How Important are International Test Score Comparisons?

Every year when international test score comparisons are released, the press runs stories bemoaning the state of education in America. How important are these comparisons? See what Diana Ravitch has to say about them in this clear-thinking analysis on Huffington Post.

Why we must be politically active

With Election Day coming up tomorrow, we are reminded of the constant battles being waged around the country to strip workers of the rights to organize and bargain collectively. We are reminded that there are groups out there who spend millions of dollars on board of education campaigns far away from where they live in an attempt to take private control of  public schools.

Tea Party zealots, the Koch Brothers and Michelle Rhee are continuously attacking the commitment of public school employees and doing everything they can to eradicate our collective voice. Take a look at the articles below. They are prime examples of this.

But there is hope. Our union brothers and sisters and educators in arms are winning battles, while portions of the public are starting to see through it. We have to keep building on this momentum.

Our 2014 local election season is already underway and we can't forget to be visible and vocal now. We need to make sure that we support the people who will support the rights of workers and support our schools.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/koch-group-unions-battle-over-colorado-schools-race-99252.html?hp=l10

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/11/02/heres-how-red-states-are-rolling-back-worker-protections/

http://www.salon.com/2013/11/04/how_bipartisan_antics_could_save_the_next_michelle_rhee_from_humiliation/

Let's Leave Some Children Behind

Michael Petrilli is a leading conservative commentator on education policy. He is executive vice president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education-policy think tank based in Washington. He is also an executive editor of Education Next and a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. Petrilli is notorious for his hostility to teacher unions. He has also been a strong advocate for charter schools and voucher programs. In a recent blog posting on Education Week’s Bridging Differences blog, Petrilli discussed his views that education policy should be about sorting out "the especially deserving poor" who are worthy of help, rather than attempting to help all children succeed through access to quality education. Petrilli is to be admired for his brutal honesty about the values that underlie his education reform agenda. The rest of us are left to wonder what happens to those children "left behind" - and to wonder how the conservative authors of the No Child Left Behind Act reconcile the rhetoric of the law's title with Petrilli's honest discussion of the moral values behind the conservative agenda for public education.

MCEA in the News

The much watched local political blog, MARYLAND JUICE, ran a story today interviewing MCEA's new Political Director, Barbara Hueter. Barbara is both a former MCPS teacher and a former political staffer who previously served as an aide to the Speaker of the House in the Ohio legislature. Click here to read the interview, and to see the ad that MCEA ran in this week's Gazette newspaper soliciting pro-education candidates for public office.

Why I Stopped Writing Recommendations for Teach For America

Congatulations to Slate Magazine for running an insightful piece by Catherine Michna entitled "Why I Stopped Writing Recommendation Letters for Teach for America". Michna is a Teach for America alumnus herself, but she has come to have serious reservations about TFA's model of sending thousands of poorly trained and ill-prepared recent college graduates to teach in high poverty schools, where they only stay for short periods of time before leaving: contributing to the high turnover rates in high poverty schools.

Kozol on Ravitch

Diane Ravitch has recently published an important new book on education policy in America entitled Reign of Error; the Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools. This past Sunday, reknowned education author Jonathan Kozol published a review of Ravitch's new book in the New York Times Book Review.
As Kozol explains, "Diane Ravitch was for many years one of the strongest advocates for the testing-and-accountability agenda. Because of her impeccable credentials as a scholar and historian of education, she was a commanding presence among critics of our schools. Some years ago, however, she reconsidered her long-held beliefs and, in an influential book, "The Death and Life of the Great American School System," parted ways with her former allies and joined the highly vocal opposition." Ravitch's new book is a must read by any educator, parent, or politician who truly wants to understand what has gone wrong with the so-called "education reform movement" today, and what we need to do to fix it.

Fulbright Scholarships Available!

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching (DA) Program has officially launched the application for the 2014-2015 academic year for K-12 teachers! The DA Program is a unique international professional development opportunity for K-12 teachers. By conducting educational research abroad, U.S. teachers gain new skills, learn new instructional methods and assessment methodologies and share best practices with international colleagues and students. This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). For 2014, US teachers can select to go to one of the following countries: Chile, Finland, India, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Singapore or the United Kingdom.

Don’t delay, RSVP now! Space is limited. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/379XYJL

Please join us for a special session designed for prospective applicants to learn about the details of the DA application process and tips on writing a winning capstone project.

