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#43
(2009-10), 05/17/10

Greetings!

This was a busy week. Turnaround School negotiations ended after two unproductive days as bargaining on the master contract began. Let's first go to Turnaround Schools.
The union negotiating team met with the school department's team this past Wednesday to see if there might be common ground in establishing new working conditions in Turnaround Schools and, in the words of the new state ed Reform law, achieving "rapid acceleration" in closing the achievement gap. Wednesday was the 2nd such day we have met in this endeavor. Both days were unproductive. But I get ahead of myself.
The school department's turnaround plan is fairly straightforward and one dimensional: how to obtain more work from staff for less pay without necessarily improving our schools. The below is a non-inclusive list of their proposals.

180 hours of added time in the classroom without compensation.
30 hours of additional PD without compensation.
An increase in SEI or Bilingual class-size.
A loss of either one or two P&Ds per week, depending on grade level.
Elimination of SEIMS time for staff at all levels.
No salary step advancement prospectively for anyone on steps who gets a mark of unsatisfactory on either an interim(*) or final evaluation. (*) the latest in the school year.
A bonus (approve. $600 per person) for improved MCAS scores.
No seniority and/or attachment rights for anyone in an underperforming school. The loss of attachment rights in a Turnaround School would also affect people returning from leaves (e.g., maternity leave, study) by not guaranteeing anyone a right to return to his/her last assignment.

The BTU's plan included the following: creating a team of people to work on developing social/emotional/academic support for children at each Turnaround School. The team would be comprised of a social worker, an academic coach chosen by staff, a CFC parent liaison to do outreach, a part-time school attendance officer, and a part-time behavioral specialist. The team would provide needed (and often missing) services to our schools. In addition, we proposed that each turnaround schools develop a reading intervention program and provide either physical education or a movement class to all children three times per week.

We responded to their proposals essentially by saying that we'd agree to work the extra time provided additional compensation was attached to their proposal. We did not agree to anything else listed above, though we asked questions about each and asked for a rationale for many of their items, such as the proposed increase in class-size. Did the school department have any researched-based evidence, we asked, that supported how an increase in class-size would promote the 'rapid acceleration' of learning? The school department said it had no evidence. Little surprise on that--though we gave them 10 days to find any evidence. The school department also had nothing to say in response to our proposals. By 'nothing' we mean exactly that-- not one word. Cannot say we are surprised here either, but can say we are disappointed. We believe our proposal has merit and would go a good way towards helping solve some of the underlying needs in the Turnaround Schools. On the other hand, we believe their proposals are punitive and designed only to extract something--more work--for nothing. Bluntly, we do not believe their proposal makes any educational sense.

The Globe ran an article on Friday that laid out this argument fairly well. (The same day a Globe editorial ran and praised BTU members for participating in ELL Level training. The editorial also took the school department to task for not using some of the 30 yearly PD hours for ELL category training.)
From this point the Turnaround negotiations go to a three-person tribunal, which is empowered under the new state law to make a decision. If the body cannot make a decision, the state commissioner of education steps in. We are as prepared for this new process, the first of its kind in the state, as we can be. We will continue to insist that the department provide an educational rationale for its proposals such as increasing class size. We will also ask how it is that working extra time without compensation is more educationally sound than working the extra time with compensation. Stay tuned.

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We also met on the master bargain and set up a series of negotiation sessions from now thorough late August. We will keep you posted.

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On another front...Mid week the Boston Foundation (BF) released yet another report praising the success of charter schools, attributing it in part to their longer--and uncompensated--work day. The new BF report relied in part on an older BF report that looked at the charter schools that performed in the top quartile of Boston charters. The earlier BF report came under heavy criticism for cherry picking the high performing charter schools in much the same way the charters are criticized themselves for cherry picking their students. Noticeably absent from both BF reports was the mention of the Stanford study , seen by many as the definitive report on charters. That report, which examined schools that comprise 70% of the total US charter school student population, reported the following:

"The study reveals that a decent fraction of charter schools, 17 percent, provide superior education opportunities for their students. Nearly half of the charter schools nationwide have results that are no different from the local public school options and over a third, 37 percent, deliver learning results that are significantly worse than their student would have realized had they remained in traditional public schools. "

Two days after the BF announcement, the Herald published a pro-charter piece by BF CEO Paul Grogan along the same lines of the BF report, blah blah blah. Coincidentally, the same day as Grogan's piece appeared in the Herald, charter aficionado Scot Lehigh wrote a similar article in the Globe.

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This Tuesday, 5/18/10, at 5:30, at the 12th Baptist Church the superintendent and the union president will address concerned parents about the direction of the status of negotiations, presumably on both Turnaround Schools and the master bargain. BTU members are invited to attend.

