Saturday, February 08, 2020

NATIONAL POLL FINDS HUGE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS

The National School Boards Action Center released a 2020 national poll on how the voters feel about education. If k-12 schools were the main issue in the election, pro-public school, pro teacher candidates for office would win handily.

Some of the poll's findings:

  • 80% are favorable to teachers in their community, including 45% who are very favorable
  • 72% are favorable to public schools in their community, including 34% who are very favorable
  • 58% are favorable to local school boards, including 21% who are very favorable.

How about on funding?

  • 64% think funding for public schools should be increased
  • 26% think funding should be kept the same, and only 6% thinking funding should be decreased.
  • Of those who believe funding should be increased, eight out of ten would support an increase in funding even if it meant they would pay more in taxes.
On charter schools:
  • 65% agree that local school boards should have oversight of charter schools just like they do for other public schools since they are taxpayer funded, including 51% who strongly agree
This poll was bipartisan with both a Democratic Party and Republican pollster doing the polling.

On what issues concern the voters on education, this is directly from Markets Insiders article on the poll:

Funding, school safety, real world learning and teacher shortages were identified as both big problems and extremely important issues to address. 

You are not likely to see these results talked about when we hear from the candidates running for President who are almost never asked by the media about education.

The public is clearly on our side. We can grow a collective spine and we would win, even on the safety concerns. 

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

What has the public being on our side ever done? How will this report change anything?

James Eterno said...

Would you rather the public be against us? Why do you think teachers are making great gains by striking? You better believe public support mattered in all of them.

Anonymous said...

So show me real gains. The current deal runs deep into 2022. I cant wait to hear what we are hoping to gain next contract.

Anonymous said...

It is up to us to make those demands. Mulgrew is busy opposing Medicaid funding being shifted to local governments. He can virtually ignore the membership because the rank and file allows it.

Anonymous said...

NY Post

Powerful teachers’ union boss Mike Mulgrew summoned lawmakers to a closed-door strategy session Friday to fight Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget plan, which would shift more of the growing costs of the massive Medicaid program to New York City and other localities, The Post has learned.

The city having to foot a bigger bill for Medicaid could mean less money for schools and other programs, Mulgrew argues.

“Why am I doing this? I stand up for

Anonymous said...

Mulgrew is too important to worry about us.

Anonymous said...

If mulgrew doesnt worry about me, I dont pay him $62 per check.

Anonymous said...

I'm a NYC public school teacher and I think we should privatize the system. Yep, pretty sad it took me 12 years in the inside to conclude the system is irretrievably broken and perpetuates mediocrity and dependence.

Anonymous said...

So funny yet sad how leading democrat millionaires have pivoted to vilifying billionaires.
Where exactly does net worth result from exploitation? What's the number that divides the virtuous (Bernie et al) from the evil?

Anonymous said...

Agree with 1045 and 1200. System is already destroyed. Dont tell me the public supports us. When have they not? The grade scams are overwhelming. Letting students noshow and pass? Graduating high school unable to write a sentence? Gove me a break. The uft does nothing. The doe does nothing. It has been proven over many decades, under both parties. It cant get worse. Uft has not earned my dues. 47% of teachers who started in 2013 are already gone.

Anonymous said...

When the uft tells you who to endorse, ask the uft about grade fraud, fake grad rate, fake open market, 1% raises, the retro we are still waiting for, the lack of a discipline code, attendance policy, the fact that we get physically assaulted, why when we leave we only get 1 for every 2 sick days saved, the 8.25 we want back...Let me know what they say.

Anonymous said...

Ask Sanders about this...Another good one...

Art 50% Attendance
English 31% Attendance
Govt 52% Attendance
Elective 52% Attendance

Passed all classes

James Eterno said...

It isn't about whether you've sold enough books to be better off, it is what you are willing to fight for. FDR was rich but he stood up for the working class and welcomed the hatred of the Wall Street thieves. Bernie follows in that tradition. Unlike FDR, he did not inherit wealth. Bernie's positions on everything but guns and a bit on immigration have not changed much, as far as I can tell, since the 80's.

