I know of two teachers who were hired provisionally at the beginning of the school year and rated "highly effective" this school year and were told that they will be excessed back into the ATR pool at the end of the school year. Both teachers are 28 year plus veterans are in their 50's and make $108,811 annually. Get the message? Remember when Chancellor Carmen Farina stated that only 400 ATRs were capable teachers? One would think the two teachers who were given "highly effective" ratings proved they are capable teachers. Then why didn't the Chancellor demand that they be permanently placed? The answer is she talks out of both sides of her mouth. On one hand she wants "quality teachers" while keeping in place the school-based "fair student funding" that penalizes schools who hire "highly qualified" veteran teachers. You can't have it both ways.
That brings me back to the two "highly effective" teachers and why they cannot get a permanent position, despite both of them being the best teacher in their subject area at the schools they are in. The answer is complicated. . First, its their salary, the school that picks them up provisionally, only pays the average teacher salary of the school for the year and possibly for the length of the contract, till 2018. However, if the school permanently appoints them, the school gets them for free the second year. Sounds good right? Except their is a major catch. Once a school permanently appoints an ATR the school must include the teacher in their seniority list and if there is excessing, a less senior teacher will be excessed first. Few principals want to take that risk, especially those with an institutional knowledge how things are supposed to work.
Second, the school may be required to pick up the entire ATR salary at the end of the 2018 contract and few schools would be pleased to see their already tight budget squeezed further by picking up the full salary.and few principals are willing to take that risk. The union may claim otherwise but just ask principals who are savvy would they trust the DOE to continue to pick up the difference after June of 2018?
Finally, the DOE budgeting process encourages principals to pick up "the cheapest and not the best teachers" for their school. The less expensive the teacher, the more budget money for the school to use for other needs. Is it any wonder that principals fall all over themselves to hire "newbie" and untenured teachers while veteran teachers don't even get an interview on the Open Market Transfer System?
The UFT will claim what I am posting is an "urban myth" but they refuse to prove it by hiding the secretive statistics that Solidarity caucus has been attempting to foil and has been refused by both the DOE and UFT to provide the data. That's because what I wrote here is the truth and not an "urban myth" that our disconnected union leadership would have you believe. Now you know the truth on why these two "highly effective" teachers cannot get a permanent placement.
Just curious, how did these 2 ATR's get rated Highly Effective if ATR's do not follow the Danielson model. Thought they were rated S or U.
ReplyDeleteThey were hired provisionally at the beginning of the year and was subject to Danielson like all appointed teachers.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a farce. The inexperienced teachers are trying and no one is listening. The ATRs are in the back of room, that know how to teach but aren't allowed to. Who's the real loser? The students. Farina and Mulgrew are saying ATRs are inferior to get us and our high salaries out of the system. Pick any inexperienced teacher and any ATR, and have them teach the same class cold (not knowing the students) and then judge who does a better job. Mulgrew is a huge piece of shit, teachers deserve him.
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible that the DOE is able to conceal demographic data, race and age , for the ATR population?
ReplyDeleteAmy Arundell claims all this is an urban myth but you and I know it is the truth. Keep exposing their lies.
ReplyDeleteI was just released from my provisional assignment. I will no longer apply to anymore schools or do anymore demo lessons. I have been teaching for twenty years and no longer will put up with this. I have been an ATR for two years. I want a permanent placement, but if the DOE prefers for me to babysit and do lunchroom duty for my six figure salary I will gladly do it.
ReplyDeleteHeard plenty of Superintendents are being shifted next year to other districts. It's in the UFT chapter leaders notes. Any truth to this?
ReplyDeleteChaz , what happens to John Adams teachers that didn't get rehired after the interview ? What's the receivership law for them ? It's confusing . I was told they go to another receivership school and then if they don't get hired their after a year . They are moved to another receivership school for 3 years . What happens after that ? They become a Atr ?
ReplyDeleteA Queens teacher won a $125,000 city settlement for injuries caused by out-of-control teens who also harassed her racially and sexually while school leaders did nothing to stop it, she says.
ReplyDeleteKathy Perez suffered five herniated discs in her back, two in her neck and a torn meniscus in two incidents at MS 72 Catherine and Count Basie in Jamaica about 18 months apart.
In the first case, teens racing around the room trampled her. In the second, a girl shoved her to the floor. Both times, ambulance workers removed Perez on a stretcher.
In between, administrators shrugged off multiple frightening incidents, Perez told The Post.
“These kids knew they could beat on me all they wanted, and the administration would tacitly encourage it by not doing anything about it,” Perez said. “In no other workplace would I be expected to take this as part of my day.”
MS 72 struggles with discipline problems and low student achievement. In school surveys, kids have complained of bullying.
