Education reforms signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm Jan. 4 have local educators feeling some trepidation. Brandon Schools Superintendent Lorrie McMahon is conflicted over the five-bill legislative package which reforms the state’s education system and allows Michigan to compete for up to $400 million in federal funds.
‘In general, my concern is that we don’t know enough about the education reforms,? McMahon said.
‘We’re concerned about losing local control and the unfunded mandates. This will be expensive for schools. We have already spent a lot of time and money and will have to do so again.?
According to a press release from Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office, the education reforms allow the state to intervene in the lowest-performing schools; permit new high-quality charter schools to open if they meet certain standards and permit the closure of low-performing charter schools; require administrators to be certified; require an annual evaluation of teachers and administrators using data on student growth; create alternative routes to teacher certification; and raise the dropout age from 16 to 18, effective for the class of 2016.
McMahon noted that she is not worried about state intervention since Brandon performs well and charter school stipulations don’t apply here. Her concerns lie in curriculum changes and teacher evaluations.
She acknowledges that curriculum changes could be good if the district is given enough time to implement them before testing begins and a data system may also be postive, though costly. But the proposed changes to teacher evaluations are frustrating to McMahon, as the district is in the third year of revising their evaluation process in a pilot program.
‘That is a lot of time and effort if we have to change to a process that is less valuable,? she said. ‘I’m concerned that we’re going backwards in a yearly evaluation because we will have to reduce the quality of the new program we are piloting or we’ll have to increase the number of administrators. Something will have to give.?
Under the old system of evaluation, still currently in effect, teachers are on probation for their first four years of teaching in the district. During that time, they are evaluated twice every year and struggling teachers are given the opportunity to improve. At the end of their fourth year, the district can decide whether to grant tenure. Once a teacher is granted tenure, by state law they are evaluated only once every three years, or can be evaluated every year if the administrator (building principal) feels they should be.
The pilot program in Brandon is based on a research model by Charlotte Danielson and focuses on the teacher as a learner, McMahon said, which in turn impacts student learning. The program was designed by both administrators and teachers and the district is evaluating 15-20 teachers in this manner this year.
Steve Hendershott, a Brandon Middle School teacher and president of the Brandon Education Association, called the pilot program ‘outstanding.?
‘It’s an evaluation tool that is above and beyond what the state is asking for, in a less threatening way,? he said. ‘I can’t see (the new reforms) being beneficial right now, because it just means more testing and evaluation for the kids and teachers having to deviate from the curriculum that is developed to prepare students for the tests. Again, all of this money is to get better performance out of schools that aren’t performing well, and the money they are giving isn’t going to help us perform better for what they are asking us to do.?
While Hendershott said he is supportive of raising the dropout age, he wondered how it would be enforced.
‘If they drop out, their parents are obviously not getting them to go to school, now the schools have to make them come in,? he said. ‘Do we take a teacher out of the classroom to make those kids come in? Where is the money to enforce it?? McMahon said a better alternative system is needed that would reduce the dropout rate.
‘Because (the state) gave an escape clause for parents to sign off on a kid who wants to drop out, I’m not sure that piece of the law has a lot of teeth,? she said. ‘I think we should concentrate on improving the alternative program so that kids who struggle in the traditional program have somewhere to go as an alternative. I’m not sure forcing them to stay would be successful… I know people are concerned about discipline. If you don’t want to be there, it could be a problem.?
Overall, McMahon believes the reforms have the potential to have a positive effect, but she said the district needs to see the plan in greater detail to understand how it will impact each student. ‘We are adopting a wait and see attitude,? she said. ‘I am concerned about the financial impact in these economic times.?
Similarly, Goodrich Board of Education President Michael is concerned about the expenses to the district.
‘It’s unfortunate the state of education in Michigan got to the point it did to prompt such sweeping changes,? said Tripp.
‘Several of the reforms are on target with what we at Goodrich had in the works already.?
‘However, there will be some costs involved for the district.?