DA Program team members will be present to answer any and all questions about the program. Local program alumni who have lived the experience will be available for a personalized Q&A session! They will guide you through their experiences and provide you with first-hand knowledge of conducting research abroad. If you are interested in applying for the DA Program, this is a must-attend event!

RSVP by Monday, September 30, 2013: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/379XYJL

WHEN: Thursday, October 3, 2013 5:00-7:00PM


WHERE: Institute of International Education 1400 K Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005 

Congratulations to MCEA’s own Harry Klugel!

Congratulations to MCEA’s own Harry Klugel! Whose picture now appears on the NEA website (nea.org) as part of a collage commemorating the 1963 March on Washington and teachers who were there (slide #3).

You can read about Harry and watch a short video of his recollections of the March at http://neatoday.org/2013/08/23/i-was-there-teachers-are-witness-to-history-at-the-march-on-washington/ .

Harry is a retired teacher who spent his career as an MCEA activist, including several terms on the MCEA Board of Directors as well as service on several bargaining teams. Harry is still active as a Retiree Representative to the RA.

Congratulations Harry!

Job Vacancy at MCEA

Job Title: UniServ Director on School Assistance Team

Location: Rockville Maryland

Salary: In accord with Professional Staff Organization contract

Closing date: Friday September 6^th, 5:00 pm

 

Application Process: Interested candidates should email a resume and cover letter to: Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director, tisrael@mceanea.org.  

Teacher Turnover in Charter Schools

Today the New York Times published an important article about teacher turnover in charter schools. The average length of service for teachers in public schools is around 14 years. Meanwhile the Times reports on charter school operators who are content with - and in fact seem to prefer - high teacher turnover that results in the average length of service for teachers in charter schools is more in the range of two to three years. The New York Times also reports that the research indicates that high teacher turnover "diminishes student achievement". Ron Thorpe, the president of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, perhaps said it best: "“To become a master plumber you have to work for five years, shouldn’t we have some kind of analog to that with the people we are entrusting our children to?” Click here to read the New York Times article.

August 24 Is Labor Night at DC United

Labor Night includes a tailgate reception prior to the match in Lot 8 (need to bring own food/drink), and discounted tickets.

Ticket Price: $28 sideline seat ($35 regular price)

Pre-Game Tailgate Area: Lot 8 Tailgate Row starting at 4:30 PM (you will need to bring your own food/drink with the option to purchase food from vendors).

You buy tickets online at http://bit.ly/16Xi3Zm (Promo Code: LABOR) or you can contact contact D.C. United at Jarmold@dcunited.com  or at (202) 587-5478!

“As a product of Montgomery County Public Schools, Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School, I have always been grateful for the support I got from school employees, educators and coaches. I’d love to see you all at RFK for Labor night so you can share in the success that my education made possible.”

 - Ethan White, DC United

Seeing dropout indicators in 1st grade

EdWeek published a story about how data analysis is identifying risk factors for dropping out of school as early as first grade. The story features a report compiled by MCPS on how the system is able to identify warning signs that a student could be at risk of dropping out later in life. The aim of the program is to use these indicators as a guide to creating adequate interventions for these students.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/07/29/37firstgrade.h32.html?tkn=UNWFr10c4vdEW9gFkfO%2BsOIW9aIO9t0qGMIq&cmp=clp-edweek

State Pension Plan Recovering

The Maryland state pension system recently reported that it achieved a 10.6% return on its investment portfolio for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2013 - exceeding the plan's annual target of a 7. 75% return.

The system has now recovered from massive losses in fiscal 2008 and 2009, but its 10-year return on investment of 6.62% is still below its target.

Click here for more information.

Jennifer Martin: Teacher-Advocacy Advice: Make the Economic Argument

MCEA Board of Directors member, Jennifer Martin blogs for Ed Week. Her latest post can be found here:
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/2013/06/teacher-advocacy_advice_make_the_economic_argument.html and is posted below.

Teacher-Advocacy Advice: Make the Economic Argument

During one of the first union representative assemblies I'd ever attended, I felt a tap on my shoulder: "You're an English teacher, right? We need some help drafting a message we're sending to voters. Can you stay afterwards for another meeting?"

