Most educators are aware that the ISBE has adopted a new process which will switch all current teacher and administrator certificates to licenses. As of July 1, 2013, all previously held certificates will no longer be valid as all will be exchanged for Illinois educator licenses. Even though this major change is right around the corner, there has been very little information shared from the ISBE as to the specifics of this process. I contacted our Regional Office of Education earlier this week, and they stated the same frustrations. However, they assured that as soon as information is available, they will be sharing with school districts. In the meantime, this is what I currently have been able to ascertain.
As of July 1, 2013, all of an educator's current certificates will be exchanged for a Professional Educator License (PEL). For example, let's say an educator has a Type 09 Certificate with a Middle School Math Endorsement and a Type 75 General Administrative Certificate. Under the new licensure system, that person would now receive a PEL which contains all of their certificated areas and endorsements under a single license. Each license will contain an educator's specific areas and grade level ranges he/she is eligible to teach. For example, instead of "Middle School Math Endorsement", the license will specify eligibility to teach math in grades 5-8.
Currently, educators will not have to do anything as this switch will automatically take place on July1, 2013. An educator should lose nothing (endorsements) in the exchange to licenses. However, there are still renewal requirements, which to my knowledge, are yet to become finalized. Once those requirements are finalized, educators will need to adhere to the determined timelines for renewing their PEL.
If an educator fails to pay the necessary $50 fee to renew their five-year PEL within six months of the PEL lapsing, then it can only be renewed by paying a $500 fee or completing nine college credit hours.
Another important point to remember is that there will be no paper copies of the PELs provided. Educators will need to go to the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) to print a paper copy if needed.
Finally, until the new renewal requirements are finalized, educators should keep all documentation of completed professional development.
I am sure there will be much more to come on the process for exchanging certificates for licenses. Once that information becomes available, I will be sure to share. In the meantime, if there is someone who has more information on this process, please feel free to leave the information in the "Comments" section of this blog for all to see.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
School Closings: How, When, Who & Why?
As all of you are aware, the decision was made to close school today due to the impending severe winter storm warning. I receive many questions about the school closing process, so I thought I would take a moment to explain how such decisions are made.
As District #1 Superintendent, I make the final decision about whether or not weather conditions merit closing school. However, I never make such decisions without first consulting with the District #1 School Board President. Prior to making such an important decision, there are many variables to consider.
Discussions begin with area school district superintendents the night prior to an expected weather event. All of us watch the local news forecasts, and we also receive weather alerts from the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency. I am sure all of you have experienced inaccuracies in local weather reports. Therefore, if at all possible, I try to wait until early the next morning to make a decision, so my determination is based on the most current weather information. I usually start looking at local weather reports and forecasts at 3:00 a.m. to see if anything has changed from the previous night. If it has been snowing, I start driving our school district's country roads at 4:00 a.m. in order to make an informed decision by 5:00 a.m. If we close school, the school district begins its communication process to the public at 5:30 a.m.
The safety of our students is always our school district's top priority. There have been times in the past where the weather report calls for snow mid-day, and some parents wonder why we don't let school out early in such cases. My experience has been that in such situations, by the time school is out, the snow plows have done their jobs and the roads have been cleared. The absolute worst time to let students out is in the midst of a snowstorm. Last Tuesday was the perfect example of this. We received a midday snow, but by 3:00 p.m., the roads had been cleared. Therefore, the timing of a snow event is an important consideration.
I recognize that canceling school places a significant inconvenience and burden on working parents who depend on the consistent child care provided by sending their children to school. Therefore, I try to be very judicious in canceling school due to a weather emergency. However, when a serious safety concern is present, it takes precedence over child care issues.
Some are under the impression that State funding is impacted by the district canceling school due to weather emergencies. This is not true, as the State requires that we have 174 student attendance days no matter what. Therefore, we build five emergency days into our calendar to utilize in case of such events. The canceling of school due to weather has absolutely no impact on school district funding.
Finally, everyone with students in our school system should have received notification of school being canceled via our automated phone system. If you did not receive such a call, please refer here to make sure we have your correct information in our system. Also, on "snow days", the District office remains open and on regular hours.
As a reminder, the day missed today must be made up at the end of the year. Therefore, the end of the year calendar will be adjusted as follows...
As District #1 Superintendent, I make the final decision about whether or not weather conditions merit closing school. However, I never make such decisions without first consulting with the District #1 School Board President. Prior to making such an important decision, there are many variables to consider.
