A Math Teacher Weighs In on DC's NAEP Scores

I have reprinted this article which appeared on Guy Brandenburg's blog. Guy is a retired DCPS math teacher. I think you will find his account on NAEP worth reading. I encourage you to check out Guy's blog for more discussion on this subject at your leisure. Visit: http://gfbrandenburg.wordpress.com/

Increased scores in math in DCPS on NAEP by Guy Brandenburg

"A recent report from NAEP shows that the scores of DCPS students in math are no longer at the bottom for all states and urban school districts. At the 4th grade, in math,  our kids are now significantly ahead of Cleveland, and essentially tied with Chicago and Los Angeles. This doesn’t terribly surprise me. After all, the problems that I see in inner-city Washington (my home town) are not that different from what I see in other big American cities that I have visited and they are not going to be fixed by wholesale firing of veteran teachers.

Here is a table that I made from the graphs in the report. The yellow line is scores for the last 6 years in the entire nation in 4th grade math; the salmon-colored line is for all big cities; and the green line is for us here in DC – just regular DCPS students, not charter schools. (Although, if you look deeper, there is virtually no difference between the scores for the charter schools and the regular public schools. Even the NAEP admits that scores that are only 1 or 2 points apart are not “significantly different”.)

As usual, the press, especially the Washington Post, are eager to give all of the credit to Chancellor Rhee. That is a joke. As you can see in the following graph, which I made from publicly available data on national and DC averages, the trend in DC 4th grade math NAEP scores has been upward for quite some time – since the mid-1990’s, when Michelle Rhee was still trying to get her own act together teaching in Baltimore in a for-profit school that failed.

Note that this is from the publicly available data, so I am unable to separate out the charter schools. And note also how high the scores are for white DC fourth graders. In fact, theirs are the highest for any such subgroup in the entire nation. Looking even closer, we see that Rhee can take credit (if she wants) for the fact that 4th-grade White DCPS students gained twice as much under her watch as 4th-grade Black students!

On the other hand, nobody really knows what these numbers really mean. Do they mean that our students are doing better than 17 years ago? I don’t know. However, in my own experience over 30 years of teaching, incoming 7th graders seem to know a heck of a lot more math now than they did in 1978, which was back in the days of “Back to Basics”.

The entire NAEP is so long that no single student could ever possibly take the whole thing; instead, the students who do take it only take about a morning’s worth of it. By no means do all 4th and 8th graders take the NAEP, either. There is some formula for deciding which classrooms in which schools will be asked to take either part of the English NAEP or part of the Math NAEP. Many teachers of math and English may go their entire career without ever administering it to their own classes, especially if they teach neither 4th or 8th grade."

The latest report from NAEP concerning cities is at:

http://nationsreportcard.gov/math_2009/

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence. Discussion of NAEP scores courtesy of Guy Brandenburg

Divided We Fall: Someone Must Take A Stand For DC Teachers

"When law is without order and  justice is far from just, someone must take a stand !"

 

I decided to post this entry after reading articles by Leah Fabel of the DC Examiner and Bill Turque of the WaPo this morning. Seems like the Washington Teachers' Union got brutalized yesterday by Judge Judith Bartnoff in her 23 page ruling . Many argue that the WTU's legal strategy was flawed right from the start. I knew we were in trouble when our WTU Prez George Parker indicated that the union's legal strategy was a secret so as not to tip off the other side. I was concerned that at no time was there a consultation with our laid off teachers and our union lawyers about our various legal strategies. Further there seemed to be little effort made to get affadavits' from teachers under oath and/or collect evidence for our legal case. I like many others worried when the WTU didn't file a TRO (temporary restraining order) as union members had been advised would happen right from the start. The TRO was filed after the preliminary injunction in late October.

Not until our WTU General Vice president, Nathan Saunders and I arranged for a free legal consultation with Joseph, Greenwald and Laake, P.A.- did the WTU decide to file a TRO, some say too little too late and well after the filing of the preliminary injunction. As Peter Nickles has been quoted this is a slam dunk for the Rhee administration. As much as I hate to admit it I have to agree with Nickles this time. 

