MTA is supportive of the general concept of Readiness Schools, but cannot support the bill as currently drafted.
The MTA is committed to innovation and quality education in all schools and encourages school districts and educators to work together to establish new programs and teaching strategies to promote student achievement and help to close student achievement gaps.
The proposal for Acceleration Schools would give the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education the ability to intervene in underperforming schools and districts. Although the goal is to bring rapid improvement in these selected schools, this will not be accomplished by unilaterally changing or suspending provisions of a negotiated contract. We support actions that ensure that students in underperforming schools have the opportunity to have access to a quality educational experience.
Working with teachers and their union is the best way to bring about rapid improvement in these schools. If changes to the collective bargaining agreement are necessary in order to address the school’s weaknesses, these changes should be done through negotiations between the union and the school committee. If an agreement cannot be reached in a reasonable period of time, 30 days, a process of expedited arbitration could be used so as not to delay needed reforms.
The proposal for the establishment of Alliance and Advantage schools also does not have a clear role for teachers with their union when decisions are made regarding changes to the collective bargaining agreement. Changes can be made without any negotiation between the school committee and the union in the current proposal.
MTA believes that schools work best when the process fosters collaboration among the teachers, their union and their school. Decisions to make changes to the collective bargaining agreement are possible when the parties make a collaborative effort to make these changes.
MTA has long supported innovation in the schools, and local unions have made changes in their contracts to provide for expanded learning time, Montessori programs, drop-out prevention plans and additional professional development for staff. The collective bargaining agreements have not been an impediment to these changes. Today, you will hear from some of the places that have done that in their districts.
MassPartners for Public Schools -- which includes MTA and other stakeholders such as the superintendents and school committees -- created an implementation process for Alliance and Advantage schools. That proposal, which promotes the interests of students, parents and communities, allows for bargaining over the process and procedures they will use in establishing a Readiness School. This should serve as a model for the process of creating these Advantage and Alliance schools. The bargaining is over the process, not the substance of the changes that will take place in the school. The school faculty is where that vote is taken.
At that point, we also recommend having the faculty vote be a two-thirds vote in order to ensure buy-in and success for the Readiness School. We do not see that percentage as us being obstructionists, but rather us wanting to guarantee a greater chance of success for the new school.
Good schools are the result of collaboration among a number of stakeholders. Teachers know what works, and along with their unions are committed to helping underperforming schools excel. Keep teachers involved in improving our schools by giving them and their union a voice.
I look forward to continuing to work with the Legislature to ensure that all students in the Commonwealth receive a quality education.
By Anne Wass, MTA President
No comments:
Post a Comment