Summer Pathway Program for Moderate Disabilities Licensure and Professional Practice

All BPS staff are eligible to apply for admission. The program is especially targeted to teachers in inclusion schools and classrooms; teachers who want to expand their knowledge and instructional skills to better serve their students; and, individuals who seek to transition into SPED positions. Prospective applicants are required to attend one information session. These sessions are scheduled for May 20, 26, and 27. Interested individuals need to register on MyLearningPlan in the HR catalog section. Email

Teacher Mock Pool-- correction!!!!!!!!!!

Teacher Mock Pool--Date set for May 25th , 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Questions, Caren or Michael at 617-288-2000.

Para Assignment Changes; Workshops Announced

Para Assignment Deadlines:

    * May 6 through May 17--Transfer Lists are out and available for bidding
    * June 3--Mock Pool--Informational workshop for paras on the new rules on excess pools
    * June 8--Paras' excess pool to be held

Any questions on the above, call Jenna Fitzgerald at 617-288-2000.

Interesting in Sheltering Your Severance Pay??

We have two meetings scheduled for the Sheltering Severance Pay presentations. Save federal and state taxes on the first half of your severance pay. A letter went out this week to all teachers who received the $1500 or $1000 ERI bonus, inviting them to attend the meeting. All are welcome, however.

May 19th 4:15pm
June 16th 4:15pm

Questions? (877) 457-1900 x20076; ask for Nick Baseel

Interesting Article in the Phoenix About the City's Finances

"Moneybags Menino"

The Boston Phoenix ran an interesting article this week about the city's financial status. Much of the same information was uncovered by us last year when we fought back against the city's attempt to force us to accept a wage rollback. You may recall we hired an outside consultant, who came up with many of the same findings you can read in this article.

Teachers on 10 Month Cycle will see Double Health, etc. Deductions to Insure Summer Coverage

Teachers on a 10 month pay frequency, Paraprofessionals and Sub Teachers who are enrolled in health insurance, basic term life, or optional term life insurance, will notice double deductions in the paychecks listed below to insure summer coverage. Members can call the Payroll staff at 635-9460 with any questions.

Paycheck Dates: May 28, 2010, June 11, 2010, June 25, 2010

PLEASE NOTE: The 5/14 paycheck for the above people also contained the double deduction.

RTC Golf Tournament

Announcing the THIRD ANNUAL RTC/BTU GOLF OUTING scheduled for June 17th. This year, the Charity we will be supporting will be Dana Faber Foundation & Jimmy Fund.More information will be forthcoming very shortly.

Annual Global Climate Change Summit at MIT on Saturday May 22nd from 9 - 3

Attention Massachusetts Students Grades 7-12 and Educators Grades 7-12: Annual Global Climate Change Summit at MIT on Saturday May 22nd from 9 - 3 hosted by BLS Youth CAN.

Enjoy a great day of climate workshops, presentations, green vendors, youth displays, and climate related activities. Film a public service announcement. Create a sustainability message at the YouTube booth. Take workshops about green architecture, eating sustainably, futuristic carbon-free energy and many more. All who register (online) will be entered into a drawing for door prizes including iPods, gift certificates, and more. Event is free, including breakfast and lunch. Attendees must register online ASAP to ensure getting the workshop of your choice. . Event is at 32 Vassar Street, a 2-minute walk from the Kendall Square T-stop on the Redline. Questions .

OIIT Update

The Office of Instructional and Information Technology (OIIT) invites you to attend a full day of technology events! On Saturday, June 5, 2010, the BPS Technology Showcase Day will feature 3 events at Wentworth Institute of Technology to highlight the district's efforts to make technology more accessible to students, families, and teachers. Please join us in celebrating the following initiatives:

21st Century Leadership Cadre Showcase:
Technology Goes Home (TGH) Graduation
Robotics Olympics

Please use the flier for distribution.

Calderwood Writing Initiative will offer a two-part graduate-level course on the teaching of writing

In partnership with UMASS/Boston, beginning this summer the Calderwood Writing Initiative will offer a two-part graduate-level course on the teaching of writing. The course is open to teachers of all grade levels, in all subject areas. Applications will be accepted until May 14. The first half of the course-Theory, Research, and Writing-will meet from July 12 to July 16, from 8 am to 4 pm. The second half of the program will meet during the school year. Each participant will receive a $1,200 stipend and tuition reimbursement for six graduate credits upon successful completion of this program.

APPLICATIONS: Please send a resume with your contact information, current school name, teaching area and grade-level information to: Jenny Desai , Director, Calderwood Writing Initiative. Applicants should also include one expository writing sample of no more than five pages, and an essay response to the following question about your writing pedagogy: What have you noticed about your students' writing and your teaching of writing that you hope to investigate through this program? Please contact Jenny Desai at (617) 720-7603 with questions about admissions policy.

Retirement Dinners