Having been laid off, I know what it feels like to be laid off unfairly. I have recounted my story on this very blog about an experience when a principal, Dr. Margaret Labat illegally gave me all zero's on my competitive level documentation form in 1996 because in her words she was angry with me for going to the union to pursue getting approval for my permanent status.  My heart goes out to our laid off teachers and their families especially during this season of thanksgiving. I know how they feel today because I have walked a mile in their shoes. I have empathy for what they must be experiencing.

I am troubled by some teachers' reactions in a Tuesday WTU representative assembly meeting to be more focused on their own plight than that of their laid off teacher colleagues . While looking out for ourselves is a basic instinct of self-preservation/survival, someone has to fight and take a stand . I implore all of us to stop looking for cover and ducking our heads in the sand because it hasn't impacted in our little corner of the world yet. Give IMPACT sufficient time and there will be more of us fired by years' end. Isn't that the intent ?

 I recently watched a moving titled: "American Violet" which is a true story about racial injustices by a corrupt District Attorney against many poor black citizens in the state of Texas. How ironic, I thought to myself that I had picked such a movie with many parallels to the DC story. I couldn't help but wonder that maybe it wasn't just coincidence that I had selected this movie as I desperately needed some motivation. The injustices in this movie had been imposed by those in power for some time and many citizens felt powerless to do anything. Had it not been for the perseverence of the main character known as 'Dee" who decided to fight for not only for herself but many others who had been wronged- I imagine that many of those attrocities in Texas would still be going on today . I am inspired by the words in the movie American Violet :

When law is without order and justice is far from just, someone must take a stand ! 

Here's an anonymous comment about the goings on at our union representative meeting. What happened at Tuesday's union representative assembly can't continue to happen or we will all loose. 

"I went to the representative assembly meeting tonight. Saunders gave Parker the "business" about Parker's sorry advocacy of union members. I wish those RIF'd teachers had listened. Nathan did say very early in the ballgame teachers needed a different law firm. He knew something and now we have experienced it. In the future, trust legal recommendations from Saunders.

I am afraid Rhee will really think she is superwoman in her ease at running over Parker and those of us who depend on this union. I cannot imagine why she would not want to have another RIF next week. Teachers are terrified only 12 to 15 showed up tonight. A sad day for us but George Parker seemed to think nothing of this terrible loss of teacher jobs. He kept saying he never expected to win implying we should just move on.

Oh yeah, some teachers acted like they did not want to discuss the RIF'd teachers only IMPACT. We are so quick to forget one another. I have figured it out- The RIF'd teachers are no longer union members after being fired and their letters ban them from DCPS property that is why they are sight unseen at union meetings. This explains the church meeting locations for them."- signed anonymous

Posted by The Washington Teacher, featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

Rhee-Gate 2009: I Am Not A Crook !

Just poking a little fun here !

This brings to mind the departing words of our 37th U.S. President, Richard M. Nixon - "I am not a crook." A person's got to know whether their chancellor, (I mean president) is a crook.

Posted by The Washington Teacher, featuring Candi Peterson blogger in residence, graphics courtesy of Ed-Notes on line.

Due Diligence Has Been A Long Time Coming For Some In DC Schools

This is a reprint from an education blog titled conducting the inner light (below). Even though it was posted on November 21, I think it deserves a' look see' by my readers as it provides yet another perspective into the Michelle Rhee, Kevin Johnson and St Hope story. Many DC parents thank their lucky stars that KJ didn't get to take over DC's Eastern Senior High School here as Rhee might have liked due to their own due diligence .  Here's to DC parents who were pro-active in protecting their community.

As critical thinkers, it is imperative that we review the Inspector General's report and transcripts and not simply take the word of Rhee's spokesperson or others who want to sweep the details of this story under the rug. Conducting the inner light blogger has done an excellent analysis of what's wrong with this story as it more than just a sex scandal. I implore you to judge for yourselves by reviewing the Inspector General's report, transcripts and other links from the Sacramento Bee in detail by clicking on the respective names within the body of this story below. After all, isn't it time for all of us to exercise due diligence ? It's been a long time coming.

