Tuesday, October 22, 2019

ELIZABETH WARREN ON EDUCATION

I read Elizabeth Warren's education plan and there are many truly positive points in there. She goes into great detail on how she would fix public schools, literally in fact, as one of her planks is to provide plenty of money to repair our crumbling schools.

Some highlights:

On funding:
My plan addresses each and every aspect of this problem. It starts by quadrupling Title I funding - an additional $450 billion over the next 10 years - to help ensure that all children get a high-quality public education.

But we need to do more than just increase funding. We also need to ensure that federal funds are reaching the students and schools that need it most. That’s why I’m committed to working with public education leaders and school finance experts to improve the way the federal government allocates this new Title I funding. And I would impose transparency requirements on this new funding so that we can understand what investments work best and adapt our approach accordingly.

On teacher pay and union organizing:
Provide funding for schools to increase pay and support for all public school educators: Pay for our public school educators is unacceptably low, and it’s putting incredible strain on them and causing many to burn out and leave the profession. My plan to quadruple Title I funding incentivizes states to shift their funding formulas to better support students in critical ways, such as by increasing teacher pay with the goal of closing the educator pay gap and also paying paraprofessionals and other education support professionals a living wage. It also means additional funds to ensure that classrooms are well-equipped with resources and supports so that teachers aren’t paying out of pocket. 

Strengthen the ability of teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff to organize and bargain for just compensation, for a voice in education policy, and for greater investment in public education: One of the best ways to raise teacher pay permanently and sustainably - and to give teachers more voice in their schools - is to make it easier for teachers to join a union, to bargain collectively, and to strike like educators did across 14 states in 2018-2019. I have led the effort to eliminate the ability of states to pass anti-union “right to work” laws, and I will make enacting that change a top priority. And as part of my plan for empowering American workers, I pledged to enact the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which ensures that public employees like teachers can organize and bargain collectively in each state, and authorizes voluntary deduction of fees to support a union.

On charter schools:
Ensure existing charter schools are subject to at least the same level of transparency and accountability as traditional public schools: Many existing charter schools aren’t subject to the same transparency and accountability requirements as traditional public schools. That’s wrong. That’s why I support the NAACP’s recommendations to only allow school districts to serve as charter authorizers, and to empower school districts to reject applications that do not meet transparency and accountability standards, consider the fiscal impact and strain on district resources, and establish policies for aggressive oversight of charter schools.

Here is part of the NAACP statement on their resolution calling for a moratorium on expanding charter schools: 
CINCINNATI – Members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Board of Directors ratified a resolution Saturday adopted by delegates at its 2016 107th National Convention calling for a moratorium on charter school expansion and for the strengthening of oversight in governance and practice.

On testing:
Eliminate high-stakes testing: The push toward high-stakes standardized testing has hurt both students and teachers. Schools have eliminated critical courses that are not subject to federally mandated testing, like social studies and the arts. They can exclude students who don’t perform well on tests. Teachers feel pressured to teach to the test, rather than ensuring that students have a rich learning experience. I oppose high-stakes testing, and I co-sponsored successful legislation in Congress to eliminate unnecessary and low-quality standardized tests. As president, I’ll push to prohibit the use of standardized testing as a primary or significant factor in closing a school, firing a teacher, or making any other high-stakes decisions, and encourage schools to use authentic assessments that allow students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways.

This looks like the Michael Mulgrew/Andrew Cuomo approach to testing. What does it mean that standardized tests can't be a primary or significant factor in closing a school, firing a teacher, or making any other high-stakes decisions? So if it is 40% of a decision that won't be primary or significant.

What does she mean by using authentic assessments that allow students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways? 

I see lots of wiggle room here to keep the high stakes testing going and just calling it something else.  Senator Warren does not have a great history when it comes to testing. There is Mulgrew like language to change from testing to assessments This is a little concerning.

Am I nitpicking?

