Educationdc



DC City Council Committee on Education Round Table on Chancellor SelectionBrookland Middle SchoolNovember 30, 2016Cathy Reilly – Executive Director of the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals and EducatorsThank you for this opportunity to testify on the proposed confirmation of Antwan Wilson as Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools.Oakland has many similarities to DC and Mr. Wilson comes with experience in teaching and leading that many of us placed as a priority. We welcome his knowledge from Oakland where they used the Smarter Balanced assessment that gave indications of growth. We also welcome an approach used in Oakland that integrates social emotional learning. Mr. Wilson comes to a District that has invested heavily in its infrastructure boasting many modernized beautiful and functional buildings. Our teachers are in need of a contract but they are no longer the lowest paid in the surrounding area. They may have less professional freedom however than their peers. He will face some challenges. The at-risk funds allocated by the Council do not fully flow to these students yet. The neighborhood high schools are home to large percentages of students qualifying for special education and at risk funds. While the graduation rate has increased the reports of their being ready for a job or career or post- secondary education indicate many are not. It will be crucial that Mr. Wilson as the leader of the District of Columbia Public Schools understands our priorities and values should he assume this responsibility. He will be the leader of DCPS, not of education for the city. Thus, we propose that your potential confirmation of Mr. Wilson come with the requirement that there be a yearly evaluation based on a rubric, that he has a chance to review prior to signing his contract. While the Mayor would perform the evaluation, in your oversight role, the Council would hold a separate oversight hearing and review his performance. Personnel within DCPS are evaluated by the IMPACT system that has high stakes. We have had many issues with this system but we do believe in the concept of accountability. The rubric for Mr. Wilson should be fair and consistent with the values we hold for our municipal system. Our goal is to stabilize and grow our system. It is our hope that he will be successful as our new chancellor if he is confirmed. These are some of the elements that we would like to see in his evaluationLeadership that Strengthens DCPSEnrollment should grow as a result of strong DCPS programming and the Chancellor’s advocacy on its behalf. DCPS enrollment in 2006- 2007 when Mayoral control was adopted was at 52,645. DCPS enrollment for 2015-16 was 48,439 a net loss of 4,206 students. In that time frame the overall population for the District has gone from 574,404 in 2007 to 672,228 in 2015. Charter school enrollment over that time period increased by 24,268, going from 14,637 to 38,905. While there have been successes, DCPS enrollment growth has not been one of them. Our new chancellor absolutely needs to be held accountable for addressing this.The measure could be growth of no less than 3% each year with a 6 year goal of 60,000 students in DCPS schools. We have the capacity and the economies of scale of the large LEA would benefit the District. The resources are there. In the Student Assignment Community Engagement process, citizens were clear, they want a strong publicly managed system of right in their city. While charter schools managed by private boards have a place in our educational landscape; they cannot replace the city’s public schools. More stable relationships in our schools – less turnover. DCPS has had a very high turnover rate of staff within its schools. Here are the levels in recent years for ET-15s (i.e., classroom teachers, resource teachers, librarians, counselors, social workers, etc.) All ET-15s?leaving DCPS:? about 20% average per year.? Looking at cohorts since 2008 – the average is 33% over 2 years, 41% over 3 years, 50% over 4 years, 56% over 5 years. ?New hire ET-15s?leaving DCPS:? about 25% each year.? Looking at cohorts since 2008 – the average is 46% over 2 years, 60% over 3 years, 67% over 4 years, 74% over 5 years. ?All ET-15s?leaving 40/40 schools:? 33% average per year since 2012.At this time most of the hires have been made under the “reform” administration. Many of our students face displacement and loss in their homes. Stable staff in a school creates a needed sense of safety and predictability. It allows relationships between students, their families and the adults in the school to grow. High school teachers and a principal should be there for a student from 9th through 12th grade. This facilitates counseling and guidance. Raise the average tenure of teachers, expand the three year contract for principals to more principalsAll ET-15s?leaving DCPS:? should be 8-10% average per year, based on national averages.??All new hire ET-15s?leaving DCPS:? should be 8-10% average per year, based on national averages?All ET-15s?leaving high poverty individual schools:? should be 15-20%, based on various studiesOperationsEfficient and effective central administration sending the bulk of resources to the classroom.MeasuresCentral Administration for a 48,000 student system according to best practice should be no more than 535 FTEs. This was adequate for a system of 63,000 students in 2003. We now have 750 FTE’s for 15,000 fewer students. Central office expenditures are defined as those that do not serve students directly, i.e.,?excluding?expenditures from central accounts that do serve students directly such as special education related services (e.g., speech therapy, OT/PT), security guards, cafeteria workers, athletics, utilities.Currently it will take about 22.5 million for DCPS to maintain its current budget and not supplant the at risk funds. We are working on getting these funds allocated but regardless the money should flow more directly the at risk students. In first year, depending on budget, an additional 7.5millionof at risk funds should to go directly to students to supplement those schools’ budgets not supplant basic services. Family and Community Engagement DCPS works with and supports principals to empower Local School Advisory teams as partners in local school operations. This chancellor comes at a moment where the 5 goals proposed by Chancellor Henderson reach the 5 year mark and we are poised to write a 5 year Educational plan (not just goals) for DCPS. It can only succeed if our full community is engaged in its authorship. This community engagement could look like the work of the student assignment group where composed mainly of parents and community members established the priorities and then took them to the wider community. They listened to the feedback and incorporated changes. It was well staffed and the process was very well thought through. The education plan done in May of 2005 also had a good outline and a good process and might provide a template.Educational growth (not limited to test performance)Oakland used Smarter Balanced – we would welcome an assessment that did a better job measuring growthIncrease in measures of social and emotional learningThe State Board of Education is working with the larger community on a more balanced approach as part of ESSA. As these are developed they may give us the kind of measures that will lead to a broader, deeper educational experience for our students. ................
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