WAIT one Red Clay minute !!!!!!!!!!

I’ve done some research on the assignment of the Teach for America teachers in Red Clay School District and it goes like this:

Red Clay claims the 6 Teacher for America teachers (not 3 as I mentioned in a previous post) are being paid via federal funds under the Title 1 program.  This cannot be because, the TFA teacher are not designated Title 1 teachers because they are regular class room teachers. Though Warner Elementary School is consider school wide Title 1 it doesn’t mean all teachers within are Title 1 teachers or paid with federal Title 1 monies. Title 1 school wide means the poverty level is so high that the federal laws permits all students within to benefit from the Title 1 services within.  Warner has six “reading teachers” being paid by Title 1 funding at best. Title 1 is a supplemental program for high poverty schools providing supplemental reading and / or math.  The TFA teachers in Warner are classified as Regular classroom teacher aka Elementary Generalist  not a highly qualified teachers within the scope of federal regulations within  Title 1.

From the Teach for America board presenation June 17 ,2009 page 9:

Teach For America corps members are considered “highly qualified” under

No Child Left Behind because they:

– Have passed the teacher licensure/certification exam;

– Hold a license to teach in the state; and

– Are participating in an alternative route to certification program where

they:

• Receive high-quality professional development that is sustained,

intensive, and classroom-focused

• Participate in a program of intensive supervision that consists of

structured guidance and regular ongoing support

• Assume functions as a teacher only for a specified period of time not

to exceed three years; and

• Demonstrate satisfactory progress toward full certification as

prescribed by the State

The only certification these Teach for America teachers have is:

“Emergency Certificate” means a temporary credential issued to an individual who has obtained employment or an offer of employment with an employing district and holds a valid Delaware Initial, Continuing, or Advanced License, but lacks necessary skills and knowledge to immediately meet certification requirements in a specific content area. The temporary credential provides the individual with a limited time to meet the requirements for certification in the specific content area.

These teachers are not Highly qualified and have not complete full requirements to fulfill the requirements under federal law per Title 1:

‘‘SEC. 1119. QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS.

‘‘(a) TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning with the first day of the first school year after the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, each local educational agency receiving assistance under this part shall ensure that all teachers hired after such day and teaching in a program supported with funds under this part are highly qualified.

Title 1 Teachers must be Highly qualified on day one of the school year and these Teach for America Teachers are not! They CANNOT be paid with Title 1 funding !

The state’s emergency “Emergency Certificate” program is being politically manipulated and abused.

Gets better:

News Journal

August 20, 2009

Teach for America recruits head to high-need schools

“But there are additional costs. Red Clay and each charter school is required to pay Teach for America $10,000 per member each of the two years — something the union opposes. The Rodel Foundation, the Longwood Foundation and the business community also have committed to providing an additional $10,000 per corps member per year. These fees fund Teach for America’s recruitment, selection and professional development, Wang said.”

If  Teacher for America fees are $10,000.00 per Teach for America teachers, Red Clay’s cost would be $60,000.00 per year. Why then did Red Clay sign a contract with Teach for American for up to $100,000.00, $40,000.00 more than what is required? That’s $120,000.00 over the three year contract. 

Red Clay Teach for America teachers cannot be paid with Title 1 funding therefore with local and state dollars. However, if there is any loopholes within the federal stimulus and theses teachers are being paid out of those funds which is ment to add jobs or save jobs then it’s a zero gain in jobs and in fact 6 teaching position are lost. Meaning the stimulus was to create jobs not allow Red Clay to  bump out teachers to make way for Teach for America.

Finally, the state expects districts to strictly comply with the requirements of 20

 

Dear Superintendent:  April 6, 2009

U.S.C. § 6318 with respect to the involvement of parents in preparation ofplans to use these new funds, including the requirement ofreservation ofPart B funds specifically for activities relating to parents. Federal law requires that local districts make specific and concerted efforts to involve parents in the planning for use ofTitle 1 funds, and that local districts set aside a specific percentage of Title 1 monies to enhance parental involvement. The state intends to closely monitor adherence to this federal law, and the regulations issued by Secretary Lowery will include required disclosures relating to compliance with Section 6318. Sincerely, Jack Markell, Governor, RED CLAY DID NOT FOLLOW THIS LAW PRIOR TO SIGNING THE TEACH FOR AMERICA CONTRACT

 

Call my shit complex ranting but I am hear to tell you DSEA knows the bullshit game going on and are apparently looking the other way. In time little by little teaching jobs will be giving to Teach for America and leave out those young education majors or even bump out current teacher position as in Red Clay. Delaware does not have a shortage of teaching position applicants.

The Red Clay School Board needs to put the superintendent on notice that he is not permitted to sign any future contracts with Teach of America uless ”reviewed” and ”approved” by the school board. Board members, keep your superintendent focused on Red Clay not Dover politics. 

