President Obama announced this afternoon that states will be able to apply for waivers to No Child Left Behind. Educators and policy makers have complained for years about the unreasonableness of certain NCLB mandates such as the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
Instead of the sanction orientated focus of the Bush years, the new emphasis will be recognizing and rewarding successful schools while providing struggling schools with targeted support and more flexibility.
One major change is the elimination of the 2014 drop dead date to have proficiency for 100% of students. Instead, states will be able to have realistic improvement goals for students in reading/language arts and mathematics.
States and school districts will have greater flexibility on the use of federal funds, while at the same time funds to meet the needs of particular populations of students will be protected.
Under the waiver, priority schools will no longer have to choose one of the four intervention models. They can design their own improvement plan based on turnaround principles.
Teacher evaluation systems will not have to be fully implemented until 2014-15 school year. This will allow states time to develop stronger and sensible evaluation systems.
In order to qualify for a waiver, states must develop a plan to address three areas of education reform: 1. Statewide college and career ready standards and assessments for students. Delaware is ahead of most states in this area 2. Systems for differentiated recognition, accountability and support. In other words, a way to identify and provide resources for the lowest performing schools. Again, Delaware has this system operating. 3. Evaluation and support for teacher and principal effectiveness. Delaware's DPAS II fits this model.
The hard work of Delaware educators in winning the Race To The Top grant may now pay off in another way. The requirements for NCLB waiver appear to be very similar to the requirements for RTTT.
Ok readers, I hope the above article makes sense. I had to write it in a hurry, but I wanted you to know the scoop before the weekend.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Jobs Bill Offers New Hope
The Obama Administration sent the Jobs Bill to Congress today. Tonight, Vice-President Biden was on a national phone call with educators explaining aspects of the Jobs Bill. Education is a major part of the bill because the Administration continues to recognize education as key to our future, because we have lost 129,000 education jobs since January, and because educators are prime examples of middle class workers.
The bill has $30 billion to employee 280,000 educators for the school years 2011-2012, and 2012-2013. This type of stimulus is at work, right now in Delaware. Delaware is today utilizing money they saved from the 2010 Education Jobs Act to keep educators working this year.
$30 billion will be used to renovate our crumbling schools. $10 billion of this money will be distributed directly to school districts utilizing Title 1 funding formula. The other $15 billion will be sent to the states to allocate for school building and repairing. The average age of a US school is forty and the buildings are notoriously energy inefficient. It is estimated that we might save $2 to $4 billion on energy costs with new and renovated buildings.
$5 billion is in the legislation for community colleges although their need is much greater as demand for their services have increased with the bad economy.
Other middle class help in the bill includes deeper cuts to payroll tax and foreclosure relief.
Small business tax cuts are included as well as tax credits for those businesses hiring veterans and the long-term unemployed.
For those that have caught the fiscal conservative bug, this bill is paid for by closing tax loopholes. For example, in spite of year after year of grossly high profits, we continue to give oil companies tax breaks worth $37 billion. We also allow hedge fund managers (who actually detract, not add to the economy) to be taxed at 15% instead of the 28% rate that common folks pay on earnings. Both of these loopholes are closed by the law.
This stimulus package creates about 1.9 million jobs. The entire debt ceiling/ deficit reduction fiasco created zero jobs.
The bill has $30 billion to employee 280,000 educators for the school years 2011-2012, and 2012-2013. This type of stimulus is at work, right now in Delaware. Delaware is today utilizing money they saved from the 2010 Education Jobs Act to keep educators working this year.
$30 billion will be used to renovate our crumbling schools. $10 billion of this money will be distributed directly to school districts utilizing Title 1 funding formula. The other $15 billion will be sent to the states to allocate for school building and repairing. The average age of a US school is forty and the buildings are notoriously energy inefficient. It is estimated that we might save $2 to $4 billion on energy costs with new and renovated buildings.
$5 billion is in the legislation for community colleges although their need is much greater as demand for their services have increased with the bad economy.
Other middle class help in the bill includes deeper cuts to payroll tax and foreclosure relief.
Small business tax cuts are included as well as tax credits for those businesses hiring veterans and the long-term unemployed.
For those that have caught the fiscal conservative bug, this bill is paid for by closing tax loopholes. For example, in spite of year after year of grossly high profits, we continue to give oil companies tax breaks worth $37 billion. We also allow hedge fund managers (who actually detract, not add to the economy) to be taxed at 15% instead of the 28% rate that common folks pay on earnings. Both of these loopholes are closed by the law.
This stimulus package creates about 1.9 million jobs. The entire debt ceiling/ deficit reduction fiasco created zero jobs.
Friday, September 2, 2011
A Jobs Bill is Coming
If you are reading this consider yourself invited to join the Delaware State Education Association at the annual Labor Day Parade in Wilmington, Delaware. We will line up at 9:30Am at 15th and King Streets. Give an hour to Labor since they gave you the whole weekend!
