' 1

/~ Students demand Y a say in schools

3

Interview with the new CEO

4 ~ . .,.,.... PFT contract:

.:::;"c~ some highlights .r~ 5

~ Schools can Itl 12uild community

the page "Turning N PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOL

jorchange." OTEBOOK WI~Q,~-<)1 I

Photo: Harvey Finkle

Recent teachers' contract negotiations were marked by conflict, but new contract language envisions greater collaboration at schools.

Will schools opt to pick their teachers? • The teachers' contract offers schools decision-making powers in some new areas.

by Paul Socolar

The new teachers' contract agreement continues the District's recent practice of shifting important

sonnel committee would interview and select from teachers who apply for job openings, instead having appointments determined by seniority;

• How to use the extra 30 minutes of instructional time that is to be added to the

TEACHERS &: COMMUNITY:

To address discipline issues, each school is explicitly required by the contract to develop "clear standards of student conduct" and "identify clear consequences for infringements."

The role for parents in school decision­making is not highlighted by the new contract.

decision-making powers from the downtown office to BUILDING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS

But principals are expected to consult with their staff in these school-based decisions. schools.

New contract language opens the door for greater teacher and parent participation in discussion of educational issues and for a shared decision-making process to take hold among parents, school staff, and students at more of Philadelphia's schools.

Two significant issues can be taken up by all schools immediately:

• Whether to opt into a "site-based" teacher selection system, where a school per-

school day next fall. Two other areas where the contract

empowers schools to make decisions are professional development and discipline policies.

Schools are expected to establish profes­sional development committees that will determine how to use an expanded pool of days available for teacher training and will develop plans for mentoring new teachers.

Superando la cultura del temor ... juntos Reclutar la ayuda de los padres no es tan sencillo como parece por Rochelle Nichols Solomon

No hay otra opci6n para la reunion de esta noche; sera en el salon justo allado del santuario principal de la iglesia local. Hay unas cuantas mesas plegadizas de distinta altura. Menos mal que todas las sillas son del mismo tamaiio y estilo.

Serfa mucho mas fiicil si la reunion se hubiese podido llevar a cabo en la escuela como se habfa planificado originalmente. Tres mas antes, el principal se topo con dos de los padres en un pasillo de la escuela y aprovech6 la ocasi6n para informarles que no podrfan reunirse en el edificio, como ya habian acordado anteriormente. Mas tarde, estos padres describieron a los demas la

manera en que les habl6 el principal: lenguaje corporal rigido, poco contacto viSUal, y aspecto enojado. Eran gestos que decfan: No confio en ustedes.

Los padres tuvieron entonces que batal­lar para conseguir un lugar en el cualllevar a cabo la reuni6n y tambien a alguien que la dirigiera, ya que los dos maestros que habian dicho que 10 harian ahora "lamenta­blemente no estaban disponibles".

Mientras laboraban, los miembros del equipo coordinador trataban de ver el humor en la situaci6n. "i,Pensaba el que no tendrfamos la reunion?"

"Padres" continua en la p. 8

And at schools that have created School Councils including parents and staff, the Councils can put the issues like new teacher selection, the longer school day, professional development, and school discipline policies on their agendas.

''The contract does provide a number of important opportunities to approach the issue of bui lding parent and community involve­ment in decision-making," commented school board member Sandra Dungee Glenn.

Glenn highlighted the new process for school-based selection of teachers. She added, ''The extra half hour is the type of educational issue that School Councils should have a say in."

Glenn noted that the District has commit­ted itself to improving the functioning of School Councils, which are supposed to give parents and staff a voice in decisions at every school , but have never gotten off the ground at many schools (see story, p. 10).

School-based selection process In the expired PFT contract, seniority was

the overriding criterion for determining local school staffmg. Acco.rding to District offi­cials, this prevents principals from effective­ly matching teacher skills with school needs.

Under the new language, 10 schools, most of them middle schools, have been cho­sen to pilot the new school-based teacher selection process beginning with the hiring season for next school year.

See "Will schools pick?" on p. 10

State-ordered plan developed to boost student test scores by Paul Socolar

A controversial, new state-ordered improvement plan now guiding the School District proposes several new strategies, including replacing middle schools with K-8 schools and turning over management of some failing schools to for-pmfi t companies.

Philadelphia was one of 11 districts ordered by the state to develop an improve­ment plan under the state's so-called Education Empowerment Act, because of low student test scores.

An "Empowerment Team" including School District officials, teachers, parents, and community members prepared the plan, which the school board voted to accept and transmit to the state, December 4.

Once the state Department of Education approves the plan, Philadelphia will receive a state grant of $16 million.

District estimates show the new initia­tives in the Empowerment Plan costing a total of $250 million over three years. The size of the state grant is also dwarfed by the District's estimated $80 million deficit this year. District officialslIave expressed hopes that the state will fund the Education Empowerment program with larger amounts in future years.

Under the Empowerment Act, districts with more than half their students scoring in the bottom 25 percent on state tests must change that by 2004 or face a state takeover. In Philadelphia 59 percent of students scored in the bottom quartile on the Spring 2000 state tests, a 1 percent improvement since 1998.

At a public hearing on the plan, November 21 , many speakers praised aspects of the plan. But there was sharp crit­icism of some elements - particularly a pro­posal to allow public schools to be turned over to private management and the lack of provision for more school librarians.

Two members of the Empowerment Team were critical of the team for failing to incorporate any input from the hearing into the fmal plan or even to meet to review the testimony.

"I heard a substantial amount of testimo­

See "Plan" on p. 3

10 Assessing local School Councils

13 Service learning and the community

15 Teacher unions can foster hope

Eye on Special Ed, p. 3 • Espanol, p. 8, 9 • Activism around the city p. 17 • Opinion, p. 19

PAGE 2

NOTEBUOCOK 'Turning the page for change"

Volume 8, Number 2

A voice for parents, students, and class­room teachers who are working for quality alld equality ill ollr schools.

Advisory Board Eileen Abrams, Community College of

Philadelphia Kim Baker. teacher Diane Bridges, Hartranft Parent Leadership Team Jane Century, Century Communications Cindy Engst. reacher and parent Keith Harewood Kevin Muszynski. Local Ta~k Force for a

Right to Education Rochelle Nichols Solomon. Phil adelphia

Education Fund Victor Perez. Julia de Burgos Famil} Center Johannes Ponsen. parent Len Rieser, Education Law Center Debbie Wei. Asian Americans Uni ted Debra Weiner. Philadelphia Futures OrganiJlrionsjor idenlijicaJiofl purposes olli:r

Editorial Board for this issue: Kelley Collings, Helen Gym, Eric Joselyn, Mynle L. Naylor, Ros Purnell, Sharon Tucker, Ron Whilehorne Editor: Pau l Socolar Design: Patricia Ludwig Spanish translation: Mildred S. ,Martinez Art: Eric Joselyn Proofreading: Eileen Abrams, Elayne Bender, Barbara A. Bloom, Len Rieser, Sandy Socolar Distribution: Irvin B. Shannon Printing: Prompt Press

Philadelphia Public School NOlebook is a project of the New Beginnings program of Resources For Human Development. We publish four times a year. Send inquiries to: Philadelphia Public School Notebook, 3721 Midvale Ave" Phila" PA 19129, Phone: (215) 951·0330, ext, 107, Fax: (215) 951·0342, E·mail: psnotebook@aoi.com

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PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

NOTEBOOK EDITORIAL

Bridging the divide We have a new CEO and a new teachers'

contract, but the educational crisis facing the 210,000 students in Philadelphia public schools continues,

In the early grades, a majority of students are still unable to read or do math at grade level. As they move on, barely a majority even complete high school, and many of these graduates lack the academic back· ground that they need to succeed in post·sec· ondary education.

Facing this crisis, those of us who are commined to public education cannot afford to be working at cross·purposes. When we as parents, teachers, and community are not working together cooperatively and whole· heartedly to improve the public schools, we are not giving our children the support they need and deserve.

That is why it is critical that we talk about the divide between teachers and the commu· nity. This divide is reflected in mutual dis· trust or in back·and·forth battles of blame, aimed at "bad parents" and "teachers who don 't care." When caught up in those battles, we lose sight of our real enemies: those who refuse to fund our schools adequately and allow our urban environment to decay,

Being aware of the panem of blaming can help us to break out of it. Yet we need to understand that the underlying divide is real. There are significant race, class, and Ian· guage differences between teachers and the communities that they serve and societal prejudices and stereotypes that need to be overcome.

Often, parents feel disrespected and pow· erless in the face of schools that keep them at arm's length, offer only limited roles, and give signals that their feedback is unwel· come. It is hard to have meaningful collabo. ration when the partners have such unequal access to information, resources, and power.

The divide between teachers and the community is tangled up with the language and culture of professionalism. When teach. ers or other staff defme themselves as the "educational experts" or when they use obscure jargon, this shuts parents out.

Bridging the divide requires listenino taking time for discussion of race and cl~s conflicts, and working to unlearn our preju. dtces. A mantra such as "All children can learn" has a role to play (we should add another: "All communities have valuable assets that can strengthen schools"). But more important than these mantras is under. standing what gets in the way of believing these words and acting upon them.

To begin to bridge the divide, every

school can place a priority on making parents feel welcome at school and in the classroom and honoring the roles and contributions of parents. School staff can examine their efforts to make personal connections with parents and to engage in two· way communication.

In this issue we highlight some other approaches that can help teachers and the. community overcome the divide and build genuine collaborations:

Efforts to involve parents in meaning· ful ways in school decisions, Parents want to be involved in ways that go beyond home· work helper, trip chaperone, or bake sale organizer. Parents and community members have shown they have a lot to offer when educators include them in discussions about standards, instructional issues, or other edu· cational policies. Parents need training and information to make the most of these opportunities. Independent community orga· nizing can contribute by helping to build the capacity of communities to put forward par· ents in leadership roles. School staff will also benefit when school decision·making becomes more collaborative.

Programs that diversify who is staffing our schools and address the attitudes that teachers bring to that work, We need to have teachers from a whole range of back· grounds, and we need to insure that these diverse staff are empowered to contribute to and shape the culture of their schools and classrooms, We need effective programs to help the teachers who are comino into new communities talk through the ra;e and class Issues that they confront every day. , Labor·community alliances around ~ssu~ of educational quality and social Justice, The opportunities to mobilize union members and the community in coalitions around common interests are numerous. It is unponant for the teachers' union to present the commuDity with its ideas on how to tack. ~~~cUlt issues, such as what to do about

·~rfonrung schools or improving teacher qUality.

Invol~ement by schools and teachers ' commumty.building work. The DistriCt'sIn push to expand service learning proQTams Provtdes a great opportunity for tea;hers to develop coursework that brings c . I ~sues mto the classroom and exp:r:~~ty ~~~o~m Outward into the community. be . g this work, teachers and schools can

n!~~~s~~ :e resources of the other orga.

There is m~cchommuruty. hope for a conf moreto say and to do. We pages. mumg dialogue in these

WINTER 2000-0,

Whoya .......... gonna call?

Building school·community partnersh' The School District's 22 cluster office:~.

not onlyfor adnlll1lstratzon and sciwol Slip. I e

port; they also are expected to work on hllild. ing partnerslups lVah the community.

For each c/ustel; we list first Ihe Cluster Leader and then the PSRC, or "Post. SecondQi)' Readiness CoO/dinalor" - a clus. tel' staffmelltber IVho IS responsible for idelIti. .f)l/tIg commill/lly partners and supports. To filld 0 111 wluch IS your school's cluster office call th.e School Dlslnct at 215·299.7000. '

Audenried: Mruy Randall , Jackie Green 215·351·7228 '

Bartram: P. Karen Hill, [pSRC post vaca ] 215.727.5780 nt,

CHAIN: Wendy Shapiro, Mruy Lee, 215·281·5903

Edison: Marilyn Perez, Miriam Vidot 215·291·5680 '

Fels: Jan Gillespie, Carolyn WimbUSh 215-456·0998 '

Frankford: Hrury Gaffney, [pSRC post vacant],215·335·5043

Franklin: Gaeton Zorzi, Reuben Mills 215·351·7405 '

Furness: Arthur Rubin, Mitch Cohen 215·351·7445 '

Gennantown: Desiree Mansell, [pSRC post vacant],215·248·6691

Gratz: Naomi Booker, Carlotta Cage, 215·684·5132

Kensington: Edward Torres, Joyce Hoog, 215·291·5696

King: Linda Silverberg, Marlene Owens, 215·248·6684

Lincoln: Marylouise DeNicola, Edith Paige, 215·961·2066

Northeast: Harris Lewin, Karen Duckett 215·728-4134 '

Olney: Carlos Lopez, Verna Cole, 215-456·5595

Overbrook: Arrnita Sims, Joanne Graham, 215·581·5897

Penn: Michael Clayton, Vincent Calloway, 215·684·8487

Roxborough: George Schuler, James Willie, 215·248·6217

South Philadelphia: Lynn Spampinato, Mary Lou Fischer, 215·351·7034

Strawberry Mansion: Edward Williams, [PSRC post vacant] , 215·684·8980

University City: Janet Samuels, Tom Dunn, 215-471·2271

West Philadelphia: Janis Butler, Gloria Davis, 215-471·8334

Director of Service Learning: Ken Holdsman, 215·875·3813

Here is a partial list of local organizations working to plVmote community·teacher partnerships or service learning:

Earth Force: 215·884·9888 Kids Around Town: 215·664-4155 Need in Deed: 215·242·6333 Temple University School and Community

Partnerships: 215·204-3773 Temple University Center for Inter·

generational Learning: 215·204·6970 University of Pennsylvania Center for

Community Partnerships: 215·898·6946

For the record -.I In our special report on successful

schools (Fall 2(00), we stated that Kearny, Moffet, and Welsh schools all had highly stable teaching staffs with little turnover. A table on page 11 showed the percentage of staff at each school who transferred out to other schools between 1995 and 1999. o ur statement was true, but the table was ina~ curate. For Kearny, no teachers tranSferr

out during that four· year period; the per· centage shown should have been zero 7ar compared to the average of 21 percent all Philadelphia elementary schools.

WINTER 200<

Some st unfairlJ by Catherine !

Special educ: districts to provi with disabilities in order to benel tion pro-gram .

In 1998, the Education Law Center sued the School District of Philadelphia _

and the Commonwealth court (in Kellner Philadelphia), d

The suit was of students with disabilities in th, out of school or portation becam a one·to·one aid provide this aidf told the student' Therapeutic StaJ through the mer

Thesettleme all students with Chapter IS Serv Agreement (accommoda· tion plan) who have behav· ioral issues. Terms of the settlement inclu

• When an I team or Chapter Agreement tean one·to·one beha needed during t1 order for a stud, ty to receive a F Public Educatio one behavior su the student's IEI for providing th, that it is provide or fanlily.

• The Distri( provide one·to·' lizing the servic the school day.

• A student ( school or schoo) TSS worker is a available, or if tI student's receipl must provide or trained staff to ~ dent during the :

• Every stud ment must have listed on the IE Agreement ever TSS worker wil

• The Distri( schools every y' in February, to ( location of TSS to ask whether , has an IEP (Indi Program) or C '

• The Disll"i~ dents identified , (AS) and parent! needing emotion dren may be COy letter was sent to

The District menting all the I more inforrnatic web site at www.phila.kI2. or contact the s in your cluster ,

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WINTER 2000-01

Some students were unfairly denied aides by Catherine Provenzano

Special education law requires school districts to prov ide all services that children with disabilities need during the school day in order to benefit from their special educa­tion pro­gram.

In 1998, the Education Law Center sued the School

Disnictof EDUCATION Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Perm sylvania in federal court (in Kellner v. School District of Philadelphia), charging a violation of that law.

The suit was brought on behalf of a group of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities in the District who had been kept out of school or kept off of school trans­portation because they needed the support of a one-to-one aide, and the District did not provide this aide. Instead the Disnict had told the students' families to get a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) worker through the mental health system.

The settlement reached in the case covers aU students with disabilities or with a Chapter 15 Service Agreement (accommoda­tion plan) who have behav­ioralissues. Terms of the settlement include:

• When an IEP leam or Chapler 15 Service Agreement team determines one-to-one behavior support is needed during the school day in order for a student with a disabili­ty to receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), one-to­one behavior support must be written into the student's IEP The District is responsible for providing that service, or for insuring that it is provided, without cost to the student or family.

• The District can meet its obligation to provide one-to-one behavior support by uti­lizing the services of a TSS worker during the school day.

• A student cannot be excluded from school or school transportation because their TSS worker is absent. If a TSS worker is not _available, or if there is a delay or gap in a student's receipt of such services, the Disnict must provide or arrange for the provision of trained staff to provide this service to the stu­dent during the school day.

• Every student covered by the settle­ment must have one-to-one behavior support listed on the IEP or Chapter 15 Service Agreement even when it is expected that a TSS worker will provide the service.

• The District must conduct surveys of its schools every year, one in October and one in February, to determine the number and location of TSS workers. These surveys need to ask whether a student with a TSS worker has an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or Chapter 15 Service Agreement.

• The District wrote to all parents of stu­dents identified as needing autistic support (AS) and parents of students identified as needing emotional support (ES) that their chil­dren may be covered by the settlement. This letter was sent to approximately 4300 families.

