The Radical School Reform You've Never Heard Of
With 'parent trigger,' families can forcibly change failing schools.
By DAVID FEITH
Debates about education these days tend to center on familiar terms like charter schools and merit pay. Now a new fault line is emerging: "parent trigger."
Like many radical ideas, parent trigger originated in California, as an innovation of a liberal activist group called Parent Revolution. The average student in Los Angeles has only a 50% chance of graduating high school and a 10% chance of attending college. It's a crisis, says Parent Revolution leader Ben Austin, that calls for "an unabashed and unapologetic transfer of raw power from the defenders of the status quo"—education officials and teachers unions—"to the parents."
Parent trigger, which became California law in January, is meant to facilitate that transfer of power through community organizing. Under the law, if 51% of parents in a failing school sign a petition, they can trigger a forcible transformation of the school—either by inviting a charter operator to take it over, by forcing certain administrative changes, or by shutting it down outright.
Schools are eligible for triggering if they have failed to make "adequate yearly progress," according to state standards, for four consecutive years. Today 1,300 of California's 10,000 schools qualify.
To California's teachers unions, the parent trigger is anathema—a "lynch mob provision," wrote the president of the California Federation of Teachers in his union's publication. By contrast, to the law's sponsor, Democratic State Sen. Gloria Romero, it represents "the power of a signature, the John Hancock in the hand of every parent in a school deemed to be failing." (And, adds Ms. Romero, "to refer to mostly minority, low-income, inner-city parents as a 'lynch mob' is really unbelievable.")
California's example has already inspired legislation in Connecticut, although Hartford lawmakers ultimately passed a reform package that doesn't give parents as much direct influence. That hasn't stopped the idea from catching on elsewhere.
State legislators in five states—Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey and West Virginia—tell me that they plan to introduce versions of parent-trigger legislation over the next six months.
"If it can pass in California, it can pass anywhere," says New Jersey State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, who plans to introduce his parent-trigger bill as soon as this month. Mr. Kyrillos is confident his bill will pass, especially since Gov. Chris Christie, a fellow Republican, committed in September to supporting the kind of parent-empowering reform that "was recently done in California."
Even so, if what's past is prologue, states considering parent-trigger laws are in for some rough battles. "It was brutal," says Gwen Samuel, a mother whose State of Black CT Alliance led the push for a parent trigger in Connecticut. "Enjoy your family and prepare your strategy," she warns other states, "because unions are going to come at you with everything they have."
In California that's meant, among other things, misinformation campaigns. Earlier this year, before a vote on whether to turn Los Angeles's Gratts Primary Center over to a charter operator, a flier circulated warning parents not to support the charter option porque pueden ser deportadas—"because you might be deported."
"They're afraid to sign the petition," said one Los Angeles-area mother who is collecting signatures for a charter conversion. "Some teachers, parents, principals have mentioned that if they sign the petition it's gonna be for the school to be closed, which is not true."
The growing popularity of parent trigger challenges the common assertion that schools fail primarily because they serve apathetic families. Like charter-school lotteries bursting with thousands of parents and students, trigger drives demonstrate that legions of parents actively reject their children's failing schools.
The national spread of parent trigger will also demonstrate how the campaign for choice in education—once a predominantly conservative and Republican interest—has gone bipartisan.
The backers of parent trigger in California included Parent Revolution's Mr. Austin, who served in the Clinton White House; the Democratic leadership in the state legislatures, including Sen. Romero; almost all Republican state legislators; the Democratic mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson; and the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, who was once a teachers union organizer. Also in favor is the California chapter of the NAACP.
Outside of California, the state legislators so far taking the lead are Republicans. And in Washington, incoming House Education Committee Chair John Kline (R., Minn.) says that he supports parent trigger, and that Congress "can make sure federal policy does not stand in their way."
What unites all these people is the view that parents should be empowered to make choices about their children's education. As Ms. Romero puts it: "We can wait for Superman, or recognize that Superman is us."
