New LEAP related coaching position mandates (unfunded mandates from DCPS)

[Anonymous]

This is 11:09, if it's not written anywhere, where are you all getting the information that you need both a ELA & math instructional coach? I'm on the LSAT at our DCPS and this has not come up at all. Totally confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is 11:09, if it's not written anywhere, where are you all getting the information that you need both a ELA & math instructional coach? I'm on the LSAT at our DCPS and this has not come up at all. Totally confused.

Then your principal hasn't told you about it yet. Definitely coming up at other schools.

[Anonymous]

I knew there was something shady about what they were doing. Keep in mind that they haven't had any discussion with the teacher's union about eliminating M.E. positions and that is large portion of a teacher's IMPACT score. Sounds like a contract issue to me. Don't think what they are doing is even legal.

Anonymous wrote:Any other LSAT members struggling with how to meet the new LEAP professional development requirement to have a full-time highly qualified math coach AND a full-time reading coach in every building? But the budget only has money for one coach, so we are now having to figure out how to move staffing around to meet the unfunded mandate from DCPS.

In a Washington Post article about the new system DCPS claimed this change to coaches within each school is "budget neutral," basically getting rid of the master teachers and instead having these within-school coaches. BUT what they didn't say is that they are basically moving the costs to the schools themselves, without giving them any additional funding to cover those costs. So budget positive for central office and budget negative for the schools themselves.

[Anonymous]

FYI the Washington Post had more information than the letter that was sent to teachers from Jason Kamras.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is information being provided to LSATs and is not being posted anywhere. DCPS wants to ram this through in its usual way before anyone has a chance to protest.

[Anonymous]

There will be a webinar for teachers next Thursday with more details. Stay tuned. Sounds like another DCPS hot mess!

Anonymous wrote:FYI the Washington Post had more information than the letter that was sent to teachers from Jason Kamras.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is information being provided to LSATs and is not being posted anywhere. DCPS wants to ram this through in its usual way before anyone has a chance to protest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

That was my exact thought when I first heard about it. I don't even know why they call it 'planning time.' I'm usually forced to sub for another teacher or sit through a meeting that could've been an email but wasn't because none of us read the emails because we don't have planning time to read them.

They should just call it "student-free time" or "Administrative Block."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS Teacher here, and LSAT member. This is a BIG funding problem for schools. DCPS has budgeted all schools for 1 LEAP coach and but if your school is required to have more than 1 coach- that comes from your own budget. Meaning, your school may have to cut a resource teacher to fulfill this new mandate. So while in house PD will provide a resource to teachers (while monopolizing their planning time), students needing Math or ELA remediation may be losing their resource.

+ 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will be a webinar for teachers next Thursday with more details. Stay tuned. Sounds like another DCPS hot mess!

Anonymous wrote:FYI the Washington Post had more information than the letter that was sent to teachers from Jason Kamras.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is information being provided to LSATs and is not being posted anywhere. DCPS wants to ram this through in its usual way before anyone has a chance to protest.

A webinar after school hours!! The way of the future.

[Anonymous]

But wait! The webinar is not during after school hours- for those of us that work at extended day schools!
Way to be DCPS! Way to be!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

The anxiety of looking over your shoulder for an observer will still be there so I'm not seeing how this is a win.

The real issue is that instead of focusing all of their energy on improving teachers, they need to focus on the kids. A remedial math & literacy teacher in each school for STUDENTS would be a better idea. But DVPS wants to continue this narrative about how 'if only the teaching was better...' That's why the issue in the schools will never get fixed under Henderson's regime. Why not mandate time-out rooms for kids who don't want to learn so they don't interfere with the superior teaching these teachers will be doing once they're 'whipiped into shape'????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So DCPS is a fustercluck? That's big news.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

The anxiety of looking over your shoulder for an observer will still be there so I'm not seeing how this is a win.

The real issue is that instead of focusing all of their energy on improving teachers, they need to focus on the kids. A remedial math & literacy teacher in each school for STUDENTS would be a better idea. But DVPS wants to continue this narrative about how 'if only the teaching was better...' That's why the issue in the schools will never get fixed under Henderson's regime. Why not mandate time-out rooms for kids who don't want to learn so they don't interfere with the superior teaching these teachers will be doing once they're 'whipiped into shape'????

Person who worried about the lost of instructional time. Yes, I am very skeptical that the 90 minutes will be a wash. More likely will be a loss. But perhaps even more important will be the loss of 1 or even 2 (at least in our case) full-time, high-quality teachers who can pull out kids and focus on their needs across a wide spectrum of abilities. That includes everything from helping kids who are struggling to pushing kids who are more advanced. This is a big deal, especially for smaller schools.

