Rhee's Model School Shaw TKO'd By Non-Contender Sousa : Is It True ?

SOUSA BEATS SHAW

This deserves front page billing. Many of you asked in response to an anonymous post on The Washington Teacher whether Sousa middle school TKO'd Shaw middle school on the 2009 DC-CAS scores. ( I did a story on Sousa on June 23 titled: Chancellor Terminator Rhee Fires 8 DC Teachers At Sousa Middle School).

Well now, wouldn't it be funny if Sousa MS out ranked Shaw MS on their standardized tests ? Wasn't Shaw MS the 'pride and joy' model school of Chancellor Rhee ? Isn't Sousa MS the school where 8 DC teachers were terminated by the Rhee administration ? Wouldn't it be a travesty if we learned that Rhee acted too hastily and signed off on teacher terminations at Sousa MS before checking test results ?

I guess we all have to wait and see until the official school by school standardized test results are posted on OSSE's website. It is my understanding that principals already have this information. Suffice it to say for now, here's the low-down as reported by Anonymous:

"I came back to give ya'll the overall numbers for Shaw and Sousa so you can see I am being truthful. Shaw's reading scores for those who passed in 2008 was 38.52% this year those reading scores dropped to 29.65% The reading scores for Sousa in 2008 was 22.84% and in 2009 they went up to 39.42% The math scores for Shaw in 2008 was 33.33% in 2009, they went down to 29.46% The math scores for Sousa in 2008 was 16.75% and they went up in 2009 to 41.83%. Now none of these scores are worthy of bragging rights but this gives those on the outside of the system cold hard facts not propaganda. If you have any request for other schools let me know. The general public will be able to see these scores July 28th. " Signed Anonymous

Posted by The Washington Teacher

No Accountability Mayor Adrian Fenty: Fears Independent Evaluation of Chancellor Rhee

In the latest saga of DC schools- here comes Mayor Adrian Fenty's latest dastardly deed. Fenty has eliminated funding for an independent evaluator assigned to assess the progress of school reform under Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. Are you surprised ? Well I'm not. Isn't this typical of life under Fenty ? So it seems that General Greenhorn (AKA Adrian Fenty) is afraid of a little accountability. Well afterall accounability is reserved only for us peons (i.e. teachers, principals, vice principals & central office workers). Right ?

General Greenhorn is the title bestowed upon Adrian Fenty by certain journalists early on in his mayoral career.

My email is all ablaze this morning about what should we do next in this latest 'mayhem madness' we call DCPS. You tell me ! Here's the story in its entirety as reported by Wash. Post Staff Writer, Bill Turque and might I add buried back on page B 4.

Latest Fenty Budget Cuts Funds for Schools Evaluation

"Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has eliminated funding for an independent evaluator assigned to assess the progress of public school reform under Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, according to the revised 2010 budget he submitted to the D.C. Council late Friday.

Fenty (D) also reversed a series of other budget measures, approved by the council in May, that sought to divert some of the mayor's control of education to other agencies. They include the shift of staff and funds from Deputy Mayor for Education Victor Reinoso to the D.C. State Board of Education, which would be established as an independent agency. The board would house the office of the ombudsman for public education, which is responsible for investigating complaints and answering questions from parents.

The proposed moves reflect the council's discontent with what some members see as a lack of transparency and accountability in the mayor's efforts to transform the District's struggling public school system. The ombudsman's office, for example, is supposed to file monthly reports but has not done so since March. The ombudsman, Tonya Vidal Kinlow, resigned in December and has yet to be permanently replaced.

Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) and the council are free to restore the funding cut when they vote on the revised budget July 31. But speaking to the council Monday at a hearing on Fenty's plan to close a two-year, $666 million revenue shortfall, city administrator Neil Albert urged that the governance structure established in 2007 remain intact.

"Our education reform efforts are demonstrating real results," Albert said, "and we strongly believe that, rather than changing course with the established structure, we should maintain momentum forward." Albert did not directly address the school evaluation, which Fenty is required to submit annually under the law that established mayoral control. He also has the option to skip the yearly reports and deliver a five-year independent assessment by September 2012.

In May 2008, Reinoso recommended two prominent education scholars for the project, Frederick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute and Kenneth Wong of Brown University. But the plan stalled when Gray raised questions about their independence. Hess wrote an op-ed piece for The Washington Post in 2007 praising Rhee. Wong testified in favor of the mayoral takeover.

When Reinoso didn't offer other candidates, Gray decided to move on his own. This past May, he included $325,000 to hire the National Research Council, one of four nonprofit organizations that operate under the National Academies umbrella, to conduct the evaluation. The money would cover about 20 percent of the total cost, with the NRC raising the rest from private sources. Fenty spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said Monday that the mayor was still committed to an independent evaluation but did not elaborate.

The council also has attempted to bolster the power of the state board, which does not run school operations but formulates standards for academic programs and teacher qualifications and oversees the school system's standardized tests. Although state board members are elected, the panel is under the control of the state superintendent, who reports to Reinoso.

