Inquiry Teams: Can the Department Mandate Innovation and Creativity? Will the Lure of Merit PAy and the Fear of Denial of Tenure Foster Collegiality? Does Trust Precede Inquiry?

Friends from around the country constantly ask about mayoral governance in New York City: how does it work? Is it “successful,”? Etc.  I must say I am at a loss to make a coherent explanation …

 

I recently came across a draft of the latest Department Organization chart: circles, triangles, rectangles, circles with arrows and dotted arrows, and all the boxes/circles filled with acronyms … it is not a user friendly model.

 

One of the bright spots is the upgrade in the use of technology … the Department basically got rid of a layer of organization, replaced it with technology, a significant improvement.

 

The “big new things,” School Progress Reports, ARIS, ISCs, Interim Assessments dominate the press releases … the one educational innovation that is at the core of Children First is the school-based Inquiry Team, aka CFI Team, and they have received little media scrutiny.

 

Schools that work, i.e., produce positive student achievement data, are frequently characterized by teacher to teacher collaboration. Teachers talking with teachers about practice and students, during common planning time, built into a school schedule that allows teachers from a grade, or a department, or a team, to meet on a regular basis. They may look at assignments and the student work the assignment produced, or, they may co-grade student work from each other’s classes. Or, all school staff that touches a specific child may meet to discuss the child and co-plan intervention strategies.

 

The role of the school leader is to facilitate the discussion: providing the “space,” and, guiding the dialogue.

 

Another step up the ladder is groups of teachers exploring an issue or problem that requires them to collect, analyze, plan and implement a strategy, and evaluate the summative data. The process is called Action Research.

 

Action Research is an example of empowering teachers: trusting practitioners to use data to drive instructional practice.

 

Two years ago the Department “mandated” each school in Empowerment form Inquiry Teams. This year every school in the City must create a Team.

 

The Department provided a posting, per session dollars, will train a teacher as a data specialist for each Team. The Team is to select 15-30 low achieving students, explore the data available on the new data platform, ARIS, and carry on an Action Research project. The theory: the results of the the project will inform instruction throughout the school.

 

The heart and soul of every School Support Organization (SSO) and the role of the new Superintendents is to drive the Inquiry Team process. A massive training effort is under way: the goal: to support the Inquiry Teams at the school level.

Unfortunately a good idea is being poorly implemented.

 Mandating innovation and creativity is folly. 

Piaget is correct! We learn in discrete steps … as schools and their leaders mature a level of trust increases, that hopefully leads to a collaborative, exploratory culture. The lure of per session dollars will not create Inquiry Teams that lead instructional practice. A “beatings will continue until moral improves” philosophy will not foster innovation.

 Data is more than Math and Reading scores. 

The ARIS system is a data storage warehouse: NYS Math and Reading testing info, credit accumulation and Regents scores, attendance and special ed data, formerly spread across a range of platforms will now be readily available. What about social and emotional intelligences ? Neighborhood crime rates? Students in foster care, temporary housing, single parent homes … Restricting Inquiry Teams to ARIS data is illusory …

 Building Trust is an Essential Component of any Change Initiative 

When powerful folk say, “Trust us …,” people tend to get pregnant! On one hand the Department is challenging tenure, dangling merit pay, threatening closing schools, and, on the other hand saying we want practitioners to work together on Inquiry Teams … And, we have a host of people to “help you.” In too many schools staffs, from the principal on down, are “running as fast as they can,” the Inquiry Team initiative is viewed as just another burden, another mandate.

If the Department wants to create a climate of trust, of colleagues working together in a collegial fashion in schools, it must mirror the practice at each and every level.

 

Magic wands only work in fairy tales.

Lessons from the UAW Strike: Can Public School Teacher Unions Learn, Change and Grow?

Unionized auto workers are on strike! The first time since the 1970s …

The recent history of the automobile industry and the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union is instructive to public schools and public school unions.

It is hard to believe that there are only 73,000 UAW members  working for General Motors, and only an additional hundred thousand members in total. The total is only 20% of the 1990 number of employees … At one time the UAW had well over a million members.

What happened?

Four decades ago as Japanese manufactured cars began entering the American market, GM, Ford and Chrysler all had the same attitude: Americans would never buy Japanese cars!

As foreign produced cars flooded into the country both the companies and the unions remained in denial. Rather than competing they used their political power … an illusion that politics could result in legislation that would protect their markets.