[Anonymous]

That's what I'm saying! Supposedly under Rhee and Henderson teacher quality is supposed to be stellar yet the M.E.s who are now being eliminated continue to give low ratings to teachers who are supposedly the best in the country. It is so convoluted. If you only hired and trained top notch teachers why do you continue to pour more money into the teacher training bucket rather than the student support bucket? You can have the best teachers in the world but without the necessary support services they can only do so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

The anxiety of looking over your shoulder for an observer will still be there so I'm not seeing how this is a win.

The real issue is that instead of focusing all of their energy on improving teachers, they need to focus on the kids. A remedial math & literacy teacher in each school for STUDENTS would be a better idea. But DCPS wants to continue this narrative about how 'if only the teaching was better...' That's why the issue in the schools will never get fixed under Henderson's regime. Why not mandate time-out rooms for kids who don't want to learn so they don't interfere with the superior teaching these teachers will be doing once they're 'whipiped into shape'????

Person who worried about the lost of instructional time. Yes, I am very skeptical that the 90 minutes will be a wash. More likely will be a loss. But perhaps even more important will be the loss of 1 or even 2 (at least in our case) full-time, high-quality teachers who can pull out kids and focus on their needs across a wide spectrum of abilities. That includes everything from helping kids who are struggling to pushing kids who are more advanced. This is a big deal, especially for smaller schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's what I'm saying! Supposedly under Rhee and Henderson teacher quality is supposed to be stellar yet the M.E.s who are now being eliminated continue to give low ratings to teachers who are supposedly the best in the country. It is so convoluted. If you only hired and trained top notch teachers why do you continue to pour more money into the teacher training bucket rather than the student support bucket? You can have the best teachers in the world but without the necessary support services they can only do so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

The anxiety of looking over your shoulder for an observer will still be there so I'm not seeing how this is a win.

The real issue is that instead of focusing all of their energy on improving teachers, they need to focus on the kids. A remedial math & literacy teacher in each school for STUDENTS would be a better idea. But DCPS wants to continue this narrative about how 'if only the teaching was better...' That's why the issue in the schools will never get fixed under Henderson's regime. Why not mandate time-out rooms for kids who don't want to learn so they don't interfere with the superior teaching these teachers will be doing once they're 'whipiped into shape'????

Person who worried about the lost of instructional time. Yes, I am very skeptical that the 90 minutes will be a wash. More likely will be a loss. But perhaps even more important will be the loss of 1 or even 2 (at least in our case) full-time, high-quality teachers who can pull out kids and focus on their needs across a wide spectrum of abilities. That includes everything from helping kids who are struggling to pushing kids who are more advanced. This is a big deal, especially for smaller schools.

+100

But as one poster said, DCPS is a fustercluck. That's all it comes down to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's what I'm saying! Supposedly under Rhee and Henderson teacher quality is supposed to be stellar yet the M.E.s who are now being eliminated continue to give low ratings to teachers who are supposedly the best in the country. It is so convoluted. If you only hired and trained top notch teachers why do you continue to pour more money into the teacher training bucket rather than the student support bucket? You can have the best teachers in the world but without the necessary support services they can only do so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS teacher here. I wouldn't worry about lost instructional time because it will probably come out of the planning periods that are already part of the schedule. These small blocks of time are supposed to be a time to plan, make copies, and grade papers, but a good amount of that time is already taken up by mandatory meetings anyway. Even though the new system has yet to be implemented so we don't know what it will look like, I will not miss the constant anxiety of looking over my shoulder for a Master Educator.

The anxiety of looking over your shoulder for an observer will still be there so I'm not seeing how this is a win.

The real issue is that instead of focusing all of their energy on improving teachers, they need to focus on the kids. A remedial math & literacy teacher in each school for STUDENTS would be a better idea. But DCPS wants to continue this narrative about how 'if only the teaching was better...' That's why the issue in the schools will never get fixed under Henderson's regime. Why not mandate time-out rooms for kids who don't want to learn so they don't interfere with the superior teaching these teachers will be doing once they're 'whipiped into shape'????

Person who worried about the lost of instructional time. Yes, I am very skeptical that the 90 minutes will be a wash. More likely will be a loss. But perhaps even more important will be the loss of 1 or even 2 (at least in our case) full-time, high-quality teachers who can pull out kids and focus on their needs across a wide spectrum of abilities. That includes everything from helping kids who are struggling to pushing kids who are more advanced. This is a big deal, especially for smaller schools.

+100

But as one poster said, DCPS is a fustercluck. That's all it comes down to.

Are principals subject matter experts in all contents? No, at least the MEs were. Also now there will be observation free blocks of periods for innovation, finally DCPS has realized that good teaching, is not teaching to a pre-described checklist which they have been pushing for 5 years. The rest of the country has been following DCPS, now they suddenly switched up the program because it was not innovative or producing the results. Mind you having 12-year old evaluate you is not any better. DCPS spent 5 years churning and burning, now here we go again.