Sinking Morale

In a recent New York Times Article, MetLife's Survey of the American Teacher revealed that teacher morale is at its lowest point since 1989. The survey included teachers, parents, and students and indicates particular factors that have caused the significant drop in satisfaction. Of the factors mentioned, common ones include:

• Increased pressure of standardized testing
• Increasing class sizes with fewer resources
• Overall job security.

The most interesting piece of the article for me was the section that identified that the results were consistent across teachers who were working in poor and stable neighborhoods. While ignoring the lack of clarity surrounding what a "stable" neighborhood is, it is also interesting to see that the race and ethnicity of the students, and length of a teacher’s experience, had little bearing on the survey's results. Despite the apparent consistency across the profession, the survey also noted that teachers working in urban schools with a large population of minority students reported lower satisfaction with their jobs.

Common trends amongst teachers who were satisfied with their jobs included a stronger sense of job security, more opportunities for (meaningful) professional development, longer planning time, and higher levels of parental involvement.

For those teaching in Baltimore City, most of these factors are familiar and relevant in our day to day work. It raises the question of what it would take to increase teacher satisfaction overall, but particularly in urban areas where many of these issues are magnified. It would appear that a multitude of factors result in higher or lower satisfaction, but how many of these factors are within the district, school, and teacher's control?

-Michelle

For Art's Sake

While arts education isn’t the hottest topic in Baltimore City reform circles, maybe its absence should be. An issue that has for years been condemned to a whisper—a need at once both clearly manifest and nearly mute under tons of testing turmoil—arts education is suddenly being spun to a different beat. And some urban school districts are beginning to listen.


Last week, the Chicago Tribute released an article with the headline, New study shows arts programs helped improve academic scores at three CPS schools. The article describes a recent study, conducted in partnership by the educational arts non-profit Changing Worlds and Loyola University, which attributed significant testing gains to arts programs in three Chicago Public Schools. Researchers tracked the test scores of 95 students enrolled in these schools, all of whom participated in Changing Worlds’ Literacy and Cultural Connections Programs, to find that “fourth graders who started with the program in 2009 saw an 11.5 percentage point gain in composite test scores,” and that these same students “scored on average more than 11 percentage points higher than fourth through sixth graders at the same schools who did not take part in the [arts] program.” (Let’s ignore for a moment that the creator of the program funded 50% of the study, and take them at their word.)

After Chicago Public School officials recently adopted a longer school day, many groups are using research like this to push arts enrichment activities into newly available time slots. Personally, I think this would be a valuable use of time. As a test-obsessed nation, we’ve gone too long starving students of the arts in service of sought-after scores. Rigorous arts education helps provide students with a means for thinking abstractly and creatively about topics—skills that serve them academically, as well as in more obvious artistic fields.

But the artist in me is sad to see that arts education is selling out. Should arts education have to play into the testing game to achieve its goals? Can’t we just appreciate this kind of learning, for art’s sake?

Read the article here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-arts-20120228,0,2307593.story

  

Choosing Charter Schools

Dr. Steve Perry, a renowned educator, has an educational segment on CNN called Perry's Principles. In his recent segments he has discussed teacher evaluations, Dr. Alonzo's progress in Baltimore city public schools, and paying students to attend school. On one segment he is asked by parent for advice in choosing a charter school. The video brings to light a problem that most parents have which is a lack of knowledge about charter schools or schools in general. Steve Perry founded a public charter school in Hartford, Connecticut so he is considered somewhat of an expert. He offers the advice of completely ignoring any information on the internet about a school. "You must visit the school during a school day."

There are many websites and publications that boast to have the vital information that parents need to make the critical decision of school choice. Most of these websites and publications are missing key factors that affect the success and functionality of a school. Factors such as attendance rate, teacher turnover rate, and suspension rate are missing in these reports. Parents should conduct research and visits to schools. When visiting schools, it is important that parents ask questions that are important to them. If parents want their child to have an exceptional football coach, then they should ask to speak to the athletic director, the football coaches, and the head of football booster club. Dr. Perry insists on parents conducting multiple visits including the open house to get a complete picture of how a school operates.

