From the PG:
The mayor's education chief, Curtiss Porter, has resigned and " the task force ended its first year with agreements to cooperate further
on areas including public safety, out-of-school time programming,
community schools, school funding and marketing the excellence of
education in Pittsburgh."
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/01/16/Curtiss-Porter-resigns-as-Pittsburgh-government-s-education-officer/stories/201501160203
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20 comments:
If the mayor had just emailed to the Superintendent or an aid, he probably could have quickly received an email that the administration would appreciate help with after school and summer programs, school funding and marketing the district, and it is not clear that the district, which has emphasized costs, has committed to community schools.
What is the purpose of the Task Force and what is their primary focus? Do anybody got information base on the so call meetings they have as the outcome? Will they have any type of authority to help solve some of PPS problems ? If not why have this Task Force you already have A+ Schools which does fact finding information for the community .Other than that just another group of people meeting with really no AGENDA !!!!!oh plan of
ACTION meaning we seen this SCRIPT before we need something that has AUTHORITY POWER to help work along aside of PPS be a better Educational System for our students
The 3 milllion dollars for Restorative Justice/Practices is the new answer to the problem. One and a half million dollars of it has already gone to the International Institute for Restorative Practices.
The big question is How will this change the teaching, learning, curriculum, activities that are not successfully "engaging" students?
It is after-the-fact problem solving (maybe) INSTEAD of preventative thinking with more forward thinking climate-changing relationship-building and "relevant" curricula across content areas.
Will this address the root cause of problems in the classroom and school?
The article has been rewritten and no longer refers to agreements between the task force and the city. (Ideally, the PG would provide a new link to articles that have been substantially revised.) The new article mentions that Mr. Porter went to the White House in December- could that visit have been in connection with Pittsburgh's unsuccessful attempt to obtain a large grant for early childhood education?
The "Task Force" has been a joke. Complete fumble in my not so humble opinion. Great that Dr. Porter has departed.
The folly sustains itself, sadly.
There is much to do and so little is being done when it comes to the leadership at the top.
There are HUNDREDS of things that the Mayor and the Superintendent can do at a blink of an eye. HUNDREDS. But, they don't blink. They don't do squat in areas that I think we need some heavy lifting.
The institutional mode of doing nothing between City and City Schools is full of frustrations for me.
I agree with Questioner above. It is a matter of picking up the phone and making a call and meeting between Dr. Lane and Mayor Peduto. It has to happen at the top. Then after those two are on the same page, things can go down the chain of commands.
The kids are the last priorities it seems.
There is a bunch of PURPOSE and AUTHORITY when it comes to the life and time of our kids in this city. The mayor needs to stay the heck away from the math classrooms. But, Peduto does need to understand that the year-to-year results are SUBTRACTION of students and families from the DEPARTING City Schools to other districts and schools. The city can't flourish with crazy times with the kids in schools and beyond school times.
Don't get me started on A+ Schools.
Yes. Think again .... with more "with more forward thinking climate-changing relationship-building and "relevant" curricula across content areas." Bingo!
Thank you, Mark!
"Think again .... with more "with more forward thinking climate-changing, relationship-building and "relevant" curricula across content areas." Bingo!
Typically, such comments are not supported . . .
PPS problems are leadership problems---at schools and at Central Office---or perhaps an even deeper more serious problem---a complete lack of knowledge regarding solutions.
Neither the Mayor nor the Superintendent can remedy the complete lack of knowledge or understanding. There are solutions that will reverse the current PPS failures; but, the doors to 341 are closed, metaphorically, to critical thinking.
There is an journal article that describes PPS down to the last detail and NONE of it describes benefit. much less education for children. (See Payne & Kaba "So Much Reform, So Little Change . . ."
But, that is not helpful at all. it doesn't provide competent, committed educators who believe in themselves and the children/students as capable!
Just one observation. The mayor and city council do not have any oversight with PPS. The school board is an elected body with a separate budget. I don't trust the mayor and am concerned with his apparent over reach.
Just sayin'
Unfortunately, the only apparent oversight for PPS is GATES/BROAD. PPS meets REGULARLY with these two entities. It can also be asserted that RAND is an integral part of PPS decision-making.
It is a known and verifiable FACT that Broad, Gates, and Rand have been an overbearing influence on the Pittsburgh Public Schools since 2005---the last 10 years---beginning with the Mark Roosevelt regime.
Since that time, it is a well-documented FACT that there has been an egregious decline in academic achievement in the majority of Pittsburgh Schools.
