Friday, May 28, 2021

MOST ABSENT TEACHER RESERVES FINALLY BEING PLACED PERMANENTLY

The 16 year ATR nightmare created by Joel Klein and Randi Weingarten looks to finally be over for most of the current ATRs.

This is from the DOE via a UFT official.


I would prefer choice in the placement but except for those coming from closing schools who had wide placement choices, DOE could always place excessed teachers within a district. This slide does leave the future uncertain unless the Contract is changed to eliminate the ATR clause.

Let's give credit to Chancellor Meisha Porter for placing most ATRs permanently.

Update from a UFT official:

As you may have heard, the DOE told principals yesterday that the vast majority of ATRs will be placed for next school year.  I am waiting for the DOE’s announcement.  Once I have it, I will connect with Deidre et al. about a message.  Essentially, this is the story:  all ATRs, except those who had disciplinary issues this year (as yet undefined), will be placed in the school at which they were assigned this year.  Furthermore, as people become excessed in the future, the DOE is going to push superintendents to find funded vacancies for those excessed staff members, rather than put them in the pool.  If they do what they are saying, this is effectively, finally the end of the ATR pool as we have known it.  We are sure to have people that are unhappy with the placement and we will deal with that, but this is a very positive development for a variety of reasons.

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does this mean ATR's are assigned permanently to the school they are currently in?

Anonymous said...

Why didn't Carranza think of this? Oh yeah he has other priorities

Anonymous said...

I am just now realizing what I always have thought and that is all the other chancellors who rolled through the NYCDOE and all they had to do was a stroke of the pen yet nada...

Dennis Walcott, Kathy Black (only 3 months does not count) farina and carranza all sat there at tweed and said hey we are now hiring 5000 newbies isn't that great! As someone once said somewhere that you cannot make this crap up. Yes Meisha gofo chancellor with new mayor as well we need Meisha!

Anonymous said...

James, when did this happen. Dare we hope this change has some connection to possible ERI agreement? I know I am grasping at straws at this point, but still holding out slim hopes.

Michael Gatton said...

Kudos, and congratulations, ATRs.

Bronx ATR said...

Congrats to Porter and ATRs. About time NYC had a real chancellor.

David Suker said...

This is just a screen grab from a computer display. How does this empower ATRs? Nothing will change unless the language in the contract is changed. How many ATRs if given the chance would want to stay permanently at the school they are at right now? If they stay, will they be used as a permanent in house “sub,” or will they be treated like every other teacher with full seniority taken into account?

Anonymous said...

What about the ATRs that are working in the Central offices? Any ideas?

Former Teacher said...

This might have to do with massive excessing that might happen. We have lost many students especially from wealthier schools. They are going to have to figure something out if they do not lower class sizes.

Anonymous said...

Former teacher,

I don’t think the doe really wants to excess this year. From what I am hearing, class sizes will actually matter so the doe will want more teachers for more classes.

It seems fsf will stay be in place.

I don’t see what reasoning an ATR would have now to find placement on open market.

Heck, I’m happy where I am as an ATR and don’t want to leave.

I’m assuming ERI will occur and newbies will be hired

Anonymous said...

This was the Chancellor, not a UFT demand. Total credit goes to Meisha on this. Do deBlasio and all the ed deformers know?

Anonymous said...

Since this is a directive by Meisha Porter can all the ATRs have a party and come up in glass elevators wearing crowns?

Anonymous said...

Anyone can still go on the open market to look for a job, ATR or not.

Anonymous said...

SO are ATRs still ATRs just in permanent positions? Can anyone provide clarity, or will we be appointed and have classes like a regular teacher. I don't see this as much of an improvement if we are still just covering classes.

David Suker said...

Been there, done that.

Anonymous said...

I would have loved to hear Chaz's perspective on the placements

Anonymous said...

Breaking news:
UFT president about to fuck UFT members, again.

Anonymous said...

I can already picture the headline in the Post "Flunked out teachers to be permanently placed"

Anonymous said...

