Teach For America Staffers Tell School Board No Asterisk, Please***

Teach for America staffers who fill teaching positions say they’re being singled out with an asterisk on Board of Education agendas regarding personnel matters. School Board Chair Sauda Baraka says it’s a means to determine cost factors. School board member Ken Moales says the practice is discriminatory.

More from CT Post scribe Linda Conner Lambeck:

Board Chairwoman Sauda Baraka said the idea wasn’t to single anyone out, but to give the board information it needs as it assesses the program and figure out the cost associated with its hires.

It saved her from having to ask if any of the departing staff members came to the district through the program.

“This is due diligence,” she said. “This is not at all to disparage anyone.”

… Board Member Kenneth Moales called the practice inappropriate and discriminatory. He likened it to singling out staff members who has a disability or who do not live in the district. He tried to get the board to vote on ending the practice. No one seconded his motion.

Full story here.

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16 comments

  1. I was very impressed by the several Teach for America young teachers who spoke at the BOE last evening. Generally “new teachers” are young teachers whether they come from a “teacher’s program” or appear with a biology, math or physics and economics degree from a non-teaching college. Bridgeport has recruited such candidates since 2007 and has used them in hard-to-secure areas like math and sciences.

    Our schools pay $3,000 to TFA to do some level of professional training to prepare them for classroom assignments. Urban districts with erratic standards of preparation for students coming to high school college prep classes depend on TFA to have appropriately trained college graduates.

    Sometimes there are complaints about the fact that leave the district soon after two- or three-year commitments. But so do some other topflight teachers in special areas who find they can earn $18-21,000 more from a suburban district. Our evaluation systems are erratic and uneven as well and that is not fair to young teachers no matter where they earned a degree.

    If the asterisk is used merely to remind BOE members of a $3,000 outlay, it seems silly. Understanding the full cost and benefit of TFA teachers requires more numbers and facts. And I would be most interested to learn the level of science and math knowledge specifically of the candidate pool from teacher colleges who were not hired in favor of the several hardworking TFA speakers. Maybe there were none qualified and enthusiastic? From some of the results shared last evening, we should be honoring the time and energy spent instead of creating anything that seems like discrimination, right? If the BOE wants to know, they might listen to the students talk about the TFA group. By the way, the most forceful comments came from a young man who will be attending Harvard next fall to earn an advanced degree in Education, specifically with focus on Urban District education. Under the circumstances, are we likely to get a crack at such an individual when he has added credentials? Time will tell.

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  2. There is a prescribed process to attain teacher certification. It is quite rigorous. It does not guarantee an ability to teach, but assures subject knowledge and classroom management skills have been assessed.

    Teach For America provides college graduates who have not followed the prescribed academic criteria or pursued certification, to receive (I believe) six weeks of training to prepare them to be entrusted with educating students and manage a classroom.

    Does their energy and enthusiasm compensate for lack of subject knowledge or classroom management experience? I don’t know.

    Has the use of TFA people been successful in Trumbull, Fairfield, Westport and other school systems? Oh, they don’t use them.

    I know a teacher who departed the Bridgeport BOE and was replaced by a TFA person. The TFA person had none of the academic credentials, training or experience of the incumbent.

    Using TFA people is about reducing costs. If the TFA person is inspired to pursue the necessary academic criteria and certification, they should be encouraged to do so.

    So the asterisk is quite appropriate. They are not teachers in full standing.

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  3. It would seem for the BBOE’s 35% failure rate, four years undergrad to become a teacher, two years getting a masters degree and another 18 months earning a sixth-year degree. Countless hours of field work. Countless hours of course work. Countless hours of learning how to teach, how to plan, how to write lesson plans. Countless hours learning curriculum cannot prepare you kids to be teachers either.

    It would be different if the BPS were in good shape. Then your assertion one system is better than the other would have more credibility.
    Then you have to consider what the other options are. Even with nearby towns firing teachers not many of those teachers are beating down the door to work in BPT. Even after their year of unemployment runs out, having no job or subbing is better than working in BPT. BPT only has a few options. Bigger classes with the teachers we have, TFA or long-term subs. Is a long-term sub more or less qualified than a TFA?

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    1. According to the CT SDE, among the entire 2012 cohort of high school seniors in our state:
      85% in the cohort of the class of 2012 completed high school in four years.

      For CT’s 188 high schools, the graduation rate was above 90% in 110 high schools, 80-90% in 40 high schools, and below 80% in 38 high schools.

