Senator Aaron Osmond represents Utah Senate District 10. Osmond serves on the Utah Legislature’s Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He is sponsoring the Education Employee Reform Act during the Utah Legislature’s 2012 General Session. The bill eliminates the Orderly Termination Act and make changes to how educators are evaluated, paving the way for local districts, not the state, to set policies to manage their workforce, to eliminate so-called “teacher tenure” and implement performance pay. These concepts have the Utah State Board of Education’s support. (Read Sen. Osmond’s first blog post on this issue ”Seeking Input and Perspective from Our Educators: Comments and Thoughts on the Education Employee Reform Act Proposal.”)
- Senator Aaron Osmond, Utah Senate District 10
I also want to sincerely thank the teachers, administrators and classified employees who took the time to come and meet with me or to write to me about their genuine concerns about the future of education in Utah. I believe I have met with well over 1,000 educators in person and received over 300 emails or communications during this same period. It has been a fast-paced and intense educational experience for me. Thank you for your time and support.
To say the least, the bill I proposed relative to Public Education Employment Reform initiated what I feel is a serious need for increased open dialog between the Legislature and educators in our state. I sincerely hope that this dialog has only just begun with these efforts. I am confident that if we can have more face-to-face, respectful and open discussion as I have experienced in the last few weeks, we will make rapid progress in addressing the very real challenges within public education.
Now to the lessons learned. When I first agreed to sponsor this legislation, I came to the table with many assumptions about the state of education in Utah. After these meetings, many of those assumptions have been significantly altered for the better. My views of the challenges in Education are now very clear to me and I am anxious to begin working on them with all of you.
Lessons Learned
Here are the key lessons I have learned and validated through many hours of conversation and dialog:
We have a Morale Problem
We have a serious morale problem in the public education system in Utah. All stakeholders must realize that our key education asset (our public education employees) feel discouraged, overworked, undervalued, and even demeaned to the point they now feel being associated with the profession of teaching in the state of Utah is itself an embarrassment. Until we face and validate this morale problem, we will never be able to discuss or move forward with serious education reform. As a CEO, I know that employee morale is the No. 1 impact to productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction. Therefore, from my perspective, public education employee morale should be our No. 1 focus for the foreseeable future.
Lack of Clear and Unified Vision for Education
Everywhere I went and in almost every conversation, I was asked, “What is the purpose of this legislation, how does it help public education, how does it help our kids?” The answer of local control and the desire to reward and recognize great teachers was not sufficient for them. They want to know what our vision is for the future of public education. They want to see a collective vision with all education stakeholders that can be used as a measuring stick for all legislation and policies that are proposed. Right now education employees feel that the Legislature is “winging it” and pursuing “personal agendas” rather than working together to articulate a clear vision and goal for education that stretches out decades, not just a few years. The Utah State Board of Education has established a vision and mission for Utah Public Education called “Promises to Keep.” As a State Legislature, we need to seriously look at this and follow suit.
Adversarial Relationship with the Legislature
Based on hundreds of comments, it is clear to me that there is a very real perception of an adversarial relationship with the Legislature. Since the voucher crisis, trust has been broken and in continual decline. Our public education professionals feel that the Legislature is targeting public education with a desire to see them pay for their unwillingness to support what the Legislature wants. They also feel that there is an active effort to privatize public education and dismantle our current system piece by piece until public education employees comply with what the Legislature wants. Most were surprised by my effort to meet with education professionals face to face to ask their opinion about potential legislation. Several teachers told me that they have not seen a legislator in their classrooms in their entire careers of more than 15, 25, and even 30 years. The time has come for the Legislature to reengage with public education, conduct meaningful visits to classrooms, and understand what is really happening in those classrooms. No real reform can happen until this type of adversarial relationship is removed. We need to fix this now.
Lack of Support for New Teachers
Due to the morale issues we face in public education, the lack of induction support and professional development resources, as well as the other challenges listed below, we are now losing our new teachers at a rapid rate. I understand that we lose 45 percent or more of our new teachers within their first three years in the system. This is directly associated with the challenge of the role, not just because we have young female teachers leaving the system when their husbands graduate from school and take jobs out of the area. Even more serious, our current teachers in general do not encourage or recruit potential teachers into the system. Instead, they are discouraging potential teachers from considering the profession. Unless we step up to this reality, we are facing a potential crisis in our ability to staff our public education system over the next decade.