DWARKA'S BACK AT IT AGAIN-COVID IS NO DETERINT TO BAD WORST EVALUATIONS AND HIGHEST TURNOVER! Bryant high school- infective's and developing ratings abound during covid!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is with urgency that I implore you to read this letter. I am asking you to act now and verify with your vote whether the following is a truthful account of the state of affairs in Bryant HS.
During the last few weeks, I had enough conversations with teachers to conclude that our school is in a crisis. Many of our colleagues cried in frustration and they are already looking for employment in other schools. This is nothing new. Ever since Ms. Dwarka became Principal, we have been losing on the average 20 to 30 educators a year. This is over 250 teachers, in addition to Guidance Counselors and approximately 15 Assistant Principals who left, were forced out or were demoted.
The situation was slowly worsening and before the pandemic came to change everything, we all felt that there was no room left for professional discretion. We all had to comply to strict administrative directives, and a prescribed way of teaching. Our ratings had come to reflect the new level of inflexibility. At that time, some brave Bryant teachers and I went to the Executive Board of the Union to plead for help. We met with Michael Mulgrew and the Union requested the Superindendent to come in and meet with the teachers.• Fear is real in Bryant HS.
• Top-down uncompromising management.
• There is no real professional dialogue.
• We have compromised our professional integrity.
• One size fits all instructional strategy.
• We fail in our evaluations.
• Our school fails.
• Nothing that we do is enough.
• We have been denied access to data.
• The Consultation Committee and the Chapter Leader have been disrespected.
• Intimidation tactics, micromanagement, and pressure.
• Letters in the file for unfounded accusations.
• High turnover for teachers and administrators.
• Consistent very low Principal approval rating on the School Environment In unity, Georgia Lignou, UFT Chapter Leader

Truth is power and exposing the truth can set us free.

Anonymous said...

So the big deal is that atrs will remain doing nothing, just in the same school? Wow. You guys have low standards and expectations.

Anonymous said...

If a current ATR has the license for a vacancy, is the principal obligated to place them in that position? We have a great ATR this year, who is beyond thrilled at this news.

Anonymous said...

That is exactly what this is about... They want to send the message loud and clear... to anyone in the ATR pool... Get rid to go back into the classroom!

Anonymous said...

ATRs will be regularly appointed teachers with seniority in their licennse area. Not permanent subs.

Anonymous said...

Power to the ATRs!

Great news for these warriors!

Go Porter!

David Suker said...

Let’s see that in writing. I’m not going to hold my breath.

Anonymous said...

I feel like there will be ERI this year-WHY? Because

Extended time with students Monday-Thursday-no thanks

Permanent placement of ATRs-instead of the $50,000 buyout offered in the past

No remote option for teachers

These 3 things alone will provide many teachers with enough time to RUN FOR THE HILLS!

Congrats to get out this year! You have made it through your prison sentence. Enjoy your freedom! Your freedom offers me hope-I too know that one day I will be free!

Anonymous said...

6:08: I still don't know if this is true based on what I"m reading. I believe 3:05 more.

Anonymous said...

Now let’s see if Meisha keeps enabling abusers like Dwarka who will make ATRs as miserable as regular staff.

Anonymous said...

Have been in the ATR pool for just a few years. It's been an experience. It's a conspiracy to treat those in the ATR pool like crap. Stellar 20 year performance and once got excessed due to closing of my school, got treated got shit that following September just because of being excessed. Have seen the hypocrisy first hand; the 'envy' of staff towards those in the ATR pool. Did not matter that I worked hard for 20+ years during a time that there was no ATR pool that could provide school with extra assistance. Staff worked hard and did not treat people like shit. Wake up DOE staff. Treat people nicely.

I was hired 'provisionally' for the year and the agreement was that I would be placed back into the ATR pool come September. The principal had hired someone for the position I was provisionally filling. Now, the principal was told I will remain permanently since I was hired provisionally. By-bye to the newbie with low salary. Further, there will be another person in my title that is another newbie which will remain. Once this pandemic blows over and funding dries up, this person will be gone and I will remain because I have seniority.

I am damn good and confident in my title. The principal was very satisfied with my performance and I will exercise my seniority rights. This ATR pool fiasco has ended for me.

Anonymous said...

All ATRs will remain at their site permanently unless rating is not favorable. If provisionally hired, school will need to fund the salary. If were not provisionally hired, central will.

I had been provisionally hired so the principal will need to continue to pay for my 22+ year salary.

Kiss being an ATR good-bye.