I find that talking point that Bernie made a lot of money selling books so he should shut up to be very unconvincing.

steve said...

I love this game. Must be another boy genius from the Bronx.

Eng 5-42% att grade 75
Eng 6-47% att grade 72
Art-54% att grade 65
PE-73% att grade 95


Anonymous said...

58% attendance in global gets an 85?
47% attendance in algebra gets a 75?
40% attendance in science gets a 75?

Anonymous said...

Dont forget, students cant show up on monday or friday or when it rains or snows or is cold or the day after a break or the day before a break...We are really setting them up to hold good jobs.

Anon2323 said...

If teachers held student's to a higher standard or even a standard graduation rates would be 45-50% at best. Of course, UFT/mayor and politicians cannot allow that to happen. Yay 75% graduation rates for inner city and most doe where at best 40% qualify. (inner city

Meanwhile the white and asian students will have 80% minimum. It's 2020 I do not want to hear the race card or the hardships.

Retired teachers who give a rats ass could also help by communicating with chapter leaders in all boroughs, coming in to speak with the staff about ways we can rise up for 2022. Also, all chapter leaders should have mandatory borough meetings twice a year, once in the fall and once in spring.

Anonymous said...

The graduation rate hovered around 50% for years until Bloomberg and Klein lowered the bar by ending the 90% attendance requirement. I am in favor of a 90% requirement but there have to be supports including alternative settings for students who disrupt learning, lower class sizes and reasonable guidance caseloads.

Anonymous said...

State still says 90%. From nysed

Regional Meetings
At least one meeting is being held in each judicial district through April. Each meeting will be led by the local Board of Regents Member, the BOCES District Superintendent or Big Five district staff. Meetings will include the opportunity for attendees to break out into small groups to discuss and provide feedback on each of five guiding questions:

What do we want students to know and to be able to do before they graduate?

How do we want students to demonstrate such knowledge and skills?

How do you measure learning and achievement (as it pertains to the answers to #2 above) to ensure they are indicators of high school completion?

How can measures of achievement accurately reflect the skills and knowledge of our special populations, such as students with disabilities and English language learners?

What course requirements or examinations will ensure that students are prepared for college and careers or civic engagement?

Anonymous said...

Based on any of that, few students would pass...

Anonymous said...

And don't forget those teachers who are passing all the students are great teachers according to administration. Teacher A has 90% passing - he/she is reaching the kids. Teacher B has 60% passing is failing to reach the kids. The truth is teacher A is either an easy teacher that gives high grades for doing crap or teacher A is inflating 55 averages to 65+ to look like he/she is a good teacher. Poor teacher B who has integrity has to suffer now with bad observations and conferencing with the AP on how he/she is going to get the students to pass. Also if the school did a restaffing, teacher B would not be hired because he/she would not help increase the passing rate while teacher A will.

James Eterno said...

If departments or chapters just demanded reasonable standards, this could stop. You are right that this is basically impossible to do alone. It is a collective effort. Not easy but you have to build strong chapters. If massive teachers would rather just play the game, that is sad.

Anonymous said...

But the White House budget will also propose $4.4 trillion in spending reductions over the next decade, about half coming from sweeping changes to popular social safety net programs. Establishing tighter work requirements for food and housing assistance and Medicaid would reduce spending by $300 billion, the official said. Changes to the government’s student loan forgiveness program could lower costs by $170 billion.

Anonymous said...

The national poll must have missed most of the commenters on this blog since they trash public schools constantly while giving the impression that they are the voice of the common teacher.

Anonymous said...

Hey 7:07:00 PM

You left off the fact that administrators create how much tests, homework, etc are worth and the teachers are required to follow their rules. I was at a meeting at a school and posted on the wall was a list and tests were worth 30%.



Anonymous said...

Most of the commenters here are the voice of themselves here and nobody else. The public so strongly disagrees with them. Case closed.

James Eterno said...

Teachers have a say in grading criteria. It is in the contract in Article 24. We just collectively must assert our rights.

Anonymous said...

My principal made up a 5 category grading policy, 20% each. We had no say.

Anonymous said...

