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Wednesday, June 1, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Sun coverage
CARSON CITY — The state Senate passed legislation this week that would dramatically change public schools in Nevada. Assembly Bill 225 and Assembly Bill 229 are the basis for the Legislature’s education reform efforts, which are being pushed by Democratic leadership with the support of Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval.
The bills have Democrats at odds with the teachers union, typically their strong ally.
Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, a co-sponsor of the bills who worked on the legislation for two years, called them “significant reforms.” Dale Erquiaga, senior adviser to Sandoval, said the bills, as amended Monday night, “are significant changes to how we manage education personnel.”
But Lynn Warne, president of the Nevada State Education Association, called them “union-busting tactics dressed up as education reforms.”
The bills await final approval in the Assembly and a signature from Sandoval. If they gain that approval, here are five changes that teachers, administrators and parents will see:
Three years to tenure
Only Nevada and Mississippi have granted post-probationary status — commonly called tenure — to teachers after just one year on the job. The new policy would require teachers to work for three years before becoming eligible for tenure.
During the boom, Nevada was desperate to recruit teachers. That also meant schools were desperate to retain them. New teachers were on probation for two one-year periods, but administrators could waive the second year after a satisfactory first-year evaluation. And in Clark and Washoe counties, they commonly did. A Las Vegas Sun analysis found 95 percent of teachers hired in the past five years in Clark County received post-probationary status after the first year.
The teachers union supports the change, which would apply to those hired after July 1.
Tenured teachers can go back on probation
Conservatives have complained it’s nearly impossible to fire ineffective teachers, particularly after they’ve received tenure. That has led to poor teachers being shuffled from school to school — a ritual known as “pass the trash” — rather than removed from the classroom.
The new laws would change that. Teachers and administrators who receive two consecutive years of “below average” evaluations will be put back on probationary status, meaning they would be easier to fire for being ineffective. After one year of “ineffective” or “minimally effective” evaluations, teachers would be given three evaluations the following year.
The union opposes the measure, because it wanted a third-party appeals process before a teacher is demoted.
This would be effective on July 1.
Ending “last in, first out” layoffs
Each teacher has a number, identifying his seniority in the district. That number has been the standard in determining who gets laid off. But school districts lobbied for the authority to consider more than seniority if layoffs are necessary.
The new law would require that school district layoffs “must not be based solely on the seniority of the teacher or administrator.” Among the factors that could be considered are performance evaluations, disciplinary records, criminal records and degrees.
This change would take effect July 1, giving school districts a decision to make. If they moved quickly with layoffs after the Legislature finalizes a budget, likely sometime around June 6, most school districts, including Clark County, would only use seniority as a basis for their decisions.
Teacher evaluations get some nuance
The current evaluation system is a binary “satisfactory” and “unsatisfactory.” The new policy would require a four-tiered system of evaluations for teachers and administrators beginning in 2013:
• Highly effective
• Effective
• Minimally effective
• Ineffective
The evaluation will be based, in part, on standard measures such as classroom observation. But 50 percent will be set by a “Teachers and Leaders” council, which will be appointed by the governor. This is likely to include test scores for many teachers.
The bill, Assembly Bill 222, that would bring this change is still in play, and in the hands of Smith.
Laws trump collective bargaining
This change won’t be readily apparent to parents and teachers, but could have the biggest effect on the state’s education policy. That’s because when it comes to education, some laws take a back seat to unions’ bargains with school districts. Even if lawmakers want to direct policy, a reluctant bargaining unit can block changes.
Sandoval made elimination of that law as it relates to putting tenured teachers back on probation a negotiating point. The bill supersedes collective bargaining laws.
Warne worries this could set a precedent: Many of these issues, such as how to lay off teachers, have never been discussed at the bargaining table in most counties, she said.
But conservatives complain that unions for teachers, administrators and support staff carry too much weight. That, in and of itself, makes broader changes to education policy more difficult.
If all five bills pass and become law, we will have more powerful school districts and less influential teacher unions.
The good teachers will still be good teachers, but the control of all the teachers will rest in administrative hands and most of the money from taxpayers will pile into the 'support' staff, those who reap huge financial gains but have incredibly tiny and insignificant interfacing with students.
That's the way it is now, but teachers also currently have some recourse through collective bargaining units. This power will be eroded with legislation.