It would have been nice to have a choice of placement, but I was in another school the first half of the year and would have raised hell if I was still there and had to remain. Much prefer my current site than that hell hole that I was in the first half of the year.

Anonymous said...

3:05 is right. All this means is that your in a school now as an atr you remain. It doesnt mean the principal is going to hire you, you just remain and continue to be a coffee fetcher. If you working provisional then you will permanent if you met certain criteria. For anyone that just got excessed you will be placed throughout the district where there is a need. The only one that benefits is an atr that is in a school now that they like.

Anonymous said...

This was my fear. We are still technically ATRs. We still don't have our Seniority and the principal will just us us to cover classes and cover long term absences. We won't be given programs and we won't have rights to per session and comp time positions. So I really don't know what everyone is celebrating. So now people that are excessed now get placed into vacancies, but we don't? Where's the logic in that. I really wish I could get a straight answer. I'll ask my principal tomorrow.

James Eterno said...

I am just curious: What do the words "permanently staffed"mean to you, 6:37, 4:26 and 3:05?

From the instructions to principals:

"Transfer Subsidy Placements of Excessed Teachers: Most excessed educators will be permanently staffed at the school where they are currently assigned at no cost to the school (and not taking up a vacancy) for as long as they remain in the role/title. This will allow teachers to continue working with the colleagues and students with whom they've built relationships this year. "

Anonymous said...

What I am concerned about is when the funding evaporates and the high paid ATR remains with the principal having to pay for that salary.

James Eterno said...

I think they might be out of luck by then 7:21. Can you retreat from the word permanent?

Anonymous said...

Permanently staffed means are being placed permanently - no more rotations - EVER. The principal, in the case of those NOT provisionally hired during this year, would NOT need to pay for the salary. Principals in this case will do with the no longer ATR whatever they want (treat them like real staff or make them feel like they are in the ATR pool). For principals that would need to PAY for the no longer ATR status staff, the principal will make sure they are treated as permanent staff because they are paying for them.

Anonymous said...

Permanently staffed in ATR language just means we are ATRs in the school we are currently in permanently. We are technically not appointed. I hope you are right and I"ll keep hope alive until I here something "permanent."

Anonymous said...

James @ 7:26PM - Principals will begin guerrilla tactics when the funding dries up and is faced with continuing to pay for the high salary of the previous ATR status staff.

James Eterno said...

But if you are permanently staffed, won't you have the same rights as any other teacher on staff?

Anonymous said...

@James Eterno 7:43PM - Yes, if permanently staffed, would have the same rights as any other staff. Should be.... but, the principal in this case did not choose the ATR. The DOE is proceeding with forced placement. It's not a good position to be in when your are force placed, have a high salary and in the near future funds dry up. It's a concern.

Anonymous said...

Does Permanently staff mean appointed to the building? I don't think so. Remember the doe already places us all the time so they are just eliminating the step of placing us each year or half year or whenever. I still think the ATR pool is going to exist.

James Eterno said...

You take a narrow view of the placement. I would take wider view if I were the UFT. We shall see where it goes.

Anonymous said...

Mikey Bloomberg must be rolling over in his townhouse reading the times article that states a reversal of a bloomberg policy. Who could have ever believed that bloomberg had the notion to create such a pool in the first place? Joel Klein eat your heart out - and oh by the way take a look at Joel Klein's jobs after leaving the DOe. Every where he went he failed. Klein also failed when he was chancellor. Meisha put him in her pocket. Peace baby cya in sept.

Anonymous said...

It either benefits you or will hurt you. If your an atr like me in a school with no specific assignment then it benefits me. The school is good with good admins and students. The principal already has positions filled so I will be used as that extra person at no charge to her. Yes we are permanent but for how long nobody knows.If your your in shitty school as a provisional hire then your screwed because principle now has to pay full salary and doesnt want to. Forced placement doesnt benefit everyone so some of us have to really examine this decision. The school you are out now doesnt gurantee you will be there next year either. We will know on June 18. And as far as me knowing what permanent means Mr. Eterno, I certainly do. But I also know what a crooked and deceiving doe we work for does to people like us.So that why I dont trust the word permanent.

Anonymous said...

Principals must be raising hell to their union. They don't want force placement and have to pay for a high salary. If they get the ATR status staff free, then no big deal, but if it interferes with their budget, there will be problems.