News
Pass on RTTT
The bell rings and it’s time for class. Students file into the classroom, sit down at their desks, pull out their phones and put in their ear buds. Test scores and academic achievement are struggling, causing the building to fall below federal requirements for being a successful school.
The standards for a successful school are set forth by the federal government, it is a combination of ITED scores and graduation rates. If schools fall below the mark they are awarded the title of Persistently Low Achieving School (PLAS).
Nine of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) are on this list. But according to Principal Doug Wheeler it isn’t an accurate assessment.
“These federal requirements focus only on one score (ITEDS) it doesn’t take into consideration that Hoover has made steady gains over the past three years with test scores. The problem is that the public see the schools on this list and automatically assume that the teachers are doing something wrong,” Wheeler said.
According to Wheeler quantifying academic achievement is close to impossible . Despite low test scores Wheeler has the utmost confidence for his educators.
“I’ll put any one of our teachers up against anyone in the suburbs for making student gains,” Wheeler said.
The district realizes that having nine schools on the PLAS list is a problem, and are considering applying for what is called a School Improvement Grant (SIG). These federal funds would be used to change the PLAS into a proficient school. This change is called Reform. There are four different templates for reforming. (see sidebar,)
The federal money does not come without hefty requirements. With a sigh Wheeler understood about the application for the money.
“I don’t think we can turn down money in this economy,” Wheeler said.
Superintendant Nancy Sebring is in support of the application.
“It is recognition that money is important to turning around low performing schools. Funds are needed to train staff, purchase new curriculum. and provide supplemental services to students,” Sebring said.
President of the teachers union Alan Young agrees with Sebring that the application for the grant is a positive move.
“We certainly aren’t afraid of it,” Young said.
With application for the grant it is required that districts and the teachers union must now negotiate through collective bargaining meetings on how they will carry out these reform policies prior to submitting the application.
While Sebring does feel that the collective bargaining agreement is restrictive, she thinks that DMPS can make it work.
“I believe that we will see additional language coming from the DE regarding the collective bargaining requirement that may make it more palatable,” Sebring said.
According to Wheeler, out of the four different reform possibilities, the transformation model seems to be the most beneficial.
“It offers the most support and doesn’t create as much discontinuity,” Wheeler said.
Discontinuity meaning the model does not take as many drastic measures to transform the school.
The transformation model requires that the principal of the school be removed and a new evaluation system for teachers and principals be implemented. This is to measure student progress and teacher effectiveness.
According to Sebring the funding the district provides right now just isn’t cutting it.
“SIG funds will allow us to make an impact in a shorter amount of time than if we were using the limited resources of the district,” Sebring said.
Students walk to class during passing period. The RTTT fund aims to turn around the bottom 5 percent schools. DMPS decided to pass on the fund. “SIG funds will allow us to make an impact in a shorter amount of time than if we were using the limited resources of the district,” Sebring said.