      54% of Hispanic males and 58% of Black males who were eligible for free lunch graduated high school within four years.
      Source: www .sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/pressroom/2013_graduation_rates.pdf

      Demographic differences and economic disparities in our state correlate closely with graduation rates and other standard end-point measures. If this were not true, the SDE wouldn’t be tracking these data so closely over the years. If you don’t believe me, call Commissioner Stefan Pryor’s office.

      Pinning of the blame on teachers in Bridgeport is a reflection of BOE SPY’s mentality.

      Re TFA: The Bridgeport BOE must pay a $3000 annual fee for each TFA instructor in addition to their salary and benefits.

      When there are more than 30 or 40 TFA instructors, it’s important to track the cost, no? If only for the sake of openness, accountability, and transparency?

      An asterisk in this context is not like an asterisk after Barry Bonds’ lifetime batting statistics.

      What if the asterisk were a superscript “1” or a smiley face?

      One of the three TFA instructors who spoke was an AP English teacher.

      It was too bad the three outgoing TFA speakers made so much of themselves and the asterisk, and finished their careers by delivering lighting-rod speeches and then giving each other high-fives in returning to their chairs as if they’d just won a dodgeball tournament. Bridgeport has enough drama without TFA twenty-somethings adding their histrionics as they exit the scene forever.

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      1. Peter,
        I was frankly happy to hear from them on Monday night as my previous experience with TFA and Bridgeport administration handling of and TFA support of one outstanding teacher was really enlightening. TFA teachers seem to face hostility within the public school system, and that was surprising to me. So the several who spoke and stayed to listen to others (I spoke with them as they later exited) were using their free speech right to share another facet of our educational system.

        If there are no TFA young teachers in other towns surrounding Bridgeport it is likely because they are able to find fully qualified and experienced staff for routine and in-demand areas of instruction. Makes sense to me.
        If Bridgeport cannot find an adequate supply of similar teachers, especially for in-demand areas I understand include sciences, math, special education and literacy, then they have to go outside the regular box. If Bridgeport has been doing that for less than 1% of its staffing needs, what is the problem?
        Discussion of Dunbar School, pre- and post-Jumoke, provides community evidence many teachers know the starting and finish times for the school day and plan their lives around those times. Not all but enough for neighbors to observe and comment on cars in the parking lot.

        I found the comments of the TFA regarding hours with and for students beyond the normal school day to be favorable and welcome. Students can often tell better than anyone who is phoning it in, and who really cares. I am happy to have heard from members of this often maligned group. (And let’s look at genuine dropout numbers of all instruction personnel before using asterisks. Perhaps there are certified teachers who before tenure realize their opportunities lie elsewhere than a Bridgeport classroom?) Time will tell.

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      2. Pete–You say ‘Pinning of the blame on teachers in Bridgeport is a reflection of BOE SPY’s mentality.’ If student failure or success is not a function of the teacher, why are we having all this argument? It should be indifferent on who we hire as teachers as long as they have a working knowledge of the subject. Or are you trying to imply student success is a function of the teacher and student failure is a function of poverty? Or are you trying to say wealthy people are ‘smarter’ and have academically successful offspring? I did not think you would be such a fan of social Darwinism.

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        1. BOE SPY,
          The link below shows a significant different in ER admissions of children by area towns.

          By your logic, this would be due to poor medical care in Bridgeport. By your logic, we’d say X% of ER doctors are failing the children who come to the ER with acute respiratory distress.

          In honor of BOE SPY’s drivel, a quote:
          “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on him not understanding it.”–Upton Sinclair

