DC Public Schools Imposes Longer School Year in Some Schools Without Stakeholders' Input

By: Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice President


Statements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, AFT, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) or its members. Views are my own. 


It seems like DCPS is forging ahead with the extension of the school year for the 2016-17 school year for some of the District’s lowest performing schools. According to inside sources, some Ward 7 and 8 junior high schools will be on the list to be converted to a longer school year including Hart Middle School and Johnson Middle School in SE as well as Kelly Miller Middle School located in NE. Randle Highlands Elementary School in SE has also been confirmed by inside sources.

2/2/16 Update: Other low performing schools (known as (40/40 schools) will likely be affected, however, exact numbers have yet to be confirmed. I anticipate that Chancellor Henderson will likely be making an official announcement sometime soon. 

 It disappoints me that as an education stakeholder, I am learning of the news in this way. I searched the DCPS website to see if there were any updates on the proposed extended school year news. Nary a word. Needless to say, I am not shocked or surprised.

Raymond Education campus became part of a DCPS pilot where the school year was extended beginning with the 2015-16 school year. Teachers who worked at Raymond were given the option to get a placement at other schools if they did not want to work the longer school year at Raymond. The  Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) filed a grievance regarding the unilateral extension of Raymond’s school year without bargaining with WTU as sole and exclusive bargaining representative for teachers.

Extending the school day and school year have been high on Chancellor Henderson’s list of top priorities for some time now. Over the last couple of years, some of the lower performing elementary schools have extended the school day by an hour.

There has been widespread disagreement over  union contract language on how extending the school day and year can be accomplished. DCPS and WTU do not agree  and have argued whether the non traditional scheduling clause in the WTU contract allows elected teachers (members of a school advisory committee) to vote on a proposal to extend the school day with a 66 2/3 % majority vote. On the other hand, WTU argues that it is the sole bargaining representative for all matters related to pay, wages, benefits, hours of employment and working conditions for teachers. It remains to be seen how this matter will be resolved through the grievance and arbitration process.

Obviously, there are pros and cons to the debate on whether public schools should extend the school day/school year. Even President Obama and former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have weighed in on what’s good for other peoples’ kids. – especially America’s poorest.

The point that must be made is that our public school system is set up to serve the public. Not just the administrators, not just the students, not just the parents and community, not just the teachers and staff, not just the politicians and unions but all of the public. All of us benefit from a great public school system where all of the education stakeholders get a say in what happens in our schools.

Taking the approach to unilaterally impose a longer school year and school day in this top-down management style is no way for DCPS to run a school district and retain good teachers/staff and families. Remember the exodus of families/students under the Michelle Rhee administration when parents were disengaged in the process to close schools and modify elementary and middle schools into a K-8 model?

Haven’t they (DCPS) learned from past mistakes this is no way to run our schools? Many stakeholders I know are asking questions whether these decisions can be unilaterally imposed by DCPS ? Was the WTU and other unions notified prior to these decisions being made? What are the criteria for extending the school day/ school year? Will teachers and school staff be guaranteed another position like the teachers at the pilot school (Raymond EC)?  Will teachers be subject to finding their own mutual consent placement as outlined in the union contract? Has DCPS considered that the decision to lengthen the school year could contribute to higher teacher turn over?  Do education stakeholders get a say? When will the public be notified of these changes? Will there be hearings held on the changes made to the school year? What is the source of funding for lengthening the school year?

One thing I think many of us can agree on, mayoral control of public education has not been the "cure all" for our schools. Certainly, the education gains promised have not been realized. Taking the power away from our elected school board has not been the 'panacea' that some thought it would be.

I would love to hear your comments on the manner in which the extended school year is being handled by DC public schools. Please feel free to share your thoughts with me on this subject and the extended school day. Teachers, school staff, parents, students and community are welcome to write me c/o thewashingtonteacher@gmail.com

© Candi Peterson, 2016

Johnson Middle School Principal Gets The Ax From Rhee & Company

What's the Count of DC Principals Fired under Rhee's administration? 20, 30, 50 ?

UPDATED STORY

I received an email dated June 21 stating that David Markus, a new principal of Johnson Middle School located at 1400 Bruce Pl. SE in Washington, DC received the official ax from Chancellor Michelle Rhee and company on Friday, June 18, 2010. Inside sources reveal in a email (below) that Markus' principal contract was not renewed and that he was served notice last week.

After printing this story, I received a personal email from a person claiming to be David Markus. I requested that Mr. Markus write me from his DCPS email account so that I could verify that he was actually David Markus. Later, Markus wrote me as a private citizen from his DCPS email account in which he disputed information which I received from inside sources about him being handcuffed and led off Johnson school premises. Markus stated “I was not taken off in handcuffs. I worked all day on Friday and Monday and Tuesday I was on a field trip with my students. I am home sick today, but will be working until my contract ends. " While Markus requested that I remove this story from my blog, I am committed to being transparent and printing the truth about what is actually happening on our DCPS landscape.

According to Linkedin which is a business oriented social networking site, Markus is the principal at J. Hayden Johnson Middle School starting August 2009 and prior to that had been the assistant principal at Cardozo Senior High School from August 2008- 2009. Markus who was part of the new leaders for new schools program noted in his public profile that he was "working to improve teaching and learning at an under performing school that has great potential for success."

I have at Markus' request removed statements which he reports are not true from the email I posted below. However, based on my reading of Markus' emails to me, it appears that his principal contract as initially reported by anonymous sources will not be renewed and Johnson Middle School will be searching for a new principal very shortly.

I feel compelled to add that under Chancellor Rhee's model of reform, many have been hired and fired (thousands). In my opinion, employee performance has little to do with the actual reason why principals and other DCPS employees are terminated under this administration. Often times principals report they aren't even told why their DCPS contract doesn't get renewed by Rhee. Until we say no to this type of 'meat ax' reform under Fenty and Rhee, we can expect the wholesale firings of DC Public Schools personnel to continue. It is the only tool in Rhee's arsenal. It is most unfortunate that our educational leaders as well as teachers and school personnel are not given the opportunity nor the tools to really reform our urban schools. Certainly not even superman could turn around a troubled school in less than a year's time. DC residents must stand up to this kind of leadership and employee downsizing by voting NO for Adrian Fenty as the next mayor of Washington, DC in the fall. Another vote for Fenty is an assurance that 'at will' terminations without regard to performance will continue under the Rhee administration.

Here is the email as promised:

Candi,

"I know the Principal at my school, Johnson Middle School was let go after only one year. I understand that he was given a letter not to return on last Friday. We are interviewing this Thursday. Also I spoke to a number of people that other central office staff in DCPS just received pink slips. Is Markus the only new principal fired in the last week ?"

Signed,

Anonymous

Name not reveled to protect confidentiality