This move is more about stripping away power than it is about placing taxpayer dollars into the education of the children.
In that regard, it seems wrong-headed; we could have done better if there were a way to divest the top-heavy districts of their administrative and support budgets for $100,000 ++ salaries for principals, assistant principals, and 'support' staff who seldom contribute to the learning environment in any substantial way so we could put those dollars into supplies and learning opportunities to benefit the children some.
School administrations have made it a priority to circumvent any protections provided by the teacher unions. Enough fear and anxiety reside in those hallowed halls your children enter each day. Teachers work more than any contracted hours required. "Preparation time" has become a joke-the demands of the job require endless hours of paper work. If we had effective administrators and a district which provided teachers with the information and tools needed (such as a curriculum which doesn't change every year based on the whims of a district and a textbook publishing company willing to provide "goodies", teachers might have a chance to demonstrate that effectiveness.
In addition, I don't know of one administrator who was ever fired unless they dealt drugs or were arrested for stealing.
The unprofessional, mercurial and demanding administrators will have the power to fire on a whim.
Why bother, Nevada? Just put all the kids on computers and shut down the schools.
These are not laws moving toward excellence. They are part of the plan to privatize education.
There is no joy in learning for children in the current educational climate.
What a loss for our children.
So typical Nevada.
A Governor who passes 52 bills but doesn't have the money to support the state of Nevada.
You know the old saying, "Put your money where your mouth is?"
Nevada is spoken in pennies.
This district has had difficulty attracting and regaining teachers in math, science, English and computer tech courses in the past. These so called reform bills will make Nevada even less attractive to all teachers. Blatant killing of seniority and eliminating any tenure will be Pandora's box of both gifts and curses for the district. The so-called 'merit pay reward system' based on total improvement of a school will do nothing to make teaching better or improve learning of students in our school district. Just because the district can now eliminate the older, more expensive salaried teachers does not mean that education is going to improve overnight; far from it, the experience of the older cadre will lost and difficult to replace, if not impossible. No, we will not see higher graduation rates, improvement in state competency exams, fewer drop outs. The latter is also dependent upon the students themselves and their parents or guardians. Teachers alone do not make a school district.
It is time legislatures give classroom teachers full authority to determine their grading standards and other teaching matters like standards for homework assignments, the type and amount of homework, standards for achieving specific grades, attendance, tardiness, behavior,etc. It is time to stop blaming classroom teachers for every conceivable ill in education and make students and their parents much more responsible for the education they are given. Education is not free and it is not a free lunch. With the opportunity for a 'free education' goes responsibility for parent and student-learners. It is time to make education mean something being the source of jokes, demeaning comments and slander from the anti-public education fanatics. Eliminate the trouble makers and those who disrupt, interrupt and refuse to participate cooperatively in learning. Stop coddling those who interfere with true learning in schools. Stop operating schools like they are free day-care centers for the disruptive and disobedient students. Make discipline as important a factor in our schools and competent teachers and graduation exit exams.
This is an excellent article on education reform that appeared in the RJ several weeks ago.
http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/a-different-...
Lipstick on a pig...
I don't see ONE SINGLE THING that will improve Nevada's position relative to hiring & retaining great Educators.
Well, isn't that the GOAL???
Um, NO.
The notion that having "someone", or "some entity" making the decisions on which Teachers to retain in the event of layoffs, as opposed to first in/first out, is rife with potential pitfalls, and is simply a SMOKESCREEN for laying off more expensive teachers who are higher up on the pay scale. If you don't believe that, you don't understand the thought process of B.S. and the anti-tax brigade in the great state of Nevader.
This whole "reform" push is totally misguided.
It does NOT address any real, substantive issues pertaining to improving education in the state.
It's the State's way of getting rid of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, and out-maneuvering the "unions".
Does that sound "innovative" to you? Does that sound like a plan that serves Nevada's students? Do these 5 things do ONE SINGLE THING to address the problems plaguing your typical Nevada classroom? Will your kids have better teachers, more instructional time, the best available curriculum, supplies, tech-learning tools, a proper teacher/student ratio, clean, modern classrooms, an OPTIMUM LEARNING EXPERIENCE out of ANY of these "reforms"?
Well, shouldn't THAT be the GOAL???
That's NOT what this is about, unfortunately, kids...
It's all about POWER & CONTROL. The ability to put TeaNut Idear's into practice by people that have ZERO INTEREST in "educational outcomes".
