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No quick fix for school reform

Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts.

On Sunday, I wrote about what makes a successful student and what does not. In addition, I offered suggestions to improve attendance and parental involvement. Today, I offer additional proposals to “reform education” to counter the state proposals in the 2015-16 budget.

Graduation and testing – Let’s come to grips with the fact that not every student will or needs to attend college. Therefore making earning a Regents Diploma mean something again. A Regents Diploma with High Honors would guarantee a student full tuition, room and board at a SUNY school. A standard Regents Diploma recipient would be granted partial payment of tuition, room and board.

Give tax breaks to employers who work in conjunction with local school districts in developing a workforce readiness program for the students who aren’t inclined to pursue a Bachelors degree. Possible extension and expansion of the P-TECH grant.

Tie student performance on state standardized tests to tax incentives or benefits (this would apply to state tests at the elementary, middle, and high school levels).

Teachers are constantly working to differentiate instruction for students with 504 plans, Individualized Education Programs, or just varying levels of comprehension.

One area all students are evaluated in is their reading level. Many high school students arrive with a reading level three, four and sometimes five or more grade levels below where they should be. In their current form, the Regents exams are written at the 10th and 11th grade reading levels. It only stands to reason that the state should provide different versions of the test for students of varying reading levels. The kindergarten class of 2015-16 will be fully immersed in the Common Core. As they move through their educational career, the differentiated standardized tests can be phased out because if the Common Core works as it is designed, the students will be on grade level for reading.

If a student who has taken a differentiated Regents Exam obtains grade level reading comprehension prior to graduation, they may choose to take the more rigorous grade level Regents exam. This would allow them to graduate with a Regents diploma, otherwise they would receive a local diploma.

LOTE – Language Other Than English – students should be afforded the same differentiated standardized tests. It is not enough to simply offer the exam in another language as there is no guarantee that the child is at grade level in reading in their native language.

Sports – There is no denying that sports programs cost school districts a lot of money. Perhaps it is time that public schools follow the European model and institute a ”pay for play” system. Students could earn scholarships within the school to play sports based on their overall GPA and/or test scores.

Teacher evaluation – A system based on student achievement on standardized tests is flawed. The results of cohort groups cannot be compared from year to year, because it is like comparing apples to oranges.

I propose a three-part Annual Professional Performance Review systems that includes two yearly in-class evaluations by administrators, a parent-student survey, and a portfolio of student work that is graded using state- developed rubrics. Each part would count as one-third of the teacher’s overall score. The current nomenclature: “ineffective,” “developing,” “effective,” and “highly effective” could be retained.

Salary increases for teachers would be tied to the review. Teachers who are rated “ineffective” would be placed on a Teacher Improvement Plan. Any salary increase they would have received will be used to offset the cost of the professional development they need to complete as part of their plan. These hours would not be able to be used toward the 100 hours of professional development a teacher needs every five years.

Consolidation – Where applicable districts should be combined, by county if possible. Chautauqua County could easily be divided into four districts. One superintendent could lead all four districts. Each district would have one principal and one assistant. This can create savings by eliminating the unneeded layers of bureaucracy. It could also reduce teaching and support staff positions, however it may create positions in other areas, such as busing and maintenance.

There is no quick fix, no silver bullet to reforming public education. Education is about delayed gratification. We plant the seeds of knowledge in kindergarten and nurture them for the next 12 years. We are collaboratively raising children with their parents. There are going to be peaks and valleys.

I didn’t get to pursue a career in education for the salary, the summers off (haven’t had one yet), or the vacations. I love history. I love telling stories. I love the look on the student’s faces when they have discovered something new about history, learning, or themselves. If the recently passed education “reforms” are allowed to continue unabated, none of that will matter. I wonder just how serious our lawmakers are about wanting a highly educated populous? Will they be willing to shun a lobbyist payday to make the hard decisions and do what is right? Only time will tell.

I urge state lawmakers to become part of the solution or get out of the way.

Timothy Majka is a teacher and Dunkirk resident.

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