NEW YORK — New York City teachers were forced to pass students who didn't do well on exams, they told NYC Councilman Robert Holden.

Holden, a former educator himself, told PIX11 whistleblowers have been contacting him since last summer. Teachers have said they've been forced to pass students who don't even show up to class regularly.

"There’s a cheating scandal," he said. "We’ve been looking at grade fraud for quite some time and so many whistleblowers have come forward."

He said principals intimidated teachers.

"They're told thing like 'if you don’t pass this student, you'll get a bad evaluation or you won't be hired again,'" he said.

According to the councilman, students have come forward too, saying they were given answers to tests, and were promoted to the next grade level, even though they had failing grades.

"They were actually given answers to system-wide tests," Holden said.


He said the allegations started with a high school in Queens, but he's heard complaints from people around the city.

Since then, he's contacted the mayor and the schools chancellor about ir. He's even handed over mountains of evidence regarding cheating and intimidation to the Department of Education, the Queens DA's office and, more recently, the US Attorney's office.

The Department of Education released this statement to PIX11: “We take allegations of cheating very seriously, and immediately after these allegations were brought to our attention this summer, we reported them to SCI. The DOE has not received notice of any federal investigation, but will cooperate fully with any investigation they undertake.”

Holden said the practices are failing the students who do work hard and promoting students who need help the most.

"The bottom line, their schools look better, principals are saying 'this is great, we're graduating most of our students,' but it's phony," Holden said. "They’re not only destroying students lives, they're destroying teachers lives, too."

A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office would only say the office does not confirm or deny the existence of any investigations.

Anonymous said...

In 5, 10 and 20 years, you can explain to me why the situation never changed.

Anonymous said...

Ya know what the sad part is, the "scab' was right. The uft is over paid while underperforming. We have seen lists of all their shortcomings. What ahppened to the fact that we lost 8.25% because of finacial peril, but never got it back in a booming economy, while everyone else had it the whole time. The list is endless. Im gonna opt out now as well. Just too many inept inactions...

Anonymous said...

Ha, a teacher doesnt know the difference, as in how to spell, bye vs buy...Like, that team got a first round bye...

James Eterno said...

Please let's not be the grammar police here. It's a comment on a blog, not your graduate dissertation.

waitingforsupport said...

@6:22pm ...i agree with you. We should invest in public schools. Fix community/neighborhood elementary middle and high schools. All students should be held accountable for their grades. All teachers should be held accountable for their teaching. The DOE should be monitored and held accountable for their management. Everyone has a job/role. Any deviation from the respective roles will hinder our city,state and nation. We all suffer if one entity fails. This is a mess because people in all areas have slipped up. Parents need to be vigilant and proactive in their child's education.

waitingforsupport said...

@6:48pm...initially many will fail but failure should be looked at like a hole in a hose. It indicates where a repair is needed. We should also examine how students are being taught. That's why I am interested in the Chancellor's vision on diversity. Some students from varied cultures may interpret and retain information differently.

waitingforsupport said...

@7:07pm...that is crazy. I've seen that happen too many times

waitingforsupport said...

@James...it is sad. When I spoke up and out about the corruption at my school, I was literally shunned by teachers due to their fear of retaliation or they just didn't see the value of: me,their students, the community in which they taught or themselves. These are the folks that I am "waiting for support" in getting them better training so that they would become effective educators or support moving their behinds out of the NYCDOE so they can do no more harm.

waitingforsupport said...

The DOE probably realizes that if they held principals accountable for widespread fraud, the principals may go buckwild, open the dam and let all of the waste flow out on how the DOE gave them the go ahead on improving the grad rate by any means necessary. That's probably why the DOE backs the principals. They support the principals goal of getting rid of the "big mouth" educators who refuse to lose their integrity by letting students who shouldn't, "graduate". The corruption is overwhelming. I hope for the sake of our nation that someone really takes a look at the NYCDOE.

James Eterno said...

The UFT should be blowing the whistle.

waitingforsupport said...

Yes the UFT should be blowing the whistle. Why aren't they?

James Eterno said...

They love de Blasio.