It's not fair, and it's the reason I chose a charter school over IPS when I got my degree two years ago. At IPS (and other union schools with declining enrollment) even if you're the best teacher in the building, if you don't have seniority, you're screwed.
I hate to burst your charter school bubble but many charters around the country are laying off teachers too, some even mid year. Seven students have left the school this year, but officials chose not to fill those vacancies with students on the waiting list, as they usually would have, in an effort to save money. With budget cuts no school is immune. Charters aren't keeping the "best", they are keeping those who have their classes filled. I am speaking in regards to the high school/jr. high levels especially the elective classes Tulsa is one of many charter area: "We have no buses, no food service. All of our funds are either in facilities or staff and supplies. That's why we're really struggling with it," Maddox said. "Our students and families even donated supplies, including copy paper and Kleenex, this year."
Cali is slashing 25 percent of their charter teachers
Don't forget IPS teachers to request your financial leader to see where the "Save Our Teachers" stiumulus fund went. It has to be used for next school year and I am sure IPS received millions of dollars---make them be accountable for the money.
Seven students have left the school this year, but officials chose not to fill those vacancies with students on the waiting list, as they usually would have, in an effort to save money. ====
That was the quote from one OK charter school--
what is the point of charters if they are turning students away?
All I know is I would have been laid off if I had taken the IPS job, and I'm not being laid off at my charter school. My sympathies to Maddox in Tulsa, but many charter schools are doing pretty well here in Indy.
Generally they are hand delivered, by your administrator, or sent to you address...and the names will be in the board report soon. They want to give teacher an opportunity to save their jobs by mentioning other areas of certification...so if you teach music and are cut, but you are also certified in el ed, and the cuts aren't as deep in el ed, you can displace another teacher...so don't think you are safe if you don't get a notice immediately...but also realize that you will be the first called back.
The licensed staff at our school got notified, 'who stays and who goes' as part of the turnaround process today! It really is so so sad, almost like death. To see so many dedicated teachers told they are not wanted:( How did we ever get to this point that teachers who spend their lives helping kids are the problem!
People who write these laws are crazy, if a building does not turn around after replacing the staff the building is suppose to be closed...now what are we to do, demolish the school, build a new one and hope the "new" building helps kids pass.
Long ago I worked at school 15, where I saw teachers bring kids up a year and a half to two years in one school year...but the kids started kindergarten three to three and a half years behind developmentally, these teachers were miracle workers...but the school never met AYP, because in order to do that they would have had to raise kids up 3 to 4 years in one year...so they were labeled failures and the school was "re-constituted"...and very little has changed except the new teacher faces don't know or love the community as much as those who worked there before...so here is a shout out to all those old school 15, Woodie Litz teachers...you were miracle workers not failures, no matter what anyone else says...
I don't know anyone at a charter with more than 4 years paid experience. Most new teachers that I've worked with usually are too busy hitting Broad Ripple on weekends or worrying about who to marry. Then when that's done with and they get married seems like they are on maternity leave every other year. There is something to be said about experienced teachers. This media love affair with new teachers is all about MONEY..saving it, not spending it on people who have honed their skills.
Join the club. FWCS did the same thing. After preaching "relationships" were the key to student success they closed one school and mixed up three others either moving staff/admin. around and riffing great personnel whom the students loved and respected. Many of those riffed teachers were never brought back. Then FWCS went out and hired over a hundred new teachers leaving riffed teachers out of the picture saying they weren't meeting the areas of certification the schools were seeking (total bull) Unfortunately in turnaround schools they can basically do whatever they want in "the name of the kids" another bull statement. Teachers in the "LEAD" schools in FWCS are not allowed to file grievances aka can be terminated at anytime, can be transferred to another school without explanation. I agree with the statement from others regarding the older, seasoned, experienced teachers. By the time teachers get to this point they have raised their families and have a large amount of time to spend teaching, with their students, extracurriculars and community involvement. Unfortunately they cost more than the state or schools want to spend But, lets remember all these changes are suppose to help our youth...........another "bull" statement
Justin Hunter is destroying school 15. After 2 years, many of us that were hired transferred as quickly as possible. Those of us who go to know the community were reprimanded by Hunter for doing a better job than him.... Al that remains is a bunch of people who have their heads up his ass and a few dedicated teachers that love the kids. I was lucky and got out to another school in IPS while I could, one that cares about students and with a principal who does not always need to be in the limelight.
All teachers who are currently working under a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) should receive a RIF. Then later, when teachers are called back, don't call the PIPs back.
You may no longer be anonymous on this blog. Someone needs to figure out how to set up a proxie server, and set one up to protect people on this blog, including the blog master. For the time being I would not name any names.
To the teacher from school 15, I do agree that bringing children up a grade level and a half to two grades in one year should count as improvement for AYP, even if they still don't pass ISTEP. I think that was your overall point, and I agree with it. But I also think it's silly to deflect the blame from the school for the fact that they got so behind in the first place. The kids did NOT start kindergarten 3 to 3 1/2 years behind developmentally unless they were all profoundly mentally retarded. At most a new kindergarten student who doesn't know how to hold a pencil, sing the alphabet or differentiate colors, could be said to be a half-grade behind grade level. For children to be 3 to 4 grade levels behind by late grade school means virtually no progress has been made at all throughout the entire school career. There is no explanation for that other than gross negligence by school staff.
I'm anonymous because I already post using a proxy server, but i agree that the blog master wouldn't be if he/she broke the law. But surely he/she knows that.
They did the Peabody Picture Vocab test with these children, and scored it to neighborhood standards, so if the question is "where do you buy milk?" and the kid pointed to a gas station they counted it as a correct answer, since there are no "supermarkets" in that area. I believe, and it was years ago, 6 out of the roughly 100 kids tested were with in normal scores, everyone else was anywhere from 18 months to four years in language development. The amazing thing was by the end of first grade the majority had made up almost all of the deficit, except for the true special ed kids. Meanwhile the middle class and upper class kids continued to pull ahead due to good parenting, and the achievement gap continues to grow. You need to read Gladwell's Outliers on lack of progress in the "off season" of school and realize that this is where the achievement gap happens. When you get to upper elementary you also start to face a disengagement of students...and if you want read about motivation read Drive by Daniel Pink...because we are doing everything you need to do in schools to promote disengagement.
It is a sad day in this country when we have a judge following the precepts of China, and forcing media outlets to turn over IP addresses. Isn't this how Yahoo got in trouble with the US government here?
Yeah, my kids didn't do well on the Picture vocab either. They didn't recognize their version of a telephone, or their version of a brush, among many other things that my kids simply hadn't been exposed to. And I don't disagree that disadvantaged students are, well, disadvantaged. But I'm a teacher too, and you know as well as I do that what passes for education in IPS is often tragic. While we might not ever be able to get the exact same results as Hamilton County, we could give these kids a LOT more than what they're getting. I'm a secondary ed teacher, and it's extremely common for a student to say that I'm the first teacher who ever assigned readings at his/her reading level, or the first teacher who explained how the lesson would be useful outside of a classroom. That's education 101 type stuff, and the kids act like I made it up.
It is a chicken and egg thing, so you don't like what has been said about you on the blog, you sue to determine who said it...now that person is presumed to be guilty and their privacy is violated because you have decided what they said is not true. It is a presumption of guilt verses a presumption of innocents thing. Quite frankly most of what has been said here will never result in a law suit....because it is true. I know one principal who could never sue because what has been said about this person is the truth...downtown knows it, parents know it, and kids know it...and it has been allowed to continue. This person would never want their dirty laundry aired in public...it is bad enough it is our here on the blog.
Background knowledge and connections to the real world are the keys to closing the achievement gap...not more of the same academics...sure you can read about an elephant in a book, but nothing beats really seeing and smelling one at the zoo. But it isn't just taking kids places that builds background knowledge...it is talking to them and allowing them to make sense of what they see.
It is the same thing with turning the tv on...there are great educational experiences that can be achieved by watching something on TV, but the majority of kids that I see believe the TV is on because you have nothing better to do that day, so they ignore the content.... PEOPLE STOP SHOWING ENTERTAINMENT MOVIES....the only time the tv should be on is if you are using it to deliver specific educational content. You are training kids to ignore the tv if it is on for entertainment, and that means you need to be watching the content too...and be prepared to stop the program and ask questions to redirect students back to content.
Did you happen to see teen Jeopardy...the answer was Steinbeck, and every contestant got it...would our kids, heck no, because they are culturally illiterate because they do no real reading. And this is a system wide policy promoted by the use of Springboard. Dr. White keeps saying the word "Rigor" while promoting policies that remove all chance for rigor...no reading novels, no sustained silent reading, benchmark tests that require you cover x amount of content by X date. Kelly Gallagher says in Readicide "The biggest danger in sprinting through various readings in any content area is that we graduate students who do not develop an interest in any content area. Authentic interest is developed when students are given the opportunity to delve deeply into interesting ideas." To me this defines rigor...when was the last time in your class that students did a deep dive into something interesting?
My children attend IPS, and they have SSR. I understand your frustration, but I don't know how else we can measure what kids have learned, as well as what works and what doesn't without testing. What's the difference between a benchmark and the unit exams from 20 years ago?
Don't the magnet schools have different rules? I mean, I know they're still union, but aren't they their own little pool and not put in to the whole IPS district pool when laying off new hires?
Parent..An end of unit assessment is given when the teacher feels the students have had an opportunity to learn the content. They allow flexibility so if a formative assessment says the students do not understand some part of the content the teacher can use another approach and reteach it.
Benchmarks dates are determined by someone who has never seen the students based on when the "system" feels your child should have "covered the material"...there is no time for a teachable moment, and no time for a deep dive into something that captures particular students imagination or interest...we need to be at page 206 by March 15th...so it really doesn't matter what your circumstance is.
Yes, magnet school teachers are protected from RIF. But I'm not sure anyone has actually been laid off yet. The blogmaster might be smoking crack, lol.
Re: benchmarks, Like the above poster said, the benchmarks do limit flexibility on the part of the teacher and the individual needs of the student. On the flip side, they help with student mobility when the student moves around inside Indiana (which is the majority of student mobility). Also, the benchmark provides more of a measurement for comparison than unit tests, because the benchmark is standardized, whereas unit tests are not.
Except benchmarks are only an Indianapolis test, not a state wide benchmark...and they are poorly written and sometimes they don't even match what the teachers have been told to teach.
About the Magnet RIFs, they are more protected than the non-magnet schools. A new teacher at Broad Ripple can keep her job even if they lay off everyone with less than 5 years experience at the non-magnets. But if they need to reduce force at Broad Ripple, then they choose from 1st and 2nd year teachers.
Phyllis Barnes has made some truly amazing choices at NHS. She'll probably get a huge raise next year when Northwest implodes. Wow, my dog could have made better staffing choices.
Phyllis Barnes is bird-brained. She's sacking some of the greatest teachers to ever grace that school. Also, it makes no difference how much seniority you have, she let go a teacher that had been teacher there for 16 years, and allowing a teacher who has only been in the school for 1 year to keep his job.
RIF is a reduction in force. The district has to reduce the number of teachers therefore the newest teachers go first. Reconstituting means the building is going to start over from scratch. Reconstituting a school causing all of those teachers to be displaced. They are not RIF'ed because of their seniority but their positions no longer exist. They are still employed by the district but must find another position to go to.
Reconstituting the school means that 51% of the current teachers have to leave, so IPS just moves them around to other schools. Now if by the time school ends May 31, if you have no assigned position, then file for your unemployment checks, if you have problem contact IEA Union.
Will the teachers have to re-apply for positions in the schools that are reconsituting? Because if they do then those who received RIF notices will probably be the last to interview. There will probably be surplus teachers who will be reassigned to other schools, teachers who will be let go and then those who will be called back late in the summer after the school system sees which positions still need filled It is all very stressful as many may not know til the very end if they have a job
Yes...... To all of us being RIF'd get ready to file for unemployment! It's not going to be as much as our salary is but we will be at least getting something so we can pay the bills! Also, if they don't call us all back we can get unemployment for at least 8 to 10 months so there we go practically the whole next school year sorta.....
Unfortunately our Gov is trying to reduce unemployment benefits for 2012. I guess he thinks 390/wk is too much lol I've heard that it would be knocked down to the high 200's, what a bud. lol
How would you handle a bankrupt unemployment fund? The old way was fine before the economy tanked, but now more is being collected than is being put in. So he raised the unemployment tax collected, and he lowed the maximum benefits being paid out. What would you have done?
