Never Underestimate Your Ability to Get the Message Out

The following came to us from Julian Smith, an Indiana Teacher...

I share this little anecdote to put an exclamation mark on a point.

I took my son Brooks to a walkin clinic yesterday to get a strep test. While we were waiting on the results, the nurse practioner commented, "So you say you're a teacher?"

I responded, "No, I didn't say, but yes I am."

She continues, "So what did you think of the election?"

Says I, "Well, if you're referring to the Glenda Ritz race, and her beating Tony Bennett, I'm still simply ecstatic. How do you feel about it?"

Then she drops the bomb on me. She says, "I'm a Republican, but I voted for Ritz." She then ask me, "Didn't you write a couple letters to the newspaper?"

I tell her, "Yes in fact I did, but how did you remember my name and connect it to a random guy coming through this clinic? "

Her reply was simply, "I read a lot."

She then went on to tell me if it weren't for the letters in the paper and all the talk on Facebook, she would have voted for Bennett as she had no other way to get informed. She says, "He sure had some good ads, but when I read what teachers had to say about him and his brand of reform, I realized he must be a pretty slick operator." She went on to say, "He sure did an effective job of making it look like it was all for kids, but the more I read, the more I suspected it was cover for his effort to privatize public schools."

At that point, once I got my jaw picked up from the floor, I told her she should consider being a detective because she possessed some formidable powers of intuition to get all that from reading a few letters in the paper and some post on Facebook:-)

...and here's the reality. There must have been nearly a million other nonteacher voters that made their decision the same way. They heard the voices and concerns of thousands of teachers, and they placed their confidence in teacher assessment rather than a ficticious slick glitzy campaign ad based on fantasy. This fact is incredibly uplifting, encouraging, and empowering.

So, now we have another duty and responsibility, as if you need more! Now, we must keep talking, and keep telling the story, and informing those that entrusted their votes to our judgement. We can not and must not retreat to the seeming security of our classrooms, close the door, and bear the brunt of the Republican bellicose bullies. Silence is no longer an option.

Here's the point. Never underestimate your ability to get the message out. It will resonate with someone. It doesn't cost anything to write a letter or speak a few words, except the investment of a tiny bit of time. When they are published or spoken, people take note. And when exposed to truth, many will be influenced to come to the aid of our common cause with their votes and to advocate for children and our public schools with their voices.

--
Julian Smith
President JCCTA
ISTA/IPACE
Units 3/F,G and H

Stop Race to the Top

For those of you looking for a way to stop the Race to the Top, please join the national campaign to stop the Race to the Top. Tuesday is the day that Hoosier citizens have been asked to call.

Call the White House. A national campaign to stop Race to the Top.
Contact the White House weekly at 202-456-1111 on your state’s designated day.

Message: Give all students the same education your girls are getting! Abandon Race to the Top and stop privatizing public schools.

MONDAY
1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia

TUESDAY
1. Hawaii
2. Idaho
3. Illinois
4. Indiana
5. Iowa
6. Kansas
7. Kentucky
8. Louisiana
9. Maine
10. Maryland

WEDNESDAY
1. Massachusetts
2. Michigan
3. Minnesota
4. Mississippi
5. Missouri
6. Montana
7. Nebraska
8. Nevada
9. New Hampshire
10. New Jersey

THURSDAY
1. New Mexico
2. New York
3. North Carolina
4. North Dakota
5. Ohio
6. Oklahoma
7. Oregon
8. Pennsylvania
9. Rhode Island
10. South Carolina

FRIDAY
1. South Dakota
2. Tennessee
3. Texas
4. Utah
5. Vermont
6. Virginia
7. Washington
8. West Virginia
9. Wisconsin
10. Wyoming

Petition to Support Public Education in Indiana

Some folks have started a petition to ask the governor and legislature to acknowledge that Glenda Ritz, the Superintendent of Public Instruction-elect was elected to change the plan which Tony Bennett has been pushing in Indiana.

Click HERE to sign the petition.