Discussions begin with area school district superintendents the night prior to an expected weather event. All of us watch the local news forecasts, and we also receive weather alerts from the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency. I am sure all of you have experienced inaccuracies in local weather reports. Therefore, if at all possible, I try to wait until early the next morning to make a decision, so my determination is based on the most current weather information. I usually start looking at local weather reports and forecasts at 3:00 a.m. to see if anything has changed from the previous night. If it has been snowing, I start driving our school district's country roads at 4:00 a.m. in order to make an informed decision by 5:00 a.m. If we close school, the school district begins its communication process to the public at 5:30 a.m.
The safety of our students is always our school district's top priority. There have been times in the past where the weather report calls for snow mid-day, and some parents wonder why we don't let school out early in such cases. My experience has been that in such situations, by the time school is out, the snow plows have done their jobs and the roads have been cleared. The absolute worst time to let students out is in the midst of a snowstorm. Last Tuesday was the perfect example of this. We received a midday snow, but by 3:00 p.m., the roads had been cleared. Therefore, the timing of a snow event is an important consideration.
I recognize that canceling school places a significant inconvenience and burden on working parents who depend on the consistent child care provided by sending their children to school. Therefore, I try to be very judicious in canceling school due to a weather emergency. However, when a serious safety concern is present, it takes precedence over child care issues.
Some are under the impression that State funding is impacted by the district canceling school due to weather emergencies. This is not true, as the State requires that we have 174 student attendance days no matter what. Therefore, we build five emergency days into our calendar to utilize in case of such events. The canceling of school due to weather has absolutely no impact on school district funding.
Finally, everyone with students in our school system should have received notification of school being canceled via our automated phone system. If you did not receive such a call, please refer here to make sure we have your correct information in our system. Also, on "snow days", the District office remains open and on regular hours.
As a reminder, the day missed today must be made up at the end of the year. Therefore, the end of the year calendar will be adjusted as follows...
- Friday, May 24 Last Day of Student Attendance
- Monday, May 27 Memorial Day--NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday, May 28 Teacher Institute
- Wednesday, May 29 First Day of Summer Vacation
Friday, February 22, 2013
What Makes a Great Teacher?
It's hard to believe, but we are already at that point in the school year where principals are looking to hire their necessary staff for the 2013-1014 school year. Due to the unfortunate budget cuts throughout public education, it is a buyer's market for teachers, which means principals will be faced with a plethora of applicants for virtually every open position. How do principals go about narrowing the field, interviewing candidates, and choosing the best possible teachers for their students? What characteristics make a teacher great? Is being a great teacher innate, or is it a learned skill? Annette Breaux attempts to answer these questions in her article "Can Anyone Be a Great Teacher?"
Breaux believes that
In the blog posting, Breaux identifies many characteristics of effective teachers. First and foremost, she argues that
Breaux posits that establishing positive relationships with students is a necessity to be considered a great teacher. Great teachers...
She also stated that, "Great teachers understand they are actors on a stage." I still remember one of my high school teachers saying, "I'm not here to entertain you, I'm here to teach you." Well, if you aren't entertaining, then most likely your students will be bored. When they are bored, they will not learn. If there is no learning, then there is no teaching going on. Absent learning taking place, then a teacher is just talking, not teaching. The great teachers are some of the best entertainers I know.
In summary, I agree with virtually all of the characteristics of great teachers Breaux identified. I also agree to some extent that some of these characteristics can be learned. However, I strongly believe there are certain innate characteristics that a teacher candidate must already possess if they are ever to become great. In fact, I tell my building principals to look for these three characteristics in any teacher candidate.
Breaux believes that
Though some people definitely possess an innate "gift" for teaching, most great teachers were not born. They were made!I believe this to a certain extent, but I will get back to my personal thoughts at the conclusion of this post.
In the blog posting, Breaux identifies many characteristics of effective teachers. First and foremost, she argues that
At the risk of overstating the obvious, great teachers truly love children! If you don't love children, you can't be a great teacher. Period. At the risk of really overstating the obvious, if you don't love children, you shouldn't be in education!She goes on to discuss characteristics like classroom management skills, subject matter knowledge, positive attitude, embracing change, and setting high expectations. However, there were two other characteristics that really made an impact on me.
Breaux posits that establishing positive relationships with students is a necessity to be considered a great teacher. Great teachers...
...subscribe to the belief that in order to teach a student, you must first reach a student. Thus, they get to know their students on a personal level.Building relationships is something we have been focusing on in District #1 for the past two years, and I agree that it is paramount to the success of any classroom teacher. Before the students will learn from you, they have to know that you care about them...and they know when we are faking it!
