In the first collaboration of its kind in the nation, United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Green Dot Public Schools Founder and CEO Steve Barr today announced a partnership to bring Green Dot, the most prominent charter school operator in Southern California, to New York City.
Green Dot has gained widespread visibility as it currently operates ten public charter high schools in Los Angeles’ highest-need communities that vastly outperform comparable traditional public high schools. The success of Green Dot is based on its “Six Tenets of High Performing Public Schools” calling for public schools to: (1) be safer and no larger than 500 students each; (2) implement a college preparatory curriculum for all students; (3) empower principals, teachers, parents and students to own all key decisions related to budgets, curriculum and hiring; (4) add more dollars to classrooms and significantly increase teacher pay; (5) value and support parent participation; (6) stay open later for community use.
By implementing this model, Green Dot has produced real results for its students, graduating 98% of its seniors with 78% going on to four-year universities. Results of this type are unmatched within the Los Angeles Unified School District where Green Dot currently operates.
“With the expansion of the charter school cap in New York State, it was time to identify sponsors who both value teachers as a key ingredient of school reform and who have a great track record. Green Dot’s core principles are very much aligned with the UFT’s. Teachers want to work in schools with small classes, that foster collaboration, respect and school-based decision making and that engage and involve parents,” said Weingarten.
Jeffrey T. Leeds, who will serve as the board’s chairman, said: “What is particularly exciting about this initiative is that it represents a model for structural reform. At its heart, this model recognizes that for schools to be successful and for students to achieve, partnerships need to be forged and accountability needs to be shared. Green Dot has earned a great reputation for its work in California. The UFT has demonstrated through its own charter schools its commitment to being both a leader and a partner in reform. Randi and Steve’s commitment to improving public education recognizes that the interests of teachers and of school managers may not always be in perfect alignment, but that the ultimate objective of everyone in the world of K-12 education – delivering results for children – requires true collaboration. This is an important development that deserves broad support.
Green Dot is the only non-district public school operator in California that has unionized teachers. The progressive working conditions Green Dot provides in Los Angeles will be replicated here in New York including giving teachers an explicit say in school policy and curriculum; a full and fair disciplinary process based on an independently mediated “just cause” standard; a professional work day rather than defined minutes; and flexibility to adjust the contract in critical areas over time.
Green Dot was able to achieve these reforms by establishing a relationship of mutual trust with the teachers union and committing to pay its teachers above the average of comparable schools’ pay scales. In doing so, Green Dot and its teachers share a unique relationship in the world of labor relations, one that is characterized by collaboration and a mutual interest in improving public education.
“Randi Weingarten is one of the most progressive labor leaders in the country,” said Barr. “When the UFT opened its two charter schools here in New York, I knew this was an organization I wanted Green Dot to partner with. Green Dot has had great success in working with the unionized teaching force in Los Angeles and I have no doubt our school in New York will have the same results.”
Green Dot and the UFT intend to submit a charter application to the State University of New York Board of Regents for approval and, if approved, open a high school in the South Bronx beginning with 100 students in grade nine and eventually expanding to include all high school grades through grade twelve. Class size will be capped at 25.
Green Dot will identify the principal, conduct hiring, and provide curriculum and professional development. The UFT Educational Foundation will provide administrative and operating support services to the school, including financial management, procurement and grant applications. Jeffrey Leeds, co-founder of Leeds Equity Partners, will serve as the board’s chairman. Additional board members will include: Steve Barr; Charlie King, a civic leader; Deborah Levitzky, New Leaders for New Schools Resident and Educational Consultant; Betty Rosa, former superintendent of Community School District 8; Bonnie Steingart, a partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen, LLP; Veronica Davey, Senior Director at the Broad Foundation; and Randi Weingarten.
6 Comments:
1 Persam1197
· Jun 29, 2007 at 7:34 am
“The success of Green Dot is based on its “Six Tenets of High Performing Public Schools” calling for public schools to: (1) be safer and no larger than 500 students each; (2) implement a college preparatory curriculum for all students; (3) empower principals, teachers, parents and students to own all key decisions related to budgets, curriculum and hiring; (4) add more dollars to classrooms and significantly increase teacher pay; (5) value and support parent participation; (6) stay open later for community use.”
I’m trying to be open-minded to this, however, I have questions to the above:
1. What makes this any different than the DOE’s plan of creating a flood of “smaller” schools? Some larger schools work very well such as our specialized schools and suburban schools. Why is “smaller” better? Small schools have limited music programs (orchestra, band), sports, clubs, that larger schools can offer. Converting schools like Morris and Taft into “campuses” with similar total student populations does not consitute “smaller schools.” Will Green Dot build new schools in their own homes or simply compete and occupy seats already in the system?