Stay tuned: By Christmas, says Mr. Austin, one group of Los Angeles parents will announce that it's reached 51% support for a charter conversion. The defenders of the status quo, no doubt, are readying for battle.
Mr. Feith is an assistant editorial features editor at the Journal.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704462704575609781273579228.html
What do you guys think of this?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Due dates- just a reminder
SL Reflection 2due 11/16
Book club presentations begin 11/23
Philosophy paper due 11/30
Portfolio Due 12/7
Book club presentations begin 11/23
Philosophy paper due 11/30
Portfolio Due 12/7
Q&A
Hey Guys,
Here are the questions as promised- along with my thought- feel free to comment.
Question: How can you get students to realize their equality and to show their benefit of it and potential?
Response: I think that you can treat each student fairly. Equal does not mean the same. Some students need more attention. Also remember chapter six- one key term was deficit model- I would say- regardless of a students background- view them as a person with potential to learn. Their experience can be a benefit. Use it in the construction of your lessons.
Q: One person in their service learning observed the main focus of a class was the proficiency test. Is this still democratic education?
R: Good question, society elects policy makers who in turn, decide what should be the focus of students learning. By definition it is not democratic, especially when policy makers are unduly influenced by corporations, who have actually decided what the content of classrooms will be. I think you are getting at the issue- how can I as a teacher use democratic education when there are these curricular imperatives from administrators and policy makers?
Q: Is it realistic to believe that we can create project based learning with the time constraints and standards based on teachers?
R: I would say yes. It is realistic. You won't always do projects, you might do one per quarter, once you have gotten passed some information that is required for the test. I did it with state history and social studies mandates and standards/testing. I also had block -schedules when I taught high school and I only did one per quarter. Project-based learning is not the answer to everything, as testing is not- but they can be helpful when applied in the right dosage. Just my thoughts.. please- comments.
Q: What programs can you get involved with during break to further my career as an educator?
R: Well- there is an upcoming comparative education course to china, then another to the international institute on peace education, in addition to the peace education networks, and projects around Toledo- faculty are working with...
Q: What are good websites to look up our current education policies?
R I would say NYTIMES Education- they discuss nationwide education; for locally, the toledo blade (sometimes) and toledo free press - see http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/11/14/vasquez-and-sobecki-state-they-are-serving-their-full-board-terms/
See the following link-Ms. Aurora Harris sent it to me - I think it will be interesting to all of you and has to do with info about public education you should be aware of: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1vCLg07Sq80N3WDhnMYi6z7hOXtqJcv1jrb-R3RjUfVx01ahS9CAQvt5wDarq&hl=en
Here is some links to law and and policy on education in ohio: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3323
Q: Are there any other alternatives to standardized testing as a form of assessment?
R: Yes, but it has to be an official legal challenge to some kind of issue with the testing, your students that gives you recourse to challenge that assessment in court. These are my thoughts based on the schools that have been able to avoid testing.
Also- someone mentioned Reggio Emilia - see the following link http://hubpages.com/hub/alternative-schools
Q: Based on the film (waiting for superman-which I have not seen) How much of "bad education" is due to teachers vs the system which they must operate in?
R: A good teacher can make a difference in any system! But bad systems can wear down good teachers.
On another note- but related- you have to focus on the possibilities within what you have-not just the rules or restrictions- but what you can do!
Q: What advice can you offer beginner teachers to help them secure their positions within schools?
R: I would say- be willing to travel, look at programs all over the country, including education outside the classroom - for instance, Toledo Grows hires teachers to work with students. Think outside the box- be willing to write grants, start your own projects, teach in private, and charter schools. Ohio teaching licenses has some certification reciprocity with other states - so you might be able to teach somewhere else. One of my former students from Eastern Michigan is now teaching in near Effingham, Ill. Be open... Also, many prof.s around here have grant programs working in the community (including myself at pickett) think about ways to connect w/ those programs to get more experience. Also, consider starting after school programs, enhancement, etc, anyway to get at what you want to do- it is no longer a straight and narrow road.