This is what the Network for Public Education Action, who are applauding Senator Warren's stand on charter schools, say on the Elizabeth Warren page about testing:
During the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Hearing Fixing No Child Left Behind: Testing and Accountability, Senator Warren’s comments indicated that she views high-stakes standardized tests as the measure that must be used to hold States accountable for the federal tax dollars they receive. The video of the hearing is linked above and the full transcript is here.

Warren said, “If the states are going to get federal dollars to improve public education systems then we need to make sure that those dollars are not being wasted but that they are actually being used to improve education.”

Warren, along with three Democratic senators endorsed by DFER [Democrats for Education Reform], insisted on stronger accountability measures based on testing to gain their support for ESSA [Elementary and Secondary Schools Act].

There is a great deal to like in Senator Warren's education plan. That said, there are questions. 

Please read the plan for yourself. In the end, it is enjoyable that the candidates for President are moving in our direction. Times have certainly changed. If this is just pandering to teachers, at least we are worthy of being pandered to instead of vilified. The trick is to turn the pandering into better policy.

26 comments:

  1. Teacher pay=Bullshit. No way she is gonna just give us more money. Also, I thought our salaries were so good, why do we need raises? The UFT said they negotiate amazingly well.

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  2. I think Sen. Warren covered almost everything about charters. The only thing I didn't see was something about the TFA churn, which also can destabilize schools while providing undercredentialed teachers.

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  3. No president, and I mean NO PRESIDENT, has any say whatsoever on teacher salaries. Increasing Title 1 funding to schools is no guarantee that school districts will automatically decide to pay teachers more. Reading about Creepy Joe kissing ass to the UFT the other day is pandering at it's worst. All these democrats are lining up to try and get the teacher vote. Look how that worked out for us with Obama. What teachers need to do is to take a good look at what is happening in Chicago. Roots organization and a willingness to strike is what is needed to get things done in this day and age. However, don't look to the UFT to lead on this. If a wildcat strike is needed in the future, I am all for it.

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  4. She is the only hope! Biden will just be a rerun of 2016. Bernie is the best, but "an old white guy who just suffered a heart attack "isn't going to provide the change people are still looking for. Remember, it's not just about the education policy, but the courts. Trump has appointed a lot of conservative judges who will be able to do a lot of damage to working people and unions for decades to come.

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  5. The Rank &File need to come to the realization that the UFT is a failure. Maybe it’s ok for some of the lovely ladies in elementary schools waiting for Mr.Right to come along, but it sure as Hell has been an abysmal failure, on all fronts, for high school teachers. We need a separate union for high school teachers that isn’t infected with Randi’s and her boy Mike’s Unity Virus.
    There will never be a job action of any type from the UFT - not even a small protest or public admonishment (even in its own paper) of any sitting principal.

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  6. 7:32, Bernie provides the change bottom up. Warren is top down. That's the difference.

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  7. I will never vote for Warren. She is a liar of the worst type - her ancestors stole land, killed and enslaved Indians and she claimed Indian ancestry for political gain.
    http://www.capoliticalreview.com/capoliticalnewsandviews/elizabeth-warrens-indian-persecuting-ancestors-pile-up-and-shed-like-you-to-pay-the-reparations/

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  8. And all that money will be flushed down the toilet like the other trillions. Throwing money at poverty and education has never worked.

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  9. Bernie's the real deal. Warren's grabbing all of his proposals then flowering them up and watering them down.

    An interesting read...

    https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1186276303227326469.html

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  10. did we not hear the same crap from obama when he was running?? what did we get?? a target on public schools like never before and the damage has been done by obama who also said you can keep your doctor....lets face it folks. obama did a lot of damage to this country and anyone who does not see that is simply out of touch

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  11. A comment on Ravitch blog from Wrenchinthegears,

    Everyone touting Warren’s education’s proposal for public education needs to wrap their minds around the fact that the REAL fight is against pay for success finance that will use big data (ed-tech) to track children, especially poor children as human capital impact investments for global hedge funds. I don’t really care what she says about charters. She has a long history with TFA; this is no “conversion.”