Anyone interested in the conditions and connections that led to this decline need only use their research skills and journalistic expertise to expose the trail of decisions responsible for the failure to meet academic standards in the education of Pittsburgh's children.
Well Mark and Anonymous...blink your eyes, pick up the phone and begin recruiting candidates to fill the up-coming school board vacancies with leaders who share your message of more " forward thinking climate- changing relationship-building and relevant curricula across content areas " ...and then maybe you will have a chance at Bingo! .
M&A
Have you built enough strong relationships in your own circles to move things forward?
If the mayor is concerned about kids, that is not an over reach.
If the mayor is concerned with homeowners, that is not an over reach.
If the mayor is concerned with the population growth -- and decline -- for the city, that is not an over reach.
Many in the city are working hard with investments to get the hipsters, the bikers, the condo buyers, the new housing sold, etc. -- in the city. But then when those folks have kids -- the pathway has been more universal, move to the burbs. That's a problem Peduto can care about. Should. Could.
There are LOTS of ways that City Hall and PPS can interact without causing a lot of miss-trust, I think. Citiparks is a key, for sure.
My network is what it is. I am not a candidate for school board as my seat is elected in 2 more years, FWIW. Some efforts are perking along. Some are not. Win some. Live to fight another day.
Mark, what I meant by over reach was just the political reality of the separation on the PPS and the mayor and council. All of the emotions and feelings will not change the fact that the PPS is an independent body. Of course the mayor wants to grow the city and a desirable school district is a definite draw, but he does not have the right to change it any more than me with my one vote.
Democrats want to govern by feelings. I appreciate the distinction of these 2 bodies to stay in their lane.
11:31
In your own words..." It is known and verifiable FACT that Broad, Gates etc.... Since that time, it is a well documented FACT that there has been an egregious decline in academic achievment in the majority of Pittsburgh Schools. Anyone interested in the conditions and connections that led to this decline need only use their research skills and journalistic expertise to expose the trail of decisions responsible for the failure to meet academic standards in the education of Pittsburgh's children."
This is the Op-Ed that is needed, fact based and verifiable. Write it. Submit it to the PG. You obviously have done the research and have the journalistic skills. What is the fear? The 'unwritten playbook'?
The Task at hand:
Critical thinking...preventative thinking...forward thinking is not enough. Engagement needs to happen at a grass roots level by the committed individuals who blog in this forum with ACTION. ACTIVITIES that successfully 'engage' the community on all levels so that new leadership is chosen and problem solving begins in the education of Pittsburgh's children.
Indeed. We have only to look at our neighbors in Wilkinsburg who have chosen new Leadership and are problem solving on behalf of their children.
Yes! Engagement MUST happen at a community level, but so far even PGH's MOST powerful, and influential leaders have been "taken in" by the seemingly very persuasive Central Office 'top dogs'. Community people do not have the educational nor financial -"where-with-all' to challenge Lane/Micheaux-Broad/Gates/Rand power structure. It just is not happening! SADLY!
What is it exactly that those of you who keep pushing this on someone/anyone else EXPECT to happen? What is it that you expect 'communities-who-struggle-to-exist' to do that YOU CANNOT DO, YOU who are in much better circumstances to exert power and influence?
Who is the community? Is it the city of Pittsburgh? (as it is the city of Wilkinsburg?) Or is it sub-communities in Hill or Homewood?
Seem like we need "critical thinking, forward thinking", "problem solving" from ALL of Pittsburgh (and ALL PPS Board Members); but, that is not about to happen and we all know why!
9:52
Pushing and pulling is how one speaks truth to power. Use your thinking and journalistic skills to educate the public in a forum that exposes "the trail of decisions responsible for the failure to meet academic standards in the education of Pittsburgh's children."
9:52
Communities who struggle to exist have a 'voice'. Whether they speak,shout,or sing....their voice will be heard by someone.
Speaking of 'voices' we have yet to read an editorial, op-ed ,or letter to the editor from any Leaders in the Black communities, be they sub-communities or communities at large, on the failure of PPS to educate their children in the majority of schools. 9:52 would have us believe that they have been 'taken-in' persuasively by the top dogs in Central Office. How can anyone be taken in by the "egregious decline" in academic achievement over a decade of failed leadership?
9:52 looks like he/she got a rise out of a few who like to caste stones while they sit on the curb with the same silence that they complain about in others. Its always someone else's problem---and they make it clear who they blame while knowing nothing about the target for their stones. Counterproductive!
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