REAL News for REAL People
The status quo education bureaucracy has failed our teachers, we must do better
Press Release:
Across North Carolina our teachers are being asked to do more with less, and have been for many years. More and more of our teachers are frustrated with the Raleigh education bureaucracy. They are frustrated with a lack of support, a lack of time, lack of meaningful professional development, and an overall lack of respect as professionals. Too many good teachers are throwing up their hands, and our students in North Carolina are losing out. We need to understand what is wrong and take corrective action because our teachers and students deserve better.
What are teachers saying?
Teachers are sacrificing more every day. Time that should be spent with students is wasted on more forms, paperwork, and new trainings for ever changing standards out of Raleigh. Teachers are being asked to buy more of their own supplies and lacking basic classroom resources such as textbooks and technology; all while more dollars are spent every year in Raleigh's Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the growing Central Services Offices in many local districts. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wWDUixwo9eU) all while more dollars are spent every year in Raleigh's Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and growing Central Services Offices in many local districts. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wWDUixwo9eU)
Our current State Superintendent has been at the helm nearly 8 years and has been an entrenched part of this Raleigh bureaucracy since 1976. In Raleigh, jokes of DPI as the "Pink Palace (http://www.emporis.com/images/show/391544-Large.jpg )" of bureaucracy have been common since being first dubbed by Lt. Governor, Jim Gardner, in the 1980's. More than a quarter century later, not much has changed in the department. The growing layers of bureaucracy and business as usual in Raleigh's DPI have failed to help teachers in classrooms across North Carolina.
Spending by the 800-person Department of Public Instruction under the current leadership has been brought under the scrutiny of the State Auditor's Department on multiple occasions. In 2010 questionable processes of managing workers comp claims from DPI continued of a long line of audit findings. This year a state audit of DPI travel costs has exposed more than $110,000 in unnecessary expenses. (http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/audit-shows-dpi-worker-overstated-travel-reports-collected-extra-money/Content?oid=3145540)
"In 2010, thousands of state employees had gone without pay raises for two years while a select few colleagues had seen their wages swell 5 percent, 10 percent and more, even without getting promotions. State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson approved raises for top administrators in the department, including a 7.2 percent increase for chief academic officer Rebecca Garland and a 6.9 percent raise for deputy chief academic officer Angela Quick." (http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/14/680189/uneven-state-raises-granted.html#storylink=cpy) Meanwhile, our teachers continue to struggle.
Over time, in any large bureaucracy, a culture of complacency and "business as usual" can lead to a culture of corruption. They become organizations that look after self-interest above mission. We know there are many good people working hard at DPI who want the best for our schools. They also see how leadership at the top of their organization is no longer as helpful to them in their roles or effective overall. They, more than anyone, know we can and must do better.
Leadership Questions
As a part of Governor Mike Easley's administration, Superintendent Atkinson lost the confidence of the State Board of Education and the Governor. The Board then appointed the Governor's education adviser, J.B. Buxton, as deputy superintendent in 2007, sapping most of her responsibilities and having Mr. Buxton report directly to them.
In 2009, Superintendent Atkinson lost the support of Governor Perdue, leading the governor to appoint a Chief Education Officer over the superintendent. This would turn into a lengthy and costly court battle. This continuous tenure of controversy would foster questions of accountability and leadership on education issues in North Carolina.
Teachers on the brink
This past week a North Carolina teacher, Kris Nielsen, drew national attention with his battle cry for educators and students. In his letter to the HR department of his district, and copied to current State Superintendent Atkinson, he tells why his experience in North Carolina made him abandon the profession he had work in his whole life. He details what so many teachers across North Carolina are saying with courage and a new freedom from fear of retribution.