Definition of due diligence: 

1. An investigation or audit of a potential investment. Due diligence serves to confirm all material facts in regards to a sale. 

2. Generally, due diligence refers to the care a reasonable person should take before entering in an agreement or transaction with another party. 

Investopedia Commentary

Due diligence is essentially a way of preventing unnecessary harm to either party involved in a transaction. 

Reprinted from education blog conducting the inner light

"It is interesting to me how the Michelle Rhee/Kevin Johnson situation is playing out in the newspapers and blogs.  For those of you not keeping up suffice it to say that in a congressional investigation it has been revealed that Michelle Rhee acted as a fixer/damage controller for her fiance when he was accused by three girls of inappropriate touching.  I won’t go into the allegations but refer you to the articles via The Washington Teacher’s Blog. Candi Peterson has aggregated all the newsources beautifully and this allows you to read each and come to your own conclusion.

Personally, I think the sex part of this scandal is somewhat of a misdirection.  Not that I think the charges are groundless – read not only the Inspector General’s report but also the transcripts, as reported by The Sacramento News and Review , of Johnson’s phone conversation with another girl (not one of the accusers but a girl from 10 years before when Johnson was still a player on the Suns) and it will be hard to avert your eyes or find any excuse for him – but I think that there is much more damning evidence in the IG report than sex.

I cannot recommend enough reading the entire report right down to the interview of Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez, the former employee of St. Hope Academy Charter Schools.  Your jaw will drop, your eyes will pop out of your head.  No matter how you try to play this report it looks stinky.  Just a for instance: Michelle Rhee was listed as a board member of St. Hope. Simultaneously she was listed as: the consultant for the New Teacher Project, the consultant for the reconstruction bridge span, the consultant for the reconstruction of the HR department, while on another memo she was listed as the COO. In yet another letter she was listed as the President and Johnson as the CEO. So many hats for one person and absolutely no conflict of interest, is there, in being both a board member and a consultant for the very board of which you are a member. Sarcasm in that last sentence.

The discrepencies are legion in this report.  Just read the summary of charges.  According to these charges Johnson used Americorps money and Americorps volunteers in complete violation of the government contract and volunteer contract.  These volunteers are supposed to be used for the community and as tutors for students in schools. According to the report none of the volunteers did a single hour of tuturing for their time at St. Hope.  What they did do was wash KJ’s car, clean his place (Johnson told one employee that the Americorps volunteers were there for “grunt work”), worked as clerks in the St. Hope store, canvassed the neighborhoods for candidates for local political offices, used them to solicit funds for St. Hope – even traveling to NYC on the Americorps money to do so.  Johnson also misappropriated Americorps funds to pay SHA staff.

Here was one of the most incredible things I found in this report: the volunteers, who were on a stipend of around $4000 plus dollars, were charged rent for their housing.  The housing was owned by (wait for the drumroll please) The St. Hope Development Corporation – they were charged $300-$350 a month.  SHA never revealed to federal authorities their relationship to SHD (you would think, though, that they would change the name of their corporation just a tad so that no one would notice – you know, like Enron).

The sex allegations are here, as well.  I don’t see how anyone can dismiss them as groundless nor as the accusations of people who hold a political motive.  It is obvious throughout this report that there was a culture of abuse. The culture of power that Johnson practiced (one person describes him as micromanaging every thing right down to the position of all the office furniture) is one in which abuse is the predominate factor.

Here is what disturbs me after reading this report: Michelle Rhee tried to bring St. Hope Charter schools into our school system to take over some schools.  She tried to do this AFTER this report had been filed.  It was only due to the due diligence on the part of the parents of those schools that would have been overtaken (deliberate use of word here) and their objection to SHA coming in because of what they found out in their own investigations.

