Monday, June 26, 2017

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow - Teacher Turnover At Charter Schools, The Fatal Flaw.



























One of the fatal flaws the charter schools and their media allies try to hide is the extremely high teacher turnover they experience.  The charter schools average a 41% teacher turnover rate from one year to the next and the Eva Moskowitz's Success Academy it's even higher with a 60% teacher turnover rate annually, compared to a 18% turnover rate in the City public schools.  It is common for students to have two or more teachers during the school year and many of them are uncertified as well.

Most of the teachers that charter schools recruit come from Teach for America and only received a seven week training session in pedagogy.  These recent college graduates usually have no teaching certification or experience and last two years or less in the profession, some never getting their teaching license.  Moreover, the few experienced teachers the charter schools hires are teachers that had either been discontinued or  had 3020-a charges and lost their right to teach in DOE schools. For these teachers its usually jumping from one charter school to another and yet another as they are not rehired for the next school year or they are wary of the working conditions, such as an extended day, inferior benefits, and a longer year.  Not to mention overbearing parents.

Having friends who work in charter schools they tell me that the charter school administrators don't appreciate their teachers and think of them as transient replaceable parts.  Teachers that aren't available 24 hours a day during the extended school year, including weekends, can expect to be replaced by an uncertified "newbie" and it matters little that the replacement can't teach. In charter schools, the term professional educator is replaced by the revolving door of adults who use the position as a stepping stone to a better future. Therefore, the charter school reliance on hiring from Teach for America.

The New York Daily News published an opinion piece from a charter school parent who removed her daughter from the charter school because of the school's high teacher turnover.  According to the parent she was tired of seeing good teachers leave for the suburbs or the City public schools because of better working conditions, union benefits, and a right to tenure and she can't blame them one bit.  Furthermore, the wave of "baby boomer" retirements over the last few years at the City public schools and an improving economy opened up public school teaching positions for those inexperienced teachers who intend to make teaching a lifetime occupation.  They were snatched up by the public schools who, due to tight school budgets, and DOE policies that discriminate against veteran teachers, can hire the charter school teacher at a much the lower salary.

The bottom line is that with an looming teacher shortage and even less college graduates applying to Teach for America, where will the charter schools get qualified teachers?  The answer is that they won't be able to and that will result in the hiring of more uncertified people and  a continued decline in these schools of their students failure to achieve their academic potential and that is the fatal flaw charter schools suffer from.

Note:  This Bronx charter school is firing 11 of its 15 teachers, or 75% of the teaching staff.  You can read the story Here.

46 comments:

Anonymous said...

Public schools are following the same pattern. Thank you FariƱa and Mulgrew for making our schools worse.

Anonymous said...

Charter Schools hit the road!

Anonymous said...

There is a vicious circle which has developed in the NYC DOE. Wake up everybody- Bloomberg is gone. Have things really improved? Not really because a lot is fake. Parents lie. Students lie. Staff feel pressued to inflate grades. It's a vicious circle.

Anonymous said...

I worked in a charter school ten years ago. (Not in NYS) Literally the day of my interview at the school there were a number of teachers packing their stuff up because they quit. I ended up working there for a year and a half. So many teachers quit mid year. I recently looked at their website and NOBODY is still working there from ten years ago. I asked one of teachers there if the administration gets upset over such high turnover and the teacher said, "that's just business".

Anonymous said...

we are ALL getting what we deserve. as for the 4 schools I bounced around this year the kids are getting dumber and meaner!!

Anonymous said...

How is their pay compared to doe?

Anonymous said...

Not better than the DOE. Those teachers want to come to the DOE. Once they are in, they experience and/or see the harassment that goes on. Same SH-T, different system. Strong laws against harassment need to be implemented. This is a real issue throughout all work environments. Nobody should have to go through this. It's bullying.

Anonymous said...

Charter schools say they pay the same as the district schools that they are located in but what needs to be taken into consideration is the massive extra hours and days that charter school teachers have to put in. Thus the pay is not equitable. In fact, when I worked at the charter school teachers had to go on a a one week trip to visit colleges with their students. This means we were working 24 hours a day for a week straight. No break. We had Saturday school once a month. Hours were from 7-5. Only got 3 weeks off for summer because they send the teachers to PD's all over the country. Thus, charter schools can talk the talk about fair pay but it is not fair pay at all when this extra time is put in. (And yes, teachers did get cellphones and the "scholars" could call them with questions till 8pm every night. Charter schools are cults where you are expected to give up any sense of a normal life and become a full on stooge for the charter school. In my exit interview when I quit I told them that this type of work is unsustainable. (The school was a KIPP charter if you are curious. And as mentioned, it was out of NYS) However, I had to visit other KIPP schools during my time working there and they all work in the same cultish way. Not one teacher there had a child of their own and most were singles living alone or with room mates.

Anonymous said...