Educators tired of being the Enemy
Educators feel that they have become the scapegoat and even the enemy of student performance in public education. They feel they are being blamed by the Legislature as the core reason for the achievement problems of our children in the state. While they know they can do better and they genuinely want to improve, they are so discouraged that we as a Legislature, and even as the public, refuse to meaningfully consider the impact of the serious social problems affecting performance in the classroom, such as disintegration of the family, lack of parental support or involvement, socio-economic challenges, special needs issues (like autism), English as a second language, etc. Our kids are facing huge challenges and bring these challenges with them into the classroom. Teachers need our help to face these challenges.
Classroom Sizes are an Issue
We cannot pretend or ignore that classroom sizes do impact our teachers’ abilities to impact our students for good. We cannot continue to pretend that somehow our great teachers can just compensate for this challenge without impacting their effectiveness. When you consider the challenges listed above and add to that large classroom sizes, it takes everything a teacher has to just maintain order in a classroom, let alone connect with a child and help them learn. This is even more important in the early years (K-3) as these students are developing their capacity and skill to learn. Teachers are exhausted and overwhelmed and we need to figure out a solution for this challenge over time.
Testing Overload
Between federal, state and district requirements, we are now overloading our educational system with testing and assessment to the point that our teachers feel like all they do is prepare for and give assessments and tests. They feel they spend so much time in these efforts (and many hours in preparation work) that they are not able to spend the quality time that they want to give actually teaching and instructing our children.
Lack of Parental and Student Respect
Teachers feel that the pendulum of respect has swung so far away from the teachers that neither parents nor students respect their role or their decisions. They feel continually second-guessed and treated as though their professional opinion about a child’s educational status, needs, or challenges are no longer valued. When teachers push back or hold students accountable they are accused of being unprofessional or unfair. Sometimes their own administrators do not support them and put parent perspectives and demands above that of the teacher. This has a demoralizing and de-motivating effect on our teachers.
Performance Pay
It was clear that performance pay is viewed more as a negative reinforcement than an incentive tool. All pointed out to me that there is little to no research in the United State that indicates the use of merit or performance pay works to improve student performance within public education (or any education setting). Teachers feel such models would reinforce competition between teachers and significantly negatively impact the collaborative teaching model they feel works so effectively in education. All felt any bonus or performance pay would need to be based on student progress, which is not always possible to measure in every topic. Special needs teachers were especially concerned about how such a model would work when progress is so challenging to measure.
View of Orderly Termination and Due Process
Most teachers (and some administrators) feel the current Orderly Termination law is both fair and effective. They reject the idea that we can’t get rid of bad teachers. In fact, many teachers feel that we, as education stakeholders, need to find ways to more effectively hold administration accountable to actually use the system to evaluate, remediate or remove ineffective teachers. Although administrators concurred that the system can work, many administrators feel the process needs to be improved and simplified. It was clear to me we can and should find ways to make the process more efficient and consistent across the state to address the perception that it is hard to remediate or let go of bad teachers. I would also note that some administrators and HR directors were concerned the removal of our state Orderly Termination law could cause a myriad of legal battles and unemployment claims/liabilities that would exceed the benefit of moving to local control under the proposed changes. We need to do more research in this area and avoid the law of unintended consequences.
Contracts versus Expectation of Continued Employment
Teachers and most administrators who provided me feedback felt moving to a contract model at this time could be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back” in public education morale. Teachers are greatly concerned that such a model would lead to higher anxiety for teachers and other employees who feared that mere personality differences and/or the opportunity to remove more experienced (and therefore more expensive) employees would be the natural result at the end of a contract. Teachers do not accept that they have a guarantee of continued employment. They feel that what they have is a guarantee of “due process.” Some administrators felt the contract model was compelling and could help them manage a more productive relationship with their employees, but they too recognized the risks. More research is required here as well.
Overall Compensation and Funding for Growth
Every person in public education who spoke with me expressed their frustration that we as a Legislature have continually cut back funding resources for education. They point to a continual trend to decrease and de-fund public education (both for economic reasons and trade-offs for other priorities). They feel the time has come that we seriously evaluate and understand the impact of not properly funding growth, not providing professional development support or needed classroom resources. Teachers are so tired of a growing expectation that they must volunteer 10 to 15 hours a week for no additional pay (just to get the preparation and paperwork done) as well as the expectation that they must cover the cost of needed supplies and materials for the classroom that the state won’t, or can’t, cover.