Due diligence in regards to Ms. Rhee has been missing in DC from the very beginning.  From the vetting process on down she has been given a free ride by Adrian Fenty,  the Washington Post, many on the city council, and a host of other people who believe she is “doing what has to be done.”  Discrepencies in what she says and does have been ignored or explained away at almost every turn. She contradicts herself, denies, changes facts to suit her need and all of this is dismissed as quibbles on the part of those of us who have had worries about her methods and the true nature of her plans.  OK, fine, than read this report and explain to me how anyone could think to bring in this corrupt, unethicial organization to run any of our schools? She knew about the charges in that report. Given her status as one of the three main operators of St. Hope – again read the report and Ms. Wong-Hernandez’ interview to see the number of titles Rhee held – there is no way she can claim ignorance to these charges.

That is the real scandal that should be on the front page of every paper.  Diligence is now due."

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence, story courtesy of conducting the inner light, definition/commentary courtesy of dictionary.com

Some Say Rhee Hires New Teachers Despite Budget Shortfall

I have received emails confirming sightings of new 'teacher hires' beginning the second week of November, only a month after the notices of layoffs were given to 388 DC teachers and school staff. This is pretty darn amazing given the budget pressures that DC public schools is reportedly faced with. Ever wonder why Chancellor Rhee has yet to implement a freeze on hiring and spending practices given the twenty million dollar deficit DC schools is up against ? Well let me make an educated guess why this administration continues to spend willy nilly. Perhaps Rhee does not want to freeze spending so that she can continue to hire staff on the DL (down-low) to replace teachers who were unfairly laid off.

Not only have there been sightings of new teacher  hires in local DC public schools but unnamed sources report that new hires have been spotted at the DCPS central office personnel department as well. Shortly after teacher and staff layoffs, copies of an October 19 email from Morgan Gieseke, a Teach DC recruiter in the Office of The Chancellor (OOC) circulated to perspective 2009-10 DCPS teacher applicants stating the following:


If you are still interested in teaching for DCPS during the 2009-2010 school year, please let me know. We will resume the selection process next week and will only contact you if you have indicated to me that you would like to remain in the pool of applicants. If you would like to only be considered for 2010-2011 vacancies, please withdraw your application and reapply in January. If you have already found a position with DCPS and we have sent you this email in error, please submit your school information. Your response is requested by Wednesday, October 21st. If you have any questions, please let me know. DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL. Please click on the following link to complete the two minute survey:


http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEF0Vm5hdTRpUjhOTzNiR2VHbldXN3c6MA 

Here's what my sources are saying about the status of new teacher hires:


Dear Candi: 
"There are 25 new teaching fellows that were hired on Monday, November 9, 2009. These teaching fellows rotate to different schools daily and weekly doing their student teaching. They are being paid. They officially start teaching in classrooms beginning January 2010."
-Name deleted to protect confidentiality


Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

No Ruling For DC's RIF'd Teachers, Yet !

Many of DC's RIF'd teachers and counselors have been waiting with bated breath to hear the decision that was promised by Judge Judith Bartnoff. Last week a written decision was supposed to be rendered on the preliminary injunction hearing that was held to request a stay to hold off lay offs of hundreds of DC teachers pending arbitration. Unfortunately, for reasons unclear that ruling did not come as promised. This is unfortunate delay for those who were unfairly laid off on October 2.

Depending on whose version you believe, many laid off teachers who attended the November 5 hearing voiced their concerns that the hearing did not go well. There were reports that there were many objections to the Washington Teachers' Union's defense. In a WTU Building Representative November 10 meeting that I attend at McKinley last week , WTU Field Representative Anita Corley stated publicly that the WTU's legal arguments appeared weak because they did not want to alert DCPS lawyers to the strategy that the WTU would ultimately use in arbitration. When I heard this as a rationale, I actually couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't help but thinking what it if the judge rules that the WTU cannot go to arbitration ? Then what ?

I have received numerous E-mails and telephone calls asking me if I have heard anything about the judge's decision. Many are still awaiting this decision so that they can decide how to proceed with their lives. It is my hope that a decision will be rendered early this week by Judge Bartnoff. Stay tuned for more.

