Senate walkout a first for Morrison

Heath Morrison came to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools with a reputation for his work with the Nevada state legislature, and he's worn out the pavement between here and Raleigh since taking this job two years ago.

But Wednesday morning's Senate walkout as Morrison prepared to speak to the budget conference committee was a first for him.

Morrison

The senators weren't objecting to the CMS superintendent personally.  They were protesting the House members' insistence on summoning three superintendents to talk about the harm that would come from the Senate proposal to cut teacher assistants.

Morrison voiced gratitude that the Senate,  House and governor's plans include teacher raises,  but said the Senate plan would cost CMS 817 assistant jobs.  Assistants average about $19,000 a year,  he said,  describing them as  "some of the best bangs for our buck that we have in our state."  If they lose their jobs,  Morrison said,  they could end up collecting $14,000 a year in unemployment and health benefits from the state.  Giving up their skills to save $5,000 a year is  "not a good return on investment,"  he told the House members who remained.

Tillis

House Speaker Thom Tillis,  R-Mecklenburg,  asked Morrison whether he'd prefer to keep the two-year budget approved last summer,  which includes no raise for teachers and other state employees,  or get a revised budget that includes raises but eliminates 800 teacher jobs that were promised for 2014-15.  Morrison compared that question to the movie "Sophie's Choice,"  in which Nazis force a woman to choose between her two children.  "I don't think either of those are particularly appealing,"  he said.

In response to another question from Tillis,  Morrison said that the Senate plan,  which provides the largest teacher raises,  would require going back to Mecklenburg County commissioners for more money or cutting $6 million to $7 million from the 2014-15 budget to match those raises for teachers paid with county money.

When Frank Till,  Cumberland County's superintendent,  spoke about the importance of teacher assistants,  Tillis posed what he described as  "a slightly fairer choice:"  Would he prefer the House plan,  which gives raises averaging 5 percent,  or the Senate plan,  where raises average 11 percent but teacher assistants and other aspects of public education are cut?

"I'd rather not make draconian cuts and have a smaller raise,"  Till said.  He added that he'd prefer to see the state raise more revenue,  but said he understood that legislators don't consider that an option.

"We agree on that,"  Tillis said with a laugh.  (By the way,  if you want to listen in on legislative discussions,  check the House and Senate calendars near the top of the General Assembly web page, then find the appropriate audio link.)

Morrison said afterward he wasn't offended by the walkout:   "I had a number of Senate members come out and chat on the way out, and thanked me for what we are doing in CMS and for coming up to testify,"  he emailed in response to my query.  "They wanted me to know that their issue was respecting the rules they had established (with) the House not a lack of respect for the superintendents and teachers speaking." 

Grading N.C. schools: House wants to change curve

North Carolina's public schools are poised to get letter grades based on this year's results on state exams.  But it's not yet clear how those grades will be assigned.

The bill passed last summer called for 80 percent of a school's score to be based on student proficiency and 20 percent on growth.  The House budget plan introduced Tuesday would flip that.

Proficiency is easy to understand:  It's the percent of students who scored at or above grade level on state exams.  Critics say that doesn't reflect the quality of a school as much as the readiness and motivation of the students who attend.

Growth is a more complicated calculation designed to measure whether students did better or worse than expected based on past performance.  It can recognize a school that's making strides with the most challenged students,  or highlight a school that's not doing enough to stimulate students who are already doing well.  You can look up last year's growth scores here,  and here's an article I wrote about last year's results.

Ranson Middle scored high on growth, low on proficiency

Somehow the combination of those measures will be turned into a score from 0-100.  The original bill sets a 10-point scale:  90 and up is an A,  80 and up a B,  etc.,  with anything below 60 an F.  However,  it sets a 15-point scale for the first year,  with As going as low as 85 and Fs falling below 40.  The House proposal would keep that lower scale moving forward.

The House plan also includes a couple items that will likely be celebrated in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  Like the governor's budget,  but unlike the Senate's,  it includes almost $1.9 million for six early and middle college high schools,  three of which are in CMS.  They're set to open in August,  and CMS is counting on the money.

It also eliminates the "25 percent plan"  that CMS and many other districts have been fighting.

House Speaker Thom Tillis,  a Mecklenburg Republican who was once an active CMS parent,  said the push to approve a budget before the end of June will help districts plan for the coming year,  something local officials often wish for.  But what will emerge from the speeded-up work to mesh the House and Senate plans remains to be seen.

'Burger King' teacher launches petition for McCrory

Apparently I wasn't the only one who was impressed by fourth-grade teacher Justin Ashley's letter to House Speaker Thom Tillis.

