Dear Colleague,

Veteran teacher union watchdog Mike Antonucci has written a piece for Education Next about the possible ramifications of the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case which he states could “fundamentally alter the education labor landscape.” The in-depth article should be able to answer many of your questions about the case which will be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court next year. He points out the many fuzzy areas of union expenditures and addresses the exclusive representation argument:

“No one is forced to join a union—that’s already illegal,” said Michigan Education Association president Steve Cook. The banning of agency fees “allows workers to get out of paying their fair share of what it costs to negotiate the contract they benefit from. Whether proponents call this ‘right-to-work’ or ‘freedom-to-work,’ it’s really just ‘freedom-to-freeload.’”

That’s a pretty strong argument, as far as it goes. Wouldn’t a Friedrichs defeat for the union effectively force CTA members to subsidize benefits for nonpaying employees? Perhaps, if the state government or the local school district were forcing the CTA to be the exclusive representative of all bargaining-unit workers. But it is the union that demands exclusive representation.

To access Antonucci’s piece, go here - http://educationnext.org/teachers-unions-risk-losing-agency-fees-friedrichs-california/

On the subject of Friedrichs, the event sponsored by CTEN and the Association of American Educators last month in Long Beach was very informative. As announced in the last newsletter, we examined the Friedrichs and Bain lawsuits and their possible ramifications for teachers and the general public. The panel discussion featured lawyers and plaintiffs from both cases, and a lively audience Q&A followed. The video of the event will be accessible on our website very soon. We will alert you when it’s available.

Los Angeles a half-charter district? If Eli Broad and some other philanthropists get their way, that will be a reality within the next eight years. Los Angeles Times education writer Howard Blume broke the story:

According to a 44-page memo obtained by The Times, the locally based Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and other charter advocates want to create 260 new charter schools, enrolling at least 130,000 students.

Organizers of the effort have declined to publicly release details of the plan. But the memo lays out a strategy for moving forward, including how to raise money, recruit and train teachers, provide outreach to parents and navigate the political battle that will probably ensue.

… the proposed expansion would mean more than doubling the number of charter schools in Los Angeles, a feat that even backers say might prove demanding.

Needless to say, the United Teachers of Los Angeles is outraged about this plan. To read Blume’s piece and access the Broad memo, go to http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-charter-20150922-story.html

An article posted last month by the Foundation for Economic Education describes an educational model “in which the student is the customer.” Written by Thomas Bogle, a public school teacher from Arizona, the piece examines public education from a libertarian perspective.

When education becomes a public good, the power to make decisions about the educational opportunities for the majority of students falls directly into the hands of politicians and unelected bureaucrats. While these groups can be responsive to parents with children in the public education system — at least occasionally to a bloc of angry voters — their voices are simply few among many. Even if the policymakers offer more than lip service to the voting public, they have myriad other constituents who all want their voices to be represented in this domain, too — from developers who want to build $70 million football stadiums to the teachers’ associations and unions.

He then goes on to suggest that education adopt a business model. To read this provocative article, go to http://fee.org/freeman/students-for-sale/

In a similar vein, Greg Forster, a senior fellow at the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, writes:

At the root of our education debates is a debate about the family. The government school monopoly is one of the most important factors undermining the family unit; universal school choice would be a big step toward strengthening it.

To continue reading “Choosing Choice Is Choosing Families,” go here - http://www.ocpathink.org/article/choosing-choice-is-choosing-families

It’s no secret that too many of our students are not “college ready” and, according to a new study, it’s because students’ critical thinking skills are not what they should be.

California teachers say critical thinking skills, not scores on standardized tests, are the best way to assess whether students are prepared for success in college and the workplace, according to an online survey by EdSource in partnership with the California Teachers Association.

Teachers said they have received much more training on how to prepare students for college – and far less on preparing them for non-college options.

They also said college and career readiness has not been fully integrated into the professional development training they have received to implement the Common Core State Standards.

