Chicago Uses Math to Ease Budget Problems

The only thing more alarming than the $700 million dollar deficit the Chicago Public Schools is running this year, is the fact it's had these budget deficits for many years before miraculously getting saved by founding money in Springfield, Washington, or by searching the lobby furniture in Hyatt hotels for loose change.  However,  this isn't a depressing story about budget woes because CPS has found a way to extend the school day and save money at the same time.

Currently CPS students have a 5 hour and 45 minute day, which is about 45 minutes less than the state average.  This is because over 30 years ago, the Board asked the teachers to move their lunch to the end of the day and have a closed campus schedule.  While many suburban districts go 6 and a half hours with a study hall, CPS has a day that is intense, but short.

Next year, CPS will go to a 7 hour day for students that will require teachers to do 35 minutes more teaching a day and 15 minutes more supervision at the elementary level.  They are expected to this for a 2% pay increase.  The automatic roughly 4% pay increase most teachers earn up to year 12 for experience would instead be frozen.  Basically, CPS is asking teachers to work 10 more days and go from a 6 hour and 15 minute day with 45 minutes of lunch after school to a 7 hour and 25 minute day.

However, the part that I just love is CPS is now telling teachers they're not getting their salary for a 7 hour and 25 minute day, but for a 7 hour and 40 minute day.   Those extra 15 minutes are too be banked and used to make teachers stay after school or come in on Saturday for professional development.  You see a new law lets CPS add as many hours to the work day as they want.  It seems to me that it's sill to tell teachers that they're banking 15 minutes a day.  Why not make it 2 hours a day?   It's not like it costs CPS any money.  However, this would allow teachers to owe CPS 10 hours at the end of the week.  Surely, the city could use 10 hours of free labor.  There are a lot of charter schools that would love to have some certified teachers, but there are also buses to drive and parking tickets to write.

CPS has taken a bold step in using math to stretch their spending, but can't we go just a little further?  You have to wonder what Juan Rangel could do with 30,000 certified teachers who owe the city 10 hours of work each week. 

Reflections on the New School Venture Fund Summit

Flying into San Francisco for this year's NSVFS, I felt myself extremely lucky.   Not only was I sipping a wonderful Mimosa in my seat, but I was going to the New School Venture Fund Summit for the first time in three years.  For those of you who haven't been, NSVFS is a lifetime changing experience.  The place is full of the optimism for changing the world that only comes from giving two years of your life to teaching our nation's youth or managing a hedge fund.  It's a place where deals are done and where people who desire to serve our students come together with experts who spent nearly 400 days reaching young minds.

There was great corporate sponsorship at the Summit.  JP Morgan Chase was there with a powerful message that nobody cares more about the children of the 99% than the adults of the 1%.   Even Target hosted the opening reception showing that they believed in the future of our children regardless of how much their business relies on the children of third world countries producing clothing and other goods for their stores.

Actually, things got rather ugly at the opening reception.  There was a horrible mix-up and the hospitality table had fresh pineapple.  Let's just say that Pearson was not pleased and the pineapple was quickly removed to be replaced by a plate of pigs in blankets.  I was doing so much schmoozing and drinking, you can bet I was glad that the hotel pool, didn't have any chemical to discolor urine if you get my drift.

Later that night, we all gathered round to see a movie that I think will change education in America called I Won't Back Down.   It may just have been the liquor talking, but I think I Won't Back Down was as good as anything I've ever seen on Lifetime.  The movie will be this generations Not Without My Daughter.   Ben Austin gave a rousing speech on the need to get parents to feel more disdain for their children's teachers, so that we could have a chance to finally see the parent trigger pulled.

The next morning I was up with only a few hours sleep for morning yoga class.  That may have been a big mistake as I was hoping to meet some of the young reformers.  There were a lot of very attractive 25 year old retired teachers who were making their way into policy, but I soon collapsed on the mat for a much needed hour nap. 

I gave our presentation on the art of counseling out difficult students.   I think people were very excited to hear charter success stories this year after all the bad press and if our 22% reduction in stabbings doesn't count as success I don't know what is.  Charter schools can save a lot of money, improve test scores, and reduce problems with difficult students.  If you are willing to fine the students like Noble Charters in Chicago, you can make some nice pocket change as well. 

I attended two fantastic presentations during the day as well.  Forethought Academies, is behind the push for more power points in schools.  They gave a great power point on how power points make learning more fun and engaging for children.  At the end, they even showed a trick to make a fireworks display at the end of your power point.

The other presentation was by Young Educator and New Teacher Alliance.  They were looking for ideas on how to push out older teachers with five or more years of experience out humanely with a minimum of fuss.  They took several ideas from a science fiction novel called the giver.  They suggested having a party for teachers on the last day of their fifth year and having a "release party" for them.