Ashley

On Wednesday morning,  I posted his letter talking about his dedication to teaching and his fear that legislators'  action would discourage future teachers.  Within 48 hours,  "Burger King vs. teaching:  One man's choice" became the most-read item I've ever had on this blog.  By the end of the weekend,  it had been viewed more than 34,000 times.

Teachers,  parents and advocates around the state shared it on social media.  Superintendent Heath Morrison included a link in his Friday email to more than 18,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees.  The Public School Forum of North Carolina copied the letter to more than 4,000 education supporters around the state.

Ashley,  who teaches at McAlpine Elementary in south Charlotte,  says he got dozens of messages of support and congratulations.  But by week's end,  he hadn't gotten a reply from Tillis,  a Mecklenburg Republican who was once an active CMS parent.

So he launched something new:  A petition on Change.org asking Gov. Pat McCrory to spend a day teaching his class. He had 670 online signatures Sunday afternoon.

McCrory

"After you walk my kids to dismissal, you and I could have a conversation in my classroom about your experiences:  what you enjoyed, what was difficult, what you learned,"  Ashley's request concludes.  "In social studies, we teach our students a lot about revolutions.  Maybe it's time we start one.  Let's begin a new conversation about public education with you walking in my shoes.  Let's trade shoes for a day."

A little more about how this got started:  Like many teachers around North Carolina,  Ashley was dismayed by some of the actions taken in this summer's legislative session,  and he put his thoughts in writing.  Unlike many of them,  he decided to sign his name and go public.

Ashley said Friday that friends and colleagues advised him to make his letter anonymous or get a group to sign.  But his personal experience and credibility are what's grabbing people's attention, I believe.

It's one thing to cast teachers as  "unions and special interests"  who are interested in  "lining their pockets,"  to quote from Sen. Phil Berger's opinion piece in Sunday's Observer.

It's another to engage with a 28-year-old guy trying to support a young family on $39,500 a year.  Especially when that guy is the kind of teacher you'd want your children and grandchildren to have.  Ashley has been named the state teacher of the year in history and social studies.  He has dressed up as James Madison to do a rap video about the Bill of Rights. His kids re-enact Revolutionary War battles with water balloons. When he teaches about the three branches of government,  his students set up their own government.  "The kids pass laws like 'Don't pick your nose in class,' " he says.  Ashley is thinking how cool it would be to have the real governor show up for that one.

One theme goes through his lessons:  Regular citizens have a voice in democracy.  By writing respectful,  constructive letters and signing his name,  Ashley hopes to demonstrate that lesson for his kids.  "I just hope it raises some questions and opens some eyes,"  he said.

Some of his fellow teachers have been inspired to build on his example.  More on that to come.

Burger King vs. teaching: One man's choice

I've seen a lot of back-and-forth about the education changes in this year's state budget. But an email from Justin Ashley, a fourth-grade teacher at McAlpine Elementary, to House Speaker Thom Tillis, stands out.

Ashley

I am impressed that Ashley signed his name and told his personal story with power.  I admire the fact that Ashley approached Tillis,  a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parent,  as a respectful neighbor,  rather than treating him like some distant enemy.  He made his point so well that I am reprinting his letter in its entirety,  with Ashley's permission:

Mr. Tillis,

I wanted to first thank you for your service to our state.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to make so many decisions that impact so many people.

I'm sure that being a politician can be a lot like playing the part of Batman:  people are always questioning whether you are a hero or a villain when all you really want is to protect Gotham City.  I appreciate the sacrifices you have made for the Tar Heel state.

Secondly, I would like to tell you my story:

Choosing a career path is frightening, especially when you're 17.  I weighed my options between Burger King manager and the armed forces.  My options were few and far between,  as I was residing in a low-income,  single parent home at the time.

My career perspective widened when my school counselor informed me of a possible scholarship opportunity.  We decided to give it a shot.  I wrote an essay,  filled out some paperwork,  and participated in a scholarship interview at UNC Charlotte.

A few weeks later,  I ripped the  letter open from my mailbox:

"Congratulations.  You have been awarded a full scholarship to a North Carolina University."

I will never forget reading those words with water-filled eyes.  For the first time in my life,  I felt fully empowered to overcome mediocrity.

I opened that letter ten years ago.  In that defining moment,  I accepted the full scholarship as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2007.

Currently,  I teach 4th grade in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  I have been a father to boys and girls at school who don't have them at home . I have helped raise test scores and created a fun learning environment for kids.  I love my job.

In February, I was even fortunate enough to walk across a stage in Greensboro and accept the award for the North Carolina Social Studies Teacher of the Year.