Let me put it another--oversee the job process. Example: Second largest school corp. in the state rif's several hundred. Brings back some, leaves other rif'ed. Then turns around and hires over a hundred new teachers. Probably less expensive hires. So more new teachers were hired than left stranded. Where is the saving of money there? Another thought. The Gov wants schools to consolidate and strand buildings to save on the cost of building operations...but now he wants those buildings for charter schools. Where is that saving the state money? Then he turns around and complains because too many schools are closing
The economy will continue to tank when people are unemployed. data reveals that Indiana has not fared much better than its Midwestern neighbors during the recession. Indiana lost 174,400 jobs since 2007
Indiana schools received millions in save our teachers fun to be used for next year to SAVE teachers job No one is being held accountable for that money. No teacher should be without a job next year...bottom line
RE: totally off the topic, but something that concerns intelligent people
In a news interview regarding Superintendents' high pay and big perks on Channel 59 Local News, here is a copy and paste...please pay close attention to Dr. White's comment about his car allowance perk! _________________________________________
School boards have also approved expensive perks in their superintendents’ contracts. One of the priciest ones is a monthly car allowance. Dr. White receives $1,200 a month for his car.
“Most of it deals with gasoline. I use my car and I don’t get any appreciation for my car," White said. ______________________________________________
Now I believe we all should show some 'appreciation' for Eugene's fine car. Evidently the man's upset because he doesn't get any 'appreciation' for his car! LOL
Sad, but our Superintendent doesn't know the difference between depreciation and appreciation!
The interesting thing is how the Title One budget is being used for the "intercession" stuff when previously it was used to help kids who were behind during the school year. This can be quite risky since they are banking on teachers teaching during the intercession AND students attending beyond the 182 day school year. About as successful as getting kids to WANT to go to summer school. I don't know of many teachers who want to teach the intercession unless it's a course in Middle eastern art or the sports history of Iceland stuff. Our kids need reading and math help. Wonder how long this experiment will last?
Just FYI, but nobody has received a RIF notice yet. They're discussing cutting teachers, but nobody has been laid off. The blogmaster is wrong, and the person claiming to be a laid-off magnet teacher is wrong. More than likely, the are the same (wrong) person.
All four local news networks and the Indianapolis Star have had stories yesterday and/or today about IPS budget meetings and potential layoffs and not one mention of a layoff. If someone got fired, it was for cause, not an RIF.
Yeah, maybe they were said because they are sure they are GOING to be laid off. But nobody I work with has gotten a notice yet, and I know a couple of newer teachers who are expecting them.
IPS ran through the Stimulus money like it was water. Wasted it on the Teacher Cadre supposedly to save teachers' jobs...now we're back where we started except in worse financial condition. IPS should have saved about half of the Stimulus money rather than spending it all as quickly as possible.
IPS has 64 individual schools and approximately 30,000 (+ or -) a few students. We have far too many school facilities to operate. They're too expensive in terms of maintenance, and several need to be closed and then sold to the highest bidders. It's time to cut our losses and move ahead as a leaner machine.
I am so tired of the "young" teachers going around with the attitude it is not fair.Get use to it. You may think you are one of the best because you know how to "teach" There will come a day when you have a principal and he/she determines you are a bad teacher.Maybe this evaluator has a personal problem with you ..Maybe he needs paper work on file to prove he is on the job improving his staff. You are now the target. I t is not fair but principals are not ethical and life is not fair. This happens to very good teachers all the time. So keep complaining about fairness ,RIFS,PIP and the other unfairs.If you do not these RIFs or, movement to new locations, just quit and find another job.
"IPS should have saved about half of the Stimulus money rather than spending it all as quickly as possible."
Look who publicly admits he/she hasn't a clue regarding stimulus money! Can you say, "Use it or lose it?" The stimulus money was a set amount of cash with a deadline for its use. From the beginning, that fact was highly publicized.
From the outside, the Cadre appeared to be simply flushing the cash into White River, but it enabled many quality educators to hone their talents while providing extra support to our students. My hope is that these teachers find a home within IPS.
The stimulus money did not become available in our state til after the beginning of the school year. This years budgets should have already been set. Most school districts across the nation are holding onto the money for next school year where yes it can still be used if put aside and added into next years budget. The deadline for doing this isn't til Sept. 2012. So there was no use it now or lose it. It did not have to be used this year. Our district is saving it for next year
Daniels direct quote was: “We'll take the money, but we don't need it” says Governor Daniels on the new federal stimulus plan that will send cash to Indiana for the purpose of retaining and hiring new teachers. It's expected to pump $200-million into our state
Daniels direct quote was: “We'll take the money, but we don't need it” says Governor Daniels on the new federal stimulus plan that will send cash to Indiana for the purpose of retaining and hiring new teachers. It's expected to pump $200-million into our state
Well Mitch, what about the unfunded liability of the teachers retirement fund? Has that money been returned yet? If not we need it.
I'm a new teacher, and it's not that I think life should always be fair. But it's disheartening to get into the profession of teaching with the hope that you can make a difference, get a teaching job in an urban district, ignore the burned-out coworkers telling you nobody can make a difference, succeed in making a difference (a provable, predictable, measurable difference), and then get laid off so that the burned out teachers can keep their jobs, all while screaming that it's impossible for teachers to make a difference. I don't think I'll have a tough time getting hired in another district or charter school, but in the meantime, it's another generation of IPS kids being sacrificed in exchange for job security of a few adults.
@From the outside, the Cadre appeared to be simply flushing the cash into White River, but it enabled many quality educators to hone their talents while providing extra support to our students. My hope is that these teachers find a home within IPS.
I'm from the "inside" and saw the waste expended toward maintaining the Teacher Cadre. By the second semester of its existence, IPS was actually rehiring older teachers who'd been 'let go' from IPS several years before the Stimulus. The young, good teachers seemed to drift out of the Cadre into full-time 'real' teaching jobs in other school districts. It sounded good on paper, and perhaps from a Board member's eyes or Central Office administrator's eyes it seemed to be a valid concept, but concepts don't always evolve into good working products, do they?
@ I am so tired of the young teachers going around...
I am an experienced teacher who sees that many new teachers have more enthusiasm and passion for educating the deserving children that we serve in IPS. It seems like you think you can "teach" (not sure why you put that in quotes!) just because you are not a "new" teacher. It is likely that you are one of the "old" teachers in our district who have been burned so you are bitter. Wake up...teachers should not be rif'd on years of service but on PERFORMANCE! The real world makes cuts based on PERFORMANCE, not SENIORITY. School districts need to wake up and join the rest of the 21st century. By the way,I see the "young" teachers in my building outperforming the "older" ones. Just because you've taught longer doesn't mean you are better than the rest. Maybe you can be part of the solution and not the problem.
If you think a RIF based on anything other than seniority would be fair, you are wrong. Look at the choices made in the turnaround schools this week. Those choices were made on the whim of the principal and they had nothing to do with performance. There are lots of good/great teachers who were not selected to stay in their schools and lots of lousy teachers who are staying. A RIF is not the time to weed out poor teachers. Administrators should have been evaluating them out all along. The turnaround is being used to reward friends and family. Is anyone surprised? They learned it from their supreme leader.
I have total respect for teachers of all ages. But I have learned one thing over the years--never underestimate wisdom from experience. I remember hearing a older coach say that he was turned down for a job because the school wanted a young energetic coach. His reply was, then hire a cheerleader. Three years later he said that the young coach who got the job came to him while he was coaching at another school (he did eventually get a head coaching job). The coach had been fired and asked if he had any openings on staff. The older hc asked him why he wasn't trying for a hc job. He said, ya know what I really need to learn a lot more. It took me a little while but I soon learned that there is always room for learning from a more experienced coach. The older coach laughed and said, no worry, I am always learning too.
NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER TRANSPORT A STUDENT IN YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE!
Girl Killed, Classmates Injured In Crash With Semi Police: Band Instructor Was Driving Students To Store
POSTED: 4:22 pm EST March 4, 2011 UPDATED: 12:10 am EST March 5, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- A 13-year-old girl was killed and two of her classmates were injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer on Indianapolis' west side Friday afternoon.
The crash happened just after 4 p.m. at the Harding Street on ramp to Interstate 70.
Police said witnesses told them the car turned in front of the tractor-trailer and was struck on the passenger side.
Justice Holifield, 13, of Indianapolis, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy riding in the backseat of the car were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the three children were classmates at Indianapolis Public Schools' Harshman Middle School.
The driver of the car, Kyle Bieda, 26, is a band instructor at the school. Police said the group was traveling to a local store to buy items for a school event Saturday.
I hope this educator has plenty of insurance, and decent (read: release from all liability) SIGNED permission forms.
I understand that both IPS and IEA policy regarding the transport of students in personal vehicles is simple: Never do it, as you aren't covered by any entity other than your own automobile policy.
I wish you the best of luck, Kyle Bieda. You have a long, sad journey ahead of you.
Well, they placed me on a PIP, have written me up twenty times, and I just keep calling in sick. I am not worried I have Dr. White's red shoes and their are being held hostage.
Regarding experience from above, I definitely agree that an effective experienced teacher is priceless. I'm a new teacher, and there are some veteran teachers I work with who are worth their weight in gold. And there are some new teachers who won't last another year. But the flip side to your coaching parable is that if you walk into any IPS school and find the teacher standing at the front of the room lecturing while the class sleeps or goofs off, 90% of the time, that will be a veteran teacher. And when a teacher says teachers don't matter in education and that it's all about the parents, 90% of the time, that will be a veteran teacher. Maybe it's true that RIF is not the time to weed through who's good or not, but if they got rid of the teachers who don't even believe it's possible to teach half the kids in IPS, we wouldn't need any RIFs, would we?
About the girl killed while being trasnported by an IPS teacher:
There was a report that they were going to a local store to get supplies for an event on Saturday. Why were they so far from Harshman? This accident happened all the way over by George Washington. (I-70 and Harding.) Seems fishy.
Yes. True. Driving a student is strictly forbidden but happens all of the time anyway. Funny that Bewley did not know that. I feel so sad for the young lady who was killed.
The entire situation is sad. Instead of critizing the teacher, we need to pray for all involved. And, it might not hurt to remember the phrase, "There, but for the grace of God, go I." We don't have the all of the facts on this situation.
I do have sympathy for all those involved. Even though the policy of not transporting students sound trivial there was a reason for making that policy. Too many people ignore rules, policies because they are thought to be too restrictive, out of date. The lack of common sense is apparent. Don't transport students!!!!! Now we have, unfortunately, a reason for the policy.
@Bewley said late Friday she did not know whether the district had a policy regarding teachers who drive students in their personal vehicles.
This was published in today's (Saturday's) IndyStar.
Incredible. As recently as last year, we had a notice posted in the mailroom warning staff against transporting students.
Many years ago, I was the principal's designee. In his absence, a child injured her arm. The parents had no transportation, and it wasn't life-threatening, so they asked if I could drive her home. Even though I knew I was fully protected in writing within our school's emergency plan, I still held my breath until I removed the keys from the car's ignition upon my return to school.
Also, has anyone noticed the change in field trip permission slips? Language formerly held IPS immune to liability if a child is injured. Now it simply says that the child can participate.
The problem is that we have all these shades of gray...never transport a student...seems simple enough, now have a ten year old who has missed the bus, it is late and you call home, no one is there or they have no transportation, they do not have cab fare if you send the kid in a cab. What are your options, call CPS or the police and have them come and pick up the child who can't get home?
Years ago at a school dance two girls were not picked up by their parents, the girls had each told their parents the other girls parents were going to pick them up, and it was their intent to go home with a crew of young men...none of whom was a parent. We would not let them leave and ended up staying at the school until 2:30 when after we called the police to pick them up as abandoned children suddenly a parent was called and they were picked up. The parent was very grateful we had not let his 13 year old go off with a 17 year old crowd of boys.
I don't have a comment, but a question I hope someone can/will answer. I'm not a teacher, so I don't know how a lot of things work in IPS.
A close friend of mine is a special ed teacher in IPS for many years. This teacher has been told by the principal that he is going to recommend the teacher be put on a PIP. I guess the document will read recommended for contract renewal but recommended for PIP.
Does that mean this teacher is probably going to be fired soon? How much of a threat is this on both the short-term and the long-term to this teacher's job?
My thanks and sincere appreciation go out to all educators and supporters who took their time, funds, and energy to represent me at the Statehouse today.
It's no threat on the short-term, but it's a possible threat in the long-term. The PIP would have given specific things that need to be done/improved within a certain time frame. If they do meet the goals, then everyone lives happily ever after. If the teacher fails to meet those goals, then they are put on conditional status. If on conditional status (with a more detailed improvement plan and more in-class visits) the teacher still doesn't improve, and the administrator can document that the teacher had plenty of warning, chances, and support to improve, then he/she can be fired.
$1,200. per month for gas?? What does he drive; a motor home or semi? Or where does he drive? Even with a conservative estimate of 10 miles per gallon at $3. a gallon he would have to drive 1,000 miles per week or 150 miles per day for 6 days - 150 miles per day in this district at an average of 30 miles an hour in the city means he has to be driving for 5 full hours a day.
Eugene White's salary benefits stink to high heaven, like the Wayne Township superintendent. How can you possibly justify that kind of dough when the moral of your teachers is in the toilet, and the IPS ship is sinking in poor scores. Mr. White, you dress like a pimp, you drive a pimp mobile, and I wonder just where and how you scrounged up your doctorate degree!