Here's the content:

Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as our new Superintendent of Public Instruction by a large margin. She received roughly 1,300,000 votes--about 100,000 more votes than the governor-elect, Mike Pence. Now, however, Governor Daniels refuses to acknowledge that our election of Glenda Ritz sent a clear message on the direction of school reform, saying instead: "The consensus and momentum for reform and change in Indiana is rock solid." Governor-elect Mike Pence is also choosing to interpret the election results as a "strong affirmation on the progress of education reform in this state," (Journal Gazette 11/8/12). On the contrary: when Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as superintendent, we rejected the top-down, corporate reform model imposed by the state. We embraced Ritz's platform and her research-backed proposals to support and improve our public schools.

Petition Letter

Dear Governor, Indiana Legislators and D.O.E. Board,

Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as Superintendent of Public Instruction by a large margin. She received roughly 1,300,000 votes--about 100,000 more votes than the governor-elect, Mike Pence. We call upon Governor Daniels, future governor Mike Pence, the D.O.E. Board, and our legislature to respect voters' clear message on the direction of public education in Indiana. We affirm our support for our candidate and her platform:

"More time to education, less time to testing" The use of high-stake testing to judge children, schools, and communities harms the process of teaching and learning.

"More control to local school districts to implement state and federal standards" Local schools need resources and support, not rigid dictates.

"Clear the barriers to quality vocational education" Schools must be given the flexibility to support a vibrant curriculum for high school students' vocational interests.

"Make teacher licensing and evaluation standards top in the nation" All children should be taught by qualified instructors. Effective teacher preparation programs are vital, and teacher licensing should be based upon comprehensive, effective teacher preparation.

"Stop the flow of public tax dollars to private education companies running take-over schools"

We believe public tax dollars belong in public schools. All school districts in Indiana deserve equitable funding.

The vote for Glenda Ritz is a mandate for the protection of the child's constitutional right to a free, high-quality public education as articulated in Article 8, Section 1 of the Indiana State Constitution, funded by tax dollars.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

And here's another one which seems to be specifically directed at supporters of Mike Pence, the Indiana Governor-elect.

November 9, 2012: Question of the Day

Do you think that Mike Pence and the Indiana legislators are representing your choice of direction for public education?

What can we as educators, parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens do to push back against the legislators who refuse to acknowledge that we voted against these ill conceived reforms?

~~~

Click the question mark below to see all our Questions of the Day or click the link in the sidebar.

~~~

FWCS Seeks Input on School Choice

Krista J. Stockman
Public Information Officer
Fort Wayne Community Schools
www.fortwayneschools.org
Phone: 260.467.2022
Fax: 260.467.1980
We Are Your Schools

FWCS Seeks Input on School Choice

Fort Wayne Community Schools is reaching out to parents and community members to better understand what influences their decisions when choosing a school for their children.

A School Choice Survey will be launched Wednesday, Nov. 7, to gather feedback about numerous factors, including awareness of school choice options and the priority given to school environment, school success and the availability of student support services.

“We understand that parents have many choices — both within Fort Wayne Community Schools and outside of the District —when deciding where to send their children to school,” said Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson. “We also recognize and appreciate that parents know their children’s educational needs best and put much thought into their final decision. This survey will help us better understand the factors that lead to those decisions.”

Working once again with independent research and communication firm K12 Insight, the survey is accessible through a link on the YourVoice section of the District’s website at http://fwcs.k12.in.us/admin/yourvoice.php. All answers are strictly confidential. Last year, the district partnered with K12 Insight on community-wide surveys focusing on aging school facilities and how best to direct funds from the FWCS Foundation.

Parents who have provided the district with their e-mail addresses will receive e-mail invitations to participate, but the survey is open to everyone in the FWCS community. Those interested in participating may provide their e-mail addresses through the Your Voice portal to ensure receipt of future surveys. Parents will be invited to participate in the survey this week while attending Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents without computer access will be allowed to use computers at their child’s school at other times as well. Others without Internet access can visit a branch of the Allen County Public Library for access. Residents may also call the school district at467-2020 to request a paper copy of the survey. The goal is to ensure community-wide participation and feedback.

The survey closes on Friday, Nov. 30. The District will use the results of the survey as a basis for discussion in public work sessions conducted by the FWCS Board of School Trustees.