Better cars, at cheaper prices with higher mileage slowly but surely reduced market share. Japanese companies began to open non-union plants in South … and the market shrank and shrank …

The current strike is over $50 billion in retiree health care costs and retaining the current level of $70 an hour salary and benefit package employees.

GM is bleeding!! Losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year … with diminishing political support … and a bleak future.

The attacks on public schools is unrelenting: calls for limitless charter schools and open vouchers – that can be used in public, private or parochial schools and home schooling.

The attacks come from across the political spectrum: from the inner city to the suburbs.

Unfortunately the largest teacher union, the National Education Association, has chosen a UAW-like bunker mentality. The American Federation of Teachers appears to be more nimble.

Perhaps the most interesting approach is in New York City were the local union, the United Federation of Teachers has been joining with public school parents, advocacy organizations and local elected officials.

While they are supporting traditional issues, like lower class size, they also started their own charter school and are vigorous pursuing organizing charter schools across the city. Creating a coalition of end users: parents, and providers: teachers.

The classic union approach that the UAW followed: collect political action funds and “support your friends and punish your enemies,” was a failure.

Will the UFT approach: create a community of public school advocates across the spectrum, be nimble and agile, and create a “movement,” be successful?

Can public schools respond to the marketplace of consumers?

Too many public school devotees are complacent … they defend the past and ignore a rapidly changing landscape ….

The future is unclear: unless teacher union accept change they may be fated to become the UAW of the next decade.

Quoting Al: What Al Shanker Taught All Of Us.

It is becoming commonplace these days to quote Al Shanker to support some position or other. The author of a recent biography of Al says Al would have opposed the Khalil Gibran school, as does Diane Ravitch, a foundation quotes Shanker to defend their position …

Al was a prolific writer … his weekly column  in the Sunday New York Times (space paid for by the union) had a nationwide readership.

I am not so sure that those speaking for Al are correct. I found Al a nimble and evolving thinker … always challenging, always tweaking, he enjoyed controversy, he enjoyed being at the center of the action, and, he especially relished vigorous and civil debate. He would have loved the blogosphere.

As a very young Executive Board member I suggested changing the UFT Constitution to make Chapter Chairs (the term at that time) delegates to the Delegate Assembly. The “old timers” shot me down … it was like being chastised by my parents!!  Months later Al created a committee to study changing representation issues in the UFT Constitution … and Chapter Chairs became automatic delegates.

After tens of thousands of layoffs in September, 1975, Al took us out on a very popular strike, and five days later, dragged us back … and loaned the city hundreds of millions to avert bankruptcy. Members screamed and vilified Al and the union. Had the City gone belly up, bankrupt, our contract would extinguish and a bankruptcy judge could abrogate the contract.

Al had vision … he forced us to look at strongly held beliefs, and rethink and refocus. Many thought that organizing paraprofessionals only months after a bitter, racially divisive strike was bringing “spies” into the union. Al felt if we didn’t the union might not survive.

Al taught me that very little is sacred, that examining, exploring, thinking deeply, is at the core of being a teacher, and, a trade unionist.

“They’re Like Petulant Children”: The NYS Legislature Begins to ReThink Mayoral Control

With substantial fanfare Mayor Bloomberg accepted the Eli Broad Prize in Washington, DC: a prestigious prize – a half million dollars in scholarships for high school seniors.

The 29 member NYC DOE Communication Department pumps out self laudatory press release after press release. The problem is the old “crying wolf” story … With an avalanche of back slapping it has become impossible to differentiate among the stories … self aggrandizement results in suspicion of each and every claim.

A more interesting story didn’t make the Department website.

The City and the State are still battling over $258 million, part of the CFE lawsuit settlement, called the “Contract for Excellence.” The NYC Department of Education established five vague goals and proffers to use the monies to achieve these goals. The Campaign for Fiscal Equity demands a “specific” outline for “how to create smaller classes.” In addition CFE points out that the City plan does not drive funding to the lowest performing schools.

A powerful legislator, Ivan Lafayette complains, “We’re offering all that extra money, but the city refuses to use it as they’re requested to do … they’re like petulant children.” Lafayette goes on to say that his support of mayoral control was a mistake.

The mayoral control law sunsets on June 30, 2009, however, it is becoming increasingly likely that the legislature will revisit the law during the Spring, 08 legislative session.

The teacher’s union has formed a Task Force to explore current school governance  and parents, advocacy organizations, City and State elected officials are all looking to reign in the unfettered power of the mayor and his appointees.

