A principal from an award-winning middle school in the area submitted this opinion piece to today's Post Gazette, Slaying the Testing Beast. Greg Taranto, the principal of Canonsburg Middle School, was named 2012 Middle Level Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.
Parents and educators must start speaking out and talking to our school districts, school boards and state and federal legislators. State and federal legislators are especially important, because they are the ones mandating tests such as the PSSA and the Keystones and thus tying the hands of district officials and school boards.Instead of having breakfasts and pizza lunches with students (What's next? Nap time with preschoolers?), wouldn't it be "great" to have great parents and coffee - great combination - great way to start the day?
I am sure that parents would love to discuss how standardized tests are out of control with Timmy. Then there is the Keystone Report. Pennsylvania Teacher Union Lashes Out at Critics, Foes Timmy can perpetuate PSEA’s “Big Lie” that Corbett had cut $1 billion from state funding for K-12 education in Pennsylvania.
Those are just two examples which should be on our super Super's radar, instead of pizza and breakfast. A third topic over coffee might be our budget, but then we would have to call it Coffee and Kleenex. Wouldn't it be "great" if our superintendent would have more important matters on his mind besides food and talking magical frogs?
19 comments:
We're in the midst of a high school renovation where auditorium sound systems and curtains are missing, the cafeteria never had provisions for the kids to sit at tables and enjoy their lunches and boillers didn't have access to water, but this huy has time for breakfast and pizza lunches with 7-10 kids.
This is the management of the district we're paying for?
How about sitting in his office with a red pen and figuring out how to reduce the $2.6 million deficit in the budget?
And no-- blaming Corbett for not sending more money doesn't count!
"Do School Districts have to Raise Property Taxes?
MARCH 25, 2011 | by ELIZABETH STELLE"
"For starters, property taxes have skyrocketed, even as state aid has increased and with the "property tax relief" from slot machine gambling. Likewise, school districts have hoarded over $2.5 billion in reserve funds.
A study by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accounts suggests four ways school districts could save over one billion dollars while avoiding teacher layoffs or tax increases. Their recommendations include cutting administrative staff in half, establishing a central administrative office for each county and limiting administrative and office costs to 4.3 percent of a school district's budget—the ratio found in the commonwealth's most efficient districts."
"Further, if all 500 school districts agree to freeze teacher pay for one year, the commonwealth could save $400 million dollars, according to the Corbett administration. In an economy where many wish they had a salary to freeze, the request seems reasonable and is especially appropriate considering the desire to protect taxpayers from property tax hikes.
In Lancaster, eight local school districts have started down this path set to enact voluntarypay freezes for 900 administrative and support staff saving over $1 million. But only four of these districts are asking teachers to agree to a one year freeze; teachers are scheduled to receive, on average, a 3.6 percent increase in 2011-12."
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/policyblog/detail/do-school-districts-have-to-raise-property-taxes
They'd be doing the above suggestions... "FOR THE KIDS!"
The Almanac says:
USC wants iPads for every middle school student
$86,400 for three years.
Unfortunately, this board can't fit it under the Act 1 referendum limits because of how they did the high school bonds.
Someone ought to be fired over the high school bonds. Our kids should have iPads that are interactive with the white boards in their classrooms. Apple can set it up if we pay for them. I bet they don't come out of our fund raising because the Board is too busy kissing the a-- of deadbeats and our teachers are too busy collecting pensions and retirement healthcare benefits.
In Lancaster 8 school districts froze admistrators and staff pay. USC's administrator voluntarily froze their own pay.
In Lebo ours got lucrative pay raises and $1,000 bonuses to boot!
Yeah, the budget shortfall is Corbett's fault.
Believe that and I have a bridge over Horsman I want to sell you.
Time for a retirement party?
Thought of you!
Years of Math 1950 - 2013
Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $ 2. and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register.
I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.
Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
1. Teaching Math In 1950s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit ?
2.. Teaching Math In 1960s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
3. Teaching Math In1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
5. Teaching Math In 1990s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20.. What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok.)
6. Teaching Math In 2009
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?
7. Teaching Math In 2013
Who cares, just steal the lumber from your rich neighbor's property. He won't have a gun to stop you, and the President says it's OK anyway, because it is just redistributing the wealth!
8. TERC MATH
I sent a joke similar to this one to the school board a couple of years ago and Mary Birks responded with it was the most offensive email she ever received "and that's saying a lot!" Warning. Don't send it to the school board, or at least not to Mary Birks.