“Fort Wayne Community Schools is proud of our policy allowing students to attend any school in the district, based on space availability,” Robinson said. “Each of our schools strives to offer quality instruction, innovative programs and student support systems to create the best learning environment possible for every student. And for those parents who have chosen to send their children to schools outside of the district, their honest input will greatly help us understand where we need to focus our efforts so that we can best achieve our goal of being every family’s school system of choice.”

With nearly 32,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is Indiana's second-largest school district. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 51 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.

Vic’s Election Notes on Education #10– November 4, 2012

Dear Friends,

For advocates for public education, the choice in the gubernatorial race is clear. Only John Gregg can give Glenda Ritz a new State Board of Education to repair the flawed A-F system and to give education policies a new direction in support of public education in Indiana.

The Democrats, John Gregg for Governor and Vi Simpson for Lt. Governor, are both advocates for public education. In my direct observations in the Statehouse since I started watching the General Assembly in 1997, both have consistently voted to provide better funding for public schools. John Gregg as Speaker of the House and Vi Simpson as a leading member of the finance committee have been direct participants in building the school funding formula, and I came to know them both as true friends of public schools. Both have consistently voted against public money going to private school tuition via vouchers or tax credits. Vi Simpson was the leader of the Democrats in the Senate when all 13 Democrats voted against the 2011 voucher bill. It was not enough, but she spoke eloquently in support of public schools.

The Republicans, Mike Pence for Governor and Sue Ellspermann for Lt. Governor, are not advocates for public education. Mike Pence has made it clear he would not restore the $300 million cut from public school funding in the revenue crisis of December 2009. He voted for private school vouchers for Washington, DC, a highly controversial measure that barely passed Congress nearly a decade ago. Congress then ended the DC voucher program in the huge February 2009 stimulus bill. In tough budget bargaining after the 2010 elections, the resurgent Republican caucus brought DC vouchers back to life. Mike Pence has vocally supported vouchers throughout these legislative battles. He has endorsed an expansion of Indiana’s new voucher program and has said he wants to invest more money into it. The current voucher program was sold as a cost savings because to be eligible students must be in a public school first and then transfer to a private school. No doubt he would like to remove that restriction. Sue Ellspermann, in her only session as a member of the General Assembly, voted for the 2011 voucher law that I and many other public school advocates had strongly opposed.

For their support of public education, I support John Gregg for Governor and Vi Simpson for Lt. Governor.

The State Board of Education: Appointed by the Governor

The biggest impact John Gregg could have on correcting the direction of education in Indiana would be to bring us a new State Board of Education. The current board has two recent appointees, but the veterans on the board have a long record of ignoring stakeholders on key issues:

1. The April 2010 public hearing on whether schools should have letter grades attracted 57 speakers, and 56 opposed the plan. No member of the State Board was there to listen. A week later, the board voted with only one dissenting vote to have letter grades with no formula in place for how the grades would be determined.
2. The January 2012 public hearing on how the grades would be determined attracted 35 speakers, and they all opposed the plan, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Charter School Association. Only one member of the 11-member board was there to listen. Three weeks later, the board passed the controversial A-F system which undervalues our schools and hurts out-of-state job recruitment by giving 18% D’s and F’s while Florida, a state that Indiana outperforms on the National Assessment, gives 6% of its schools D’s and F’s.
3. The June 2012 public hearing on lowering the standards for teacher licensing, known as REPA 2, attracted 30 speakers, and they all opposed the plan. Only one member of the State Board was there to listen. They have conveniently put off the final vote on this controversial change until after the election.

Indiana needs a State Board of Education that will listen to the stakeholders when they have concerns. Absentee board members say they read the testimony, but that is no substitute for being there to listen in person to those who have driven to the hearing to express their concerns and, in some cases, their outrage.

We don’t have legislative hearings in the General Assembly without a quorum present. We need a State Board that attends public hearings. We need a State Board that listens to the people.

