Time for some honesty within GCS

It's way past time for GCS to grow a set. It is also way past time for some truth and honesty down on Eugene Street.

Issue One...GCS brass should tell Raleigh to go to hell. Seriously.

Many apologies for the strong choice of words, but before GCS is asked to send ANY money back to Raleigh to cover for their mistakes, GCS needs to look long and hard. And they NEED to start with this supply budget.

I'm publicly calling for an audit of this budget before any more discussion of school/classroom supply money being cut continues. More on this in a minute.

But before they do that, they should get on the horn with Gov. Easley and tell him to take his so-called spending cut/money request and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. They should call him up today at (919) 733-4240 and tell him to properly fund education in this state before asking for taxpayer money back. GCS can use my cell phone to do it, I'll even dial the number. Better yet, GCS should call collect!

This is a governor who still can't admit that we have a (lack of) jobs problem in North Carolina. And yet he wants to shy away from the state's primary responsibility: to educate its children.

But GCS should bear some responsibility also...hence, Issue Two...GCS needs to audit that supply budget now. Don't send one penny to Raleigh...and if you do, I don't think it should be the supply budget. For one, the supply money just can't ever seem to get into the classrooms.

And now, ole' Mo knows about it. Apparently, Supt. Mo Green got an earful at his most recent road show in Pleasant Garden this past Monday.

Rhino Times:

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently announced that, because of a decline in the state's revenues, the state's school districts would be required to return $58 million, or 0.75 percent, of their allotted state funds for the 2008-2008 fiscal year.

On Nov. 18, [Mo] Green said that Guilford County Schools' share of the cuts would be $2.8 million, and that the school system would lose another $2 million to $2.3 million because it had projected to have 700 more students enrolled for this school year than actually showed up. He said that brought the shortfall in the Guilford County Schools budget to about $5 million.

At that time, Green said Guilford County Schools was considering possible cuts to meet the shortfall created by the state cuts and the school system's bad projections. He said that, for the time being, he was enacting a freeze on almost all hiring and stopping the distribution of 25 percent of the school system's money for classroom supplies. He said the other 75 percent of that money had already been distributed, and schools would be allowed to spend that money.

[Resident Joan] White attacked the freeze of the classroom supply budget, telling Green that Guilford County Schools should make other cuts first. She read for Green a flyer for what was billed as the first annual Southeast Guilford High School "Fill the School Campaign" in August and September 2008. The flyer begs parents and businesses for teaching supplies for Southeast High School, and contains a list of 75 needed supplies, ranging from the inconsequential (popsicle sticks) to things you'd think would be part of the school system's capital budget, like a storage cabinet and four-drawer file cabinet.

"That is not supplies; that is furniture," White said. "Do you agree?"

Green did not reply.

White told Green one parent was recently told her son would get extra credit for bringing a box of Kleenex to school.

"This is going downhill in education," White said. "To me, it is preposterous."

Green didn't have a reply for that, either.
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It all comes down to supplies, which still cannot make their way inside our schools without causing controversy. Joan White is right...it is preposterous that issues like continue to create a downward spiral in our local education system.

Getting these supply dollars in our schools was another hallmark of my recent school board campaign. These dollars should not be the first thing cut. If anything, I'm calling for the immediate audit of the GCS supply budget. And I'm asking that the new incoming school board, who will be sworn in next week, should follow my lead on this and demand an audit of this budget.

If Mr. Green is smart, he will begin trimming senior staff first, instead of cutting supplies. And apparently, according to today's N&R, it is on the drawing board for the near future.

Time will tell.

E.C. :)

More teachers less qualified in high-poverty schools (Chicago Sun-Times)

A new report released yesterday from the Washington-based Education Trust shows that many teachers in highly-impacted schools are less-qualified and do not possess the adequate certification to teach core subjects.

Chicago Sun-Times:

Kids in the neediest schools are about twice as likely as those in low-poverty and low-minority schools to have math teachers who don't know their subject very well, according to a report Tuesday by the Education Trust.

The study looked at teachers in grades seven to 12 without an academic major or certification in the subjects they teach. Among the findings:

• • In high-poverty schools, two in five math classes have teachers without a college major or certification in math.

• • In schools with a greater share of African-American and Latino children, nearly one in three math classes is taught by such a teacher.

Click here for the press release from the Education Trust.

Click here for the full report.

Isn't it interesting though that we do have teachers who are fully-certified and highly-qualified out there to teach these core subjects--it's just that these school systems refuse to hire them.

E.C. :)

Mo wants YOU to know...

I obviously have been away for a while...because I now learn that GCS Supt. Mo Green has a blog.

Even though his blog does not allow for live comments in real time, I give him kudos for making the attempt to communicate better than his predecessor.

And the N&R is on top of Mo's latest blog entry...with respect to the noticeable sweat under the brow he's feeling regarding the hiring of PR honcho Nora Carr as GCS' new chief of staff.

Here's what Mo says:

November 25, 2008

Over the last week or so, I have been asked about the hiring of a new Chief of Staff just prior to the announcement of budget reversions that the district will have to make. After due deliberation, I believe that the question is worthy of a thoughtful response.

As you know, I firmly believe that it is important for Guilford County Schools (GCS) to have a strategic plan that is designed to make GCS one of the best in the nation. In order to have such a plan, I believe that it is important to have strong members of the senior leadership team that can develop and implement that plan. As a result, I have made three critical appointments to the senior leadership team in my first two months on the job. Those appointments include the new Chief Academic Officer—Dr. Beth Folger, the new Chief Administrative Officer—Dr. Eric Becoats, and the new Chief of Staff—Nora Carr.

