Monday, November 14, 2011

This is No Way to Run a Manufactured Crisis

Elisabeth Harrison reminds us:

Providence school officials will have to pick a new model for turning around several low performing schools singled out this year by state officials. The district already has four schools using the “transformation model.” State officials say just two more schools can use that model under federal education department rules.

The actual rule, which Elisabeth dug out for me (thanks!), is this:

An LEA with nine or more Tier I and Tier II schools, including both schools that are being served with FY 2009 SIG funds and schools that are eligible to receive FY 2010 SIG funds, may not implement the transformation model in more than 50 percent of those schools.

Yes, if you have eight, they can all be transformation. From where they pulled the number nine, I can only guess. Anyway, this to prevent districts from taking the easy way out, I guess. Let's review recent history in the PPSD regarding these interventions.

Persistently Low-Performing Tier 1, Round 1:

  • Feinstein High School -- closed, NOT counted as closure for intervention purposes;
  • Charlotte Woods Elementary -- merged with Sergeant Cornel Young Jr. Elementary, accepted by RIDE for restart in March 2011, which fell through when Mayor Taveras took over, switched to transformation.
  • Cooley High School -- merged with PAIS high, approved for restart, switched to transformation;
  • Lillian Feinstein Elementary -- slated for closure, granted reprieve, approved for restart, switched to transformation;
  • Roger Williams Middle -- approved for restart, switched to transformation.

Peristently Low Performing, Tier 1, Round 2:

  • Alvarez High -- added March 2011, pending...
  • Hope IT -- added March 2011, removed October 2011 by RIDE;
  • Fogarty Elementary -- added March 2011, removed October 2011 by RIDE;
  • Mount Pleasant High -- added March 2011, pending...
  • Carl Lauro Elemenatary -- added October 2011 (was tier 3), pending...
  • Gilbert Stuart Middle -- added October 2011 (was tier 2), pending...
  • Pleasant View Elementary -- added October 2011 (was tier 3), pending...

And let's not forget:

  • Perry Middle -- tier 3, closed June 2010 (not counted as an intervention);
  • Flynn Elementary -- tier 3, closed June 2011 (not counted as an intervention);
  • Windmill St. Elementary -- tier 3, closed June 2011 (not counted as an intervention);
  • Bridgham Middle -- tier 2, closed June 2011 (not counted as an intervention);
  • Fortes (tier 3) and Lima Elementary (not low performing) completely reconfigured, August 2011.

So, despite all of the above, we get the "you're not trying hard enough" punishment.

And let's not forget, Mayor Taveras also agreed to a no layoff clause that limits the moves they can make personnel wise. Also in RI "traditional" charters don't have the labor provisions that CMO's want and mayoral academies aren't applicable to the SIG process (e.g., you'd have to talk Johnston into going in 50/50 on turning around Mount Pleasant or something equally implausible), so that limits your restart options. Providence won't get any credit toward the SIG requirements for starting a new charter or mayoral academy.

This is no way to run a manufactured crisis.

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