Richmonder here - tell me about Jason Kamras

[Anonymous]

I'm the parent of a child in richmond city public schools. Our school board just elected Jason Kamras as our new superintendent.

I'd love to hear opinions - Richmond city schools are struggling and we need a good leader.

[Anonymous]

Among parents, he is known as the person responsible for the implementation of two high profile and somewhat controversial DCPS initiatives.

The IMPACT system for teacher evaluation, and LEAP for ongoing teacher professional development.

Both have been covered over the years by the media, as well as come up on this board.

[Anonymous]

Good interaction at a one-on-one level and in groups. Can explain policies well and has a good fluency with all the ed-theory stuff and nitty-gritty things parents usually care about, in my experience. Pretty available despite his presumed workload.

Not sure about how he is as a manager - people are always suspicious of how well things work in DCPS central office and most aren't sure it works well. Someone from the inside would have to explain how he does in those contexts.

[Anonymous]

Teachers generally loathe him. That may or may not be fair--I think some things have been blown out of proportion--but he definitely has some PR problems with them.

[Anonymous]

Rhee = Henderson = Kamras

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers generally loathe him. That may or may not be fair--I think some things have been blown out of proportion--but he definitely has some PR problems with them.

They hated Rhee too. But our schools are better now than they were before her. You can question the causation, but not correlation.

[Anonymous]

I'd say DCPS schools are better in some areas of the city where higher SES families are sending their kids to the public schools. That's the real cause.
The intense teacher evaluation program may have weeded out some oler, ready to retire teachers, or the less prepared/not willing to work hard teachers during the first few years. But now, teachers are just feeling pressured, frustrated and unappreciated.
"Central office" is looking to make all schools in DCPS uniform which is really impossible because out city is so varied-for good or bad-so teachers need to be able to respond to and change with their students. Impact and LEAP just don't allow for creativity in teaching.
I am a related service provider in DCPS and know many teacher in a variety of schools (upper NW and title 1). Everyone is super stressed out by central office.

Kamras was a favorite of Michelle Rhee and shot to the top after a very short time teaching. Teachers are not impressed by him, they won't miss him at all.

[Anonymous]

How? There are STILL DC schools scoring in the single digits. There are whole classes of students leaving 2nd grade not knowing how to read.
Yes, there are beautiful buildings but what goes on inside those 4 walls? Not the equity that Kamras has touted since he came on the scene.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers generally loathe him. That may or may not be fair--I think some things have been blown out of proportion--but he definitely has some PR problems with them.

They hated Rhee too. But our schools are better now than they were before her. You can question the causation, but not correlation.

[Anonymous]

+1

Anonymous wrote:I'd say DCPS schools are better in some areas of the city where higher SES families are sending their kids to the public schools. That's the real cause.
The intense teacher evaluation program may have weeded out some oler, ready to retire teachers, or the less prepared/not willing to work hard teachers during the first few years. But now, teachers are just feeling pressured, frustrated and unappreciated.
"Central office" is looking to make all schools in DCPS uniform which is really impossible because out city is so varied-for good or bad-so teachers need to be able to respond to and change with their students. Impact and LEAP just don't allow for creativity in teaching.
I am a related service provider in DCPS and know many teacher in a variety of schools (upper NW and title 1). Everyone is super stressed out by central office.

Kamras was a favorite of Michelle Rhee and shot to the top after a very short time teaching. Teachers are not impressed by him, they won't miss him at all.

[Anonymous]

We're keeping keep stumm...we want you to keep him!

[Anonymous]

Schools are better period! Being a former student of multiple DCPS schools and now being a teacher, I can attest to the fact that things are better. Things are not as well as some may say and def not as bad a critics would have you believe. I think IMPACT is still necessary considering we have tons of teachers who would relax if not for the evaluations and the known fact that they can be removed if they aren't doing what's expected. LEAP on the other hand is a MISS! It needs to be redone to support all teachers and not just new teachers or struggling teachers. I think Jason did a solid job and he has good intentions. Good luck with him!

[Anonymous]

Blanket statement. How do you support that claim? Are you in one of the 40/40 schools?