Q: As a teacher starting out what must we be cautious of to protect our jobs but still be effective?
R: Like any job, be professional. Be on time, don't gossip, be nice and appropriate with students and parents, know the laws- but don't be over- zealous. By the time UT gets through with you and your 1st year you will have an instinct about these things- never stop learning and be willing to ask questions.
Q: As a teacher, how should we teach students moral development in relation to Kohlberg's levels?
R: This is a very detailed question- it could be a dissertation- so I will just go through it like this... In terms of the 1st stages- you can use stories you make up... (i.e. include your students in the stories) to describe morality and elicit responses through a series of questions, examples and situations... For Stage 2 you can take those same stories and ask them about the general rules of society and how it works with the family? ANd society? And so on with stage 3 in terms of international and universal issues or morality. This is a simplistic answer- but I have some curriculum that deals with teaching for tolerance to get students to the next levels. For all of you out there not familiar with Kohlberg- check out http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/overview.html
_ There are so many ways to teach moral development- you can get students to act out a trial- ask them what the law is, then ask what were the mitigating circumstances for the crime, then say- pretend you are a parent, what would you do? Then go ask them to pretend they are part of the international court... Besides this you can use restorative justice to illustrate moral development... this is why lesson planning is so important- you can infuse themes into your curricula by being thoughtful and purposeful
Q: Does Race to the top vary by state? If so do they have their own set of policies per state/school?
R: Good question. Yes Race to the top varies by state- states did varying things to achieve the mandates of the policy- such as institute changes in laws- Ohio said it would hold teachers colleges accountable- test college students etc... to get the money. Ohio- I think got like 100 million - Ohio, then distributes to schools/ districts that use various method- which they communicate through the grant process- to show how they will improve student achievement. As a matter fact, I'm on a committee that will be applying for Race to the Top Ohio money to improve TPS achievement. Some states applied and did not get the grant money.
Lesson Plans
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/language-arts/
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/lesson-plans/
http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/lessons_unit
If you guys know of sources for lesson plans please feel free to post- I will also bring in some books of lesson plans I have...
Here are the questions as promised- along with my thought- feel free to comment.
Question: How can you get students to realize their equality and to show their benefit of it and potential?
Response: I think that you can treat each student fairly. Equal does not mean the same. Some students need more attention. Also remember chapter six- one key term was deficit model- I would say- regardless of a students background- view them as a person with potential to learn. Their experience can be a benefit. Use it in the construction of your lessons.
Q: One person in their service learning observed the main focus of a class was the proficiency test. Is this still democratic education?
R: Good question, society elects policy makers who in turn, decide what should be the focus of students learning. By definition it is not democratic, especially when policy makers are unduly influenced by corporations, who have actually decided what the content of classrooms will be. I think you are getting at the issue- how can I as a teacher use democratic education when there are these curricular imperatives from administrators and policy makers?
Q: Is it realistic to believe that we can create project based learning with the time constraints and standards based on teachers?
R: I would say yes. It is realistic. You won't always do projects, you might do one per quarter, once you have gotten passed some information that is required for the test. I did it with state history and social studies mandates and standards/testing. I also had block -schedules when I taught high school and I only did one per quarter. Project-based learning is not the answer to everything, as testing is not- but they can be helpful when applied in the right dosage. Just my thoughts.. please- comments.
Q: What programs can you get involved with during break to further my career as an educator?
R: Well- there is an upcoming comparative education course to china, then another to the international institute on peace education, in addition to the peace education networks, and projects around Toledo- faculty are working with...
Q: What are good websites to look up our current education policies?