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President Obama will be unveiling a new jobs program in a few days. One interesting distraction has been the setting of the date to address Congress. The Republican House rejected the first offered date and suggested another...well you can hear about it in the news. The only reason I say "interesting" is that I have never seen such crude disrespect for the office of the Presidency than I have since Obama took office. Remember Congressman Joe Wilson's "You lie!" during the State of the State? Or John Boehner's not returning the President's phone calls? There have been other incidents as well. The point is civility appears to be gone. It's like the meaner cousins of the Beverly Hillbillies have come to Congress.
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Let us all hope that Obama's jobs plan will be worth the wait when the House does finally let him speak. Playing catch up is always difficult, but that's what he needs to do. When Obama's first stimulus, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, was before the people he should have stated something along these lines:
My predecessor attempted to help this economy with a massive initiative in trickle down economics when he bailed out the banks. This Administration is not going to do that. We are going to put money at the grassroots level to stimulate the economy and in the process of putting people back to work we will improve our education system, repair crumbling infrastructure, and move the nation forward in alternative energy and green economy. With all that said, I must warn you: This is a deep recession. Just like the Administration of FDR, we may have to come back again, and maybe again, with more stimulus until the citizens in this country are back on their economic feet. I will never apologize for investment that puts us back to work and strengthens us for the future.
Unfortunately nothing like the above was said during the first stimulus fight. So, instead of creating jobs with federal spending, we've been on a mission to cut federal spending. We didn't think of taking on this job when we gave $1 Trillion in tax cuts to the wealthy, when we took on two wars costing billions of dollars every month, or even when we gave billions to extremely profitable oil companies. No, we decided to cut spending in the middle of a deep recession. FDR must be rolling in his grave.
How the President now changes the debate from 'kill government and shrink its head', to 'government is the only entity that can get money moving again in the economy so lets rebuild and build anew', I don't know. However, he is a great communicator. Moreover he's going in the right direction and there is a power that comes from doing the right thing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President Obama will be unveiling a new jobs program in a few days. One interesting distraction has been the setting of the date to address Congress. The Republican House rejected the first offered date and suggested another...well you can hear about it in the news. The only reason I say "interesting" is that I have never seen such crude disrespect for the office of the Presidency than I have since Obama took office. Remember Congressman Joe Wilson's "You lie!" during the State of the State? Or John Boehner's not returning the President's phone calls? There have been other incidents as well. The point is civility appears to be gone. It's like the meaner cousins of the Beverly Hillbillies have come to Congress.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us all hope that Obama's jobs plan will be worth the wait when the House does finally let him speak. Playing catch up is always difficult, but that's what he needs to do. When Obama's first stimulus, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, was before the people he should have stated something along these lines:
My predecessor attempted to help this economy with a massive initiative in trickle down economics when he bailed out the banks. This Administration is not going to do that. We are going to put money at the grassroots level to stimulate the economy and in the process of putting people back to work we will improve our education system, repair crumbling infrastructure, and move the nation forward in alternative energy and green economy. With all that said, I must warn you: This is a deep recession. Just like the Administration of FDR, we may have to come back again, and maybe again, with more stimulus until the citizens in this country are back on their economic feet. I will never apologize for investment that puts us back to work and strengthens us for the future.
Unfortunately nothing like the above was said during the first stimulus fight. So, instead of creating jobs with federal spending, we've been on a mission to cut federal spending. We didn't think of taking on this job when we gave $1 Trillion in tax cuts to the wealthy, when we took on two wars costing billions of dollars every month, or even when we gave billions to extremely profitable oil companies. No, we decided to cut spending in the middle of a deep recession. FDR must be rolling in his grave.
How the President now changes the debate from 'kill government and shrink its head', to 'government is the only entity that can get money moving again in the economy so lets rebuild and build anew', I don't know. However, he is a great communicator. Moreover he's going in the right direction and there is a power that comes from doing the right thing.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Irene's Out and School's In
School's in, and Irene's out! Most schools in Delaware started a day late as the maintenance crews in school districts made sure that water and debris were cleaned up before allowing the kids back.
Delaware acted responsibly in preparation for Irene and in response during and after Irene. That seems like a "no brainer", but it's not. Governors and media of the East Coast are actually receiving criticism from some pundits for being too cautious and "hyping Irene". This is absurd Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but it is out there in the public discourse now.
Delaware deaths due to Irene are now at two, and insurance claims at around $2 million. These are tragic but contained losses. Evacuations and a state of emergency declared by Governor Markell were a major factor in easing the impact of the hurricane. Additionally, public employees at every level of government really performed well.
Emergencies like Irene remind us of the importance of public infrastructure and public employees.