And even though my salary would be higher as a Burger King manager,  I'm grateful for the door that was opened for me,  for the founders of the scholarship program,  for the General Assembly (years ago) that allocated funding for my scholarship,  and for the taxpayers who provided the investment in the first place.  I've been able to change lives because these people changed mine.  And I'm just one of the thousands of stories,  stories that represent better teaching and better learning because of of our great state's dedication to our public education system.

A few weeks ago,  our state legislators passed a budget that eradicated the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship.  They also terminated teacher tenure and additional pay for teachers with master degrees,  along with a host of other public education cutbacks that total approximately 500 million dollars.

With these sweeping changes,  I can't help but wonder:

How many state teacher of the years did our current General Assembly just eliminate from the classroom?

How many doors were just shut in the face of so many talented teacher candidates?

My heartfelt message to our current General Assembly and Governor:

As you create bills and budgets involving education,  please don't marinate on the massive numbers of educators and students.  Instead,  visualize your favorite teacher as a child, the one who spoke words of vision and hope into you.  The one who invested her time,  energy,  and love into your life so that you could become the leader you have grown to be.  Do you see her?  Now, use your resources to enable teachers just like her to do for others what she did for you. 

Great teaching is the golden ticket for our schools.  Teachers are the solution.  Help us help our kids.  Hold on to great teachers right now before it's too late.  Create opportunities and incentives that attract new teachers for the future.  You have the keys to the door.

And closed doors can quickly be reopened...

Sincerely,

Justin Ashley

2013 North Carolina Social Studies Teacher of the Year

2013 North Carolina History Teacher of the Year

2011 CMS East Zone Teacher of the Year

That last line is important:  Closed doors can be reopened.

There's a lot of anger and frustration about what happened in Raleigh this summer.  But the folks who cast those votes are people we elected from our own communities.  And now they're back.

In the coming weeks,  I hope to get the members of Mecklenburg's legislative delegation to share their thoughts about what their actions mean for education and to talk about what comes next.  Meanwhile,  remember that you can find contact information for members of the House and Senate at the General Assembly web site.

The public discussion about the future of education in North Carolina shouldn't fade with summer.  If you manage to open any doors,  let me know.

Sequester sparks no panic in CMS

Budget gridlock may be tying Washington in knots,  but don't expect the sequester to bring massive layoffs or school cutbacks at home.  Federal money for 2012-13 is already in place and won't be cut off by any automatic federal cuts,  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools advised employees in a Friday newsletter.  The district is bracing for federal cuts as officials plan for 2013-14, the newsletter says.

In a related note,  the Washington Post's Fact Checker blog called BS on U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan's talk that the sequester would trigger immediate and massive teacher layoffs. "There is little debate that across-the-board spending cuts in education funding will cause pain for some schools and states. But there is no reason to hype the statistics  --  or to make scary pronouncements on pink slips being issued based on misinformation,"  the blog concluded

Meanwhile,  if you're trying to keep up with the blizzard of education proposals swirling around Raleigh,  the Public School Forum of North Carolina is posting a "bills to watch" feature in its weekly reports.

If you missed it in Sunday's Observer,  House Speaker Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County wrote about some possible changes afoot.

Tillis

"We should examine North Carolina’s tenure law with a goal of allowing district flexibility in personnel decisions, while maintaining due process for teachers,"  Tillis wrote after meetings with numerous teachers,  principals and superintendents.  "We should discuss giving school districts the authority to implement compensation models based on teacher performance. Lastly, we need to encourage (school districts) to drive out inefficiencies – and reward them by allowing them to reinvest savings in their own schools."

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/03/3887616/nc-houses-education-reform-innovation.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

And close to home, Superintendent Heath Morrison and his 22 task forces are holding the second of three town hall meetings today, from 6-8:30 p.m. at North Meck, 11201 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville.  I didn't make it to the first one last week.  I'd be curious to hear from those of you who did;  was it helpful?

CMS wish list: Flexibility, please

It's been overshadowed by budget cuts, but the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools legislative agenda is also up for a vote Tuesday.

The five items essentially boil down to "If you can't give us money, give us freedom."

If the board approves the list, members will ask state legislators to loosen spending strings; provide more freedom in evaluating, paying and firing teachers; and allow more leeway in fixing low-performing schools. In what's likely to be the most-agreed-on item, the board added an item asking for freedom to set its own school calendar. And in what's likely to be the most controversial, there's a proposed item seeking the authority for CMS to levy its own taxes.

New House Speaker Thom Tillis, a former CMS PTSA dad, says he supports giving local school board more authority. I suspect agreeing to that notion in theory is going to prove easier than actually cutting through the snarls of state rules and regulations, though.