Well every charter is different but it's generally the format with some variation. The school/network that I was in last year (Excel charter school in Brooklyn) went from 7:30-4:30. When I was in Doe it was 7:30 to 2:30. Also in that school the teachers suffered from excessive PD to the point where it was almost counter productive and had no planning time. Basically every policy that the school implented failed so we'd spend several hours a week strategizing new ones until those ones failed etc. One if the reasons I felt that I didn't belong there was because of my age. I was 34 then but everybody there 90% were all early to mid twenties. Finally the pay is inferior when you factor the hours and the charters do not have a longevity scale.

But all that being said I honestly do not believe that a new or relatively new teacher is hurting that bad as compared to the shit they'd be up against in the DOE. That is absolutely whether people wanna admit it or not.

Anonymous said...

8:14 yes what you described is very much reminiscent of excel school which also operates in the same cultish fashion which was another reason why I didn't feel as if I belonged.

Also pre-service consisted of almost one entire summer month.

waitingforsupport said...

Creepy and odd...

Anonymous said...

120K a year from now!!!!!
Could care less about this fake ass system and what has become of it. I passed just about everyone who was breathing and I will be enjoying my 120K plus per session until I retire. Now it's all about the money. Enjoy your summer everyone.

Anonymous said...

The DOE is creepy and odd. Very unprofessional behaviors and a lot of people suffering from mental illness/behavioral disorders.

Anonymous said...

to quote governor "please name the new bridge after my dada" cuomo. "I'm bringing back joe lhotoa to run the mta because he is EXPERIENCED" "hey governor, I have experience let me run the mta" oh wait, I'm an educator we get the door and become atr's. what hypocrites with a double standard.

Anonymous said...

Newsflash, MOskowitch is looking for teachers!!! Jobs jobs jobs go get yours now while they last.....

Michael Fiorillo said...

Sweatshops for teachers, sweatshops for kids...

Anonymous said...

You should see how Success Academy staff treat the children - military. Have no warmth, straight faces and don't F with me attitudes.

Shad C. said...

Look, if you guys want to make a change then we can make a change. It only starts with one man, one ATR and one voice. The airline fiasco only started with one man: a doctor named Dr. Dao who refused to give up his seat.

I am willing to be the man. During the labor day parade - I am willing to be paraded in a cage to show the whole world what we go through. I already have 3 ATRs willing to be paraded on dog leashes.

I will need 350 to 450 ATRs that day to show Mulgrew and the city our discontent. WHO IS WITH ME?

Shad C. said...

By the way, how many ATRs have filed an equal opportunity conflict of interest case against their ATR supervisors? I have. I find it a total conflict of interest when an ATR supervisor comes to observe me. For one, he/she and I are both ATRs competing for jobs. Why would he/she give me a decent observation when we are both looking for work?

Prehistoric pedagogue said...

It seems to me that all of you who are constantly complaining about lack of discipline and respect from the kids would be flocking to the charter schools

Anonymous said...

Prehistoric Pedagogue - get out your school and see what is going on. You are naive.

Anonymous said...

Interesting! What was the resolution?

Anonymous said...

shad c let me know how the conflict of interest works out,
i would imagine it is not a coi because you are not competing for the same job types and an atr fs is not consiidered looking for work as you have to apply for the position.

Anonymous said...

Shad,
No more ATRs as of 9/1 - everyone will be placed except 3020a parolees. If you show up in a cage at Labor Day parade Mulgrew will give out eggs - wear a poncho. I'll be there.

Anonymous said...

shad if your serious and not some nut job I'm in!

Anonymous said...

Even if a lot of ATRs take the buyout, so many teachers are being excessed there will be a net gain to the total. UFT needs to do something to stop all this bullshit.

Prehistoric pedagogue said...

What's your problem? I'm pretty sure I was teaching before you could even read or write. I've taught in all kinds of schools every part of the city.

Anonymous said...

6:17

So many schools....so, no one wanted to appoint your sorry ass?

Anonymous said...

There will still be ATRS. Principals will vigorously try to find people before paying a high-salaried ATR. Let's see how all this plays out.

Anonymous said...

shad after careful consideration I decided that you are a nut job! nyc-doe is lucky to have you.

Anonymous said...

La, la, la, la, la. The UFT drags it's feet. The creation of this 'ATR' status was a bad move and these are the consequences. Even if some are placed in positions in the upcoming school year, we still remain ATR status because will be returned to the ATR pool at the end of the assignment. This BS will continue......... principals will band together and try to get a low-salaried person or a newbie and yes, the ATR pool will grow. Never ending. 'Permanent' staff needs to push also because this could happen to anybody. Check out the school in the Bronx where the students were merely moved on to another school and everyone became ATR. This issue is EVERY union member's issue.

Anonymous said...

Shad....Unless you are a supervisor, the two of you were not looking for the same job.

Shad C. said...

I am looking for a way to get all ATRs to unite. This way we can email everyone whenever we need a voice. One way we can make a splash is to show up at the labor day parade. For 200 dollars I can rent a cage and be pushed around. I also have 3 volunteers willing to be walked around on leashes to show discontent.