While there have been three appointments, only one of these positions has required finding additional money. Over the course of this fiscal year, there will be other appointments as I reorganize the leadership team. It is unfortunate that the timing of the appointments will not match up perfectly with the current budget situation. As I make appointments, I will analyze the impact on the budget and the short and long-term benefits that will come from the appointment. Because it is prudent to do so, I may delay or even forgo some appointments as a result of that analysis. Moreover, I will be striving to have a smaller number of positions on the senior leadership team by the start of the next fiscal year. While my efforts to do so are certainly influenced by the current budget conditions, it is not limited to that circumstance. Rather, it is influenced by my belief that this organization can be run most efficiently and effectively with fewer people on the senior leadership team and by my belief that we can and should put more resources in schools or in support of schools.

As I evaluated the impact on the budget and the benefits of bringing on Ms. Carr, I determined that it is a sound decision to hire her. Some may question the value of adding Ms. Carr at this time. Simply put, I do not. Having worked with her for a number of years, I know how valuable she is as a school district administrator. As a result, I believe that Ms. Carr will be an asset to this school district. Ms. Carr’s extraordinary professional background includes change management, strategic communication, fundraising, organizational development and the development and implementation of strategic plans.

In short, I believe that Ms. Carr’s presence on our team will help ensure a smoother roll-out and implementation of the strategic plan. In addition, she has also helped raise funds for nonprofits and public agencies. We will benefit from her vast experience in these areas as we work diligently to handle the current budget situation while minimizing the impact it will have on the services we provide our children.
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Brian Ewing launched a blog entry on this over at the N&R Chalkboard.

To me, talk is cheap. Action speak louder than words. I applaud him when Green says:

As I make appointments, I will analyze the impact on the budget and the short and long-term benefits that will come from the appointment. Because it is prudent to do so, I may delay or even forgo some appointments as a result of that analysis. Moreover, I will be striving to have a smaller number of positions on the senior leadership team by the start of the next fiscal year.

But in essence, this has been GCS' problem for far too long...GCS has always been too top-heavy. Why do we need a school system that is so heavily laden with management? This was a prime staple of my former school board campaign. So Mo defends his recent appointments, in the midst of a state budget emergency, in the midst of a national economic slowdown, in the midst of ongoing classroom supply cuts.

I look forward to his "analysis" as well.

E.C. :)

Obama's Choose Friends

The new first family have chosen the Sidwell Friends School, a private school in Northwest Washington DC, for their children to attend.

Washington Post:

The choice means that the Obama girls will be going to class on two separate campuses in two different cities. Sidwell's lower school, in Bethesda, is where Sasha would attend second grade. Malia is in the fifth grade, part of Sidwell's middle school, located on the same campus as the high school in Northwest Washington, a few miles from the lower school.

Sidwell has between 1,000 and 1,100 students and says 39 percent of them self-identify as students of color. Tuition this year for elementary school is $28,442; for the middle school, $29,442.

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E.C. :)

CogAT = More Idiocracy

So my daughter brings home her CogAT scores from her recent testing. And what is the CogAt, you ask?

The CogAt stands for the Cognitive Abilities Test, which supposedly measures general thinking, and problem-solving skills that students have learned through in-school and out-of-school experiences. Supposedly, it indicates how well students can use these skills to solve verbal, quantitative and nonverbal problems.

Sounds like the old-fashioned IQ test to me.

The district uses these test scores to help identify those who may quality for advanced learner (AL) screening. Teachers can use the test results to help students learn more effectively.

Or can they?

I say that because when these score sheets were sent home about a week ago, they were sent home with a website to input the scores in order to download a profile of how your child did. And that was it.

So I did...and I feel I need several degrees to understand the results:

Students who obtain these profiles have generally below-average scores with a relatively higher score in quantitative reasoning and a relatively lower score in nonverbal reasoning. They have a median age stanine for the three CogAT batteries in the very low (stanine 1), low (stanine 2), or below-average (stanine 3) range. The majority of these students have a Composite score between the 1st and 25th percentiles of their age group. Although the overall level of reasoning abilities estimated by the median stanine provides useful information (see "General Instructional Suggestions for All Students with a Median Stanine of 1, 2, or 3 " below), generalizations must be qualified by the student's relatively higher score on the Quantitative Battery and relatively lower score on the Nonverbal Battery....

...Although their achievement levels are low, students with these profiles appear to have resources in quantitative reasoning that are most evident in, but go beyond, a facility in computation. For example, in the primary grades, these students show some advantage on the reading comprehension subtests. At the elementary and secondary levels, they show a similar small advantage on the reading comprehension, social studies, science, math concepts and math problem solving subtests. Because their relative strength in quantitative reasoning is broad based, these students tend to prefer learning rules to learning concepts, especially abstract concepts that cannot be clearly defined...

...Although these students can use general rules that guide their learning, the tendency to "do" rather than to reflect about "what to do" makes transfer difficult. Transfer is most easily achieved by practicing a skill in varied contexts. Reflection on "why" is sometimes best done after practice rather than before. As noted in the profile description, part of the difficulty these students experience in transferring knowledge and skills stems from their difficulty creating visual mental models or coordinating visual models and verbal or quantitative concepts. Encourage transfer by using drawings to summarize passages or problem statements. Then practice mapping verbal or quantitative statements onto the drawing. With young children, practice detecting inconsistencies between a story and a picture. Older students will do best when the model is either in view or involves envisioning a familiar scene or object. Memories for objects will be best if the student has been able to hold and manipulate the object repeatedly....
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Is it me? I'd love your thoughts on this.

