Dec 24, 2008

Some DC Teachers Evaluations May Be Rigged !

Update on More Unprincipled Principals

To protect their jobs, DC principals are under increasing pressure - to fudge teachers evaluations some sources say in order to satisfy Chancellor Rhee's plan B. Shortly after teacher contract talks stalled, Rhee threatened to aggressively implement her plan B to teachers or with teachers in the form of a 'newly revised' evaluation plan which seeks to rid DCPS of ineffective teachers. While no one supports ineffective teaching, little did we know that DC principals would be encouraged to seek a quota of teachers, bribe students and if all else fails lie.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity , sources have recently revealed that several more DC administrators were required by the Rhee administration to 'alter' structured observations of teachers who had performed well in order to make it appear that they were less than effective. These teachers deserve better. An alternate remedy might be for teachers to video tape their next structured observation which must be scheduled in advance by the administrator. Of course take the necessary steps to ensure that you have the required parental permission releases to video tape your students. In addition, request another teacher or your building representative to sit in on your evaluation and observe and take notes.

If you believe that your structured observation may have been rigged or know of a teacher in this situation, please send your story c/o The Washington Teacher. Just click on the link and email the details. (Posted by The Washington teacher).

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like alleged capricious and arbitrary ddiscriminatory intent? What about the rest of the federal laws in play and what does the lawyer say? Don't quit until the last bell rings and it gets ugly. Are the teachers being moved to another building and requesting transfers? What does the council say about this and the school system attorney and the union attorney? The evaluations in question will be expunged but what about the discriminatory intent? Alleged procedural administrative violations. I feel for those teachers and the administrators following unethical practices caught up in this environment. Get the videos on instruction and non-biased evaluators to go in. Use the scripting method of evaluation!

Anonymous said...

Let's just say the union lawyers are working on DC teachers cases. The council will be holding hearings in January on retention and recuritment of public school employees as well as terminations of public school employees.

Stay tuned for the announcement of this public hearing to be released publicly this Friday by the DC City Council.

Anonymous said...

See Unlawful discrimination vs discriminatory intent by Robert Style ESQ. Gather the research from state to state and school system administrators and superintendents under NCLB weigh in. See general council offices in a school system and HR. Icebergs ahead and throw the last punch ! Go DC !

Anonymous said...

PHI BETA KAPPA and excuse the typo ! They have an audit team and results in for evaluation.

Anonymous said...

Support hiring state teams for teacher evaluations and trained with the scripting method and formula. Evaluations for an administrator are time consuming but there is a fair formula for results. Takes the bias out of it and eliminates the capricious and arbitrary. Va. use to have a team called B-TAP in the 80's. Seven different state evaluators. You're constantly evaluated your first few years with data and especially if the kids test scores are high. They'll be in your room all the time! It'll get to a point you don't even know they're there.

Some of these first year principals in disorganized operational buildings don't need to be doing the evaluations to begin with. Once you have a few years of the pro's doing evaluations and then get in a building with a first year principal you'll know the difference!

Anonymous said...

Lets vote NO CONFIDENCE for George Parker and his whole crew! We need to clean house! Let us know what and how we do this... post your info. here! WE NEED TO GET RID OF GEORGE, NATHAN (and RANDI)! They are doing nothing for us! We need to make a move!

Anonymous said...

I have to disagree with Anonymous number # 5. As a WTU Board of Trustee member- I believe that Nathan and Randi have been working with us. Nathan has for the last 3 years sat on my School Chapter Adsvisory Committee- I know that without his assistance personally many of the accomplishments that we won for citywide teachers and service providers - we would not have achieved alone. Of course there are many more positive accomplishments to his credit. So far he has the majority vote of the WTU executive board.

While I understand the NY teachers position against Randi - I am willing to give her a chance in working with the WTU. I plan to take a wait and see attitude. Afterall unlike the former AFT President McElroy, Randi has been responsive to board members and DC teachers requests so far.

Sounds like you number #5 may have another agenda and also appear to be misinformed about what is happening in our collaborataive meetings with AFT which btw I don't plan to discuss publicly in this forum.

Anonymous said...