R I would say NYTIMES Education- they discuss nationwide education; for locally, the toledo blade (sometimes) and toledo free press - see http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/11/14/vasquez-and-sobecki-state-they-are-serving-their-full-board-terms/
See the following link-Ms. Aurora Harris sent it to me - I think it will be interesting to all of you and has to do with info about public education you should be aware of: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1vCLg07Sq80N3WDhnMYi6z7hOXtqJcv1jrb-R3RjUfVx01ahS9CAQvt5wDarq&hl=en
Here is some links to law and and policy on education in ohio: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3323
Q: Are there any other alternatives to standardized testing as a form of assessment?
R: Yes, but it has to be an official legal challenge to some kind of issue with the testing, your students that gives you recourse to challenge that assessment in court. These are my thoughts based on the schools that have been able to avoid testing.
Also- someone mentioned Reggio Emilia - see the following link http://hubpages.com/hub/alternative-schools
Q: Based on the film (waiting for superman-which I have not seen) How much of "bad education" is due to teachers vs the system which they must operate in?
R: A good teacher can make a difference in any system! But bad systems can wear down good teachers.
On another note- but related- you have to focus on the possibilities within what you have-not just the rules or restrictions- but what you can do!
Q: What advice can you offer beginner teachers to help them secure their positions within schools?
R: I would say- be willing to travel, look at programs all over the country, including education outside the classroom - for instance, Toledo Grows hires teachers to work with students. Think outside the box- be willing to write grants, start your own projects, teach in private, and charter schools. Ohio teaching licenses has some certification reciprocity with other states - so you might be able to teach somewhere else. One of my former students from Eastern Michigan is now teaching in near Effingham, Ill. Be open... Also, many prof.s around here have grant programs working in the community (including myself at pickett) think about ways to connect w/ those programs to get more experience. Also, consider starting after school programs, enhancement, etc, anyway to get at what you want to do- it is no longer a straight and narrow road.
Q: As a teacher starting out what must we be cautious of to protect our jobs but still be effective?
R: Like any job, be professional. Be on time, don't gossip, be nice and appropriate with students and parents, know the laws- but don't be over- zealous. By the time UT gets through with you and your 1st year you will have an instinct about these things- never stop learning and be willing to ask questions.
Q: As a teacher, how should we teach students moral development in relation to Kohlberg's levels?
R: This is a very detailed question- it could be a dissertation- so I will just go through it like this... In terms of the 1st stages- you can use stories you make up... (i.e. include your students in the stories) to describe morality and elicit responses through a series of questions, examples and situations... For Stage 2 you can take those same stories and ask them about the general rules of society and how it works with the family? ANd society? And so on with stage 3 in terms of international and universal issues or morality. This is a simplistic answer- but I have some curriculum that deals with teaching for tolerance to get students to the next levels. For all of you out there not familiar with Kohlberg- check out http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/overview.html
_ There are so many ways to teach moral development- you can get students to act out a trial- ask them what the law is, then ask what were the mitigating circumstances for the crime, then say- pretend you are a parent, what would you do? Then go ask them to pretend they are part of the international court... Besides this you can use restorative justice to illustrate moral development... this is why lesson planning is so important- you can infuse themes into your curricula by being thoughtful and purposeful
Q: Does Race to the top vary by state? If so do they have their own set of policies per state/school?
R: Good question. Yes Race to the top varies by state- states did varying things to achieve the mandates of the policy- such as institute changes in laws- Ohio said it would hold teachers colleges accountable- test college students etc... to get the money. Ohio- I think got like 100 million - Ohio, then distributes to schools/ districts that use various method- which they communicate through the grant process- to show how they will improve student achievement. As a matter fact, I'm on a committee that will be applying for Race to the Top Ohio money to improve TPS achievement. Some states applied and did not get the grant money.
Lesson Plans
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/language-arts/
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/lesson-plans/
http://www.facinghistory.org/resources/lessons_unit
If you guys know of sources for lesson plans please feel free to post- I will also bring in some books of lesson plans I have...
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