"We don't believe a set of elected officials should report to a set of appointed officials," Gray said Monday. When Fenty's original budget cut the board's $1 million in funding in half this spring, the council restored the money and added money for two staff members who would answer directly to the panel. D.C. State Board President Lisa Raymond said the group is simply trying to do its job. "We understand this is a very tough time for the entire city, and if we have to reduce our budget to help the city, we are willing to do that," she said. "Cutting it in half is not acceptable. It wasn't acceptable three months ago, and it's not acceptable now."

Posted by The Washington Teacher, story courtesy of The WaPo

Pushed Out: Rhee's Gentrification of DC Schools

Here's to you Dr. Elliott & Luke C. Moore students, parents and staff !

In the words of a fellow education blogger known as NYC Educator: "So.... if Ms. Rhee has no qualms about misleading the tax payers, what reason do we have to suppose she'd look after our children? Because make no mistake Ms. Rhee wants the right to fire working people with no due process whatsoever. Don't enough people get fired in this country? Shouldn't we be aiming for fewer, rather than more Americans losing jobs for no reason? And shouldn't our children have rights based on something more secure than the changing whims of Michelle Rhee?"

Another great principal has been fired in the Michelle ‘Terminator’ Rhee’s saga of slash and burn school reform. Chancellor Rhee decided not to renew the contract of Dr. Reginald B. Elliott, principal of Luke C. Moore Academy, which is an alternative high school and formally known as the DC Street Academy. Rhee’s decision was made subsequent to Dr. Elliott receiving the Middle States National Accreditation for Colleges and High Schools in May 2009. Dr. Elliott’s last day was June 30. Gone also is the school’s vice principal, Gloria Tisdale. Many argue that the elimination of Ms.Tisdale from her position was just another indiscriminate termination by Chancellor Rhee.

Saved for now is Luke C. Moore Academy which is a historic building. The school boasts a newly modernized and renovated addition and global classrooms on a desirable campus near the Brookland metro thanks to the personal fundraising efforts by Dr. Eliott of over half a million dollars. Moore Academy parents complain that Rhee has revealed that she has plans to make this alternative high school into a ‘model school.’ What worries most of them is that if Rhee has her way the school may give many of its current students the boot in exchange for a more affluent student body. Luke C. Moore Academy students for the most part have been kicked out of regular DC public high schools due to a host of reasons and prior to entering the school; many have been described as students on the fringe of society.

Parents, students, as well as community residents have demanded that Rhee explain why their highly regarded principal was fired, to no avail. Despite their well-intended writing campaigns, they have yet to be provided with an acceptable answer or face-to-face meeting with Chancellor Rhee. Efforts to lobby the DC City Council resulted in some discussion about placing the school under the administration of UDC where it once was in an effort to save Dr. Elliott’s position. Luke C. Moore students set up a special meeting with Chancellor Rhee and went to appeal to her face to face in order to save the job of Dr. Reginald Elliott. As sophomore, Timothy Hill said in a recent July gathering of concerned residents “I got the feeling that while we talked, she (Rhee) wasn’t even listening to us. ”

It is important to note that Dr. Reginald Elliott has worked tirelessly for 30 years in DC Schools. In 2001, the National Association of Secondary School Principals awarded Dr. Elliott, Principal of the year. The school is now named after the honorable late Judge Luke C. Moore. The school’s executive board includes superior court judges and local ministers. WUSA news anchor J.C. Hayward works closely with J.C.'s Friends at the school. Principal Elliott established a wealth of community partnerships with companies like Xerox Corporation, the U.S. Marshall's program and many others. He created paid internships for his students and sponsored trips to China, Egypt, and Costa Rica. This summer another sponsored trip is planned for students to visit Zambia.

When asked what the reasons were for his termination, Dr. Elliott explained that Rhee had compared Moore Academy to Banneker Senior High School. According to Elliott, Moores’ attendance rates did not measure up with Banneker, a premier DC school where students are selected to attend based on their GPA’s and other selective criteria. Dr. Elliott also revealed that Rhee stated that his school lacked academic rigor despite the schools’ recent national accreditation by the Middle States Association in 2009. Elliott indicated that the Rhee administration seemed unfamiliar with middle states accreditation and was not phased that Moore is one of four DC public high schools to receive this distinction. Further, a recent press release from the Ward 5 Council on Education confirms that Moores' students met or exceeded mandated academic targets for years 2001-2008 despite information listed on the OSSE - NCLB website.

I am sure a Rhee spokesperson will soon report that personnel laws prevent the city from discussing specifics in regards to Elliott’s recent dismissal, blah blah, blah. Certainly, Rhee’s actions are not in the best interest of Luke C. Moore academy students and their citywide parents. If you are interested in joining forces with parents, students and community residents who support quality education for all DC students send your name, email and contact telephone number c/o saveourcounselors@gmail.com

Posted by The Washington Teacher