Mr. Nielsen's letter highlights that it is not just about money, but and red-tape, lack of resources, professional respect, and sub-par standards falsely being sold to parents as preparing their children for the 21st century. Daine Ravitch (http://dianeravitch.net/2012/10/27/nc-teacher-i-quit) featured Mr. Nielsen's powerful moving indictment on the North Carolina education system in this clear and direct point-by-point letter. We encourage everyone to read the letter by clicking here. (http://dianeravitch.net/2012/10/27/nc-teacher-i-quit)
Mr. Nielsen is not alone. MetLife's Survey of the American Teacher (https://www.metlife.com/about/press-room/index.html?compID=79162), conducted by Harris Interactive, earlier this year found that job satisfaction has dropped sharply since 2008. Teachers who were very satisfied dropped to 44 percent, the lowest level in more than 20 years. Teachers who said they are very likely or fairly likely to leave the profession increased from 17 percent to 29 percent since 2008.
The State Board of Education recently released a report noting the rate of North Carolina teachers leaving their jobs increased last year to nearly one out of eight. The report highlighted that 25% of teachers had left for a career change, to teach in another state or at a private school, or because they were fed up with the classroom environment. Many take less pay in some private schools just because they had enough. The report also noted major challenges recruiting teachers, especially in math and sciences. We simply cannot afford the continued loss of teachers and the cost of recruitment and retraining.
Our failure to support our teachers has not gone unnoticed. In 2011 the National Council on Teacher Quality graded North Carolina with a D+ and ranked us 32nd in the nation in overall support and development of our teachers. ( http://www.nctq.org/stpy11State.do?stateId=28 )
The Blame Game Instead of working towards solutions on problems that had been mounting for years, the Perdue/Atkinson administration had attempted to quickly shift blame to the General Assembly following their recent election. The problem with this blame-game approach is everybody loses, and it is not accurate. The reports above released in 2011 and are based on a multi-year study ending with data in 2010.
During 2008, 2009, and 2010 more teachers had lost their jobs in North Carolina than at any time during the previous quarter century combined. The new General Assembly did not take office until 2011, and by 2012 they had already corrected for billions of dollars' worth of deficit in our state and issued small teacher raises for the first time in four years.
The blame game, attempts to shift responsibility and deny accountability are prevalent throughout the entire system at every level. In some cases the very design perpetuates this. Parents feel this and wonder who to turn to for answers. Teachers feel this and wonder who to turn to for support. On a local level teachers and parents regularly hear: "that decision is from the Superintendent," the Superintendent's office in turn notes, "We cannot control that because the Board makes that decision," or "that is not in our power as it is up to DPI in Raleigh." DPI then punts to the General Assembly or Washington. All the while no one stands up accountable and fixes the problem. Their is a real vacuum of strong leadership.
With the ever changing standards some teachers now fear that the rollout of the new Common Core Curriculum is setting them and their students up for additional failures? DPI has offered trainings for professional development of this new curriculum this year with high stakes national testing to begin in 2014. While the Core positively develops more rigorous standards in most cases, it is based on progression built over years developing a foundation for students.
Teachers are rightfully concerned that there will be a large performance cliff as many students who have not had that full foundation will have a variety of gaps that cannot be completely filled in time for testing to begin. (http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/26/2292234/north-carolina-students-face-sweeping.html) We believe there needed to be an additional two years of quality professional development and actual teaching under this curriculum before students are tested under the standards of the new curriculum.
Moving NC Forward
Ultimately, many years of failed leadership in Raleigh and an increasingly cumbersome bureaucracy have thrown our teachers under the bus. Business as usual is no longer good enough. We all know insanity is doing what we have always done while expecting different results. Now is time for a change. With a new Governor in Pat McCrory (http://www.patmccrory.com/ )and a new State Superintendent in John Tedesco ( http://www.tedesco4kids.com/ ), we believe our teachers will have the best opportunity they have had to succeed in many years.
John Tedesco is a seasoned senior administrator who has worked with universities, municipalities, children's charities, and education boards. ( http://www.tedesco4kids.com/_Meet_John.html) He has been a leader with public organizations that range in management of several million dollars and dozens of employees to over 18,000 employees with a $1.4 billion budget. John will bring a fresh set of eyes to DPI (http://www.tedesco4kids.com/Their_Words.html); not tied to the long-term establishment, not one spent in a silo at the "Pink Palace".