I am totally serious. We can wear our shirts backwards to show discontent with the DOE and UFT.


By the way I do have a supervisory license and feel it is a conflict of interest to be observed by atr supervisors.

Anonymous said...

The UFT should tell us how many teachers were just turned into ATRs. It's disturbing and every teacher that feels secure should be disturbed. Why isn't the UFT pushing for an end individual school budgets? Go back to centralizes funding - no more ATRs, no more bullshit. Very, very few ATRs are taking that 50k.

Anonymous said...

Such vulgarity.....

Anonymous said...

There is no problem and the mere fact that you write 'pretty sure' means you are not sure. Go be naive somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

This ATR thing does not work. Need a permanent position not these bogus provisional placements. Going back to budgets being centralized is the answer and get these administrators that have time to bullshit by harassing out. There are people that want to work.

Shady C. said...

What I see as the biggest problem has to be the number of ATRs who fight among themselves. Look at the number of negative comments and insults being thrown at each other. Who cares if someone's grammar sucks or their grandma doesn't like pickles? What does that have to do with ATRs? Unless we bond together and fight for each other - nobody else is going to.

These insults have to stop if you want to see me in a cage at the labor day parade with 3 teachers on leashes surrounding the cage.

We are still looking for two teachers to walk on both side of the cage dressed up as Hannibal Lecter being pushed around on a dolly (sorry if I spelled dolly wrong). I already had purchased the Hannibal Lecter masks for something else but we need the dolly. I heard I can rent one at at Uhaul for 19.99 or something.

Also, we need to start having secret handshakes as ATRs because I am beginning to think there are outsiders trying to penetrate us.

Lastly, I met an ATR 3 or 4 years ago who had tattoos on his butt cheeks of every principal who ever tried to u-rate him. His name was Kevin M. If anyone runs into Kevin please tell him to contact me ASAP. I ran into a principal that I would like him to add to his left butt cheek if he still has space. Kevin - I love u!!! Contact me. Still livin the good life and fightin the battles.

Shad C. said...

@5:03 p.m. I have the cage and I am all set to go. Mulgrew or you won't intimidate me by throwing eggs. Having eggs thrown at me will show just how the UFT has sold out the ATRs. Are you that stupid that you think having eggs thrown at me will be good for the union?

2. Are you here to support the union or ATRs? Why are you so worried about me in a cage?

3. ATRs are not being placed as of 9/1. They still will be ATRs but will not move from school to school. This does not solve the problem.

Anonymous said...

shad on your next assignment see if the school has phycologist on staff... then pay them a visit!

Anonymous said...

This is 5:03. Sorry Shad, that came out wrong , as my grammar is sometimes at fault as well. I will seriously be there. If you're serious, I support you. I know a few ATRs that are so angry and fed up they'd definitely join you. I think those antics are nuts, but if you're serious contact MORE and Solidarity. Heck call Sue Edleman and The Chief.

Anonymous said...

Shad has humor and guts. Good combination! Bravo Shad! Btw, the school psychologist would need a psychologist of their own. Do you think the school psychologist would be able to handle Shad C? Doubt it!


Going back to ATR issues: This status of ATRdom needs to end. Are other NYC employees treated this way? NYPD, NYC MTA, NYC construction, etc.

'Educators' in leadership roles are not true leaders because they do not lift people up, they harass and intimidate. Education leaders need to go back to school and get real training in leadership. Leaders in the education field need to feel embarrassed.

Anonymous said...

Shad has humor and guts. Good combination! Bravo Shad! Btw, the school psychologist would need a psychologist of their own. Do you think the school psychologist would be able to handle Shad C? Doubt it!


Going back to ATR issues: This status of ATRdom needs to end. Are other NYC employees treated this way? NYPD, NYC MTA, NYC construction, etc.

'Educators' in leadership roles are not true leaders because they do not lift people up, they harass and intimidate. Education leaders need to go back to school and get real training in leadership. Leaders in the education field need to feel embarrassed.

Anonymous said...

Shad...how do you know that a fellow ATR had butt cheek tattoos?

Shad C. said...

@ 8:51 He showed me his butt cheek tattoos after the first time we met. I was checking his list to see how many principals or superintendents I recognized. Once you meet Kevin you will see for yourself. Kevin or K as he likes to be called is one of the nicest and coolest ATRs in the system. I tried to get him to make a website of his butt cheeks but he thought the DOE could go after him. If you are thinking of getting tattoos on your butt cheek let me know? I know the tattoo artist he used. A cutie pie from Washington Heights of 179th Street. She keeps it real and totally confidential.

K would get 3 to 4 coverages a day while I sat there not having one coverage. I paid off the secretary and he knew it but would never say a word. She was one of these mean ones that like jelly donuts. She gained over 15 pounds when I was in that school. She'd say "please no more donuts unless they have boston cream and 2 glazed." K never ratted and was a real stand up guy.

Are you thinking of getting butt cheek tattoos?

Anonymous said...

They have no shame.

Abigail Shure