 The link for the video is below:

·         http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2012/02/26/perry-charter-school.cnn

T. Sims

A Superintendent for All?

In a recent article, Liz Bowie of the Baltimore Sun newspaper broke down Baltimore County’s search to find a new superintendent.

Read more at:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-12-01/news/bs-md-co-superintendent-search-20111201_1_attea-associates-search-firm-conduct-search

While the article states that in the last decade minority enrollment has increased in the county from 38% to 54% and students on subsidized meals has increased from 27% to 43%, Bowie also states that Baltimore County is “not seen as a major urban school system.” To say this is severely undercutting the paradigm shift of some Baltimore County schools away from a suburban model.

The company that Baltimore County Public Schools hired for the superintendent search claims that they reach out to parents, local community members, and officials in higher education in order to target the area’s specific needs and interests when picking a superintendent. The real question in my mind is, “What ‘areas’ are you specifically targeting for their opinions?” Are they too neglecting the increasingly urban environment of Baltimore County?

In my experience in Baltimore County, there have been many systemic changes for turn-around schools based on the successes of schools with vastly different demographics. For example, one policy in my school last year required all English teachers to assess my students on their ability to fill out “SOAPSTone” templates, a resource from the AVID college and career readiness board, on a variety of higher than grade level informational texts. For many of my students who were sufficiently below grade level in reading, the daily drills did more to frustrate them with reading than actually improve their levels. I am sure that a similar program may have worked in other schools in the county, but there was little done to consider the actual needs of my students. Whoever the new superintendent is, they must realize that Baltimore County serves a wide array of students, all with very different needs.

In order to have a superintendent that is effective in bringing change to Baltimore County as a whole, I think that we need to begin searching for someone with experience in both urban and suburban communities. Parents and community members from all areas of Baltimore must be represented, or else Baltimore will end up with someone looking for a panacea for two vastly different problems.

The Baltimore Sun: Principal Turnover

            Erica L. Green’s Baltimore Sun Blog post comments on a recent study by the RAND Corporation titled, “First-Year Principals in Urban School Districts: How Actions and Working Conditions Relate to Outcomes.” The report examines the working conditions of first-year principals and relates information on those factors to school achievement and principal retention. 

            In Baltimore City, New Leaders for New Schools has produced “nearly half of the city’s new principals in the last four years,” (Green) yet these principals are not sticking around. In 2007, a reported 188 principals led schools in Baltimore City. Today only 50 of those remain. In addition, Baltimore’s principal corps are younger, less experienced, and increasingly from regions outside of Baltimore and even Maryland. Many of these newcomers are more likely to leave if their school is unable to make AYP or if test scores decline in their first year. Furthermore, schools that lost its principal after one year noted declining achievement in subsequent years, according to the report. We must find a way to attract and support talented leaders for our schools.

            In my opinion, the ability to turn around a failing school rests just as much on a strong principal as it does on good teaching. I really believe that a good principal can make a mediocre teacher better, and a good teacher transformational. The type of change that we need to see across Baltimore City cannot just happen in individual classrooms; it needs to happen throughout entire schools. Good principals are an essential part of the equation to ensure these outcomes. 

A Dicey Future for Pre-K Kids

It’s no surprise that children who attend high-quality preschools enter kindergarten with stronger reading and writing skills. Perhaps more intriguingly, reformers assert that these studious 3- to 4-year-olds are less likely to become high school dropouts or face unemployment and incarceration. Whereas past dropout-prevention efforts have focused on at-risk teens, studies now suggest that offering preschoolers small class sizes, frequent parent conferences and effective teachers is the best approach to ensuring student achievement down the road.

Unfortunately, the majority of middle- and low-income families can’t afford to enroll their children in the best and priciest programs; currently, only about a third of Maryland’s 4-year-olds attend “high-quality kindergarten” schools, which can cost anywhere from $300 to $500 a month. And the other 66%? Well, you can forget about Harvard, kid.

Of course, the guys at North Ave. know that early childhood education is important — they just don’t know how to fund expanded access to high-quality ECE programs. The newest proposition is to legalize table games at Maryland’s slot sites, and use the gambling revenue to fund free, full-day pre-K for low-income families.