Background for Eugene White Employment History Global Child Nutrition Foundation American Association of School Administrators American Association for School Administrators American Association for School Administrators Metropolitan School District of Washington Township North Central High School Board Memberships and Affiliations Board Member Global Child Nutrition Foundation Board Member United Way of Central Indiana Member American Association of School Administrators Education Ed.D. bachelor's degree Alabama A&M University
We can't necessarily blame the superintendents for these huge allowances in their gas budgets or retirement contracts. Who is approving these items???? You guessed it, the school boards and their lawyers!
I agree it's the school board. It's funny because I'm not a huge White fan, but whenever I come here, I'm always inclined to kind of defend him because some of the posts are just so silly. The board offered him a competitive package to work for IPS and he accepted it. You would have too, and so would have I. You don't sacrifice part of your salary or benefits if your students or their parents don't like you, and neither do I. The school board is the one that makes and approves such offers. That's who you should blame. On the other hand, if other urban superintendents are making this much, then what is IPS going to get for making low ball offers? I would imagine you have to dangle a pretty big carrot to get people to walk into an nightmare like IPS.
You're wrong there are plenty of people who walk into IPS everyday for small potatoes and carrots, teachers. And many, many of them give parts of their salary to benefit their students, because they care about kids and their futures.
No, you donate/spend money on students in need. You don't say, "just keep part of my check, IPS, it's too much." White may very well donate money to needy children. That has nothing to do with accepting a high but competitive salary package. I have issues with White, but his speech, clothing, and salary aren't among them. 90% of the posts here deal with one of those three things.
"plenty of people who walk into IPS everyday for small potatoes and carrots." Not true. IPS pays a competitive wage compared to other urban schools. This is significantly higher than what teachers of the same experience are paid in Greenfield or Brown County. What kind of teachers do you think IPS would attract if it offered the lowest salaries for teachers? (Not to mention that a small but significant percentage of IPS teachers are here because they're unemployable anywhere else.)
I would like to know why I don't have paper and pencils for my students? I have spent over $400 this year just getting supplies for the children that my school doesn't or refuses to buy. No. #5 paper is non-existent, and heaven help me if I ask for construction paper. Hope someone has the answer for me.
"IPS pays a competitive wage compared to other urban schools. This is significantly higher than what teachers of the same experience are paid in Greenfield or Brown County. (Not to mention that a small but significant percentage of IPS teachers are here because they're unemployable anywhere else.)"
You compare IPS wages to Greenfield or Brown County when cost of living in those cities is much lower than Indianapolis?It may pay a competitive wage to most urban schools in your opinion but NOT in other "urban" districts like Wayne Township or Pike which service IPS kids. Plus the working conditions in other schools are far better- no 60 year old buildings without air. Your last comment about where most of the "unemployable" teachers are, I'd say that's why we have the charter schools...they have to hire somebody.
"My thanks and sincere appreciation go out to all educators and supporters who took their time, funds, and energy to represent me at the Statehouse today." __________________
I was in attendance at this and it was one cold, rainy, nasty afternoon! However, multiple hundreds of protesters turned out; it was well-organized; and the speeches were excellent.
I hope the Democrats who are in Illinois (thank you folks!) learned about the success of this event. As usual, local news media coverage of a pro-teacher gathering was weak. The Star gave it just token minimal coverage, which certainly didn't surprise me.
The new football coach at BRMHS may have a teaching license, but they don't make their coaches teach. They pay them $75K and give them a bogus title, like director of middle school activities. Oh, wait... they don't have any middle school activities to direct!
If the areas of improvement are 2 or 3 watch out. You don't have to have a PIP period for non-renewal of contract there & you don't have to have any extra visits support or communication.
The new football coach at BRMHS may have a teaching license........is it the coach's fault that they don't make him teach? If that is the case. Sounds to me like you are someone who does not like the career that he or she has chosen for themselves. You need to go and make yourself more marketable as these coaches do. Why don't you take over the job as director of middle school activities and let the whoever the coach is teach and coach football. Do they really pay coaches $75K in high school. Sounds like a good job to me. I need to go me one of those jobs. You can be my assistant.
It's bad enough that all of these younger teachers are getting RIFFed, but I keep hearing that IPS is preparing for a major offensive against experienced teachers. And I don't mean just teachers who have had major problems, but teachers who are "guilty" of one thing: Pay for Experience.
Yes, I am hearing stories from all over about senior teachers being harassed by administrators. These are not the "burned out" teachers. As you said they are only guilty of being expensive.
If they can get rid of the experienced teachers and keep the lower cost newer teachers, there will be more money for administrative raises and perks. What is not to love with that?
If the experienced teachers are effective, then its throwing good money after bad to attempt to "save" money by getting rid of them. Good teachers are monemakers for IPS (they keep students and parents happy and happy students and parents keep enrollment and education dollars in IPS). If they're really doing this, the teachers need to keep all objective evidence of their value. (tests, of course, but also comments in previous evaluations, letters from parents, coworkers, anything that shows you're a good teacher). That information will be helpful in filing an age discrimination suit against IPS and/or getting another teaching job at a new school.
I've been reading blogs from all over the state from younger teachers who are jumping ship (from teaching) returning to college to pursue higher degrees or totally different degrees. They are young enough to do this and have the luxury to leave teaching because many have not yet started families or bought homes I don't blame them a bit. Not worth the headache. But I hate to inform school leaders--if you don't hang onto the experienced teachers you are going to have a mess on your hands They are already predicating a HUGE shortage of teachers by 2015 with retirements and by then many of our young ambitious teachers will have moved on
They are already predicating a HUGE shortage of teachers by 2015 with retirements and by then many of our young ambitious teachers will have moved on
Never mind that the current "big idea" in other places is to make all teachers state employees, and start them off at such low salaries they won't be able to live, what I read is tat 11 years with a masters you'll make $32,000. ...teaching will cease to be a profession and it will return to a job women can do as long as they are married. Every advancement we have made as professionals will be gone.
You know we think things can't go backwards, but the Greek and Roman societies were followed by the Dark Ages, and perhaps we are heading to a new Dark Age. The culture is certainly changing and there is more and more money in less and less hands.
We've been lucky over the last years to get men into the profession. A great asset in discipline, father figures, coaching, role models etc. Eventually this will cease as families who lean on the male as the bread winner will not be able to afford to go into teaching. Education/schools/students will be the losers in the end. I remember when my husband first started teaching at 11,000/yr would teach all day and work all night at another job I was home with preschoolers but I babysat, tough times and this again will be the future for our teachers if something isn't done I remember none of our teacher friends could afford homes or vacations. We now have two of our children who are teachers--one has already left the profession for the business world and the other leaving to go into nursing school.
I ask-------who will eventually teach our future generations?
Uh, the non-freaky, non-paranoid people will teach. I'm a first year teacher a non-union school, and I'm doing just fine. I'd do even better with a teacher shortage, because occupational shortages drive salaries up.
You are mistaken, they will simply lower the requirements to be a teacher. Long ago you used to be able to teach with a two year degree...it really was not so long ago, because I knew people teaching who started in the mid-seventies with associates degrees.
Sure, with the union schools. Union industries are cartels, not free markets, so supply and demand doesn't apply. But the non-union schools can and do pay more for shortage areas. They do this right now (pay more for math, science, and special ed).
They have until the 31st of March to get out the RIF notices, yep while you are on Spring Break. But your administrator should know by the 24th of March. File for unemployment the week after school ends, make IPS pay for your summer, if you have any problems call IEA for help.
I don't blame people for filing in the summer if they're allowed, to help make ends meet while they look for another job (which wouldn't start until the fall), or to help make up the difference for having to take a lower-paying job. But make no mistake, IPS won't pay for your summer, Indiana taxpayers will. Do what you have to do for you and your family, but don't pretend it's not the same as going on food stamps or collecting TANF.
If you get rif'ed they will send you your summer all at once in June-per state law. Big chunk of tax money taken out and your benefits will end the first week of summer. Yes you can file for unemployment. Sad part will be in turnaround schools they do not have to call you back per your rif'ed order. They can hire outside teachers because they are turnaround schools. Rif's will return only to those schools who aren't listed as turnaround schools. They also won't have to do it via years experience but by need and certification. Do not expect your union nor the ISTA to get involved because they won't, can't whatever they tell you. Remember in turnaround schools they only have to keep fifty percent of the staff. I know that ISTA on several occasions have said we teachers are basically at will employees too no matter if in the union Protect yourselves
???? When I was rif'd two summers ago, I still drew the paycheck and it wasn't confirmed that I had been rehired until towards the end of July that year. I believe our contracts state salary, which should allow for us to draw our pay over the summer, for the contracted salary. The notices weren't sent until right after spring break, as downtown started sending out the "openings" via email the week before Spring Break, but I didn't get my certified email rif until the Tuesday after we came back from Spring Break.
I'm just saying that when we were layed off this past spring they informed of us of a new law distributing the rest of our summer pay checks and that we received them all at once in June. Not sure what the "new" law is but that is how it was done...we were not given a choice of having it stretched out over the summer as our contract had stated. Then they posted the teacher openings and everyone that meant the certification needs were allowed to apply. No tenure considerations. To top it all off they didn't even have to interview you if they didn't want you. The only good thing about getting the final check in June was that everyone jumped onto unemployment until they were called back or for many--still on unemployment. The other distressing part was that some of the positions were filled with "full time subs" and NOT teachers with licenses. Teachers who were NOT called back were offered other full time sub positions with NO benefits.
Just trying to warn you what can and could happend with turnaround schools. Believe me, we never thought we would see what happened to us where I work. The morale was and continues to be so down it is hard to go to work everyday under these conditions. I really believe that IPS will go with the new turnaround system that we did (since we got away with it) and many teachers will get bypassed for jobs by outsiders and subs with no teaching licenses. The sad thing is when we BEGGED the union for help we got NONE
"we BEGGED the union for help we got NONE." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This seems to be a pretty regular type of comment here. Why should IPS teachers pay hundreds of dollars a year to be in the union if it doesn't fight for its members? It seems to me that the union does as little as possible. There may be union ACTIVITY, but how much of that activity is basically just going through the motions of supposedly representing teachers?
It may be a moot point anyway in the not-too-distant future if/when the Republicans in our state government get their way and teachers' unions are basically dismantled in Indiana.
In the meantime, what are teachers actually getting in reward for their monetary investment in the union?
When asked that by many we are reminded that we get this and that because of the union. The whole thing is scary but I am asking the same thing of the unions. Earlier this year when our schools received millions of stimulus money that was suppose to SAVE teachers jobs and return them to the classroom we were reassured that the ISTA was encouraging our Gov to sign it so Indiana could get the money. So he did and where did the money go? Who over saw it? There are still many many teachers in Indiana laid off and obviously reading papers around the state many more are currently receiving lay off notices as we speak.
I personally complained to the ISTA that they were like an insurance policy. We put money into the organization and when we need their help we should be able to cash in. Guess what--0 help. The biggest kicker is while you are sitting on unemployment they want you to continue to pay dues and stay in the union. For what?
I hope if the union stays intact they play a bigger role in helping our teachers who are rif'ed, making sure stimulus money is used for its intented purpose and protect our teachers when needed
The stimulus money went to Cadre teachers, IPS was in charge of handling the money, no wonder it was mishandled. That is the IPS way. You need the union more with IPS going after senior teachers and placing teachers on PIP's. Go ahead and leave the union, then when you need them, you can cry in your beer. The union is only as strong as the members. Franklin Township laid off 87 teachers, IPS is looking at losing 300 teachers due to a huge cut in funding, that they knew about one year ago. Stimulus money is gone, the GOP Congress cut all money going to education, so did Mitch.
From the ISTA website: Despite this fact, many educators do choose to join a union or association because of the important things for which they advocate. This includes things like; smaller class sizes, greater school safety, improved learning environments, after-school programs and even sacrifices such as salary freezes and cuts to keep educators on the job during times when budgets are tight =========== So I ask, what is the union doing for RIF'd teachers? You can say the union is as strong as its members but what do you say to the teachers who paid into the union and will be sitting home on unemployment? Of course we can blame it on politics but my point is that in turnaround schools they do not (at least in our school corp. and I'll bet in others) they do not have to bring back rifs first, they can hire from outside, they can post jobs with different certifications eliminating many teachers, they can turn rif'ed teachers into subs without benefits etc., etc., IF the funding ISN'T there how can they go outside and replace rif'ed teachers with other teachers. They are still paying salaries, just to different people. AND--some of these teachers brought in are from out of state, leaving our Indiana union teachers jobless
So again I ask, where is the union leaders and what are they doing to help?
Also, (as much as I don't care for our Govenor) he listed many items that schools could eliminate before teachers and very few followed his suggestions. Instead they chose the easy way out and rif'ed.