The District is in the process of imple­menting 'a11 the terms of the settlement. For more information, visit the Disnict's Kellner web site at www.phila.kI2.pa.us/osess/sswdlkellner.htrnl or contact the special education coordinator in your cluster (see p. 2).

PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 3

Participants in Student Union gathering demand a say in school decisions

Students develop platform for change by Barbara A. Bloom

A citywide group of high school students has seized the initiative to tell School District leaders about students' perspectives on how public schools can be improved.

Over 400 students from 27 different schools met October 25 in a convention organized by the Philadelphia Student Union to prepare a "Students' Platform on School Reform."

The purpose of the platform is to empower students to take an active role in their own education and school environ­ment, according to Eric Braxton, director of the Student Union.

Students say they are taking the opportu­nity presented by recent changes in the lead­ership of the Philadelphia public schools to make their voices heard. Students will be meeting with School District and city offi­cials, including Chief Academic Officer Deidre Farmbry and city Secretary of Education Debra Kahn, to advocate for the platform.

To underscore the desire for student involvement in their own education, the very flIst item in the platform addresses "student involvement in decision-making." Students are calling for voting seats on the Board of Education.

The platform proposes a "functioning, elected student govemment" in every school and a citywide student government from which the student members of the school board would be selected. They also want an active role on School Councils and in school-based decisions sucb as the selection of new principals and the creation of the

Plan developed continued from p. 1

ny opposing charter schools, for-profit schools, and independent schools," said Rosalind Jones-Johnson, the teachers' union representative on the team. She maintained that those recommendations were not research-based and should not be in the plan.

Parent representative Audrey Correll of the Alliance Organizing Project added, "Having the only public hearing a few days before the plan went to the board was ridicu­lous." She said the team's process allowed for only "a narrow band of input.," and relied too heavily on advice from Disnict insiders.

Independent evaluators who have spent the past five years monitoring the Disnict's Children Achieving reform effort and assess­ing its successes and failures were not brought in to give input, team members said.

One senior District official expressed fmstration that even within the District many key voices were not heard from. "There are not enough opportunities for the people who are doing the work every day to talk to the people who are making the plans," the offi­cial told the Notebook.

Attomey Frederick Strober, who co­chaired the team, responded that state-imposed deadlines meant the tearn faced severe time constraints and had less than three months to produce a plan from scratch. He said that the diverse composition of the team meant differ­ent points of view were represented.

The new improvement plan will inevitably assume a prominent role in the Disnict. The departure of Superintendent David Hombeck, who crafted the District's LO-point reform plan, opened up the question of what are the Disnict's strategic priorities.

According to School Board President Pedro Ramos, who served on the team, "The Empowerment Plan will certainly be an in1portant part of our agenda in the next few years, but not the entire agenda. The academ-

School Improvement Plans. Currently a student representa­

tive and an alternate participate in school board meetings, but their vote is not counted.

The platform is organized around ni ne areas of student con­cern. Besides decision-making, the issues addressed are "public school funding, mistreatment of students in schools, public trans­portation, metal detectors, multi­cultural education, interactive and engaging curriculum. uniforms, and security and safety."

Student Union member Susan Oh delivers opening speech as over 400 students met in October.

Selamawit Tewelde, a group facilitator at the student convention, pointed out that more funding from the state was key to moving schools forward. "If we had equal education , the rest of the platform could be resolved," stated the Bartram High Scbool sophomore.

Citing inadequate funding in both urban and rural areas, the platform calls for a "funding formula ... which ensures that all students, regardless of where they live, get a high quality education. This means we need to end reliance on local taxes." The platform caUs on "students, parents, teachers, and community members to demand thaI the state reform the school funding system:'

Addressing the l)igh cost of public trans­portation, the platform calls for free tokens for students, to be s.ubsidized by SEPTA, the city, and state welfare funds.

Academically, the platform criticizes low expectations and rote learning and proposes teacher training in "interactive and engaging

ic goals of the Plan are a floor, not a ceiling." "The Board continues to be strongly com­

mitted to high standards, providing adequate supports, having fair and accurate ways of measuring performance, and accountability," Ramos added.

The plan's specific recommendations include: • Forming a District committee to "devel­oped a uniform curriculum to be ... man­dated throughout the District." • Maximizing the time devoted to the" core subjects" of reading, math, and science at all schools. • Reducing class size to 17 in all K-3 class­rooms by September 2003. • Providing summer classes and extended time to all students at risk of failing in grades 2,3,4, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 by June 2001 . • Phasing in K -8 programs at more elemen­tary schools and converting some middle schools to K -8 by September 2002. • Developing a District school safety plan and procedures for minimizing the ' impact of "chronically disruptive students." • Developing a teacher recruitment and retention plan for implementation. • Exploring the creation of new magnet schools and providing more student trans­portation. • Revising the guidelines on composition and responsibilities of School Councils and devel­oping local School Councils at all schools with low test scores. • Immediately activating the "School Support Process" at schools where test scores are lag­ging. A team of District staff and community representatives would work with such schools to assess needs and develop a plan. In schools not responding to the process or displaying "consistent organizational problems," the school board would explore new manage­ment, reconstitution, conversion to a charter or an independent school. or privatization.

teaching" as weU as a procedure for students to evaluate their teachers. The platform also calls for a process by which students can express complaints about staff members and asks principals to "take responsibility for creating a school climate which fosters respect and trust. "

The platform calls for enriching the cur­riculum with deeper "multicultural" educa­tion. ''The majority of Philadelphia public school students are not of European descent, and we are not being taught about the rich histories of our own peoples. Students need to learn not only about our own culture, but about the many cultures of the world ."

The students also propose a school wide process to create a school safety plan at each school. Metal detectors, the platfoffi1 says, "give the school a prison-like atmosphere." Students ask for more "adults working in the school who know and care about the stu­dents," and an increase in the number of counselors to one for every 25 students.

Most students oppose school uniforms, the platform says. "Uniforms are a misguid­ed approach to improving the atmosphere in our schools."

"In order to make students take school more seriously, we should focus on allowing students to feel ownership in their schools," the platform argues.

The School Disnict provided support for the October 25 event; Farmbry wrote a letter encouraging principals to have students rep­resenting their schools at the convention.

The Philadelphia Student Ul1iol1 has chapters atfive high schools: Bartram, Central, Gratz, Masterman, and West Philadelphia. Students from all schools Clre invited to SatUlday afternoon meetings. For more information, call 215-546-3290 or email psunion@aol.com.

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PAGE 4 WINTER 2000-0,

PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

~==============~----~-------~ Goldsmith: 'We've got to change Eying corporate models

Goldsmith hired by District as interim CEO

the way people view Philadelphia ' bv Paul Socolar

Philadelphia's schools have a new man in charge this year - interim Chief Executive Officer Philip Goldsmith, appointed to the new post in October.

After the departure of Superintendent David Hombeck in August 2000, the Board of Education decided to try out a corporate model of leadership by creating the posi­tion of chief executive officer and hiring a manager from the business world to lead the District.

Goldsmith will serve as interim CEO for at least 12 months at an annual salary of $170,000. A national search for a perma­nent leader for the District will take place over the coming year.

Goldsmith assumed his post November 1, just days after the contract agreement between the teachers' union and the District was hammered out.

Goldsmith heads a new "management team" including Chief Academic Officer Deidre Farmbry, Chief Financial Officer Rhonda Chatzkel, and Chief Operating Officer Thomas McGlinchy. Only Farrnbry is a career educator.

An executive at PNC Bank for 12 years, Goldsmith has a broad background in man­agement, human resources, government, and journal ism.

He recently headed a corporate task force that recommended improvements in the School District's management and pro­ducti viry. He also has served as a board member of Philadelphia Futures, the Free Library, and the Urban Affairs Partnership.

While Superimendent Hornbeck 's strong criticisms of school funding inequities made him an unpopu lar figure among Republican leaders in Harri sburg, Goldsmith's appointment got an immediate endorsement from Governor Tom Ridge's administration.

State officials said Goldsmith was one of the candidates they were cons idering to run the District in the event of a state takeover of Philadelphia schools. Goldsmith's stated support for a partner­ship with the governor is consistent with the recent muting of criticisms of Govern or Ridge's policies by Mayor Street and other District officials .

Goldsmith stated that he has made it clear he would not be a candidate for per­manent CEO of the District. He describes his role as a "bridge" to a different type of management structure and said that that "in the longer term I think we can go out and get someone better."

Goldsmith, who lives in Havertown, is married and has two adult daughters. All three women in his family have worked as teachers.

"It's been part of my household, and my children and my wife have always remind­ed me how tougb the job of teaching is, so I have a sensitivity to that," Goldsmith explained.

lIere are excelpts fivlI1 a Notebook interview with lIew School District Chief Execiltive Officer Philip Goldsmith shortly before he assumed his lIell' post.

On priorities: "One of the questions I'm going to

keep on asking people is, 'What relevance does what you're working on have to helping children leamT This is an educa­tional system. It's about learning and help­ing people graduate here and be competi­tive out there in the real world.

"We've got a financial issue, and that's got to be a major priority. We've started making real inroads in creating credibility and dialogue with the Commonwealth. It's important to keep that going ... so people are willing to say, 'This is where we want to put money.'

"Obviously I'm going to look at the man­agement structure here. Are we managed in the most effective way? Not how a business is managed, because this is not a private sec­tor business. It's a public institution.

"But it's still got to be managed in the best way we can, making sure that people are communicating well, that we're get­ting synergies. Are we too fragmented? Are there too many silos - is somebody doing something in one office and the per­son in the next office knows nothing about it, and yet they' re basically working on the same thingT'

On the relevance of his background in the corporate sector:

"I think management concepts are basi­cally pretty similar, whether in the private or the public sector. Basic management principles - making sme you have the right objectives, the right people, the right priorities - are not dissimilar.

'Management concepts are pretty similar, whether in the private or the

public sector.'

"What's different is in the private sector you have shareholders, and in the public sector you have a whole bunch of different constituencies. In one, it's pretty easy to measure how you're doing and wbether you're making money every month. In the other case, it's more difficult to see whether you're making progress, and you've got to come up with measurement tools that are appropriate for that institution.

"Part of my job is to figure out where management principles are identical and not identical, to take the good things the private sector is doing that are transferable

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here and try to instill that here, and recog­nize when things from the private sector wouldn·t fit here."

On his interest in this position:

"I feel deeply about this because I care about the city. I care about mban America. !fyou don't have a strOhg city and a heal thy city, everything else is going to suffer. I don't think you can have a strong city if you don't have a strong public school system. 1 think Mayor Street deserves all the credit in the world for taking this front and center. You need good schools to keep people in the city, to attract and cre­ate the workforce."

Philip Goldsmit h took over as interim CEO in November, replacing former Superintendent David Hornbeck as t he District's top official.

On switching from the "superinten­dent model" to leadership by a manage­ment team, headed by a CEO:

"Maybe it won't work, but we' re going to know. One of the advantages of my being in this interim position is that it gives us time to assess that. On paper, it seems to me to make sense.

"Look at the university model - you have a president, a provost, a chief man­agement person. So there are models that are not private sector ones that are struc­tured like that."

On the District's relationship with Governor Ridge, and what the District should be expecting or demanding from the governor:

"You cannot demand anything . All you can expect is a fair hearing. That is what we expect.

·'The children that go to Philadelphia schools are Pennsylvania children. You would like to thi nk - and 1 believe - that the [Ridge) adminiso-ation views them as Pennsylvania children. The fact that they live in Philadelphia doesn' t make them less Pennsylvania children.

"Demanding doesn't get anywhere. It isn't about teamwork or partnership - it's about arm-wrestling. Can we expect fair­ness and objectivity? I think the answer is yes, and I think we' ll get it."

About how he would follow up on Superintendent Hornbeck's outspoken advocacy against racial inequality in sch,~ls and in school funding:

Everyone has different styles. I've admired Mr. HornbeCk. He's absolutely dedicated to education. But everyone

----==--

approaches things from a different style. "I think one of the great inequities­

and it doesn't just happen in Philadelphia­is that where a child is born and where their parents live can determine the type of school building they 're going to. That can happen not just between Philadelphia and Lower Merion, but between Lower Merion and Haverford TownShip. To me that just doesn't make sense. Where a kid happens to be raised determi nes whether they've got playing fields or adequate classrooms and facili ties. .

"I don't think that it's racial ; I think it's just the way the situation is set up in fund­ing. I think that every child, regardless of race, should have a quality education. In this country, the quality of a child's educa­tion often depends on where they live. That's not going to change on my watch. But I have a hard time with that.

'·We've got to educate people outside of Philadelphia about the good things that go on in this district and in this city. We've got to change the way people view Philadelphia. People have got to see the fate of Philadelphia and the future of Philadelphia as tied up with their fate."

On his role in the District: "Sometimes it's harder to unlearn than

it is to learn. I'm not an educational expert. I'm not going to muck around with educational theory and philosophy. That's not my job, and it's not my expertise. We have other great people who can do that. My job is to give_them the tools, the sup­port, and the resources to get their passion done. In some cases it may mean asking questions to try to get people to unlearn and to think outside the box."

WINTER 200<

Four-yet

High After a rocky

process, the Boa Ph.iladelphia Fee reached agreem( tract, which was November 2.

The contract margin in a vote approved unanir The estimated fe is $314 million.

Quotable "This isa gn

addresses the co District and the and retaining qu fonvGld togethel u" - Board Pre,

"What we've Federation, is ar of the pllzzle tha make our case if Kahn, Philadelpl

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"This agreen need to protect 0

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needs of our StUl

tor Jerry Jordan

BasiccomI • Ail union me the-board increa four years: 4 peG percent in April 2002; and 4 perQ These increases the 2.2 to 2.5 pel across-the-board teachers in the P

• All members! $ 1000 on Dece

• Union membe: exrracun-icular ar

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WINTER 2000-01 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 5

Four-year agreement with District includes many new provisions

Highlights of new Philadelphia Federation of Teachers contract After a rocky lO-month negotiating

process, the Board of Education and Philadelph.ia Federation of Teachers (pFT) reached agreement on a new, four-year con­tract, which was ratified by the union November 2.

The contract was okayed by a six-to-one margin in a vote by PFT members and was approved unanimously by the school board. The estimated four-year cost of the package is $314 million.

Quotable "This is a groundbreaking contract that

addresses the common concerns of the District and the union, including attracting and retaining qualified teachers .... We go fOlwClld rogethe!: We have a lot to do togeth­er" - Board President Pedro Ramos.

"What we've done here, together with the Federation, is another very important piece of the puzzle that will help us when we go to make our case in Harrisburg." - Debra Kahn, Philadelphia Secretary of Education.

"Our backs were to the wall, but we pre­vailed ... . We staged the shortest strike in our history - and the most effective one." - Ted Kirsch, president, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

"This agreement will give us the tools we need to protect ourselves from administrative whim and educational fads . It empowers [teachers) to shape the educational program in your school so that it truly addresses the needs of our students." - PFT chief negotia­tor Jerry Jordan

Basic compensation package • All union members get the same across­the-board increases, totaling 14 percent over four years: 4 percent in September 2001; 2 percent in April 2002; 4 percent in December 2002; and 4 percent in December 2003. These increases are somewhat higher than the 2.2 to 2.5 percent averages for annual across-the-board increases won by other teachers in the Philadelphia region.

• All members got a one-time bonus of $1000 on December 1, 2000.

• Union members retain compensation for extracmricular and other after-school activities.

Pay incentives and pay-for-performance • Beginning in September 2001, pay bonus­es will be offered to teachers who accept challenging assignments or fill positions in certain teacher shortage areas. • Also beginming next September, an

Photo: Harvey Finkle

Philadelphia Federation of Teachers members review their new contract at November 2 ratification meeting. They went on to ratify the contract that evening by a 3,822 to 641 vote. The contract provides pay increases, a new system of pay bonuses, a longer day and year, and new provisions around teacher transfer, discipline, professional develop­ment and curriculum.

"enhanced compensation system" will be put into place, under which participating teachers will be able to gain larger pay increments by demonstrating increasing knowledge of their subject area and higher level classroom skills. The system will be mandatory for all teachers hired after March 2001 . The District says that talented new teachers will be able to move rapidly up the enhanced compensation scale.

• Current teachers will be able to voluntarily opt into the enhanced compensation plan, or they may remain in the basic system, which provides increments for years of service and academic credentials.

• A joint committee of the union and District will develop the details of how the enhanced compensation system will work, by March 1, 2001. The committee will also identify the schools and positions for which bonuses will be awarded.

• Under the enhanced compensation plan, beginning teachers at the first step will be earning $34,000 next fall, up from $3 1,344 this year. This 8.5 percent increase will make starting salaries in Philadelphia more com­petitive with neighboring districts.

Health benefits • Most union members continue to pay no

premiums for health insurance. There are some increases in employee co-pays.

• The District increased its contribution to the union 's health and welfare fund to cover the significant cost increases for maintaining prescription, dental, and optical benefi ts.

Teacher assignment and transfer policies

The District says a number of new provi­sions will greatly increase teacher stability:

• Teachers must have three years of bui lding seniority to file for a voluntary transfer, instead of j ust two. The new deadline for fil­ing for a transfer is May 1. The selection and assignment process for most voluntary trans­fers will be limited to a fo ur-week period. ending in early July, instead of taking place all summer.

• Newly hired teachers who begin their employment at a school between September 1 and Januauy 1 will now be considered appOlnted teachers, whereas they would have been temporary under the old contract.