But is gambling revenue stable enough to support public education? Some argue that Maryland’s transition from slot machines to full-on casinos is inevitable, but others are more skeptical, stating that we should examine the real “efficacy of our current gambling program” before making any major expansions. Either way, it’s hard to oppose any bill that promises students more equitable access to a better education.

Overtime? Or Overpaid?

The Baltimore Sun published an article this week that spotlighted the amount of money the Baltimore City School System has paid employees in overtime over the past four years. My initial reaction to the steep figure, which is $14 million dollars, was relatively neutral. With 10,800 employees, you figure that overtime costs are inevitable.

However, as I continued reading I was completely shocked to discover that the top overtime earner in 2011 was Ralph Askins – Dr. Alonso’s driver. Askins “more than doubled his $76,816 wages, logging roughly $78,000 in overtime last year.” I actually had to take an extra couple of seconds to process these numbers. Am I missing something? Alonso’s chauffeur, who does also provide security, makes more money than Gov. Martin O’Malley and the highest-paid educator in any city school.

So, what are the Baltimore City Public Schools officials saying about this? Tisha Edwards commented about the overtime figures and made valid points about overtime being necessary at times to keep students safe, fill gaps and support the operations department. She also said that while overtime is an “expected expense for the system,” they are going to make sure that “those dollars are always being scrutinized.”

Askins declined to comment, which makes the situation that much more unclear to me. While I can understand Alonso’s need for some form of security working in the tougher parts of the city after hours, the amount of money Askin is making seems somewhat absurd! I would have liked to hear what the driver had to say about his salary and overtime figures in hopes of gaining some clarity. Until then, I can only hope that Edwards’ promise to scrutinize overtime spending will hold true. 

Are Baltimore Students Degreeless in Debt?

Earlier this fall, a Johns Hopkins study found that only 6 percent of Baltimore City's High School Class of 2004 graduated from two-year colleges within six years. Why are so few students graduating from these two-year colleges? The Hopkins researchers suggested that perhaps the city schools are pushing students into two-year programs because it's easier and cheaper. These schools, however, do not serve their students very well. On the other hand, 34% of the Class of 2004 graduated within six years from four-year colleges.

But another reason is also likely playing a factor. Although two-year schools are generally more affordable than four-year colleges, students going to college from predominantly low-income urban school systems probably have to take out loans to finance their education. But because low-income students are generally averse to debt, it's more likely that these students would adopt risky behaviors to minimize the amount of loans they need to take out. If students choose to delay enrollment after high school, enroll college part-time, or work full-time, then they become more at risk for not completing their degrees. This was what I discovered in my new report, entitled Degreeless in Debt: What Happens to Borrowers Who Drop Out, recently released from Education Sector, an education policy think tank in D.C.

To read more about the Hopkins study, click here.

To read more about my new report, click here.

Baltimore Sun Article: Suspension

Baltimore Sun Article: Suspension

The article details a state-wide approach to reducing suspensions and overturning the zero tolerance approach in schools. It particularly reference the notion that zero tolerance was heavily used in the last decade (2000s) to reduce crime and stabilize tough schools. Currently, Baltimore County has one of the highest suspension rates in the state of Maryland. Moving forward, the state has decided to pressure school districts to revise their Code of Conducts to the point that it would be hard for schools to suspend for issues unless they are violent or extremely dangerous. This is the result of a 15 year old who was long-term suspended and missed a whole year of school. Therefore, to reduce this type of disposition, schools would have to develop alternatives to suspension.
This makes me think about my school and how our suspension rate this school year is very high. The only strategy that we have is detention and Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS). I feel these are ineffective and really do not curve behaviors. I do believe schools should suspend students who show consistent negative behaviors, but I believe we must create solutions that empower our students and. It disempower them. Education is an avenue of support for students, but if the institution of learning works as a prison then we are doomed. What can be done? Well, learn your students, develop strong mentoring programs, engage student's through programs such as athletics, and remain consistent with consequences. The solution isn't easy or always fast, but changing the way schools think is half the battle.