While important for all teachers, high school teachers and administrators especially should take note. To read about the study, go to http://edsource.org/2015/teachers-say-critical-thinking-most-important-indicator-of-student-success/87810

The National Council on Teacher Quality, a nonprofit and nonpartisan education policy organization, has a new project called “Path to Teach.” Its website allows you to “determine cost, location and where you'll get the best preparation for the realities of the classroom.” The site is excellent for would-be teachers and those in the field looking to advance. You can access rankings of more than 1,100 colleges and universities and 85 alternative certification programs to find the one that will guide you toward a successful career path. To learn more, go here - http://www.pathtoteach.org/what-is-pathtoteach.jsp

Have a bullying problem at your school? Bridg-it may be worth looking into. According to Lauren Weisbarth, teacher and Bridg-it team member,

Bridg-it collects and analyzes individual school data to increase school safety and to create a positive school climate. It is a digital platform that enables the school community to use strategies that employ proven, restorative techniques when dealing with student incidences. 

If this sounds like something your school can use, please visit their website – http://www.bridgit.com/

If you are a CTA/NEA agency fee payer, now is the time to submit your rebate request. You must request your rebate this year (and every year!) by November 15th. If you are as much as one day late, you will not get a penny back. Also, because liability insurance is important for teachers, we suggest joining the Association of American Educators (http://www.aaeteachers.org/ ) or Christian Educators Association (http://www.ceai.org/) Both AAE and CEAI are professional organizations, not unions, and are apolitical. (Also, teachers who mention CTEN when they sign up with AAE for the first time will get a $30 discount off the regular $198 first year membership.) For more information, go to http://www.ctenhome.org/how-to-opt-out-teachers-union-nea-cta-aft-cft.html

If you are interested in giving CTEN brochures to colleagues, you can print them right from the home page - http://www.ctenhome.org/PDFdocs/CTEN - Brochure.pdf  Or, if you prefer, we will be happy to send you as many preprinted ones as you need.

Also, anyone wishing to donate to CTEN can do so very simply through check, money order or PayPal - http://www.ctenhome.org/donate.html As a non-profit, we exist only through the generosity of others. Thanks, as always.

Sincerely,

Larry Sand

CTEN President

Dear Colleague,

At 3pm on Sunday, September 27^th, CTEN, along with the Association of American Educators, will be hosting an informational event in Long Beach. We will examine the Friedrichs and Bain lawsuits and their possible ramifications for teachers and the general public. I will moderate a panel discussion featuring lawyers and plaintiffs from both cases, and an audience Q&A will follow. The event and refreshments are free but seating is limited so we are asking people to sign up for the event. To do so, go here to aaeteachers.org

Last week California’s latest standardized test scores were released and, as expected, the results were not good. As the Los Angeles Times reported,

Echoing a downward trend in test scores nationwide, most California students have fallen below grade level and are not ready for college, according to results from new, more rigorous standardized tests. The picture is worse in L.A. Unified, the nation’s second-largest school system.

Across the state, 44% of students scored at grade level or better in English, while 34% did so in math. In L.A. Unified, the figures were 33% in English and 25% in math.

State and local officials said they were prepared for the low scores. The questions are more difficult than on the state’s previous test and, for the first time, students took the exam on computers. The test is linked to a new set of learning standards, called Common Core, that have been adopted by 42 states.

For more, go here - http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-new-test-results-20150908-story.html

The news was better from charter schools, however:

• Charter schools have successfully outperformed the state average in English Language Arts by 4.9 scale score points. 
• In Math, charter schools on average have exceeded the state average by 2.4 scale score points. 
• Overall, California's charter schools have scored on average 3.6 scale score points higher than the statewide average on a combined measure of Math and English Language Arts.

To read the California Charter School Association press release, go to http://www.ccsa.org/blog/2015/09/charter-schools-performing-above-state-average-on-new-common-core-aligned-tests.html  

In the “questionable idea” category, a school in San Francisco has decided to go to “gender-neutral” bathrooms. And just to be clear, this is not about single-stall bathrooms but rather restrooms with multiple stalls.