2. Implementing a college-track program is commendable, but anyone who works in a small school can attest, not all kids are college-bound. Will Greet Dot cream its student body? I believe that all kids can be successful, however, the reality is that not all students have the calling for college. What will Green Dot do with kids who are better suited for vocational training rather than college prep? Again, will this new charter cream or will it take on all kids that walk through its doors like our schools do?
3. We had that in DOE schools. It was called the SBO until we kissed that goodbye with the current contract. Principals are now CEO’s and have the last word in hiring, making the hiring committees advisory boards with no power. If our union supports the Bloomberg/Klein’s vision of the prinicpals’ autonomy, isn’t this in conflict with Green Dot? Parents and teachers today have never had less of a voice in DOE schools and we helped!
4. That’s what Kleinberg is bragging about. What makes Green Dot any different? How much more do Green Dot teachers make than their district counterparts in California? What about tenure? No one gets something for nothing; what do UFTers give up if the pay at Green Dot is better?
5. How does this happen? What are the details to get parents more involved? What kind of power do parents have in Green Dot schools?
6. We already have that in some DOE schools. However, so-called “empowerment schools” are finding out that their budgets do not allow for projects such as these because mandated services paid for by the DOE are now the schools’ responsibility. The new fair funding scheme of Klein and Bloomberg is now based on “achievement” rather than need. My school stands to lose about $200,000 in funding in September.
Overall, I believe the UFT needs to focus its energies on improving the conditions of schools right here, right now, rather than bring other players to the game.
2 Schoolgal
· Jun 29, 2007 at 8:03 am
Please define “a professional work day”
and what the current relationship between Green Dot and the LA teachers union. I understand there are problems.
3 phyllis c. murray
· Jun 29, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Programing Students for Success Means Equity and Access for All
There are many schools which are programing students for success. Their work is already worthy of much praise and emulation. The most recent is Green Dot.
“Green Dot has gained widespread visibility as it currently operates ten public charter high schools in Los Angeles’ highest-need communities that vastly outperform comparable traditional public high schools. The success of Green Dot is based on its “Six Tenets of High Performing Public Schools” calling for public schools to: (1) be safer and no larger than 500 students each; (2) implement a college preparatory curriculum for all students; (3) empower principals, teachers, parents and students to own all key decisions related to budgets, curriculum and hiring; (4) add more dollars to classrooms and significantly increase teacher pay; (5) value and support parent participation; (6) stay open later for community use. By implementing this model, Green Dot has produced real results for its students, graduating 98 percent of its seniors. In addition, 78 percent go on to four-year universities. These results are unmatched within the Los Angeles Unified School District where Green Dot currently operates.”
http://www.uft.org/news/greendot/
Another High School addresses the problem of the Plight of Minorities in the Bronx inner-city.
“The Eagle Academy For Young Men was developed on the premise that “Excellence, both in character and scholarship, opens doors and provides a bridge to equality.” This school has a “strategic partnership,” whose partners include students, administrators, teachers, parents, mentors and community supporters, all of whom are focused and committed to the school’s guiding principles of: Academic Excellence, Mentoring, Leadership, Integrity, Character Development and Community Service. The Eagle Academy prepares its students to join the ranks of future leaders in society. Professionals from a wide array of careers act as mentors to provide scholarship and internship opportunities. They are successful male role models who partner with students in their development inside and outside of the classroom environment.”
http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/StudentEnroll/HSAdmissions/HSDirectory/Book/?sid=688
Specific Programs in Westchester County High Schools have successfully targeted an at-risk population..
The Woodlands Individualized Senior Experience; Ossinings’ High Hopes Expectations College Track; Byram Hills’ Intel Science Program; and Mount Vernon High School’s Business Club, are proof positive that there are already solutions to the heightening dropout rate among African American Males in Westchester public schools. These programs should be replicated nationwide.
And in order to replicate these programs, we need to will see a reinvestment of economic capital in education. We will see a revitalization of structured environments in school communities. We will see new programs which provide the skills and develop the competencies needed so that all of our students will become productive members of society.
An investment of economic capital would assure the development of new schools, state of the art libraries, supervised playgrounds and after school programs. New capital investments would seed programs of prevention and intervention for our at – risk students and increase guidance and counseling services to end a child’s cycle of failure and frustration. Failure and frustration unabated, far too often, translate into assaults, disruptions in classrooms and heightening violent incident statistics.
If we are to continue to be a pluralistic society, we must make sure that the road to becoming a productive citizen : the road to being the best that we can be, is not impeded by unfair testing which leads to unfair tracking, and unfair labeling. Every child must be given an equal opportunity to achieve and succeed.