High Stakes Testing 2.0

In his State of the Union address, President Obama talked about his wish to see teachers move away from teaching to the test. No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the landmark education law signed by President Bush in 2002 implemented a high-stakes testing regime throughout the country that severely penalized schools and school systems for failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The heavy reliance on testing data produced some unintended consequences, as some schools began to narrow their focus to reading and math instruction because they were the only two subjects tested under NCLB. Additionally, past incidences of cheating on tests have led the National Center for Fair & Open Testing to urge the Department of Education to avoid tying incentives to test scores.

Recently, the American Federation of Teachers announced that it supported President Obama's calls to move away from test-based accountability as it existed under NCLB. Instead, they argue, test data should be used to improve teacher practices and truly measure student knowledge. As the country moves toward a redefined version of NCLB, or towards a modified understanding of teacher and school accountability, the hope is that a more nuanced approach toward school, student and teacher performance will be taken. If testing is used as a tool to improve rather than broadly criticize, hopefully the pressure to cheat will disappear, and stories like this will not happen in Baltimore.

Back to Basics Math Instruction

Baltimore City Public Schools introduced in the last two years a new instructional framework based on "rigor, engagement, and intervention." According to the framework, students in Baltimore City classrooms need to be engaged in high level learning at all times, and those who are not achieving at these rigorous levels need to have interventions so that they can master skills and then move on to higher level work. To these ends, the city has pushed efforts for more collaborative teamwork in classrooms, student-centered, and inquiry-based learning, especially in math and science.

At the same time, in focusing on the instruction piece of student learning, many schools are spending time developing teachers' proficiency in explicit instruction. Explicit instruction is often thought of as a more traditional method of instruction, and is characterized in some education circles as the "old" method of teaching. However, in an article on EducationNews.org, Barry Garelick offers a still-untested hypothesis that it is explicit instruction and a "back to basics" approach that is needed in math to lower the rates of students categorized as special needs. In his article, "Mathematics Education: Being Outwitted by Stupidity," Garelick argues that low levels of success later in school are a result of poor understandings and mastery of basic math processes and facts. In order to obtain this basic knowledge, math instruction needs explicit instruction and automaticity rather than an emphasis on conceptual knowledge in the early years.

Garelick suggests that educators not abandon "traditional" math instruction that could have "failed millions" because it was improperly given. Rather, he writes, it might actually be what is necessary to finally reach those higher levels of rigor everyone wants. There are many critics to the "drill and kill" style of teaching, and yet there are also great numbers of students (many in BCPSS) who can not keep up with math at higher levels. Perhaps when it comes to math, a happy medium must be found.

Note: The discussion that follows the article is very interesting and plays into the debate over a wide, shallow curriculum (that many states currently have) and the narrower, deeper Common Core State Standards that do not spiral as much material through the grade levels.

Teacher Evaluations: Should They Be Published?

This past week, the New York City Education Department released teachers’ individual performance ratings. The released information included teachers’ names and schools so anyone could look up a specific teacher’s evaluation. It is ironic, then, that the NYC Education Department “admonished” the media not to “use the scores to label or pillory teachers.” However, given the recent trend to blame teachers (and teachers alone) for the failures in our education system, how could the media, parents, and other stakeholders do anything with this information except what the NYC Education Department allegedly did not intend?

For me, the NYT article highlights many of the problems that exist in current teacher evaluation systems. The ratings published in NYC were based on students’ gains on the state’s math and English exams over the past five years. However, the margin of error for student gains was as high as 53 percentage points (in English). The article also mentioned that for some teachers, they were evaluated based on the achievement of as few as 10 students. With so much error in student gains, it seems almost ridiculous that this information would serve any constructive purpose.

As much as sources in the article insist that these rankings will not be used to judge teachers in isolation, unfortunately not everyone will consider the data’s margin of error or the possibility of bias when they read these rankings. In my opinion, if school districts are going to publish teacher evaluations at all, at least it should be accurate, reliable, and fair. This means that most school districts should rethink how they evaluate teachers before announcing these evaluations to the public.