• To encourage teachers to notify the district of resignations or retirements by April 15, those who do will get fully paid medical cov­erage through the summer. This wi ll allow

more time to ftll vacancies.

• School-based selection of faculty by schoo l personnel committees may begin for the 200 1-2002 school yeau" in schools where teachers vote to switch to a site selection process, as well as in several pilot schools (see p. 1 and 10).

Longer day and year The student day and the teacher day

increase by one-half hour, effective Septeml;>er 200 1. The extra half hour is to be used by each school as it sees fit , so long as it is instructional time. The school year also increases next fall, by three days - one stu­dent day and two professional development days. In all , there will be seven non-student days - four staff development days and three organizational days - and a total of 188 teacher days.

Professional development The two additional professional develop­

ment days will provide teachers with 28 hours of in-school professional development activities.

Employees will complete the remaining eight hours of state-mandated professional development time by taking free, District­sponsored professional development activi­ties or participating in approved activities on their own.

Each school is expected to establish a pro­fessional development committee, which will be responsible for designing an overall pro­gram, including a plan for mentoring and coaching of new teachers at the school. Some schools may opt for a full-time mentor.

Discipline The PFT says it made major strides in

negotiating contract language to suppon its members in dealing with disciplinary issues. There are provisions requiring every princi­pal to have a unifonn disciplinary code with rules of conduct and consequences that are consistently enforced, and to provide staff with support for enforcing the rules of con­duct. Each cluster has responsibiliry for pro­viding its schoo ls with infonnation on com­munity resources and best practices for behavior management.

Curriculum The contract addresses a long-standing

union concern that teachers be provided a clearer curriculum. The District and union agreed to "work cooperatively to develop well-arti culated programs of instruction for each grade level that wil l guide and support teachers in aligning classroom instruction with the standards, curriculum and assess­ment system ."

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PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 6 WINTER 2000-0,

Overcoming the culture of fear ... together h · Involving parents is not simple - it means s arlog power by Rochelle Nichols Solomon

The room just off the main sanctuary would have to do for tonight's meeting. There were a few weathered folding tables of different heights. At least the chairs were all the same size and style.

It would have been so much easier if the meeting could have taken place in the school as originally planned. Three days earlier, the principal had run into rwo of the parents in the hallway and used tile occasion to inform

Parent involvement is one of the few things in education about which

there seems to be universal agreement.

believe that giving parents and others infor_ mation that Is rarely glimpsed even inside most schools IS Ilke runng dirty launchy.

By the tulle the fU"Sl set of tough new standards is delivered to each school's maio office, many teachers perceive that an attack is underwa;:. Often th::, feel devalued. "We work hard, they say. Given the situation we do the best we can." '

Successfu l school change requires inno­vation and risk-taking in a system that is often unkind to risk-takers. Teachers wony about bemg purushed by their prinCipals, who can take away special assigrunents, change their classrooms, or cut their posi­tions. In schools where teachers are preoccu­pied with sanctions, there is little collabora_ tion berween staff members, and allnost certainly none with parents.

them that they could not use the building as had been earlier agreed upon. Later, these parents described to the other parents his rigid body language, sparse eye contact, and angry scowl. The inlage said: I don't trust you.

Through effective parent involvement, schools can tap into parents' energy and can st rengthen t heir commitment to all the children in the school.

This culture of fear, pervasive in so many schools, IS a barner both to collaboration and to working across differences in race, class and culture. The companion to this fear is a culture of blame, in which low-income African American and Latino children are often perceived as limited by their socioeco­nomic status. Influenced by newspapers, television and movies, many well-meaning teachers imagine their students fighting their way to school through a community of zom­bie crackheads and retuming to homes that lack caring parents or other adults.

The parents had had to scramble to find a substitute site for the meeting as well as someone to lead the session, since both teachers who had agreed to facilitate had become "regrettably unavailable."

As they worked, the setup tearn joked about their situation. "Did he think we wouldn't have this meeting?"

"Humph! All that talk about standards, and they won't even let us learn about 'ern."

"Some kind of partnership!" It later carne out that the principal did not

believe the parents were meeting to discuss the new standards; he thought they were plotting to get rid of him.

The parents had a successful meeting about the new standards. Even though they had to meet without school personnel, they left the meeting energized and committed to making a difference for all the students in their school.

Parent involvement: a shared goal Parent involvement is one of the few things

in education about which there seems to be urn versal agreement. In large urban school dis­tricts, it is considered one of the many "musts" for inlproving the academic outcomes for large numbers of mostly low-income African American and Latino students.

But profound parent involvement means

sharing leadership - and that means sharing knowledge, responsibility, and most difficult of all, power. This is anything but sinlple.

For many parents, the idea of forming partnerships with their local schools is attrac­tive. They inlagine that working more close­ly with their schools and other parents will inlprove their children's education and lives. "Schools can't do it alone" is their mantra, as they go about the work of building a parent leadership team inside their schools.

Our local reform initiative, "Children Achieving," calls for parents to be involved in new ways. However, parents are still pri­marily cast in old roles.

Principals anxious to inlprove test results invite parent leaders to meet with their school team to exanline the data. Parents corne expecting to discuss issues like school curriculum but instead are asked how to get other parents to make sure their children come to school rested and fed so they can do better on tests. Central office staff members share school performance data with parents in the hope of ge\ring parents to advocate for more funding, but resist helping parents obtain copies of their school's budget.

Parents often feel stung and frustrated in these kinds of meetings. They complain that the data tell them what they already know-

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too few students are reading well, are good in math, can do science. When they try to move the discussion to topics like the high rate of suspensions, how student assignments are made, or student and teacher absen­teeism, principals and others react angrily

Laying groundwork for partnerships There need to be more opportunities and

support for leaders to create the conditions

Suggestions for creating a school culture that actively involves parents 1. Listen.

2. Support teacher leadership. Schools with collaborative leadership are more w illing to partner w it h parents and other outside groups.

3. Invite parents to work w ith teachers and others to develop or refine clear and coherent educational goals.

4. Focus on curriculum and instruction. With a curriculum t hat is stu­dent-centered, parents, teachers, and students are natural all ies.

5. Acknow ledge differences and conflict. Use resources outside t he school to help navigate the difficult terrain of race, culture, and class. -Rochelle Nichols Solomon

and often blame parents for poor test results. Parents are not the only ones feeling the

heat of blame. For many teachers, the release of test results sets off a silent alarm. They

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necessary for school and parent partnerships. Nowhere is this task more challenging than in schools already struggling under persistent low achievement, principal instability, real or perceived violence, and disengaged students, parents, and teachers.

In these schools the principals, teachers, and parents hav~ to assume responsibility instead of blame; identify rather than negate serious problems; and devise solutions, take action, and reflect, rather than maintain the status quo.

Parent leaders need to be persistent - as the parents were who moved their meeting to the local church - in their detennination to become partners in improving their children's schools. District leaders must protect and support these school-level efforts by conSIS­tently rewarding innovati on and action.

Over the last decade, to the credit of many people in and outside of the Philadelphia schools, we have made a great deal of progress. Imagine the progress we d will make in reform when all those J\wolve

- educators, administrators, parents, and communi ty members - are better at leading

and fo llowing collaboratively.

A lOllger version of this anicle appeared in the September 2000 issue of Phi Delta Kappan.

WINTER 200

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PAGE 7

Teachers' union protest actions like this one during the contract struggle were one approach used by teachers to build public support for their concerns.

A teacher reflects on a tense time

I Can we find our way out of the treacherous valley of blaIne?

by Deborah Bambino

Schools opened on time this year, but it wasn't for business as usual, as we awaited news of a seniement, a strike - or in the worst-case scenario, a state takeover.

My colleagues and I all acted as if school would continue without inteIlUption. It was wonderful to watch the rledication of teach­ers as they set up their classrooms and pro­grams despite the tension and uncertainty that they were facing.

Whi Ie everyone was performing like troopers, I wondered how long the state of limbo could continue. Stress affects people's health and energy level. I found myself exhausted after I planned for schedules and school visits that I knew might never happen.

CO.!}IDunity

The ch ildren were watching and waiting too. A friend told me that her eighth grade

I advisory asked her if she was going to strike. She told the srudents that she went home every night praying that it wouldn't happen,

I and that she was a person with bills to pay, Just like their families. But she told the chil­dren she'd walk, if a strike were called.

Did rhe srudents' fami I ies realize how painful this was for the teachers? Did the union do a good job of building public sup­port? Unforrunately, I think the answer to both questions was "No."

The press and our elected officials, some of whom we helped elect, painted the teach­ers as people who work under some difficult conditions. but only for a very short day and year. TIley pointed to the test scores and called for better results. They talked about the budget deficit and said their hands were tied. But they continued to call for new stadi­ums and tax breaks for businesses, with their next breath.

Teachers talked about the conditions under which they work. They talked about buildings in need of repair, insufficient sup­plies, oversized classes, and srudents who bring lots of problems to school.

When teachers started complaining about l____ _ ____ .... .. .

the problems the srudents bring from horne, they entered the treacherous valJey of blame.

There is never a clear-cut road map through this terrain, but there is always plen­ty of blame to go around. Once teachers and parents start blaming each other for the big­ger problems our kids face, it's almost cer­!air that we're going to lose ground.

The ground I'm talking about is the high­er ground, the place where families and schools work together to support our chil­dren. The place where teachers welcome other teachers and parents into their class­rooms and share their thinking. It seems like common sense that we should all be working together, but the understanding and respect we need to support such a joint approach was and is very uncommon.

The contract is settled now. A strike and a takeover were avoided, but the problems are far from over. The buildings are still in need of repairs, and ir's nor even safe to drink the water in many facilities. The state continues to hide its lack of commitment for our chil­dren behind questions of accountability. standards. and the number of instructional minures in rhe day - anything to divert atten­tion from the truly critical question offuU, equitable funding .

The contracr crisis is over. but the teach­ing and learning crisis lives on in our com­munities. It's time to get on with the hard work of building partnerships, teacher to teacher. teachers to students. and teachers to families. It's time to face up to the legacy of disrespect and racism that continues to divide us, and move on in support of all of our chi ldren. Our jobs and their furure depend on it.

Deborah Bambino is Teaching & Leaming NelWork coolYlillatorfor the CHAlNclllstel:

Volunteers welcome! The Public School Notebook depends on

the volunteer assistance we receive in many areas, including: research, writing, proofreadmg, phorography, distribution, fundrruslllg, and advertising sales. If you would like to lend your talents or develop

a skill , please cal l Paul Socolar at the Notebook office,

(215) 951-0330 x l07, or email to psnotebook@aol.com.

PAGES PUB LI C;:: SCHOOL NOTEBOOK WINJ ER 2000-01 -

Trabajando para una mejor union entre maestros y padres por Ron Whitehorne y Kelley Collings

Durante la pasada primavera, la organi­zaci6n Allial/ce Orgal/izing Project (AOP), en conjunto con la Federaci6n de Maestros de Filadelfia (PH) y la Jobs \Vith Justice (JWl), comenzaron a trabajar para fortalecer los lazos entre la uni6n de maestros y la comunidad. Su meta fue la de canalizar la fuerla de un frente unido de maestros y padres pam trabajar por la reforma educativa tanto al nivel de escuela como de la ciudad .

Esta colaboraci6n es el resultado de una campana de la AOP para resol ver el cre­ciente problema de posiciones vacantes de maestros. Este asunto de las vacantes impuls6 a la AOP, un grupo de organizaci6n de padres a ni vel de ciudad, a examinar el contrato de los maestros.

Los didlogos entre maestros y padres se lIe varon a cabo en

siete escuelas durante la primavera del 2000.

La AOP diseii6 una encuesta para identi­ficar las preocupaciones especificas rela­cionadas con el contrato y se reuni6 con ofi­ciales del Distrito y de la uni6n para presentarles la idea de que los padres y sus puntos de vista necesitan ser incluidos en las negociaciones. EI Comite de Alcance a la Comunidad (Community Outreach Committee) de la PH y la AOP entonces prepararon un plan para auspiciar diaJogos entre padres y maestros en las escuelas a traves del Distrito. EI Iiderato de la PH apoy6 este plan y tambien accedi6 a tener discusiones con la AOP.

Los dialogos entre maestros y padres se llevaron a cabo en siete escuelas durante la primavera del 2000 - el primer paso en el

Los padres y maestros de la Welsh School unieron sus esf uerzos en una campana de seguridad para que hubiese un guardia de cruce en

una interseccion cercana.

esfuerzo para que haya mas uni6n y acci6n conjunta entre estos grupos tan importantes para la reforma educativa.

En los diaJogos se identificaron para cada escuela las inquietudes en las que los maestros y los miembros de la comunidad podrfan tra­bajar juntos, tales como una campana de seguridad para un guardia de cruce, mas pro­grarnas en las horas de la tarde, apoyo para las iniciativas de lectura, pintura de muraJes y una campana para mejoras a la biblioteca.

Estos diaJogos, al igual que las encuestas, revelaron que hay un consenso sobre algunos asuntos a nivel de distrito, tales como la necesidad de salones de clase con menos alumnos, salarios mas altos para los maestros, y mas colaboraci6n entre padres, maestros y administradores al solucionar problemas.

Otro resul tado de los intercambios entre maestros y padres ha sido una mayor coop­eraci6n entre la PH y la AOP. Algo que contri buy6 a esta unidad fue un rally de

padres y comunidad que se lJev6 a cabo el 8 de junio durante la reuni6n de la PH en que se autoriz6 la huelga de maestros. La demostraci6n, auspiciada por la Campana para la Educaci6n PUblica de Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Campaignjor Public Education) y organizada por la AOP, hizo un llamado para que se aumenten los salarios a los maestros y se disminuya el mimero de estudiantes por sal6n. Esto claramente expres6 el apoyo de la comunidad a las dos peticiones clave de la PH.

Durante las largas negociaciones de con­trato, la AOP y el Connite de Alcance a la Comunidad de la PH colaboraron con el Iiderato de la PFT para mantener abiertas las vias de comunicaci6n entre la PH y la comunidad. Con ayuda de la AOP, la PH auspici6 dos reuniones con la comunidad en las que el liderato de la PH tuvo la oportu­nidad de compartir informaci6n con sobre una docena de organizaciones comunitarias.

Los organizadores esperan que este tipo de comunicaci6n entre la PFT y la comu­nidad continue.

Despues que el alcalde Street unilateral­mente impuso ternninos contractuales a la PFT, la AOP organiz6 una demostraci6n en la que 13 organizaciones comunitarias hicieron un llamado a las negociaciones.

Ahora que los terminos del contrato han sido negociados, los maestros y padres pueden desviar su atenci6n a la crisis a largo plazo que enfrentan las escuelas publicas de Filadelfia. Por falta de fondos para el Distrito, Filadelfia tiene salarios mas bajos y sal ones de c1ase con mucho mas estudiantes que la mayoria de las escuelas de los subur­bios que la rodean. Esto resulta en una continua escasez de personal cua1ificado para enseiiar. Para superar esta crisis, es vital que los maestros y padres actuen en unidad y a una mayor escala.

"Union" continua en la p. 9

Aprendiendo mientras se crea un centro comunitario • Los padres, maestros y estudi­antes de una escuela en Chicago comienzan un proyecto que cam­biara su comunidad.

por Sukey Blanc

Los residentes deJ barrio Logan Square en Chicago siempre han querido tener un lugar en su comunidad que ofrezca programas educacionales para adultos y para nilios.

Ahora, los maestros, estudiantes y padres de la Ames Middle School en Chicago estin trabajando en conjunto con la Asociaci6n Comunitaria de Logan Square (Logan Square Neighborhood Association, LSNA) en un novedoso proyecto de curriculo que tiene como meta abrir un nuevo Centro de Aprendizaje para la Comunidad ("Commun.ity Learning Center") en el barrio.

La principal de Ames, Amanda Rivera, dice que es esencial que las escueJas desar­rollen relaciones con la comunidad y traba­jen con otras organizaciones para que las cscuelas pueuan realmente convertirse en centros de aprendizaje comunitarios.

El prop6sito central de este proyecto en Ames es que la escuela aprenda mas sobre las necesidades del vecindario en que se encuentra. En los pr6ximos meses, cinco madres que hablan espanol se uniran a los estudiantes y a un equipo bilingUe de mae­stros para aprender a diseiiar encuestas, escribir preguntas que revelen las necesi­dades de la comunidad, conducir una encuesta casa por casa del vecindario alrede-

dor de la escuela, y analizar los resultados de la misma.

La encuesta tiene dos metas: establecer un plan para el nuevo Centro de Aprendi zaje para la Comunidad y proveer una oportu­nidad de aprendizaje que ayude a los estudi­antes de escuela intermedia aver la conexi6n entre sus vidas fuera de la escuela y las mate­rias tradicionales como ellenguaje, las matematicas, la ciencia y los estudios sociales.

Las madres, junto con los estudiantes y un equipo bilingiie de

maestros, diseiiaran y conduciran una

encuesta a domicilio.

SegllD Conchita Perez, madre de un estudi­ante de Ames, "Ir a la comun idad es una nueva experiencia para los estudiantes. Les va a dar una 9portunidad para ayudar a otros".