The final speech of the night was by Rahm Emanuel who had the best quote of the who event saying, " failure is the most important thing in your life because it teaches you who you are."  He then went on to explain his goals for transforming the Chicago Public Schools by closing down those schools where too many kids are failing the standardized test. 

Rahm also warned that if you give parents a choice, they'll take it.  I assume this is in reference to his unwillingness to meet with parent groups unhappy with his plans for a log unfunded school day.  Finally, Rahm called for more educational entrepreneurs to set up shop in Chicago.  I will agree, there's a chance to make a real buck here.

Why Does Diane Ravitch Hate Teachers?

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Long time readers of this blog may remember our article from last Summer, "Why Does Diane Ravitch Hate Children?"  Well, she's at it again only this time the victim of her ill-considered opinions are our nation's teachers.

When the recent survey conducted by Met Life found teacher job satisfaction at the lowest point in decades, we at Last Stand for Children First were naturally quite dismayed.   We believe attracting and retaining excellent quality teachers is the key to giving students a first rate education.  Fortunately, recent research by Teach for America shows that most excellent teachers are only in their first or second year of teaching.   Still, it is vital that we retain our best teachers for both of those important years.

Of course Diane Ravitch's response to the survey was to write an article in Education Week.  To save you the trouble of reading the article, I will tell you that Ravitch blames all the usual suspects that whining teachers love to complain about:

It cannot be accidental that the sharp drop in teacher morale coincides with the efforts of people such as Michelle Rhee and organizations such as Education Reform Now and Stand for Children to end teacher tenure and seniority. Millions have been spent to end what is called "LIFO" (last in, first out) and to make the case that teachers should not have job security. Many states led by very conservative governors have responded to this campaign by wiping out any job security for teachers. So, if teachers feel less secure in their jobs, they are reacting quite legitimately to the legislation that is now sweeping the country to remove any and all job protections. Their futures will depend on their students' test scores (thanks to Arne Duncan), even though there is no experience from any district or state in which this strategy has actually improved education.

As somebody who works in education, I can tell you that Diane Ravitch really must hate teachers to insult so many of them in this fashion.   She implies that all teachers care about is job security, learning conditions for their children, and being treated like professionals.  Fortunately, the readers to her column were much more perceptive:

The great Ed Jones told Diane, "With respect, absolute, unadulterated hog-wash. You couldn't be much more wrong.  The least satisfying two years of my life were the two I spent with a "secure" federal government job. Why? Because the people around me acted like their jobs were guaranteed. I loved our work, but could not stomach the way the people approached it."

What teacher can't relate to that story.  Ed then goes on to remind Diane that teachers are paid quite well.  Perhaps, this is part of the reason they are unhappy?

John Bennett adds, "No one is guaranteed anything besides taxes or prison and then death! Stop pointing fingers, stop wining and playing poor-me, and join the efforts to make things better?"  

Perhaps teachers would be happier if they stopped wining and worked on helping groups like our privatize education?

CJL357 says, "With all due respect, Dr. Ravitch, you do far more to demoralize teachers than Michelle Rhee. You can disagree with the methods she chooses, but Rhee argues for higher expectations of teachers coupled with higher compensation for them as well; in other words, professionalizing the field. You know what's demoralizing? To be an Ivy-League educated teacher trying to make a difference in this country by teaching while you and others in your political camp "defend" the very protections that keep teaching at blue-collar status. If we keep tenure, job security, and pay scales for teachers the way they are now, and continue to expect so little of those entering the profession, the day that people stop asking me why I went to Penn "just" to become a teacher will never come."

I don't have much to add to this, except I would not want anybody who paid for an Ivy League education to be a teacher, instructing children in math.   You know what you call a teacher with an Ivy League education?  A babysitter.

Sorry, I can never resist getting a couple good teacher digs in.  Anyway, I think the readers have something.  What teachers want is an end to tenure, merit pay, and an end to job security.  When we take these steps, teachers will once again feel good about the job they are overpaid to do.

Getting Parent Voices Heard in Education Debate

One of the biggest challenges of the education reform movement is to get parent voices heard.   Parents are important stakeholders in the discussion about how to improve education, but too often their voices are suppressed by the adults in the system.  Partnering with education reformers is one of the very best ways for parents to get their voices heard.  While they may have numbers, we have the money and access to the media to amplify parent messages.

The problem is lately, parents are missing this point.  Parents are actively fighting school reform and as a result, their voices are not being heard.  In Florida this week, exciting new legislation allowing a parent trigger to give parents more say in closing low performing schools for charters, was defeated in the Florida Senate by a coalition of parent groups.  In New York and Chicago parents have been actively fighting against turning around unsuccessful schools, and in Chicago parents are leading a ferocious charge against the longer school day. 

