Holding Teachers Responsible for Fixing Failing Schools the Battle Over Education Reform Essay

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Responsibility for Failing Schools

Central Falls, Rhode Island came under Obama Administration's "Race to the Top" policy in January 2010 with new district policy to improve the district's low student performance. After months of debate, teacher firings and rehiring, lawsuits, and negotiations, the policy was finally implemented. Questions remain on how effective the new policy will resolve the district's problems.

The Obama Administration's "Race to the Top" policy consists of implementing one of four turnaround models (Rochefort, 2011). The transformational model replaces the principal, strengthens school staff, implements researched-based instruction with new governance and flexibility, and extended learning time. The turnaround model replaces the principal, rehires only 50% of staff, implements researched-based instruction, new governance, and extended learning time. The restart model converts or closes the school and reopens under an effective charter operator or an educational management organization. And the school closure model closes the school and sends students to other higher performing schools.

The stakeholders under this policy are students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and education officials. Students receive the education. Parents deliver inputs where individual concerns effect the learning of each student and teachers are at the forefront of the educational delivery system. School administrators control the governance of the educational process and the educational officials are responsible for implementing effective policies to govern the processes.

The factors in this case involve poor test results in math, reading, science, and writing, low graduation, vulnerability of students, some needing English as a second language, and special education students. The school had low academic performance where 33.5% dropped out, 47% graduated, 12.5% were held back, and 7% received a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), and where standardized test scores showed 55% proficiency in reading and 7% proficiency in math (Rochefort, 2011). The vulnerability of students stem from poverty with high teenage pregnancy, urban decay, unemployment, political corruption, and youth violence. With the area being made up of immigrant groups, mostly Hispanic, some students are in need of English as a second language and special education services.

The original implementation of the plan consisted of the turnaround model in terminating all teachers, rehiring only 50% with new job descriptions, and an ultimatum. The ultimatum consisted of 25 minute longer school days with a commitment to tutoring and after school hours, weekly 90 minute meetings on improvements, two-week summer professional development, and a new system of third party teacher evaluations. After meetings between the superintendent and union officials failed, the turnaround model plan was implemented.

Teachers argued the plan was not negotiable due to compensation issues and the lack of details concerning the added responsibilities. Teacher unions called for moderation, defied firing the teachers, and argued for the right to negotiation. On the other hand, students viewed teachers as friends, mentors, and family.

This created a debate escalation. While teachers argued on poor administration leadership and turmoil in curriculum, teacher unions filed charges on unfair labor practices against the district, superintendent, and commissioner. Teachers felt administration was not supportive, ignored children's issues, and ignored the turmoil in curriculum. Teachers also reapplied for positions in efforts to fight for rights.

There were arguments concerning other school districts following suit without regard to the problems children go to school with, such as those that stem from poverty situations. The school board argued that very few comments were made about how hard the teachers make students work, didn't feel teachers pushed for students for higher achievement. Others argued for accountability in low performance and the rights of students to a quality education. Teachers formed a research-based high school reform plan that was similar to the original plan.

After more negotiations, a final resolution plan was agreed upon. The results brought a higher focus on improved test scores, more aggressive intervention, with agreed upon compensation. School days were lengthened, summer professional development, provisions for tutoring, revised teacher evaluations, and higher pay supplements.

Longer school days will give added time for instruction, one on one learning needs, and evaluation for improvement to meet student needs and goals. Tutoring is important for enabling students to learn more from one on one activities. After school hours allow students more time to seek help in struggling to understand curriculum. Professional development enables teachers to discover more ways for improvement. And, third party evaluations adds more fairness with stronger insight from outside parties and more input for improvement.

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There are disadvantages of the emphasis being placed on teachers, instead of all stakeholders. It does not address how teachers will be supported, such as class sizes or workforce needs in preparing students for the workforce. In efforts of education reform, teachers have increased pressures with increased class sizes and termination as punishment for low test scores (Butterfield, 2013). With budget cuts, school days have been shortened and class size have increased, causing difficulty on teachers in meeting student needs and district goals.

There is also a widening skills gap between education and the preparation for youth in the labor market (Stipanovic, 2012). There was also no mention of work-based programs for hands on activities of students within the policy. Research-based instruction may help a teacher in effective techniques of teaching students, but how does it prepare youth for the workforce? Where Central Falls had low graduation rates and low proficiency scores, this raises the question of motivating students to desire going to school or to stay in school to gain an education.

The 'No Child Left Behind Act' "asked schools to describe their success in terms of what each student accomplishes (Rajala, 2003). Without children going to school, they do not accomplish an education, much less gain proficiency in standardized tests. There is a need of programs to motivate children to want to learn, such as Career and Technical programs (Stipanovic, 2012) and Programs of Study (Alfeld, 2012) and build connections between education and career. The policy indicated research-based instruction without including the types of programs that would be used with the instruction. The arguments from the teachers also indicated turmoil in curriculum that could be addressed with these programs.

Recommendations for this policy could include support systems for teachers in motivating students toward the desire to learn, consideration of teacher input into how instruction and curriculum can be improved, classroom size limitations, resources for addressing student issues, as well as accountability measures for other stakeholders. Programs of study geared toward career and better lifestyles can aid children in motivation to learn to do better in life than their parents have been able to do. They also introduce children to the basics of the workforce and enables the instruction to meet business needs in the community as well.

Teacher input needs to be considered in the curriculum and instruction of materials to meet student needs and goal requirements. Where teachers are at the forefront of the education process, they have valuable input gained from teaching experience and communication with students that adds value. Having available lists of community resources to address needs of students better enables teachers to help the student clear the mind of problems and focus on education.

Classroom sizes and paperwork are two major limitations placed on teachers. If class sizes are too large, teachers are not as effective when students need one on one instruction. The addition of large amounts of paperwork also takes time away from teaching students. If a teacher becomes overloaded, the moral of teaching students diminishes due to the limitations placed on them. With the limitations of teachers, students become frustrated and loose the desire to learn, feeling hopelessness in the learning efforts because they don't seem to gain the help they need to understand. Because of these issues, classroom sizes and paperwork loads need to be minimized where students and teachers feel they can achieve the goals.

There also needs to be accountability of school administration implemented in the policy. Administration needs to be held accountable in how they distribute funding and workloads that limit the abilities of teachers. The distribution of funds and workloads could affect the outcomes of students, the abilities of teachers preparing students, and the specific needs of the district as a whole in reaching the goals and desired results.

Resources need to be available for student motivation toward learning to keep them in school and motivated to learn. Teacher input needs to be considered in meeting the needs of students. Limitations in classroom sizes and paperwork loads need to be in place to enable teachers to provide adequate instruction and one on one instruction to students. Accountability to school administration needs to address the adequate provision of funding and workloads to minimize limitations on needs of students, teachers, and the district as.....

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