La LSNA es una organizaci6n comuni­taria establecida, que ha trabajado de cerca con las escuelas del vecindario desde que comenz6 a reclutar y adiestrar candidatos para los Conci lios Escolares Locales (Local School Councils) en el 1989. Otro de los programas de LSNA desde el 1995 ha sido

un programa de padres mentores, que provee adiestrarniento en liderato para los padres, en gran numero madres que hablan espanol, y luego los asigna a salones de c1ase para que trabajen individualmente con estudiantes 0 con pequenos grupos y reali­cen sus logros academicos.

En la escuela Funston Elementary School, un grupo de padres activistas gradu­ados del programa de padres mentores estableci6 el primer Centro de Aprendizaje para la Comunidad en su vecindario. Tocaron a las puertas de los residentes en el area de la escuela, tomaron una encuesta de 500 familias para saber cuales programas ellos querian en el centro, y acudieron a las instituciones educati vas para conseguir los programas necesarios.

Hoy en dia, el centro tiene una matricula de 350 adultos por semestre que toman clases para obtener el diploma de escuela superi or (OED), de ingles como segundo IdJOma (ESL) y otras. Los padres, admin­Istradores de escuelas y la LSNA comparten la responsabllidad de administrar y gobemar el centro. Desde entonces, otros grupos de padres han ab,erto y administran centros en tres escuelas elementales adicionales del barno Logan Square. Casi 1,000 personas pamclpan en los centros cada semana.

Ames es la primera escuela de Logan Square·en la que los estudiantes y los mae­stros-muchos de los cuales crecieron 0

Vlven en la comunidad-esran trabajando en conJunto COn los padres para establecer el centro comunitario. La misma escuela Ames

abri6 sus puertas en el 1998 como resultado de una campana que la comunidad hizo para obtener una escuela intermedia que aliviara el exceso de estudiantado en las otras escue· las del vecindario .

Este proyecto, que es posible gracias a los fond os de la John D. and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, es motivo de gran entusiasmo entre todos los parricipantes.

Segun Rosa Arzu, maestra bilinglie de educaci6n especial y miembro del equipo que esta disenando el cun'iculo, "Esto hace que los ninos vayan a la comunidad y apren­dan mientras 10 hacen. Espero que veamos los resultados cuando ellos identifiquen las matematicas, la ciencia y los estudios sociales y c6mo estas materias se relacionan entre sf '.

EI senor Mario CabalJero, maestro de ciencias y miembro del equipo, dice asi: "Los estudiantes han comenzado a entender 10 que esta pasando. Al hablar con los padres, todo el mundo parece estar muy, pero muy interesado en 10 que va a resultar de esto".

Para mas informacion sobre este prayec­to, llame a La principal de Ames, Amanda Rivera, 0 a Marcelo Ferrel; coordinador de alcance a la comunidad, al 773-534-4970.

Sukey Blanc es investigadora asociada de Research jor Action, una organizacio/l localizada en Filadelfia que esta documen­tando la labor de la. Logan Square Neighborhood Association.

Traduccion pOl' Mildred S. Martinez

Rec

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WINTER 2000-01 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 9

Reclutar la ayuda de los padres no es tan sencillo como parece continua de fa p. 1

"Tanto que hablan sobre los estandares, y rti siquiera nos dejan que aprendamos sobre ell os".

"Tremenda colaboracion". Mas tarde se supo que el principal no

creia que los padres se iban a reunir para dis­cutir los nuevos estandares; pensaba que estaban portiendose de acuerdo para deshac­erse de el.

Los padres tuvieron una ex itosa reurtion sobre los nuevos estandares. Aunque se tuvieron que reunir sin con tar con el person­al de la escuela, al terrrtinar estaban entusias­mados y comprometidos a ayudar a todos los estudiantes de su escuela.

Una meta com partida La participacion de los padres es una de

las pocas cosas en el anlbiente educati vo en la cual todos estan de acuerdo. En los grandes distritos escolares urbanos, se con­sidera un "requisito" para poder mejorar el rendirrllento acaderrtico de gran des grupos de estudiantes de farnilias de bajos ingresos, en su mayoria afroamericanos y latinos.

Pero la participacion a fonda de los padres requiere que se comparta elliderato­y eso significa compartir los conocirrtientos, la responsabilidad, y 10 mas diffcil, el poder o autoridad. Esto no es nada de sencillo.

Para muchos padres, la idea de formar lazos de colaboracion con sus escuelas locales es muy atractiva. Se imaginan que al trabajar de cerca con la escuela y con otros padres, la educaci6n y la vida de sus hijos va a mejorar. "Las escuelas no pueden solas" es su lema, rrtientras se disponen a trabajar para establecer un equipo de padres lfderes dentro de las escuelas.

Nuestra irticiativa de reforma local, "Children Achieving", exhorta a los padres a participar asurrtiendo nuevas responsabili­dades. Sin embargo, los padres todavia son reclutados primordialmente para lIevar a cabo roles tradicionales.

Los principales que ansian mejorar los resultados de examenes invitan a los padres lfderes a reunirse con el equipo escolar para exarninar los datos. Los padres asisten a las reurtiones esperando discutir asuntos como el curriculo escolar, pero encuentran que solamente se les pide que digan c6mo se

Una mejor union continua de fa p. 8

En un esfuerzo por unir los padres y mae­stros para resolver esta crisis, se planean tomar dos pasos. Primero, una "serie" de discusiones sobre "urtionismo para la justi­cia social" durante este invierno que unira a los maestros, padres y rrtiembros de la comurtidad para explorar el papel que jue­gan las urtiones de maestros cuando se busca solucionar los muchos asuntos de justicia social que enfrenta la educacion publica.

Ademas, el Corrtite de A1cance a la Comunidad de la PFT, la AOP y Jobs with Justice seran los anfitriones de un taller durante la Conferencia sobre Salud y Bienestar Social de la PFT el 24 de febrero. En este taller se discutiran las maneras en que los maestros y padres pueden colaborar para resolver los asuntos que afectan a las escuelas publicas de Filadelfia.

Para mas informaci6n, lIame a la AOP al (215) 625-9916 0 al PFT Health and Welfare Fund al (2 15)561-2722.

Ron Whitehome es Co-Moderador del Camire de Alcallce a 10 COlllul/idad de 10 PIT Kelley Collings es 10 Director Ejeciltivo de 10 AOP

Traducci6n par Mildred S. Martinez

Foto: Harvey Finkfe

Con la participaci6n efectiva de los padres, las es(uelas pueden (ontar (on su energia y afianzar el (ompromiso que ellos tienen de apoyar a todos los ninos del plante!.

puede lograr que otros padres se aseguren de enviar a sus hijos a la escuela bien descansa­dos y alimentados para que puedan lograr mejores puntuaciones en los examenes. EI personal de la oficina central comparte los datos de rendirrllento academico con los padres con la esperanza de que ellos pidan mas fondos para las escuelas pero se resisten a que los padres obtengan copias del pre­supuesto escolar.

Los padres a menudo se sienten frustra­dos con este tipo de reurtiones. Dicen que los datos Ie dicen 10 que ya saben - que muy pocos estudiantes leen bien, 0 son buenos en matematicas 0 en ciencias. Cuando tratan de cambiar e1 tema de discusi6n a topicos como la alta incidencia en suspensiones, como se asignan los estudiantes, 0 el ausentismo de estudiantes y maestros, encuentran que los

principales y demas personal reaccionan con enojo y a menudo culpan a los padres por las bajas puntuaciones en los examenes.

Los padres no son los unicos que se sien­ten acusados. Para muchos maestros, la errtisi6n de los resultados de examen activa una alarma silenciosa. Ellos creen que darle a los padres y demas informacion que rara­mente se ve aun en la mayorfa de las escue­las es como "sacar la ropa sucia".

Ya para cuando e1 primer conjunto de nuevos estandares es entregado a la oficina principal de cada escue1a, muchos maesrros perciben un ataque inminente. A menudo se sienten menospreciados. "Trabajamos duro", dicen. "Dada la situacion, hacemos 10 mejor que podemos".

Para hacer cambios con exito en una escuela se necesita innovaci6n y toma de

Sugerencias para crear una cultura escolar que involucre activamente a los padres

1. Escuchar.

2. Apoyar elliderato de los maestros. Las escuelas en las que hay liderato en colaboraci6n estan mas dispuestas a trabajar con los padres y con otros grupos externos.

3. Invitar a los padres a trabajar con los maestros y de mas person­a l para establecer 0 refinar metas educacionales claras y coher­entes.

4. Enfocarse en el curriculo e instrucci6n. Cuando el curriculo tiene el estudiante como objetivo central, es natural que los padres, maestros y estudiantes sean aliados.

5. Reconocer las diferencias y conflictos. Usar recursos fuera de la escuela para cruzar las fronteras de raza, cultura y clase social.

- Rochelle Nichols Solomon

riesgos en un sistema que a menudo no mira con buenos ojos a los que 10 hacen. A los maestros les preocupa ser disciplinados por sus principales, quienes pueden quitarles asi­gnaciones especiales, cambiar sus sal ones de clase 0 hacer recones a sus posiciones. En las escuelas en que los maestros temen recibir sanciones, existe poca colaboraci6n entre los rrtiembros del personal y definitiva­mente ninguna con los padres.

Esta coltura de temor, arraigada en tantas escuelas, representa un obstaculo para tanto la colaboracion como para poder trabajar entre razas y culturas. A la par con este temor se encllenrra una cultura de acusaci6n. en la que los niiios de bajo ingreso afroamer­icanos y latin os son a menudo percibidos como lirrtitados por su condicion socioe­conomica. Dejandose Ilevar por los periodi­cos, television y pelfculas, muchos maestros se imaginan a sus estudiantes atravesando comurtidades lIenas de zombies adictos al crack para lIegar a la escuela y regresando a hogares en los que no hay padres amorosos u otros adultos que los cuiden.

Estableciendo el fundamento Se necesitan mas oporturtidades y mas

apoyo para que los lfderes puedan crear las condiciones conducentes al trabajo en equipo entre las escuelas y los padres. No hay lugar con mas retos para lograrlo que en las escuelas que ya batallan con bajo rendimiento academico, inestabilidad del principal, violencia real 0 percibida, yestu­diantes, padres y maestros que no colaboran entre si.

Los principales, maestros y padres en estas escuelas tienen que tomar responsabili­dad en vez de aceptar culpa, identificar los problemas serios en vez de negarlos; y enconrrar soluciones, tomar accion y reflex­ionar, en vez de dejar las cosas como estan.

Los padres lfderes necesitan ser persis­tentes - como los padres que hicieron su reurtion en la ig1esia local- en su decision de hacerse socios en la tarea de mejorar las escuelas de sus ninos. Los lfderes del Distrito Esco1ar tienen que proteger y apoyar los esfuerzos a rtivel de escue1a recompen­sando siempre la innovacion y la accion.

Durante la ultima decada, gracias a muchas personas en y fuera de las escuelas de Filadelfia, hemos progresado muchisimo. Imaginen como progresaremos en 1a reforma cuando todos los involucrados - educadores, adrrllnistradores, padres y rrtiembros de la comurtidad - sean mejores lfderes y col abo­radores.

Una versi6n mas amplia de este artIculo apareci6 en 10 edici6n de septiembre de 2000 de Phi Delta Kappan.

Traducci6n par Mildred S. Martinez

Riegue las noticias Ayude a distribuir

Philadelphia Public School Notebook. Usted puede ser parte del equipo que distribuye School Notebook a traves de la ciudad. Copias estan disponibJe para Ja distribuci6n en su escuela, lugar de trabajo e iglesia. Estan disponible para un evento publi­co, una reuni6n en la escuela a en un centro comunal.

Favor de Hamar al Public School Notebook, 951-0330, ext. 107, si esta interesado en fonnar parte del equipo.

r ~PA~G:E~1~O ______________________ --..... --:-:--:-::-~;:~;~PU_B=L~I C;-SC,;,;.H~O~OL NOl'E~OOK • WINTER 1

Philadelphia's Scho~un

Schools can decide how to make best use of an extra half hour a day for instruction next year_

Will schools pick teachers? continued from p. 1

In addition, any other school in the District can decide to adopt school-based selection of faculty, if the approach wins the approval of a rwo-thirds vote of the school staff. December 31 is the deadline for gaining a school's approval in order for the school-based selection process to take place next year.

Under the school-based selection process, a scbool personnel committee -including the principal, teachers, rund a parent - determines the criteria for ftlling vacancies, screens rund schedules inter-

December 31 is the deadline for gaining a school's approval

in order for the school-based teacher selection process to take place next year.

views with candidates, selects faculty, and establishes procedures for maintaining racial balance. Seniority becomes the determining factor when two equally quali­fied teachers apply for the same position.

The District is implementing the new process cautiously, offering the 10 named pilot schools the opportunity to decide whether they want to participate in the process and whether to test the approach school-wide or only in targeted positions. Schools were briefed on the process in a

meeting led jointly by District Humrun Resources Director Marj Adler and PFT Director of Staff Jerry Jordrun.

The ten schools are fitzSimons, Pepper, Sayre, Shaw, Sulzberger, Tilden, Turner, Lea, McMichael, and Alcorn.

Linda Harris, Director of Collective Bru·gaining for the PFT, cOllUllented that site-based teacher selection is something that schools should ,·think about rund not rush into; not every school is ready for this."

For several years, New York City has had a similar procedure for authorizi.ng a school-based selection process, rund about one-fourth of that system's 1100 schools currently take part, according to a union spokesperson there.

Plrunning the longer day With the school day for teachers and for

students lengthened by 30 minutes begin­ning in 2001, schools have the option to decide bow best to use that extra half hour, so long as it is instructional time.

''The School District leadership will be making suggestions rund exposing people to best practices, but this is a responsibility that people have at the school level for how to make the most of the time that they have," said school board President Pedro Ramos. "It 's a significrunt amount of time, and we' re expecting that schools use this to improve student achievement."

"We hope that schools can make time within the day for students who need even more intensive help," added Debra Kahn, Philadelphia's Secretary of Education. "You've got to ftgure out how to utilize all of the adults in the school for the beneftt of the kids. There could be some shaking up, so kids get more one-on-one attention."

Contract excerpts on teacher selection • "The School Council. or in the absence of a Council, the Principal and Building

Committee, may choose to implement school based selection of teachers in the hiring sea­son for the 2001-2002 school year."

• "Upon approval of the Principal, a proposed waiver will be submitted for ratification by the affected staff in the school or SlC. Ratification ... shall require an affinnative vote of two-thirds of the affected employees in the school who vote."

• "A decision to use school-based selection shall be made by December 31 st prior to the hiring season that such school-based selection procedures are implemented."

• "To effect school-based selection, a Personnel Committee convened by the School Council at each school (or in the absence of a School Council, by the Principal and Building Committee) will interview and select all teachers for assignment to the school to fi ll exist­ing vacancies. In the case of new hires, such candidates shall have been deemed qualified by the Office of Human Resources."

• "In each school that implements school-based selection of teachers, the Personnel Committee shall be comprised of five members in elementary and middle schools and six members in high schools. The school Principal shall serve on the Committee. Three mem­bers. .. shall be teachers ... . A parent selected by the Home & School Association, shall also be a member of the Committee; and in the case of high schools, the school Principal shall select an assistant Principal of the school or a student of the school."

Philadelphia Federation of Teachers contract, Article XVIII, Section (11

built partnerships or highliJ by Kelley Collillgs

Shared decision-making at the school level- involving teachers, parents and others in key decisions - is an approach that was introduced in Philadelph.a over a decade ago.

The official mechanism through which shared decisions can be made at the school level is the School Council. The process for establishing and running School Councils was defmed in 1995 under former supenntendent David Hombeck.

But School Councils are fundamentally advisory in nature; they do not have power to make binding deci­sions over budget, staffing, or teaching and learn ing matters.

It was Hornbeck's hope that School Counci ls wou ld create a mechanism for local school accountability, uni te administ:ra­tors, teachers, and parents, and involve all school stakeholders in a local decision-making process.

Has it worked? Have Councils helped build pruUlerships based on mutual accountability at the school level ?

Parents and teachers suggest that Councils need additIonal resources and restJucturing in order to reach theu potentIal.

No real decision-making With School Councils laCking real decision_

making power, many parents and teachers say there IS HttJe mcentI ve for. them to Invest tllne Or energy ill Councils. PrinCIpals still have the fInal say over budgetary and teachtng and learnino matters. •

Ron Whitehome, a teacher at Julia de Burgos Middle School, said, "It still depends

MrulY schools still don't have functioni ng Councils. Seventy schools have never had a certified election for Council representa­tives. For schools that do have Councils, the reviews are mixed. Parents have given School Councils mixed reviews.

the principal. If a pri! on ou don't really nee Jat~cipal isn't coll abor, ~~uncil wi II be useless aJ

Harold Jordrun, a parel powel School Council fr' a reed. '·Specifics about touncils have or the gUlc

COlT.

are supposed to operate a there are no preCISe guide the 'shared' part of shru·ec principal is completely in councilS won't work If uinely invested in shared

Jordan said that a forn "used the Council in a paJ moted disuni ty rund factio and teachers."' He added, much better - not beca changes, but because we I supports ,~e notion that together.

New skills needed Without adequate traini

Local organizations present strategies for collaboration

Building connections between comm We asked leaders of several local communi­

ty groups to tell us what they are doing to build stronger partnerships between teachers and the communities they serve. Here are excelpts flVm the responses we received:

''The Eastern Philadelphia Organizing Projectis a faith-based community organization of churches and schools who work to empower people to improve neighborhoods and schools.