With a handful of members from the political action and legislative support committee, I spent the entire evening crafting the wording of a mailing and telephone script to remind voters of the need to support public school funding. To me it was exhilarating work. I was finding a place to voice my ideas and share my passion for public education. And I was in a room with people just like me: They were not grousers or obstructionists; they were sharp, savvy, and deeply dedicated professionals who were volunteering their time, after an exhausting teaching day, to advancing a worthwhile cause.

Our goal was to explain to voters, even those without kids, that investing in high-quality public schools benefits everyone. In a county where 75 percent of households don't have school-aged children, we couldn't make the obvious arguments about nurturing young people, giving them academic skills, or instilling a love of learning. We needed to talk the way politicians do, and by and large, they argue in terms of economics.

The area where I live and teach, Montgomery County, Md., is not known for its low taxes and laissez-faire business climate. But this place, one of the suburban districts surrounding Washington, vies nationally for pre-eminence in levels of income, education of its residents, and the quality of its public schools. People pay a hefty premium to buy homes in this county, and do so often expressly because of the schools (as I did, just before I had my first child). Moreover, excellent schools attract private investment to the county, as businesses look to establish themselves in locations with a highly desirable workforce pool. In fact, many highly paid executives, like members of the Marriott family, send their children to the public schools here, even though the region boasts some of the most respected private schools in the country.

Our union decided to focus on the message that investment in schools provides the best return to taxpayers of any expenditure they make. Good schools raise property values, bring jobs, create safer neighborhoods, improve civic health, and make our young people ready to participate in the knowledge-based economy. Too often, we teachers take the defensive position when we are unfairly attacked as a free-loading financial burden to society. If we are to truly serve our profession, our children, and our communities, we need to reframe the political discourse about public education. We have a strong economic argument to make, and that is the type of argument that can convince politicians—and, more importantly, voters.

MCEA BOD member Jennifer Martin blogs for EdWeek

MCEA Board of Directors member Jennifer Martin, an English teacher at Wooton High School has begun blogging for Education Week. Her posts appear in the "Teaching Ahead: A Roundtable" section of the site, where educators are asked to write about policy and practice in education. You can find here first three posts at http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/. Way to go Jennifer!

Maryland tops in progress to close the achievement gap

The Washington Examiner reported this week that Maryland is leading the nation in closing the academic achievement gap for low income students. This a is a significant step in ensuring that all students in the state are receiving the best possible education in our schools.
Undoubtedly, there is still more work to be done around the state and here in Montgomery County. That is why MCEA has been working with various partners on our Social Justice Series of seminars and professional development, as well as our Equity Certificate program with McDaniel College. For more information on these programs, visit http://www.mceanea.org/teaching/equity.php and http://www.mceanea.org/teaching/hcr.php.

Supporting English Learners: Educators Overcoming Roadblocks to Student Achievement

As part of its ongoing focus on equity in education, MCEA is sponsoring the third and final event of a three-part series on social justice and instructional practices for educators on May 28, 2013 at the MCEA Conference Center.

The Social Justice Series has focused on social justice issues and immigrant students in MCPS over the past year. Prior workshop topics included “The Maryland Dream Act and its Impact on Our Students” and "Immigrant Students: Working Together to Promote Their Success.”

At the upcoming teacher-led workshop, educators will examine issues related to English Language Learners and how to overcome obstacles to improving student achievement. Participants will review teacher-created English Learners case studies, collaborate with colleagues to identify and remediate roadblocks to achievement, and build capacity to advocate for students. The workshop is open to all MCEA members.

The Social Justice Series is a joint project developed by the MCEA Human & Civil Rights Committee, Minority Affairs Committee, and Instructional and Professional Development (IPD) Committee. There will be door prizes and light refreshments.

In addition to this Social Justice Series, MCEA has developed a partnership with McDaniel College to design and offer a graduate certificate program in Equity and Excellence in Education that provides an intensive, five-course graduate program in cultural competencies, race and urban education.

RSVP to Kiwana Hall at khall@mceanea.org  or 301-294-6232.

For more information on the Social Justice Workshops, contact: Carol E. Stewart, Special Educator, Northwood High School, (301) 649-8276

MCEA Board of Directors Election Underway

There are five seats on the MCEA Board of Directors up for election this year. Two (2) At-Large seats, two (2) Elementary School Directors and one (1) Middle School Director. Winners terms begin on July 1, 2013 and end June 30, 2016. Members have been sent a link  to The Advocate Election issue with complete biographies of the candidates and a unique link to their ballot. The election closes on Friday May 17 at 5 PM. Anyone having difficulty with their ballot or have questions should contact Kiwana Hall at khall@mceanea.org.

Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day in Annapolis on May 11!

It’s official—Governor O’Malley will declare May 11, 2013 the first-ever Annapolis Teacher Appreciation Day and YOU are invited!

MSEA is celebrating 10 a.m.–4 p.m. with refreshments, tours, music, and giveaways at association headquarters in the heart of downtown Annapolis. Check in at MSEA, visit with colleagues and MSEA leaders, then check out the exclusive teacher-only discounts and specials the unique shops and restaurants are offering our members.

Spend the day with MSEA!

MSEA’s Teacher Appreciation Day

May 11, 2013

MSEA Headquarters 

140 Main Street, Annapolis

Visit marylandeducators.org/teacherappreciation for more information and directions. 

Pres. Prouty testifies before the County Council in support of the BOE Budget

Below is a transcript of MCEA President Doug Prouty's testimony before the Montgomery County Council, during this evenings public hearing on the Proposed FY14 Operating Budget.

Good evening Council President Navarro , Vice-President Rice, and members of the County Council. I
testify tonight on behalf of the 12,000 professional educators whose dedication to our students have helped
make the Montgomery County Public Schools one of the best school districts in America. We support the
MCPS budget as submitted to you by the County Executive.

In my role as president, I have the opportunity to speak with districts and unions from around the state and
country. What I find is that MCPS leads the nation in so many areas of education, and while we aren’t
perfect, the focus on student learning and achievement is exemplary. People who choose to work in MCPS
expect great things of our kids and of ourselves, and we believe we can bend the arc of history in the lives of
children and families. As MLK said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to
think critically”- we seek to do just that.

This budget is a modest request in the context that we face currently. Full funding of this budget, in the
manner that the Executive has designed, constitutes only a 2.8% increase in the tax supported budget for
MCPS. I recognize that there are some who believe MCPS had been receiving significantly larger increases
than other county agencies before the recent recession. However, the County Council’s own report proves
otherwise. The October 16, 2012 Report from the Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight documented
the “Annual Change in County Aggregate Operating Budgets by Agency, from FY03 to FY13” (Table 4-4).
According to the OLO Report, the average annual increase in the MCPS budget over the past decade was
4.9%, equal to the average increase in the Montgomery County Government budget. I would ask you to
help refute the mistaken impression that the MCPS budget is taking up a larger and larger share of the
County’s overall budget; it is simply not true.

Included in the proposed FY14 MCPS budget is the restoration or addition of positions that target the
achievement gap and will provide additional resources to schools. These include thirty focus teacher
positions in middle schools to support students who need it in Math and Reading, thirteen counselors and
other support positions in small elementary schools, five new psychologist positions, five additional
instrumental music teachers, and ten elementary Math positions to ensure more differentiation for students.
This budget also provides for expansion of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years program to King
and Clemente middle schools, two diverse schools in terms of both race and socio-economic status. We are
focused on providing the best education to every student in MCPS and on closing the gap.

One program of which you may not be aware is a graduate certificate program which started in 2010. This
program was initiated by MCEA in partnership with MCPS and McDaniel College, and grants a graduate
certificate in Equity and Excellence in Education. The first cohort of this program completed their
certificates in December, 2012 and the next cohort is already working. The twenty three teachers in the
first cohort dubbed themselves ‘Equity Warriors’ and are focused on spreading their knowledge of
equitable teaching practices and cultural awareness to their colleagues. Our goal is, in the next five years, to
have trained hundreds of educators throughout the system on how better to meet the needs of our
increasingly diverse and economically disadvantaged students. MCEA is proud to have led this initiative to
help close the achievement gap by building the skills of the teaching workforce.

This commitment to all students is shared by MCEA members as well as those of SEIU Local 500 and
MCAAP. You have shown your commitment to these students by providing budget increases to MCPS. We
know that the recent recession forced cuts to every agency of Montgomery County Government and this
included MCPS. Local per pupil spending is now approximately $1400 less than it was in 2009, prior to the
recession. We expect to grow by another 10,000 students in the next five years and our new students will
increase our diversity of every sort- racial, socio-economic, ESOL, and Special Education.

We share your commitment to improve staffing in critical areas and lower class sizes. However, it is simply
unrealistic to expect MCPS to continue to provide a high quality education to all students and to continue
our work to meet the needs of our struggling students with a stagnant per pupil allocation. Our costs do not
remain stagnant and neither do our students’ needs.