The union doesn't control the school budget, they don't create layer upon layer of bureaucracy, nor do they decide to pay administrators huge sums of money. What would you propose they do stage a coup? Your right, they can break into the ed center and duct tape Dr. White and all his cronies and take over the district, no one would notice....wait there isn't that much duct tape in the world.
All the union can do is advocate for teachers, as fairly as possible in accordance to its own policies.
I wish the union would "advocate" But when we are flat out told that they can't step in when it comes to the unfairness of rif's and how the school corporation is going about calling them back and hiring from outside before bringing back rif's --then what hope do our teachers have? Who will go to bat for them?
IPS Spokeswoman Mary Louise Bewley’s statements to the Indy Channel that the district’s budget cuts are a direct result of pending legislation. It also conflicts with her presumption that “there’s no way around” massive teacher layoffs.
From ISTA: 2. You must be recalled to any teaching position you,re certified to fill prior to new employees being hired for those positions. 3. You must receive notices of all position openings for which you are qualified while you're on preferred recall. These notices must be sent by certified mail.
I can't imagine informed educators belonging to the teachers union in this day and age. Michelle Rhee tried to offer DC teachers a choice to double their earning potential on a merit system and giving up tenure, and the union wouldn't even allow teachers to vote on the issue. The union isn't serving good teachers, it's holding them back. I'm already meeting the qualifications for a merit-based system. I'm just not getting the merit pay.
Not to mention teachers who were asked to forego raises so that their peers could keep their jobs and eliminate rif's
Re: turnaround schools and fear within. As seen around the country districts are firing teachers at turn around schools that are not making progress. Those teachers are FIRED, not rif'ed. So the district does not have to rehire or give those teachers a job. My hope is that we don't see that here. Unfortunately in Fort Wayne the teachers at their three high schools and others that are included in turn around were all forced to reapply for positions. So they could hire who they wanted. They signed contracts for three years at those schools which means they can't transfer to another school in the district unless it is a turnaround (LEAD) school, but could be let go if not performing to the set standards. This could happen very easily around the state. Tenure does not guarantee you a job, nor any kind of safety. I spoke with one gentleman who had seventeen years in the school corporation there and is now just a full time sub with no benefits.
Though school corporations say they back the unions they won't when it comes to the possibility of one of their schools being taken over by the state. If the state says release half of the teachers and hire new--believe me, they will and no union will save anyone
"You need the union more with IPS going after senior teachers and placing teachers on PIP's." ***************** So, just what is the union doing to help those senior teachers who are unjustifiably being placed on PIPs?
From what I hear from many "PIP teachers" who have sought union help, the union basically does nothing but go through the motions.
I agree with the above analogy that the teachers unions in this state are like insurance companies. They collect your payments, but aren't there when you really need them.
As I see it, many (most?) IPS teachers are like those polar bears trapped out alone in the ocean on those little ice islands. Can't jump off or stay on because either choice leads to their demise.
The sage advise to all, CYA. What are the reasons for placing a teacher on a PIP? Back in the day, it was nearly impossible to put a teacher on a PIP or maybe it was too much trouble.
Sad thing about PIP's Whose opinion and what is the criteria to be on one? Principal doesn't like you, parents complain because student isn't getting an A? Who knows.
Everytime I contact a uniserv, union rep or ISTA I get the same story line-- NOT MUCH they talk in foreign tongue or better yet, no response. I was totally PRO union until this past year. Now it has been a nightmare for many and everytime I express my disappointment in the union I'm made to feel like a loser, ya know, if you don't have a union it is going to be worse. What can be worse? Unemployment--oh wait, being told that if we are "fired" we won't even get unemployment. So I guess it can get worse.
I really really feel sorry for those of us across the country who thought that teaching was our calling cause we are sure taking it up the...
What are you doing wrong, you were given how many chances to change your teaching style, only after discussing the problem, that was when the Union Rep should of been in the meeting. You knew that you were failing in one of main areas? Could it you have a problem that needs correcting in your teaching style? I would just retire and move to the south of Italy in a small villa.
I can't imagine informed educators belonging to the teachers union in this day and age. Michelle Rhee tried to offer DC teachers a choice to double their earning potential on a merit system and giving up tenure, and the union wouldn't even allow teachers to vote on the issue. The union isn't serving good teachers, it's holding them back. I'm already meeting the qualifications for a merit-based system. I'm just not getting the merit pay.
I don't know where you got your information because it is wrong, union members did vote on the IMPACT program, and 75% approved the the agreement. Teachers have an option of taking the merit pay after they have received their evaluation score, which is the result of five evaluations, three by building level administrators, and two by Master Educators, along with some other factors. Of the highly effective teachers who were eligible for the performance bonus (about $5000.00) 40% did not take it, because by taking it you give up future rights under the contract. Do you really know the qualifications for merit pay, because you might be surprised. The forty percent who didn't take the money know that things and administration can change with the wind.
You're talking about the later version, which was watered down before it was voted in last year. The original proposal (2008) would have given the performance teachers salaries up to double their union scale salary.
I've seen qualifications for several merit pay programs, all of them based on academic growth and a rubric for classroom evaluations. Which qualifications do you think would surprise me?
"What can be worse? Unemployment--oh wait, being told that if we are "fired" we won't even get unemployment. So I guess it can get worse."
I've got a feeling that in a year or two there will be 50-60 year-old recently fired IPS teachers out holding signs on the streets and highway ramps that say: "Will teach for food."
Master's degrees from major universities, decades of experience in their profession, and this is where it dumps them.
Then in about five years they will be knocking on doors trying to get every teacher that has been kicked to the curb to come back because of the HUGE teacher shortage that is already being predicted nationwide--no wait, we will just outsource teachers from other countries or let the internet teach the kids while they sit at home I remember being at one meeting where administrators were talking about technology being the future. One teacher said how is technology ever going to replace the personal relationships and interactions between students and teachers that you all keep preaching?
Technology is never going to replace all teachers. It can replace some (virtual schools, online colleges, etc.) and it can certainly help in lesson planning, differentiation, instruction, and assessment, but I think the new model will be fewer, higher paid master teachers with more, less paid interns and aides.
It's harder to get fired for cause in the teaching profession than just about any other profession out there. It's more rare to lose one's teaching license than just about any other professional license out there. So the people who are on here complaining that they're being fired for cause sound like children. Either follow the corrective action to prevent the firing, or find another profession. If the corrective action is bogus, keep your own records and evidence to prove you're following best practice, and that will enable the union to defend you or the state to give you unemployment. But this wailing and gnashing teeth that anyone has the audacity to fire poor-performing teachers is kind of obnoxious.
I'm all about paying for experience and excellence, but if there is no performance difference between a 75,000 a year teacher and a 45,000 year teacher, then someone is being overpaid and/or someone is being underpaid. If the older teacher won't or can't improve, and the union won't allow his/her salary to be decreased to his/her performance level, then he/she should be fired. I don't understand the confusion or the idea that this is somehow unfair to the low-performing teachers. Don't you want the best for your money? Don't taxpayers deserve the same?
They went by a 'point' system (for 3-5 yr.teachers) which is VERY subjective due to domains 2 & 3 being completed by all types of principals. Not fair, but not sure what we can do about it?! Any suggestions, anyone?
I have a suggestion...let's all go to charter schools or christian schools, make less money, have less stress, teach with creativity and be employed based on our abilities and performance rather than on some archaic seniority system. THIS IS PART OF THE REASON THAT OUR STUDENTS AREN'T SUCCESSFUL!!! WAKE UP, IPS!! YOU KEEP TEACHERS THAT SUCK AND PUNISH THOSE THAT ARE GOOD!!This is the only career I can think of where experience and performance mean S*@!. I sure didn't choose teaching because of the money, so making less at either of the above makes no difference to me. I just want to teach, and there are other kids in this city that need me as their teacher. IPS' LOSS!
Warning-third hand info- but if true it is very alarming. Two teachers in my building that have 5 years got their Rif this week. But a teacher with 3 years did not. Isn't this rating thing a performance based assessment? Is this in our union contract? When HR was asked they were told this process was union approved. This is dangerous when principals are given a tool to punish some and save others, not necessarily by performance but by personal preference, favorites, and who is fun to hang out with. These are scary times.
IPS should have sent out an email or offered a question/answer forum that describes the RIF process. So many of us have questions and concerns that are valid, but I can only get my answers from other colleagues. They truly don't know either, as they are going based on what they've "heard" from other people. In typical IPS fashion, they didn't do this right either. This RIF is serious, and we deserve to know the process and have our questions addressed by someone in HUMAN RESOURCES. I've already been offered another position somewhere else, and I may just take it. Next year will just be more of the same in IPS...RIF's again.
You are very lucky to have an offer from somewhere else. Sounds like you should take it. This RIF thing in IPS is crazy. Just curious, are you elementary or secondary?
It's not fair, and it's the reason I chose a charter school over IPS when I got my degree two years ago. At IPS (and other union schools with declining enrollment) even if you're the best teacher in the building, if you don't have seniority, you're screwed.
ReplyDeleteSo? People with more than 5 years experience can't even get an interview with another school system. Young people can at least interview.
ReplyDeleteI have 18 years of experience, good thing I like my job.
I hate to burst your charter school bubble but many charters around the country are laying off teachers too, some even mid year. Seven students have left the school this year, but officials chose not to fill those vacancies with students on the waiting list, as they usually would have, in an effort to save money. With budget cuts no school is immune. Charters aren't keeping the "best", they are keeping those who have their classes filled. I am speaking in regards to the high school/jr. high levels especially the elective classes
ReplyDeleteTulsa is one of many charter area:
"We have no buses, no food service. All of our funds are either in facilities or staff and supplies. That's why we're really struggling with it," Maddox said. "Our students and families even donated supplies, including copy paper and Kleenex, this year."
Cali is slashing 25 percent of their charter teachers
Don't forget IPS teachers to request your financial leader to see where the "Save Our Teachers" stiumulus fund went.
It has to be used for next school year and I am sure IPS received millions of dollars---make them be accountable for the money.
Seven students have left the school this year, but officials chose not to fill those vacancies with students on the waiting list, as they usually would have, in an effort to save money.
ReplyDelete====
That was the quote from one OK charter school--
what is the point of charters if they are turning students away?
All I know is I would have been laid off if I had taken the IPS job, and I'm not being laid off at my charter school. My sympathies to Maddox in Tulsa, but many charter schools are doing pretty well here in Indy.
ReplyDeleteWere IPS teachers supposed to be notified today? All the above posts talk about is charters!
ReplyDeleteHow about firing off some of the overpaid top level admin? Start at the top, not the bottom.
ReplyDeleteSo what happens with the new football coach hired at Broad Ripple--rif'ed before he even starts?
ReplyDeleteHe's not a teacher, he's a coach. IPS knows their way around things.
ReplyDeleteHow were the RIF notifications sent?
ReplyDeleteGenerally they are hand delivered, by your administrator, or sent to you address...and the names will be in the board report soon. They want to give teacher an opportunity to save their jobs by mentioning other areas of certification...so if you teach music and are cut, but you are also certified in el ed, and the cuts aren't as deep in el ed, you can displace another teacher...so don't think you are safe if you don't get a notice immediately...but also realize that you will be the first called back.
ReplyDeleteThe licensed staff at our school got notified, 'who stays and who goes' as part of the turnaround process today! It really is so so sad, almost like death. To see so many dedicated teachers told they are not wanted:(
ReplyDeleteHow did we ever get to this point that teachers who spend their lives helping kids are the problem!
People who write these laws are crazy, if a building does not turn around after replacing the staff the building is suppose to be closed...now what are we to do, demolish the school, build a new one and hope the "new" building helps kids pass.
ReplyDeleteLong ago I worked at school 15, where I saw teachers bring kids up a year and a half to two years in one school year...but the kids started kindergarten three to three and a half years behind developmentally, these teachers were miracle workers...but the school never met AYP, because in order to do that they would have had to raise kids up 3 to 4 years in one year...so they were labeled failures and the school was "re-constituted"...and very little has changed except the new teacher faces don't know or love the community as much as those who worked there before...so here is a shout out to all those old school 15, Woodie Litz teachers...you were miracle workers not failures, no matter what anyone else says...
I don't know anyone at a charter with more than 4 years paid experience. Most new teachers that I've worked with usually are too busy hitting Broad Ripple on weekends or worrying about who to marry. Then when that's done with and they get married seems like they are on maternity leave every other year. There is something to be said about experienced teachers. This media love affair with new teachers is all about MONEY..saving it, not spending it on people who have honed their skills.
ReplyDeleteThere are good and bad new teachers and good and bad veterans. Good veteran teachers are the best. But good newbies beat bad veterans hands down.
ReplyDeleteJoin the club. FWCS did the same thing.
ReplyDeleteAfter preaching "relationships" were the key to student success they closed one school and mixed up three others either moving staff/admin. around and riffing great personnel whom the students loved and respected. Many of those riffed teachers were never brought back. Then FWCS went out and hired over a hundred new teachers leaving riffed teachers out of the picture saying they weren't meeting the areas of certification the schools were seeking (total bull)
Unfortunately in turnaround schools they can basically do whatever they want in "the name of the kids" another bull statement.