The core of the Klein plan is based on the views of Sir Michael Barber, currently a consultant and Klein’s intellectual guru. Barber points to his successes as Tony Blair’s schools leader. However, as Yanks begin looking at Barber’s claims it becomes increasing clear that his claims are illusory.

It’s beginning to look a little embarrassing – akin to the whispering going on around the guy who is terminally ill and doesn’t know it.

For five years Klein has treated parents, unions, advocacy organizations, and, most importantly electeds, as if they were his serfs … with total disdain. Joel, beginning to make nice to the folks you slapped around for years usually doesn’t work.

The “Magic Bullet” is a Blank: We Cannot Create a Meaningful Education by Ignoring Race, Class and Poverty

Over the next month the Department will unveil the $80 million ARIS  system – data from a variety of databases will be rolled together into one platform – available on a “need to know” basis to school personnel. It imbeds the ability to manipulate and evaluate student achievement data, post lesson plans and create e-platforms and bulletin boards.

Linked to the data warehouse is the School Report Card  – each school, based primarily on student achievement and progress data, will be rated – on a scale – from “A” to “F” with serious repercussions for  schools with grades “C” or lower: lashings, pillory, removal of principals and school closings.

In Washington the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is in the stretch run … currently NCLB requires that schools reach Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals, set by each State. In NYS the goal is moving from Level 2 to Level 3 – moving to “proficiency.” NCLB requires that States have a range of punitive steps – designation as a School in Need of Improvement (SINI), redesign, restructure and possibly closing.

Superintendents, principals, the eduwonks and foundation guys and gals are jousting back and forth over the arcania of the proposed law.

Richard Kahlenberg, the author is the new Al Shanker biography joins in with a “what position would Al have had” article.

When the dust clears will ARIS and the School Report Card improve teaching and learning? Will redefining and fine-tuning NCLB create better schools?

Can we improve teaching and learning and thereby create better, more effective schools without confronting issues of poverty?

Are we letting Bush, the Congress, Governors and Mayors off the hook when we de-link schools from poverty?

Class and race and poverty cannot be ignored. Richard Rothstein  carefully outlines the linkages and proffers a range of programs – with costs attached – to address the impact of poverty on schools.

A recent British study sharply questions whether the achievement gap can be narrowed by schools alone.

Those who ply their trade in the trenches of academe know that they are facing incredible odds. At times you feel like you are a lonely finger in an increasingly leaky dike. Yes, great school leaders combined with great teachers can create, and perhaps maintain great schools, they are the rare exception.

Leadership Academy “raw meat” is tossed into schools, Teach for America and Teaching Fellows are pushed off the end of the pier – they really, really want to succeed – for some it’s missionary zeal, “christianizing the poor natives,” for others it’s a career … for too many it’s too hard … they struggle for few years and move

on …

In Utah the privateers  simply want to destroy public schools and allow the marketplace, a marketplace without teacher unions, to “serve” the public, the equivalent of moving factories offshore.

Poverty is no longer a fashionable battle – we are expending all our energy fighting the war, fighting global warning, fighting the eroding environment, and ignoring the plight of tens of millions of our neighbors.

We will not close the achievement gap, create effective, meaningful eductions for inner city kids without addressing the problems that these kids and their families face each and every day.

Great Schools: A School Leader Guiding Teachers, A Synergistic Learning Organization Serving the Needs of the Kids. Leadership is Earned Not Imposed!!

The School Leader is at the crux of any educational system. The failure of the Klein Leadership Academy has shown the difficulty in choosing effective school leaders. Tens of millions of dollars later the Academy has produced a host of principals that have stumbled … of the five high school closings announced last year four had Leadership Academy principals.

I watched a principal walking down the hall with her secretary inspecting teacher bulletin boards, she pointed at “failings” and dictated, “letter of reprimand,” “letter of praise …” The school was in dire straits, low achievement, low morale, quality teachers took Open Market Transfers and fled the school … the principal was baffled … she had done everything the Academy professed.

The Department parachutes principals into schools. The Chancellor has invested school leaders with more authority than any time in the past – statutory authority without the support of teachers is meaningless.

Once upon a time teachers worked their way up through the ranks, eventually becoming an assistant principal, and perhaps a principal. After fifteen or twenty years of experience a principal emerged. Now, some principals come from the “outside” world, with no teaching experience and many others jump from the ranks of teachers to principals. Experience alone is no guarantee of success – a total lack of experience is a guarantor of failure.

Effective principals must build effective teams – the effective principal is a school leader – he/she leads a team of teachers and support staff – they co-plan, they participate in building an effective organization as measured by student achievement.