"Working together with teachers and admin­istrators, we bridge the gap to make schools a more meaningful part of the community. At McClure School we've started a preschool story hour open to all our neighborhood par­ents. This brings parents into the school, mak­ing them part of the school family. The librari­an helped organize the program. Teachers reach out to parents by passing on the Word that this program is available.

"Another example is that teachers work with us to hold grade meetings - an interchange of Ideas between parents and teachers by grade. Parents and teachers discuss how they can :,",ork together to make improvements. The goal IS to make parents less intimidated by teachers and staff." - Dolores Shaw, Parent Leader

'!he Mathematics, Civics, and SCI.ences Charter School of PhIladelphia, founded in 1999, serves 800 students from fIrst through tenth grade. Our motto IS that when parents are respected parents partiCIpate. Respect encourages ' parentall1lvolvement, and it is our sincrle strongest asset. •

"We don't let paTents sit Or stand before

~:~~~: l1ltroduces themselves and finds out f h Y need .. They gel personal greetinos rom t e adllUllIstration. Every other week ru.

en hilts ~et a call from a teacher to talk about ;:. -c d s progress. elf

"Parents and community members volun­teer in the school. We have several 'parent nights' so parents can meet with the teachers. Parents follow their children's roster and sit in on their children 's classes. Parents assist teach­ers, read to children and listen to children read to them, volunteer in the lunchroom, help with trips, help outside during dismissal, rund in afterschool progrrums. Two parents sit on our board to have input in the school.

"Students write assessments about how we can make the school better for them. Parents are also encouraged to do that." - Veronica Joynel; Founder and Chief Administrative Officer (also DirectOl; Parents Unitedfor Better Schools)

"Parents Union for Public Schools in Philadelphia is a city­wide, multiracial independent orgrunization of and for parents. We have built mini-resource centers in every school in two clusters - West Philadelphia and King. Next year they will be in all schools in the Gennantown cluster.

"For the mini-resource centers to work, we have to work with cluster leaders, principals, Family Resource Network Coordinators, and teachers. Through the centers, parents and ach­teachers can come together. Parents ruld te and ers attend workshops offered in the centers work tocrether to make the centers successful.

"Th: centers are a neutral ground where teachers and parents can work on specifiC issues, share information, and foster a more ds cooperative relationship. A lot of that depen on the cluster leader and the principal." - Linda While, Executive Director

"The Philadelphia Student . Union is a youth-run orcranization co

rnrJllt-

ted to empowering young ~eople to tranSform

public schools. d stU-"We take the atti tude that teachers an d be

dents want the srume thing: schoolS shoul

better places where kids 0

have been really helpful a organized.

"At Gratz High Schoo. encourage more interacti ~ instruction. We interview! what they thought would and professional develop working on a plrun to impr development in the schoo fessional development wa learning, on how to make engaging for students. Stu teachers to use the student ences to teach off of. The dents as people who have that can serve as a basis fc

"At West Philadelphia begInning to encourage di school police, NTA's, and dents berween students an Braxton, Director

. "Cc1ngreso de L IS a multicultural social se. basecJ in the schools and

-~hers, so there's no isol 'One of the keys to brit

between teachers and the c on Site in the SChools. Teac :us apart of their familj

. between a parent rund a :~ng classes twice pel m,

wo~ ~~~ers involved in t feache teaChers to run ! Goll rs tram activity lead

,:~e students Who tutor

betw~~:so's vision is a day. Teache afterschool pr~ schOOl rs need to be if reers inP~ograrns as both p, forres ;der for this to hl!

, 1VlslOIl Director

r ~~W~IN_T_E_R_2_00_0_-_01 ____________________________________________________________________________ .!PA~G~E;!11~

lool councils: have they or highlighted divisions?

Councils need lnng ITI ordel

real decision_ teachers say

11I1VeSl time or J have the fmal lnd learning

Julia de :tilldepends

views.

e rincipaJ.1f a principal wants to coil abo­on th !I don't rcally need a School. Council. If ral~:cipal isn' t collaborative, the School. " a p uncil will be useless and ultunately faJ!. Co Harold Jordan , a parent member of the powel School Council from 1994 to 1996, a reed. "Specifics about what authonty touncils have or the gUIdelines by WhlCh they

Teachers

Cot!lmunity are supposed to operate ru'en 't clear. Because there are no precise gUIdelines that encourage the 'shared' part of shru'ed decision-making, the principal is completely in the dn ver 's seat. Councils won't work If a pnnclpalls not gen­uinely invested in shared decision-making."

Jordan said that a former principal at Powel 'used the Council in a partisan way that pro­moted disuni ty and factionalism among parents and teachers." He added , ''The situation now is much better - not because of stluctural changes, but because we have a principal who supportS the notion that we all have to work together."

New skills needed Without adequate training and professional

ollaboration

development for administrators, teachers and par­ents, many fed thal schools lack the capacity to engage in authentic decision-making processes.

"Jargon and language are obstacles for par­ents on School Councils," said Dolores Shaw, parent leader with the Eastern Philadelphia Organizing Project, Vice President of McClure Elementaty Home & School, and a School Council member.

"Staff members come with a lan!!Uaoe all their own, steeped in the profession=lis; of teaching. Parents need training in order to par­tiCIpate fully. And teachers need to be trained on how to share power. They think they want parents to be a part of School Councils, but after some discussions you get the impression as a parent that they just want you to say 'yes' and go home," Shaw said.

Cindy Engst, a teacher at Central East Middle School, said the District needs to be proactive about training teachers and adminis­trators on how to engage in shared decision­making with parents.

"We're really lucky in my school," Engst said. "Parents play an equal role. We started out that way, so we don't have to unlearn any mis­conceptions of parents as mere rubber stamps. But most schools have to change the way they see parents, and that takes a lot of effort, time, and training."

With no community representation on School Councils, many also argue that there is no mechanism to invol ve the community, to hold the community accountable for a school's

tween communities and teachers lbers volun­II 'parent he teachers. ;ter and sit in s assist teach­~hildren read 1m, help with 11, and in ssitonour

out how we n. Parents are vniea Joyner, Olfieerla/so 'Sclwo/s)

)ublic ia isacity­anization of )i-resource

sters- West they will be cluster. IOwork,we principals,

mators, and ents and ts and teach­.e centers and successful.

IOd where specifiC . er a more hat depends ipal."

Ident on comoll!­:0 transform

lers and sIll­s should be

better places where kids can learn. Teachers have been really helpful on campaigns we've organized.

"At Gratz High School, we are working to encourage more interactive and engaging instruction. We interviewed teachers about what they thought would improve instruction and professional development. We are now working on a plan to improve professional development in the school. Students ran a pro­fessional development workshop on interactive learning, on how to make learnino fun and engaging for students. Students e~couraged teachers to use the students' own life experi­ences to teach off of. The point is to treat stu­dents as people who have valuable experiences that can serve as a basis for leamin o.

':AtWest Philadelphia High School we are begmnmg to encourage dialogue between school POlice, NTA's, and students around inci­dents between students and staff." - Eric Braxton, Director

. "Co,ngreso de Latinos Unidos IS a m~lticultural social service agency. We are based m the schools and work directly with the tea:~ers, so there's no isolation. betw One of the keys to bridging the divide

on Si:: ~chers and the community is being see e SChools. Teachers and parents both son:apartoftheir family. We serve as the liai­enting ~een a parent and a teacher. We run par­haVe t~::s tWice peJ month. We'd like to work with t~ Illvolved in those classes. We 'Teachers tr~chers to run afterschool programs. college Stud aCUVlty leaders and supervise

"Congre;:~ Who tutor in the programs. between an a s VISIon IS a strong collaboration day. Teach fterschool program and the school schOOl pro::: need to be involved in the after­leers in order ~~ as both paid s~ and volun-10rres D' '. tIllS to happen. - NIcholas

, l VlSl011 Director

''The Institute for the Study of Civic Values is a nonprofit organiza­tion that helps citizens strengthen neighbor­hoods, expand opportunity, and hold govem­ment accountable to America's civic values. We are aiming our efforts, not at parents, but at leaders of community organizations. They rep­resent lots of people in the neighborhood, exist over time, and have political clout.

"Our view is that a community group that has been working to reduce blight, crime, and increase recreation should be involved in schools as well. Many community groups haven't taken a serious look at schools in their area.

''We negotiate social contracts between com­munity organizations and schools, deflning their mutual responsibility to improve education. Often the community groups agree to recruit tutors and to SUppOlt afterschool activities, while the school agrees to convey to the community its progress on improving test scores. The first social contract of this kind exists between the Cooke Middle School in Logan and the commu­nity organizations in the surrounding neighbor­hood." - Ed Schwm1z, President

"ASPIRA is an education advocacy agency and delivers services. We focus on . helping the students graduate, move on to high school, and go to college so they can come back and work 0 11 the social and economic development of the community .

"We are one of the partners for GEAR UP in the Edison cluster and have staff at Stetson Middle School who work directly with the stu­dents and the teachers to ensure that students oet the services they need, like coUege trips. ~torillg, mentoring, career development .work­shops, lifeskills. We had a high school frur where parents could look at the different pro­granls available to their children." - Iris Lozada, Pmgram Mal/agel'

Many parents and teachers question whether it is worth investing time and energy into Councils because they lack clear

_ .. .-___ L.. ___ L.._----.::Jli!l~__=:::._.:::._~_...J powers.

failure, or to use the community's resources to contribute to a school's success.

Gladys Ortiz, parent leader with the Alliance Organizing Project (AOP) and School Council member at McKinley Elementary School , said, "For schools to playa significan,t role in the community, the community needs to be playing a signi ficant role in the school. Businesses, churches, and social service groups have things to offer. Why can't they have a representative at the decision-making table?"

Role for organizing Local school decision-making bodies can be

strengthened by parent and community organiz­ing efforts that develop new leaders. Parents and community members need a broader acti ve constituency from which to gather ideas and to which they are accountable.

''We need support staff just like principals and teachers," said Cecilia James, parent leader and organizer with AOP, president of the Welsh Home & School, and member of the School Council.

"Community organizers are our staff. Community organizing groups help get parents involved and help us develop ourselves as lead- . ers. The District can 't do that, because anyone from the District works for the District and is accountable first to the District. We know our staff work for us and are accountable to us fmt," James added.

But community organizing has not been embraced by the School District as a way to develop School Councils. School District policy does not address the role of community organiz­ing groups. At the school level, such groups are sometimes welcomed as. resources, but more often rejected as outside troublemakers.

One idea that is under discussion is that local school decision-making and public engagement should be part of the performance index used to measure a school's performance. Such a move would send a signal to administra­tors, teachers and parents that community in volvement is an integral part of any school's success. Now there are no monetary or perfor­mance incentives for local schools to do the capacity-building necessary to engage in authentic decision-making processes.

Reviewing the policy Lucinda Post, Parent Involvement Advisor

with the Family Resource Network, was one of several District offlcials who acknowledged the need to re-examine the role of Councils and the level of District support.

"Parents must be given opportunities to par-

ticipate in authentic and meaningful ways," Post said. "We are writing into the policy that the District, the cluster, and the schools have a responsibility to provide parents with training opportunities that wiU enable them to be truly informed about the decisions they are making."

School board member Sandra Dungee Glenn, chair of tile board's Public Engagement Conunittee, added that the new School District lmprovement Plan conunits the District to improving School Councils over the next four years.

"We're open to redefining what the School Council should look like." Glenn said. She said her conunittee would consult with parents, community members, principals, teachers, and other school staff to develop recommendauons on school councils to present to the School Board this school year.

The School Council Policy AdviSOry Committee, convened by Associate Superintendent Nilsa Gonzalez through the Office of Leadership and Learning, is also examining the role of Councils. The conunittee

Several District officials acknowledged

the need to re-examine the role

of Councils and the level of

District support.

is charged with implementing any Changes associated with the new teachers contract and satisfying the requirements of the desegregation court order that requires all schools to have councils by June 2002.

The conunittee, which begins meeting in December, will focus on professional develop­ment, make recommendations on best practices from other school districts, and celebrate suc­cessful councils here in Philadelphia. The com­mittee includes union and Home & School Council representatives, but Gonzalez said it might expand to include other constituencies.

For information all School COLlllcils, contaCE Pat Knapper Smith in the District's Office of Leadership and Learning at 215-299-7840.

Duties of the School Council 1. Review school plans and budgets. 4. Make informed recommendations to the

school community in the areas of teaching and learning.

2. Develop discipline and other school wide policies affecting students and publicize these policies so that parents, students, teachers and support staff understand them.

5. Develop a plan to actively involve parents with their children and foster their under­standing of the work of the school.

3. Provide the mechanism for members of 6. Report regularly to the school community. the school family to make recommenda-tions in regard to curriculum development.

/ I

\ I 1

WINTER 2000-01 PAGE 12 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Children can learn while working to revive our neighborhoods • •

Community-building needed to solve school cnSlS by Grace Lee Boggs

Thirty years ago, I made a speech in Detroit warning that the youth rebellions breaking out all over the country were a challenge to begin grappling with funda­mental questions about the purpose of edu­cati on and how children learn.

Education cannot be only to increase the earning power of the individual or to supply workers for slots in the corporate machine. Learning, I said, must be related to the daily lives of children and must engage the hand and heart as well as the head.

It is not something you can make children do with the perspective that years from now, they will be able to get a good job and make a lot of money. Some children may accept this regimen. But those who feel most acute­ly the contradiction between the hopeless­ness of their daily lives and the absu·actness of school "subjects" will create so much tur­moil inside and outside the school that teach-ers can't teach and no one can learn.

Since 1969 our neighborhoods in cities like Detroit and Philadelphia have deterio­rated far beyond anything that I could possi­bly have imagined.

It has become urgent that we rethink how children learn and the purpose of education. We can no longer evade the reality that the average cuniculum disempowers children by stifling their natural tendencies to explore, construct and create. We can no longer ignore the pain that teachers are suf­fering because this dysfunctional system is robbing them of their skills and vocations as teachers, turning them into controllers, man-

agers and test-givers. To achieve the miracle that is now need­

ed to transform our schools into places of learning, we need to tap into the creative energies of our children and our teachers.

What we need to do now is to begin engaging our children in community-build­ing activities Witll the sanle audacity with which the civil rights movement engaged them in desegregation activities thirty-five years ago. Classes of school children from K-12 should be taking responsibility for maintaining neighborhood streets, planting

community gardens, recycling waste, rehab­bing houses, creating healthier school lunch­es, visiting and doing enands for the elderly, organizing neighborhood festivals, painting public murals. The possibiUties are endless.

This is the fastest way to motivate all our children to learn and at the same time reverse the physical deterioration of our neighborhoods. It is a wonderful way to nur­ture the desire of children to be of service and provide opportunities for children with different talents to make a difference and win the respect of their peers and elders. Learning will come from practice, always the best way to learn.

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215-351-2900 fax: 215-351-9458 www.adchsop.org

We need a movement to challenge the concept of schools as mainly training centers for jobs in the corporate structure or for indi­vidual upward mobili ty and to replace it with the concept of schools as places where children learn firsthand the skills of democ­racy and the responsibilities of citizenship or self-government. This will require a pro­found change in our own thinking.

To help bring about this change, we need to revisit John Dewey, the American philosopher whose ideas on education were seriously studied prior to World War II but are now ignored.

Dewey wrote: "From the standpoint of the child, the great waste in the school comes from his inability to utilize the expe­rience he gets outside the school in any com­plete and free way within the school itself; while on the other hand he is unable to apply in daily life what he is learning in school. That is the isolation of the school - its isola-tion from life."

Some teachers and administrators are beginning to search for ways to reconnect our schools with our communities, not only for the sake of the children but also for their own self-respect as teachers.

In Brooklyn, NY, there is an innovative high school, the EI Puente Academy for Peace and Justice, where the students do bet­ter academically because their participation in community-building activities gets their cognitive engines racing.

In one elementary school in my neigh­borhood the community agent, a science teacher, and parents created the Kwanzaa Garden across the street from the school, as

a way both to teach science and to grow food for the neighborhood. Every year more middle school and even elementary school youngsters wam to volunteer in Detroit Summer, a multicu ltural, intergenerational youth program movement to rebui Id, rede­fine and respirit Detroit.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a meeting of educators and students at two middle schools, one suburban and one inner city, that have been working together to build cultural understanding and serve the community. I was thrilled when the project co-chair said to the group, "Up to now, we have been doing all this as an exu·acunicular activity. What we need now is to make this part of the curriculum."

That is the challenge. How can we meet it? Can teachers view the new serv ice learn­ing requirement not as another bureaucratic burden but as an opportunity to work with children and parents to develop community­building activities that are a normal and nat­ural part of the cuniculum from K-12?

This is an exCe/pt of a March 23 speech, part of the Philadelphia School District's Voices in Dialogue Series. The complete text and other articles on "Freedom Schooling" are available on the Web at wWIv.boggscenre/:org.