So far, the single-stall bathrooms for kindergartners and first graders—which are located within the classroom—are gender neutral. The school plans to phase in bathrooms used by older students over the next few years, including restrooms with multiple stalls.

If this becomes the norm, possibly the next thing will be teachers’ bathrooms with multiple stalls. Are you okay with that? If not, I suggest you start to make some noise now. If you are a union member, maybe voice an objection there. For more on co-ed cans, go to http://news.yahoo.com/school-switching-gender-neutral-bathrooms-students-201124192.html

Every few years, we are exposed to a new health fad. In the 1980s, it seems that every other person you met was diagnosed with hypoglycemia. Today – and for several years now – the rage is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Now the CDC has entered the discussion and claims that one in five diagnoses of ADHD are wrong.

In 18 percent of cases, the diagnosis was done solely on the basis of family members' reports, which is inconsistent with AAP recommendations that information be collected from individuals across multiple settings -- such as a teacher, piano instructor, or sports coach. Additionally, one out of every 10 children was diagnosed without the use of a behavior rating scale that is supposed to be administered.

So while no one is denying its existence, parents and schools would be advised to be more prudent before labeling a child with the disorder. For more, go here - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/09/03/one-in-five-kids-with-adhd-diagnosed-by-doctors-not-following-professional-guidelines/

 

Much has been written about the benefits of a later school day start for kids. A recent report from researchers at Harvard and Oxford found that 10-year-olds should start school at 8 am, 16-year-olds should start between 10 and 10:30 am, and 18-year-olds should start between 11 and 11:30 a.m. Here's a sample of what they found across the U.S.:

• In North Carolina, eighth-grade students who started class an hour later than their peers in the same district had higher test scores. The later start time seemed especially helpful for low-scoring students, and the effects persisted into high school.
• When the Minneapolis Public Schools moved their start time from 7:15 am to 8:40 am, students liked the change and reported that "attendance, achievement, behavior, and mood improved." Parents were positive, too: 92 percent said they liked the shift, and parents reported that their kids were easier to live with when they weren't getting up so early.
• At the US Air Force Academy, where students were randomly assigned to classes with earlier and later start times, students who started earlier performed worse all day long on those days.

To read more go to - http://www.vox.com/2015/9/7/9271175/high-school-start-times
 

Recently, school choice advocates have been taking it on the chin. First, in late August, the ACLU filed a lawsuit which aims to kill Nevada’s new ESA program. Then on Sept. 4^th, the Washington State Supreme Court declared the state’s 2012 charter-school law unconstitutional. While the adults argue about details of state law, thousands of kids and their families’ lives are on hold. For more on the two battles. go to
http://dailysignal.com/2015/08/27/alcu-files-lawsuit-to-block-school-choice-for-nevada-children/ and

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/423683/charter-schools-washington-state-court

In light of the Friedrichs case, the teachers unions are doing what they can to maintain membership, and in the following case, they are trying to stick it to the taxpayer.

Efforts are underway to pass a “public employee orientation” mandate in which all newly hired public employees — including public-school employees and transit workers — must attend a program sponsored by the recognized local union. The “orientation” would take place during the workday. Employees would be required to show up in person. State taxpayers would pick up the costs.

Under proposed language, “The content of the recognized employee organization’s presentation shall be determined solely by the employee organization and shall not be subject to negotiation.” The unions are carving out a right to lobby new employees to join and pay dues.

