DCPS doesn't win "Race to the Top"

DCPS came in 16th of the 16 finalists competing for the federal Race to the Top grants.

Bobb to run for Mayor of DC?

Speaking of Robert Bobb, there is a rumor floating around Detroit that he will be giving up his job as Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager to against Fenty in the upcoming Mayoral election. DPS spokesman Steve Wasko has denied the rumor. "The bottom line is absolutely nothing has changed. He plans to be here at least through the end of his contract," March 1, 2011."

Detroit continues to look to DC for school help

Detroit's public school system may be one of the few systems that is in worse shape than the Districts, which may explain why it continues to look at the District for guidance. First, DC alum Robert Bobb has become the de-facto head of Detroits beleaguered public schools. Now, the Detroit News editorial staff is urging the Motor City to emulate DCPS in how it deals with teachers and focuses on student achievement.

She has fired low-performing teachers in chronically failing high schools. And she has implemented a new teacher evaluation tool, 50 percent of which is based on teachers' impact on student learning.

The result: Not long ago Washington, D.C., public schools were considered the worst of the worst of America's troubled schools, much as Detroit Public Schools are today.

Now, for the first time in more than a decade, the city's student test scores on the rigorous National Assessment of Educational Progress are improving significantly. The jump is attributed to Rhee, who has a laser-like focus on improving teacher quality.

"Other districts from around the country are coming to us now to look at this teacher evaluation tool," Rhee said in a phone interview with the Detroit News Editorial Board. "It is huge."

WTU contract ready?

Apparently that's what WTU president George Parker has been telling union members.

Washington Teachers' Union president George Parker e-mailed and robo-called members late Wednesday night to say that he hoped details of the long-awaited labor pact with DCPS would be available as early as their return from spring break on April 6. (Break begins Friday).

There have been numerous "peace is at hand" declarations throughout the tortured two-year-plus course of talks between WTU and D.C. Public Schools, but this looks like the real deal. Both sides have been discussing the details of a roll out strategy, and Parker said in the e-mail that informational sessions will be set up for teachers to ask questions about the accord, which is expected to give Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee more latitude to replace ineffective teachers and set up a limited pay-for-performance system.

Transfer follow-up

GFBrandenburg's Blog has
more on Bill Turque's recent article about transfers from charter schools to DCPS.

DCPS getting some PR help?

It looks like Chancellor Rhee is looking to bolster DCPS's public image by hiring a PR firm, and its being paid for by private funds.

The private funds that DCPS officials said would be used to hire former Obama White House communications director Anita Dunn will come from philanthropist Katherine Bradley, Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee told the D.C. Council Monday. Bradley is donating $100,000 through the D.C. Public Education Fund, the non-profit set up by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty to handle private contributions to school reform.

The Post reported Friday that Rhee had reached out to Dunn, one of the Washington's most accomplished Democratic media consultants, to help tell the school reform story more effectively. Rhee said that she and Dunn first spoke about a year ago, and that after she left her White House post in November, she and her firm, Squier Knapp Dunn, began advising DCPS on a pro bono basis.

Want to work for DCPS?

They're looking for someone to manage their Head Start Education Services.

Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership.

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees.

DCPS serves 45,000 students in the nation's capital through the efforts of approximately 4,000 educators in 123 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students.

Position Overview
The Office of Early Childhood Education is working to support the provision of high-quality early education services that prepare children for kindergarten entry and later school success. Approximately 4,500 children, ages 3 to 5, attend Head Start and pre-kindergarten classrooms in 85 DCPS elementary schools.

The Manager reports to the Deputy Director, Head Start Program Operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide demonstration teaching and classroom coaching in early childhood best practices. This includes observing teacher practices and facilitating individual teacher conferences to provide feedback.
• Support teachers in using standards, curricular resources, and child assessment data for instructional planning.
• Participate in the design and facilitation of professional development for early childhood instructional staff.
• Identify, plan, and implement ongoing professional development for mentor teachers.
• Assist in the supervision of Head Start mentor teachers, including performance evaluations and development of improvement plans as needed.
• Assist in the on-going evaluation of data on the efficacy of training and mentoring on teacher practices.
• Collaborate in the preparation of reports and monitoring activities as required by the Deputy Director, Head Start Program Operations.
• Supports and carries out the Chancellor's mission to transform DC Public Schools and close the achievement gap.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Qualifications
• BA/BS in Early Childhood Education or relevant field, masters preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in the development, administration, and monitoring of curriculum and instructional programs with specific experience in providing professional development for teachers and assistants.
• Certified as Pre-K CLASS coder, strongly preferred;
• Ability to prioritize tasks and be flexible to changes deemed necessary by Director;
• Ability to analyze complex problems and able to resolve the problems in a reasonable timeframe based upon state and federal policies and regulations.