Delaware acted responsibly in preparation for Irene and in response during and after Irene. That seems like a "no brainer", but it's not. Governors and media of the East Coast are actually receiving criticism from some pundits for being too cautious and "hyping Irene". This is absurd Monday Morning Quarterbacking, but it is out there in the public discourse now.
Delaware deaths due to Irene are now at two, and insurance claims at around $2 million. These are tragic but contained losses. Evacuations and a state of emergency declared by Governor Markell were a major factor in easing the impact of the hurricane. Additionally, public employees at every level of government really performed well.
Emergencies like Irene remind us of the importance of public infrastructure and public employees.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Odds and Ends
Labor Day is coming! DSEA members are encouraged to participate in the annual Labor Day parade in downtown Wilmington. Labor Day is in honor of American Labor and like all your other weekends would not exist without the Labor Movement. So, if you are a DSEA member please join us at 15th and King Street (this is our starting position in the parade line up) at 9:30 AM on Labor Day. This is a fun activity, bring your spouses and children to walk with us and hundreds of other Labor families from the area.
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New Teacher Orientations have been taking place around the state. As teachers are welcomed into school districts to take on their new roles, they are also recruited by DSEA and welcomed into the union. The DSEA locals do a great job, often getting 100% of new hires signed into the union.
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The teachers in Capital School District will come under Fair Share rules this year. That means that teachers who choose not to be members will pay a fee for the services they receive under the contract. In Locals without Fair Share, the loyal dues paying members pay to sustain the organization that negotiates contracts for compensation and working conditions enjoyed by all, including the non-members. That will no longer be the case in Capital, congratulations to that Local.
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At the federal level the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is moving forward. US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, will announce a plan in September to allow flexibility around some of the NCLB requirements. However, this will be in exchange for undisclosed commitments to reform.
This action prompted National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel to comment:“What we need now is teacher-led and student-focused comprehensive reform instead of making states jump through more hoops. The Administration should be leading efforts that support all students and schools by providing real relief from parts of the law that everyone acknowledges simply don’t work.”
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New Teacher Orientations have been taking place around the state. As teachers are welcomed into school districts to take on their new roles, they are also recruited by DSEA and welcomed into the union. The DSEA locals do a great job, often getting 100% of new hires signed into the union.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The teachers in Capital School District will come under Fair Share rules this year. That means that teachers who choose not to be members will pay a fee for the services they receive under the contract. In Locals without Fair Share, the loyal dues paying members pay to sustain the organization that negotiates contracts for compensation and working conditions enjoyed by all, including the non-members. That will no longer be the case in Capital, congratulations to that Local.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the federal level the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is moving forward. US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, will announce a plan in September to allow flexibility around some of the NCLB requirements. However, this will be in exchange for undisclosed commitments to reform.
This action prompted National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel to comment:“What we need now is teacher-led and student-focused comprehensive reform instead of making states jump through more hoops. The Administration should be leading efforts that support all students and schools by providing real relief from parts of the law that everyone acknowledges simply don’t work.”
Friday, August 19, 2011
Charter School Law
Today, Governor Markell signed HB 205 into law. The bill increases the oversight and accountability of charter schools. This is the first change in Delaware charter school law in the 14 years since the schools were established in the state.
The Governor said, "Charter schools empower parents to choose the school that best fits their child's needs. But the promise of charter schools is not just added flexibility - it is added flexibility coupled with heightened accountability."
Perhaps another way of phrasing this is the old saw: To whom much is given, much is expected.
Certainly we have given charter schools a lot. They have the exclusivity of private schools, but with all the public funding (except capital construction)of your local community public school. Additionally, charters have been given unmitigated praise by education reformers across the country. The lavish praise has been reinforced by an unquestioning media.
Intentionally deaf ears and blind eyes ignore research showing that when comparable populations are examined, charter schools do no better and even worse in some endeavours than traditional public schools.
The new Delaware law will require charters to disclose finances, to come under the governance of a state Financial Recovery Team if they are in fiscal trouble, have criminal background checks for operators, and evaluate the impact on community public schools before expanding or replicating.
The Governor worked closely with DSEA, legislators, and charter schools to make this legislation happen. Congratulations to the Markell Administration for the courage to do it, and the smarts to do it right.
The Governor said, "Charter schools empower parents to choose the school that best fits their child's needs. But the promise of charter schools is not just added flexibility - it is added flexibility coupled with heightened accountability."
Perhaps another way of phrasing this is the old saw: To whom much is given, much is expected.
Certainly we have given charter schools a lot. They have the exclusivity of private schools, but with all the public funding (except capital construction)of your local community public school. Additionally, charters have been given unmitigated praise by education reformers across the country. The lavish praise has been reinforced by an unquestioning media.
Intentionally deaf ears and blind eyes ignore research showing that when comparable populations are examined, charter schools do no better and even worse in some endeavours than traditional public schools.