E.C. :)

Americans don't know basic civics (USA Today)

Here's one for your 3pm coffee break...Americans do not know basic civics, according to a report released today.

Do you think the state's EOC test writers who write questions for the state's Civics EOC exam know the answers to their own questions?

USA TODAY:

The study, the third in a series by the non-profit Intercollegiate Studies Institute, finds that half of U.S. adults can name all three branches of government, and 54% know that the power to declare war belongs to Congress. Almost 40% incorrectly said that it belongs to the president.

Those who have held elected office lack civic knowledge; 43% do not know the Electoral College is a constitutionally mandated assembly that elects the president. One in five thinks it "trains those aspiring for higher office" or "was established to supervise the first televised presidential debates."

"Without knowledge of your country's history, key texts and institutions, you don't have a frame of reference to judge the politics and policies of today," says Richard Brake, head of the institute's American Civic Literacy Program.

Click here for the ACLP's Press Release.

Click here to take the quiz.

E.C. :)

The Mo Road Show rolls on

From the N&R:

Guilford County Schools Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green will hold a town meeting in Pleasant Garden on Monday.

The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Pleasant Garden Baptist Church at 1415 Neelley Road.

The meeting will give parents, students, school district employees and community members a chance to meet the superintendent, ask questions and give feedback and suggestions to Green.

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E.C. :)

Now it's $5 million

It wasn't bad enough that Raleigh told Guilford County to send back $2.8 million in "cost-cutting measures." Now it's worse...GCS brass say they now need to send back an additional $2.3 million because of lower-than-projected enrollment for the current academic year.

N&R:

Guilford County Schools officials expect to lose about $5 million in state funding, nearly twice what was expected. The amount represents about 0.8 percent of the $643 million budget approved in August.

School superintendents statewide were notified earlier this week that they would have to revert some state funding — totaling about $58 million — to Raleigh as part of cost-cutting measures. The mandate came from Gov. Mike Easley’s office as state officials prepared for a budget shortfall that could be as high as $1.6 billion.

So once again, the Triad suffers as boneheaded decisions are made in Raleigh. Don't blame me, I voted for "none of the above" a couple of weeks ago; a total transformation needs to take place in Raleigh. Sadly, that will not happen anytime soon.

More:

Not on the chopping block is the hiring of a new chief of staff. Last week, the school board approved hiring Nora Carr. She currently works for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as the top public relations official. Carr’s base salary will be $150,000.

Some school board members are standing behind the decision.

“We have to be committed to providing the superintendent with the tools and resources he needs to do his job,” said school board Vice Chairman Amos Quick. He added that the board would consider eliminating the position if Green recommends it.

Green said he can’t promise there won’t be layoffs, but he said that is something he wants to avoid.

I wouldn't use the "L" word, Mo. You want to start a crap-storm? That's the easiest way to do it. But honestly, if you think about it, GCS has become a pristine place for highly-paid PR staffers. People to write press releases.

I can write a press release. I'll do it for $10 an hour! Sure, $150,000 is nice, but I would rather see that money go to the classrooms, or back to the taxpayers. And supply money is the last thing needing to be cut since supply money never gets to the classrooms as it is.

E.C. :)

Mission Possible on Steroids (LIVE BLOG EVENT)

LIVE from GCS Central Office...a special called Board meeting to discuss a new initiative to attract new teachers in low-performing schools.

11:47am...Mo Green: "Today is to discuss an initiative to attract and retrain teachers in low performing schools. I've been doing a 100 day listening and learning tour...we're a little bit in advance of that today...one area of focus today is on human resources. One initiative is to get strong educators in front of children. We're going to be looking at strategies.

To take advantage of this....this will allow us to continue the process to have this implemented....

Dr. Peggy Thompson, chief HR officer: We want to introduce a product to bring in the best and the brightest in our classrooms.

While we're making strides, there's still much more work to be done with respect to our low performing schools.

Dr. Beth Folger, chief academic officer: Not enough high quality teachers are equipped nor are ready to teach in these schools.

Thompson: Teacher quality makes a difference. Not only is there a teacher shortage, but a teacher distribution factor. We want to seize this opportunity by looking at different strategies to put these educators in front of our most needy children.

Amy Holcolmbe, executive director, Talent Development: There continues to be a teacher shortage in this state. We can either continue looking out of state or looking at alternative licensure routes to bring these people into our classrooms.

Steve Glazerman: Mathematica Policy Research director: We're excited about our partnership with GCS. Mathemtica is a research organization and in this instance, we're contracted with the US Dept. of Education to test out a fairly ambitious but important idea to implement this in 10-12 school districts around the county in a research study. The arrangement is a nice one. Guilford Co. is looking for strategies for capital needs for its students who are the most disadvantaged.

A lot of the heavy lifting is already being done.

We also want to identify low performing schools. We've been in discussions as to which schools GCS wants to target. We work closely with the New Schools Project.

What determines career decisions among these teachers? How safe is your car in the parking lot? What impact do the high performing teachers have in their new settings?
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12:14pm: Dr. Gongzhu Zhang, chief accountability and research officer: At a Nov. 5 meeting, we decided to identify the schools based on a ranking, then we tried to identify those schools not participating in Mission Possible. Five elementary schools badly needed help. So for middle schools, similar to elementary situations. We sought out teachers who have been teaching for at least three years.

This new nationwide study...we already have two years of MP data. Very limited teachers will be involved. It will be a very rich study. GCS can benefit greatly.