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

A RIF'd DC Teacher Issues A Challenge

OPEN LETTER TO ALL 

Dear DCPS Employees Past and Present, Parents, Guardians, Students and DC Community:

I am writing this letter to issue a challenge to us all. We as a system are under fire. For those of you that are still in the classroom please do not be lulled into a false sense of security. This school system is under attack and teachers are on the front lines.

In the past few weeks it has become clear that the Washington Teachers Union is either unwilling or unable to protect and successfully defend us, so we must do it ourselves. I and some of my other friends have been on a letter writing campaign and have sent letters to everyone from the DC City Council to President Barack Obama. My focus right now is Oprah Winfrey. It may sound silly but understand that Ms. Winfrey profiled Michelle Rhee as one of the most powerful women in America and is planning on having her on the show.  I think that it is important that we get our side of the story to her. Michelle Rhee has been allowed to control the press for far too long. (Contact Oprah's website by clicking this Link . Scroll down and click contact us ). 

I have sent letters to Oprah but if we flood her website she will be forced to at least investigate what is going on. It only takes a few minutes to go to her website and click on “contact us” and send an email. We all have a story now it is time to tell that story. From former Principals, to teachers, to custodians, to office staff, and to the students, it is time that we go global with our story. Talking on the blog is great but we are preaching to the choir.

I also encourage you to contact Senator Daniel Akaka who is the Chairman on Oversight of Government Management. Click on Senator Akaka's name above and it will take you directly to his website. You can also write Senator Akaka c/0 141 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, telephone: 202-2246361 or via fax: 202-224-2126.

I have friends that are teachers all over the country and believe me they are watching what is going on in DC and if Michelle Rhee wins here it will spell trouble for all educators across the country.   We cannot continue to sit back and wait for others to save us we must save ourselves.  Please feel free to forward this letter to all friends in DCPS past and present. 

Sincerely,

A RIF'd DC Teacher Fighting For Truth

dcpsfightingfortruth@gmail.com

Other people that we can email, just click on the links below:

Senator Daniel Akaka , Subcommitte on Oversight of Government Management

Senator George V. Voinovich, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Oversight Management

DC City Council 

DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton 

Md. State Senator Barbara Mikulski 

Va. State Senator Jim Webb

Toy Joyner, Russ Parr, CNN, The View,  etc.             

Everyone has a website and a “CONTACT US” button on that website, let’s use it. 

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

Disparate Impact on DC's RIF'd Teachers

http://medilldev.net/2009/10/effective-teachers-central-in-education-reform/

Definition of Disparate Impact 

A type of discrimination recognized by the courts is “an allegation of disparate impact. An allegation of disparate impact most often focuses on a systematic procedure that appears to treat everyone alike, but has an excessively negative impact on a particular group"  Either an individual or a group may make this claim,. “If made on behalf of a group, it is called a class action complaint. The person or agent filing a complaint on behalf of a class must also be a personally aggrieved member of the class” (“Illegal”, 1999).

Crystal Proctor, Social Studies teacher from Jefferson Middle School is featured in this video and discusses how she was laid off on October 2 due to a Principal's assessment that she did not have a grasp of the new teaching and learning framework which was just introduced on September 18. Proctor worked at Jefferson middle school located at 801 7th St SW (phone number 202-729-3270) where Stephanie Patton is the principal.

Many believe these recent layoffs of 266 teachers and 122 school staff were intentionally created by the Rhee administration through over hiring of 934 new teachers this school year.  It has been reported that of the 934 new teacher hires the average age was 32 years old while laid off teachers had an average age of 48 years old. Even though seniority has to be considered in a reduction in force, its weighting on the competitive level documentation form (CLDF) was reduced to a mere 5 % instead of 25 %. Some say this diminished the value of seniority and constitutes an unfair labor practice and should be challenged legally. Other factors on the CLDF were subjective and were given  greater weight by the Rhee administration. Proctor illustrates this point in the video. 

It seems that many of the laid off teachers and school staff definitely may make the argument of age discrimination as there seems to be a disparate impact on employees 40 and older. I encourage all teachers and school staff to file an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint (EEOC) as well as an appeal through the Office of Employee Appeals (OEA).