She also stated that, "Great teachers understand they are actors on a stage." I still remember one of my high school teachers saying, "I'm not here to entertain you, I'm here to teach you." Well, if you aren't entertaining, then most likely your students will be bored. When they are bored, they will not learn. If there is no learning, then there is no teaching going on. Absent learning taking place, then a teacher is just talking, not teaching. The great teachers are some of the best entertainers I know.
In summary, I agree with virtually all of the characteristics of great teachers Breaux identified. I also agree to some extent that some of these characteristics can be learned. However, I strongly believe there are certain innate characteristics that a teacher candidate must already possess if they are ever to become great. In fact, I tell my building principals to look for these three characteristics in any teacher candidate.
- Care about kids
- Positive attitude
- Work ethic
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Has Testing Reached a Tipping Point?
I recently read a blog post by Sam Chaltain, "Has Testing Reached a Tipping Point?" As educators, we are all aware that since the inception of NCLB in 2001, most legislators and educational reformers have been touting the virtues of standardized testing. Although doing so makes no statistical sense, the effectiveness of schools in the poorest areas of Chicago are being judged by the same standardized test score expectations as those schools located in the wealthiest north shore communities. NCLB has set a completely unrealistic goal that 100% of all students must meet or exceed standards on these State tests by 2014 (even though no country in the world has ever accomplished such achievement levels). Now, there is a State and Federal push to tie teacher evaluations to these standardized test scores. All of this causes Chaltain to question if our country is finally starting to realize the dangers of such an all out emphasis on standardized test scores.
Such an aggressive assault on public education by the State and Federal government has caused educators to begin emotionally speaking out about the negative ramifications of focusing solely on standardized testing. However, as the Chaltain stated, we have to be careful in how we approach trying to change the current process for the better.
Therefore, we have to do more than oppose the narrow focus of using only standardized testing data. Instead, we must also identify and champion viable alternatives that can be used to accurately and fairly evaluate the effectiveness of our instruction and our schools. That is the challenge we face, because identifying problems is easy, but offering solutions is challenging. All educators must rise to this challenge, or accept the fact that the rules of the accountability game will continue to be dictated to us.
Such an aggressive assault on public education by the State and Federal government has caused educators to begin emotionally speaking out about the negative ramifications of focusing solely on standardized testing. However, as the Chaltain stated, we have to be careful in how we approach trying to change the current process for the better.
To convert their opponents from hostility to acceptance, educators will need to clarify more than what they're against; they'll also need to propose specific and realistic alternatives.That last statement closely aligned with my own personal thoughts on this topic. We have to be very careful that in our messages espousing the inherent dangers of relying solely on standardized testing to judge students, teachers and schools, that we are not seen as simply being scared of accountability. Worse yet, we cannot send the message to the public that we don't value the data that appropriate assessment provides. Every profession spends time collecting appropriate data, evaluating that data, and using that data for continuous improvement. Education should be no different. The continuous improvement of our schools is dependent upon this process. To not collect and evaluate student performance data would be educational malpractice on our parts.
Therefore, we have to do more than oppose the narrow focus of using only standardized testing data. Instead, we must also identify and champion viable alternatives that can be used to accurately and fairly evaluate the effectiveness of our instruction and our schools. That is the challenge we face, because identifying problems is easy, but offering solutions is challenging. All educators must rise to this challenge, or accept the fact that the rules of the accountability game will continue to be dictated to us.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Illinois 5Essentials Survey
Over the next two months, certified staff and students in grades 6-12 across Illinois' public schools will be taking the newly required "Illinois 5Essentials Survey." This survey is a research-based instrument that provides statistically valid information for school districts and the Illinois State Board of Education to use for a variety of purposes.
This online survey provides detailed information and reports on each of the "5 Essentials", which are...
1. Effective Leaders
2. Collaborative Teachers
3. SupportiveEnvironment
4. Involved Families
5. Ambitious Instruction
The resulting information provided can, and will, be used for a variety of purposes at both the State and the local levels. For example, the ISBE will use the results for both school improvement initiatives and to provide a picture of school performance that goes beyond simply looking at standardized test scores. At the local level, the survey results can be used as a part of administrator evaluations, school improvement planning, determining professional development needs, and community outreach efforts, just to name a few.
This survey is required by all public schools in Illinois for the following three reasons.
Although certified staff and students are the only two groups being surveyed by the State this year, there is a parental survey could become mandatory in 2014. In the meantime, District #1 is investigating the possibility of using the parental component of the "5Essentials Survey" this year on an optional basis in order to gather another data point for our continuous improvement efforts.
