Talk Priority Schools

By Ann Randall

Washington went through the first round of School Improvement Grant funding last spring and we’re preparing for the second round.  Last spring, at the same time the process for local applications for School Improvement Grants was being considered by locals in our state, we were also going through the Race to the Top application process.  It was very important for us to do two things with our local association leaders and staff:  we wanted to give them a sense of control over two concurrent major federal initiatives with broad bargaining implications and we wanted to give them enough information that they could make an informed decision about agreeing to either initiative. So we did a series of meetings around the state for governance leaders and staff, showing them the differences between Race to the Top and the School Improvement Grants and helping them understand the application process and implications of both. read more »

Dr. Tyna Davis

One and a half years ago, Alabama Education Association (AEA) formulated a cadre of approximately 30 educators to review the four recommended models for the School Improvement Grants (SIG). After study, the cadre recommended the transformation model.  This came after an intensive process of discussing and focusing on the pros and cons of each model.  The group unanimously agreed that the transformation model was the model that we wanted to use in our state.  Through conferences, AEA’s Alabama School Journal, editorials and news articles, we recommended to the locals the Transformation Model.  This was important because it helped shape the approaches used by our school systems.  Of 14 Alabama awardees, 13 are transformation and one is closure.  The one local that is recommending closure has had this issue on the local board agenda for several years. read more »

By Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee

After several informative visits to priority schools in Dayton and Lima, Ohio, I was really looking forward to learning about the transformation process at Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Delaware.  With the help of my knowledgeable guide, Marlene Lacy, a visual arts teacher and building rep for Mount Pleasant, I got to interact with many of the school’s educators.

My day began with a great conversation with Mount Pleasant Principal James Simmons III and Dr. Mark Holodick, the Superintendent of Brandywine School District. Through RTTT and SIG, Dr. Holodick says professional learning communities will have the greatest impact. The professional learning communities are currently working on common planning, common assessments and tracking student data to create quality and collaborative learning that is focused.

Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee member, enjoys lunch with Principal Simmons and staff in Mount Pleasant High School's student-run cafe.

Principal Simmons told me about how SIG enabled him to hire an additional guidance counselor to focus specifically on struggling students and a family engagement coordinator. The new family engagement coordinator has a large office with meeting space and they plan to add several computers to the office for family to visit and access the Internet. He also shared some of the business partnerships he’s formed to benefit students. AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company, is going to provide bicycles and clothing for the school to start a cycling club, in addition to providing mentoring. read more »

By Christy Levings, NEA Executive Committee

If you are a fan of science and space films, the phrase Houston, we have a problem is a clear warning of danger ahead.  After spending two days in San Francisco visiting two schools identified as NEA Priority Schools that will receive School Improvement Grants, I feel that phrase sums up the message I would like to share with Education Secretary Arne Duncan:

Mr. Secretary, you are creating a launch problem for schools that are already filled with hard-working professionals who work with kids that bring tough problems to school with them every day. The schools I visited have not been given time to implement the models for major change that the U. S. Department of Education told school districts they must adopt.  Mr. Secretary, you must carve out time for schools to determine what programs are needed in their schools. They must have time to plan and collaborate together. read more »

Linda Barker is the director of Teaching and Learning for the Colorado Education Association. A National Board certified teacher and former Montana Teacher of the Year, her work involves developing policies, partnerships, services, and information that support personal and professional growth for over 40,000 members of CEA. She also serves as the association’s liaison to the State Board of Education, the Colorado Association of School Executives, the Colorado Staff Development Council, the Colorado Department of Education, and the Colorado Association of School Boards. Below are excerpts of an interview with Linda conducted Oct. 26 in Pueblo, CO.

School Improvement; Building a Cooperative Culture
Most districts identified their schools very late in the year so most districts made some drastic changes almost at the end of (last school) year. There wasn’t a lot of time to plan, to develop a serious turnaround or transformation process, time to look at external providers. Everyone looked at it as a huge mountain to climb and then how do we put everything in place that we need to do for kids and teachers and the community in the schools that were identified as targets in the School Improvement Grant process. read more »

By Kevin Hart

Last week, Talk Priority Schools reported on a New York Times story that exposed the shaky qualifications of some firms marketing themselves as school “turnaround specialists.” Some of these companies have practically sprung up overnight, as they try to get a share of billions in federal School Improvement Grants being awarded to some of America’s lowest-performing schools.

Now, Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, has announced that he intends to hold hearings to review companies that contract with school districts to help improve schools. In a statement, Miller said that ”it seems some companies with little or no expertise in education are purporting to be experts in school turnaround to try and take advantage of available federal money.”

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The Priority Schools team had a chance to sit down with Melissa Spencer, president of the Des Moines Education Association in Iowa and talk about the School Improvement Grant (SIG) process.

Spencer explained how the legislature in Iowa mandated that superintendents and the administration bargain with the local associations and work collaboratively to choose the best reform model. The union assured the district they wanted to be partners in the process, and from there the superintendent and association president visited each identified school to explain what SIG is and to answer questions about the process.

In this video clip, Spencer talks about how that made members feel more comfortable.

Spencer also talked about what the schools receiving SIG funds in Des Moines will do. read more »