Teachers in the "LEAD" schools in FWCS are not allowed to file grievances aka can be terminated at anytime, can be transferred to another school without explanation.
I agree with the statement from others regarding the older, seasoned, experienced teachers. By the time teachers get to this point they have raised their families and have a large amount of time to spend teaching, with their students, extracurriculars and community involvement.
Unfortunately they cost more than the state or schools want to spend
But, lets remember all these changes are suppose to help our youth...........another "bull" statement
Justin Hunter is destroying school 15. After 2 years, many of us that were hired transferred as quickly as possible. Those of us who go to know the community were reprimanded by Hunter for doing a better job than him.... Al that remains is a bunch of people who have their heads up his ass and a few dedicated teachers that love the kids. I was lucky and got out to another school in IPS while I could, one that cares about students and with a principal who does not always need to be in the limelight.
ReplyDeleteAll teachers who are currently working under a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) should receive a RIF. Then later, when teachers are called back, don't call the PIPs back.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.indystar.com/article/20110302/LOCAL18/103020335/Judge-Star-must-identify-anonymous-posters?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|IndyStar.com|s
ReplyDeleteYou may no longer be anonymous on this blog. Someone needs to figure out how to set up a proxie server, and set one up to protect people on this blog, including the blog master. For the time being I would not name any names.
To the teacher from school 15, I do agree that bringing children up a grade level and a half to two grades in one year should count as improvement for AYP, even if they still don't pass ISTEP. I think that was your overall point, and I agree with it. But I also think it's silly to deflect the blame from the school for the fact that they got so behind in the first place. The kids did NOT start kindergarten 3 to 3 1/2 years behind developmentally unless they were all profoundly mentally retarded. At most a new kindergarten student who doesn't know how to hold a pencil, sing the alphabet or differentiate colors, could be said to be a half-grade behind grade level. For children to be 3 to 4 grade levels behind by late grade school means virtually no progress has been made at all throughout the entire school career. There is no explanation for that other than gross negligence by school staff.
ReplyDeleteI'm anonymous because I already post using a proxy server, but i agree that the blog master wouldn't be if he/she broke the law. But surely he/she knows that.
ReplyDeleteThey did the Peabody Picture Vocab test with these children, and scored it to neighborhood standards, so if the question is "where do you buy milk?" and the kid pointed to a gas station they counted it as a correct answer, since there are no "supermarkets" in that area. I believe, and it was years ago, 6 out of the roughly 100 kids tested were with in normal scores, everyone else was anywhere from 18 months to four years in language development. The amazing thing was by the end of first grade the majority had made up almost all of the deficit, except for the true special ed kids. Meanwhile the middle class and upper class kids continued to pull ahead due to good parenting, and the achievement gap continues to grow. You need to read Gladwell's Outliers on lack of progress in the "off season" of school and realize that this is where the achievement gap happens. When you get to upper elementary you also start to face a disengagement of students...and if you want read about motivation read Drive by Daniel Pink...because we are doing everything you need to do in schools to promote disengagement.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sad day in this country when we have a judge following the precepts of China, and forcing media outlets to turn over IP addresses. Isn't this how Yahoo got in trouble with the US government here?
ReplyDeleteThis is different because it's only allowed to be used when a crime has been committed. That seems common sense to me.
ReplyDeleteand the crime in China is challenging the government...I'm afraid that is the same "crime" that happens here.
ReplyDeleteYeah, my kids didn't do well on the Picture vocab either. They didn't recognize their version of a telephone, or their version of a brush, among many other things that my kids simply hadn't been exposed to. And I don't disagree that disadvantaged students are, well, disadvantaged. But I'm a teacher too, and you know as well as I do that what passes for education in IPS is often tragic. While we might not ever be able to get the exact same results as Hamilton County, we could give these kids a LOT more than what they're getting. I'm a secondary ed teacher, and it's extremely common for a student to say that I'm the first teacher who ever assigned readings at his/her reading level, or the first teacher who explained how the lesson would be useful outside of a classroom. That's education 101 type stuff, and the kids act like I made it up.
ReplyDeleteIt is a chicken and egg thing, so you don't like what has been said about you on the blog, you sue to determine who said it...now that person is presumed to be guilty and their privacy is violated because you have decided what they said is not true. It is a presumption of guilt verses a presumption of innocents thing. Quite frankly most of what has been said here will never result in a law suit....because it is true. I know one principal who could never sue because what has been said about this person is the truth...downtown knows it, parents know it, and kids know it...and it has been allowed to continue. This person would never want their dirty laundry aired in public...it is bad enough it is our here on the blog.
ReplyDeletePeople have been warned from the get-go about attacking people rather than policy. I won't be crying a river if it comes back to bite them in the ass.
ReplyDeleteBackground knowledge and connections to the real world are the keys to closing the achievement gap...not more of the same academics...sure you can read about an elephant in a book, but nothing beats really seeing and smelling one at the zoo.
ReplyDeleteBut it isn't just taking kids places that builds background knowledge...it is talking to them and allowing them to make sense of what they see.
It is the same thing with turning the tv on...there are great educational experiences that can be achieved by watching something on TV, but the majority of kids that I see believe the TV is on because you have nothing better to do that day, so they ignore the content.... PEOPLE STOP SHOWING ENTERTAINMENT MOVIES....the only time the tv should be on is if you are using it to deliver specific educational content. You are training kids to ignore the tv if it is on for entertainment, and that means you need to be watching the content too...and be prepared to stop the program and ask questions to redirect students back to content.
Did you happen to see teen Jeopardy...the answer was Steinbeck, and every contestant got it...would our kids, heck no, because they are culturally illiterate because they do no real reading. And this is a system wide policy promoted by the use of Springboard. Dr. White keeps saying the word "Rigor" while promoting policies that remove all chance for rigor...no reading novels, no sustained silent reading, benchmark tests that require you cover x amount of content by X date. Kelly Gallagher says in Readicide "The biggest danger in sprinting through various readings in any content area is that we graduate students who do not develop an interest in any content area. Authentic interest is developed when students are given the opportunity to delve deeply into interesting ideas." To me this defines rigor...when was the last time in your class that students did a deep dive into something interesting?
My children attend IPS, and they have SSR. I understand your frustration, but I don't know how else we can measure what kids have learned, as well as what works and what doesn't without testing. What's the difference between a benchmark and the unit exams from 20 years ago?
ReplyDeleteHe's not a teacher, he's a coach. IPS knows their way around things.
ReplyDeleteThe new coach at BRMHS is a teacher.
Don't the magnet schools have different rules? I mean, I know they're still union, but aren't they their own little pool and not put in to the whole IPS district pool when laying off new hires?
ReplyDeleteParent..An end of unit assessment is given when the teacher feels the students have had an opportunity to learn the content. They allow flexibility so if a formative assessment says the students do not understand some part of the content the teacher can use another approach and reteach it.
ReplyDeleteBenchmarks dates are determined by someone who has never seen the students based on when the "system" feels your child should have "covered the material"...there is no time for a teachable moment, and no time for a deep dive into something that captures particular students imagination or interest...we need to be at page 206 by March 15th...so it really doesn't matter what your circumstance is.
Yes, magnet school teachers are protected from RIF. But I'm not sure anyone has actually been laid off yet. The blogmaster might be smoking crack, lol.
ReplyDeleteRe: benchmarks, Like the above poster said, the benchmarks do limit flexibility on the part of the teacher and the individual needs of the student. On the flip side, they help with student mobility when the student moves around inside Indiana (which is the majority of student mobility). Also, the benchmark provides more of a measurement for comparison than unit tests, because the benchmark is standardized, whereas unit tests are not.
I am a magnet teacher who got RIFd today. So, no, the answer is no.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the RIF, I have different licenses, and I am hoping to finish up five more years, than anyone who wants my job, it will be open.
ReplyDeleteExcept benchmarks are only an Indianapolis test, not a state wide benchmark...and they are poorly written and sometimes they don't even match what the teachers have been told to teach.
ReplyDeleteMaybe IPS has its own benchmark exams. I work in another Indianapolis district, and the benchmark assessments we take are state benchmark assessments.
ReplyDeleteAbout the Magnet RIFs, they are more protected than the non-magnet schools. A new teacher at Broad Ripple can keep her job even if they lay off everyone with less than 5 years experience at the non-magnets. But if they need to reduce force at Broad Ripple, then they choose from 1st and 2nd year teachers.
ReplyDeletePhyllis Barnes has made some truly amazing choices at NHS. She'll probably get a huge raise next year when Northwest implodes. Wow, my dog could have made better staffing choices.
ReplyDeleteIf you are indeed IPS teachers posting to this site, please learn the difference between a RIF and reconstituting a school.
ReplyDeletePhyllis Barnes is bird-brained. She's sacking some of the greatest teachers to ever grace that school. Also, it makes no difference how much seniority you have, she let go a teacher that had been teacher there for 16 years, and allowing a teacher who has only been in the school for 1 year to keep his job.
ReplyDeleteRIF is a reduction in force. The district has to reduce the number of teachers therefore the newest teachers go first. Reconstituting means the building is going to start over from scratch. Reconstituting a school causing all of those teachers to be displaced. They are not RIF'ed because of their seniority but their positions no longer exist. They are still employed by the district but must find another position to go to.
ReplyDeleteReconstituting the school means that 51% of the current teachers have to leave, so IPS just moves them around to other schools. Now if by the time school ends May 31, if you have no assigned position, then file for your unemployment checks, if you have problem contact IEA Union.
ReplyDeleteWill the teachers have to re-apply for positions in the schools that are reconsituting?
ReplyDeleteBecause if they do then those who received RIF notices will probably be the last to interview.
There will probably be surplus teachers who will be reassigned to other schools, teachers who will be let go and then those who will be called back late in the summer after the school system sees which positions still need filled
It is all very stressful as many may not know til the very end if they have a job
Yes...... To all of us being RIF'd get ready to file for unemployment! It's not going to be as much as our salary is but we will be at least getting something so we can pay the bills! Also, if they don't call us all back we can get unemployment for at least 8 to 10 months so there we go practically the whole next school year sorta.....
ReplyDelete"Phyllis Barnes is bird-brained." an insult to all of my feathered friends
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately our Gov is trying to reduce unemployment benefits for 2012. I guess he thinks 390/wk is too much lol
ReplyDeleteI've heard that it would be knocked down to the high 200's, what a bud. lol
How would you handle a bankrupt unemployment fund? The old way was fine before the economy tanked, but now more is being collected than is being put in. So he raised the unemployment tax collected, and he lowed the maximum benefits being paid out. What would you have done?
ReplyDeleteKept jobs
ReplyDeletelol, what would you as governor have done to keep jobs while the national economy tanked
ReplyDeleteLet me put it another--oversee the job process.
ReplyDeleteExample: Second largest school corp. in the state rif's several hundred. Brings back some, leaves other rif'ed. Then turns around and hires over a hundred new teachers. Probably less expensive hires. So more new teachers were hired than left stranded. Where is the saving of money there?
Another thought. The Gov wants schools to consolidate and strand buildings to save on the cost of building operations...but now he wants those buildings for charter schools. Where is that saving the state money?
Then he turns around and complains because too many schools are closing
The economy will continue to tank when people are unemployed.
data reveals that Indiana has not fared much better than its Midwestern neighbors during the recession. Indiana lost 174,400 jobs since 2007
Indiana schools received millions in save our teachers fun to be used for next year to SAVE teachers job
No one is being held accountable for that money.
No teacher should be without a job next year...bottom line
RE: totally off the topic, but something that concerns intelligent people
ReplyDeleteIn a news interview regarding Superintendents' high pay and big perks on Channel 59 Local News, here is a copy and paste...please pay close attention to Dr. White's comment about his car allowance perk!
_________________________________________
School boards have also approved expensive perks in their superintendents’ contracts. One of the priciest ones is a monthly car allowance. Dr. White receives $1,200 a month for his car.
“Most of it deals with gasoline. I use my car and I don’t get any appreciation for my car," White said.
______________________________________________
Now I believe we all should show some 'appreciation' for Eugene's fine car. Evidently the man's upset because he doesn't get any 'appreciation' for his car! LOL
Sad, but our Superintendent doesn't know the difference between depreciation and appreciation!
It's definitely idiotic, but it's hard to say whether White is the idiot, or the reporter.
ReplyDeleteYes, but he gets $1200 a month for gatholine! I dvr'd him thaying that!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the car allowance is absurd. If only you could use it for the psychiatric help. I'll pray for you.
ReplyDeleteIt astonishes me that we the teachers manage to pay for our own cell phones, clothes, and cars without ips' help. Maybe he could too....
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing is how the Title One budget is being used for the "intercession" stuff when previously it was used to help kids who were behind during the school year. This can be quite risky since they are banking on teachers teaching during the intercession AND students attending beyond the 182 day school year. About as successful as getting kids to WANT to go to summer school. I don't know of many teachers who want to teach the intercession unless it's a course in Middle eastern art or the sports history of Iceland stuff. Our kids need reading and math help. Wonder how long this experiment will last?