If you are a certified staff member in our school district, your building principal will be discussing the implementation of this survey in the next couple of weeks. If you are a student or parent/guardian of a District #1 student in grades 6-12, you will also be hearing more in the next month. In the meantime, if you want any further information, you can visit the "Illinois 5Essentials Survey" website.
This online survey provides detailed information and reports on each of the "5 Essentials", which are...
1. Effective Leaders
2. Collaborative Teachers
3. SupportiveEnvironment
4. Involved Families
5. Ambitious Instruction
The resulting information provided can, and will, be used for a variety of purposes at both the State and the local levels. For example, the ISBE will use the results for both school improvement initiatives and to provide a picture of school performance that goes beyond simply looking at standardized test scores. At the local level, the survey results can be used as a part of administrator evaluations, school improvement planning, determining professional development needs, and community outreach efforts, just to name a few.
This survey is required by all public schools in Illinois for the following three reasons.
- PERA requires one or more instruments to provide principals with feedback on the instructional environment within a school.
- Senate Bill 7 requires an instrument to provide feedback from, at a minimum, students in grades 6-12 and teachers, on the instructional environment within a school.
- Revised report card statute requires two or more indicators from any school climate survey developed by the State.
Although certified staff and students are the only two groups being surveyed by the State this year, there is a parental survey could become mandatory in 2014. In the meantime, District #1 is investigating the possibility of using the parental component of the "5Essentials Survey" this year on an optional basis in order to gather another data point for our continuous improvement efforts.
If you are a certified staff member in our school district, your building principal will be discussing the implementation of this survey in the next couple of weeks. If you are a student or parent/guardian of a District #1 student in grades 6-12, you will also be hearing more in the next month. In the meantime, if you want any further information, you can visit the "Illinois 5Essentials Survey" website.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Changes to 2013 ISAT Test
Ever since the 1982 publication of "A Nation at Risk", politicians, education researchers, and the business community have been espousing their various "silver bullets" to the ever-elusive question of how to reform public education. For now, let's put aside the discussion of whether or not the data quantitatively proves public education actually needs to be reformed. Such a discussion is worthy of multiple posts, and is not the point of this particular discussion.
Over the years, we have watched the education reform pendulum swing back and forth many times. In response to "A Nation at Risk", we saw a focus on reforming education through enhancing the rigor of science and math classes. In the 90's, we saw "Tech Prep" become the new focus as public schools were charged with trying to get students on a career track early in their educational tenure. In this way, public schools could meet the needs of the business world that was concerned about the quality of their workforce. Then we saw the passing of "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), which took the focus off vocational education and tech prep, and instead, forced schools to meet certain requirements for student achievement in reading and math. As a result, schools began to forgo vocational education, career planning and the arts, and instead placed all of their energies and resources into reading and math because the stakes were so high. Now, the latest educational reform initiative, "Race to the Top", is focused on college and career readiness for all students.
In response to "Race to the Top", the Illinois State Board of Education has recommended significant changes to the ISAT test, which will have huge ramifications for public schools across Illinois. They have determined that the ISAT cut scores to achieve a meets or exceeds status are too low. Therefore, they have increased these cut scores dramatically to align them more closely with the results of the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE), which is taken by every junior in an Illinois high school.
These changes are significant! For example, on the 2012 ISAT test for 3rd grade math, 98% of Coal City District #1 students met or exceeded standards. However, when the new cut scores are applied, only 62% of our students would have met or exceeded standards. We have not yet calculated the impact on reading and math scores at all of our impacted grades (3-8). However, that information will be available soon.
Raising the cut scores is a definite challenge, but it is not the only new challenge we will be facing on the 2013 State ISAT assesment. In preparation for transition to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), which is scheduled for implementation starting in the fall of 2014, the ISBE has informed us that the 2013 ISAT test will have 20% of its questions coming from the Common Core Curriculum.
In summary, 20% of the questions on the 2013 ISAT test will be much more challenging because they will be focused on the Common Core Curriculum. At the same time, the cut scores for achieving a meets or exceeds status have been significantly raised. It goes without saying that the overall percentage of students from District #1 who meet or exceed standards on the ISAT test will decline. How severe this decline will be remains to be seen.
As always, our school district will embrace this new data and see it as an opportunity for continuous improvement. However, it is important that our school community understands why school districts across Illinois will experience serious declines in the number of their students who meet or exceed standards on the upcoming 2013 ISAT test.
