Race to the Top
The Big Spring Education Association (BSEA) has agreed to continue in the application process with the Big Spring School District (BSSD) to apply for federal funds through the Race to the Top (RTTT) Program.
The Race to the Top is awarding federal monies to school districts who are willing to participate in “restructuring” some areas of professional growth. The only way for a district in the state of Pennsylvania to receive monies from RTTT is for a memorandum of understanding to be signed between the district and the union. The leadership at BSEA has looked long and hard at what would be required of the professional staff if we agreed to apply for the funding. They have participated in a number of seminars, sat in meetings and teleconference calls to reach this decision. Ultimately the leadership took the issue to Representative Council, where it was passed by unanimous vote. I want to detail the facets of RTTT that will affect us as educators and am confident that you will agree that most of the requirements of RTTT we already do.
Primary Objective 1: Strengthen and expand the standards-aligned system (SAS) and develop data systems capable of supporting reform.
PDE is developing a data system that we believe eventually all schools will have to eventually participate in. This system will most likely work with our current PowerSchools system, but will provide an enormous amount a data on student development and progress. BSSD has been intending to begin training the staff in using the SAS system. The initial plans are to offer this training as a tech day over the summer, so this could be used to meet your tech day requirement that is required by the contract. There should be minimal impact on you as an educator except there will now be a system that can assist teachers interpret data and thus help you drive your instruction.
Primary Objective 2: Develop a world-class human capital pipeline for teachers and leaders.
PDE is developing a state-wide database that teachers will use to post their applications for openings and school districts will pull these applicants off of this database to fill those positions. Also, districts are to develop plans to attract and maintain teachers in hard to staff schools or subject areas. Currently the district already offers a strategy to attract and maintain teachers, especially in areas that are difficult to staff. BSEA feels that this will have absolutely no impact on you as an educator.
Primary Objective 3: Develop a robust multi-measure evaluation system.
This is the objective that is of the greatest concern to both PSEA and BSEA. The state would require schools to develop a teacher (and administrator) evaluation plan that includes student growth for students, classes and schools. Obviously, opposing merit pay is something that PSEA has fought for decades. BSEA nor BSSD have absolutely no interest in entering into an evaluation process that uses merit pay. At this time, the district’s plan is to submit the current evaluation plan that we use. This plan already uses many of the benchmarks suggested by PDE. If PDE returns the application and accepts our current plan, then as educators we will see little to no change in this area. If PDE returns the application and we are required to make minor changes, then BSEA will enter into negotiations with BSSD to create a plan that is acceptable to both. If PDE return the application and it would require major changes to our evaluation plan, then BSEA has the word of BSSD that we will withdraw our application.
Primary Objective 4: Create a coherent approach to professional development.
At this time, BSEA believes that our educators already participate in a rigorous and beneficial professional development program. The administration would agree with this statement. The area in which you as an educator will see changes might be in the area of team meetings to address student performance. These team meetings will not extend the school day or school year as defined by our current contract. This would probably be a regularly scheduled team meeting to discuss students at risk and would replace a currently scheduled meeting.
Primary Objective 5: Turn around the lowest performing schools.
There are no schools in the Big Spring School District that are termed “turnaround schools.” We have also been given the guarantee by PDE and PSEA that the list of turnaround schools is a snapshot and can not be changed. In other words, if we have a school that fails to meet its goals we won’t be put on “turnaround” status. Please do mistake the goals set forth by the RTTT program with No Child Left Behind. Building goals will be established by a team of both educators and administrators, much like data teams.
The hoops that have to be jumped through for turnaround schools are enormous. If Big Spring had a turnaround school, we would not have agreed to participate in the RTTT program.
Primary Objective 6: Evaluate programs and identify and spread best practices.
BSEA is comfortable with the level of collaboration that the teachers in all levels participate in. There should be little change in what we already do for the district to meet this objective.
As you can see, Big Spring is already far ahead of the game when you look at meeting the six defined objectives. BSEA feels that it is in our best interest to work collaboratively with the administration to secure RTTT funding, which should net the district somewhere between $500,000 and $600,000 over the course of the next four years. After these four years, this funding goes away and the requirements also go away. Certainly when negotiations come around, some of these items may be pursued by either side. In the memorandum of understanding that we entered into with the district we have not given up any of our rights. Nothing can be changed in our current contract without bargaining.
Big Spring is one of about 110 schools throughout the district to sign on to the RTTT program. Some may find it surprising that very few schools in South Central PA have signed on to participate in RTTT. In my discussions with other PSEA leaders, I am discovering that their districts were not as far along on many of the six objectives defined in the RTTT program. BSEA felt that the benefits far outweigh the concerns in our particular district.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
In Unity!
Scott Penner
President
Big Spring Education Association
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