To read more, go here - http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/sep/07/orientation-bill-preparation-end-mandatory-dues/

 

(Update: the mandate push was not successful. But it will, in all likelihood, be revived in the next legislative session. For more, go here - http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2015/09/11/ctas-mandatory-sales-pitch-bill-looks-dead/ )

And on the subject of unions, now is the time for agency fee payers to claim their rebate. Or if you are a full-dues payer and want to withhold the political share of your union dues, now is the time to get busy. For details, go here - http://www.ctenhome.org/how-to-opt-out-teachers-union-nea-cta-aft-cft.html

 

Errata: Writing about Barry Garelick’s op-ed (http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2015/08/11/pernicious-egalitarianism-shrinks-8th-grade-algebra-programs) last month, I reported that 8th graders will no longer be taking algebra in California due to the Common Core State Standards. But Garelick actually wrote, “The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) decided recently to eliminate first-year algebra for 8th graders.” He adds that in other areas “access is restricted by increasing the barriers via additional tests, etc. So algebra in 8th grade is still there, but for fewer students.”

If you are still using a school email to receive these newsletters, please consider sending us your personal email address. More and more school districts are blocking CTEN. In any event, if you enjoy these letters and find them informative, please pass them along to your colleagues and encourage them to join us.

And finally, if you would like to see us address certain issues, topics, etc. in these newsletters or on our website – http://www.ctenhome.org – please let us know. And please be sure to share our monthly letters with your coworkers. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Larry Sand

CTEN President

Dear Colleague,

As most of you are back to work now, we sincerely hope that you had an enjoyable summer and that the always busy start of a new school year has been smooth sailing.

CTEN is again participating in National Employee Freedom Week which began August 16^th and runs through August 22^nd. NEFW is a national campaign whose purpose is to let employees know that they have the freedom to opt out of their union and become agency-fee payers or religious/conscientious objectors. This year 99 organizations in 42 states are participating. An important objective is to reach the 39.2 percent of those in union households nationwide who are unaware they can opt-out of union membership without losing their job or any other penalty. For more information, please visit the NEFW website – http://employeefreedomweek.com/  For info specific to teachers in California, go to http://www.ctenhome.org/how-to-opt-out-teachers-union-nea-cta-aft-cft.html

 

And talking about employee freedom, CTEN board member Rebecca Friedrichs had an interview on the subject with the Washington Post’s Emma Brown. While the title of piece – “Two teachers explain why they want to take down their union” – is untruthful, the Q&A is worthwhile. (Friedrichs et al v CTA is not about destroying CTA, but rather an attempt to make dues-paying optional) In any event, near the end of the interview, Friedrichs was asked, “What’s the teachers’ lounge like for you these days? How are you treated?” Her response:

When I took this on I thought I would be shunned, but I knew I was doing the right thing and I have been pleasantly surprised that many, many teachers, they won’t say it in public but they take me into a quiet room or they’ll send me a quiet e-mail to my home, and they thank me and they hug me. I’ve had very little pushback.
 
To read the interview with Rebecca and Harlan Elrich, another plaintiff in the case, go here - http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2015/08/11/two-teachers-explain-why-they-want-to-take-down-their-union/

Lest there be any confusion about the Friedrichs case and Bain v CTA, a related lawsuit, CTEN and the Association of American Educators are cosponsoring an informational event on September 27^th in Long Beach. There will be a panel discussion featuring a lawyer and plaintiff from each case. Details will be forthcoming.

From our friends at EdSource:

EdSource Today is looking for teachers who have signed up to receive ETS training to become Smarter Balanced test scorers for a story about the tests and how districts are using them. If you have received (or will receive) this training, please contact reporter Theresa Harrington in Northern California at 510-433-0421 ext. 142 or tharrington@edsource or reporter Sarah Tully in Southern California at stully@edsource.org

Have you ever felt that a professional development class you were taking was a waste of time? If you are like me, you have had many such experiences. And now TNTP has come out with a study that looked closely at teacher development in three large school districts and one charter school network. The results are not pretty; TNTP found that despite school systems making a massive and laudable investment in teacher improvement—far larger than most people realize,

• … most teachers do not appear to improve substantially from year to year….

• … no evidence that any particular kind or amount of professional development consistently helps teachers improve.
   