Over the years, we have watched the education reform pendulum swing back and forth many times. In response to "A Nation at Risk", we saw a focus on reforming education through enhancing the rigor of science and math classes. In the 90's, we saw "Tech Prep" become the new focus as public schools were charged with trying to get students on a career track early in their educational tenure. In this way, public schools could meet the needs of the business world that was concerned about the quality of their workforce. Then we saw the passing of "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), which took the focus off vocational education and tech prep, and instead, forced schools to meet certain requirements for student achievement in reading and math. As a result, schools began to forgo vocational education, career planning and the arts, and instead placed all of their energies and resources into reading and math because the stakes were so high. Now, the latest educational reform initiative, "Race to the Top", is focused on college and career readiness for all students.
In response to "Race to the Top", the Illinois State Board of Education has recommended significant changes to the ISAT test, which will have huge ramifications for public schools across Illinois. They have determined that the ISAT cut scores to achieve a meets or exceeds status are too low. Therefore, they have increased these cut scores dramatically to align them more closely with the results of the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE), which is taken by every junior in an Illinois high school.
These changes are significant! For example, on the 2012 ISAT test for 3rd grade math, 98% of Coal City District #1 students met or exceeded standards. However, when the new cut scores are applied, only 62% of our students would have met or exceeded standards. We have not yet calculated the impact on reading and math scores at all of our impacted grades (3-8). However, that information will be available soon.
Raising the cut scores is a definite challenge, but it is not the only new challenge we will be facing on the 2013 State ISAT assesment. In preparation for transition to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), which is scheduled for implementation starting in the fall of 2014, the ISBE has informed us that the 2013 ISAT test will have 20% of its questions coming from the Common Core Curriculum.
In summary, 20% of the questions on the 2013 ISAT test will be much more challenging because they will be focused on the Common Core Curriculum. At the same time, the cut scores for achieving a meets or exceeds status have been significantly raised. It goes without saying that the overall percentage of students from District #1 who meet or exceed standards on the ISAT test will decline. How severe this decline will be remains to be seen.
As always, our school district will embrace this new data and see it as an opportunity for continuous improvement. However, it is important that our school community understands why school districts across Illinois will experience serious declines in the number of their students who meet or exceed standards on the upcoming 2013 ISAT test.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Illinois Pension Reform Conundrum
I recently read this post by Ralph Martire in Crain's Chicago Business. Ralph Martire is the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, which is a bipartisan fiscal policy think tank based in Chicago.
He brings a fresh perspective to the Illinois pension crisis that I have not heard mentioned by any of our elected officials. As most everyone knows, the Illinois General Assembly once again failed to take any legislative action to address the $95 billion pension liability currently facing Illinois. Martire notes that the system has
Martire believes that benefits are not the true cause of the problem. If the only issue facing the pension system were benefits, then the system would be about 70% funded, and there would be no crisis. The major cause of the current pension crisis is not benefits, but rather debt.
Martire states
I find it interesting (and disturbing) that this approach is receiving no attention in the General Assembly. If, as Martire points out, cutting benefits does not solve the pension crisis, why wouldn't our legislators go after the real cause of the issue--debt?
He brings a fresh perspective to the Illinois pension crisis that I have not heard mentioned by any of our elected officials. As most everyone knows, the Illinois General Assembly once again failed to take any legislative action to address the $95 billion pension liability currently facing Illinois. Martire notes that the system has
just 40% of the funding they should have currently, which is well below the 80% generally deemed healthy for public systems.However, he argues that instead of being upset at the lack of legislative action to cut almost $30 billion in benefits, we should be relieved, because such action would not have solved the problem.
Martire believes that benefits are not the true cause of the problem. If the only issue facing the pension system were benefits, then the system would be about 70% funded, and there would be no crisis. The major cause of the current pension crisis is not benefits, but rather debt.
Martire states
...for more than 40 years, the state used the pension systems like a credit card, borrowing against what is owed them to cover the cost of providing current services, which effectively allowed constituents to consume public services without having to pay the full cost thereof in taxes.The problem is now the repayment schedule for this debt. It is so back-loaded that making the payments is unreasonable. Martire goes on to say
It is this unattainable, unaffordable repayment schedule that is straining the state's fiscal system--not pension benefits and not losses from the Great Recession. And no matter how much benefits are cut, that debt service will grow at unaffordable rates. Which means decision-makers can't solve this problem without re-amortizing the debt.Martire also believes that re-amortizing this debt is an easy process, and should be pursued by our legislators.
I find it interesting (and disturbing) that this approach is receiving no attention in the General Assembly. If, as Martire points out, cutting benefits does not solve the pension crisis, why wouldn't our legislators go after the real cause of the issue--debt?
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