Aug 6, 2009

No DC-CAS Scores For You: That Is Until August 14

Even though OSSE had delayed the public release date of DC-CAS scores from July 28 until August 5- it seems there has been another delay. Here's the latest from OSSE on when DC-CAS scores will be made available to the public:

" OSSE will be releasing final & public data from the 2009 DC CAS on Wednesday August 14. Originally, preliminary data without AYP determinations was to be released today and final data on August 12. Over the next 8 days, OSSE will be reviewing appeals and petitions from schools and LEAs. Please check back on August 14 to view all final achievement data by school and AYP determinations for 2009."

OSSE website: http://nclb.osse.dc.gov/index.asp

No Teacher Bonuses For You

I questioned how we would be able to pay for teacher bonuses in my "I Thought We Were Broke" piece on July 28. Due to the financial crisis that DC is in- OSSE has retracted their decision to provide teacher bonuses this school year. Here is an excerpt from an 8/4/09 email from Terese Lowery of the DC City Council explaining why:

"The Chairman has looked into funding for the teacher signing and transfer bonuses offered through OSSE. --- OSSE’s initial intent was to pull funds from the District’s Title II grant from the US Department of Education (as they did last year). However, OSSE has since cancelled this initiative due to “budgetary issues facing the District”. Please refer to the announcement attached below, which was posted on OSSE’s website July 30, 2009, and let me know if you need any further information." - Terese Lowery, Senior Legislative Analyst

Update on Funds for Teacher Signing and Transfer Bonuses

Media Contact: Chad Colby, (202) 727-6782 An announcement on Funds for Teacher Signing and Transfer Bonuses was posted in error to the OSSE website this week. Due to budgetary issues facing the District, this discretionary program cannot be funded. Consequently, we have removed the incentive notice from OSSE’s website. This initiative was based on incentives provided last year aimed to increase the number of highly qualified teachers. Approximately, $50,000 of Title II Part A grant funds from fiscal year 2008 were targeted to cover costs as these funds can be used by a state education agency for activities focusing on increasing the percentages of a state’s highly qualified teachers. Last year’s incentive initiative had only LEA participation of 25 candidates. An individual was eligible to receive the incentive as a one-time signing bonus only. For more information regarding the Funds for Teacher Signing and Transfer Bonuses please contact Erika Lomax at (202) 741-0257 or via email at erika.lomax@dc.gov

Posted by The Washington Teacher

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

OH God OSSE. Release the scores already!

Anonymous said...

They gotta tweak the results. It will be interesting to see how many appeals there are and if OSSE will really make them public.

Anonymous said...

We should see if there was the same amount of hedging for scores when Rhee and McGoldrick were at St. Hope Charter (Rhee's boyfriend's school) together.

Anonymous said...

NCLB is like riding a bike with flat tires.To many nails for patching but good job to the OSSE for the data and transparancy !If an 11 year old can interview the president,we can end the mandates on NCLB ! Work it..work it !Sharp interview and video on Anderson Cooper,CNN blog. You'll love the question he asked on budget concerning education.