Additional Desired Characteristics

• Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
• Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
• Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
• Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
• Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
• Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
• Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
• Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

~cb~ TWP

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.

How To Apply
Please email a current resume and cover letter citing vacancy announcement 09-CAO-218 to DCPSEmployment@dc.gov. For additional vacancies, visit the DCPS homepage at www.dcps.dc.gov.

Notice of Non-Discrimination. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, District of Columbia Official Code Section 2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an interfamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited. Discrimination in violation of the aforementioned laws will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Equal Employment Opportunity Unit, District of Columbia Public Schools, 825 N. Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, (202) 442-5424.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only candidates who are invited to interview will be contacted. We are not able to provide feedback on the status of individual applications. We do not accept applications by fax. No phone calls please.

Position Information

Opening Date: October 21, 2009
Closing Date: December 30, 2009
Vacancy Announcement Number: 09-CAO-218
Salary: $76,152 - $78,596
Location: Washington, DC

Contact Information

Contact Email: DCPSEmployment@dc.gov

Rhee testifies to DC Council

Chancellor Rhee made her annual appearance in front of the DC Council Committee of the Whole to discuss all things DCPS. The City Paper has the details.

Barry claims Rhee discriminates against Ward 8

Councilmember Marion Barry is unhappy with the pace of capital improvements to schools in his Ward 8 district and wouldn't you know it, he didn't throw in some good old fashioned (albeit thinly veiled) race baiting to go along with it.

"She is discriminating against the residents of Ward 8."

That's the accusation leveled against D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee by Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry, who gathered a handful of his constituents to express outrage over Rhee's announcement that two southeast Washington elementary schools will remain closed through next year.

The schools in question are Turner Elementary and Moten Elementary, which Rhee shuttered in 2008. Students were placed in other nearby schools, with Rhee promising to rebuild and improve the schools in 2010, according to a press release from Barry's office.

But yesterday ahead of her hearing with the D.C. Council about her highly-criticized school reform efforts, Rhee said budget constraints and the bad economy would make it impossible for the school system to come through on those promises this year. She instead postponed the rebuilding projects for another two years.

Community activist Elaine Carter ignores any subtlety and dives right in:

"This isn't urban renewal, it's negro removal.... They want us blacks out of the city."

Throw on some legwarmers and a pair of parachute pants... its like we're back in the 80s.

DCPS students will get White House easter egg invites

Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan will hand out tickets to this year's White House Easter Egg Roll to select students of J.O. Wilson Elementary School during a visit.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan plans to hand out tickets to students at J.O. Wilson Elementary School in Northeast Washington during a visit to observe how the school has improved its academic rigor and helped students live healthier lives.

"I don't know if there will be enough tickets for everyone," said Principal Cheryl B. Warley, stressing that the ticket giveaway is just a small part of the important visit.

Duncan will be accompanied by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, State Superintendent of Education Kerri Briggs and D.C. Charter School Board Executive Director Josephine Baker. The mayor's office is staying mum on details about the tickets until after a news conference this afternoon.

Wilson get a Lacrosse team

Wilson Senior High becomes the only DCPS school to offer Lacrosse as a varsity sport.

Out of Bounds applications rise by 50%

From DCPS:

For the first time in recent history, every eligible District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) attracted applicants for the annual K-12 Out-of-Boundary, Pre-School (PS) and Pre-Kindergarten (PK) lotteries. The overall number of unique applicants increased by 50 percent from 2009, with a record high of 5,219 families expressing interest in DCPS programs located in all eight Wards. The lottery ran from January 28 to February 28.

Capital Gains update

The folks over at GFBRANDENBURG'S BLOG have been crunching some statistics around the DCPS Capital Gains program and the analysis doesn't point to success.

The group that was NOT bribed had a small (about one-half of a percent) rise in reading proficiency.

The group that WAS bribed (up to $100 every two weeks per student if they did everything right) had a decrease of nearly 2% in reading proficiency.

Furthermore, if you follow the same group of students from one year to the next, the results are even more dramatic. In the control group, the students who were 6th graders in 2007-8 and were (for the most part) 7th graders in 2008-9, went from 37.9% proficient to 44.3% proficient, a rise of about 6.5%. And over the same time period, the students who were 7th graders the first year and mostly became 8th graders the next year went from 49.5% to 49.9%, a rise of about 0.4%.

However, in the experimental group, the 6th graders in SY 2007-8 who generally became 7th graders in SY 2008-9 went from 40.7% proficient in reading to 32.1% proficient, a rather large DROP of about 8.6%. And the experimental group’s 7th graders the first year, who mostly became 8th graders the second year, went from 41.0% proficient to 36.5% proficient, a drop of about 4.5%.

So, it appears that the bribes are counter-productive in reading.