You have been had; AGAIN.
Three Years to Tenure (Teacher)
Tenure Teachers Go Back to Probation (Teacher)
Last In, First Out (Teachers)
Teacher Evaluation (Teachers)
Trump Collective Bargaining (Teachers)
I am sure everyone noticed. The reforms are all centered on teachers. As usual, we get the SHAFT.
I think it's about time we teachers wake up.
Education does not ALL happen in school. It begins in the womb - the home, the school is midway, society is the final phase. Yes, if people still don't get it, they never will. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO EDUCATE A CHILD! Will everybody please digest that.
The failure of education is caused by the apathy of everyone concerned. Honestly, only the teachers are doing their part. Everyone else, because they didn't do their part, has to blame the only one who is doing it.
So, the failure of education is caused by the teachers - according to these idiots. Never mind that we do not have influence in policy-making. Never mind that we are not consulted when curriculum is changed. Never mind when we are told to "use these materials and programs with fidelity, or else." Never mind that we are told how to grade children, how to discipline children, or how to teach children. Now they are silencing our voice too.
I think it is time we use our collective power and tell these idiots ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Just you wait Mr. Higgins, just you wait!
There is a great deal said by the previous comments that I wholeheartedly agree and won't repeat here. This Nevada State Legislative Session has been used as a tool by certain individuals to advance their agendas to further prosper already thriving industries in Nevada: eroding and busting unions of the citizens (who are individually, less empowered, but in a union, have some power against the BIG SPECIAL INTERESTS.
Only the NEVADA LAWMAKERS can change the Nevada Constitution in regards to MINING TAX RESTRUCTURING AND REFORMS.
I will say it again: By now, it should be obvious, that the majority, if not, all, the folks bothering to comment in the online newspaper media comments are concerned ENGLISH speaking citizens/residents. Those who are 2nd language don't even bother to write, even in their own language or have someone write on their parts, and they now comprise nearly HALF of NEVADA's POPULATION!!!! That should worry YOU!
In a few years, WHO will be running Nevada?
REMINDER:Teachers have gone with nearly 4 years of NO cost of living adjustment raises. Now, they are subject to have what they have CUT. These teachers have undergone college, volunteer work, licensing, background checks, job interviews, job evaluations, and more. There are systems in place to deal with these suggested problems of "bad teachers." Where does any of this fit for the hierarchy above teachers, who CONTROL SCHOOL BUDGETS? Where is the transparency, responsibility, and accountability there?
A local television touched upon a story of the iPODS, and the lack of localized accounting. If citizens took the time to check on the CCSD Interact on "Turnaround Schools" and a specific study posted by an outside source(s) on the "drop-out rates," it is very interesting that some of the problem is due to #1-the district not being able to account for students who moved out of state or who are transient, and #2-students whose parents are immigrants and family are impacted by 2nd language. These two things have ZERO to do with UNIONS, MONEY, OR TEACHERS. Good Grief!
You can only do so much with what you have. It is time to restrict funding to legal residents and citizens needs. Are the taxpayers charitable organizations for illegal residents?
It is just plain old scary how our trusted elected officials play political games with the lives of innocent citizens!
Teachers can get a better deal elsewhere. Who wants to live in Las Vegas? Teachers have loans to pay off. Is a decrypted neighborhood with empty homes and weeds where teachers want to buy a home?
Don't forget increased class sizes and lower teacher pay among these wonderful "reforms" that will magically transform conditions for student learning.
These bills don't go far enough but its a good small step forward.
There is no legitimate reason to have teachers granted tenure after just 1 year. We also need to make it easier to fire bad teachers and easier to hire anyone with a college degree to teach on a trial basis.
We need to stop protecting adults and start focusing on the students.
Nancy, bad teachers should get the shaft. Teacher quality is very important.
@jtrenchard. How do you determine who is a "bad" teacher. Is a bad teacher one who puts tape on her student's lips to keep them quiet in the hallway? Is a "bad" administrator one who encourages widespread cheating on standardized tests? Both of those were done by Michelle Rhee, Sandoval's education guru who says that getting rid of teacher tenure is the way to reform education.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/cont...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2...