It is obvious that all parents want their children to succeed. However, if parents have not traveled along the pathway which leads to success, they will need a guide for their students. Without a guide, success may become a dream deferred from one generation to another.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon educators/guidance/counselors/ mentors to invest in these human souls along with parents. This is the “strategic partnership “which is sorely needed as the child is programmed from PreK to Grade 12. And certainly, if we are not a part of the solution,perhaps we are part of the problem.
Phyllis C. Murray
4 phyllis c. murray
· Jun 30, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Programming Students for Success Means Equity and Access for All
There are many schools which are programming students for success. Their work is already worthy of much praise and emulation. The most recent is Green Dot.
“Green Dot has gained widespread visibility as it currently operates ten public charter high schools in Los Angeles’ highest-need communities that vastly outperform comparable traditional public high schools. The success of Green Dot is based on its “Six Tenets of High Performing Public Schools” calling for public schools to: (1) be safer and no larger than 500 students each; (2) implement a college preparatory curriculum for all students; (3) empower principals, teachers, parents and students to own all key decisions related to budgets, curriculum and hiring; (4) add more dollars to classrooms and significantly increase teacher pay; (5) value and support parent participation; (6) stay open later for community use. By implementing this model, Green Dot has produced real results for its students, graduating 98 percent of its seniors. In addition, 78 percent go on to four-year universities. These results are unmatched within the Los Angeles Unified School District where Green Dot currently operates.”
http://www.uft.org/news/greendot/
Another High School addresses the problem of the Plight of Minorities in the Bronx inner-city.
“The Eagle Academy For Young Men was developed on the premise that “Excellence, both in character and scholarship, opens doors and provides a bridge to equality.” This school has a “strategic partnership,” whose partners include students, administrators, teachers, parents, mentors and community supporters, all of whom are focused and committed to the school’s guiding principles of: Academic Excellence, Mentoring, Leadership, Integrity, Character Development and Community Service. The Eagle Academy prepares its students to join the ranks of future leaders in society. Professionals from a wide array of careers act as mentors to provide scholarship and internship opportunities. They are successful male role models who partner with students in their development inside and outside of the classroom environment.”
http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/StudentEnroll/HSAdmissions/HSDirectory/Book/?sid=688
Specific Programs in Westchester County High Schools have successfully targeted an at-risk population.
The Woodlands Individualized Senior Experience; Ossinings’ High Hopes Expectations College Track; Byram Hills’ Intel Science Program; and Mount Vernon High School’s Business Club, are proof positive that there are already solutions to the heightening dropout rate among African American Males in Westchester public schools. These programs should be replicated nationwide.
And in order to replicate these programs, we need to will see reinvestment of economic capital in education. Then we will see a revitalization of structured environments in school communities. We will see new programs which provide the skills and develop the competencies needed so that all of our students will become productive members of society.
An investment of economic capital would assure the development of new schools, state of the art libraries, supervised playgrounds and after school programs. New capital investments would seed programs of prevention and intervention for our at – risk students and increase guidance and counseling services to end a child’s cycle of failure and frustration. Failure and frustration unabated, far too often, translate into assaults, disruptions in classrooms and heightening violent incident statistics.
If we are to continue to be a pluralistic society, we must make sure that the road to becoming a productive citizen : the road to being the best that we can be, is not impeded by unfair testing which leads to unfair tracking, and unfair labeling. Every child must be given an equal opportunity to achieve and succeed.
It is obvious that all parents want their children to succeed. However, if parents have not traveled along the pathway which leads to success, they do not know how to beging the journey to success. They will need a guide for their students. Without a guide, success may become a dream deferred from one generation to another.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon educators/guidance/counselors/ mentors to invest in these human souls along with parents. This is the “strategic partnership” which is sorely needed as the child is programmed from PreK to Grade 12. And certainly, if we are not a part of the solution, perhaps we are part of the problem.
Phyllis C. Murray
District 8 Region 2
5 More On The UFT-Green Dot Partnership | Edwize
· Jun 30, 2007 at 8:08 pm
[...] few issues raised across the blogosphere and in this comments section will be addressed [...]
6 Schoolgal
· Jul 3, 2007 at 10:11 am
Phyllis,
It’s amazing to me how you constantly hail Leo and others and never once commented on the lack of rights of teachers since the ’05 contract. To claim that Green Dot partnerships are part of the solution is pure rhetoric solely to justify the acts of Randi.
There are many successful public school where teachers have input because of professional leadership.
We should be working towards rebuilding these professional communities within our public school rather have outsiders bring in their vision of longer days and hours with no seniority rights. What is your position on ATRs?. Do you agree with Klein that these teachers are incompetent? Do you favor a reorganization that forces principals to hire new over experienced teachers? Randi does.
I know you will go far within the Union. Redhog did.