Charters don't purge

On of the criticisms leveled at charter schools by their foes (public school advocates, teachers unions, etc) is that much of their success comes from poaching the "good" students from public schools. One of the ways this is supposedly done is by purging undesirable (i.e. low performing) students. The theory goes once a charter has procured the District funds that come along with each student they systematically purge their rolls of said undesirables. Bill Turque at the Post has crunched the numbers and sees if this holds any water.

The conventional wisdom is that the District's public charter schools, which operate with more autonomy than traditional public schools, shed themselves of undesirable students with impunity as the year goes on. Many of them end up back at their neighborhood public schools, while the money that the children represent -- a District per-pupil funding level that averages about $9,000 -- stays at the charters, forcing DCPS to serve kids they have not budgeted for.

But school officials on both the public and public charter sides say there is no data supporting the phenomenon of some vast annual migration. According to DCPS, of the 2,529 mid-year admissions during the 2008-09 school year, just 264 (7 percent) were from public charter schools. The rest were kids who were either new to city, who had dropped out and returned, or who came from private and parochial schools.

DCPS spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway also said the 264 figure does not represent a net gain, and that it is offset by students who leave. "DCPS students also transfer to charters mid-year--and the funding doesn't follow them either," she said.

Barnaby Towns, communications director for FOCUS (Friends of Choice in Urban Schools) an advocacy group for D.C. Public Charter Schools, calls the migration "something of an urban myth" for which there is no statistical evidence.

UPDATE: Corrected Bill Turque's name.

Senate rejects voucher amendment

Tuesday the Senate rejected an amendment to an FAA authorization bill that would have reopened the DC Opportunity Scholarships to new participants.

Tuesday's 55 to 42 vote was widely seen as one of the final chances for the program to be extended beyond the students who are already currently enrolled. Funding will continue for current students until they graduate high school, but has been cut off to new students for a year.

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) introduced an amendment to a reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration that would have extended the voucher program for five years and funded it at $20 million a year, opening it to new students. The Senate killed Lieberman's attempt to amend a different bill earlier this month.

Reaction from the Daily Caller and the Examiner.

Marion Barry is a buffoon

Sorry, but that's how I'm going to call it. The City Paper documents Barry's latest ramblings at a D.C. Public Schools oversight hearing and they're a doozy.

I'm gonna raise a subject that I know is going to set off the Washington Post. We have a clash of cultures. We have a clash of cultures. Everybody that comes here talks about Michelle Rhee not including people, not being collaborative, not listening....

The reality is that this school system is 90, 92 percent African American, Latino American, and a small number of white students. Everyone knows that this country is a melting pot, but there are distinct cultures in this country. The African-American culture, because of our history and a lot of other reasons, has a distinct culture difference with non-white America. Latinos are the same thing. Does not mean that non-African-American, non-Latino cannot teach, cannot administer, but when the cultures are so great, Ms. Rhee comes from a culture...that's autocratic, a culture that's dictatorial, a culture of hierarchical in their discussions.

We see it every day in Iraq---the American government trying to change a culture that has been totalitarian, that has been nonexclusive, that has been a police state. And we're having a hard time now, after 10 or 12 years in Iraq, getting that culture shifted to democracy. We see it in Afghanistan, and so until we face that, we're still going to have those problems.

I read the chancellor's educational plan...It looks at though it was designed for Montgomery County, or Long Island, N.Y., or some other affluent county. It was not designed for Washington, D.C., for an urban area. Not designed for a city, a ward where 82 percent of the parents are single family in my ward, where 54 percent are in poverty....

You can't teach a child to read when you can't read yourself. You can't teach a child values of respect if you don't respect yourself. And there's a lot of that going on around....We have to recognize this culture clash. Be ready---the Washington Post is going to be going crazy....I'm raising reality on where we are.

Marion Barry... champion of low expectations, and apparently a bigot to boot.  If you didn't know Barry was black you could be forgiven for mistaking some of this coming from klan literature.

Hardy update

Bill Turque over at the Post's education blog has more on the ongoing controversy over the replacement of Hardy Middle School's principal Patrick Pope.

UPDATE: Updated misspelling.

3 cases of Scarlet Fever in DC schools

Three students who attend Terrell Elementary School have come down with cases of Scarlet Fever.

The school district says it's not an outbreak, but they do have three confirmed cases of scarlet fever at one of the elementary schools. The problem is doctors say is very contagious, easily spread, and if left untreated it could cause more serious problems.

...

Beers says it's not heard about a lot, but scarlet fever is actually pretty common. She says on any given week, she treats a couple of cases of scarlet fever. Usually it's in children younger than 5.

"It's contagious just like the common cold is contagious," Beers said.

But unlike the common cold, a lot of people don't know much about scarlet fever. So, when they hear about the disease, they think the worst.

"I think people sometimes worry about it. Way back before we had antibiotics or penicillin, it could be a serious disease if it went untreated but now it's easily treatable," said Beers.