All of the proposals have been lip service to reform. If you truly want to reform education in the state of Nevada, think outside the box. Why is the school year only 180 days, with a three month vacation? No other major industrialized power in the world has such a schedule. That schedule has existed since the 1850's when children provided much of the labor force for the family farm. Why not radically change the calendar, to better match what our competitors are doing. Much of Europe and the Far East has school years of 200-220 days with the longest break being one month. Ask teachers how much re-teaching they have to do to regain the skills lost over the summer. The studies have suggested and the results from around the state seem to support it. Smaller class sizes seem to lead to better student achievement. Look at the Proficiency results from the smaller school districts in the state, such as Eureka County and compare those results to the individual high school results in the larger districts such as Clark and Washoe Counties. Are the results better? Students in those small schools have the same teachers, smaller classes and in part, due to those factors, are more successful. If that model works in the smaller counties, why won't it work in the larger counties? Require skills tests for promotion. The military does it all the time. A soldier has to demonstrate that he has the skills needed to be successful in the next rank. Require the same for students. End social promotion. A student has to demonstrate that they have mastered the skills needed to be successful at the next grade level. That would end social promotion and a teacher would be assured that the new students have a certain skill set and are ready to move on.
We all want the best teachers in our classrooms. How do we recruit, train, mentor and retain teachers. We don't! We have no selection program to get our best and our brightest to become teachers. Look how many of the teachers in your school districts are over 45 years old. Where do the replacements come from? With the low pay, long hours, and lack of support and respect, why would anybody become a teacher? We need to look at other models that are more successful and have demonstrated success in student achievement. In other countries, the national government recruits the best and the brightest to become teachers. There is little, if any, turnover of teachers. They are highly valued members of society, whose professional judgment is respected. They are given the resources to be successful. They are paid as professionals. In the United States there is no effort to recruit the best and the brightest to become teachers. This link is to the Time Magazine Article from the April 11, 2011 edition which describes Finland's approach to education. Finland is currently ranked in the top 10 in the world in Math and Science. [ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl... ]http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2062419,00.html
An excellent article appeared in the New York Times about "The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries." The article points out that when soldiers don't succeed, we don't blame the soldiers, we blame the leaders and work harder to give soldier more and better resources. When students fail, we blame the teachers, take away resources and make their jobs more difficult. Why? We want our schools and teachers to be successful, but we take steps to make their jobs harder, remove resources, and take actions to force them from the profession. We need to think differently about how we view teachers. They are not the enemy, but the persons most responsible for the future economic survival and growth of Nevada. This is the link to the story. [ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/opinio... ]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/opinion/01eggers.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=The%20High%20Cost%20of%20Low%20TeacherSalaries&st=cse
How can you rate a teacher when that teacher cant teach using the methods she believe will be best? As of now its a rating system on who can make kids memorize data the best and it also includes a bit of luck on what kids you get in your class.
Its not the teachers fault, its our entire public school system. It takes teachers natural love for teaching and throws it out the window. Teachers are forced to present boring information in boring ways and there is nothing they can do about it.
Our entire system is outdated. Kids should have a database of school teachers nationwide that they can simply login to from the internet at home or at a public place. They could choose which teachers they like, they could rate them, and kids could also have speciality courses where they could pick what subject they would like to learn about. So besides from math, science, history, if the kid was interested in cars, he could then find a teacher who specializes in cars. If a kid liked computers, find one who specializes computers.
Teachers will teach best when they have freedom to teach the way they want and they are teaching the subject they like. Students will learn best when they have a teacher they like and a subject they care about.
If this were possible it would reduce the amount of electric used at schools, the amount of busses required to commute, and with similiar advances in the job market parents could be at home working while there kids attended school.
This also removes bad influences, fights, peer pressure, and a whole lot of other really bad side effects of the public school system...
JTrenchard:
I agree with you. Bad teachers should be fired. Tell that to the administrators. Passing a law does not make a bad administrator suddenly good.
Another swing and a miss by our legislators. Well, maybe a foul ball I agree with some of the changes. However, we have again ignored the elephant in the room. Kick out every student who is not a legal citizen and those who are disruptive to the learning environment. I think test scores would rebound very quickly.
Star Ali Mistriel-Kogan makes a valid point abut resource allocation in our schools. When we spend our limited dollars on non-citizens and illegals while depriving our own citizens, it seems we don't have quite enough to go around for those whose families pay into the system.