Historical Perspective

I have been totally amazed at the differences a decade has made in the State Board. After the new accountability plan (PL 221) was passed in 1999, the State Board held several hearings over a two year period before all parties came together to agree on a plan, the one that lasted from October 2001 until Tony Bennett dismantled it in February 2012. The State Board in 2001, appointed by Gov. O’Bannon, actually attended the hearings and listened. They withdrew proposed plans and started over at least twice before a final plan was agreed to by all. Dr. Reed and the State Board were acting as mediators between the business community and the education community to devise the best plan, and a compromise plan was finally reached in October 2001.

Now fast forward to 2012. The education community and the business community testified in agreement in January’s public hearing that the proposed A-F system was flawed. It didn’t matter. This State Board didn’t care to listen to stakeholders. They and Dr. Bennett had the votes, and they passed the A-F system that every speaker thought was defective. Only John Gregg can correct this injustice and reign in the State Board of Education from its policies which undervalue our schools and lower the standards for becoming a teacher in Indiana.

It’s Time to Vote

This is the last in my series of “Election Notes” because the election is two days away. The direction of public education in Indiana would improve remarkably if Glenda Ritz and John Gregg can be elected. There are still many things you can do in this grassroots campaign to bring victory:

1. Call people. Think of other friends and family across the state who may not have heard about these education issues. Give then a quick call on Monday.
2. Visit people. Going door-to-door to homes where they don’t know you is best done between 4pm and 6pm on Monday. Print off your Glenda Ritz handouts from the attachment and spend two more hours talking with neighbors. I was out Sunday afternoon and found an encouraging number of neighbors who have already heard of the problems Tony Bennett’s policies have caused for public schools.
3. Distribute Ritz handouts at a polling place on Tuesday. This is probably a self-appointed task because it’s a big state and the Ritz campaign can only organize people to do this in some locations. Copy off a supply of handouts and stand outside your favorite polling place for as many hours as you can arrange. Give a friendly invitation to all who come to vote to consider Glenda Ritz as you hand them a flyer. This can make a bigger difference in the election than you might think. I have done this at my polling place for several years, and each time I can count between 10 and 20 votes that I have influenced because I am a neighbor they know and I have information about a race they have not heard much about. Now consider what a 10 vote swing in every precinct in the state would mean in the totals. That is the potential. Go for it!

The future of public education in Indiana is at a crossroads in this election. Will we elect a leader who will continue down the road to privatization and for-profit takeover schools, or will we elect a leader who will focus public money on public schools and return common sense to grading schools and testing students?

This is a democracy, and we have our chance to influence this choice. I urge you to vigorously share your thoughts with voters for two more days, and then let the people speak. This election will set the path for education in Indiana for years to come.

Keep up the good work!
Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Vic’s Election Notes on Education #9– November 3, 2012

Dear Friends,

Tony Bennett’s school letter grade system has produced D’s and F’s for 18.6% of all Indiana Schools, in contrast to Florida where 6% of all schools get D’s and F’s. Yet Indiana clearly outscores Florida on a common test taken in all states, the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The evidence that Indiana schools perform better than Florida schools can be found here, which is the testimony I gave in Public Comments after letter grades were approved and made public at the October 31st meeting of the State Board of Education. I wanted to make sure board members had seen the actual National Assessment results which show they are undervaluing Indiana schools compared to Florida. Despite all the tax breaks and business recruitment efforts made by the General Assembly to attract businesses to Indiana, don’t look for any businesses to move here from Florida or from other places when our schools have been undervalued by a flawed system.

The state totals announced on Wednesday were –

41.0% of schools were graded A
20.1% of schools were graded B
20.4% of schools were graded C
11.6% of schools were graded D
  7.0% of schools were graded F

While Tony Bennett called this “a positive day,” the system remains flawed and mystifying to many educators, especially at the elementary and middle school level. Consider these two schools that Tony Bennett apparently believes are “bad” schools:

• Liberty Early elementary in MSD Decatur got a D. It serves only pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. These students have not been tested on ISTEP+. So how did they get a D? In Tony Bennett’s drive to hold every school accountable, early childhood centers are given grades based on the average of the elementary schools that they feed students to. The elementary students are tested in grades 3 through 6, so Liberty Early elementary was graded on the performance of students that the school has not interacted with for three years.
• William Bell School #60 in the Indianapolis Public Schools got an F. It serves only K through 2 students who have not taken ISTEP+. It reopened this year as a Reggio magnet school under the guidance of Butler University. Nearly all of the students are new this year under the new magnet program philosophy, yet under the feeder school rule cited above and based on students from past years, Tony Bennett celebrated its rebirth by giving it an F.

