From the PG:
"Either a new board member or returning board member Mark Brentley Sr.,
who voted in favor of the contract even though he is opposed so he could
call for a new vote, could bring the matter up anew, schools solicitor
Ira Weiss said."
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Could Philadelphia Learning Academy South be a TFA school?
TFA does send teachers to the lowest performing schools so it would not be surprising, but didnt Phil recently cut way back on tfa?
Interesting that John Tarka's daughter was quoted as being against TFA. Her father helped get PPS into the mess they are in.
The article says that per TFA, they would fill positions where the district gets one or no applications. Which positions are these? If the information was put out widely the community could probably help PPS fill these positions with good candidates- and would not charge a $5k fee.
PPS should also think about what it could do to make positions more attractive to good candidates. For example, many teachers would probably leap at the change for more autonomy, with the understanding that they would have to show results.
There was no guarantee that certified teachers would get positions over TFA. In fact, if you listeneded carefully, you learned that TFA would be in the same pool as all other applicants. It was repeatedly stated that Principal would make the choices for their schools. So, if Principals want to keep their positions, they will hire TFA, since the PPS District is contracting with TFA. Right? Or did anyone else hear this differently.
The Research contents that TFA teachers stay about two years and then move on and up. It is a stepping stone. Verification of this has been all FOUR of the TFA people who testified before the Board (last night and at the public hearing) did exactly that__stayed two years and moved on up.
Also, dispelled by the FOUR TFA who testified was the notion of DIVERSITY????
ALL FOUR TFA PEOPLE WHO TESTIFIED WERE WHITE WOMEN!
TOO MANY QUESTIONS NOT ASKED or NOT ANSWERED regarding this whole program and the need for it!
Of course the board will allow uncertified teachers into our schools. Our own current and previous Superintendents come from unaccredited and uncertified programs. If it wasn't acceptable for Fox Chapel, then why are we accepting it? Pittsburgh Public Schools former and current superintendents come from unaccredited programs. Look into it, a simple google search of "Broad Superintendents" will provide you with this information. Billionaire Eli Broad's unaccredited academy trains superintendents in a 6 weekend course and guarantees them placement in high profile urban districts. They are in districts all over the United States. Roosevelt and Lane came from this unaccredited program. They take over urban districts and run them into the ground, taking Gates money (Eli Broad's crony) the whole time. TFA teachers are just the next step in the process to dismantle and privatize public schools. Why aren't the taxpayers of Pittsburgh questioning this and calling for her resignation and replacement. They need to before it is too late.
TFA REACHES OUT TO DREAMERS: Teach for America has already expanded its recruitment beyond seniors at elite colleges to mid-career professionals and veterans. Today, it’s announcing plans to actively recruit DREAMers — undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and are eligible to obtain social security cards through President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Morning Education has learned.
Via
http://www.politico.com/morningeducation/1213/morningeducation12476.html
http://www.publicschoolshakedown.org/announcing-the-teach-for-america-truth-squad
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2013/12/17/Teach-for-Pittsburgh/stories/201312170006
Opinion in today's P-G.
She states that 67% of PPS students are of color, but only 18% of teachers are. Does one have to be of color to teach those of color Katie?
She states that this past year's TFA applicants (more than 900), indicated that they would like to teach in Pittsburgh, and one-third identified themselves as people of color. Katie, does this guarantee that we get people of color? She said that, "I can't imagine many in Pittsburgh would want to prevent that kind of talent from coming to Pittsburgh!"
Katie, what do you mean by "talent?" Just because someone wants to teach in Pittsburgh and is of color, doesn't make them "talented."
I wonder if Katie Dealy majored in education? If her eyes were so opened at Allderdice regarding disparity in education, she should have become a teacher, maybe even in PPS - and made a difference.
I hope our new Board does bring this up for a recall, and this time votes NO. This would just be another PPS powers that be experiment - a 3 year one. Haven't we had enough experiments already?
The way that this editorial is written just furthers distrust of TFA. For example, the idea that the contract is likely to be "recalled"- implying that there is a contract- but although the previous board approved the idea of a contract was anything ever signed and negotiated? And again, the whole "of color" idea- only 14% of TFA's new class is specifically African American, probably about the same percentage as current PPS teachers.
PPS continues to pave the way for more charter schools. If they keep closing schools, and keep bringing in outsiders such as TFA, they are hastening parents (that can) leaving PPS. Is this PPS's goal to have more charters and only a very few public schools left?