In other words, we are going broke from handing out freebies to foreigners and denying our own the education that would lift them up where they belong. Just on the surface it seems an unsustainable path.
But it gets worse in the dynamics of the schools. Illegals tend to cause more trouble in classrooms, and they require more assistance in ESL, ELL and in some areas of SpEd. Many are illiterate in both Espanol and English so conversing, even through an interpreter, with parents becomes an expensive and frustrating experience for all parties.
Placing this responsibility at the feet of ordinary tax-paying citizens can be not only detrimental to our kids and their futures, but likely also leads to furthering the problem down the road by inviting more transients and more illegals squatting in our schools, if for nothing more than the free lunch, free pencils and chance to get out of the heat.
What a mess!
I agree with JTrenchard that bad teachers should be fired. But I'll reserve the right to disagree about her proposition "to hire anyone with a college degree to teach on a trial basis."
While it may benefit the college grad in launching a potential career, (albeit one fraught with low-wage, minimal respect from the community and very little opportunity for advancement) it does provide a meager income and an excellent challenge to discover what one is made of in the face of such overwhelming adversity, particularly in schools where parenting is a lost art, kids are in trouble from day 1, and parole/probation officers are on a first name basis with most teachers, counselors and administrators.
The issue is the fact that without good teachers, every single day and every single experience could be the last one for the kiddo. Without the commitment to provide the nurturing and supportive balance of challenge together with personal recognition which good teachers do as a matter of course, these 'trial' teachers have little background, practically zero education, minimal guided practice and almost no clue as to the best way to proceed in developing skills, encouraging growth and fostering awareness. The results are discarded kids to benefit 'trial' teachers whose lack of commitment in the formative years has left them grasping at straws about their life-work.
I'm not saying it can't work, JT, just suggesting there are pitfalls, and the big loser is usually a kid.
There are several programs in place to mainstream this theory of taking non-teachers and giving them a chance to eliminate their student loans with 2 years of service, and the results indicate that many do precisely that. They put in their 360 days and walk away Scot-free of $60,000 ++ in student loans, pursue their primary line of work with no debt and seldom if ever return to the classroom. Good deal for them, huh??
I agree in theory with some of these changes, but I'm very skeptical about what impact, if any, they'll have. I'm also skeptical that they'll be implemented in a way that the community feels would be most effective.
I've been a proponent of objective teacher evaluations, and I still am, but it's very clear that administrative bureaucracy is a huge part of the problem. I can see why teachers feel like they're under attack. They need to hold the principals and other administrators accountable for the improvements, or lack thereof, at their schools. This "empowerment" program sounds nice in theory, but they stop short when it comes to accountability. Some of the empowerment schools are not performing well, but the leaders of the schools aren't really held accountable, and they still have their job. I've seen teachers try to implement changes and come up against a brick wall with administrative approval. And it's definitely not because the administrators are doing some heavy duty analysis"some of them literally just neglect their responsibilities and it takes forever to get anything approved. This needs to be addressed ASAP. Again, that doesn't mean that some changes need to be made when it comes to teachers, I just think they're neglecting the problem with administrators.
I do think that some of the responses from teachers and their supporters are scare tactics. I think people always resist change, even if they acknowledge that the status quo is a huge failure. When some of these changes are implemented, I hope the focus will be more on rewarding the teachers that are clearly more effective, not just on punishing the teachers that aren't effective. I hope that the objective criteria will eliminate, or at least minimize, the possibility of a teacher being laid off simply because they're more experienced/expensive. I don't think that's going to be as widespread as some of the comments might suggest.
Just wanted to clarify that my comment about empowerment schools is based on hearsay. I don't know specifically which schools are not performing well, it's just what I've heard from colleagues that I trust and don't appear to have any agenda, other than improving the quality of our schools. Please take that comment with a grain of salt.
The changes proposed here in tandem with the new Superintendent's plan to measure student growth are a big step in the right direction. If your child has ever had a poor teacher (one that gives up on the class and simply stops teaching or one that is so secure in their tenure that they don't care if the students learn the material)then you can appreciate the changes being made. There is no singular answer to the problems with our educational system but I, for one, am thankful that our leaders are not comfortable with continuing the status quo.
Discussion between son and dad about student's performance, teachers and school choices.
Son: My teacher says she hates us.
Dad: What! What do you mean your teacher says she hates you guys?
Son: She says she hates us.