Perez says several kids taunted and threatened her as they spewed X-rated profanity. They called her “white bitch,” pelted her with pencils, and tossed rocks as she walked to her car, warning that she would “get shot” and “get my ass kicked.”
Among the reports she filed:
One boy ran around class waving a collapsible cane, narrowly missing students and swinging it close to Perez’s head. A dean removed the boy for several minutes and “then sent him back in — with the cane.”
Three boys unscrewed table legs, slammed them on desks and swung them at each other and at the teacher while kids screamed.
“Repeated pleas for help went unanswered,” Perez said.
One girl sprayed perfume in Perez’s face. The same girl taped sanitary pads colored with red markers around the room, shouting at Perez: “Nobody wants to see your nasty period on the wall, dumbass!”
A boy climbed on a table and “pretended to hump his backpack,” telling Perez, “You know you want it so drop your pants. I’m gonna give it to you hard.”
Her attempts to control the hooligans met with accusations of racism.
“‘It’s because I have a flat top (haircut) and I’m black you f—in’ racist,” she quoted a boy she told to sit down.
Principal Omotayo Cineus testified at a deposition that she removed offending students from the classroom.
“Children were spoken to and parents were spoken to,” Cineus said.
But Perez said nobody responded to her reports. “I have no evidence that anything was done,” she said, adding that students returned to her room and the harassment worsened.
Cineus even slapped Perez with a disciplinary letter after her two children sent an e-mail to the principal saying they were worried about their mom. Cineus called it “inappropriate communication with superiors.”
She did not return a call for comment.
Perez, who underwent back and knee surgeries, filed two lawsuits against the Department of Education in 2012 and 2013, one in state court alleging personal injury, the other a federal civil-rights case.
She settled in April for the $125,000 payment, which includes her lawyer’s fees, and now works in other schools.
I think Arundel is an urban myth.
ReplyDeleteChaz what's the deal with receivership law ? If a teacher gets interviewed and doesn't get rehired . What happens after that ? I heard they bounce to 3 different schools for 3 years . What happens after that ? John Adams just went through it
ReplyDeleteSeveral times I was told by the principal that they are "trying" to keep me at the school but every time it turns out to be back into the atr pool. With the DOe now struggling with the federal government regarding racist principals we might get a change in the tone from the DOE. Mikey Bloomberg instilled the culture of being ruthless at the DOE and it has not changed but hopefully a federal lawsuit might change things. Now, the ATR pool and the discrimination there is so blatant it amazes me that the DOe actually thinks that people do not know what is going on regarding their most senior, most tenured educators. Why in the world would they treat people in the pool the way they are?? These are people who were cultivated by the DOe to become great educators then to suddenly turn their backs and discriminate against their most prized people?? I can only assume that its still the stench from bloomberg...and yes I always go back to mike bloomberg because this man was bitter against the union and teachers in general and he tried to make everyones life miserable when he was here.
ReplyDeleteThe teacher is assigned for the year at a school with a vacancy in the subject area after the Open Market closes in August. This will be at any school in the Borough.
ReplyDeleteThe awesome chapter leader at my school is being excessed on purpose. We saw it coming. She would stand up for our rights and force the admins to treat us like human beings, as much as it was in her power to do so. Now she will be history come June 28th.
ReplyDeleteThe culture of killing any and all union representation is now the DOE modus operandi. After her, I don't think a single person will take the job at my school, except for the lapdog guidance counselor who is best buds with the admins. I am tired of third world corruption in what used to be a great country.
Preet Bharara will expose the DOE for all the injustices going on. I know someone who personally knows him and he told me that Preet is closing in on the corruption amongst the NYCDOE and UFT. This great news for the 200,000 employees in the system.
ReplyDeleteThis whole ATR business is totally ridiculous. This is year two for me. I agree with others that I will no longer waste my time applying for any jobs. The schools don't even grant you an interview. I haven't been picked up by the schools that I've be in. They have me there all year and then its back to the ATR pool. No principal is going to pick a person who is at the highest salary step on the pay scale. They will hire a newbie and safe money from their budget. I didn't want to believe it but it is true. What a way to end a career? I'll never be permanently hired again. Sad!! Being an ATR makes you feel so devalued and unwanted.
ReplyDeleteI love feeling devalued as long as my paycheck slides into my bank account. ATRS need to make better use of their times besides sitting on a computer for 650 minutes. As a fellow ATR, it is quite ridiculous. Move around, go for a walk...stop being cheap and go out for lunch. Hardest part is watching these other ATRS sit in the same spot all day.
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ReplyDeleteI was rated Last Year as effective once my MOSLs were factored in and I was still excessed at the last minute at the end of June 2015. I was deeply saddened as I loved the kids and love teaching them. I am not saying it was a cake walk. I did find out that they hired two newbies for the price of one.