JIN-GO-LO-BA!

[Chris_Wendt]

To rr's request of me:".

"...as you've asked others including myself, please do not put your words in my mouth."

If I did that, then I certainly apologize.

Re Arne Duncan's clumsy comments having been "not well worded": as with your words and my words, his words speak for themselves, and stand on their own merit or lack thereof. But, "coming from someone in his position", did more to damage his own credibility and that of his Cabinet Department, so that however relevant they might have been "...statistically" won't matter much to his "...most vocal opponents" or to the average white, middle class PTA Mom.

Now let's get into the heart of the matter. rr posited:

"(As a result of)...the assessments...we'll, taxpayers and parents, be able to take action against truly ineffective teachers, the outliers."

Wishful thinking. Please read the Wantagh APPR Plan (link) in its entirety. (Click on APPR Plan to OPEN the APPR Plan PDF file after following the link). "We" do not get to see or hear anything about the administration of the APPR process.

Continuing in this vein,

"I believe the vast majority of teachers will rate as effective, no real difference from today...."

...and right there you have invoked the Law of Diminishing Returns, with so very little, perhaps even NOTHING AT ALL to be gained, but at a HUGE COST just to "find out" what you already know, intuitively, based on decades of data (results).

More:

"...but we'll finally be able to get a real glimpse at who is ineffective. They can no longer hide behind tenure or...seniority."

As noted, "We" will be given not even the slightest glimpse into the APPR process. And APPR does not replace the state law governing teacher layoffs based on seniority; APPR performance measurements are not infinitely comparable on a continuum among teachers and cannot be used in place of seniority when reductions in force become necessary. While there may have been a real legislative intent to have APPR undermine tenure, to devalue tenure, tenure is a property right protected under the State Constitution to anyone who has been granted tenure. So, APPR notwithstanding, expect lawsuits (property torts) and very expensive defeats for any school districts that ultimately attempt to deprive tenured teachers of their tenure based on APPR.

Your conclusion that:

"...that's a benefit, that's actionable and that's accountability...."

will not be supported by the record, in my opinion, on any of those three accounts, at least not here in Wantagh.

You go on...

"I guess we should just rest on our laurels and be happy with being designated a blue ribbon school district...great idea - let's just keep living in the past. Lets not look to get better and raise the profile of the schools...after all, we've been designated a blue ribbon district."

Have we NOT been designated a Blue Ribbon School District, the FIRST among NY State's ~700 districts to have had all 5 schools so designated? I remember going to Washington DC at some point about that. Don't people move to Wantagh because of those accolades? Perhaps even you? (Rhetorical question). The present in which we in Wantagh indeed are living was founded upon that very past, a past that was worked on, built-up, and paid-for over the course of 123 years to get Wantagh to where it is today. Is there something dark or sinister in our past of which today's parents or students should be ashamed? No.

Laurels...good for more than just resting upon. I mean, when you earn or win laurels, you don't bury them under a bush in your back yard...you celebrate them! You cast bronze plaques or engrave attractive signs to call attention to your laurels: "Look what we have accomplished as a community, here in Wantagh! Take Pride in your schools, Wantagh!" (And now, at this very point in the conversation, you can look back over our decades of platinum graduation rates and say to yourself, "You know, he's right!")

(Skipping ahead...

(Questioning) "When was Wantagh awarded the blue ribbon anyway? And by the way, how do they determine blue ribbon status? Could it be the dreaded statewide and/or national assessments that determine eligibility?"

Over the course of about ten years as I recall. The high school did not make it the first time out, and more work was required before we could be considered again; our schools were not eligible every year, and they each had to have received NY State designation first, before being considered for the federal award. Assessments did not exist then, and thus were not part of the process.

And, finally...

"Assessments?? Who wants that crap? Oh, wait unless you're going to give us an award, the(n) we like it. Tell us we're underperforming - well then we have a fight on our hands...
Seems a little hypocritical to me, no?"

You are entitled, and I would defend your right to express your opinion, thusly.

Regards,

Chris Wendt