John Tedesco will be able to realign inefficiencies and reduce waste, while easing the burden of bureaucracy on our local schools and classrooms. He brings the experience of a local elected education leader who can understand the burden of Raleigh on our local school districts and the demands of local communities. Serving on the board of the largest school system in the state and the 16th largest in the nation, he knows how to work with our General Assembly to encourage better alignment of resources and increased flexibility for our local
schools.
Additionally, John Tedesco brings the perspective of a parent with a child in public schools today. John and his wife, Jenn, know what it is like to struggle to get the most challenging programming for their child, or to sit in an IEP meeting hoping that they are listening and able to help with special needs. John regularly credits his pastor and educators for his rise from extreme poverty, and he credits those educators for helping him raise his three youngest siblings after his mother passed - so he will always be a champion for educators.
Both McCrory and Tedesco are committed to our educators, and unlike the past two Governors and our current Superintendent they will work well together and with the General Assembly. They share a common vision in key areas:
• Get the bureaucrats out of the classrooms so our teachers can teach.
• Get more of the money we invest in education out of Raleigh and into our local classrooms.
• Empower teachers, parents, and local communities.
• Get out of the one-size-fits-all education model - expand vocational programs, early college opportunities, reduce the need for remediation of our graduates, and ensure early literacy success for all students.
We know there is much work to do.We commend our teachers for the great work they have done so far in spite of the challenges from Raleigh. We pledge to work with you to move our schools forward.
John likes to lead in collaborative fashion so we already have a great pool of educators who have join John in the critical conversations for school success at our Teachers 4 Tedesco Committee. If you are interested in being a part of the team email us at Tedesco4kids@gmail.com.
We believe our children and teachers deserve better, and now is the time.
Thank you.
Tedesco 4 Kids Campaign Committee
104 Rock Fish Ln
Garner, NC 27529
(919) 701-9253
Go Back
Across North Carolina our teachers are being asked to do more with less, and have been for many years. More and more of our teachers are frustrated with the Raleigh education bureaucracy. They are frustrated with a lack of support, a lack of time, lack of meaningful professional development, and an overall lack of respect as professionals. Too many good teachers are throwing up their hands, and our students in North Carolina are losing out. We need to understand what is wrong and take corrective action because our teachers and students deserve better.
What are teachers saying?
Teachers are sacrificing more every day. Time that should be spent with students is wasted on more forms, paperwork, and new trainings for ever changing standards out of Raleigh. Teachers are being asked to buy more of their own supplies and lacking basic classroom resources such as textbooks and technology; all while more dollars are spent every year in Raleigh's Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the growing Central Services Offices in many local districts. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wWDUixwo9eU) all while more dollars are spent every year in Raleigh's Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and growing Central Services Offices in many local districts. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wWDUixwo9eU)
Our current State Superintendent has been at the helm nearly 8 years and has been an entrenched part of this Raleigh bureaucracy since 1976. In Raleigh, jokes of DPI as the "Pink Palace (http://www.emporis.com/images/show/391544-Large.jpg )" of bureaucracy have been common since being first dubbed by Lt. Governor, Jim Gardner, in the 1980's. More than a quarter century later, not much has changed in the department. The growing layers of bureaucracy and business as usual in Raleigh's DPI have failed to help teachers in classrooms across North Carolina.
Spending by the 800-person Department of Public Instruction under the current leadership has been brought under the scrutiny of the State Auditor's Department on multiple occasions. In 2010 questionable processes of managing workers comp claims from DPI continued of a long line of audit findings. This year a state audit of DPI travel costs has exposed more than $110,000 in unnecessary expenses. (http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/audit-shows-dpi-worker-overstated-travel-reports-collected-extra-money/Content?oid=3145540)
"In 2010, thousands of state employees had gone without pay raises for two years while a select few colleagues had seen their wages swell 5 percent, 10 percent and more, even without getting promotions. State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson approved raises for top administrators in the department, including a 7.2 percent increase for chief academic officer Rebecca Garland and a 6.9 percent raise for deputy chief academic officer Angela Quick." (http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/14/680189/uneven-state-raises-granted.html#storylink=cpy) Meanwhile, our teachers continue to struggle.