Freezing local per pupil spending below 2009 levels - by limiting the MCPS budget to the Maintenance of
Effort level in perpetuity - is a recipe for disaster. Just as you recognize the need of our citizens for
improved services by police, fire fighters, and in our parks and libraries, you must also recognize the need
for improved services for our students.

The $1,400 cut in local per-pupil spending means that the MCPS budget has been “scrubbed”: tens of
millions of dollars in administrative and operational costs have been saved. There are simply no substantial
additional savings to be found. We have already had to increase class sizes and cut staffing in critical areas to
absorb the cut in local per-pupil spending. We did what had to be done to help the County get through the
recent recession and thankfully, this budget begins to restore certain high priority staffing and program
needs. But it is wishful thinking to suggest that we can close the achievement gap without an increased
investment. Let’s move past the dislike for the MOE legislation passed last year - and the dislike for the
rebasing of the MCPS budget the year before - and work together again for the quality of life of our students
and all Montgomery County residents.

Obama’s Really Bad Idea

The AFL-CIO is circulating a petition calling on President Obama to reject cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and to repeal the sequester. Obama's proposed budget will cut Social Security and Medicare benefits for working families, the AFL-CIO said. “It's unconscionable we're asking seniors, people with disabilities and veterans to be squeezed of every last penny when corporations and the wealthiest 2% are not paying their fair share of taxes, despite soaring profits,” the AFL-CIO added, noting that this year alone, the sequester will cost 750,000 people their jobs. “We need to invest in America's workers, not pull the rug out from under them.” Click here to sign the petition.

Thanks to the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO for this story. To sign up for their regular online newsfeed, email streetheat@dclabor.org.

MCEA Teacher Legislator Profiled by NEA

Congratulations to MCEA member Eric Luedtke on the recent profile posted by the National Education Association about his work on behalf of the Maryland DREAM Act.

Eric, a social studies teacher at Loiederman Middle School in Silver Spring, is an elected State Delegate to the Maryland General Assembly from District 14 (Burtonsville/Olney area). Luedtke's experience as a classroom teacher lends important credibility to his voice on behalf of the needs of our students, our educators and our schools - at a time when politicians with no education experience are increasingly called upon to set education policy.

Keep up the good work!

Fund Corporate Tax Breaks, Not Schools?

In a bizarre twist of public policy making, the Maryland General Assembly is considering giving Lockheed Martin a multi-million dollar break from county taxes, at a time when the county government is struggling to provide essential funding for schools and other essential social services.

For several years, Lockheed Martin has attempted to get the Montgomery County Council to exempt it from paying the County's hotel tax. The County Council has (wisely) refused to do so. Now a bill is moving through the state legislature to over-ride the Council's control over it's own hotel tax, and grant an exemption to Lockheed Martin. No other company in Maryland would benefit from this bill. Not only that, it would apply retro-actively, requiring Montgomery County to issue a refund check to Lockheed Martin for $1.8 million in hotel taxes they have paid in recent years.

MCEA has signed on to a broad coalition of local organizations opposed to this corporate tax break, and end run around local control.

To let your elected state senators and delegates know how you feel about this issue, go to our Contact Your Elected Representatives page.

To learn more, read the following news coverage:

OUTRAGE: MD Politicians Urge Millions In Corporate Welfare for Lockheed Martin (Maryland Juice)

Maryland Senate advances local tax break for Lockheed Martin (Washington Post)

Afternoon Poll: Lockheed Martin Tax Break (Bethesda Now) [Take the Poll!]

How to evaluate teachers

The following letter to the editor was printed in today's Washington Post:

The debate over teacher evaluations is not about whether to include student data but how to do it and whether it makes sense to use state tests that are not aligned with the Common Core State Standards that Maryland and 44 other states have adopted. New tests aligned with these standards will be implemented starting in the 2014-15 school year. The Montgomery County Public Schools have begun implementing curricula that align with these standards, but as Superintendent Joshua P. Starr pointed out in his Feb. 8 op-ed, “Time out on standardized testing,” we need time to roll out the new curricula.

Holding teachers accountable in a prescriptive way for tests that do not match what we are teaching is not fair and works against effective implementation of these standards statewide. Our Teacher Professional Growth System, which has been in place for 13 years, already holds teachers accountable and results in high student achievement. Should we agree to a system that impedes progress?