ReplyDeleteJust FYI, but nobody has received a RIF notice yet. They're discussing cutting teachers, but nobody has been laid off. The blogmaster is wrong, and the person claiming to be a laid-off magnet teacher is wrong. More than likely, the are the same (wrong) person.
ReplyDeleteFederal Stimulus/Recovery Funds - breakdown by State and by Agency within the State
ReplyDeleteCheck out this US government website to learn who got the Stimulus Funds in Indiana.
http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/agency/Pages/StateTotalsByAgency.aspx
Re: " Just an FYI..."
ReplyDeleteI think you are wrong. I know a school where there was a lot of sadness today.
All four local news networks and the Indianapolis Star have had stories yesterday and/or today about IPS budget meetings and potential layoffs and not one mention of a layoff. If someone got fired, it was for cause, not an RIF.
ReplyDeleteYeah, maybe they were said because they are sure they are GOING to be laid off. But nobody I work with has gotten a notice yet, and I know a couple of newer teachers who are expecting them.
ReplyDeleteIPS ran through the Stimulus money like it was water. Wasted it on the Teacher Cadre supposedly to save teachers' jobs...now we're back where we started except in worse financial condition. IPS should have saved about half of the Stimulus money rather than spending it all as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteIPS has 64 individual schools and approximately 30,000 (+ or -) a few students. We have far too many school facilities to operate. They're too expensive in terms of maintenance, and several need to be closed and then sold to the highest bidders. It's time to cut our losses and move ahead as a leaner machine.
ReplyDeleteI am so tired of the "young" teachers going around with the attitude it is not fair.Get use to it. You may think you are one of the best because you know how to "teach" There will come a day when you have a principal and he/she determines you are a bad teacher.Maybe this evaluator has a personal problem with you ..Maybe he needs paper work on file to prove he is on the job improving his staff. You are now the target. I t is not fair but principals are not ethical and life is not fair. This happens to very good teachers all the time. So keep complaining about fairness ,RIFS,PIP and the other unfairs.If you do not these RIFs or, movement to new locations, just quit and find another job.
ReplyDelete@I am so tired of the "young" teachers going around with the attitude it is not fair.Get use to it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like someone thinks seniority is all that matters.
"IPS should have saved about half of the Stimulus money rather than spending it all as quickly as possible."
ReplyDeleteLook who publicly admits he/she hasn't a clue regarding stimulus money! Can you say, "Use it or lose it?" The stimulus money was a set amount of cash with a deadline for its use. From the beginning, that fact was highly publicized.
From the outside, the Cadre appeared to be simply flushing the cash into White River, but it enabled many quality educators to hone their talents while providing extra support to our students. My hope is that these teachers find a home within IPS.
The stimulus money did not become available in our state til after the beginning of the school year. This years budgets should have already been set. Most school districts across the nation are holding onto the money for next school year where yes it can still be used if put aside and added into next years budget. The deadline for doing this isn't til Sept. 2012.
ReplyDeleteSo there was no use it now or lose it. It did not have to be used this year. Our district is saving it for next year
Daniels direct quote was:
“We'll take the money, but we don't need it” says Governor Daniels on the new federal stimulus plan that will send cash to Indiana for the purpose of retaining and hiring new teachers.
It's expected to pump $200-million into our state
Daniels direct quote was:
ReplyDelete“We'll take the money, but we don't need it” says Governor Daniels on the new federal stimulus plan that will send cash to Indiana for the purpose of retaining and hiring new teachers.
It's expected to pump $200-million into our state
Well Mitch, what about the unfunded liability of the teachers retirement fund? Has that money been returned yet? If not we need it.
I'm a new teacher, and it's not that I think life should always be fair. But it's disheartening to get into the profession of teaching with the hope that you can make a difference, get a teaching job in an urban district, ignore the burned-out coworkers telling you nobody can make a difference, succeed in making a difference (a provable, predictable, measurable difference), and then get laid off so that the burned out teachers can keep their jobs, all while screaming that it's impossible for teachers to make a difference. I don't think I'll have a tough time getting hired in another district or charter school, but in the meantime, it's another generation of IPS kids being sacrificed in exchange for job security of a few adults.
ReplyDelete@From the outside, the Cadre appeared to be simply flushing the cash into White River, but it enabled many quality educators to hone their talents while providing extra support to our students. My hope is that these teachers find a home within IPS.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the "inside" and saw the waste expended toward maintaining the Teacher Cadre. By the second semester of its existence, IPS was actually rehiring older teachers who'd been 'let go' from IPS several years before the Stimulus. The young, good teachers seemed to drift out of the Cadre into full-time 'real' teaching jobs in other school districts. It sounded good on paper, and perhaps from a Board member's eyes or Central Office administrator's eyes it seemed to be a valid concept, but concepts don't always evolve into good working products, do they?
@ I am so tired of the young teachers going around...
ReplyDeleteI am an experienced teacher who sees that many new teachers have more enthusiasm and passion for educating the deserving children that we serve in IPS. It seems like you think you can "teach" (not sure why you put that in quotes!) just because you are not a "new" teacher. It is likely that you are one of the "old" teachers in our district who have been burned so you are bitter. Wake up...teachers should not be rif'd on years of service but on PERFORMANCE! The real world makes cuts based on PERFORMANCE, not SENIORITY. School districts need to wake up and join the rest of the 21st century. By the way,I see the "young" teachers in my building outperforming the "older" ones. Just because you've taught longer doesn't mean you are better than the rest. Maybe you can be part of the solution and not the problem.
I do so love seeing quotation marks around random words.
ReplyDeleteMy reading professor at IUPUI wrote this on the board.....Mr. Smith and his "wife" checked into the hotel.
Since then, I smile each time I see those punctuation marks.
If you think a RIF based on anything other than seniority would be fair, you are wrong. Look at the choices made in the turnaround schools this week. Those choices were made on the whim of the principal and they had nothing to do with performance. There are lots of good/great teachers who were not selected to stay in their schools and lots of lousy teachers who are staying. A RIF is not the time to weed out poor teachers. Administrators should have been evaluating them out all along. The turnaround is being used to reward friends and family. Is anyone surprised? They learned it from their supreme leader.
ReplyDeleteI have total respect for teachers of all ages.
ReplyDeleteBut I have learned one thing over the years--never underestimate wisdom from experience.
I remember hearing a older coach say that he was turned down for a job because the school wanted a young energetic coach. His reply was, then hire a cheerleader. Three years later he said that the young coach who got the job came to him while he was coaching at another school (he did eventually get a head coaching job). The coach had been fired and asked if he had any openings on staff. The older hc asked him why he wasn't trying for a hc job. He said, ya know what I really need to learn a lot more. It took me a little while but I soon learned that there is always room for learning from a more experienced coach.
The older coach laughed and said, no worry, I am always learning too.
The blogmaster already has this set up with a proxy server.
ReplyDeleteNEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER TRANSPORT A STUDENT IN YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE!
ReplyDeleteGirl Killed, Classmates Injured In Crash With Semi
Police: Band Instructor Was Driving Students To Store
POSTED: 4:22 pm EST March 4, 2011
UPDATED: 12:10 am EST March 5, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- A 13-year-old girl was killed and two of her classmates were injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer on Indianapolis' west side Friday afternoon.
The crash happened just after 4 p.m. at the Harding Street on ramp to Interstate 70.
Police said witnesses told them the car turned in front of the tractor-trailer and was struck on the passenger side.
Justice Holifield, 13, of Indianapolis, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy riding in the backseat of the car were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the three children were classmates at Indianapolis Public Schools' Harshman Middle School.
The driver of the car, Kyle Bieda, 26, is a band instructor at the school. Police said the group was traveling to a local store to buy items for a school event Saturday.
Bieda was not injured.
I hope this educator has plenty of insurance, and decent (read: release from all liability) SIGNED permission forms.
ReplyDeleteI understand that both IPS and IEA policy regarding the transport of students in personal vehicles is simple: Never do it, as you aren't covered by any entity other than your own automobile policy.
I wish you the best of luck, Kyle Bieda. You have a long, sad journey ahead of you.
Was this band director being a buddy to his band members? Probably.
ReplyDeleteWould a more-experienced educator permit students to ride in his/her car?
Probably not.
Look for massive directives regarding student transportation. The rules against this have been in place as long as I can remember.
Well, they placed me on a PIP, have written me up twenty times, and I just keep calling in sick. I am not worried I have Dr. White's red shoes and their are being held hostage.
ReplyDeleteRegarding experience from above, I definitely agree that an effective experienced teacher is priceless. I'm a new teacher, and there are some veteran teachers I work with who are worth their weight in gold. And there are some new teachers who won't last another year. But the flip side to your coaching parable is that if you walk into any IPS school and find the teacher standing at the front of the room lecturing while the class sleeps or goofs off, 90% of the time, that will be a veteran teacher. And when a teacher says teachers don't matter in education and that it's all about the parents, 90% of the time, that will be a veteran teacher. Maybe it's true that RIF is not the time to weed through who's good or not, but if they got rid of the teachers who don't even believe it's possible to teach half the kids in IPS, we wouldn't need any RIFs, would we?
ReplyDeletePunctuation is important.
ReplyDeleteA college professor put this sentence on the board and asked his students to add punctuation:
A woman without her man is nothing
The boys added this:
A woman with her man, is nothing.
The girls added this:
A woman, with out her, man is nothing.
:)
oops. Should be
ReplyDeleteA woman without her man, is nothing.
(from the boys.)
Now my earlier post sorta loses some of it's oomph. Ah well...
About the girl killed while being trasnported by an IPS teacher:
ReplyDeleteThere was a report that they were going to a local store to get supplies for an event on Saturday. Why were they so far from Harshman? This accident happened all the way over by George Washington. (I-70 and Harding.) Seems fishy.
Bewley said late Friday she did not know whether the district had a policy regarding teachers who drive students in their personal vehicles.
ReplyDelete??????????????????????????????????????????????????
This has been a policy forever.
Yes. True. Driving a student is strictly forbidden but happens all of the time anyway. Funny that Bewley did not know that. I feel so sad for the young lady who was killed.
ReplyDeleteThe entire situation is sad. Instead of critizing the teacher, we need to pray for all involved. And, it might not hurt to remember the phrase, "There, but for the grace of God, go I." We don't have the all of the facts on this situation.
ReplyDeleteI do have sympathy for all those involved. Even though the policy of not transporting students sound trivial there was a reason for making that policy.
ReplyDeleteToo many people ignore rules, policies because they are thought to be too restrictive, out of date. The lack of common sense is apparent.
Don't transport students!!!!! Now we have, unfortunately, a reason for the policy.
Please tell me you are kidding. Beweley knows the policy. She didn't want to state it in the media.
ReplyDelete@Bewley said late Friday she did not know whether the district had a policy regarding teachers who drive students in their personal vehicles.
ReplyDeleteThis was published in today's (Saturday's) IndyStar.
Incredible. As recently as last year, we had a notice posted in the mailroom warning staff against transporting students.
Many years ago, I was the principal's designee. In his absence, a child injured her arm. The parents had no transportation, and it wasn't life-threatening, so they asked if I could drive her home. Even though I knew I was fully protected in writing within our school's emergency plan, I still held my breath until I removed the keys from the car's ignition upon my return to school.
Also, has anyone noticed the change in field trip permission slips? Language formerly held IPS immune to liability if a child is injured. Now it simply says that the child can participate.
Incredible, too.
The problem is that we have all these shades of gray...never transport a student...seems simple enough, now have a ten year old who has missed the bus, it is late and you call home, no one is there or they have no transportation, they do not have cab fare if you send the kid in a cab. What are your options, call CPS or the police and have them come and pick up the child who can't get home?
ReplyDeleteYears ago at a school dance two girls were not picked up by their parents, the girls had each told their parents the other girls parents were going to pick them up, and it was their intent to go home with a crew of young men...none of whom was a parent. We would not let them leave and ended up staying at the school until 2:30 when after we called the police to pick them up as abandoned children suddenly a parent was called and they were picked up. The parent was very grateful we had not let his 13 year old go off with a 17 year old crowd of boys.
I don't have a comment, but a question I hope someone can/will answer. I'm not a teacher, so I don't know how a lot of things work in IPS.
ReplyDeleteA close friend of mine is a special ed teacher in IPS for many years. This teacher has been told by the principal that he is going to recommend the teacher be put on a PIP. I guess the document will read recommended for contract renewal but recommended for PIP.
Does that mean this teacher is probably going to be fired soon? How much of a threat is this on both the short-term and the long-term to this teacher's job?
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
I would like to hear that answer too.
ReplyDeleteMy thanks and sincere appreciation go out to all educators and supporters who took their time, funds, and energy to represent me at the Statehouse today.