 Community FYI: My blog nor myself is about providing brief links to happy little events or general topics. I might appear to be very negative but somebody has to take the trash out.  I have not problem engaging the issues head on with Red Clay, state legislators, Dover officials , Governor Markell, Delaware DOE, USDOE and the president of the United States if need be. It doesn’t mean Red Clay administration are crooks but it’s out job as taxpayers and invested community members to watch over our tax dollars.  We cannot allow our government uninhibited use of our tax dollars. Furthermore , though I am not an expert I must question why with all the PhD’s we employ  we have a failing public school system? one third of the Delaware State Budget , one billion dollars  goes towards public education and this does not include millions up million of dollars from the federal government aka our tax dollars. If you want to bitch about government please take time to bitch directly at them. Arne Duncan will come to Delaware charming everyone even a few hens at DSEA however make note, George Bush was charming in the beginning. 

Arne Duncan must go!

Duncan says turnarounds not to blame for school violence Posted By Sarah Karp On Wednesday, October 7, 2009

“Duncan bristled when I asked him whether the district’s turnaround strategy had anything to do with increasing violence at Fenger, calling the notion “absolutely ridiculous.””

“Last year, while still at the helm of CPS, Duncan announced that he was turning Fenger around; all its teachers and staff would have to reapply for their jobs. From what I understand, most were not rehired.”

“At a Tuesday evening press conference outside City Hall, activist Victory Grandberry says he feels the removal of tenured teachers has made the situation more volatile.”

“I’m sick and tired of the politics they’re playing with our schools,” he said. “How do they expect the kids to be safe when they’re taking the support mechanism away?”

 

Arne Duncan has blood on his hands ???

Is there link between the deadly Chicago youth violence and the school closings overseen by Arne Duncan? 3:00 am October 8, 2009, by Maureen Downey

“From Bracey: The mainstream media are giving Obama/Duncan the same lap-dog treatment on education they gave Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Powell-Rice in the run up to and early days of the Iraq debacle.”

“I have a paper coming out soon which will document this. It will show that Chicago’s rising test scores on state tests are due to lowered standards (something even Duncan has admitted) and that Chicago’s scores on NAEP are about as low as you can get (especially for black and Hispanic kids, who mostly make up Chicago Public Schools) and did not rise at all during Duncan’s tenure as CEO.”

 School closings may be root of Chicago teen deaths

“Activists say the escalating violence among Chicago’s teens may have roots in an unlikely place — an ambitious plan to improve education that’s also thrown rival gangs together in an often-volatile daily mix.’

“Since 2005, dozens of Chicago’s public schools have been closed and thousands of students reassigned to campuses outside their neighborhoods — and often across gang lines — as part of Renaissance 2010, a program launched by Mayor Richard Daley when Duncan was Chicago Public Schools chief.”

“Before the 2006 school year, an average of 10-15 public school students were fatally shot each year. That soared to 24 deadly shootings in the 2006-07 school year, 23 deaths and 211 shootings in the 2007-08 school year and 34 deaths and 290 shootings last school year”

“You have a trail of blood and tears ever since they launched (Renaissance 2010),” said Tio Hardiman, director of the anti-violence organization CeaseFire Illinois. “There’s a history of violence associated with moving kids from one area to another.”

“Our children need to go to school in their own community,” said Virgil Crawford, an education advocate with the West Side Health Authority.

Arne Duncan hides out in the Four Seasons $$$ hotel

Holder and Duncan speak on teen violence

Check out the video at the above link.

40 Chicago students killed since January 2009

Meeting was held miles away in luxury hotel and pissed off the community. One student remarked, “They want to meet about us without us.”

30 million dollars grant for more counselors and social workers in Chicago’s  public schools and “students” say this is what’s needed.

Dear Jack Markell,

You turn a blind eye to the real needs of the federal education stimulus money and know dam well 20% is being skimmed of the top for administrative fees between DOE and the local school districts. You supported Red Clay pissing away $300,000.00 to Teach for America over and above salaries and benefits of three TFA teacher’s in Red Clay. The other hidden cost is the babysitting aka mentoring of these TFA’s by Red Clay.

Jack those teaching position would have been filled with district teachers at the same saleries and benefits without pissing $300,000.00 away. Red Clay could use more SRO’s (School Resource  Officers ) that “will” have a direct impact on addressing school violence and achievement. What does you butt buddy Skipper aka Delaware stealth secratary of education propose to address school violence? 

Obama is a fool for sending his jackass to address the issue in Chicago and he should have known not to hold a meeting miles away from parents and in a five star hotel! Arne needs to keep his ass in Washington D.C. and stop flying around first class and wining and dining on the taxpayers.

Jack, you need to think about Delaware and not your future in Washington. Eight years of Carper and eight years of Miner and look what they did to Delaware education! 16 years of political ass-kissers and we need to reform their public school reforms.

Hey Shark Boy I know you are reading this! What happen to that drink? I am doing my best not to pull you into this shit but, dam I hope you can meet me halfway. I know your not the bad guy and I know who you got boned but dam, I am in this war too. 

Hey Apo Girl what’s going on? They have you under a gag order ?