Over time, in any large bureaucracy, a culture of complacency and "business as usual" can lead to a culture of corruption. They become organizations that look after self-interest above mission. We know there are many good people working hard at DPI who want the best for our schools. They also see how leadership at the top of their organization is no longer as helpful to them in their roles or effective overall. They, more than anyone, know we can and must do better.
Leadership Questions
As a part of Governor Mike Easley's administration, Superintendent Atkinson lost the confidence of the State Board of Education and the Governor. The Board then appointed the Governor's education adviser, J.B. Buxton, as deputy superintendent in 2007, sapping most of her responsibilities and having Mr. Buxton report directly to them.
In 2009, Superintendent Atkinson lost the support of Governor Perdue, leading the governor to appoint a Chief Education Officer over the superintendent. This would turn into a lengthy and costly court battle. This continuous tenure of controversy would foster questions of accountability and leadership on education issues in North Carolina.
Teachers on the brink
This past week a North Carolina teacher, Kris Nielsen, drew national attention with his battle cry for educators and students. In his letter to the HR department of his district, and copied to current State Superintendent Atkinson, he tells why his experience in North Carolina made him abandon the profession he had work in his whole life. He details what so many teachers across North Carolina are saying with courage and a new freedom from fear of retribution.
Mr. Nielsen's letter highlights that it is not just about money, but and red-tape, lack of resources, professional respect, and sub-par standards falsely being sold to parents as preparing their children for the 21st century. Daine Ravitch (http://dianeravitch.net/2012/10/27/nc-teacher-i-quit) featured Mr. Nielsen's powerful moving indictment on the North Carolina education system in this clear and direct point-by-point letter. We encourage everyone to read the letter by clicking here. (http://dianeravitch.net/2012/10/27/nc-teacher-i-quit)
Mr. Nielsen is not alone. MetLife's Survey of the American Teacher (https://www.metlife.com/about/press-room/index.html?compID=79162), conducted by Harris Interactive, earlier this year found that job satisfaction has dropped sharply since 2008. Teachers who were very satisfied dropped to 44 percent, the lowest level in more than 20 years. Teachers who said they are very likely or fairly likely to leave the profession increased from 17 percent to 29 percent since 2008.
The State Board of Education recently released a report noting the rate of North Carolina teachers leaving their jobs increased last year to nearly one out of eight. The report highlighted that 25% of teachers had left for a career change, to teach in another state or at a private school, or because they were fed up with the classroom environment. Many take less pay in some private schools just because they had enough. The report also noted major challenges recruiting teachers, especially in math and sciences. We simply cannot afford the continued loss of teachers and the cost of recruitment and retraining.
Our failure to support our teachers has not gone unnoticed. In 2011 the National Council on Teacher Quality graded North Carolina with a D+ and ranked us 32nd in the nation in overall support and development of our teachers. ( http://www.nctq.org/stpy11State.do?stateId=28 )
The Blame Game Instead of working towards solutions on problems that had been mounting for years, the Perdue/Atkinson administration had attempted to quickly shift blame to the General Assembly following their recent election. The problem with this blame-game approach is everybody loses, and it is not accurate. The reports above released in 2011 and are based on a multi-year study ending with data in 2010.
During 2008, 2009, and 2010 more teachers had lost their jobs in North Carolina than at any time during the previous quarter century combined. The new General Assembly did not take office until 2011, and by 2012 they had already corrected for billions of dollars' worth of deficit in our state and issued small teacher raises for the first time in four years.