* This entry is not intended to serve as legal advice. All impacted employees are advised to consult with an attorney.

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence, Video courtesy of Medill News service and story by Jane Park

Cover Up of DC Teachers Protests by The Washington Post

In typical Washington Post style they cover up the news rather than report the news. Bill Turque who attended our rank and file teacher rally wrote a story for The Post and it appeared on line on Thursday evening. As is customary, the WaPo article generally appears in the on-line version and then appears in the Wash. Post the next day. This time that did not happen. Surprising ? No. I suspect that now that Chancellor Rhee and Mayor Fenty are losing favor with many in this city we will see little to none of Turque's article. The only coverage that appeared in their paper was a photo from our teacher rally featuring our very own Sheila Gill, WTU Executive Board member and school counselor holding a rally sign.

Well if the Post won't report their news I certainly will. Here is our story that should have been printed in The Washington Post.

D.C. Teachers Rally Against Rhee, Union Head
By Bill Turque, Washington Post Staff Writer
September 24, 2009 7:41 PM

"A small but vocal band of District teachers, angry about impending layoffs, rallied against Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and their own union president in front of the school system's central offices early Thursday evening.

"Our teachers are running scared right now, because they're not sure they'll have a job," said Malvery Smith, a second grade teacher at Turner Elementary School@Green in Southeast. Smith, who has taught in the city for 14 years, was one of about 60 District educators in the plaza in front of school headquarters on North Capitol Street.

They were joined by supporters and community activists. Teachers protested Rhee's Sept. 16 announcement of a still-unspecified number of layoffs. It came more than three weeks into the school year and nearly seven weeks after the D.C. Council sliced $20.7 million from the 2010 DCPS budget. The cuts, which also hit other city agencies, were triggered by a continued decline in tax revenue.

Teachers who will lose their jobs are expected to be notified by Sept. 30. Word of the layoffs followed a spring and summer when the school system filled 900 teaching vacancies. Rhee said she did not expect the council's cuts, which were approved July 31. She waited until mid-September, she said, so that the staff reductions could be done in tandem with the annual "equalization" process, which shifts teachers at under-enrolled schools to others in need of more educators.

But teachers scoffed at that explanation Thursday, contending that Rhee is seeking another way to oust veteran instructors. "That doesn't hold water," said Willie Brewer, an instrumental music teacher at Marshall Elementary in Northeast who has worked in District public schools for 26 years.

Jerome Brocks, a veteran special education teacher said there was only one reason Rhee is pursuing the cuts. "It's to get rid of veteran teachers of color," said Brocks, who is black.

Rhee has denied targeting teachers because of age or race. Washington Teachers Union President George Parker did not attend the rally, which was organized in part by two of his most outspoken critics, union board of trustees member Candi Peterson and its general vice president, Nathan Saunders. They have denounced Parker for weak leadership and aligning himself too closely with Rhee in contract talks that have lasted nearly two years.

The District's 4,000 union members have been without a contract for three years. "Our union leadership has led us to this point," said Tom O'Rourke, a social studies teacher at Roosevelt High School. "Management knows they can wait us out and pick us off one by one."

Parker said the union didn't endorse the rally because it was "hastily and loosely organized. "It did very little to serve the interests of our members, although it may do a lot to serve the political interests of Candi Peterson and Nathan Saunders," he said.

Parker said the teachers union will hold a rally Oct. 8. It has been a turbulent first few weeks of the new school year for D.C. teachers, who have been trying to adjust to a series of changes made by Rhee.

In addition to the impending layoffs, the District has unveiled a new, rigorous evaluation system that will include improvement in standardized test scores as part of the criteria for assessing some instructors. It is linked to a deeply detailed new set of teaching guidelines and strategies that cover everything from classroom presentation to checking for student understanding to instilling the belief that hard work leads to success.

School officials have also introduced a revised version of the student disciplinary code that is intended to de-emphasize suspensions and push teachers to work harder at keeping misbehaving students in the classroom."

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence, article courtesy of the WaPo