Dad: How? I mean does she say this directly?
Son: Yes, when she is upset because students are being disruptive - she'll yell out - "I hate you guys."
Dad: Wow! What else does she say?
Son: She says "If you guys don't want to learn, that is your problem. I don't care I'm getting paid. If you don't want to do your work, you will fail and I'll still get my pay check."
Dad: Do you think she was just upset when she said it?
Son: <laughing> No dad, she says this every other day.
Dad: Looks like someone forgot to take an ethics course. Of course, we can't point fingers at teachers alone. It is difficult for a teacher to instruct her students when you have half of the class engaged in shenanigans.
Son: I come prepared for lessons every day dad.
Dad: Good for you son.
That convo turned into an exchange on ethics and individual choice/responsibility vs. outside influence.
We have a terrible education system in Nevada. Teachers, Students, and our communities are suffering as a result of this system.
People need to make sacrifices - all parties involved - and accept change.
As soon as the economy turns around [yes it will, there has been a business cycle since the first day of our Republic...], Nevada will be back trying to hire teachers who won't want to relocate here because of the state's hate-hate relationship to teachers and learning.
And, after we rationalize that the "bad" teachers are the ones who cost the most in order to balance future budgets, we will be left with inexperienced, low-paid, demoralized teachers.
The future looks bright.
Let's cut to the chase. Sharron Angle is against all public education. Why don't we admit what "we" are really longing for. Then we can balance the budget and give everyone a huge tax reduction. And, south Nevada will magically disappear and we can go back to the way it was in 1920.
1. Teaching Math In 1958
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
2. Teaching Math In 1968
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
3. Teaching Math In 1978
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1988
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 & his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
5. Teaching Math In 1998
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish & inconsiderate & cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our wood-lands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds & squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, & if you feel like crying, it's okay.
6. Teaching Math In 2008
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?
Well all I can say is if you don't like it leave, no one will miss you. If you want to complain then you are probably one of the teachers that we don't want anyway, we need fresh minds and new young blood.
@nancyb...
"Well all I can say is if you don't like it leave, no one will miss you."
Thank you, Nancy; I think we will.
gmag.
I hope you weren't quoting me. I didn't say anything like that. Look back please. I don't see any other Nancy here.
Oh sorry, there is another one. I am NancyA and there's a Nancyb. Ha ha, ha. I am at the opposite side of what she believes. She probably doesn't know anything about how the schools operate.
Forgive them for they do not know what they are saying.
Nancy A...
You are a sweetheart.
I am sure "nancyb" is one of our regular posters who is too chicken s$#t to post his/her trash under their usual screen names.
You want to know a couple more?
roseannrose & nevadaappleslices.
They're both people who comment here regularly under different screen names. There are SEVERAL MORE.
How sad & pathetic is that?
It is amazing how some people's mind works.
There's a problem in education. The major problem involves people. So, if we legislate how people should behave, does it make these people change who they are? Did the law ever stop criminals?
CCSD has existing policies and regulations. We have an evaluation system: 4 means excellent, 3, means above average, 2 means needs improvement, and 1 means bad. Yet, the system is not able to fire teachers/administrators who need to be fired. So changing it to "Highly Effective," "Effective," "Minimally Effective," and "Ineffective," would suddenly change things? Come on people - is there anyone with any brains up there in Carson City?
These so called reforms make my blood curdle. It is so stupid, it makes me scared that these people are actually running our lives, managing billions of dollars, and making decisions for which they do not have the cognitive ability to do. It is incredible!
You have cancer and you are treating it with bandaid!
Thank you letter from Gov. Sandoval
Dear teachers,
Thank you so much for all that you do for the children of Nevada. To demonstrate our sincere appreciation, we in Carson City have decided to cut your pay, make you contribute more towards your health care, and contribute directly towards PERS.
But wait, there's more. We won't make you suffer like those in the private sector whose hours were cut, thus reducing their income. No no.... we will allow you to work the same hours for less money. In fact, we will let you work more hours because we have graciously decided to increase your class sizes so you can spend more time grading and preparing.
As an added bonus, we decided to show our respect for the wonderful job that you do by basing 50% of your job performance evaluation on one test score. Isn't that great? We know that a large number of your students are illegals, homeless, malnourished, neglected, and, even sometimes, abused. But we know that you can make them care about the test because it's just so damned important in their lives.