The blame game, attempts to shift responsibility and deny accountability are prevalent throughout the entire system at every level. In some cases the very design perpetuates this. Parents feel this and wonder who to turn to for answers. Teachers feel this and wonder who to turn to for support. On a local level teachers and parents regularly hear: "that decision is from the Superintendent," the Superintendent's office in turn notes, "We cannot control that because the Board makes that decision," or "that is not in our power as it is up to DPI in Raleigh." DPI then punts to the General Assembly or Washington. All the while no one stands up accountable and fixes the problem. Their is a real vacuum of strong leadership.
With the ever changing standards some teachers now fear that the rollout of the new Common Core Curriculum is setting them and their students up for additional failures? DPI has offered trainings for professional development of this new curriculum this year with high stakes national testing to begin in 2014. While the Core positively develops more rigorous standards in most cases, it is based on progression built over years developing a foundation for students.
Teachers are rightfully concerned that there will be a large performance cliff as many students who have not had that full foundation will have a variety of gaps that cannot be completely filled in time for testing to begin. (http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/26/2292234/north-carolina-students-face-sweeping.html) We believe there needed to be an additional two years of quality professional development and actual teaching under this curriculum before students are tested under the standards of the new curriculum.
Moving NC Forward
Ultimately, many years of failed leadership in Raleigh and an increasingly cumbersome bureaucracy have thrown our teachers under the bus. Business as usual is no longer good enough. We all know insanity is doing what we have always done while expecting different results. Now is time for a change. With a new Governor in Pat McCrory (http://www.patmccrory.com/ )and a new State Superintendent in John Tedesco ( http://www.tedesco4kids.com/ ), we believe our teachers will have the best opportunity they have had to succeed in many years.
John Tedesco is a seasoned senior administrator who has worked with universities, municipalities, children's charities, and education boards. ( http://www.tedesco4kids.com/_Meet_John.html) He has been a leader with public organizations that range in management of several million dollars and dozens of employees to over 18,000 employees with a $1.4 billion budget. John will bring a fresh set of eyes to DPI (http://www.tedesco4kids.com/Their_Words.html); not tied to the long-term establishment, not one spent in a silo at the "Pink Palace".
John Tedesco will be able to realign inefficiencies and reduce waste, while easing the burden of bureaucracy on our local schools and classrooms. He brings the experience of a local elected education leader who can understand the burden of Raleigh on our local school districts and the demands of local communities. Serving on the board of the largest school system in the state and the 16th largest in the nation, he knows how to work with our General Assembly to encourage better alignment of resources and increased flexibility for our local
schools.
Additionally, John Tedesco brings the perspective of a parent with a child in public schools today. John and his wife, Jenn, know what it is like to struggle to get the most challenging programming for their child, or to sit in an IEP meeting hoping that they are listening and able to help with special needs. John regularly credits his pastor and educators for his rise from extreme poverty, and he credits those educators for helping him raise his three youngest siblings after his mother passed - so he will always be a champion for educators.
Both McCrory and Tedesco are committed to our educators, and unlike the past two Governors and our current Superintendent they will work well together and with the General Assembly. They share a common vision in key areas:
• Get the bureaucrats out of the classrooms so our teachers can teach.
• Get more of the money we invest in education out of Raleigh and into our local classrooms.
• Empower teachers, parents, and local communities.
• Get out of the one-size-fits-all education model - expand vocational programs, early college opportunities, reduce the need for remediation of our graduates, and ensure early literacy success for all students.
We know there is much work to do.We commend our teachers for the great work they have done so far in spite of the challenges from Raleigh. We pledge to work with you to move our schools forward.
John likes to lead in collaborative fashion so we already have a great pool of educators who have join John in the critical conversations for school success at our Teachers 4 Tedesco Committee. If you are interested in being a part of the team email us at Tedesco4kids@gmail.com.
We believe our children and teachers deserve better, and now is the time.
Thank you.
Tedesco 4 Kids Campaign Committee
104 Rock Fish Ln
Garner, NC 27529
(919) 701-9253
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