Holcombe: we want to hold these MP schools harmless, since we have other research projects going on in addition to MP so we are removing MP from this project altogether.

Thompson: This program is completely voluntary. There's not cost at all to the district. It is important to also note that we talked to Mark Jewell from NCAE, and they are in full support of this.

Q&A from Board members upcoming...
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Dr. Nancy Routh: what are you doing at looking at the leadership of the low-performing school?

Glazerman: we're conducting pilot and a feasibility...what would be a good match and what would be a good motivator...a great teacher, they won't work for a principal that they can't buy into. We can carefully select schools were if there is a concern where leadership that is not going to be effective, those schools might be eliminated. This study is a carefully controlled experiment.

This program is being duplicated into other districts around the country.

Routh: Length of time of the study?

Glazerman: Fall of 2009 then a six month timeframe. One of the things we found useful is the communication between the district and school leadership and to access the resources that are available to them.

Routh: How many years of data are available?

Glazerman: We have early data right now, we just started placing teachers.
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12:18pm: Anita Sharpe: What is the compensation for MP teachers (to Sharon Ozment):

Sharon Ozment, chief financial officer: math teachers: $2,500 recruitment incentive for primary grades, 6-8 eligible for $9,000 incentive, algebra, eligible for $10,000 bonus if they have a math degree. High school, same rules apply. $6,500 elementary, $14,000 for middle school, $18,000 for high school, maximum payout.
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12:24pm: Amos Quick (To Thompson): when do we begin to address the issue of principal stability?

Thompson: I think we've begun to address it. That is a concern for us. In some cases, we have resignations...retirements. In some cases, we have promotions. I concur, I think administrative stability is key, both in this endeavor as well as others.

Quick: I also have an issue with an experiment being done at low-performing schools. What if it doesn't work?

Green: The way I would look at it as one of a number of different strategies to bring in high quality teachers at low-performing schools. I'm suggesting to you that I would like to fill these vacancies with people who can move student performance.

Quick: we have had experiments and they don't work and we need to get back to the core of doing what works to educating these children and I do know that moving principals has had an effect for the schools in District 9.
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12:31: Garth Hebert (to Dr. Zhang): we weigh heavily for smaller classrooms, allocated funds for smaller classrooms? Have we tainted the data pool?

Zhang: if you're talking about MP, we already received a brief report of high schools and their cumulative effects.

Hebert: I'm looking for the reduced class sizes and the weighted allocation formulas for funds.

Zhang: We have not looked at that.

Hebert: Aren't we tainting the data pool?

Zhang: We will have Peggy take a look.

Glazerman: we know what works relative to student achievement. We know teacher effects are strong. I can understand there can be some negative connotations.

Hebert: You're taking a pool of people, who are used to working in one environment, placing them in another, paying them more, in the form of an experiment...I don't buy it.

Glazerman: I probably would not characterize it that way. My experience in teacher mobility...those who move out of the district...a teacher who has a weak attachment to their school has a weak attachment to their school. When you invest a lot in teacher induction and then they leave you, then that costs a district a lot of money. What kinds of training opportunities are being provided to both enhance productivity to these teachers?

Hebert: I'm with Amos...I'm skeptical.

Glazerman: It's for the district, but it is for the benefit of all districts, including yours. This is how many of the programs coming out of the Dept. of Education comes out. Obviously districts that participate in programs like these would benefit. It is hard to find out what works unless things are tried.
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12:48pm: Jeff Belton: I understand a Mission Possible report is due soon? Why did we have this briefing today before that report?

Thompson: We're still waiting for some value-added data to come in. The report is due Dec. 17.

Belton: how would this put up against any potential teacher unionization?

Chairman Alan Duncan casually reminds Belton that collective bargaining is currently not allowed in North Carolina.

Thompson tells Belton the program is voluntary and has the blessing of NCAE president Mark Jewell.
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Duncan: is staff recommending we do this?

Thompson: yes. The historical perspective, the impact for having these teachers in these schools...the answer is yes.

Sharpe introduces a motion to table the discussion, which passes on a vote of 5-3, Kearns, Belton and Garrett voting nay.
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1:54pm: back at the home office...I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Quick and Mr. Hebert...I would not be in favor of this proceeding...at least not until the new incoming Board has had a chance to look at this. And not to mention that I would want this proposal to be in conjunction with the upcoming Mission Possible report.

Again, I will reference my sister-in-law; when we have qualified math teachers such as her who want to go into MP schools to teach and they are not even being given interviews, or the professional courtesy of a call back after an interview, something is critically and categorically wrong. And until this is corrected, I cannot wrap my hands around anything related to Mission Possible, or even this proposal. Don't use our district as guinea pigs, when we have enough problems as it is.
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UPDATE: Doug Clark at the N&R was also at the meeting, and is discussing it as well.

E.C. :)

The Lootery...revisited

In another example of how CBS-2 works for you...a story last night from anchor/reporter Frank Mickens shows how the NC "education" Lottery is continuing to short-change its schools with uneven payouts to all 100 counties in the state.

Click here to read/watch the story.

E.C. :)

Budget Crisis at GCS

Both the new supe and the new incoming GCS Board will have to wrestle with a sudden budget crisis, both being blamed on our country's economic woes, and the poor spending habits among our dubious legislators in Raleigh. As a result, monies will have to be sent back, a hiring freeze is threatened and even construction projects may be put on hold because those hotly-debated bonds may be cancelled (more on that in a moment).