Doug Prouty, Rockville
The writer is president of the Montgomery County Education Association

Take the 2013 TELL Maryland Survey

Take the 2013 TELL Maryland Survey

The 2013 TELL Maryland Survey is an online, statewide, confidential survey for school-based certificated educators which begins on February 4 and ends on March 1. It is different from the Gallup Survey you took earlier this school year. This year’s survey will employ the same questions as the 2011 TELL Survey, which received nearly 46,000 responses, representing more than 51 percent of the state's educators. Please take the time to participate in this important survey. All information can be found by clicking on the TELL Maryland Survey link above. The completely random and anonymous codes provided by the state will be distributed by school administrations soon.

If you have not received yours, contact the Maryalnd TELL Help Desk at helpdesk@tellMaryland.org, by toll free phone at 1-855-258-2818 (between 7:30am and 4:30 pm) or use the instant message feature on the www.tellMaryland.org website during Help Desk Hours (7:30am - 4:30pm).

Dr. Starr in EdWeek

EdWeek's Anthony Cody interviewed MCPS Superintendent Dr. Starr recently. Check out what Dr. Starr has to say about the burden of standardized testing, Race to the Top, and the "ed reform" movement.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/01/interview_with_joshua_starr_ex.html

Can you take the SNAP Challenge?

If you could only spend $5 a day on food, how do you think you would manage?  That is what it is like for people who qualify for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The average benefit a person who qualifies for this important program receives is $4.28 a day for food.

We don't often think of Montgomery County as a place where many would qualify for such a program, but there are thousands of households in the county who apply for access to the program every month.

Montgomery County Council member Valerie Ervin invites you to join her in taking the SNAP Challenge and highlight how it feels to live in poverty. Members of the County Council, our state legislative delegation, and Board of Education have committed to taking the challenge. You can find more information on the SNAP Challenge and who is involved by clicking this link.  And you can follow people and tell your story on Council Member Ervin's special Facebook page.

Can you spend the week of February 4-8 living on $5 a day for food? Take the SNAP Challenge and find out.

Wall Street Tells Maryland: Invest in Education!

The Annapolis political blog MarylandReporter.com just posted a fascinating story about a normally boring topic: a hearing held by the State Senate Budget and Tax Committee. Low-and-behold, a prominent national economist from Moody Analytics not only "gave Maryland senators an upbeat analysis of the economy", but also said:

"...state policymakers should look at the longer term and focus on educational structure and infrastructure. They should make the “the right kind of investments” to level opportunities for the middle and lower income Marylanders."...

Next time an elected official questions the wisdom of investing in education -- or argues that the county should continue to freeze local per-pupil spending below 2007 levels (yes - certain members of the Montgomery County Council continue to assert that they won't raise local per-pupil spending as a bargaining chip for state legislative action!) -- you can remind them that even Wall Street thinks Maryland should be investing in education.

"Ed reform" and our PGS

Today, The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is at risk of losing millions of dollars in Federal aid due to continued revisions the state keeps making to its Race to the Top plans. The big issue is how will the state roll out and implement it's new teacher evaluation program. The U.S. Department of Education has expressed it's concerns with MSDE and has threatened the possibility of fines of near $38 million.
The state will be implementing a new and unproven evaluation system across the state this fall and it seems as if it is not ready to go.
Yet, MCEA and MCPS who did not sign on to participate in RTTT are in the position of being forced to change our Professional Growth System to comply with the revised laws spurred on by the state's RTTT participation. MCEA President Doug Prouty emailed members last week (see below) and MCPS Supt. Joshua Starr emailed employees yesterday about our efforts to limit the damage these changes will do the PGS.
Our PGS is nationally and internationally recognized as a model educator evaluation system. In the last year, educators and administrators from Kentucky, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and China visited us to see how the PGS works and how they could implement it. The PGS has been written about in The New York Times and Rethinking Schools. USDE even featured it on it's website.
So this is what the "ed reform" movement has brought us; the state meddling with a proven and respected evaluation system while trying to hurry up and finish their own unknown system for the rest of the state.


