what does 'flexible scheduling' for DC teachers mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

THIS. 30% of DC teachers left the classroom last year. You can hate on these new initiatives or just admit that DC gov has to do something to retain people.

Where does that statistic come from? No way 30% of teachers quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

Teaching is by its nature not a flexible job. And teachers are usually free by 3:15 and all summer … not to mention three weeks of break during the school year.

I’m so tired of hearing this. That simply means that at 3:15, I can pick my own time to do the extra 4 hours of work I still have to get done that day. (Kind of like weekends. I still have to work 10-12 hours, but I can actually pick which hours. Lucky me.) And summers? I figure that’s my break for the 60-70 hour weeks I’ve been working all year. Summer is the only time I can take care of my own needs: my own appointments, my rare chance to get to the gym, etc.

Has teaching become less flexible since you began or are you jealous that work from home has become more popular recently?

I'm a legal aid lawyer, making $60,000 a year ( so no more than teachers). In some ways I have more flexibility than you (can work from home if I'm not in trial or meeting with clients). In other ways I have less flexibility (I have trials and client meetings year round and have to use limited PTO for winter and spring breaks). Like teachers, my clients don't always treat me well and I'm exposed to a lot of secondary trauma. But it's the job I chose and I'm not complaining. I don't understand why teachers see themselves as martyrs more than other professions.

You have all summer off and 3 weeks during the year. If you don’t like the schedule that’s fine, but unless schools are going to increase staff time or decrease instructional time, it’s not feasible to make the job “flexible.” Presumably you chose teaching for a reason rather than a desk job.

My reason was I wanted to teach, and I’m very, very good at it. I did not sign on to being a martyr, which we now expect of teachers.

I will be quitting, just like many of my coworkers. I shouldn’t be expected to work absurd hours because… summers off. Yes, there is a solution to this problem. Give me work time to get work done. Don’t demand the sacrifice of my nights and weekends.

[Anonymous]

DCPS needs to find some other solutions besides two mental health days. Teachers have a solid amount of leave that can accrue. What they need to do is loosen the inflexibility of the hours. Some districts allow people to come in late or leave early if they have planning. You could offer to have two teachers split a position so they could go part time. I’d be open to those options during the years I have young kids or am of retirement age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS needs to find some other solutions besides two mental health days. Teachers have a solid amount of leave that can accrue. What they need to do is loosen the inflexibility of the hours. Some districts allow people to come in late or leave early if they have planning. You could offer to have two teachers split a position so they could go part time. I’d be open to those options during the years I have young kids or am of retirement age.

Our DCPS ES has teachers doing both those things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

THIS. 30% of DC teachers left the classroom last year. You can hate on these new initiatives or just admit that DC gov has to do something to retain people.

Where does that statistic come from? No way 30% of teachers quit.

OP article


The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) recently released data showing that 30% of teachers left their schools last year. This is up from 26% the year before and 19% in 2021.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

Teach for an online school and you'll get "work from home perks."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

THIS. 30% of DC teachers left the classroom last year. You can hate on these new initiatives or just admit that DC gov has to do something to retain people.

Where does that statistic come from? No way 30% of teachers quit.

OP article


The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) recently released data showing that 30% of teachers left their schools last year. This is up from 26% the year before and 19% in 2021.

Some moved to non-teaching positions, some transferred to other schools, and some left the profession. So it was a lot less than 30% that just quit. I would post the actual numbers if I could find them now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

Teaching is by its nature not a flexible job. And teachers are usually free by 3:15 and all summer … not to mention three weeks of break during the school year.

I’m so tired of hearing this. That simply means that at 3:15, I can pick my own time to do the extra 4 hours of work I still have to get done that day. (Kind of like weekends. I still have to work 10-12 hours, but I can actually pick which hours. Lucky me.) And summers? I figure that’s my break for the 60-70 hour weeks I’ve been working all year. Summer is the only time I can take care of my own needs: my own appointments, my rare chance to get to the gym, etc.

Has teaching become less flexible since you began or are you jealous that work from home has become more popular recently?

I'm a legal aid lawyer, making $60,000 a year ( so no more than teachers). In some ways I have more flexibility than you (can work from home if I'm not in trial or meeting with clients). In other ways I have less flexibility (I have trials and client meetings year round and have to use limited PTO for winter and spring breaks). Like teachers, my clients don't always treat me well and I'm exposed to a lot of secondary trauma. But it's the job I chose and I'm not complaining. I don't understand why teachers see themselves as martyrs more than other professions.

You have all summer off and 3 weeks during the year. If you don’t like the schedule that’s fine, but unless schools are going to increase staff time or decrease instructional time, it’s not feasible to make the job “flexible.” Presumably you chose teaching for a reason rather than a desk job.

My reason was I wanted to teach, and I’m very, very good at it. I did not sign on to being a martyr, which we now expect of teachers.