Has all common sense left Tony Bennett in implementing this A-F system?

The Indiana Growth Model

The controversial growth model is used for elementary and middle schools in the A-F system to bump up or bump down the grade after the primary grade is determined based on total percent passing. Growth is based on bell-curve statistics comparing students to a statewide cohort of peers. The growth metrics continue to produce mystifying and inexplicable results which anger educators:

Exhibit 1

One frustrated principal in northern Indiana had a 5th grader who has scored Pass+ since the 3rd grade who this year scored 39 scale score points above the Pass+ cut off score for English/Language Arts. Yet, the student was marked as “Low Growth.” The principal asked “How is that possible?” with an added comment “It is so maddening.”

Indeed.

Exhibit 2

The Indiana Association Public School Superintendents has distributed an analysis of the growth model written by Chris Himsel, superintendent of Northwest Allen County Schools and formerly the director of testing in Lafayette. His comments, dated October 26th, are telling:

“Because the score is based on a normal curve that compares kids within score bands, no predictability or transparency exists. Likewise, kids whose scores increase at a rate 2 or 3 times the rate that the cut score increases can be low growth while other students whose scale score decreases compared to the previous year can be considered high growth – it all depends on who the student is compared to. Likewise, a student whose score increases 25 points may be high growth one year, and a different student in the same grade level the following year may be considered low growth for the exact same 25 point increase the next year. This does not make sense and does not measure growth. It measures competition among students and assumes no matter how much or how little learning is taking place that some students are high, others are typical, and some are low. . . .

I will need to explain it to parents and media members in the next few weeks, and I do not know how I will accomplish it since I do not understand it myself. I do not understand how some students can have their score decrease and be considered high growth while others see dramatic increases in their scale score and are considered low growth. I do not understand how one cut off for determining growth bonus points or growth penalty points is 36.2%, another is 42.5%, another 39.2%, another is 44.9%, etc. It looks like the policymakers are trying to determine a cut off that identifies a particular quantity of students or schools in certain categories. “

His full statement was written in response to a legislator who had asked about the A-F system, and he attached a page which you can find here showing how random and unpredictable scores can be under Tony Bennett’s Indiana Growth Model. The attached page alone is a powerful indictment of how the system plays out and gives a strong rationale for revising the A-F formula.

Exhibit 3

A central Indiana superintendent and principal have verified that an elementary student with a perfect score for two years in a row was labeled as “Low Growth.” An appeal to IDOE made no difference.

Yes, that said “perfect score.” How many individuals and schools need to be hurt by this system before we conclude that it must be revised?

That’s three strikes, and this A-F system should be out.

What more needs to be said. We need a change.

The Election is in Three Days

After all the hearings and all the commentary about problems in the A-F system, Tony Bennett has not listened and continues to enthusiastically defend the system. Elections in a democracy were devised for situations like this. When leaders don’t listen, new leaders can be elected. Voting for Glenda Ritz is the only avenue left to correct the A-F system that has already damaged many schools and stands to hurt economic development efforts in many communities.

A new poll announced Friday (Nov. 2nd) shows Tony Bennett at 40% and Glenda Ritz at 36%. Obviously, many remain undecided. Your efforts today, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday could make THE difference in bringing victory to this improbable grassroots campaign to defeat the million-dollar campaign of Tony Bennett propelled by out-of-state money.

Here is a Glenda Ritz handout that you can copy and take door-to-door in the closing days of this race. Does participation in our democracy make a difference? Absolutely.

The candidate with the most votes on Tuesday will set policies for the next four years. Before the election, please reach out to 20 additional friends and neighbors who are undecided or unaware of these issues to make sure that the next four years will be led by Glenda Ritz. Your work at the grassroots will make all the difference.

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.