You can find the NYT article at the following URL:
http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/02/24/teacher-data-reports-are-released

City Schools Students (and teachers!) Support the Bottle Tax

Patterson High School students were featured in The Baltimore Sun this week supporting a proposed bottle tax that would help raise money for facility upgrades.  Baltimore City Schools currently has a $2.8 billion list of facility repairs and the visit to Patterson highlighted some major problems.  The students and The Baltimore Education Coalition invited City Council Vice President Edward Reisinger and education advocates on a tour of Patterson that featured broken boilers, sweaty classrooms and students comparing Patterson to a “prison” and a “slave ship”.   The proposed bottle tax would increase the tax on bottled beverages from 2% to 5% and would generate $10 million annually.

Without a doubt, many city schools are desperately in need of repair and renovation.  The bottle tax is one potential way to increase funding, but we need to find many more.  Student and teachers should not be subjected to conditions like those in Patterson High School.  It’s a much more regular occurrence to find school conditions like this than many people realize.  Students cannot learn to their full potential while sitting in a sweltering classroom.  Kudos to the students and teachers at Patterson for speaking up about this important piece of legislation.

Food, Glorious Food?

            The Baltimore Sun caught my attention this week, as it relayed the news that Maryland’s Court of Appeals ruled that “Maryland, its Department of Education and its superintendent of schools are not responsible for ensuring that school-provided lunches won't send students to the hospital in anaphylactic shock” because “a state cannot be found negligent under the National School Lunch Act, which requires states to provide nutritious meals to students in need.” 

Who makes this up?

The startling ridiculousness of the article’s headline and first few paragraphs explains the story of Liana Pace, a five-year-old with a severe peanut allergy, who was accidentally served a peanut butter sandwich in her school’s cafeteria.  Although Liana’s mom informed the school nurse of her daughter’s allergy, the nurse did not convey this information to the cafeteria worker.  As Judge Clayton Greene Jr. opined, “ ‘On this particular day, a cafeteria worker gave Liana a peanut butter sandwich [because she had neither her own lunch nor lunch money]. Liana resisted eating the sandwich, informing the worker that she was not allowed to have peanut butter…The worker mistook her protests as misbehavior and ordered her to eat the sandwich. Liana complied.’ ”  Apparently, not everything’s fine down here in Lunch Lady Land.

I do not intend to overlook the seriousness of these events; although Liana survived, she developed anxiety and transferred schools.  This is certainly a traumatic experience for her, and it will likely condition her view of school and education for a long time.  School should be a safe place, and even when the classroom does not feel like one for many of Baltimore City’s and America’s struggling students, the cafeteria and the free time to socialize that it supports should be.  Given my students’ complaints about their thirty minute lunch period – lines are too long, the food is garbage, there is not enough time to eat or relax, the cafeteria is too crazy – should we not reconsider the importance of giving kids downtime each day?  If not recess or an open gym to discharge their energy, then perhaps a longer lunch period, which would at least give them more time to socialize and unwind?  While such a move is typically unpopular in today’s high-stakes testing world, adolescent developmental theories make a strong case for giving kids time to interact with one another during the school day.  Maybe such a move would develop calmer, more focused students?  

            If nothing else Liana’s case reminds us of the value of teamwork and communication, especially among school employees like nurses and cafeteria workers.  If Adam Sandler is correct, we can all learn from Lunch Lady and her beloved Sloppy Joe.

To learn more, check out http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-school-lunch-suit-20120223,0,2839957.story

The Shortlist

A Baltimore County 6th Grade Teacher


12 Things She Can’t Live Without


Though this may sound trite, I would be remiss without saying that being a teacher is grueling. I chose the word grueling because it is a new vocabulary word that we introduced to our 6th graders this week. The examples I gave my students when introducing the terminology all dealt with my experiences in the classroom and in life. In order to be a truly effective teacher and make the vocabulary meaningful, I wanted my kids to visualize the relevance of the vocabulary to their lives as well. While teaching is grueling, here’s The Shortlist of what I can’t live without; in teaching and in life, so I don't burnout.

1/ My Car.