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    2. So where do you get your oil changed? How about your tires? Can I guess Jiffy Lube or Town Fair, as in one mechanic who supervises a bunch of journeymen or apprentices? Some of which may not have any formal education at all. Would you go to St. V’s or Yale? Both teaching hospitals where your doctor may have less than a medical degree and a 16-hour shift.
      The pay in BPT is actually competitive or better than the surrounding towns based on cost of living in the area. BPT doesn’t pay is a fallacy. Here is the teacher pay in Darien (#1 school system in the state) Pg. 37.
      www .darienps.org/current/personnel/contracts2012-15.pdf
      Starting teacher pay $45,334. In BPT the starting pay is $42,428. Pg 48.
      www .nctq.org/docs/Bridgeport_Contract_2011-2014.pdf
      You can do the math and feel free to research your own cost of living/travel time to work arguments. The other thing is, of all the new teachers who are hired, what percent who leave are TFA and non-TFA. I think you will find the percent who leave is about the same. I.e., BPT brings on about 100 teachers a year. 20 are TFA. 25% of each group leaves before two years. The reasons for leaving are equal among each group. BPT also depends a great deal on long-term subs. You failed to address my question if you would prefer a long-term sub or a TFA as your kid’s teacher. Just a guess. These teachers leave because they are thrust into the worst classes. The ‘best’ BPT teachers get themselves transferred to the best classes in the best (easiest) schools. Look at the teachers who have been awarded ‘teacher of the year.’ They teach at the magnet schools, etc. They should be transferred to schools like Dunbar. Doesn’t that school need the best teachers?
      You are correct, we need to fix the root of the problem. Stop making excuses. Get the school system up to par. It starts with the teachers! We are trying to end the flawed system of tenure. We are trying to find a way to reduce the numbers of ineffective teachers in our school system. It is a difficult situation due to the resistance of the teachers and their union to upgrading their profession to only the top-qualified and successful members.

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  4. A friend of mine who attended Central High School’s graduation today was very pleased that every single Central Magnet School graduate was identified with an asterisk next to their name. How is placing an asterisk next to someone’s name discriminatory? The argument is just silly. The fact is the only employees hired by the BBOE who require any type of placement fee are the TFA recruits. The highly profitable Teach for America organization is paid OVER $3,000 per year for the first two-year commitment. 50% of TFA recruits turn over within two years and by year three it is at an 80% turnover. This constant turnover and churn is great for the very profitable TFA but not so good for urban students who need stability, qualified and committed educators. When FUSE took over Dunbar School this past July, they flooded the school with TFA recruits. Three of them resigned within 45 days. As of the last agenda available on line, six of the TFA recruits hired last year have already resigned from Dunbar School. What else needs to be said?

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    1. The right to feel harassed falls on the harassee not the harasser. I am sure the Germans thought they were doing the Jews a favor when they made them wear yellow Stars of David during WWII. After all, that is a symbol of their religion.

      Again, how many non-TFA teachers quit? Concentrating on the TFA alone does not give a complete picture of the situation. Why don’t we transfer teachers who have classroom experience and years of teaching behind them to Dunbar? Find out who won ‘teacher of the Year’ for the last 10 years and transfer them to Dunbar. They can act as leaders for the others to follow. If Dunbar (K-8?) has 18 teachers plus specials, maybe seven more for a total of 25. If ten of them are teacher of the year how could it go wrong? Go ahead Dave, make that suggestion. Let me know where all these committed, tenured and vetted teachers tell you to stick your idea. Then let us see in two years how the school is doing.

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  5. I also wanted to mention Steve Mandel, the hedge fund millionaire from Greenwich who was involved in the illegal takeover of the BBOE, financially supports Excel Bridgeport and founded the ZOOM Foundation, which employs Megan Lowney who was heavily involved with the illegal takeover; sits on the National Teach for America Board of Directors.

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  6. The ONE community member who testified the old Dunbar’s parking lot was empty 10 minutes after the bell would ring is completely aligned with Moales and his wife works for FUSE/Dunbar. Enough said about that. Traditional and certified teachers may certainly leave before they are tenured or after they are tenured, but the BBOE does not pay a for-profit organization over $3,000 per year for those teachers to teach in the public school system. Our traditional teachers who spend thousands to receive their education and certification do not receive a dime of BBOE money for BEFORE-the-job training. Why should “Teach For A Little While” recruits benefit from taxpayer funds to receive five weeks of training just to prepare them to actually teach? The BBOE doesn’t do this for true certified teachers. If certified teachers have to pay all the costs of being an educator to become employed, why shouldn’t TFA recruits have to do the same? If the entire $3,000 per year fee is to fund their training then how is TFA such a profitable organization? I know, because Wendy Kopp, TFA Founder, is lining her pockets, that’s why.

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  7. The BOE could have put a simple note at the end of the section. Something like:
    Of the nine teachers who resigned only four were TFA. Showing how successful the TFA program is as less than 50% of the quitters were TFA and two of them completed their commitment to the district. XX% of our hires are TFA. TFA teachers have a higher retention rate even though TFA hires are put in the most challenging schools with the most challenging students showing a true dedication to correcting the inequities in the education of underprivileged children.
    They could put a note on teachers being hired. How many of the hires are TFA? That would more accurately represent how much TFA cost the district. How many times they paid the $3K.

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