GeorgiaScholars

Stating a Problem...Then a Solution

I attended the rally for educators at the state capitol Saturday, January 23, 2010.  Thousands of educators and other school personnel attended to voice their opinion with the slogan “Invest Now or Pay Later”.  I respected the slogan for many individuals that dropout of high school lavish in poverty which in too many cases escalate into criminal activities that leads to incarceration.  Given a state regulation to balance the budget, notwithstanding a recession, education will be reduced by 3%.  This will result in 3 additional furlough days with a possibility of 6 additional days next school term, 2010-11 for educators in Fulton County School System.

In addition, class size for middle and high school classroom will increase by one to 30 students and if a waiver is approved the class size can reach 32 students.  Moreover, Fulton and DeKalb Counties School Systems are forecasting a 37 and 56 million dollars shortfall commencing July 1, 2010, which is the beginning of the new fiscal year.  Polk, Peach and Carroll Counties School Systems are concerning a four day educational week to save money.  With a shortfall at the state and local levels, additional furloughs (which is a cut in pay) and a cut in operation could lead to a tremendous downgrade in Student Achievement.  Every public school must make Adequate Yearly Progress and with the cut in days, it makes this proposition harder to achieve.

I am proposing that the state increase revenue by adding .25 cents to the lottery.  This portion of the lottery will be used for school operation.  The idea of less instructional time is unacceptable!  The proposal to just sacrifice is ridicules for our students need additional time in the classroom with a competent and exemplary instructor.  We must put all options on the table prior to accepting cuts as a reality.  I ask that the General Assembly to run the numbers to determine if this idea is a possible solution or a piece of a solution.  For our students need to be in school 5 days a week indulge in excellent instruction leading to exemplary student achievement.    

A NEW PLAN to ENHANCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT???

 In response to additional furloughs, eliminating fundings for National Board Certification and new proposed legislations such as Performance Pay a rally will be held Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 1:00pm at the State Capitol

Performance Pay for Teachers and Principals

For decades, Georgia, like most other states, has followed a locked-step single salary schedule for K-12 teachers, basing compensation on inputs, such as years of experience and highest degree earned with no consequential regard for impact on student learning. This salary schedule fails to reward Georgia’s excellent teachers and leaders.

Benefits of Performance Pay proposal:

• To identify, motivate and reward effective teachers and principals

• To improve student learning, and

• To provide career ladder opportunities for the state’s most effective teachers

What will this legislation do?

This legislation will preserve the current salary structure but will also enhance it by allowing current teachers to opt-in to a new, performance-based pay structure. The State Board of Education (SBOE) will be required to adopt a common, statewide evaluation tool that takes student achievement into account when assessing teachers and leaders. Using this tool, the state will calculate a Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM) and Leader Effectiveness Measure (LEM), 50 percent of which will be based on student growth.

SBOE will adopt a new salary schedule that provides performance bonuses for the state’s most effective teachers and principals. The TEM and LEM will be used to determine if teachers are eligible for bonuses related to performance and career ladder opportunities in their schools.

The bill will enable those who are already enrolled in advanced degree programs to complete their studies and remain in the present salary structure if they so choose. But, new teachers and those who choose to opt-in to the performance-based salary structure will no longer be paid for the degree but instead will be paid for the degree to which students grow.

Who is eligible to be considered?

Current teachers and principals who wish to opt into the performance pay system and all new teachers and principals. Current teachers and principals who do not wish to opt into the performance pay system will be evaluated on the new statewide tool, but will remain on the current salary schedule.

What is the timeline for implementing Performance Pay?

Several years of data collection are needed before the state can implement performance pay. Therefore the SBOE shall adopt the new evaluation tool by July 1, 2013. The SBOE shall adopt a new salary schedule no earlier than January 1, 2013 and no later than January 1, 2014. All new teacher hires after January 1, 2014 will go into the new salary schedule.

As Performance Pay is part of Georgia’s Race to the Top proposal, districts that enter into memorandums of understanding with the state may implement Race to the Top on an earlier timeline.

Governor Sonny Perdue' Proposal For Educators

ATLANTA (AP) -- Gov. Sonny Perdue is calling for legislation that would pay Georgia's teachers based on student performance, not their advanced degrees. Perdue says the state's current system rewards teachers for their level of education instead of classroom achievement. He announced the proposal Tuesday at the annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast presented by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce . It was the governor's final address to the group, as he enters his final year in office.

Do you believe that this proposed legislation will enhance student achievement through productive and effective collaboration or will competition and selfishness become the norms?  Submit your point of view and we will submit our opinions to our policymakers.

 

Accountability for All

The General Assembly will commence Monday, January 11, 2010 with the big issue of establishing a balance budget with less income and sales taxes.  Georgia's budget is 3 billion smaller from last year but the population of Georgia has increased by 600,000 since 2005.  Given a possible 17.8 billion dollars budget, 57% of the budget is for education, 27% for health care and 8% for public safety with many of these sectors already cut to the bone; therefore, we need to look at the funding system for items such as the lottery and SPLOST to plug the hole in the operation sector for education.  If we do not plug the hole, classroom size will increase, teacher furloughs will continue and the teaching and learning process will greatly suffer.  However, the policymakers, school officials, and educators are being held accountable but we need additional parents to step up to the plate to complete the accountability circle.

Education is a national security issue for if we do not greatly enhance student achievement our leadership in the world will become a perception not reality.  To meet the needs of our children, I am requesting that parents get involved with the Local School Advisory Committee, PTSA, attend parent-teacher conferences, maintain constant and positive communication with their child's teacher(s) and school and make sure we monitor daily homework.  In addition, make sure your child is an avid reader and writer and are critical and creative thinkers.  Do not leave student achievement to others but become a strong partner in the teaching and learning process of your child.  This is my challenge to us as parents as we begin 2010 for if we want to close the achievement gap we must personally get invovled and this process begins at home.

I also ask that you visit this blog weekly for I will keep you abreast of the activities at the General Assembly in terms of educational issues.  I want you to know what our policymakers are proposing and how that proposed policy will affect student achievement.  We as parents cannot blame others but we must get and remain involved to influence the change that will greatly enhance student achievment.