I currently reside in another state, driving an hour and a half each way. Without a reliable vehicle I can’t teach my kids every day. Though as the cost of gas increases, the drive seems more grueling each week =)

2/ Coffee

I have two coffee pots and a French press at home, one in my classroom, and I am a frequent patron at Starbucks. I always order my coffee as strong as I can get it and always extra hot.

3/ SanDisk Pink Flash Drive

The 8GB piece of plastic is my professional lifeline. All my lesson plans, resources, handouts, Hopkins work, etc is on that jump drive. I constantly check to make sure I have it, without it I would be loss.

4/ The Copy Machine.

5/ Cupcakes (Red Velvet, Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Caramel…..) I love to bake and decorate them. When I am feeling really nice, I bake them for my kids.

6/ My DVR.

I can catch up on any and all TV shows, movies, news reports I can’t watch live. Plus……..I can fast forward through all commercials!


7/ The 6th Grade Reading Team.

We are all very different. But we have found a rhythm and flow this school year. Just the volume of lessons and resources we have collaborated on and shared with each other has made the high achievement of our students possible.

8/ My Laptop.

9/ Campbell’s Soup-at-Hand.

I never seem to have time to sit down and eat lunch. Soup-at-Hand is so quick and easy, and I can stockpile them in my closet.

10/ Passing PRAXIS II scores!

11/ Books.

I absolutely love reading. There is something so magical about reading an amazing novel. I still remember the first time I read Pride and Prejudice. Each time I read that book I fall in love with Mr. Darcy all over again……….it’s those experiences with reading that I want to pass on to my kids.

12/ My kids.

Without my kids I don’t know how I could survive. My students drive me crazy, cause me numerous frustrations, but in the end they amaze me with their capacity for learning, and I wouldn’t have them any other way.

To Read Full Article: http://k6educators.about.com/cs/helpforteachers/a/avoidburnout.htm

Unsatisfactory Teachers or Saving Money?

This month, The Baltimore Sun published a front-page article concerning the number of city schools teachers that received unsatisfactory ratings on their mid-year evaluations. The cause for this spike in unsatisfactory ratings, in a city where the majority (around 60% of teachers) were rated proficient last year, is up for debate and sheds light on the issues of a new progressive contract in a depressed economy. With mistrust from teachers and pressure on city and school administrations to increase student achievement, performance improvement plans or PIPs have angered teachers and called into question the motivation of rating a teacher unsatisfactory.

Without a doubt, the historic ways that teachers have been evaluated is outdated and possibly ineffective. Baltimore City has taken the bold step of approving a new contract that rewards teachers monetarily for being highly effective academic leaders in their classrooms and schools. The distrust that existed prior to the contract’s approval is surfacing again though. Are more teachers unsatisfactory to save money or have the standards been raised? Although many teachers regard PIPs as negative or precursors to termination, they can help struggling teachers receive supports, which theoretically increases all teachers’ effectiveness.

In the end, Baltimore City Public Schools is in the business of doing what is best for our children. By rewarding good teaching, all teachers will aspire to be proficient in their craft. Unfortunately, in some cases the label of having a PIP has spurred a conversation that is not focused on the central point of the issue, which is helping all of Baltimore’s children receive the best possible education we can provide them.

The Challenge for Diversity

There is a conflict of interest currently occurring in America. In a country where dreams are supposed to come true, every person does not always have the same access to their dreams. Whether it is gender, race, or socioeconomic status, many Americans have barriers that must be overcome in order to succeed. In order to combat this problem of a lack of fairness and increase the probability of reaching one’s dreams, the government has created laws like Affirmative Action. In reading about these laws, one can only ponder whether or not they have led to a rise in the craving for diversity by universities and companies. Don’t get me wrong, I am an advocate of diverse environments both in the collegial and professional settings. I am just concerned that a current Supreme Court case may halt some industries quest for diversity.