That summarizes the feedback that I have heard so far. We now need to find meaningful real-world solutions to address these issues (not just rhetoric). There are some areas where I feel that the perception and emotion of the issues are greater than logic and reality of the problems. However, until we deal with the emotion, the feelings and distrust, we will not make any progress toward education reform or improvement in our state (or at least it will continue to be very slow).
Next Steps
Now that I have a clearer understanding of the problems we face in public education, it is time to meet with key peers in the Utah State Legislature, the Utah State Board of Education and leadership in the Utah Education Association and other state leaders to determine our next steps.
As such, the current legislation I have proposed will be placed on temporary hold as I conduct additional meetings to determine what we can do to address these critical morale issues and then figure out how to modify, adjust or improve the current proposal based on the feedback we have received so far.
As stakeholders in Public Education, we all need to put our differences and past violations of trust behind us, focus on what we have in common and work together to find solutions to better fund and support our education professionals. If we do this, I am confident we will achieve our goal to provide a quality education for every child in the state of Utah.
Thank you to all who have commented and voiced their opinions over the last few weeks. I appreciate your support and ideas and look forward to solving these challenges with you!
You may contact Senator Aaron Osmond, Senate Education Standing Committee Chairman, at 801-897-8127 or aosmond@utahsentate.org.
Related Posts
Changes to Orderly Termination Act
State Board member on teacher tenure, evaluations
State Board of Education Meeting Summary
The State of Education Address
Senator Osmond,
Thank you for truly listening and taking action. It takes a lot of character to be willing to make the statements you have made above in the political climate of Utah. As you work to overcome the animosity toward educators in the legislature, we will work to overcome the animosity toward legislators in the world of education. Hopefully, we can all re-focus to increase the learning of the children and youth of Utah.
Thank you, Senator, for listening.
After reading the statements that you have made I truley hope that you will be able to accomplish the thing that you would like. Being an educatior of 22 years I feel that the State Legislature is againts the teachers. I hope that this will turn around and that we as educators can rely on the state to help with what we need to make a difference in the lives of our students. Thanks for listening to us.
Dear Senator Osmond,
My deepest thanks to you for truly listening and responding to the issues raised by our teachers. I stand ready to collaboratively engage in the critical conversations in order to improve relationships and create a great public school for every child.
Senator Osmond,
I just want to thank you for taking the time to come to our district. The most important thing that I gained from this experience was the need to listen. There is much to be said and it seems that you were the one kind enough to listen. As an educator, I am thankful for your courtesy and coming to find out really what is happening. Many times we forget how important it is to communicate. Hopefully, this opened the door showing the intent which is to provide a proper education for all students not just a chosen few. Again thank you for listening and acting. We appreciate your genuine concern.
Wow. Great summation of educational issues and perceptions. Let me add that we have adopted the Common Core in Utah; and in order to implement it, we will need solid support from our legislature, from our communities, and from our faculties. The Core, designed for K-12, provides a rigorous and relevant educational journey culminating in college/career-ready students who possess confidence and capabilities necessary for success. That kind of high standard demands public awareness, mutual respect and collaboration between teachers and legislators, ongoing professional training and peer feedback, and adequate funding to create an authentic educational model that organically transfers into the “real world” awaiting our students.
Dear Senator Osmond,
I have to admit that I have tears in my eyes as I read your “Lessons Learned” post. Your words are a salve on a deep wound educators have suffered for many years; thank you for your validation. I am also filled with hope that, together, we can begin to make a differnece for educators, students, parents, and our communities.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. As I work with teachers in rural Utah, I hear and see the same discouragement and frustration that you so accurately portray in your comments. I know that teachers are ready to be partners , true partners, in improving the educational experience for our students. If you mean what you say, challenge and stand up to the status quo in the Legislature and we’ll have your back.
Thanks you so much for your willingness to listen. It has been a long time since a legislator has made such an effort to understand education in this state. We have great teachers who truly want the best for their students. We want to be a part of the solution.
Thanks again!!!!!
Thank you for taking the time, not only to listen, but to summarize what you have learned. I have been an educator for over 30 years. I sincerely appreciate your insight and your willingness to share your thoughts.
I am very encouraged by what I have read here. I would also like to thank you for taking the time to give all of these issues the careful consideration which they require, and I can only hope that your colleagues will take an example. Your diligence and professionalism are greatly appreciated.