The new Delaware law will require charters to disclose finances, to come under the governance of a state Financial Recovery Team if they are in fiscal trouble, have criminal background checks for operators, and evaluate the impact on community public schools before expanding or replicating.
The Governor worked closely with DSEA, legislators, and charter schools to make this legislation happen. Congratulations to the Markell Administration for the courage to do it, and the smarts to do it right.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
NCSL Final Thoughts
Ok, this is the last blog post on my NCSL trip. I promise. This will be just a hodgepodge of thoughts about the trip.
First, the dire straights of a nation in economic peril made more perilous by bad government policy was evident in San Antonio. San Antonio is arguably the premier convention city for Texas, and landing NCSL was a premium opportunity. NCSL has state legislators, policy experts, lobbyists, corporate and union officials from all over the nation attend. Yet, even here where Texas and their presidential hopeful governor wanted to showcase the state, at the back of the convention center were three historic buildings (complete with brass plaques advertising their importance to Texas) boarded up. After all, in Rick Perry's world who needs history and culture unless it can pull its own weight with an admission fee?
Flying into and out of San Antonio I was shocked that the countryside looked more Las Cruces, New Mexico a desert city, than the lush river city I remembered from years ago. This is not just an anecdotal observation. All 254 counties of Texas have been declared drought disasters by the US Department of Agriculture; thus making them eligible for various types of federal relief. This topic was not mentioned when Rick Perry addressed the NCSL about government spending, entitlements, et al. Interesting to note that climate change did not come up either.
It was rather ironic that on the same day Rick Perry spoke to NCSL, the final space shuttle crew made an appearance and gave a presentation. For a decade US astronauts have been building and improving the space station. NASA will now no longer have a space station program with astronauts. However, privately funded missions are being developed for corporate interests who want to experiment in space. It took "big government" to develop a space program. Now, the private sector will profit from the foundation laid by the public sector and, yes, public employees.
Finally, what's with the Alamo? A favorite saying in Texas, to this day, is "Remember the Alamo!". Personally, I think they need closure and should move on. Forget the Alamo. By the way, if you want to see the captured flag of the Alamo, you will have to go to Mexico City for that is where it sits in a museum behind Chapultepec Park. The Mexicans have denied repeated requests from Texas for the flag. I can't blame them. After all we haven't given back Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Check into that little piece of history called the Mexican American War and take note the next time you hear folks from Texas or Arizona talking about Mexicans illegally crossing into "our country".
Please don't get the wrong idea. I was born in San Angelo, Texas. I still have family in Texas. I think Texans are naturally friendly, gregarious, and down to earth. I like Texans. I like them enough to believe they deserve a better government, and a more compassionate public policy that reflects their true nature.
First, the dire straights of a nation in economic peril made more perilous by bad government policy was evident in San Antonio. San Antonio is arguably the premier convention city for Texas, and landing NCSL was a premium opportunity. NCSL has state legislators, policy experts, lobbyists, corporate and union officials from all over the nation attend. Yet, even here where Texas and their presidential hopeful governor wanted to showcase the state, at the back of the convention center were three historic buildings (complete with brass plaques advertising their importance to Texas) boarded up. After all, in Rick Perry's world who needs history and culture unless it can pull its own weight with an admission fee?
Flying into and out of San Antonio I was shocked that the countryside looked more Las Cruces, New Mexico a desert city, than the lush river city I remembered from years ago. This is not just an anecdotal observation. All 254 counties of Texas have been declared drought disasters by the US Department of Agriculture; thus making them eligible for various types of federal relief. This topic was not mentioned when Rick Perry addressed the NCSL about government spending, entitlements, et al. Interesting to note that climate change did not come up either.
It was rather ironic that on the same day Rick Perry spoke to NCSL, the final space shuttle crew made an appearance and gave a presentation. For a decade US astronauts have been building and improving the space station. NASA will now no longer have a space station program with astronauts. However, privately funded missions are being developed for corporate interests who want to experiment in space. It took "big government" to develop a space program. Now, the private sector will profit from the foundation laid by the public sector and, yes, public employees.
Finally, what's with the Alamo? A favorite saying in Texas, to this day, is "Remember the Alamo!". Personally, I think they need closure and should move on. Forget the Alamo. By the way, if you want to see the captured flag of the Alamo, you will have to go to Mexico City for that is where it sits in a museum behind Chapultepec Park. The Mexicans have denied repeated requests from Texas for the flag. I can't blame them. After all we haven't given back Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Check into that little piece of history called the Mexican American War and take note the next time you hear folks from Texas or Arizona talking about Mexicans illegally crossing into "our country".
Please don't get the wrong idea. I was born in San Angelo, Texas. I still have family in Texas. I think Texans are naturally friendly, gregarious, and down to earth. I like Texans. I like them enough to believe they deserve a better government, and a more compassionate public policy that reflects their true nature.
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