Fisher v. University of Texas, No. 11-345, a case brought up by a Caucasian student named Abigail Fischer who was denied admission to the University of Texas, is the case that threatens the future of diverse environments in this country. As teachers in a school system where the majority of the students served are minorities, we must remain knowledgeable about the possible obstacles that may rise as a result of this in the coming years. In the past, legislation required schools to consider race when selecting students for admission. This was put in place so that the institution would have both academic and racial diversity. The Grutter decision, however, addressed arguments against this fact by allowing states to take account of race in admissions as opposed to requiring them. At the present time, several states, including California and Michigan, banned the practice, and public universities in both states have seen a drop in minority admissions. If this Supreme Court case totally reverses the legislation that supports Affirmative Action, all of our students will be faced with even more challenges when trying to enter an institution of higher learning.

Click here to read the full article.

What Do We Really Value?

It's no secret that the facilities and learning environments in Baltimore City Public Schools are outdated and ineffective. Without adequate school buildings, resources, and technology our students will continue to fall behind their peers in other districts. Although inadequate facilities are one part in a multifaceted, deep-rooted issue, the results thereof continue to plague Baltimore City Public Schools and many inhabitants of this city.

Dr. Alonzo’s proposed plan is seeking $1.2 billion to conduct massive renovations, while Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is seeking a meager $300 million to fix the same problems. In her recent State of the City Address she spoke out against the CEO’s plan suggesting that it was both unreasonable and unrealistic, but how realistic is it to believe that without massive and radical change, Baltimore City students will even stand a chance when competing against students from other districts. Thinking back to her re-election campaign just a few months ago, one of the “Solutions for Baltimore” presented as apart of her political platform was Better Schools. Within this, Rawlings-Blake insisted that she was committed to both innovation in education as well as school construction. There is nothing innovative about the decrepit conditions of many city schools or the lack of resources therein.

Politics are a tricky game. While it sounds nice to say all the wonderful things one will and must do in Baltimore to continue to produce “results” in the public education system, the real challenge comes when it is time to take action; proposing $300 million dollars to complete $2.8 billion in needed repairs is laughable. Social theorist Harriet Martineau said it best: in Baltimore City our morals-the things we espouse to be good and right-do not align with our manners-our conduct, actions, and standards for behavior.

At what point do we stop playing politics, live up to all that we claim to value, and make critical decisions that will promote systemic change within our failing school system that will truly lead to innovation and student achievement?

The Baltimore Sun Article can be found here

Racing Toward Mediocrity

This article highlights a small issue that is emblematic of the general state of Baltimore public schools.  When hundreds of Maryland students came to Baltimore to compete in regional track championships, the only facility available was the Fifth Regiment Armory.  The drill hall in this building was intended for military exercises, not sprinters.  Every runner who was quoted in the article expressed great dissatisfaction with the facilities, citing some of their personal worst times on the aged, slippery floor of the armory.  The improvised track pales in comparison to elite facilities like the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex, one of the other facilities in the championship hosting rotation.

I would never argue that athletic facilities ought to be a higher priority for a school district (or a city) than education.  But there is no question that good athletic teams, and good athletic facilities to support them, engender a sense of pride in our schools that few things can.  Our students are not proud of their schools, and our decrepit facilities certainly contribute to this.  Though we need to stay focused on maintaining an excellent learning environment for our students, articles like this one point out that the failing physical state of our schools gets noticed by people other than our students.  If we want to B-More, we need to work to change this.

Who Determines Failure?

In a little over a week, the Chicago Board of Education will vote on the fates of ten schools that were identified as “failing.” One of these schools is Brian Piccolo Elementary School. Upon hearing of its potential closure and turnaround, 30 parents of students at the school organized a sit-in on Friday evening. One of these parents, Shronda Wilson, argues that "They have a new principal. They haven't given her a chance. She has come here from the beginning of the school year and done a tremendous job. They have good teachers here." The proposed closure did not involve the Local School Council and while the school community has proposed an alternative improvement plan, they say the Chicago Board of Education has failed to respond to it. The Chicago Board of Education has yet to respond to the sit-in at Piccolo Elementary.

With the recent announcement of school closures in Baltimore City, the reality for many students, parents, teachers, and communities is that they will need to find a new school for the next year. The recent events in Chicago Public Schools and other districts around the country shed light on the issue surrounding school closings and those deemed as “failing.” What measures are used to determine failure and ultimately, if the parents of the students believe in the school, can and should it affect the fate of the school?

The article can be found here.