Grace Lee Boggs is an activist, writel; and speaker whose sixty years of political involvement encompass the-major u.s. social movemellts of the cen/Uly. Her autobi­ography, Living for Change, is now in its second printillg,

~ PARENTS • SCHOOLS • COMMUNITIES

United for Kids

Become a part of

PROJECT 10,000 A Children Achieving Agenda Initiative

Recruit and Match 10,000 New Volunteers with Schools

For more information contact

The Project 10,000 Office The School District of Philadelphia

21st Street & T he Parkway, Room 505 Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 299-7307 or (215) 299-7461

........................................................................................ Yes, I want to devote time to the Philadelphia Public School

students and I wan t to be a Project 10,000 volunteer.

Name ______________________________________ ___

Address_________________________ Zip Code ____ __

Phone~) --------------------

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WINTER 2000-01 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 13

Service learning: bridging divide between teachers, community by Debra E. Johnson

A new component of the Philadelphia School District's curriculum cal led "service learning" is helping teachers develop deeper ties to their srudents' communities.

Service learning, which in 2002 will be a formal requirement for aU students to be pro­moted from 4th, 8th, and 12th grade, is pro­ject-based training that combines academics with community service and develops part­nerships with others to get the projects done. partners may be srudents from other schools, church leaders, businesspeople, professionals from higher education, civic leaders, or even the neighbors across the street.

Teachers have become more receptive to community members through service learn­Ulg projects, because they realize learning takes place in the community as well as in the classroom, said Mary Lou Fischer, who coordinates service learning projects in the South Philadelplua cluster.

Through service learning projects, teachers realize

learnlng takes place in the community as well

as in the classroom.

In order to fulfill the service learning requirement, srudents must first find a social Issue or problem that concerns them. Next, they have to create open-ended questions centered on that social issue or problem. This is followed by the creation of an action plan that helps them research and solve or at least address the issue. Simultaneously, the srudents mllst create a portfolio that docu­ments their discoveries and their research, and reflects how they felt about the project during its different stages. At the end of each project there is an exhibition or presentation to showcase the students' work.

Service learning helps schools find out more about a community's assets. Lasting partnerships and friendships may develop.

Proponents of service learning say teach­ers become more involved with the commu­nity through these projects because they begin to search out the needs and assets of the community.

Jan Steinberg, director of the Youth­Driven Service Learning Center based at Gratz High School, noted that to help their srudents be successful , teachers must fmd out what instirutions are in the immediate area: businesses, churches, synagogues, civic organizations, libraries, apartment complexes, and politicians. Once the teacher and students know what network of people are out there, they can earnestly begin to build partnerships.

Steinberg cited The Tot Lot Project com­pleted by srudents at Gratz High School as a service learning project that linked teachers,

srudents, and community partners. The lot was fixed up for neighborhood preschoolers to enjoy. Other service learning projects have addressed environmental issues such as maintaining clean drinking water.

Community members also get acquainted with teachers and leartl what the school members have to offer to them through ser­vice leartting projects.

For instance, a project at the Bregy Elementary School brought students and senior citizens together. Fourth grade stu­dents taught the seniors how to use comput­ers. The seniors helped the students inlprove their reading skills. Then they combined their efforts and created storybooks from the computer. The srudents gathered with the seniors, teachers, and parems to narrate their stories and share their experiences about the

storybook project. Fischer noted that friendships and part­

nerships are often maintained long after the projects have been completed.

Srudents, teachers, and partners often find that despite differences in age, gender, race, or culrure, they can work together, be successful , and make a difference in their communities.

Ayesha Imani, SmaU Learning Community Coordinator at William Penn High School, summed up the power behind service learning when she said, "It's a wi11-win situation for everybody."

For nwre information 011 service learn· ing, contact the Post-Secondary Readilless Coordinator (PSRC) in your cluster office (listed 011 p. 2).

:' Learning while creating a community center • Parents, teachers, and

students in a Chicago school embark on a class project that will change their neighborhood.

by Sukey Blanc

Residents of the Logan Square neighbor­hood in Chicago have wanted a place in their community that offers educational pro­grams for adults as well as children.

Now teachers, students, and parents at the Ames Middle School in Chicaoo are Working together with the Logan Square NeIghborhood Association (LSNA) on an mnovati ve curriculum project aimed at opening a new "Conununity Learning Center" for the neighborhood.

Ames Principal Amanda Rjvera says it is eSsential for schools to develop relationships wIth the community and work as partners With other organizations so schools can become true centers for community learning.

The heart of tltis project at Ames is for the School to learn more about neighbors' needs. In COming months, five Spanish-speaking mothers will join with srudents and a bilin­

:~:eam of teachers to learn about designing needsYS, to wnte questions for a community

assessment, to conduct a door-to-door

survey of the area around the school, and to analyze the results of the survey.

The twin goals of the survey are to devel­op a plan for a new Community Learning Center for adults and children and to create a leanting experience that helps ntiddle school students see the connections between their Lives outside of school and traditional sub­ject areas like language arts, math, science, and social studies .

According to Conchita Perez, the mother of an Ames student, "This is a nelV expen­ence for students, going out into the neigh­borhood. This will give them a chance to reach out to others."

An established neighborhood organiza­tion , LSNA has worked closely with neigh­borhood schools since it began recruiting and training candidates for Local School Councils in 1989. Another of LSNA's pro­orams since 1995 has been a parent ment,)r ~rogram, which provides leadership tratning to parents, many of them Spanish-speaking mothers, and then places them III classrooms to 1V0rk with individuals or smaU groups of students to enhance academic achievement.

After Qfaduating from the parent mentor program, ~ team of parent acti vists at the Funston Elementary School developed the first Community Leaming Center 111 the community after going door to door through­out tlle school attendance area, surveymg

500 families about what programs they want­ed in the center, and lobbying educational institutions for the needed programs.

That Community Learning Center now

Mothers willjoin with students and a bilingual team of teachers to design

and conduct a door-to-door survey.

enrolls 350 adults per semester in GED, ESL, and other classes. It is run and gov­emed jointly by parents, school admittistra­tors, and LSNA. Since then parents have opened centers at three other elementary schools in l~e Logan Square neighborhood and are mnning them. Nearly 1,000 people participate in tllese centers every week.

Ames is the first school in Logan Square where teachers - many of whom grew up in or live in the commUitity - and students are 1V0rking alongside parents in developing a community center.

The Ames school itself opened in 1998 as a resul t of a community campaign for a new middle school to relieve severe overcrowd­ing in the neighborhood.

This project, funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is gen­erating a high level of enthusiasm among everyone involved.

According to Rosa Arzu, a bilingual spe cial education teacher on the team tl1at is developing the curriculum, "This is taking the kids out into their community and actu­aUy learning while doing. I hope that we Sc<.'

that they're seeing the math , the science, and the social srudies, and the connection between the subjects."

According to Mario Caballero, the team s science teacher, "The students are beginning to understand more about what's going on. In talking with the parents. evelybody seems to be very. very interested in what is going to come out of tltis."

For more informatioll on the project, cal! Ames Prillcipal Amanda Rivera or Community Outreach Coordillator Ma rcelo Ferrer at (773) 534-4970.

Sukey Blanc is a research associate at Research fo r Action, a Philadelphia-based organizatioll, which is documenting the work of the Logan Square Neighborhood Associatioll ill Chicago.

PAGE 14 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK WINTER 2000-01

Working for a stronger unio'n between teachers an~d parents by Ron Whirehornc and Kelley Collings

This spring the Alliance Organizing Project (AOP), the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PH), and Jobs with Justice (JWJ) started working to deepen the partnership bet ween the teachers' union and the larger community. Their goal was to hamess the potential power of a united front of teachers and parents in working for education reform both at tile local school level and citywide.

This collaboration grew out of an AOP campaign aimed at solving the growing problem of teacher vacancies. The vacancy issue pushed AOP, a citywide parent organiz­ing group. to examine the teachers' contract.

need for smaller classes, higher teacher salaries, and more collaboration between parents, teachers, and administration to solve problems.

AOP developed a survey to identify spe­cific concems related !O the contract and met with District and union officials to introduce the idea that parents and their views need to

- be included in the negotiations. The PH Community Outreach Committee and AOP then developed a plan to host teacher-parent dialogues at schools across the District. The PIT leadership supported this plan and also agreed to discussions with AOP.

Another result of the teaCher-parent dialogues was a new level of coopera­tion between the PIT and AOP. An action that bu ilt on this unity was a parent and community ralJy outside the June 8 PH strike authoriza­tion meeting. The demon­stration, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Campaign for Public Education and orga­nized by AOP, called for higher teacher salaries and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Director of Staff Jerry Jordan speaks at June 8 parent-community rally.

Teacher-parent dialogues took place at ,even schools in the spring - a first step in the ef1o[[ to further joint action between these pivotal constituencies for school refonn.

The dialogues identified issues at each school where teachers and community mem­be;". could develop joint work, such as a sa(.,ty campaign for a crossing guard, expanded afterschool programs, support for reading initiatives, mural painting, and a libiary improvement campaign.

The dialogues, like the surveys, found ag,eement on district-wide issues such as the

lower class size - expressing community support for two key PH demands.

During the prolonged contract negotia­tions, AOP and the PFT Community Outreach Committee worked with the PH leadership to keep the lines of communication open between the PIT and the broader community. With assistance from AOP, the PIT hosted two community briefings at which over a dozen community organizations heard reports from the PH leadership.

Organizers hope to continue this type of communication between the PH and the community.

After Mayor Street unilaterally imposed contract tenns on the PH, AOP organized a demonstration bringing together 13 commu-

nity organizations to call for a negotiated settlement.

Now that contract terms have been nego­tiated, teachers and parents will shift their focus to the long-term crisis confronting Philadelphia public schools. The District's funding shortfall has left Philadelphia witil lower salaries and far bigger class sizes than most surrounding suburban schools, resulting in continued shortages of qualified staff. United action by teachers and parents on a much larger scale is critical to overcoming this crisis.

Two modest steps are planned to bring together teachers and parents. A discussion series on "social justice unionism" this win­ter will bring together teachers, parents and

community members to explore the role of teachers' unions in addressing the many social justice issues facing public education.

In addition, the PIT Community Outreach Committee, AOP, and Jobs with Justice are co-sponsoring a workshop at the PFT Health and Welfare Conference on February 24 to explore ways that teachers and parents can collaborate on issues facing Philadelphia schools.

For more infOlmation, contact AOP at (215) 625-9916 orthe PIT Health and Welfare Fund at 215-561-2722.

Ron Whilehome is Co-Chair ojrhe PIT Community Outreach Commirree. Kelley Collings is Executive Director oj AO?

Parents and the PFT: overcoming a troubled history by Ron Whitehome

Survey after survey shows that parents and teachers want the same things for stu­dents. But in cities like Philadelphia. most

...2!!J.dents ar~ng a second-class educatiQIL_ because we lack the political clout to win equ itable resources for our schools.

Teachers an(, parents standing together , 'ou ld go a long way toward, proyiding that clout. But it hasn't happened. A I()ok at local hi-tOlY and the interplay of race and class issues helps explain why.

The coming of the union Before 1965. teachers were paid low

smaries, taught classes of forty students or rr.ore, did hall and lunch duty, had no

injunctions, jailing of union members, and demonizing the union as an obstacle to edu­cation reform - creating an enduring adver­sarial relationship with the union, while gen­erating strong solidarilY in.J~.fr....!.a_nks.

Tensions with the Black community During this period, the PIT's relations

with parents and the African American com­munity were strained. The union was sup­portive of the Southern freedom struggle in the 19605, winning the good will of leaders like Martin Luther King, who spoke out for the PH during its campaign to win recogni­tion .

However, tensions developed when the old civi l rights coalition was supplanted by

the Black Power preparatory time. ai d had little say "l'out what and how I COMMENTARY I

movement, with its focus on gaining control of institu-Irlt:)' taught.

Te,'chers were at the me-cy of principals, ,,'Ie held nearly absolute power.

This changed when teachers voted to "ldKe the Philadelphia Federation of .cachers (PIT) their bargaining agent. Eetween 1965 and 1981. the PH used hard­,,0sed bargaining to hammer out a new rramework that provided teachers with " i!,ortant rights and a new degree of re' pect. During this period:

• class size was lI1crementally lowered to ~n in the primary grades and 33 in higher orades ' '" • pr~p time was establ ished, and teachers were relieved of non-teaching duties:

• salaries and benefits were dramaticalJy inlfeased, with credit for advanced degrees;

• a grievance procedure and a transfer policy based on seniority reduced the power of administrators to punish school employ­ees arbitrarily.

None of this was achieved easi ly. During this period the PH went on strike five times. The school ~o.ar~ and city res~rt:d :0.

tions in the Black community. The reform administration of Superintendent Mark Shedd tried to respond posi tively to con­cerns rai!:ed by the Black movement in the city, and the PH was often at odds with Shedd.

In 1967, Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo ordered the police to attack B lack stu­dents who were demonstrating at the Board of Education for the right to wear African clothing. Rizzo emerged as a symbol of wh ite racism and polarized the city wi th his outspoken defense of police brutal ity. The PH, along with most other unions, support­ed Rizzo when he ran for mayor, a move that further alienated many African Americans.

Hostility toward the union was fed by lengthy strikes, which seriously disrupted the education of Philadelphia school ch il­dren. While the union sought to present its case to the public, it faiJed to reach out sys­tematically to build alliances with parents and community forces.

11'1 '!.h'l 0)1 ':)J'Jf' tI" .. ',(,1

Since 1981. while bargaining has contin­ued to be contentious. not a single day of school has been missed because of a strike. This development reflects a shift within the union _\Q a leadership committed to a more moderate course. It also reflects the union 's understanding that with new threats like vouchers and privatization, new tactics were needed.

Initiatives by the union Teachers' unions nationally have become

more conscious of the need to connect with parents. Locally, the union has outlined its own approach to education reform - empha­sizing lower class size, more resources for instruction, and

that Hornbeck stood lip for what the PFT said it needed - the money necessary to implement real reform. But lack of mass suppott for Hornbeck's refusal to make bud­get cuts and for his indictment of the state's unfair school funding system led not on ly to his ouster but also to the state's passage of Act 46. That law permitted a major attack on the PH in this year's contract negotiations.

Factors of race and class There is a more fundamental reason why

the union and the community frequently cOlllinue to be at odds. Philadelphia, like other urban school systems, has a predomi­nantl y white, middle class teaching force

serving an increasing­improved discipline. The union leadership has taken steps to con­nect with cOlIUllUnity and parent forces, establishing a commu­nity outreach commit­tee, joining in more coalitions, and spon­soring dialogues between teachers and

Teachers are not immune to

stereotypes that lead us to expect less from some students

than others.

ly poor and working class community with a majority of students of color. Teachers are not irrullune to stereo­types of class and race that lead us to

expect less from some students than others.

parents. While the combination of labor peace

and thl.! shift in the union 's approach have had S(Jme positive impact, relationships with the community remain troubled. The Children Achieving initiative of Superintendent David Hornbeck won sub­st,.ntial community support, particularly in ;. ' eas where frustration with racial! y isolat­ed, poorly performing schools ran high. Yet JJe PFT was hosti Ie to much of Hombeck's program, and relations became polarized.

The union's inability to fInd common ground with Hornbeck and the reform forces he represented was a major setback. While the union had good reasons for opposing some of Hornbeck's policies, the irony is

These same atti-tudes play out in rela­

tion to parents, who too often are not taken seriously as partners in the education of their chi ldren. It is this day-to-day reality that most shapes the relationships between teach­ers and parents.

The union could encourage joint teacher­community action around common needs ­the best context for dealing with our differing perceptions. They could also work with the administration to encourage an honest look at the dynamics of class and race oppression and how they impact on educators.

These are not easy tasks. But until they are taken up, it is unlikely that teachers and parents wi l! capture the common ground that so clearly lies before us.

1:

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reason why :quently ,ltia, like a predomi­mg force :l increasing­ld working tmunity with I of students reachers are me to stereo­'lass and lead us to ;s from lents than

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1

WINTER 2000-01 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 15 -Uniting with the community to address school quality

Teacher unions can create a sense of hope by Mic!Ulel Charney

If teacher unions want to defeat the orga­nized attack on public education, we must take an active role III ensurlllg that schools successfully teach all children , especIally poor children in urba;: areas. "

We can't Just say Vouchers are wrong. Until we have schools all parents want to send their kids to, we are goin~ to have the threat of vouchers. Uruons can t only flex our labor/political muscle. We must take on the fundamental problems of our schools.

\JQ1'Ql11Unity

them. When states add promo­tion sanctions to these laws, the results wilt sharply refl ect the class and race inequities within society. This provides an opportunity for a teachers union to mobilize its member­Ship and the community to demand what works to achieve early literacy: a high-quality teacher working in a small class of fifteen studen ts with organized community support and parent involvement. Such a focus on the strategy of guaran­teeing equity of results in early literacy can position teacher unions as the leader of hope for children and communities.

Teacher unions are perhaps the only insti­tutional force that has the capacity to suc­cessfully pusr the broad social agenda nec­essary to overcome these fundamental problems. Teacher unions are uniquely posi­tioned: we are one of the largest interracial organizations in urban areas, we are con­nected to important constituencies of parents and the labor movement, and we have flllan­cial resources and the legal power of collec­tive bargaining.

Educators know what it will take to overcome such inequity and to improve the opportnni­ties for the children we teach. We just have to develop the political wilt to do it.

What might this mean in practice? Here are three possi­bilities.

Teacher unions have the people, the resources, and the power needed to take on the fundamental problems facing public schools.