First, in response to yesterday's sudden news that GCS will have to return $2.8 million to the state, GCS chief Mo Green released this statement:

"We have been informed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) that the state's school districts and charter schools will be required to return $58 million, or 0.75 percent, of their allotted state funds due to a decline in the state government's revenue.

This reduction amounts to approximately $2.8 million for Guilford County Schools.

The amount does not include the adjustment(s) that will be made to our state allotments as a result of the fact that while our enrollment increased for the 2008-09 school year, we did not meet our student projection of 72,219. We anticipate that NCDPI will complete its student enrollment calculations by early December and then inform affected districts about allotment adjustments. Since GCS is between 600 and 700 students under projection, we expect this adjustment to cost us an additional $2 million to $2.3 million, bringing the combined total of adjustments to approximately $5 million.

We recognize that we are not immune to the economic conditions afflicting our country. We know that the services provided to our students will be affected, but we will try to minimize the impact.

We intend to explore a variety of options to plug this impending deficit. In the meantime, we have taken a few steps to give us more flexibility as we make decisions about which cuts to make. In particular, we have instituted a hiring freeze except for certain positions. In addition, we have not released 25 percent of instructional supply dollars that are generally allotted to schools.

We will keep you informed as we make decisions about the cuts. In the meantime we remain resolute in our commitment to:

* being child-centered in all of our actions;
* being united in our quest to improve the lives and academic achievement levels for all students; and
* being excellent and demanding the same of all employees and students."

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Whoa, Mo...stop the tape.

You just said: "we have instituted a hiring freeze except for certain positions."

So with the release of this sudden and stunning news that our state government will be unable to fulfill its primary mission (which is to educate its children), will you rescind the most recent hiring of Nora Carr, who will be making $150,000 yearly simply to help make GCS look good in the local public eye, instead of yanking those vital supply dollars to our schools and teachers who need those monies the most? Will classroom positions be frozen?

I think the public is owed more of a clear explanation as to GCS' plans for the immediate future.
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And to add insult to injury, Guilford County Commissioners told the School Board yesterday that its construction projects may be cancelled because those massive bonds passed back in the spring may not sell (links from the N&R both here and here).

Aww......

N&R:

"I've never seen a situation like this," county Finance Director Brenda Fox told the group. "Typically we don't even give it a thought that our bonds wouldn't sell."

But with credit markets frozen that fear has come to light.

On Jan. 13 the county will attempt to sell $232.6 million in bonds of the $651.4 million approved earlier this year and $23 million from the 2004 referendum. The amount to be offered in January includes $100 million for school construction and $45 million for Eastern Guilford High School. Fox believes, based on her analysis, the $100 million would carry school construction through spring 2010.

I hate to say I told you so...but this is what I campaigned on back in the Spring. The bonds were too massive to begin with, and despite its passage, it remained grossly unpopular with a number of school reform-minded voters countywide.

So now, maybe someone downtown will start listening to me in terms of how we deal with school construction from here on out...I said that we need to explore more public-private partnerships, or perhaps having counties/municipalities build schools and lease the buildings to GCS.

Of course, it was outgoing GCS Board member Anita Sharpe, who said that campaigning against the bonds in a school board election was wrong. Well Anita, now that the thinly-veiled threat of the bonds cancellation is looming, do you care for some salt with that crow you and others are about to eat?

E.C. :)

More on Mission (im)Possible

Over at the Chalkboard, my friend Debora chimed in and wrote:

I think that it is harder to teach in some schools.. would you prefer to teach at a low income school for same money? I think that the science, math and English teachers are the hardest to find in any climate at any time, perhaps just those?

Here's the flip-side...what about teachers who are new and qualified and ready to go into the classroom (even so-called GCS Mission Possible schools) but seemingly are passed up...either by more tenured teachers or teachers that have successful EOG/EOC scores?

Case in point...and I'm putting in a good word for my sister-in-law; she's math certified in middle/high school, with two math degrees from Greensboro College, who student-taught at Grimsley, Andrews, Dudley and Smith, who WANTS to work at a MP-school...and has not been hired yet. She's been looking for a math position for two years now, and is continuously passed up downtown.

Now I know our national economy is bad, and I know our local economy is worse, but when we have qualified, certified math teachers out of work--and looking for work, something's wrong.

E.C. :)

Could this be considered a legal document in North Carolina?

I just ran into this from the FairTest Web site.

And I want to hear from you legal experts out there since this may be a legal document being used in the state of Arizona...could this be considered a legal document in the state of North Carolina?

Dear Principal ___________________ and Superintendent ___________________,

I do not want my child, _______________________________, to
take the Stanford 9 and AIMS tests. The range of my child's intellectual
and emotional qualities is not measured by standardized tests.
We are dissatisfied with these tests because they don't measure
meaningful learning, they create inappropriate pressures on children,
they create counterproductive rivalry among schools, they're responsible
for less rigorous and engaging education because teachers feel
compelled to raise the scores, and better forms of assessment
are available.

We object on moral grounds to standardized tests contributing
to discrimination, increasing pupil alienation, and spurring unsuccessful
students to drop out. We find standardized testing socially unconscionable---leading
to gate keeping and perpetuating social segregation.

As concerned parents with the responsibility and right to be
involved in the academic training of our child (Arizona Revised
Statute §15-102), it is within our legal and moral right
to opt out of standardized testing and insist upon better ways
of evaluating our child's understanding of ideas. We request
useful assessments which advance fairness, accuracy, quality,
and equity: evaluations such as the Learning Record (analysis
of students' learning over time by a teacher who knows them well),
work sampling over time, structured and informal observations
and interviews, performance and exhibitions, audio and videotapes,
portfolio and journal assessments, and evaluation including input
from teachers, students, parents, counselors, and principals.

