Discussion Points in Accountability

2010-01-10T14:56:16-08:00

1. Randomization in educational research is almost impossible, even more so in international studies.

2. Ed research should be a dialogue. Participation should include the evaluated, the design and the process of rating.

3. Instruction looks most effective when the curriculum and the evaluation are aligned. Is this teaching to the test?

4. The instruments of evaluation are predominately norm referenced in design- not criterion referenced.

5. Evaluation of process is more possible now.

6. Most comparative studies reflect correlations rather than cause and effect. This is true of test scores.

7. Education placement and decisions are predominately political.

8. Reducing the gaps does not necessarily raise the standards.

9. Holistic research suffers from cost overload.

10. The most enduring instruction occurs when the teacher is learning.

11. Do professional incentives improve instruction?

12. Is multiple-choice accountability project-valid?

13. The teaching profession is treated as a labor force.

14. The educator to a man shuns national standards and is a reluctant participant in local standards. However only a commitment will lead to resolution of critical ed issues.

Budget Crisis Solved by Arizona’s Teachers

2009-11-24T15:23:35-08:00

In a special session the Arizona legislature passed a budget which will make substantial cuts to education at the state universities ($142 million) and in K-12 ($133 million). State Superintendent Tom Horne estimates the cost will be about 2% in each district. Attached to this is a set of policies restrictions that will change the meaning of getting hired as a teacher forever. When considering a reduction of force dismissal or recall from same, senority will not be allowed to be considered. Teachers salaries will be set individually and not by experience. Existing salaries can be reduced on a person by person basis rather than equitably across the board. Evaluation deadlines are reduced or eliminated.

Persons arguing for this new order see it as invoking the goals and objectives of the race to the top. The intent is to tie retention of employees to student performance without the fussiness of knowing how to do it. The immediate impact of these changes will be faltering because all teachers have contracts in hand which are based on the forbidden length of serviced category and displaced evaluation procedures. However, the state is already next to last in pupil expenditures and next year’s budget promises even greater funding reductions and it is impossible to see how anyone will escape the upcoming carnage. Next year’s already predicted greater budget collapse will cause RIFs which will exclude seniority criteria and evaluation schedules. Teachers salaries would be set individually and by yet to be established criteria. This is not an administrative maneuver because the professional policies that the building has followed will all need to be restructured. Every principal will to find out what the criteria for evaluation, retention and now salary for each teacher individually. And each step will require board review and approval and negotiations and legal explanations. Hopefully, the improvement will be so dramatic that the need for new lawyers could be met.

The assumption is that the new order will award contracts and salaries on the basis of results. So will our ag specialist be held accountable for the reading, math or correctness of expression scores? Or perhaps it would be better to withhold his pay until it’s determined what percent of his students complete a 4 year college degree. Maybe the year’s paychecks could be passed out at high school graduation. At all grade levels, the unmotivated student will be a direct threat to the teacher’s longevity. Now, let’s admit that building motivation is a big part of the job and there are already schemes to provide payback to students for good grades, but this will add reverse bribery to the curriculum of teacher’s colleges.

Chalk Talk with Sharron and Virgil Walker

Discussion Points in Accountability

Budget Crisis Solved by Arizona’s Teachers