Moreover, unions can take advantage of the growing rhetorical commitment to high standards and new state laws enforcing

In many cities, superintendents or state officials are "reconstituting" failing schools. Rather than merely labeling reconstitution as an attack on teachers' rights, unions might want to take the lead on redesigning low­performing schools. We need to shape pro­grams that will make sure members are treated fairly. But we also need to go into

ALLY SAFE SCHOOLS NETWORK A Program of

The School District of Philadelphia

Every year, more students come to our high schools and talk about being

GAY • LESBIAN 81SEXUAL • TIANSGENDEIED

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The ALLY SAFE SCHOOLS NETWORK is the School District of Philadelphia's program to help

high school staff answer these questions.

For more information, call: Danny Horn. 215-563-0652 Marcy Boroff. 215-351-7643 or your cluster's Equity Coordinator!

The A'I S f Off f Standards EqUity and S y a e Schaols Network is sponsored by the Ice 0

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those schools and insist upon research-based programs that will help improve student achievement. We should motivate our mem­bers to implement such programs, even if it means changing our teaching methods. And we should demand the resources so that children can succeed.

A second, related issue: staffing at schools where students are having the most difficulty. Teacher unions shouldn't just blindly support traditional seniority pro­grams. Instead, we should take the lead in attracting the most motivated, most focused, and most coherent group of teachers to the schools where kids are having the most

Teachers have a common interest with

parents: to ensure that condUionsforstudents allow them to succeed.

difficulties. Contractual procedures and financial incenti ves can be set up to get such people into the schools - and not wait untiJ the administration, or some politician, decides to "get tough" and lower the boom on low-performing schools. At the same time, unions should steer to other schools those teachers who are not willing to make the extra effort necessary to work in low­performing schools.

A dlird issue: bad teachers. Again, the union can't afford to stick with past practice and uncritically defend poor teachers. We have a responsibility to protect the rights of all teachers, even lousy teachers. Bu~ if neces­sary, we have to say to our members: "If you are not going to provide your students the same quality instruction you'd expect for your own child, then maybe it's time to rethink whether you really want to continue teaching."

Above all, the unions have to recreate a sense of hope in our urban schools. And the best way we can do this is to take the lead in ensuring teacher quality. We need to spotlight examples of effecti ve teaching. We need to build networks so all teachers are involved in peer review and support. We need to take collective responsibility at the building level for student acltievement - not just test scores,

I but also what happens day in and day out in the classroom next to you. Teachers know, sometimes better than parenl~ or politicians,

the true stories of our schools. Hope is essential not just for our students

and our communities, but for all of us who teach. If the kids we work so hard to teach do not succeed, we are going to hate our jobs. Most of us went into teaching because we want to see kids learn. Our job satisfac­tion is pretty low when that doesn't happen. Teachers have a common interest with par­ents to ensure that the conditions for our stu­dents will allow them to succeed.

There is some legitimacy to the clissatis" faction with urban public education. We have to demand the resources and changes in society to make schools work But we also have to hold a mirror up to ourselves and say, "What can we do differently?"

Some argue that this approach will decrease the union's ability to protect its members. But that view is based on a nar­row view of protection.

The union will succeed only if our stu­dents succeed. The community needs to hear that message and see it put into practice.

Reprinted from the book Transfornting Teacher Unions (Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools, 1999). This 142-page anthology is available for $12 (shipping ineluded) from Public School Notebook, 3721 Midvale Ave., Phila. PA 19129.

Michael Chamey has been a member of the Executive Board of the Cleveland Teachers Union (CTU)for over a decade as the middle school representative, and is a co-editor of Transforming Teacher Unions.

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PAGE 16 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK WINTER 2000-01

District challenge: hiring a diverse teacher workforce by Rachel Mausner

Urban school districts across the country are playing catch-up as they try to recruit teachers reflective of an increasingly multira­cial and multi-etlmic srudent body - and Philadelphia is no exception.

In Philadelphia, 83 percent of public school children come from families of color, but African American, Latino and Asian teachers together make up only 38 percent of the teacher workforce.

Across the country, the percentage of African American teachers - particularly males - has decreased in recent years, and the increase in the number of Latino teachers has not kept pace with the dramatic rise in numbers of Latino school children.

teachers, some educators and community advocates feel that there is sti ll a fai lure to address issues of class and culrure. Debbie Wei, a curriculum specialist with the School District, argues that the issues are "not just about who is hired, but about how things happen in culturally limiting ways."

As an Asian American working for the District, Wei says that she has often felt "a sense of isolation, of not being welcomed -made invisible." For Wei, the key question is: "How do we create schools where people of color feel welcome, both for teachers and students?" She observes that only by thor­oughJy addressing this issue would the District be able to create an environment that can meet the needs of students and teachers from diverse backgrounds.

Several reasons have been suggested for these trends. Low salary scales in teaching fail to attract many qualified candidates. At the same time, public schools have failed to produce an adequate pool of teacher candi­dates. Rates of high school graduation and admission to teacher training programs are lower for srudents of color and language­minority srudents.

Nationally. the percentage of African American teachers has decreased in recent years. The decline is sharpest among African American males.

Within the District's central administra­tion, much of the responsibility for address­ing these issues rests with the Office of Leadership and Learning, which coorrlinates orientation and support for new teachers.

For city schools, building a diverse teacher workforce that is responsive to sru­dents' culrural backgrounds is a complex job with many strands: finding more qualified teachers of color and bilingual teachers; plac­ing bilingual teachers in positions where their skills are needed; retaining those teach­ers; and helping all teachers gain respect and appreciation for the communities in which they are working.

In Philadelphia, this effort is parceled out among several District offices, and also involves cluster leaders, individual schools, and communi ty groups.

According to Maryann Greenfield, Director of Recruitment and Examination, the District has a major initiative to increase teacher diversity. New African American teachers are sought through recruitment at historically black colleges. at conferences for African American educators, and through the apprentice teacher program, which advertises in local papers.

Other District officials explained that the impetus fo r hiring bi lingual staff has come from community advocacy. A 1973 lawsuit brought by ASPIRA resulted in continuation

of the fledgling Spanish bilingual program, and a suit initiated in the early 1980s yielded the Asian languages bilingual program.

Currently the District has two Spanish bilingual recruiters and one Asian bilingual recruiter who seek out candidates nationally and locally through bilingual education con­ferences, recruitment workshops, and adver­tisement in community newspapers. A bilin­gual apprentice program steers prospective teachers into bilingual positions in the District.

In addition, the District is working on "grow your own" programs to nurrure new bilingual teachers. The Bilingual Career Ladder within the Office of Language Equity Issues covers tuition costs for over 50 bilin­gual School District paraprofessionals who are earning degrees in education at Commu­nity COllege of Philadelphi a and Temple Uni versity.

Greenfield said that her office is also working on encouraging bilingual high school srudents to prepare for careers in teaching. One plan "in a very embryonic stage" is for the development of an educa­tion-focused high school "Small Learning Community" in the Furness Cluster, where there is an active bilingual Chinese program.

Unfortunately, the hiring of a bilingual teacher doesn't guarantee that the teacher Will actually be placed in a bilingual teaching position. Because of a shortage of designated bilingual positions and the complexities of the hiring and placement process, placement has been a consistent problem for Asian bilingual teachers.

Placement is less problematic for Spanish bilingual teachers, since there are currently 13 designated Spanish bilingual schools and II others with bilingual programs.

The District has developed supports for

School District of Philadelphia

Office of Language Equity Issues

ESOL & BILINGUAL PROGRAMS

21 st and the Parkway· Room 302 Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 299-7791 • Fax: 299-7792

I

bilingual teachers to inlprove retention rates. Latinos are repre ented at many levels of District administration and receive organized support from a Latino leadership group, the Philadelphia Association of Hispanic School Administrators. The District provides bilin­gual facilitators in the Olney, Edison, and Kensington Clusters, an Asian Support teacher working through the Office of Leadership and Learning, and rutoring through the Office of Language Equity Issues.

Even with these efforts to increase racial and language diversity among the District's

Nancy Santiago of the Office of Leadership and Learning maintains that the District has a strong commitment to see that teachers respect and appreciate the diversity of culrures represented in their classrooms.

Santiago says that the School District 's program of new teacher induction aims to help teachers understand the needs and strengths of children from different racial, cultural and language groups, so that they can use cultural differences constructively in the classroom.

Philadelphia's student-teacher population Racial breakdown % of students % of teachers Teacher % femalelmale African American 65% 35% 82% / 18% White 17% 62% 70% /30% Hispanic 13% 2% 78% /22% As ian 5% 1% 74% / 26% Other <1 % <1% NA

Teacher data are as of March 1999. Source: School District of Philadelphia

I Addressing 'cultural blindness'

Director outlines vision I for new teacher orientation

by Rachel Mausner

Decades ago, when Barbara Moore Williams was growing up in Philadelphia, almost all of her teachers were from her com­munity - African Americans who lived in the neighborhood and shared much of her culrural background.

That situation is not common for urban schoolchildren today, and Williams says it is vitally impOltant for teachers to leam about "the goals, hopes and dreams of the chi ldren they teach."

As Director of the Teaching and Leaming Network for the School District, responsible for new teacher orientation throughout the city, Williams is in a position to influence how teachers view their students and the communities from which they come.

Many teachers enter their jobs with little experience of the kinds of communities where they will be teaching. WiUiams points out that many new teachers enter with a kind of "cultural blindness," an idea that they need to ignore children's backgrounds and treat all children alike.

To address this issue, Williams's orienta­tion program starts with teachers takino a look at their own backgrounds and alti~ldes as well as those of their students. By helping teachers to acknowledge differences and look at the strengths that each child brulgs to the

classroom, Wi lliams aims to instill in teachers a positive. "proactive" attitude toward cultur­al diversity.

The program, which includes a sununei orientation, fo llow-up sessions, and mentor­ing, highlights themes of cultural awareness. Wi lliams says the orientation process helps teachers to work collaborati vely with parents using techniques such as role-playing of par­ent-teacher conferences and phone conversa­tions. She points out that the teachers often need help in overcomi ng prejudgments about parents' willi ngness to become involved.

During her five years in charge of the ori­entation program, Williams ~ays she has resist­ed pressures from other administrators who would concentrate on classroom management skills rather than multicultural awareness.

The biggest determinant of the impact of these efforts is "the leaderShip in the indi vid­ual school," Williams says. "In schools where there is respect shown for children and the community, teachers take that on." If the pre­dominant attirude is pity or lack of respect, that influences new teachers, she adds.

Assistance from community groups can make a big difference, too. Williarns cited as an example the involvement of Latino organi­zations such as ASPIRA and Congreso de Latinos Unidos in the Kensington and Edison clusters.

\NINTEI ---

A bil a dedica services

BillS Manon . MilJer,A Brown, I vides a tl the value

Prop'

, 2000-01

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tratorswho I management wareness. :he impact of n the indi vid­schools where ren and the )11. " If the pre­c of respect, leadds. 'groups can lianls cited as Latino organi­ongreso de on and Edison

WINTER 2000-01 ~

Activism Mound the city

A fund for children A bill before City Council would provide

a dedicated source of funds for improving

services to children. Bill 543, sponsored by Councilwoman

Marion Tasca and co-signed by Donna Reed Miller, Angel Ortiz, and Blondell Reynolds­Brown, leqU~S that whenever the city pro­vides a taX break or benefit to a business, 1 % of the value of that benefit will go to a youth fund .

Proposed irLitially by the advocacy group,

PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Pphi ladelPhia Citizens for Children and Youth ( CCY), the fund will support after-school care, summer and youth programs, child care, and mentoring and tutoring proorams The proposal would generate an esti;ated $3 rruiJ.lon annually to support activities for chil­rlien and therr famil ies.

As she introduced [he bill at hearings on November 13, CounCIlwoman Tasco noted ~~e I.ack of adequate activities for youth. Children are actuall y part of Philadelphia's

econonllC development," Tasco said. She added that services for young people support efforts to unprove the CIty'S economy.

Speaking for Bill 543 at the hearino Margaret Brodkin from San Francisco'" explained how her city has had success in rrnplementing a simi lar progranl. Begun in 1985 In the face of heavy opposition, the progranl now has the unqualified support of

all major civ ic leaders and has "transformed children's services," Brodkin said.

. Shelly Yanoff, executive director ofPCCY noted that these kinds of funds are beino set ' up throughout the country and stressed ct,e need for funding streanlS for increased support for Philadelphia's young people.

A city fund for youth services is also under consideration as part of the city's pro­posed stadium deal.

For information on efforts to support a city fu nd for youth , contact PCCY at 215-563-5848. -Barbara A. Bloom

Multicultural books celebrated

To celebrate National Children's Book Week and continue its efforts in Philadelphia

PAGE 17

to highlight the increased availability of high-quality, multicultural children's li tera­ture, The Multicu ltural Resource Center sponsored a multicultural book fair and book signing on November 18 at the Central Branch of The Free Library.

Award-winning authors and illustrators shared their experiences and expertise about how to research, write, or illustrate children's fiction, historical fiction , or nonfIction books. Authors and illustrators at the event included E.B. Lewis, Doreen Rappaport, Charlotte and David Yue, Muriel Feelings, Dr. Yo-yo, and five members of the celebrat­ed Pinkney fanlliy of authors and illusu-awrs of children 's books: Jerry, Gloria, Brian, Myles, and Sandra Pinkney.

To contact the Multicultural Resource Center, call 215-438-0526.

Debra E. Johnson

Schools work better when we work together

Teachers , counselors, paraprofessionals and other dedicated school employees share a common goal with parents. We all want to help children learn and be successfuL That's why the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers encourages parents

to be part of their children's education team,

Children try harder when parents take an interest in their schoolwork. Children appreciate praise when they do well and need encouragement when they make a mistake, Children want the adults in their lives to reward their efforts , not just

their successes.

To build an effective education team for all children, the Federation encourages parents to communicate regularly with the staff in their children's schools. Parents show children that education is important when they attend parent-teacher con­ferences, check homework assignments, find out how their child~en are doing and ask teachers to suggest learning activities that parents can do at home to help their children do even better ill schooL

Federation members value parents ' involvement becaus~ we know tha~ home is a child's first schooL When the school team and the home team work together, we can help chIldren succeed ill school and beyond.

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Ted Kirsch, president

215/587-6750 www.pft.org

PAGE 18~" PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

NeVIls . In Brief

Cooke M.S. is in the news

Recent improvements at Jay Cooke Middle School in Logan caught the attention of the national education newspaper Education Week, which featured Cooke in an October 4 issue looking at exemplary mid­dle schools.

"A 3-year-old effort to revive Cooke Middle School through a more rigorous cur­riculum and student-centered teaching has enabled many here to flourish," Education Week writer Kathleen Kennedy Manzo reports. ''Teachers no longer work in isola­tion, and their conversations are now more likely to concentrate on pedagogy and course content than on their frustrations with administrators or students. Children appear more interested in school, evidenced, educa­tors say, in higher attendance, fewer disci­pline problems, and significant gains on state and other standardized tests."

Cooke had been one of the troubled schools signaled out by the District to take part in its "school support process" starting in 1997, because of its lack of improvement in test scores and other indicators. Schools in the support process were expected to put

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together and then implement a comprehen­sive school improvement plan.

Education Week cites several factors in Cooke's progress, including an experienced and assertive principal, ex tensive profes­sional development, and support from out­side partners, including staffers from the Johns Hopkins University's Talent Development middle school program.

Articles/rom back issues of the weekly newspaper Education Week are available on the World Wide Web. Go to wlvw.edweek.orgledsearch.cfm

Recycling for new computers

George Washington High School has corne up with a unique way to obtain free computer technology for their school - col­lecting and recycling empty laser and inkjet printer cartr.idges.

Carttidges collected from both homes and businesses earn the school points through a national recycling program called Educational Technology and Conservation Ex.cbange Program (ETCEP). The points can be exchanged for thousands of different classroom technology products.

"Our first year goal is to collect 4,000 empty cartridges from our community," said Ptincipal Sam Karlin. "This would generate enough points to place six complete comput­er systems in our classrooms."

Karlin noted that over 243 million printer cartridges are thrown away each year. Cartridge drop-off sites have been set up in the school's main office.

To learn more about the cartridge recy-

Thinking about what you want to do for the summer ...

Can yo u play tennis? Do you wa nt to make a d iffe rence in a chi ld's life?

Philade lphia Yo uth Te nn is is looking for coaches for their summer Nationa l Junior Tennis League program.

Must have seve ral yea rs of tennis play ing and/ or tenni s teaching experience, and a ca r.

o Contact: Stephen

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Philadelphia Youth Tennis ..

creating options and opportunities

"{Ot children through tennis.

cling program at Washington , call Paul Hampel at 215-961-2001 ore-mail h.im at phampei@phila.kI2.pa.us.

Bilingual programs to be expanded

The School District has received a feder­al grant of over $3 million to expand its bilingual programs over the next five years. The District's Office of Language Equity Issues (OLE!) oversees these programs.

A focus of the expansion will be new "dual language programs" for students in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian. At least 10 elementary schools in the Edison, Olney, Kensington, South Philadelphia, and CHAIN clusters will be involved.

The grant will also help to expand the District's bilingual career ladders program to involve parents and high school students, in addition to paraprofessionals. The goal of the program is to develop more bilingual educators who can work in the District.