______________________________
Date

_______________________________________________
Signature of parent/guardian

LEGAL REFERENCES: ARIZONA REVISED STATUTE §15-102. PARENTAL
INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL; Definition

A. The governing board, in consultation with parents, teachers
and administrators, shall develop and adopt a policy to promote
the involvement of parents and guardians of children enrolled
in the schools within the school district, including:

3. Procedures by which parents who object to any learning material
or activity on the basis that it is harmful may withdraw their
children from the activity or from the class or program in which
the material is used. Objection to a learning material or activity
on the basis that it is harmful includes objection to a material
or activity because it questions beliefs or practices in sex,
morality or religion.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT
POLICIES STRESSING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE ACADEMIC TRAINING
OF THEIR CHILDREN.
(HCR2004-422R-I Ver) REFERENCE TITLE: CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE REFORM;
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Whereas, section 15-102, Arizona Revised Statutes, requires school
governing boards to develop and adopt a policy to promote the
involvement of parents and guardians in their children's education;
and

Whereas, this statute directs schools to include in their policy
a plan to foster parent and teacher cooperation in such areas
as homework, attendance and discipline and to include procedures
by which parents may learn about their children's studies and
learning materials and may object to any materials or activities
they believe to be harmful to their children; and

Whereas, while these requirements are important to fostering
a cooperative and understanding relationship between parents and
schools, they do not adequately stress the involvement of parents
in all aspects of their children's education as the primary step
that parents can take to ensure the academic success of their
children; and

Whereas, close parental involvement in their children's education,
both in and out of the classroom, is absolutely essential to the
constructive and successful academic preparation children need
to assume their future roles as responsible and knowledgeable
adult citizens of our state and nation.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State
of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

1. That the members of the Forty-second Legislature of the
State of Arizona encourage school districts, in meeting the requirements
of section 15-102, Arizona Revised Statutes, to stress parental
involvement as the single most important thing parents can do
to ensure the academic success of their children.

2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit
certified copies of this Resolution to the governing board of
each school district in Arizona.

1-213. Words and phrases
Words and phrases shall be construed according to the common and
approved use of the language. Technical words and phrases and
those that have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in
the law, shall be construed according to such peculiar and appropriate
meaning.

**********************

E.C. :)

Peacemaker: Black male achievement gap questioned by experts

Another timely article in the most recent Carolina Peacemaker questions the use (or misuse) of test scores to classify our children.

At issue is a recent talk given by local academicians on the attempts to close the achievement gap among students of color and why NCLB-test scores may be misused.

There's some validity to what's being said in this article.

Peacemaker:

School officials often say they are working hard to close the achievement gap which shows the disparity of the test scores between Black and White students. But, Tuesday night, some questioned the very issue of the gap.
When [Ed] Whitfield asked the audience, “Whose achievement gap is it anyway?” silence loomed over the audience. “Standardized tests are not a good measure of the whole of what we are trying to facilitate in the development of our youth. The only gap that anyone should be concerned about closing is the gap between what parents want for their children and what they are getting in schools,” Whitfield said. “There are issues of racism in the classroom because of teacher’s attitudes, curriculum and testing. Schools are only teaching standardized tests. The high achieving young people are not prepared for the actual challenges of the society that we live in,” Whitfield continued.

On Mr. Whitfield's thoughts about testing, he's right.

And yet, we continue to test our children to death...for what?

E.C. :)

Peacemaker Profiles New GCS Board

The most recent Carolina Peacemaker profiles the newest GCS Board members. A short blurb:

[Carlvena] Foster already began visiting her District 1 schools. “I consider myself to be a grassroots person. I am a product of the schools of District 1. I attended elementary, middle and high school in District 1. I am very familiar with the community and I want to be the voice of that community,” Foster shared. The children should come first. Every child should have the opportunity to a high quality education. On behalf of my kids, I will be visiting all of my schools. I want to see first hand to get a feel for what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Kris Cooke, Darlene Garrett and Amos Quick III were elected to stay on the board. “I had no opposition, which is wonderful,” Cooke joked. “It means that people believe in what I stood for. We will work for the benefit for our kids. Our superintendent has that at the bottom of his heart and we will work for their betterment.” Cooke will be overseeing District 7.
*******************
E.C. :)

Pitts Blames Unions...I Blame Testing

Speaking of Leonard Pitts...he inks a column today discussing the perils of what the new First Family must be facing as they wrestle with the question of going public or private with their daughters (they already attend the private, much-famed Latin School of Chicago).

Pitts decries teacher unions in his column, saying:

...Michelle Rhee. You might not know the name yet, but I'm betting you soon will. She is the Washington, D.C., schools chief who has drawn national attention for an audacious attempt to remake some of the nation's worst schools.

Among the changes she has instituted, or is attempting to institute, is a cash reward for students who meet certain benchmarks of performance and attendance. She also wants to make it easier to fire teachers who do not perform; under her plan, educators would give up tenure protections for a merit plan that would allow the best of them -- those whose students actually learn something -- to earn upward of $100,000 a year.

Rhee's proposals track closely with some of what I found last year when I wrote a series of columns on "What Works" to improve education for at-risk young people. Many educators told me that high on their wish list would be the ability to reward good teachers and fire bad ones.