So, on behalf of my fellow law makers, enjoy your summer break and be ready to come back next school year with a renewed sense of optimism and pride.
Oh, and you're welcome.
Sincerely,
The Gov.
iluvtoteach:
Great letter. I am going to make copies of it and include it in the welcome packet I am preparing to send to teachers in August.
That should really make a good year of suddenly inefficient teachers becoming efficient, considering how magnanimous these actions are.
Hurray to the people of Nevada. You really do yourselves proud to be the dumbest state in the nation. At least we have a category where we are first.
The real work towards reform has YET to be done.
Nevada LAWMAKERS must continue this session until June 6th, working:
Make steps in sweeping MINING TAX RESTRUCTURING AND REFORMS, so that our Nevada State Budget will see an appropriate revenue (at least they should be paying an average/at the very least, the amount assessed in the other 49 USA states). MINING has been routinely avoided for over 100 years, while they haul out precious minerals from our state for a pittance! This MUST STOP.
If MINING paid their fair share a long ago, Nevadan would not be suffering cuts and a starving budget now. Come on LAWMAKERS, time to make a real difference in Nevada and the quality of lives for its people.
Realize that education, throughout the USA is suffering due to No Child Left Behind: it leaves children behind, and is not relevant in a currently immigrant flooded country. It did NOT have the foresight of this problem, and therefore does not effectively address it. One of the recent studies the school district has posted by an outside university, cites that #1-the high drop-out problems has to do with the very way the school district accounts for high school students either moving out of state, out of county, out of school is causing the negative posting of numbers, when in fact, the truth is different. The #2 issue of drop-out have to do with children of immigrant/non-English speaking families.
If we want to IMPROVE EDUCATION, doesn't it make sense to #1- make student accounting more efficient and widespread, and #2-address the status of immigrants and address language acquisition for the entire family for success of their children.
If we had to focus, throw money, use energy, well, let's make it count. There has been so much finger pointing, hating, politics, can't we just deal with the problems towards solutions?
We all want peace. We all want happiness. We all want to see what's right done. Just 5 more days for our LAWMAKERS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Let's keep reminding them and being supportive. Thanks fellow citizens!
Star:
I am glad you are still hopeful. Not this time though. Let's not hold our breath. The good thing about our country is another election is always not too far off. We'll just hope to have good candidates next time.
This whole legislation is part of Sandoval's plan to bust the teacher's union. It smells like Michelle Rhee is involved. Reduced opportunity for tenure, means no tenure. More expensive teachers will be forced out, and young teachers will never receive tenure. What will happen is that they will be "laid off" at the point of tenure eligibility and "rehired" at the beginning of the next school year. This has been done in other states and it has finally made its way to Nevada.
I agree. The unions were big losers. Tenure, seniority. collective bargaining. a 2.5 percent salary reduction and teachers must contribute 5.3 percent of their salary toward their retirement benefits. Employees also will pay slightly more than 1 percent of their pay to cover an increase for the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System. All that and still having to pay union dues.
Teachers aren't even graceful with a partial victory. We want our children around these people? People who whine and have tantrums to try to get their way and they cry a river afterwards....
"Educators" have such a conflict of interest we just cannot listen to them when budgeting, planning policy, enacting regulations.
Just google the Budget for the State of Nevada for the last 10 years. Money is not the answer. More money went in and results went down. Solution: Cut these districts into small districts and pay for accountability. Incentives that will make every teacher accountable and every parent responsible. (I don't give a crap what the environment is at home, you had them, all they require is love and guidance, NOT a cell phone, ipad and computer games.) Our student population is dropping, take that into account. I hate cutting teachers salaries, but I also hate the fact that we are losing population, empty houses on every street, vacant shopping centers and those idiots that will say, "if we taxed mining properly, we would not be in this situation" should realize, if that would have been done years ago, you would be saying today, "increase those taxes". Let's run them out of the State as well. We can be like California, live on drug, booze and influence sales. Oh and botox.
Cut the districts into zip codes. There are enough administrators, you would not have to hire a single new one, place incentives and accountability into the hands of each entity.
If you REALLY think the unions are "for the children", think again. They are for the power.
Joe Lamy...
It is crystal clear you have never been a classroom teacher!
Karen
Joe so sorry. I did not mean to direct this comment to you. Wrong person.