• School systems are failing to help teachers understand how to improve—or even that they have room to improve at all. 

To learn more and read the TNTP report, go to http://tntp.org/publications/view/the-mirage-confronting-the-truth-about-our-quest-for-teacher-development

Math teacher and Common Core expert Barry Garelick has in interesting piece posted on the Heartland Institute website. “Pernicious Egalitarianism Shrinks 8th Grade Algebra Programs” delves into the fact that 8^th graders will no longer be taking algebra in California due to the Common Core State Standards. Garelick states,

Algebra will now be offered only in high school. Of course, it is a mistake to allow students to take algebra if they are not prepared for it. To succeed in algebra, students must have already achieved mastery of fractions, percentages, decimals, ratios, and negative numbers and be able to solve a variety of word problems. But if a student is qualified to take algebra in 8th grade and would do well in it, why not give the child that opportunity?

Yes, why not? As one who taught algebra to 8^th graders for several years, I think this is a serious mistake. To read more of Garelick’s piece, go to http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2015/08/11/pernicious-egalitarianism-shrinks-8th-grade-algebra-programs

The New York Times’ Mokoto Rich recently penned “Teacher Shortages Spur a Nationwide Hiring Scramble (Credentials Optional)” the latest entry in the alleged teacher shortfall. While all the usual suspects repeat the shortage meme as gospel, there really is not much truth to it. As Mike Antonucci writes,

In the years leading up to the recession, reports of teacher shortages were constantly in the news. In response, America added 140,000 teachers to the workforce. The recession hit, and 63,000 of those teachers disappeared – either through direct layoffs, or attrition when veteran teachers retired.

How can there be a teacher shortage when 63,000 recently working teachers are still out there?

To read Antonucci’s response to Rich’s piece go here - http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2015/08/10/shortage-term-memory/  To read what Antonucci has written on the subject over the years, go to http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/?s=teacher+shortage  University of Washington Researcher Dan Goldhaber weighs in here - http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2015/08/research_vs_conventional_wisdom_teacher_attrition.html To read Rich’s piece, go here - http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/us/teacher-shortages-spur-a-nationwide-hiring-scramble-credentials-optional.html

The National Council on Teacher Quality blows up another long-standing myth, that of the “5 year and out” teacher myth.

The Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study follows the same group of teachers for five years, regardless of where they live—even if they leave a state. The headline finding was that only 17 percent of new teachers leave after the first four years (the gray areas in the graph below).  That's a far cry from the oft-repeated education myth that 50 percent of teachers leave within their first five years.

To read more of the NCTQ report, go to http://www.nctq.org/commentary/tqb/tqb.do?id=11

Former teacher and union leader Doug Tuthill has written an article in which he refutes the anti-choice union talking points and claims that “School choice is good for teachers, too.”

Florida also now has more than 40,000 teachers who do not work for school districts. Nearly 14,000 of them work in charter schools, which surpasses the public school teaching workforce in nine other states. At the nonprofit I lead, we routinely hear stories of teachers who migrate from district schools to private schools. They’re choosing these options for the same reason parents are—because they offer a better fit for their individual needs.

To tread Tuthill’s piece go to https://www.redefinedonline.org/2015/08/tuthill-school-choice-is-good-for-teachers-too/

CTEN has three Facebook pages. If you have a Facebook account, we urge you to visit ours and let us know your thoughts. Having a dialogue among teachers is an effective way to spread information and experiences and to share ideas. Our original Facebook page can be found here http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=125866159932&ref=ts  Our second page, which deals with teacher evaluation and transparency, can be accessed here - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=126900987357825&ref=ts  Our newest page is Teachers for School Choice and can be accessed here - https://www.facebook.com/teachersforchoice?fref=ts

In any event, if you enjoy these letters and find them informative, please pass them along to your colleagues. We know that there are many independent-minded teachers in California who are looking for alternative sources of information. Many thanks, as always, for your interest and support.

Sincerely,

Larry Sand

CTEN President