You'd think it would be a no-brainer that people who don't perform get the ax and those who do get raises. Isn't that the way it works in most non-unionized professions? But the teachers union apparently exists in some alternate universe where everyone is rewarded equally regardless of the quality of their work. So it has fought Rhee with bitter tenacity, seeking to block her at every step.

*********************

My friend Doug Clark over at the N&R apparently agrees with Mr. Pitts. In a blog entry today, Clark writes:

Look, I'm for paying good teachers more. That's to my benefit. But I'm more concerned about how well children are educated. On that point, I agree wholeheartedly with Pitts: Reward teachers for teaching well. Get rid of those who don't.

The trouble is, these decisions are made by leaders who are beholden to organizations like NCAE, which help elect them.

Let me be clear: NCAE is an excellent advocate for its members. If a teacher is accused of some trumped-up offense, it will stand behind her 100 percent. I'm happy my wife belongs.

But I don't want NCAE dictating educational policies.

Individual teachers should have a say in school-based decisions. They should have flexibility in how they teach. They should be empowered.

Collectively, however, NCAE or unions are about what's best for teachers.

That's not necessarily what's best of education.

**************************

It is true that ALL stakeholders have a responsibility when it comes to our children, even the children of the new First Family. But when it comes to my daughter, I don't want some bureaucrat in Raleigh OR in Washington telling me what's best for my child. And I will continue to say that it is high-stakes NCLB-testing that is ruining public education.

Case in point...the following was passed out at an EOG Parents night last week at my daughter's school:

"Third Grade Gateway"

In May, every third grade student will take a Reading and Math End of Grade Test. Students must score a III or a IV on this test.

Students scoring a I or II will have a short period of review. These students will retake the EOG before the end of school.

The student will only retake the part he or she did not pass.

Summer School is MANDATORY for any students who did not pass the EOG Test on the second attempt.

Students will take the EOG a third time at the end of the summer session. A team of teachers and administrators will review each case individually to determine placement for the next school year.

Students who do not attend summer school will repeat the grade from the previous year.

************************

Third graders...eight-year-olds. In 2008 America. Something's not right.

I'm all for accountability in our public schools. But I'm not for high-stakes testing. I object to test scores being deliberately used to either place our children, classify our children, or hold our children back. I object to test scores being used to garner the most federal dollars. I object to test scores being used to fire teachers (especially those good new teachers out there who really care about children and who go into the classroom to attempt to make a difference). I object to the non-teaching of concepts in favor of teaching kids how to take a test.

Something's wrong. And it must be fixed.

E.C. :)

Mo Betta Blues-Part Deux

So I'm sitting here in my humble-abode with my morning joe...simply wondering just who the real Mo Green is. And everything I'm reading is of much concern.

See this blurb from my friend Sam over at Piedmont Publius:

You really have to wonder just what kind of spin GCS Superintendent Mo Green is getting ready to put on us.

For starters, Meck Deck has some thoughts on incoming public relations pro Nora Carr, saying he’s tired of her “duplicitous spinning,” recently illustrated in the CMS Facebook controversy.

Now, none other than liberal columnist Leonard Pitts parachutes in and offers Mo some advice during Guilford Education Alliance’s recent “education summit.” The N&R just loved it, especially the part where “teachers feel free to hug their low-income children.”

I’ve got the feeling that, when all is said and done, Mo Green’s going to make Terry Grier look like just an ordinary staff member.

************************

That's what I'm afraid of. Business cannot continue as usual down on Eugene Street.

E.C. :)

Special Called GCS Board meeting Wednesday

From GCS:

The Guilford County Board of Education will hold a special called meeting on Wednesday, November 19 at 11:30 a.m. to hear a presentation from staff regarding attracting and retaining high performing teachers in low performing schools. The meeting will be held in the Board Room of the administrative office, 712 N. Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC.
*******************
Wasn't Mission (im)Possible supposed to be the plan for this? Are we now publicly admitting that Mission (im)Possible is truly impossible?

E.C. :)

Why Johnny STILL Can't Read

State AYP reading scores came out recently prove why little Johnny still can't read: our kids are being prepped into how many bubbles they can fill out in three hours.

See this short blurb from News 14 Carolina (with video):

On the 2008 reading and mathematics assessments, a total of 52.6 percent of students scored at or above the proficient level on both general tests given in grades 3-8 according to a Public Schools of North Carolina press release. Reading performance ranged from 52.5 percent proficient at the seventh grade to 60.9 percent proficient for fourth and sixth grades. Math performance ranged from 68.6 percent proficient at seventh grade to 74.8 percent proficient for third grade. Higher standards on state reading tests led to fewer students making the grade this year.

This year, students had to perform better and deal with more complicated reading material on the exams. Because of that, June Atkinson, state superintendent, says it is unfair to compare this year’s numbers to last year’s results.

*****************

E.C. :)

High Stakes Testing Turns Kids Off from Reading

Longtime followers and readers of GSW will know that I am a conscientious objector of No Child Left Behind because it leaves too many of our children behind. Mainly, I'm opposed to the constant high-stakes testing component of NCLB.

After attending an "EOG Parents Night" this past week at my daughter's school, I ran into this tidbit on the NEA's Website, which shows that high-stakes testing may be turning children off to reading.

Dear God.

Check this out:

NCLB Testing May Be Turning Kids Off to Reading

Rather than inspiring higher levels of student achievement, the pressure of the federal No Child Left Behind Act's required testing is ruining students' appetites for reading and decreasing reading comprehension for many. At least that's the observation of one NEA member.