If you are in business and are looking for an untapped field in which to make your fortune charter schools look very attractive. They are paid for with public funds but do not need to hire union workers. We will always need to educate children so it is a field that will always be necessary. The biggest obstacle to milking this cash cow is if parents are satisfied with public schools, they will not send their children to charter schools. So to be sure public schools are less appealing harass teachers so that the experienced ones leave, bring in inexperienced people for whom teaching is merely a two year resume building step and close schools so that students have to travel greater distances. Suddenly charter schools are more attractive, even though their record for educating children is no better and often worse than public schools. And the tests are just another way to make money from education. Make sure states pass laws mandating expensive testing and there is another source of income. I don't see why PPS thinks we will believe that TFA is the only way to recruit minority teachers. There are job fairs every year for teachers. (Real teachers with certification in their area, and who have chosen this as a career.) Does PPS ever attend any?
Tonight's board meeting should be very telling as to which way the wind is going to blow with this new board. Will someone bring the TFA issue up for a recall vote? If they do, how will this vote go? We now have 2 former teachers and a long time PFT big wig on board. We know Brentley and Holley will vote no. Will Sumpter revert to the former board's status quo or vote no again? And will Sylvia Wilson vote no and support the PFT of which she represented for such a long time? This should be a very interesting vote... Is this board going to be able to stand up and show some fortitude, or are we in for more of Lane and Co. running the show and the board
doing Bellefield's bidding and just rubber stamping everything?
Was anything about TFA brought up at Monday's public hearing?
The person of interest here is Sylvia Wilson. You must not forget that before she was a pft "big wig" she was also a teacher. It will be interesting to see how she votes on issues that the pft supports while the teachers don't. The union leadership often puts in the earplugs when teachers speak out. How many 'memorandum of Understanding" were carved out of contracts between the board and pft leaders over the years. We often saw the pft and PPS logos on the same publication during the MR years. I suspect Ms. Wilson might just be there to serve the pft, not necessarily the teachers, not necessarily the parents, and certainly not the students.
You're correct 8:55. The Board and the PFT leadership have been in bed together for quite awhile.
The PFT is suing PPS for what reason? I missed that info.
To 8:35 - At the Public Hearing there were about 10 speakers against TfA. Each was strong, passionate, and articulate in their opposition to TfA. The majority were teachers and their points were on the mark.
If Board members are thinkers and care about the education of children they will have to vote "no" on TfA. But, they cannot stop there. The excellent teachers that remain in PPS, will need to be the leaders in the District. They will need to continue to come before the Board with solutions to the problems that persist under a CO that relies on outside consultants to make all decisions. PPS needs leadership from within the District. Our schools will again become successful when the right people are in the right seats making the right decisions for children, children to whom they have commitment and for whom the can make autonomous decisions using their background, knowledge, experience, creativity and expertise for advancing academic performance and achievement.
But the NAACP spoke in favor of tfa right?
The NAACP passed a resolution in support of the COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS at the October, 2013 National Meeting.
In order to have teachers prepared to elevate the standards of teaching and learning in classrooms so that they become "proficient" in the critical thinking skills that constitute the "Common Core Curriculum and Assessment measures that take into consideration all students ethnic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds in delivering education services" (as cited in the resolution) TEACHERS in PPS and the Nation will need PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT that extends far beyond 5 or 6 weeks of TfA "training" over the summer.
It will be IMPOSSIBLE for TfA teachers to accomplish this! Bar none! (It will be difficult for many experienced teachers.)
Certainly, the NAACP wants the BEST for African American students and recognize, painfully, that there is no such process currently in place in our urban African-American schools. (There are solutions, but, five weeks of training and two years in the classroom for TFA and then "out" of the schools is NOT a solution.)
N0, Questioner, the NAACP did not speak specifically in favor of TFA. However, they did speak in favor of quality teachers for the students in PPS. Clearly, what is happening in PPS classrooms under the teachers who are there is NOT GOOD for the majority of Pittsburgh's children. The NAACP is demanding much better in terms of teachers.
Perhaps, there many be a TFA teacher who can meet those demands. But, certainly, TFA categorically, has no chance of providing UNDERSERVED students what they need.
We need to be able to recruit the type of quality teachers who are more than ready, willing and able to provide a ‘real’ education for our underserved student populations.
Word is that the NAACP spoke in favor. Public hearings need to be televised.
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