When the state rolls up data about teacher dismissals, often the data collected doesn’t tell the whole story. The Legislature decided that job protections for NC teachers (commonly known as tenure) were preventing schools from dismissing weak teachers. They pointed to state data for support. But there is more behind the numbers.
Wake County, NC — Thoughts for May 2016 from Bill Fletcher, Member Wake County Board of Education.
Legislative changes and student growth will require an additional $11M in local matching funds. In several bold moves, the superintendent proposes to phase back or end current programs in order to free up resources for more pressing needs.
Delve into the State’s school data, and it becomes clear that school-performance grades track school poverty. With rare exception, the higher the incidence of poverty, the lower the State’s grade. State spending is, for the most part, one size fits all.
The 2015 General Assembly included funding for additional first grade teachers. Wake expects to get 140 new positions. Where will we find 140 elementary classrooms by August?
Wake continues to have had the highest number of National Board Certified Teachers in the country.
The multi-track model can house 18% to 30% more students in a school by creating four groups of students and teachers who attend on a staggered schedule; only three of four tracks are in the building at any one time.
We’ve all heard that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. The state has a penchant for “one size fits all” programs.
Beginning teachers now start at $35,000 (with no planned raise for the next five years). Funding for Teaching Assistants and Driver’s Education survived the final budget cuts.
Can you say “smooth school opening” again? The Wake transportation folks cranked up bus service for 80,000 riders with minimal problems.