Anonymous wrote:Schools are better period! Being a former student of multiple DCPS schools and now being a teacher, I can attest to the fact that things are better. Things are not as well as some may say and def not as bad a critics would have you believe. I think IMPACT is still necessary considering we have tons of teachers who would relax if not for the evaluations and the known fact that they can be removed if they aren't doing what's expected. LEAP on the other hand is a MISS! It needs to be redone to support all teachers and not just new teachers or struggling teachers. I think Jason did a solid job and he has good intentions. Good luck with him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blanket statement. How do you support that claim? Are you in one of the 40/40 schools?

Anonymous wrote:Schools are better period! Being a former student of multiple DCPS schools and now being a teacher, I can attest to the fact that things are better. Things are not as well as some may say and def not as bad a critics would have you believe. I think IMPACT is still necessary considering we have tons of teachers who would relax if not for the evaluations and the known fact that they can be removed if they aren't doing what's expected. LEAP on the other hand is a MISS! It needs to be redone to support all teachers and not just new teachers or struggling teachers. I think Jason did a solid job and he has good intentions. Good luck with him!

It's all smoke and mirrors, just an illusion. Gentrification has accounted for the jump in test scores, which are wholly still in the toilet. It's looks all shiny and good on the outside but the inside is rotten; however, a lot of folks jump started their careers and got rich (downtown) off of the backs of our children. At lets not even talk about the cheating scandals, what happened to those kids in the schools were cheating occurred. They were never offered intense remediation to makeup for the fact that they weren't truthfully at the level their test scores said they were, and as for the teachers who got those children next year - were they told? They were probably fired because they couldn't show growth. Nice buildings EOTP but half full, overcrowding elsewhere!

[Anonymous]

+1

Let's also remember that the equity STILL isn't there. That was the horse that Kamras rode in on. The Chancellor made him the Chief of the Office of Equity and he takes a job in a new district. SMH

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blanket statement. How do you support that claim? Are you in one of the 40/40 schools?

Anonymous wrote:Schools are better period! Being a former student of multiple DCPS schools and now being a teacher, I can attest to the fact that things are better. Things are not as well as some may say and def not as bad a critics would have you believe. I think IMPACT is still necessary considering we have tons of teachers who would relax if not for the evaluations and the known fact that they can be removed if they aren't doing what's expected. LEAP on the other hand is a MISS! It needs to be redone to support all teachers and not just new teachers or struggling teachers. I think Jason did a solid job and he has good intentions. Good luck with him!

It's all smoke and mirrors, just an illusion. Gentrification has accounted for the jump in test scores, which are wholly still in the toilet. It's looks all shiny and good on the outside but the inside is rotten; however, a lot of folks jump started their careers and got rich (downtown) off of the backs of our children. At lets not even talk about the cheating scandals, what happened to those kids in the schools were cheating occurred. They were never offered intense remediation to makeup for the fact that they weren't truthfully at the level their test scores said they were, and as for the teachers who got those children next year - were they told? They were probably fired because they couldn't show growth. Nice buildings EOTP but half full, overcrowding elsewhere!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blanket statement. How do you support that claim? Are you in one of the 40/40 schools?

Anonymous wrote:Schools are better period! Being a former student of multiple DCPS schools and now being a teacher, I can attest to the fact that things are better. Things are not as well as some may say and def not as bad a critics would have you believe. I think IMPACT is still necessary considering we have tons of teachers who would relax if not for the evaluations and the known fact that they can be removed if they aren't doing what's expected. LEAP on the other hand is a MISS! It needs to be redone to support all teachers and not just new teachers or struggling teachers. I think Jason did a solid job and he has good intentions. Good luck with him!

It's all smoke and mirrors, just an illusion. Gentrification has accounted for the jump in test scores, which are wholly still in the toilet. It's looks all shiny and good on the outside but the inside is rotten; however, a lot of folks jump started their careers and got rich (downtown) off of the backs of our children. At lets not even talk about the cheating scandals, what happened to those kids in the schools were cheating occurred. They were never offered intense remediation to makeup for the fact that they weren't truthfully at the level their test scores said they were, and as for the teachers who got those children next year - were they told? They were probably fired because they couldn't show growth. Nice buildings EOTP but half full, overcrowding elsewhere!

Yes I actually am at a 40/40 school. The school has made great gains over the years and is similar to many schools in NW, and believe me it has nothing to do with gentrification.