I will be quitting, just like many of my coworkers. I shouldn’t be expected to work absurd hours because… summers off. Yes, there is a solution to this problem. Give me work time to get work done. Don’t demand the sacrifice of my nights and weekends.

Trying again without messing up the quotes.

Has teaching become less flexible since you began or are you jealous that work from home has become more popular recently?

I'm a legal aid lawyer, making $60,000 a year ( so no more than teachers). In some ways I have more flexibility than you (can work from home if I'm not in trial or meeting with clients). In other ways I have less flexibility (I have trials and client meetings year round and have to use limited PTO for winter and spring breaks). Like teachers, my clients don't always treat me well and I'm exposed to a lot of secondary trauma. But it's the job I chose and I'm not complaining. I don't understand why teachers see themselves as martyrs more than other professions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a bit lost as to what is being proposed wrt DC teachers and flexible scheduling.

e.g. here: https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-public-schools-dcps-teachers-leaving-turnover-problems-overworked-understaffed-violence-council-member-robert-white-introduces-bill-educator-retention-incentives-paid-mental-health-flexible-schedules-district-education

"White’s bill would require OSSE to establish a flexible scheduling pilot program and launch a task force that addresses compensation."

Does that just mean more subs? A 4-day week (ala this proposal: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-01-10-teaching-must-get-more-flexible-before-it-falls-apart)? More virtual?

Here is the bill here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjlmk6awknfdlwz/Educator%20Retention%20for%20Student%20Success%20Act%20of%202023.pdf?dl=0

If you don't want to read the bill, you can read about it here:

https://www.washingtoninformer.com/new-legislation-tackles-teacher-retention-problem/

Amazingly, the article doesn't provide any details.

The bills says "Flexible schedule means a scheduling arrangement that allows for variation in the
educators’ instructional calendar and format on a daily, weekly, or yearly school schedule to enhance staff productivity while meeting students’ learning needs."

Yeah, so again: same question. What does 'flexible scheduling' mean? It could be anything from full virtual, to shortened days, to more subs to allow teachers to go to doctors' appoints, to a 4-day week.

Again, Robert White doesn't fail to disappoint.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, the parents have a right to understand what is potentially going to be foisted upon them.

[Anonymous]

Teaching schedules and pay need to be revisited. We need good teachers! We need to attract folks to the profession. It’s getting dire. Turnover. No subs. This isn’t sustainable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This sounds like a nightmare for schools. How are they going to cover teachers regularly being out for half a day? My kid has an IEP and the teachers are legally required to be present for the meetings, and it's hard enough to coordinate coverage for that.

No
Ma’am. They are required to give input.
Schools had better start offering work settings that mirror the work from home perks.

Teaching is by its nature not a flexible job. And teachers are usually free by 3:15 and all summer … not to mention three weeks of break during the school year.

I’m so tired of hearing this. That simply means that at 3:15, I can pick my own time to do the extra 4 hours of work I still have to get done that day. (Kind of like weekends. I still have to work 10-12 hours, but I can actually pick which hours. Lucky me.) And summers? I figure that’s my break for the 60-70 hour weeks I’ve been working all year. Summer is the only time I can take care of my own needs: my own appointments, my rare chance to get to the gym, etc.

Has teaching become less flexible since you began or are you jealous that work from home has become more popular recently?

I'm a legal aid lawyer, making $60,000 a year ( so no more than teachers). In some ways I have more flexibility than you (can work from home if I'm not in trial or meeting with clients). In other ways I have less flexibility (I have trials and client meetings year round and have to use limited PTO for winter and spring breaks). Like teachers, my clients don't always treat me well and I'm exposed to a lot of secondary trauma. But it's the job I chose and I'm not complaining. I don't understand why teachers see themselves as martyrs more than other professions.

You have all summer off and 3 weeks during the year. If you don’t like the schedule that’s fine, but unless schools are going to increase staff time or decrease instructional time, it’s not feasible to make the job “flexible.” Presumably you chose teaching for a reason rather than a desk job.

My reason was I wanted to teach, and I’m very, very good at it. I did not sign on to being a martyr, which we now expect of teachers.

I will be quitting, just like many of my coworkers. I shouldn’t be expected to work absurd hours because… summers off. Yes, there is a solution to this problem. Give me work time to get work done. Don’t demand the sacrifice of my nights and weekends.

Trying again without messing up the quotes.

Has teaching become less flexible since you began or are you jealous that work from home has become more popular recently?

I'm a legal aid lawyer, making $60,000 a year ( so no more than teachers). In some ways I have more flexibility than you (can work from home if I'm not in trial or meeting with clients). In other ways I have less flexibility (I have trials and client meetings year round and have to use limited PTO for winter and spring breaks). Like teachers, my clients don't always treat me well and I'm exposed to a lot of secondary trauma. But it's the job I chose and I'm not complaining. I don't understand why teachers see themselves as martyrs more than other professions.