"Philadelphia is now recogn ized on the national level as having exempl3!Y bilingual and ESOL programs," noted Mary !. Ramirez, director of OLE!.

For more informalion, call OLEI at 215-299-7791.

Many schools have lead in water

With the citywide testing for lead in School District drinking water almost com­plete, about one out of every fi ve of the District's 14,000 water outlets tested was found to have unsafe lead levels.

Almost 600 drinking faucets and water coolers were shut off because District tests fo und high levels oflead in the water. Many other outlets that had high lead levels were not water fountains.

Dr. Walter Tsou, city health commission­er, criticized the District this fall for being slow to comply with its commitment to test drinking water.

The District has an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the city's Health Department that it will have a plan by July explaining how it will fIX the problem outlets at 50 of its buildings. The District has been flushing systems daily but must find permanent remedies for sources that have more than the legally allowed levels of lead.

Meanwhile, besides shutting down conta­minated fountains, the District is preparing educational materials for staff, students, and parents, and posting ''Do not drink from this sink" signs in bathrooms. The District has said

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.it wi Lrprovi&·bottied water in any school where the hurober of usable outlets has dropped below the number required by code.

Lead poisoning is a serious health risk for city children, who may already take in dangerous quantities of lead from lead-con­taining paint dust, contaminated soi l, or drinking waler.

Even low levels of lead in a cllild's body can resul t in reduced !.Q., learning disabili­ties, behavioral problems, and loss of hearing.

Lead leaches into drinking water from the pipes and solder used in older plumbing.

Information about lead in the water is

posted all the School District's web site at lVlVlV.phila.kJ2.pa. us. For more in/ormation, contact the city's Child Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 215-685-2797.

Funds proposed for school repair

With federal proposals for spending on school construction and maintenance still stalled in Congress, State Senator Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia is promoting a major construction and repair initiative for Pennsylvania.

If approved, the Pennsylvania State-of­the-Art Schools Program (pennSTAR) wou ld provide $2.4 billlon to support school renova­tion by iss'uing municipal bonds. All school districts in the state would be eligible for interest subsidies to reduce construction pro­ject costs. Financially struggling districts like Philadelphia could qualify f0t;direct grants to fund the total cost of construction projects.

"In a time of unprecedented prosperity in Pennsylvania, the condition of some of our public schools is nothing less than a shame," Senator Hughes commented.

Hughes cited the problems with lead in Philadelphia school drinking water as an example of an "urgent situation that needs to be addressed immediately for the safety of students and teachers."

The average age of Philadelphia's 260 schools is 60 years; 62 are more than 75 years old.

Hughes is pushing for consideration of the PennSTAR progranl in the new Pennsylvania legislative session beginning in January of 2001.

For infornwtion on the PennSTAR bill, contact the office of Senator Hughes at 215-471-0490.

Crossing guards: an initial victory

"Parents across the city recently scored a victory in the campaign that began in the spring of 1999 to secure additional crossing guards.

In November, under the leadership of Councilman Angel Ortiz, chair of the Public Safety Connnlittee, City Council approved a transfer ordinance allocating the additional funds needed to hire 37 more crossing guards. The crossing guards are due to hit the corners in January 2001.

The campaign, kicked off in the spring of 1999 by eight parent teams affiliated with the Alliance Organizing Project, grew to involve other parent and community organi­zations across the city.

Over the course of the last year and a half, parents and community members sur­veyed dangerous corners, lobbied City Council members, testified at public hear­ings, staged street-bloc kings (see photo, p. 8) and held public actions to demand the additional guards.

The campaign continues, however. Permanent funding for the 37 .guards beyond June 2001,must still be secured, and many believe there is a need for up to 200 addition­al guards. For information, contact the Alliance Organizing Project at 215-625-9916.

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WINTER 2000-01 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK PAGE 19

}\ct 46 provided a club to beat the teachers by Clay Newlin

46 was the state Republican adm.irUs-:a~t,s response to former Philadel phi~

tra I Superintendent DavId Hornbeck s sche~~ to shut down the Philadelphia schools ~en they were expected to run out of

money.

~ST OPINION I The Act was adopted in April 1998 by the

pennsylvania state legislature. It gives dIe state's Secretary of Educallon the authonty to take over the Philadelphia schools.

When the Act was adopted, Super­intendent Hornbeck was refusing to make budget cuts and demanding more state edu­

cation funding. While it was billed as emergency legisla­

tion to deal with a fInancially distressed school district, the real character of the Act

While billed as emergency legislation

to deal with a financially distressed

school district, the real character of

the Act emerged in the recent negotiations.

emerged in the recent negotiations between teachers and the Philadelphia School District. Rather than allocate fair and adequate fund­ing to Philadelphia's public schools, the Pennsylvartia legislature sought to provide Philadelphia's mayor and school board with additional leverage in their contract negotia­tions with the teachers.

The takeover provision of Act 46 was not implemented during the recent teacher nego­tiations. The Board did, however, make use of a provision of the Act prohibiting the extension of the teachers' contract beyond its expiration on August 31, Mayor Street and the school board interpreted this provision as granting them the right to unilaterally dictate a new contract when they became frustrated . by the PFT's unwilJjngness to accede to their

demands,

Although was it never implemented, Act 46 was vety much in the minds of the negotiators. Mayor Street and the Board wield­ed the threat of a state takeover as a club in an attempt to beat the teachers into SUbmission.

Photo: Harvey Finkle

They insisted on leni!th­ening the school day and the school year without additional compensation. They used the threat of the loss of the right to bargain over teacher assigmnents, class size, preparation time, and job preservation to force concessions over principals' right of assign­ment and so-caJled merit pay-and to block teachers' demands for reduced class size and greater security. Finally, they used the

Cou~cilma.n .Angel Ortiz joined teachers and their supporters protesting against imposed work conditions outs.lde Wilham Penn High School in October. Mayor Street interpreted Act 46 as allowing him to unilater­ally Impose new contract terms on the teachers. The two sides later reached a negotiated agreement.

threat of a "friendly" takeover by the state to combat the teachers' call for a strike,

Street's and the Board's interpretation was of doubtful legality and was questionable tactically, but the PFT's announcement of a strike the week before Election Day and Street's capitulation on several key points resulted in a new agreement.

Unfortunately, the Pennsylvartia State Supreme Court never ruled on the constitu­tionality of Act 46. The PFT flied several briefs with the Court arguing that the Act violated a provision of the Pennsylvartia State Constitution that makes it illegal for the state legislature to pass a law designed to effect only a single locality. The PFT had a

What's your opinion? The Public School Notebook

welcomes YOUlf letters, critiques and point of view,

Write us at: Philadelphia Public School Notebook

3721 Midvale Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19129

Fax: (215) 951-0342 email: psnotebook@aol.com

very strong argument, but on November 17, the Supreme Court dismissed the PFT's peti­tion as moot.

Like their proposals for school vouchers, Act 46 is part of the legislature's continuing program to force Philadelphia's minority and working class students to continue to get along

Successful schools and smaller classes To the editors:

Congratulations on an outstanding in­depth look at successful schools (Fall 2000). Anyone who believes that poor kids can't leam will be suitably surprised.

with less than their suburban counterparts.

Clay Newlin has been a long-time activist in the labor movement and other progressive causes. He is currently a labor anomey representing unions and unfairly discharged employees.

in the summer to train rookie principals who will enter their schools in the fall.

- Debra Weiner, Quakertown

Bad students? To the editors:

In response to the anonymous letter from a teacher (Fall 2000), I do not think that "bad students" are the reason why public schools are in such a dismal state.

Educators shouldn't blame everyone but themselves. Students can sense the teachers' attitudes and give up on themselves. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Notebook should not publish anony­mous letters in the future . Unsigned letters are not credible,

Provisions of Act 46

One of the common features of these schools that did not receive much atten­tion was their use of Title I funds and the flexibility in staffing to substantially reduce class size. I know that not all schools are alike and that school-based decision-making is important, but I also wonder why schools should have the dis­cretion not to buy more teachers when it is in their power to do so.

I was thrilled by the diversity pf the principals' leadership styles and the shared passion they bring to their work. These three need to be hired at handsome salaries

If the teacher who wrote the lener was telling the truth, she should have had no problem signing her name and the name of the school she describes.

The Secretary of Education can declare the Philadelphia School District "distressed" in any of the following circumstances: 1) the Board fails to adopt a budget allowing the DISlnct to operate for the mandated 180 day Illlnunum; 2) the BOa'rd fails to allocate suffi­~~nt funds to meet that minimum; 3) the

ty fails to allocate sufficient revenues for the Board to implement its budget; or 4) the Board has failed or will fail to provide an educational program in compJjance with state mandates.

Once the District has been declared dis­~sed, the Secretary of State can dissolve ci~ eiJ~sting School board and appoint a spe­

ard of Control. The board of control :::es aU ,the pOwers of an existing school

. AddlllOnally, the b03lfd also has the ~~wer to cancel or renegotiate any contract tax ~r than a teacher's contract, to increase prOf:::' to discharge any unnecessary non­PM . nal employees, and to suspend any teac~:~l~nal employees so that the pupil-Ond allo for both elementary and sec-;: enrOllments is no less than 26 to 1.

ct 46 also provides the 'board of control

with special prerogatives in collective bar­ga.irting. The board of control is freed from any obligation to bargain over the subcon­tracting of any its responsibilities, reduCllons in the numbers of employees, staffing pat­terns and assigmnents, class schedules, the academic calendar, places of instruction, pupil assessment and teacher preparation time or the designation of a school as a char­ter or magnet school.

In addition, the Act mandates that any contract negotiated by the board of control must have a school day of at least the length of the state's average (seven and a half hours) and an instructi onal year of at least the state's average number of days (183). The Act expressly prevents increasmg teacher pay to achieve either the longer day

or a longer year, Finally, the Act prohibits school employ-

ees from engaging in a strike while the . District is under direct state adJIlllllstrallOn, and the Secretary of Education is given the power to suspend the certificates of any

employees who choose to strike~Clay Newlin

- Shawna Holts, Philadelphia

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I-i I

PAGE 20 PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTEBOOK SPRING 2000

State performance awards: few schools repeat as winners by Paul Socolar

Scores for Philadelphia students on the state's standardized test in reading and math inched upward in 2000. This is the second con­secutive year these scores here have improved.

But an analysis by Public School NOiebook of local trends in state test scores raises questions about the significance being attached to the test score improvements.

For some schools, the school wide gains on the PSSA test (the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) won them financial awards from the state's Department of Education. The test in reading and math is given to fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders, and awards are given each year for school improvement.

Most schools that won awards in 1999

for test score increases saw their scores decline this year.

A total of $2 million was awarded to 79 local schools, mostly for increasing their average test scores or improving student attendance. Philadelphia schools - which serve 12 percent of the state's students - won 13 percent of the total awarded statewide.

Awards went to schools that were able to increase their combined reading and math scores by at least 50 points (most Philadelphia schools have combined scores falling between 2000 and 26(0), or improve their attendance by at least 0.75 percent. Exact award amounts were based on the size of the gain and the number of students.

A look back at the 1999 state awards show that last year 's awards were a poor predictor of test score success this year. The Notebook found that of 85 Philadelphia schools that won awards for test score improvement in 1999, only 15 made large enough test gains in 2000 to receive awards for test scores a second time (see table).

Most Philadelphia schools that won awards in 1999 for test score increases actu­ally saw their scores decline this year. Of the 36 schools thaI had won awards for improve­ment in eighth grade scores a year ago, all

but seven saw their con;tbined reading and math scores drop in the latest state test.

The results thus provide anununition for those who argue that the awards attached to standardized test performance place too much value on short-term, year-to-year increases in scores . Critics of standardized testing are skeptical of attaching statistical significance to fluctuations in test scores from one year to the next.

The state acknowledges that some schools will receive awards based on a vari­ation that might not be meaningful.

But a statement fro m the Department of Education says that it is unlikely that a school could eam an award a second time without a meaningful improvement in scores, because to do so, the school's scores must continue to rise above the new, higher baseline.

Overall, 58 Philadelphia schools won awards for test score gains in the latest round of state testing. Of these, 46 were ele­mentary schools.

Strawberry Mansion High School gar­nered the largest single award in Philadelphia - over $87,000 for a 3.7 percent increase in attendance. It was one of 23 schools winning awards for improved attendance.

Nearly 60 percent of Philadelphia stu­dents still have scores that put them in the bottom quarter of students statewide. The low scores continue to put Philadelphia at risk of a state takeover under the Education Empowerment Act (see page I).

How the awards are spent at each school is to be determined by a school committee chaired by the principal and involving par­ents, community, and teacher representa­tives. At least half the award must be spent on instructional programs, and up to 25 per­cent may be spent on staff rewards.

There is another set of financial awards offered to Philadelphia schools by the School District. These awards are given to schools that meet a two-year target for improvement on a "performance index" that primarily measures performance on the District's SAT-9 standardized test. The District 's awards for 2000 had not been announced at press time.

State test score data for each school are available on the World Wide Web at www.pde.psu.edu. The District's most recent t.,t >core data are available at www.phila.k12.pa.us.

Schools receiving cash grants Schools in regular typeface received awards for test score improvement. Schools in italics earned awards for improved student attendance. Schools in bold earned awards in both categories.

School Size of Award School Size of Award Adaire * $31,728 Houston $13,878 Ethan Allen $1 1,412 J.5. Jenks * $29,915 AMY Northwest MS $3,720 Kinsey $8,784 Anderson $22,418 Levering * $10,838 Audenried HS $29,860 Logan $22,271 Bluford $19,297 Masterman MSIHS $17,980

Boone $18,473 Mayfair $53,729 Bridesburg $20,752 McC l oske~ * $20,027 H.A. Brown $7, 835 Middle Years Alt. MS $13,440 Carnell $22,088 E.S. Miller $9,142 Cass idy $25,097 Northeast HS $51,848 Comegys $20,837 Overbrook Elementary $13,002 Comly $8,046 Palumbo $9,281 Cook-Wissahickon $30,248 Pastorius $1 7,879 Cooke MS $16,650 Pennypacker * $40,467 Creighton $69,296 Pollock * $28,194 Crossan $11,172 Rhawnhurst $33,306 Daroff $33,055 Rhoads $19,276 de Burgos MS $25,712 Richmond $12,078 Dick $5,166 Sayre MS $22,157 Dobson * $11,885 . Shawmont $45,738 Douglas HS $8,235 Smed ley * $28,665 Duckrey * $10,310 Solis-Cohen $49,462 Durham $5,409 M.H. Stanton * $17,843 Emlen $14,850 Steel $12,633 Fairhill $47,793 Stetson MS $21 ,222 Fitler $11,807 Stoddart-Fleisher MS $35,776 Fitzpatrick * $11,854 Strawberry Mansion HS $87,452 FitzSimons MS $67,432 Thomas MS $11 ,441 Forrest $13,878 Tilden MS * $46,709 Fox Chase $.12,716 Vaux MS $31,127 Franklin HS -$53,466 Walton $19,703 Fu lton $12,314 Waring $11,576 Girard . $6Q,244 M. Washington * $11,723 Greenfield $21,625 Welsh $20,578 Heston * $31.343 A. Wilson $11,261 J.E. Hill-Freedman $6,222 W. Wilson MS $54,560 L.P. Hill $23,328 Wister * p 1749

* /ndicates schools that won awards for test score improvement two years in a row.

The fo llowing schools won awards for mainta ining high test scores and attendance over three consecutive years:

Centra l HS $45,774 Masterman MS/HS $62,640

The fol lowing vocat ional high schools won awards for improvements in job placement:

Mastbaum HS $40,160 Saul HS $15,938

About this issue This Winter 2000-01 issue, "Teachers and Community - Building Strong Partnerships," is the result of a collaboration between the Philadelphia Public School Notebook and the

Alliance Organizing Project (AOP). The Notebook would like to thank AOP for its support in producing this issue, as well as acknowledge the additional support provided by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and Bread and Roses Community Fund.

Alliance Organizing Project

Founded in 1996, the Alliance Organizing Project, or AOP, is a citywide organization of parents with children at public schools throughout the School District of Philadelphia who are working for increased power, authen­tic partnerships, and education reform on a local school level and district-wide.

AOP uses a relational model of community organizing to build Parent Teams based on partnerships, shareq responsibility, and mutual

accountability of all stakeholders on a local and citywide level. Local AOP Parent Teams have built partnerships with principalS, teachers, support

staff, and community organizations in an effort to improve the quality of education received by children throughout the District. On a citywide level, AOP parents have developed partnerships with the central administration, the PFT, and elected officials to address district-wide policy issues.

AOP • (215) 625-9916 • allianceor@aoLcom

Philadelphia Public School Notebook

The Philadelphia Public School Notebook is an independent quarterly newspaper that serves as a voice for parents, students, classroom teachers, and others who are working for quality and equality in Philadelphia's public schools.

The mission of the Notebook is to promote public engagement in the Philadelphia public schools and to contribute to the development of a strong "popular will" for educational change in the city and for schools that serve all children well.

Started by a group of public school parents, teach­ers, and community activists in 1994, the Notebook

provides information on a wide range of education-related issues, offers analysis, and serves as a forum in which parents, teachers and students can share their concerns.

The Notebook has a circulation of 40,000 copies, most of them distributed free of charge through schools, libraries and community-based organizations.

Public School Notebook • (215) 951-0330, ext. 107· • psnotebook@aoLcom