What can teachers expect in the future? Currently the US Department of Education is encouraging more charter schools.

• 2009 5,000 charter schools (725 for profit) • Now serve over 1 million students

US National School Population: 49 millionSpring, Chapter 6 159-167

You are already familiar with Spring, 159-167

• DEFINITION Charter Schools are:– Exempt from significant State and local rules that

inhibit flexibility– Free public schools– Schools of choice and select students based on

lottery– Guided by specific objectives– Compliant with anti-discrimination laws– Required to take state tests– Run by public or private groups

• AIMS Aim of charter schools is to foster innovation in teaching, curriculum and school organization.

“Waiting for Superman”Davis Guggenheim

WHAT ARE YOUR REACTIONS??

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Viewers-React-to-the-Waiting-For-Superman-Show-Video

What is your view of public lotteries for slots?

• What does it mean to “flood the zone”

What is your reaction to the public lotteries for slots in charter schools?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KqT2gR5yLINew York Lottery

AIM Aim of charter schools is to foster innovation in teaching, curriculum and school organization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w1b-8FV2qI (30 s ad, 2:30)

Chicago Illinois RAUNER COLLEGE PREP

“Public schools to use

charter school model.”

Messages in WFS

• WFS showed no union run charter schools.

• Solution: Fire bad teachers– But, teachers account for 10-20% of scores– And, environment accounts for 60% of scores

• WFS Misrepresents NAEP- (Ravitch page 6)Proficiency means BBasic level means C grade level

25% students below basic nationally

Solution: Close bad schools. Kirshner, Geitner, Pozzoboni (2010) found students dropout or have lower achievement when local schools are closed. (Dutra, 5)

“Waiting for Superman”Davis Guggenheim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT8OlWa5bGo

The film stresses these messages.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN PROBLEMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TODAY?

• Schools work for adults, not children.• “American public education is a failed system”• Money is not the problem.• Poverty is not the problem.• Teachers unions are a barrier to reform.• Bad teachers, protected by unions are the problem.

Myths About Charter Schools

• Can be closed. (only after contract expires, usually five years)

• Same money as public schools. Most very successful charters have additional private financial support (SEED $35,000 per student and Harlem Children’s Zone $36,000, High Tech High $3 million from Qualcom)

• HCZ are same as public schools. But HCZ also provides “wraparound services” (Dutro, 2)

Myths About Charter Schools

• Charter schools are innovative high performing schools. A check on HCZ, has schools poor performing schools

• Compare US and Finland. But Finland invests in teachers, provides social welfare for children and families (< 5% live in poverty as opposed to 20-30% of children in US) (Ravitch, Darling-Hammond)

Myths About Charter Schools

• Charter Schools attract best teachers. Charters have less well trained, lower paid teachers, higher teacher turnover (Fine, 11)

• Charter schools serve parents. But parents have no voice in these schools—no school boards (Fine, 11)

Lecture Write # 4• In your view, why is union membership down significantly in the

United States in the past four decades, from a high of 26 percent to a current level of less than 13%?

• What types of workers (professions) are members of the AFL-CIO? (Prize for the highest total correct.)

• Are you planning to join a teachers’ union when you begin your teaching career? ___ Yes ___ No

• Should public school teachers get tenure? ___Yes ___ No

• Check One: • Are you in favor of a lock-step system ______ • OR some kind of merit pay (assessment of teaching, student

achievement) ________ for your salary increases?

What types of workers are members of the AFL-CIO?

• Not sure—skilled workers or unskilled workers?

• Most students say: blue collar workers, unskilled workers, construction workers, auto workers, civil service workers, and teachers

• Who are the MEMBERS??: Pilots, Nurses, Artists, Actors, Musicians, Postal Workers, Teachers, Railroad Signalers, Farm Laborers, School Administrators, State/County/Municipal Workers, Fire Fighters, Police, Bricklayers, Longshoremen, Machinists, Mine Workers, Steel Workers, Seafarers, Air Traffic Controllers, Bakery Workers, Government Employees, Transit Workers, Bridge Workers, Professional Athletes…..

Unions

Daily Illini Story Wednesday, April 5

Deadly West Virginia coal mine explosion one-year later By TIM HUBER

• CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - When 29 men perished in a single, powerful explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine a year ago, the tragedy stunned the nation - but the aftermath was stunning too, both for its seismic impact on major players in the coal industry and for the absence of any sweeping reforms.

• If there is any good to come from the Upper Big Branch tragedy, retired union coal miner Danny Vanoy figures it's the end of staunchly anti-union Massey and the disappearance of its former chief executive officer.

• "They put the coal before safety," says Vanoy of Dorothy, a community a few miles from the mine that blew up in Montcoal last April 5. Vanoy spent 30 years underground working at union mines.

1947-1952, 1959-1950

Wall Street Journal 9-19- 2009

• Sometime over the last few decades, the union movement has drifted from the mainstream.

• The AFL-CIO in the 1980s backed Poland's Solidarity and stood with Ronald Reagan against the Soviets.

• Such a position seems impossible in today's political climate. Detroit's collapse created an additional image problem for the unions, whose deals over the decades helped make the Big Three uncompetitive.

AFL-CIO wants to reverse a decades-long drop in membership, now down to 12.4% of the American work force. That's a third the level in the 1950s.

The 57 unions (with 11 million members in all) under the AFL-CIO umbrella aren't doing enough to attract the young and professionals, and to build truly global unions.

Service Workersat UIUC

• 2009 A shift in public opinion can be seen in a 2009 Gallup poll.

• Less than half of Americans—48%—approve of labor unions, compared with 59% a year before.

In your view, why is union membership down significantly in the United States in the past four decades? Past responses in my class:• Negative stigma• Government regulations have improved working

conditions• No real benefit from union• More job security today • Can’t afford the dues• Economy is better• Not informed• Unpatriotic• Conditions are not as bad today• Apathy• Lost faith in unions• Bad image from aggressive policies

Where do unions stand on charter schools?AFT strongly supports charter schools

The American Federation of Teachers strongly supports charter schools that embody the core values of public education and a democratic society:

– equal access for all students; – high academic standards; – accountability to parents and the public; – a curriculum that promotes good citizenship; – a commitment to helping all public schools improve; – a commitment to the employees' right to freely choose

union representation.

Why do you have to join a unions as a teacher?

Fair share—if the bargaining unit serves all teachers, then you must join because you will receive the benefits.

Two main teachers’ unions:

• Illinois Federation of Teachers

• Illinois Education Association

Most teachers contracts reward teachers for longevity, each year of additional experience brings a raise. A masters degree, brings an average of a $5,000 raise in base pay.

98% of Illinois School Districts have contracts negotiated by bargaining units—

• IEA

• AFT

Union contracts decide salaries, annual cost of living adjustments, pension, incentives, tuition reimbursements, health plans, and extra pay for extracurricular activities.

Randi Weingarten, AFT President (1)

Responding to claim:

You can’t fire a bad teacher.

Unions protect bad teachers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQa1Qu2Uec0 (30 s ad, 2:20)

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/American-Federation-of-Teachers-Response-Video