    Many of human capital investment hedge funds are based in Boston. The policies and the tech to accomplish this new system of “innovative” finance based on public-private partnerships has been refined at Harvard Kennedy School and MIT.

    This is from Warren’s plan; this is the money quote: “transparency requirements on this new funding so that we can understand what investments work best and adapt our approach accordingly.” Note “what investments WORK.” This is “what works” government.

    Oh, and weighted funding is a ALEC initiative to have money follow students in preparation for a future of digital vouchers, badges, and learning ecosystems. Don’t be misled. https://wrenchinthegears.com/2018/09/07/could-weighted-education-funding-campaigns-be-advancing-an-alec-backed-agenda/

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  12. From Lois Weiner reacting to Randi Weingarten praise of Warren plan:

    Did I miss @rweingarten or @AFTunion tweet about what we need in #BernieSanders "Thurgood Marshall" plan for public ed? If so, please RT. If not, explain why. IMO it's superior.

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  13. I'm voting for whoever runs against the incumbent, no matter what. That said, did you read the NY Daily News description of Biden's visit to a UFT gala? A good Monday chuckle

    https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-biden-teachers-union-campaign-speech-20191020-btjxgk3qdzesnpti7ncnletyfi-story.html

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  14. CUNY beat us too...

    A. The following increases shall apply on the dates listed below, except as modified in II.B. below.

    10/01/2018 – 2%
    10/31/2019 – 2% compounded
    11/15/2020 – 2% compounded
    11/15/2021 – 2% compounded
    11/01/2022 – 2% compounded*

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  15. 6:59 - Anyone? How about Mike Bloomberg? He’s waiting in the wings.

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  16. Glad Mulgrew is wearing red today for teachers in another city. We can keep getting beaten down...

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  17. Is this allowed? The Principal has this posted in the main office for all to see...
    It’s a list of all staff members (blacked out) and how many times they have been absent per month.
    This is poor leadership!
    I personally find this impulsive, capricious, and melodramatic. But, it is also wrong...

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  18. Mulgrew was, is and will always be irrelevant.

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  19. I don't believe personnel information should be posted.

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  20. If the names are redacted what’s the point? Are they listed by license area so that it is easy to figure out whom they are referring to? Pretty much everybody knows who is excessively absent by the coverages they are getting. This principal Is being unnecessarily provocative

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  21. This plan by @BernieSanders to not just decriminalize but fully legalize weed, and invest over $20 billion back in communities most impacted by the War on Drugs is brilliant.

    It’s the best presidential plan like this ever released.

    This is what teachers truly need, legal weed.

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  22. How insane is it that right now, we only have 1 candidate that is fighting for healthcare for all, college for all, taking climate change seriously, wants to get rid of student loan and medical debt.

    How fucking broken is our country for there only to be one?
    #Bernie2020

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  23. The names are not redacted. I blacked them out when I sent the picture.

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  24. Read between the lines here. Warren would still leave room for multiple measures bullshit to rate us including tests just like Mulgrew and Weingarten. It is clear that she is not anti-testing, just high stakes standardized tests. If the school boards rename them and start saying multiple measures, she would be cool with it. She also wants more professional development. What teacher is looking for more PD? It looks like Bernie's plan was done by teachers and Warren's by school administrators.

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  25. Go to the page of any person telling you they support @ewarren and scroll through their TL.

    Go far enough and you will start to see the Hillary posts, The Obama posts, The posts from @shareblue, @mediamatters, and @peterdaou.

    @ewarren = Hillary Clinton

    You can tell by her base

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  26. TAXES WILL BE RAISED NOTHING IS FREE, IF YOU HAVE DEBT THAT SUCKS, THEY ARE PANDERING TO YOU. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HEALTH CARE OVER PEOPLE LIVING HERE? CRAZYYYYYYYY?

    NEED LAW AND ORDER NOT OPEN BORDERS TO WASTE 100'S OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THIS AND NOT OUR TAX PAYING CITIZENS.

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