Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A+ Schools survey

On another post Anonymous wrote:

"New Post

So, got a robo survey call from A+ Schools asking 5 questions. Three possible answers; yes, no, unsure. One question asked whether or not I agree that teachers should be evaluated. I now have to wait for the survey results to be posted and reported to see if interpretations of the final answers will mislead readers. If many answered yes to the evaluation question will the reporting say something like "XX% of respondents support RISE"? Surveys like this are designed with a purpose in mind."

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

What were the other four questions?

Anonymous said...

There is SO MUCH MORE WRONG with Pittsburgh Public Schools than teachers and what is wrong with teachers is the fault of the WRONG policies, practices, positions, public relations, and posturing that comes from those SO ill-equipped for the responsibilities of the jobs that they hold.

Anonymous said...

Another question was: Do you think the school district is moving in the right direction? and another was something like: Do you think pps is serving its students?

Anonymous said...

Wow, guess a+ really has no clue how to design a good survey. More evidence that they have no credibility.

Anonymous said...

Another tactic that pps may try since linda lane has wanted this before, elimination of tenure. Look at this from California.
http://news.yahoo.com/california-teacher-tenure-law-unconstitutional-172320033.html
This would make any teacher the equal of a "probation" or "Temporary Professional" employee. A teacher could easily be dismissed.

Anonymous said...

It would save a ton of money--you fire the teachers in June-- hire newbs in september-- must like TFA. Once again the AA community is being snowed by the right wing. Principals can hire whoever is for sale.
It is also an end to integration--
an end to making EVERY school quality-- Why doesnt anyone see t hat they can then put ANYONE into the rougher schools-- first we get rid of eligibility, then tenure. Who do you THINK is going to be teaching in your schools?

Anonymous said...

Here are the survey questions:

1) Additional funding to the Pittsburgh Public School system will improve student achievement.

2) The Pittsburgh Public School system is doing a good job educating our students.

3) Teachers should be regularly evaluated and these evaluations should recognize excellent teachers as well as those not meeting expectations.

4) Pittsburgh Public Schools are failing to educate students and reforms are desperately needed.

5) Pittsburgh Public Schools are going broke and tough decisions need to be made.

Questioner said...

Often, A+ survey questions seem designed more to influence public opinion than to obtain information about public opinion.

Anonymous said...

We will see more and more of these tactics as we approach contract negotiations. The data from this survey will be used to support the agenda of A+ schools and the board which are ine and the same. They want to manipulate the public's opinion and it does seem as though these questions were designed to provoke and influence to rather than obtain information. A "yes" to question #1 will be used to push for taking more Gates money. Question #3 will be used to support RISE, and the last question will justify performance based furloughs and elimination of tenure. If the public is repeatedly told the teachers are bad, the schools are bad, and they are broke too, it will be very hard for the PFT to gain public support as we enter negotiations.

Questioner said...

It is one thing when this type of tactic is used by for profit corporations, but the public has traditionally expected better of its foundations and other non-profits. Corporate style venture philanthropy has changed all of that.

Anonymous said...

Can't you see where all of this is leading? They wan't to do away with seniority. That's what Mark Roosevelt, Linda Lane and A+ Schools have ALWAYS wanted. Then they will
be able to fire teachers at whim.
What don't you understand???
They have never made a secret of this.

Anonymous said...

Schools will be staffed with cheap inexperienced labor. Soon the only people educating our students will be people using education as a temporary stepping stone until they find their "real" job. This administration is on the "the pathway to destroy public education" , while they fool the public into believing that their motto is making sure our students are on "the pathway to the promise. What a joke, nobody cares.

Anonymous said...

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/seen/2014/06/23/A-Schools-10th-Anniversary/stories/201406230038