Peter Senge, a leading management expert , has written extensively on team building. The lessons from the private sector: trust and value your line employees, not just your managers. 

While Klein inflates the egos of principals, and unfortunately has doomed too many principals, and schools to failure, however, he may be beginning to understand.

The revised draft of the School Leadership Team  guidelines calls for school leaders to build teams of stakeholders at both the school and district level.

In a paid advertisement in local newspapers Randi Weingarten, the teacher union president, calls for the Department to take Leadership Teams seriously.

In the first weeks of school many new principals are stumbling, spending endless hours trying to get their schools off to a good start … dealing with the myriad complexities of schools: the administrative morass, recruiting and supporting teachers, and, oh yes, the kids …

Who supports them? Who guides them? Who chides and encourages? Has this new support model abandoned them?

And, by the way, if your Report Card is a “C” or a “D” or, heaven forbid, an “F” – we publicly execute you as a warning to your colleague principals.

Maybe, just maybe, Klein is beginning to understand that the all powerful tyrannical principal, a la the Leadership Academy model, will destroy school cultures: that great schools are learning organizations that respect and honor teachers, and the great principals are great teachers who happen to lead a school.

“The Best Leader is the Best Server,” Do We Trust Principals and Teachers, Together, To Create Good Schools? Comparing the Brian Kelleher and the Joel Klein Models.

Next month the Department will publicly release Report Card scores for each and every school. The Chancellor avers that schools that receive a grade of “C,” “D” and “F” are in danger of having the principal removed or the school closed. Simple arithmetic: hundreds and hundreds of schools will require new principals: is the Department cloning principals in the caverns of Tweed?

In addition Klein and company lobby for merit pay for teachers and going ahead with the plan to pay kids for reading books, doing homework and doing well on tests.

Over the last few days I worked with a staff in preparing for a school opening.

The dedication of school staffs: principals and teachers is incredible.

Two days of meeting with colleagues and preparing for the opening of school, including dragging furniture, digging through mountains of books in damp and murky closets and the basement. The new principal (he had worked as an Assistant Principal – not the Leadership Academy) consulted with the staff over a range of issues-collected email addresses, worked on Saturday and Sunday – and kept the staff up to date by email.

No one mentioned School Report Cards grades or merit pay. They pitched in, together, to assure a smooth opening, in a school with a struggling student body.

How will a poor score on a School Report Card impact a school?

It will be depressing, anxiety producing and totally counter productive. Tweed, Klein, his acolytes and consultants seem to feel that teachers can “turn it on.” That teachers and principals, when faced with punitive results can do better. There is the assumption that teachers and principals, without some threat, don’t work up to their ability.

The threat of principal removal or school closing will drive out teachers, discourage competent principals and chase away parents. Rather than create better schools Klein will create two classes of schools: “successful” schools and a class of schools that will continue to fail – with revolving door teachers and principals: a perfect example of unintended consequences.

How will merit pay impact effectiveness of schools?

Schools are synergistic organizations. Principals, teachers, school staffs working together to produce an effective school. Differentiated staffing is a sensible and effective model.

The NYC teachers union supported a model called Lead Teacher: a teacher, selected through a careful vetting process teaches half a program and works with newer teachers, the other half, modeling effective practice, coaching and helping colleagues with lessons and materials. The Department finally agreed to include Lead Teachers in the Contract – a few years later: less than ten percent of schools have Lead Teachers – even though the Department pays for the additional salary! 

Klein discourages collegial models: he encourages the “carrot/stick” Leadership Academy Model that pits principals against teachers.

Some years ago a superintendent created a program: teachers, in a simple application could apply for a grant, a few thousand dollars, for a classroom project. He created a range of curriculum committees that worked after school on materials/ideas for use of classroom teachers. Scores of teachers applied and participated: it was a type of “merit” pay that empowered teachers.

Herb Kelleher, the founder and retired CEO of Southwest Airline was asked about the success of his airline when other airlines are struggling:

We’re not looking for blind obedience. We’re looking for people who on their own initiative want to be doing what they’re doing because they consider it to be a worthy objective. I have always believed that the best leader is the best server. And if you’re a servant, by definition you’re not controlling.

In an organization like ours, you’re also likely to be a step behind the employees. The fact that I cannot possibly know everything that goes on in our operation — and don’t pretend to — is a source of competitive advantage. The freedom, informality, and interplay that people enjoy allows them to act in the best interests of the company.

Compare with the Klein Culture: fear, distrust, intimidation and endless self-aggrandizement – draw your own conclusions.