ReplyDeleteIt's no threat on the short-term, but it's a possible threat in the long-term. The PIP would have given specific things that need to be done/improved within a certain time frame. If they do meet the goals, then everyone lives happily ever after. If the teacher fails to meet those goals, then they are put on conditional status. If on conditional status (with a more detailed improvement plan and more in-class visits) the teacher still doesn't improve, and the administrator can document that the teacher had plenty of warning, chances, and support to improve, then he/she can be fired.
ReplyDelete$1,200. per month for gas?? What does he drive; a motor home or semi? Or where does he drive? Even with a conservative estimate of 10 miles per gallon at $3. a gallon he would have to drive 1,000 miles per week or 150 miles per day for 6 days - 150 miles per day in this district at an average of 30 miles an hour in the city means he has to be driving for 5 full hours a day.
ReplyDeleteI think part of that $1200 pays for the lease on his mercedes.
ReplyDeleteEugene White's salary benefits stink to high heaven, like the Wayne Township superintendent. How can you possibly justify that kind of dough when the moral of your teachers is in the toilet, and the IPS ship is sinking in poor scores. Mr. White, you dress like a pimp, you drive a pimp mobile, and I wonder just where and how you scrounged up your doctorate degree!
ReplyDeleteBackground for Eugene White
ReplyDeleteEmployment History
Global Child Nutrition Foundation
American Association of School Administrators
American Association for School Administrators
American Association for School Administrators
Metropolitan School District of Washington Township
North Central High School
Board Memberships and Affiliations
Board Member
Global Child Nutrition Foundation
Board Member
United Way of Central Indiana
Member
American Association of School Administrators
Education
Ed.D.
bachelor's degree
Alabama A&M University
master's degree
University of Tennessee
doctoral degree
Ball State University
They must have had a sale.
We can't necessarily blame the superintendents for these huge allowances in their gas budgets or retirement contracts. Who is approving these items???? You guessed it, the school boards and their lawyers!
ReplyDeleteI agree it's the school board. It's funny because I'm not a huge White fan, but whenever I come here, I'm always inclined to kind of defend him because some of the posts are just so silly. The board offered him a competitive package to work for IPS and he accepted it. You would have too, and so would have I. You don't sacrifice part of your salary or benefits if your students or their parents don't like you, and neither do I. The school board is the one that makes and approves such offers. That's who you should blame. On the other hand, if other urban superintendents are making this much, then what is IPS going to get for making low ball offers? I would imagine you have to dangle a pretty big carrot to get people to walk into an nightmare like IPS.
ReplyDeleteYou're wrong there are plenty of people who walk into IPS everyday for small potatoes and carrots, teachers. And many, many of them give parts of their salary to benefit their students, because they care about kids and their futures.
ReplyDeleteNo, you donate/spend money on students in need. You don't say, "just keep part of my check, IPS, it's too much." White may very well donate money to needy children. That has nothing to do with accepting a high but competitive salary package. I have issues with White, but his speech, clothing, and salary aren't among them. 90% of the posts here deal with one of those three things.
ReplyDelete"plenty of people who walk into IPS everyday for small potatoes and carrots." Not true. IPS pays a competitive wage compared to other urban schools. This is significantly higher than what teachers of the same experience are paid in Greenfield or Brown County. What kind of teachers do you think IPS would attract if it offered the lowest salaries for teachers? (Not to mention that a small but significant percentage of IPS teachers are here because they're unemployable anywhere else.)
ReplyDeleteI would like to know why I don't have paper and pencils for my students? I have spent over $400 this year just getting supplies for the children that my school doesn't or refuses to buy. No. #5 paper is non-existent, and heaven help me if I ask for construction paper. Hope someone has the answer for me.
ReplyDelete"IPS pays a competitive wage compared to other urban schools. This is significantly higher than what teachers of the same experience are paid in Greenfield or Brown County. (Not to mention that a small but significant percentage of IPS teachers are here because they're unemployable anywhere else.)"
ReplyDeleteYou compare IPS wages to Greenfield or Brown County when cost of living in those cities is much lower than Indianapolis?It may pay a competitive wage to most urban schools in your opinion but NOT in other "urban" districts like Wayne Township or Pike which service IPS kids. Plus the working conditions in other schools are far better- no 60 year old buildings without air. Your last comment about where most of the "unemployable" teachers are, I'd say that's why we have the charter schools...they have to hire somebody.
"My thanks and sincere appreciation go out to all educators and supporters who took their time, funds, and energy to represent me at the Statehouse today."
ReplyDelete__________________
I was in attendance at this and it was one cold, rainy, nasty afternoon! However, multiple hundreds of protesters turned out; it was well-organized; and the speeches were excellent.
I hope the Democrats who are in Illinois (thank you folks!) learned about the success of this event. As usual, local news media coverage of a pro-teacher gathering was weak. The Star gave it just token minimal coverage, which certainly didn't surprise me.
The new football coach at BRMHS may have a teaching license, but they don't make their coaches teach. They pay them $75K and give them a bogus title, like director of middle school activities. Oh, wait... they don't have any middle school activities to direct!
ReplyDeleteIf the areas of improvement are 2 or 3 watch out. You don't have to have a PIP period for non-renewal of contract there & you don't have to have any extra visits support or communication.
ReplyDeleteThe new football coach at BRMHS may have a teaching license........is it the coach's fault that they don't make him teach? If that is the case. Sounds to me like you are someone who does not like the career that he or she has chosen for themselves. You need to go and make yourself more marketable as these coaches do. Why don't you take over the job as director of middle school activities and let the whoever the coach is teach and coach football. Do they really pay coaches $75K in high school. Sounds like a good job to me. I need to go me one of those jobs. You can be my assistant.
ReplyDeleteIt's bad enough that all of these younger teachers are getting RIFFed, but I keep hearing that IPS is preparing for a major offensive against experienced teachers. And I don't mean just teachers who have had major problems, but teachers who are "guilty" of one thing: Pay for Experience.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else hearing these things?
Is anyone else wondering what's happened to IPS-BS? We haven't had a new topic in over a week.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am hearing stories from all over about senior teachers being harassed by administrators. These are not the "burned out" teachers. As you said they are only guilty of being expensive.
ReplyDeleteIf they can get rid of the experienced teachers and keep the lower cost newer teachers, there will be more money for administrative raises and perks.
ReplyDeleteWhat is not to love with that?
IPS reminds me of Dantes' Inferno. Not a pleasant place to hang out. And if you do hang out there for long, you really will get burned.
ReplyDeleteIf the experienced teachers are effective, then its throwing good money after bad to attempt to "save" money by getting rid of them. Good teachers are monemakers for IPS (they keep students and parents happy and happy students and parents keep enrollment and education dollars in IPS). If they're really doing this, the teachers need to keep all objective evidence of their value. (tests, of course, but also comments in previous evaluations, letters from parents, coworkers, anything that shows you're a good teacher). That information will be helpful in filing an age discrimination suit against IPS and/or getting another teaching job at a new school.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading blogs from all over the state from younger teachers who are jumping ship (from teaching) returning to college to pursue higher degrees or totally different degrees.
ReplyDeleteThey are young enough to do this and have the luxury to leave teaching because many have not yet started families or bought homes
I don't blame them a bit.
Not worth the headache.
But I hate to inform school leaders--if you don't hang onto the experienced teachers you are going to have a mess on your hands
They are already predicating a HUGE shortage of teachers by 2015 with retirements and by then many of our young ambitious teachers will have moved on
I'll be here until 2017 unless IPS offers another huge buyout for health coverage.
ReplyDeleteI discovered yesterday that I don't have a Life license. Mine expires in 2099.
They are already predicating a HUGE shortage of teachers by 2015 with retirements and by then many of our young ambitious teachers will have moved on
ReplyDeleteNever mind that the current "big idea" in other places is to make all teachers state employees, and start them off at such low salaries they won't be able to live, what I read is tat 11 years with a masters you'll make $32,000. ...teaching will cease to be a profession and it will return to a job women can do as long as they are married. Every advancement we have made as professionals will be gone.
You know we think things can't go backwards, but the Greek and Roman societies were followed by the Dark Ages, and perhaps we are heading to a new Dark Age. The culture is certainly changing and there is more and more money in less and less hands.
Yeah, it's going back to where teachers can't make a reasonable living unless they have a spouse who makes decent money and benefits.
ReplyDeleteEither that, or the teacher has to work 2-3 jobs; something that is already going on with many.
The teaching profession is going back to the Dark Ages. Be sure to thank a Republican governor or legislator for that (sarcasim).
We've been lucky over the last years to get men into the profession. A great asset in discipline, father figures, coaching, role models etc. Eventually this will cease as families who lean on the male as the bread winner will not be able to afford to go into teaching.
ReplyDeleteEducation/schools/students will be the losers in the end.
I remember when my husband first started teaching at 11,000/yr
would teach all day and work all night at another job
I was home with preschoolers but I babysat,
tough times and this again will be the future for our teachers if something isn't done
I remember none of our teacher friends could afford homes or vacations. We now have two of our children who are teachers--one has already left the profession for the business world and the other leaving to go into nursing school.
I ask-------who will eventually teach our future generations?
Uh, the non-freaky, non-paranoid people will teach. I'm a first year teacher a non-union school, and I'm doing just fine. I'd do even better with a teacher shortage, because occupational shortages drive salaries up.
ReplyDeleteYou are mistaken, they will simply lower the requirements to be a teacher. Long ago you used to be able to teach with a two year degree...it really was not so long ago, because I knew people teaching who started in the mid-seventies with associates degrees.
ReplyDeleteHeck, we have teacher with NO licenses--you know "full time subs"
ReplyDeleteyet they are teaching subjects that are state tested
but hey, low pay, no insurance
Occupational shortages may drive salaries up in the private sector, in education it just means 40 students classes.
ReplyDeleteSure, with the union schools. Union industries are cartels, not free markets, so supply and demand doesn't apply. But the non-union schools can and do pay more for shortage areas. They do this right now (pay more for math, science, and special ed).
ReplyDeleteSo.........
ReplyDeletehave IPS teachers received rif'ed notices or not?
Audit Reveals IPS Money Problems
ReplyDeleteAccounting Problems Follow $20M Budget Cuts
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/27243585/detail.html
With the huge mess they have in the turnaround schools they probably can't figure out who to RIF.
ReplyDeleteNo official RIF notices have been distributed yet. People have been told they are on the list, but nothing has been issued from downtown.
ReplyDeleteThey have until the 31st of March to get out the RIF notices, yep while you are on Spring Break. But your administrator should know by the 24th of March. File for unemployment the week after school ends, make IPS pay for your summer, if you have any problems call IEA for help.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame people for filing in the summer if they're allowed, to help make ends meet while they look for another job (which wouldn't start until the fall), or to help make up the difference for having to take a lower-paying job. But make no mistake, IPS won't pay for your summer, Indiana taxpayers will. Do what you have to do for you and your family, but don't pretend it's not the same as going on food stamps or collecting TANF.
ReplyDeleteIf you get rif'ed they will send you your summer all at once in June-per state law. Big chunk of tax money taken out and your benefits will end the first week of summer. Yes you can file for unemployment.
ReplyDeleteSad part will be in turnaround schools they do not have to call you back per your rif'ed order. They can hire outside teachers because they are turnaround schools. Rif's will return only to those schools who aren't listed as turnaround schools. They also won't have to do it via years experience but by need and certification.
Do not expect your union nor the ISTA to get involved because they won't, can't whatever they tell you.
Remember in turnaround schools they only have to keep fifty percent of the staff.
I know that ISTA on several occasions have said we teachers are basically at will employees too no matter if in the union
Protect yourselves
It should have read your summer checks if you have them spread out over the summer
ReplyDelete???? When I was rif'd two summers ago, I still drew the paycheck and it wasn't confirmed that I had been rehired until towards the end of July that year. I believe our contracts state salary, which should allow for us to draw our pay over the summer, for the contracted salary. The notices weren't sent until right after spring break, as downtown started sending out the "openings" via email the week before Spring Break, but I didn't get my certified email rif until the Tuesday after we came back from Spring Break.
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying that when we were layed off this past spring they informed of us of a new law distributing the rest of our summer pay checks and that we received them all at once in June. Not sure what the "new" law is but that is how it was done...we were not given a choice of having it stretched out over the summer as our contract had stated. Then they posted the teacher openings and everyone that meant the certification needs were allowed to apply. No tenure considerations.
ReplyDeleteTo top it all off they didn't even have to interview you if they didn't want you.
The only good thing about getting the final check in June was that everyone jumped onto unemployment until they were called back or for many--still on unemployment.
The other distressing part was that some of the positions were filled with "full time subs" and NOT teachers with licenses.
Teachers who were NOT called back were offered other full time sub positions with NO benefits.
Just trying to warn you what can and could happend with turnaround schools.
Believe me, we never thought we would see what happened to us where I work.
The morale was and continues to be so down it is hard to go to work everyday under these conditions.