Elaine
Offensive is blaming everyone and everything but yourself for a $2.6 million shortfall in the budget while the district is sitting on $9 million.
Parents should know that they have the legal right to opt their children out of PSSAs for "religious reasons". An email to your school principal with a CC to the superintendent that states your objection generally qualifies. Parents do not have to provide a detailed explanation.
Your child can stay home from school during testing and engage in activities with you or other caretakers, or would be directed to the school library. Some parents take their kids on trips to local museums, etc.
Today's NYTIMES describes some of the major shortcomings of these onerous tests, including the year round narrowing of curriculum and instruction resulting in a the loss of a meaningful education. Remarkably, there's no mention of the stress and monotony placed on students within a culture of obsessive examination.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/nyregion/standing-up-to-testing.html?_r=0
Funny... Where's the testing for teachers? The union afraid most would fail...
Testing companies are making billions off of our kids and our district doesn't want to acknowledge the harm this cultural of testing is doing to education. It is a shame that our administrators aren't standing up against it as Mr. Taranto. I have to admit, I am almost tempted to move to Cannon-Mac so my kids can have that kind of leadership example!
As for opting out, 5:16, you are almost correct in saying that a simple email will do. The state also requires that you review the test which must be done on school property for confidentiality. (We couldn't have anyone revealing what they saw so their kids could have a leg up!) These meetings usually take 5-10 mnutes. Your letter can be handed in at that time. I am not sure if emails are sufficient in other districts but ours has asked those of us who opt out to do so with a letter. They are concerned that an email could be more easily forged by a student.
I am not sure how many families in Mt. Lebanon chose to opt-out this year, but the number is growing. I would encourage anyone who has questions about it to do some research.
Two thoughts:
We would not have a budget crisis if the board have voted a fair contract to all instead go a 4.54% teacher-salary increase in the 2013-2014 school year and a 4.59% teacher-salary increase in the 2014-2015 school year. Pensions would not have been under as much pressure either.
The next battle the PSEA is going to have to fight is financially strapped school districts enrolling their teachers in Affordable Health Care plans administered by insurance companies. The teachers will receive a given amount to pay for health care each year of the contract and have to pay the rest from their own pockets. When the premiums go up yearly so will the teachers contribution to health care which is now only 6%.. Too bad we don't have the financial acumen to negotiate that into the next teachers contract.
It really is time for Dr. Steinhauer to run the board instead of the teachers union running Dr. Steinhauer.
Who do you think Steinhauer would prefer to deal with, the teachers union or angry parents?
What are angry parents going to do after Cappucci cuts off their 5 minutes at the microphone-- strike?
Steinhauer could just call in the PD to clear the board meeting. The union can put up a fight!
Ask Birks to explain this one!
If she's really looking out first "for the kids" and second her constituents, it shouldn't be hard to explain why she believes the Commonwealth Foundation is the liar and the union isn't.
The $1 Billion Lie Exposed
MARCH 4, 2014 | by ELIZABETH STELLE
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) took out full-page, color ads in several major state newspapers last week proclaiming Gov. Corbett "closed neighborhood schools" and laid off teachers in Philadelphia through massive education funding cuts. In the western part of the state the ad warns, "Don’t let Allegheny County be the next Philadelphia."
These ads were grossly misleading. State funding for public schools is at an all-time high. The $1 billion in "cuts" was the expiration of temporary federal stimulus money.
So we ran our own ad today correcting the record.
AFT claims Gov. Corbett and state lawmakers "cut $1 billion" in education spending in the state budget. But the real facts about education spending are something else entirely.
The 2013-14 budget spends nearly $10 billion and the proposed 2014-15 budget calls for $10.1 billion for PreK-12 schools—an all-time high, even exceeding when the state budget included federal stimulus funds. As you can see in the chart below, the AFT's claims are simply untrue.
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/policyblog/detail/the-1-billion-lie-exposed
Be aware that our state senator Matt Smith and representative Dan Miller, both Democrat's, share and echo the AFT and PSEA false beliefs about the education funding. They all believe that throwing more tax dollars into the failing education system in PA will solve the problems. The only real beneficiaries to increased education taxes are the local education union employees. It's a quid pro quo to the teachers unions for financing their campaigns and electing them.
11:02,
Our reps got bot.
No, 11:44 our reps are just pandering to the voting bloc that will keep them in office.
The teachers union can get out the vote for the candidate that promises to put the most money in their pockets.
With nearly 70% of voters not showing up at election time the politicians are looking out for their own interest. Plain and simple.
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/issues/detail/the-government-union-power-cycle
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