So your job is completely different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a bit lost as to what is being proposed wrt DC teachers and flexible scheduling.

e.g. here: https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-public-schools-dcps-teachers-leaving-turnover-problems-overworked-understaffed-violence-council-member-robert-white-introduces-bill-educator-retention-incentives-paid-mental-health-flexible-schedules-district-education

"White’s bill would require OSSE to establish a flexible scheduling pilot program and launch a task force that addresses compensation."

Does that just mean more subs? A 4-day week (ala this proposal: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-01-10-teaching-must-get-more-flexible-before-it-falls-apart)? More virtual?

Here is the bill here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjlmk6awknfdlwz/Educator%20Retention%20for%20Student%20Success%20Act%20of%202023.pdf?dl=0

If you don't want to read the bill, you can read about it here:

https://www.washingtoninformer.com/new-legislation-tackles-teacher-retention-problem/

Amazingly, the article doesn't provide any details.

The bills says "Flexible schedule means a scheduling arrangement that allows for variation in the
educators’ instructional calendar and format on a daily, weekly, or yearly school schedule to enhance staff productivity while meeting students’ learning needs."

Yeah, so again: same question. What does 'flexible scheduling' mean? It could be anything from full virtual, to shortened days, to more subs to allow teachers to go to doctors' appoints, to a 4-day week.

Again, Robert White doesn't fail to disappoint.

"His co-introducers are: D.C. Council members Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8)."

Seems like a city wide coalition outside of Vincent Theis. I mean chuck Gray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a bit lost as to what is being proposed wrt DC teachers and flexible scheduling.

e.g. here: https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-public-schools-dcps-teachers-leaving-turnover-problems-overworked-understaffed-violence-council-member-robert-white-introduces-bill-educator-retention-incentives-paid-mental-health-flexible-schedules-district-education

"White’s bill would require OSSE to establish a flexible scheduling pilot program and launch a task force that addresses compensation."

Does that just mean more subs? A 4-day week (ala this proposal: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-01-10-teaching-must-get-more-flexible-before-it-falls-apart)? More virtual?

Here is the bill here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjlmk6awknfdlwz/Educator%20Retention%20for%20Student%20Success%20Act%20of%202023.pdf?dl=0

If you don't want to read the bill, you can read about it here:

https://www.washingtoninformer.com/new-legislation-tackles-teacher-retention-problem/

Amazingly, the article doesn't provide any details.

The bills says "Flexible schedule means a scheduling arrangement that allows for variation in the
educators’ instructional calendar and format on a daily, weekly, or yearly school schedule to enhance staff productivity while meeting students’ learning needs."

Yeah, so again: same question. What does 'flexible scheduling' mean? It could be anything from full virtual, to shortened days, to more subs to allow teachers to go to doctors' appoints, to a 4-day week.

Again, Robert White doesn't fail to disappoint.

"His co-introducers are: D.C. Council members Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8)."

Seems like a city wide coalition outside of Vincent Theis. I mean chuck Gray.

All right, so the entire Council seems generally anti-parent, per usual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a bit lost as to what is being proposed wrt DC teachers and flexible scheduling.

e.g. here: https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-public-schools-dcps-teachers-leaving-turnover-problems-overworked-understaffed-violence-council-member-robert-white-introduces-bill-educator-retention-incentives-paid-mental-health-flexible-schedules-district-education

"White’s bill would require OSSE to establish a flexible scheduling pilot program and launch a task force that addresses compensation."

Does that just mean more subs? A 4-day week (ala this proposal: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-01-10-teaching-must-get-more-flexible-before-it-falls-apart)? More virtual?

Here is the bill here.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rjlmk6awknfdlwz/Educator%20Retention%20for%20Student%20Success%20Act%20of%202023.pdf?dl=0

If you don't want to read the bill, you can read about it here:

https://www.washingtoninformer.com/new-legislation-tackles-teacher-retention-problem/

Amazingly, the article doesn't provide any details.

The bills says "Flexible schedule means a scheduling arrangement that allows for variation in the
educators’ instructional calendar and format on a daily, weekly, or yearly school schedule to enhance staff productivity while meeting students’ learning needs."

Yeah, so again: same question. What does 'flexible scheduling' mean? It could be anything from full virtual, to shortened days, to more subs to allow teachers to go to doctors' appoints, to a 4-day week.

Again, Robert White doesn't fail to disappoint.

"His co-introducers are: D.C. Council members Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Trayon White (D-Ward 8)."

Seems like a city wide coalition outside of Vincent Theis. I mean chuck Gray.

All right, so the entire Council seems generally anti-parent, per usual.

Yep, any less instruction time, adding virtual, or shortening schedule is a no-go for us. It’s like they want parents to leave.