach about 2 dozen Burmese workers, mostly parents, some practical English skills. She has taught them how to call in sick for work, or even how to work an oven. Her philosophy is that by teaching parents English, we can build stronger ties within the school community and help educate entire families, not just the students. There is a communication breakdown between families of immigrant children and teachers because often the parents do not speak English.

I was just thinking about how this philosophy of educating parents to help the children and their families within a school system could work in Baltimore. We do have a small immigrant population, particularly at schools like Moravia Park. Many schools, including my own, have some ELL students whose parents do not speak English- thus making communicating with families extremely difficult. While we translate progress reports, report cards, and important letters home, I think about the lack of face-to-face communication with those parents of students in my class who do not speak English. When a conversation requires an interpreter, it can be easy to shy away. But by encouraging families to learn some English and with teachers working to build these ties, we can create an open and inviting atmosphere for all of our families. We can cut down on absences for unnecessary reasons, keep parents informed, and make them feel welcome to our schools. I wonder if schools with a higher ELL population will adopt such a program in their school communities.