Message from MCEA President Doug Prouty about the evaluation controversy:

January 3, 2013

Dear Colleagues,

Happy New Year and welcome back! We want to be sure that you know the most current information on teacher evaluation. As you know, MCEA, MCPS, and MCAAP have been working to meet the requirements of the new state regulations brought on by Maryland’s Race To The Top (RTTT) grant and the Maryland Education Reform Act of 2010. This work has been ongoing for the past year and a half. [Please note the focus in the work of the Maryland State Department of Education is on classroom teacher and principal evaluation and not other certificated educators - thus the use of the term teacher throughout this document and the submission to the state described below].

Recent events

Last spring, MCEA, MCPS, and MCAAP submitted a proposal to the Maryland State Department of Education about how we believed our existing Teacher Professional Growth System complied with new state regulations and the Education Reform Act of 2010. That proposal was rejected. Just before Winter Break, we submitted a new proposal to meet a deadline of December 26th. This response details how we plan to meet what is required of us regarding three aspects of our evaluation system:

·       the use of student achievement data

·       a three tiered rating system, and

·         a three year evaluation cycle

This response will be discussed by the Montgomery County Board of Education at its meeting on Tuesday, January 8th.

The State Dept. of Education required each local school system and teacher union local to provide information as to whether we had reached agreement on how we would be sure that we were in compliance with the Education Reform Act of 2010 and the applicable portions of regulations that were passed to implement Maryland’s Race to the Top program. Since MCPS and MCEA did not sign on to RTTT, the section of the regulations that stipulates a percentage system in which student achievement data must comprise 50% of a teacher’s (and principal’s) evaluation does not apply to MCPS.

We are required by the Education Reform Act of 2010 to utilize student achievement data as a “significant component”’ of the evaluation measured “from a clearly articulated baseline to one or more points in time‘’. Some guidance as to how we might meet the state’s requirements was provided in a letter sent by the state superintendent in late November. This letter included an analysis of the Teacher Professional Growth System handbook as well as several redacted evaluations which were sent to the Maryland Dept. of Education in June as a part of our work with the state on our PGS and state law and regulations.

The guiding tenet of our work to meet the state law and regulations has been to maintain the integrity of our Teacher Professional Growth System, which was designed and has been implemented to provide meaningful and timely feedback on performance, structured support for areas of concern, and a holistic rating of a teacher’s job performance that is fair, transparent, and not numerically driven. There are numerous examples of systems in other places in which a teacher can be considered for dismissal strictly on the basis of test scores. Dr. Starr, the leadership of MCPS, the other leaders of MCEA and I are committed to keeping our system intact. At the same time, we have to be mindful of the fact that failure to demonstrate that we are willing to comply with state law could result in the state model of evaluation being forced on us, which is a 50/50 split between observations and student achievement data. We believe that the state model is dramatically worse than our system.

What we have proposed

A multi-stakeholder group, including Chris Lloyd, MCEA Vice President and co-chair of the PAR Panel, two former members of the PAR Panel, a current Consulting Teacher and me, has been meeting over last year to analyze how to thread the needle of maintaining our system but complying with the state law and regulations. This group also included building principals and central office staff. In addition, meetings of the three union presidents and members of the executive leadership team occurred periodically to discuss events and strategies. The MCEA Board of Directors reviewed the proposal prior to its submission.

In order to meet the student achievement data requirement, we have proposed to bolster a part of the current evaluation system, specifically in Standards I and IV. In Standard I, one of the current criteria is, “The teacher sets quantifiable learning outcomes for students and holds him/herself accountable for ensuring students meet those objectives.” This process will be implemented more consistently, with teachers expected to set two or three outcomes each year (either individually or in grade level or course alike teams). The data to be used to measure these outcomes would be decided by the teacher(s) and must include data that can be tracked periodically from a starting point over the year. The teacher may decide which groups of students would be included in each outcome- it need not be the entirety of a teacher’s student load. The outcomes would be approved by the principal and would be discussed during post observation conferences and at a meeting prior to the completion of the evaluation at the end of the year. Progress on these outcomes would be a ‘significant component’ of an evaluation, but would not and could not be a sole determinant of the rating of the evaluation, nor will it be quantified with a percentage.

The evaluation report itself would be modified to list the outcomes on the introductory page. In addition, the narrative portion of the evaluation in Standard I would include reflection on the outcomes based on discussions during the post observation conferences and year end meeting.

In Standard IV, teachers are expected to use student achievement data to reflect on, plan, and differentiate lessons. The narrative portion in Standard IV would continue to reflect the teacher’s ability to accomplish this using a variety of data sources, as currently described in the Teacher Professional Growth System handbook.