And NEA member Diane Brantley of Crestline, Calif., knows a lot about how to teach kids to read and specifically about tutoring K-12 students who are struggling with reading. She's an assistant professor of literacy education and director of the Literacy Center at California State University, San Bernardino. She has worked as an administrator in three different university-based literacy tutorial programs for K-12 students over the past eight years.

She says, "It seems that NCLB has created an environment of quantification of reading with little regard to the quality of understanding of a piece of text."

Perception of a "Good Reader" is Changing

Ms. Brantley is one of hundreds of NEA members who responded to our request to share their personal experiences regarding the impact of NCLB on their students and on them.

Before the enactment of NCLB, most students said the purpose of reading is to understand material and to learn new information, she explained. Good readers were described as "those people who could read without stumbling over words and could understand what they had read," according to Ms. Brantley.

"Since the inception of NCLB," she wrote, "more children are being referred for tutoring because they do not read fast enough and are subsequently receiving lower grades in reading.

"Parents are saying that their children are required to read at a particular reading rate measured in words per minute. Many of the children state that good readers read fast rather than understanding what they are reading.

Students Are Referred for Not Reading Fast Enough

"Teachers are sending students for remediation even when they are comprehending at grade level because they do not read fast enough. Children are being exposed to continuous speed testing and are beginning to dislike reading because of it.

Parents state that their children are beginning to have physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches, etc) before going to school because they feel a pressure to test well and test often or else they will receive lower grades.

"Many parents state that their children's class time is spent on test preparation to the exclusion of quality content area instruction in literature, science and history. The arts and physical education have been eliminated to make more time for test prep. Children are being taught to take tests rather than being taught important material needed to be successful citizens and college students."

*******************
This is criminal....

E.C. :)

Previewing the New EGHS

Click here for a recent video story previewing the NEW Eastern Guilford H.S., courtesy of FOX-8.

E.C. :)

Mo Betta' Blues

Since this blog is back in business, I already have been asked what my thoughts are on the new GCS superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green.

The truth is that honestly, I haven't formed an opinion.

I was literally out of the local loop for about six months, so I really didn't follow the chain of events closely as to Mr. Green's selection.

However, the ironic twist is that in the normal course of my duties of my new day/night job as a reservation agent for a major airline that has a major presence in the Carolinas, I had an opportunity to service the assistant to Charlotte/Mecklenburg Schools chief Dr. Peter Gorman. After brief small talk during this telephone conversation, she had nothing but praise for Mr. Green.

But one comment on the N&R Chalkboard is of concern:

Anonymous said:

150K. Where do they think they are? 2007?

This is 2008 and the country is almost bankrupt because of the same bad practices.

Mo's a going in the wrong direction for me.

When we should be reducing it at least could be one in and one out.

****************

An article in this week's Rhino Times paints an introductory picture of Mo Green. Here's a snippet:

In his first round of public outings after taking over as Guilford County school superintendent in September, Mo Green was tentative and deferential to his audiences, taking few public stands on issues facing the schools. That approach won the admiration of many parents, coming after former Superintendent Terry Grier, whom parents saw as aloof and impervious to public opinion.

At some point, however, a leader has to lead, and school watchers wondered when Green would start tipping his hand on the course of Guilford County Schools during his administration.

*********************

Time will tell...

E.C. :)

Underreporting of School Crime Continues to be an Issue

CBS-2 is working for you...and this time, in a follow-up to a story they brought you back in the late Winter...and something we covered here at GSW.

Check this out:

http://www.digtriad.com/video/default.aspx?mid=927962445

Comments?

E.C. :)

Sun Sets on Childs, Kearns, Sharpe

Last night was the final meeting of outgoing GCS Board members Dr. Walter Childs, Dot Kearns and Anita Sharpe. And while I wish them well, the new Board makeup ought to be interesting.

Some thoughts:

Carlvena Foster (replacing Dr. Childs): Ran uncontested. Ms. Foster is the current executive director of the Carl Chavis YMCA in High Point. Do we know that much about Ms. Foster to form an opinion? Time will tell.

Paul Daniels (replacing Sharpe): Ran uncontested. I have high hopes for Mr. Daniels. And I think he will be an incredible influence for this Board.

Dr. Sandra Alexander (replacing Kearns): A surprise addition, considering local TREBIC Board member, local developer and banker Michael McKinney was endorsed...early on. Alexander won big last week.

McKinney ran a formidable campaign, but was endorsed by Kearns. I suspect many in Guilford County who have school reform on their minds, passed up on Kearns' pick. And while I made no formal endorsement of either candidate, I think Alexander may make an interesting addition to this board. Time will tell. I wish Mr. McKinney the very best.

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Returning Board members:

Ole Cookie...Kris Cooke ran uncontested in North Greensboro. Unfortunately, the status quo reigns in this district.

Darlene Garrett retains her seat, but challenger Mike Stone ran a good campaign with a lot of good ideas. I look forward to Mr. Stone's active participation here at GSW.


Amos Quick. Ran uncontested....who on Primary election night his past spring, told me that he voted for Mike McKinney. Campaigned very little for his uncontested seat. His heart continues to be in the right place for his alma mater, Dudley H.S. He and I have disagreed on many issues in the past, agreed on some others...it's been a mixed bag for Quick.

It will certainly be an interesting new Board.

...oh, and by the way, since I will get asked this question: will I run in 2010?

Long-time Board member Dr. Nancy Routh has already hinted at her retirement from the GCS Board, creating a future open-seat. Even though I garnered over 7,000 votes in the Spring, it's way too early to speculate. I'm going to enjoy doing GSW for a while.

E.C. :)