I really believe that IPS will go with the new turnaround system that we did (since we got away with it) and many teachers will get bypassed for jobs by outsiders and subs with no teaching licenses.
The sad thing is when we BEGGED the union for help we got NONE
I agree. I see many teachers in IPS being offered sub postions without benefits.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a big savings to the corporation
"we BEGGED the union for help we got NONE."
ReplyDelete^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This seems to be a pretty regular type of comment here. Why should IPS teachers pay hundreds of dollars a year to be in the union if it doesn't fight for its members? It seems to me that the union does as little as possible. There may be union ACTIVITY, but how much of that activity is basically just going through the motions of supposedly representing teachers?
It may be a moot point anyway in the not-too-distant future if/when the Republicans in our state government get their way and teachers' unions are basically dismantled in Indiana.
In the meantime, what are teachers actually getting in reward for their monetary investment in the union?
When asked that by many we are reminded that we get this and that because of the union. The whole thing is scary but I am asking the same thing of the unions.
ReplyDeleteEarlier this year when our schools received millions of stimulus money that was suppose to SAVE teachers jobs and return them to the classroom we were reassured that the ISTA was encouraging our Gov to sign it so Indiana could get the money. So he did and where did the money go? Who over saw it? There are still many many teachers in Indiana laid off and obviously reading papers around the state many more are currently receiving lay off notices as we speak.
I personally complained to the ISTA that they were like an insurance policy. We put money into the organization and when we need their help we should be able to cash in. Guess what--0 help.
The biggest kicker is while you are sitting on unemployment they want you to continue to pay dues and stay in the union. For what?
I hope if the union stays intact they play a bigger role in helping our teachers who are rif'ed, making sure stimulus money is used for its intented purpose and protect our teachers when needed
The stimulus money went to Cadre teachers, IPS was in charge of handling the money, no wonder it was mishandled. That is the IPS way. You need the union more with IPS going after senior teachers and placing teachers on PIP's. Go ahead and leave the union, then when you need them, you can cry in your beer. The union is only as strong as the members. Franklin Township laid off 87 teachers, IPS is looking at losing 300 teachers due to a huge cut in funding, that they knew about one year ago. Stimulus money is gone, the GOP Congress cut all money going to education, so did Mitch.
ReplyDeleteFrom the ISTA website:
ReplyDeleteDespite this fact, many educators do choose to join a union or association because of the important things for which they advocate. This includes things like; smaller class sizes, greater school safety, improved learning environments, after-school programs and even sacrifices such as salary freezes and cuts to keep educators on the job during times when budgets are tight
===========
So I ask, what is the union doing for RIF'd teachers?
You can say the union is as strong as its members but what do you say to the teachers who paid into the union and will be sitting home on unemployment?
Of course we can blame it on politics but my point is that in turnaround schools they do not (at least in our school corp. and I'll bet in others) they do not have to bring back rifs first, they can hire from outside, they can post jobs with different certifications eliminating many teachers, they can turn rif'ed teachers into subs without benefits etc., etc., IF the funding ISN'T there how can they go outside and replace rif'ed teachers with other teachers. They are still paying salaries, just to different people. AND--some of these teachers brought in are from out of state, leaving our Indiana union teachers jobless
So again I ask, where is the union leaders and what are they doing to help?
Also, (as much as I don't care for our Govenor) he listed many items that schools could eliminate before teachers and very few followed his suggestions. Instead they chose the easy way out and rif'ed.
The union doesn't control the school budget, they don't create layer upon layer of bureaucracy, nor do they decide to pay administrators huge sums of money. What would you propose they do stage a coup? Your right, they can break into the ed center and duct tape Dr. White and all his cronies and take over the district, no one would notice....wait there isn't that much duct tape in the world.
ReplyDeleteAll the union can do is advocate for teachers, as fairly as possible in accordance to its own policies.
We can all thank Bennett for this mess.
ReplyDeleteI wish the union would "advocate"
ReplyDeleteBut when we are flat out told that they can't step in when it comes to the unfairness of rif's and how the school corporation is going about calling them back and hiring from outside before bringing back rif's --then what hope do our teachers have? Who will go to bat for them?
IPS Spokeswoman Mary Louise Bewley’s statements to the Indy Channel that the district’s budget cuts are a direct result of pending legislation. It also conflicts with her presumption that “there’s no way around” massive teacher layoffs.
From ISTA:
2. You must be recalled to any teaching position you,re certified
to fill prior to new employees being hired for those positions.
3. You must receive notices of all position openings for which you
are qualified while you're on preferred recall. These notices
must be sent by certified mail.
Lets just say, haven't seen any of this happening
I can't imagine informed educators belonging to the teachers union in this day and age. Michelle Rhee tried to offer DC teachers a choice to double their earning potential on a merit system and giving up tenure, and the union wouldn't even allow teachers to vote on the issue. The union isn't serving good teachers, it's holding them back. I'm already meeting the qualifications for a merit-based system. I'm just not getting the merit pay.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention teachers who were asked to forego raises so that their peers could keep their jobs and eliminate rif's
ReplyDeleteRe: turnaround schools and fear within.
As seen around the country districts are firing teachers at turn around schools that are not making progress. Those teachers are FIRED, not rif'ed. So the district does not have to rehire or give those teachers a job.
My hope is that we don't see that here.
Unfortunately in Fort Wayne the teachers at their three high schools and others that are included in turn around were all forced to reapply for positions. So they could hire who they wanted. They signed contracts for three years at those schools which means they can't transfer to another school in the district unless it is a turnaround (LEAD) school, but could be let go if not performing to the set standards.
This could happen very easily around the state.
Tenure does not guarantee you a job, nor any kind of safety.
I spoke with one gentleman who had seventeen years in the school corporation there and is now just a full time sub with no benefits.
Though school corporations say they back the unions they won't when it comes to the possibility of one of their schools being taken over by the state.
If the state says release half of the teachers and hire new--believe me, they will and no union will save anyone
"You need the union more with IPS going after senior teachers and placing teachers on PIP's."
ReplyDelete*****************
So, just what is the union doing to help those senior teachers who are unjustifiably being placed on PIPs?
From what I hear from many "PIP teachers" who have sought union help, the union basically does nothing but go through the motions.
I agree with the above analogy that the teachers unions in this state are like insurance companies. They collect your payments, but aren't there when you really need them.
As I see it, many (most?) IPS teachers are like those polar bears trapped out alone in the ocean on those little ice islands. Can't jump off or stay on because either choice leads to their demise.
The sage advise to all, CYA. What are the reasons for placing a teacher on a PIP? Back in the day, it was nearly impossible to put a teacher on a PIP or maybe it was too much trouble.
ReplyDeleteSad thing about PIP's
ReplyDeleteWhose opinion and what is the criteria to be on one?
Principal doesn't like you, parents complain because student isn't getting an A?
Who knows.
Everytime I contact a uniserv, union rep or ISTA I get the same story line--
NOT MUCH
they talk in foreign tongue or better yet, no response.
I was totally PRO union until this past year.
Now it has been a nightmare for many and everytime I express my disappointment in the union I'm made to feel like a loser, ya know, if you don't have a union it is going to be worse.
What can be worse? Unemployment--oh wait, being told that if we are "fired" we won't even get unemployment.
So I guess it can get worse.
I really really feel sorry for those of us across the country who thought that teaching was our calling cause we are sure taking it up the...
What are you doing wrong, you were given how many chances to change your teaching style, only after discussing the problem, that was when the Union Rep should of been in the meeting. You knew that you were failing in one of main areas? Could it you have a problem that needs correcting in your teaching style? I would just retire and move to the south of Italy in a small villa.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine informed educators belonging to the teachers union in this day and age. Michelle Rhee tried to offer DC teachers a choice to double their earning potential on a merit system and giving up tenure, and the union wouldn't even allow teachers to vote on the issue. The union isn't serving good teachers, it's holding them back. I'm already meeting the qualifications for a merit-based system. I'm just not getting the merit pay.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you got your information because it is wrong, union members did vote on the IMPACT program, and 75% approved the the agreement. Teachers have an option of taking the merit pay after they have received their evaluation score, which is the result of five evaluations, three by building level administrators, and two by Master Educators, along with some other factors. Of the highly effective teachers who were eligible for the performance bonus (about $5000.00) 40% did not take it, because by taking it you give up future rights under the contract. Do you really know the qualifications for merit pay, because you might be surprised. The forty percent who didn't take the money know that things and administration can change with the wind.
You're talking about the later version, which was watered down before it was voted in last year. The original proposal (2008) would have given the performance teachers salaries up to double their union scale salary.
ReplyDeleteI've seen qualifications for several merit pay programs, all of them based on academic growth and a rubric for classroom evaluations. Which qualifications do you think would surprise me?
"What can be worse? Unemployment--oh wait, being told that if we are "fired" we won't even get unemployment. So I guess it can get worse."
ReplyDeleteI've got a feeling that in a year or two there will be 50-60 year-old recently fired IPS teachers out holding signs on the streets and highway ramps that say: "Will teach for food."
Master's degrees from major universities, decades of experience in their profession, and this is where it dumps them.
Then in about five years they will be knocking on doors trying to get every teacher that has been kicked to the curb to come back because of the HUGE teacher shortage that is already being predicted nationwide--no wait, we will just outsource teachers from other countries or let the internet teach the kids while they sit at home
ReplyDeleteI remember being at one meeting where administrators were talking about technology being the future. One teacher said how is technology ever going to replace the personal relationships and interactions between students and teachers that you all keep preaching?
Technology is never going to replace all teachers. It can replace some (virtual schools, online colleges, etc.) and it can certainly help in lesson planning, differentiation, instruction, and assessment, but I think the new model will be fewer, higher paid master teachers with more, less paid interns and aides.
ReplyDeleteIt's harder to get fired for cause in the teaching profession than just about any other profession out there. It's more rare to lose one's teaching license than just about any other professional license out there. So the people who are on here complaining that they're being fired for cause sound like children. Either follow the corrective action to prevent the firing, or find another profession. If the corrective action is bogus, keep your own records and evidence to prove you're following best practice, and that will enable the union to defend you or the state to give you unemployment. But this wailing and gnashing teeth that anyone has the audacity to fire poor-performing teachers is kind of obnoxious.
ReplyDeleteI'm all about paying for experience and excellence, but if there is no performance difference between a 75,000 a year teacher and a 45,000 year teacher, then someone is being overpaid and/or someone is being underpaid. If the older teacher won't or can't improve, and the union won't allow his/her salary to be decreased to his/her performance level, then he/she should be fired. I don't understand the confusion or the idea that this is somehow unfair to the low-performing teachers. Don't you want the best for your money? Don't taxpayers deserve the same?
ReplyDeleteHas everyone who is being RIF'd received their notice? What is the cut-off date for those?
ReplyDeleteGot mine today. First one after 5 years in ips :(
ReplyDeleteI got mine today as well. First time in 5 years for me too. Glad I'm not the only one...How many years did they go?
ReplyDeleteThey went by a 'point' system (for 3-5 yr.teachers) which is VERY subjective due to domains 2 & 3 being completed by all types of principals. Not fair, but not sure what we can do about it?! Any suggestions, anyone?
ReplyDeleteI have a suggestion...let's all go to charter schools or christian schools, make less money, have less stress, teach with creativity and be employed based on our abilities and performance rather than on some archaic seniority system. THIS IS PART OF THE REASON THAT OUR STUDENTS AREN'T SUCCESSFUL!!! WAKE UP, IPS!! YOU KEEP TEACHERS THAT SUCK AND PUNISH THOSE THAT ARE GOOD!!This is the only career I can think of where experience and performance mean S*@!. I sure didn't choose teaching because of the money, so making less at either of the above makes no difference to me. I just want to teach, and there are other kids in this city that need me as their teacher. IPS' LOSS!
ReplyDeleteWarning-third hand info- but if true it is very alarming. Two teachers in my building that have 5 years got their Rif this week. But a teacher with 3 years did not. Isn't this rating thing a performance based assessment? Is this in our union contract? When HR was asked they were told this process was union approved. This is dangerous when principals are given a tool to punish some and save others, not necessarily by performance but by personal preference, favorites, and who is fun to hang out with. These are scary times.
ReplyDeleteI'm really confused about this point system. Is this new? Details please...how can a 3 year teacher stay over a 5 year teacher?
ReplyDelete@ really confused about this point system...
ReplyDeleteIPS should have sent out an email or offered a question/answer forum that describes the RIF process. So many of us have questions and concerns that are valid, but I can only get my answers from other colleagues. They truly don't know either, as they are going based on what they've "heard" from other people. In typical IPS fashion, they didn't do this right either. This RIF is serious, and we deserve to know the process and have our questions addressed by someone in HUMAN RESOURCES. I've already been offered another position somewhere else, and I may just take it. Next year will just be more of the same in IPS...RIF's again.
You are very lucky to have an offer from somewhere else. Sounds like you should take it. This RIF thing in IPS is crazy. Just curious, are you elementary or secondary?
ReplyDelete