Many of the counties in Maryland are using similar outcome setting processes as a part of their revised evaluation systems. Information and training on designing, setting, and monitoring student learning outcomes will be implemented during the spring of 2013 in preparation for the 2013-14 school year, depending on the state response to this proposal.

From its beginnings, the MCPS Teacher Professional Growth System has included student achievement as important sources of data in the evaluation process (see TPGS Handbook page 11). The modifications discussed above are intended to clarify our existing system. The TPGS Handbook says, and will continue to say, that “Standardized test scores provide one important source of data, but they cannot constitute a judgment, in and of themselves, about the performance of a teacher or the success of a school” (TPGS Handbook page 12).

We have proposed including a new rating of ‘Emerging” in our evaluation system to achieve a three-tiered rating system by differentiating those teachers who are currently rated ‘below standard’ but meet one of several criteria indicating progress toward a ‘meets standard’ rating. These criteria are already in place and have been used by the PAR Panel in determining whether or not to provide a teacher in the program a second year of CT support.

We also proposed implementing the Career Lattice program over the next several years, which gives each teacher the option of voluntarily seeking ‘Lead Teacher’ status through a process based partially on the National Board Certification process. The application would include a videotape with analysis of a lesson, recommendations from the building principal, EFR or building rep, and a colleague of the teacher’s choosing, as well as two brief essays documenting leadership demonstrated by the teacher in the school and/or school community. These applications would be assessed by a newly formed Career Lattice Panel, with equal numbers of MCEA and MCPS appointees. Once implemented, Lead Teacher status would then be a gateway for a range of career opportunities. Lead Teacher status would be added to the evaluation document as an additional rating beyond ‘meets standard’. We would then have a four tiered system. The state wants each local to adjust their ratings to a uniform system of Highly Effective, Effective, and Ineffective, but we have proposed these changes as an alternative.

We have also proposed a one year study of a change to a three year evaluation cycle from our current differentiated cycle of evaluations in years one, two, five, nine, and every five years following. We have indicated that we believe our current system allows for a more meaningful and rigorous evaluation than would a uniform three year cycle because it allows for greater attention and support for beginning MCPS teachers and teachers in need of assistance.

Next Steps

The Maryland State Department of Education is expected to respond to our submission in January. This same process/timeline is true of each local school system in the state. Based on the nature of the response, we will judge where we are and what the next step will be. If our system with the adjustments mentioned above is found in compliance with state law and applicable regulations, we will begin designing and implementing the necessary information and training programs for teachers and principals to incorporate these changes for next year. A part of this will be a number of Q & A sessions so that teachers can clarify their understanding of the changes to the system. Please keep an eye out for more information.

I firmly believe this work and the proposal we submitted maintains the integrity of our system and also demonstrates to the state our willingness and desire to be in compliance with state law and regulations.

Thanks for all you do every day for our students and each other. We will continue to keep you informed of developments as they unfold.

In Solidarity,

Doug

Doug Prouty, MCEA President

Washington Post debates Dr. Starr and the call for a national testing moratorium

The pages of The Washington Post provided for some interesting and disparate reading over the last few weeks regarding Superintendent Joshua Starr and his comments about standardized testing. If you remember, Dr. Starr called for a three year national moratorium on standardized testing. This led to several articles, including ones in the Post by Robert McCartney and by Valerie Strauss praising the idea of stepping back from the over-testing of students, the implementing of too many "reforms" at one time and Dr. Starr's belief that linking teacher evaluations to student test scores is a bad idea.

However the Post's editorial board couldn't let the occassion pass, and choose to publish an editorial calling Dr. Starr's ideas a "recipe for classroom failure."

On the heels of this editorial, Ms. Strauss published a piece by New York City principal Carol Burris, which supported Dr. Starr and defended his position on test score based evaluations.

For the first time since passage of the federal "No Child Left Behind" law, we are finally seeing the beginnings of a national discussion over whether the standardized testing obsession of the so-called "education reformers" is really what our students need today. Student achievement in the United States is often ranked poorly compared to international "high flyers" like Finland, Singapore and Hong Kong; yet none of those countries rely as heavily on standardized testing as we do.

Perhaps we could learn something from their focus on high quality curriculum, respect for the teaching profession, good professional development and extensive time for teachers to prepare for and individualize instruction.