By fighting the reformist agenda, parents find themselves without a voice.  The illusion of inclusion is vital to making the changes that parents should want.  Groups like Stand for Children, Students First, and Last Stand for Children First are well funded organizations full of media savvy, but without parent buy in, there is only so much we can do.  Politicians who support are agenda have gotten so desperate that they've taken to paying protesters.  Surely, working together we can do more and appear more authentic. 

You can make your voice heard by doing the following:

1. Join an organization like Last Stand for Children First, Students First, or Stand for Children.
2. Attend regular meetings where you can be told what your interests and opinions should be.
3. Avoid causing dissension by debating policy or veering from the company line.
4. Remember that we care about students and if you do too, this is the best way to get your voice heard.

We Did It!! Chicago School Board Approves Turnarounds

"We were all scared to breathe.  We closed our eyes and held hands and then one by one they voted to approve every one of the proposed actions unanimously!  We hoped for 3 or 4 schools, but we got a shut out!" cried Last Stand for Children's Monica Caldwell

Ms. Caldwell could be forgiven her excitement as everybody at Last Stand for Children First was ecstatic over the Chicago School Board's decision to turn around every single school on the list.  Only a few hours earlier Caldwell had joined dozens of other speakers at the open meeting. Caldwell's impassioned speech urged the Board to not be dissuaded by the poor academic performance of earlier turnarounds, the overwhelming parental sentiment against the turnarounds, or the deaths of students like Derrion Albert who were victims of previous turnaround policy, but instead to "make a bold move against the status quo, by continuing the 15 year old policy of turning around schools."

"Mayor Emanuel showed real leadership," said Last Stand for Children Director Myron Miner, "It isn't easy to stand up to crying children and angry parents.  A lot of people might have felt guilty and backed down.  That's why Emanuel is such a great mayor.  He doesn't back down.   I never believed it would be possible that the Board would approve every single one of these actions, but I guess having an appointed board makes it much easier.  I think the tears of children are like anything.  After awhile, you kind of build up a resistance."

The Board has shown that facts and opposition won't stop them from doing what is best for the students of Chicago and that's something we can all celebrate.

Bidding War Begins for Chinese Educator

In Gao Bin's, previous job as assistant director at Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn), he oversaw a complex in  Longhua, Shenzhen, where hundreds of thousands of workers includes 15 factories,^[worker dormitories, a swimming pool, a fire brigade, its own television network (Foxconn TV),and a downtown complete with a grocery store, bank, restaurants, bookstore, and hospital.  Now, he's coming to America and everybody from Stand for Children to Students First to our own organization have been engaged in an aggressive recruiting battle.

Gao may have become more willing to move on following recent negative attention drawn to Foxconn by worker suicides protesting inhuman working conditions.  The protests have spurred Apple to investigate worker complaints as Foxxcon makes their top selling products like the IPhone and IPad.  

While, Gao has no real education experience, his ability to get workers to work 18 hour days, sometimes without pay, seems to make him a natural for managing an education reform campaign or even an American school district.

"Up until a recent rash of suicides, his record of getting his employees working hard and staying on task despite tough working conditions and long hours has been nothing short of amazing," said an excited Michelle Rhee.

Gao's move to America is reminiscent of countryman Yao Ming's move to the NBA.  Unfortunately, job protections in many fields have limited Gao's opportunities even in a sluggish economy.

"Most workers can't be bullied here, but teachers can be.  We will get at least 12 or 14 hour days out of them," said a smiling Gao through his interpreter.

Asked if the language barrier would prove a hindrance, Last Stand for Children First Chairman Myron Miner responded, "It hasn't hurt Chris Christie.   Yelling is a universal language.  Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices for children.  I don't think it's too much to ask teachers to do the same."

Celebrate School Choice Week

This week is school choice week.   This is one week we celebrate the right of charter schools to choose which students they will teach and which ones will be counseled out.   I believe preserving that right for charter schools may well be the civil rights issue of our time.

In many cities, there are tremendous private schools, but those schools are always at a disadvantage because parents are forced to pay nearly the entire cost of their child's education out of their own pocket.  What makes charter schools so great is that it's a way for parents to get that great elite feeling that only the best private schools provide, while doing so at taxpayer expense.  This is why people the Koch Brothers and their organization Americans for Prosperity love School Choice Week so much.

Whether you have a student in a charter student or maybe one that's been counseled out because they were too expensive to teach, a discipline problem,  or just got low test scores, let's all raise a glass to charter schools this school choice week.  Their right to be selective is under constant attack and it's important to use this week to remind ourselves to stay vigilant.