These accusations are very troubling.

Washington Teacher: Can you provide any specific examples of administrators coming forward? What specifically were the "alterations" that administrators were told to make on teacher evaluations? Who in the Rhee administration required these changes?

Anonymous said...

ProReform: I encourage you to read my other blog entries on the 90-day termination plans in DC public schools. Sources have provided available information which I have agreed to post on my blog anonymously.

Anonymous said...

My concern is that this forum is the only place that I am seeing accusations of fraud, and all accusations come from anonymous sources. I have posted questions about your accusations on other DC education blogs and no one has been able to confirm your charges. You give little indication of whether these incidents are isolated or widespread. How many of these anonymous sources do you have? When will the accusations be made public? Also, even if your sources must be kept confidential, I would encourage you to cite specific examples of ways that evaluations were altered.

Anonymous said...

Response to ProReform:

It is unfortunate that other blogs do not carry the same information that I do. Unlike others, I seek to provide real-time struggles that teachers and public school employees face.You must remember that I am actively involved in my local union, I write in a number of venues, I attend many forum and community events, etc. and as a result I speak to teachers, providers, administrators, union leaders and concerned others as well as regularly communicate with members of our executive board.

Some of the anonymous sources that I have published on my blog have asked that their identity not be revealed or published for obvious reasons which I must respect. The determination for when teachers accusations will be made public is not up to me and should only be up to each individual employee.

Certainly you can understand that some teachers may file grievances and some may be pursuing legal counsel and or other remedies, etc.

I have cited as specific examples on my blog posts as I can regarding the 90-day termination plans. I suggest that you review some of my December entries. Obviously every detail about each teachers' case will not be discussed on this blog so as to not compromise anyone's identity.

There is concern that these allegations are not just isolated events. The extent to how widespread this problem is still remains to be seen. In a climate of fear- the real truth may not be realized as soon as we would like.

Anonymous said...

I understand and appreciate your need for confidentiality. Please continue to provide more concrete updates when you are able. I hope that the incidents that you speak of come before the light of public scrutiny sooner rather than later.

Anonymous said...

At my school, teachers have more of a collaborative relationship with our relatively new principal than the ones I hear described on this blog. Certainly following Rhee's and the assistant superintendents' directives, first thing in August, the principal started dropping into classrooms for unstructured observations. He gave us a checklist of everything he was looking for in terms of planning, instruction and classroom environment. He then provided us with feedback. He came back and observed again, gave more of his impressions and scheduled some structured observations. We then noticed some people from downtown in some of the classrooms. We heard they were coaches. Then certain people were put on the 90 day plan, at least two teachers.
One of those on the plan teaches kindergarten. The children leaving that teacher's classroom are rarely reading, know few letter sounds, are almost never ready for the most foundational year, first grade. The teacher gives them too much unstructured play time, which is just an excuse not to teach. There are always complaints about what goes on in that classroom every year. This instructor was previously on a 90 day plan, but it was scrapped because a former principal dropped the ball. The other teacher on the plan has been very reluctant to accept criticism (actually help) from fellow teachers and the coach. She is as hard headed as some of the children. I am less familiar with what her instructional weaknesses are.
I don't believe all principals are rigging evaluations and have seen teachers not doing what is best for students. I wonder if the union is going to defend these teachers, who really need to find other jobs.

Anonymous said...

Also 4 Reform: Thanks for your comments. My entry on this subject indicates that complaints have been lodged against several more teachers. This statement does not implicate all principals nor is it meant to be a sweeping generalization of administrators.

The union's responsibility is to ensure that ALL teachers covered under collective bargaining are afforded due process and representation, are aware of their rights and responsibilities under the plan , are treated fairly, have input into the development of their plans as outlined in the PPEP document and ensure that all government regulations are adhered to as required by law. The union also seeks to make sure that ALL teachers receive the documented interventions in order to improve.

Anonymous said...

What are the legal results of this situation or is the investigation still on going ? How has Rhee legally been allowed to move foward with plan B with a contract in crisis bargaining ? What was the result of those neg.? Is the Union attorney going for declaratory relief or has the court eliminated tenure provisions per contractual agreement ?