Senator Osmond:
WOW! For 26 years I have spoken up for public educators and public education in this state. I have believed in a number of legislators who made promises when they ran for office, then promptly forgot them after gaining the seat. Several years ago, I sat and talked with one of my own legislators. As I described the needs of my classroom and my students. This particular legislator actually stood up, said, “I’m sick of you whiny educators,” and walked away from me without another word. THEN YOU CAME ALONG!
I can’t thank you enough for time you spent with those of us in public education. You actually listened to us without becoming hostile or defensive. Because of past experiences, I will, of course, wait and see; however, I have hope for the first time in a number of years. Thank you!
Thank you! We need a dozen more men and women like you who are willing to see these problems from both sides. I wish you lived in my district so I could vote for you.
How refreshing to see that someone has really been able to detect the wide chasm that exists between Utah public educators and the legislature. Teacher morale has been hit with buckshot from quotes seen and heard in the press about the quality of education in Utah. Refer to the Tribune editorial board’s opinion from Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011, to see the fallacy of requiring more and more from educators while at the same time removing and reducing funding to accomplish the monumental task of educating the precious children whose parents put such trust in us to do it. At the same time the derision continues, we have even Title I schools like mine that are extremely high-performing amidst all the problems and issues you mention in your blog. Please come visit the schools where you will find faculties of teachers who care deeply about the future of the children and also of a state that refuses to provide for their education. My favorite quote is this: “Children are the living message we send to a time we cannot see.” by John W. Whitehead. I believe that the message we send is really about who we are and how well we have met the needs of these children. Parents and teachers bear the major responsibility, but hands are tied when the lawmakers of our society seem short-sighted in supplying the things necessary to be sure our ‘message’ is of the highest quality. Thank you for attempting to bring all parties to the table.
Thank you! Where do we find more like you on the hill? I appreciate your willingness to listen and understand the issues. Then instead of rushing to a decision, that must be undone later, you stopped and thought about what really could happen. I hope that you will stand by what you are saying and you know that you can count on our support. No one I talk to is afraid of “merit pay and the likes” what they are afraid of is the process in which they are enacted. I too wish you lived in my district.
Bravo! If I were in your district you would definitely have my vote. First time I’ve ever felt that someone in the legislature did his/her homework to ask teachers what they felt. We often feel like leaders do not have a clear understanding what it is like to be a teacher in the public schools.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for really listening and taking the time to consider what you have heard and learned from educators throughout the state. It means a lot to all of us who work so hard every day to help shape the future.
Senator Osmond:
Not only did you have hearings, but you actually heard! Thank you so much for your time and willingness to see the other side. Unfortunately there are sides in this thing. I have taught for 32 years and I have heard a multitude of times about what a family oriented state we are and how we love children. In reality, our lawmakers love children as long as they don’t cost them anything. In their minds anyone who works in the system is a financial drain. It is hard to make progress and get needed resources when that attitude prevails. You are like a breath of fresh air. Good luck with your new job. People like you give me hope.
Dear Sen. Osmond,
Thank you for listening. My wife and I are both teachers and have never in our careers seen such a comprehensive understanding of what actually represents the feelings of educators. Your grasp of the issues stated here are encouraging coming from a legislator. If teachers have “become the enemy” (and my wife and I have felt that way at times), then so is the state legislature an enemy. After all, it takes two parties to go to war. However, your open approach to fact finding is encouraging and indicates that, with an understanding of exactly how public education works by the legislature and how the legislating process with regards to public education works by education professionals, real issues in increasing student understanding and retention of curriculum can be addressed. I hope that your enthusiasm, understanding, and candor proliferates throughout our legislature to create a productive atmosphere.
Wow, Senator Osmond. You are an answer to prayers of hundreds of educators. We’ve needed a mediator just like you to see it from our angle and to lobby for the Rights of Utah Educators. Thank you for hearing us, and for taking steps toward making right the wrongs that we as educators are facing.
Thank you!
Sen. Osmond,
Thank you, thank you, thank you…… We have needed someone to listen to us for years. I have been an educator for over 20 years. I have been very active in the election process. At one point we rallyed around a candidate running against an incumbent who had very troubling views on the future of education in Utah. Luckily that candidate was defeated. We are all in this together, and I am so happy to finally have someone acknowledge that we are all on the same team.
Dear Senator Osmond: Thanks so much for your insightful look into the profession of teaching. I was so pleased that you actually listened to teachers. On Sunday I read the editorial “Shut Them Down” in the Tribune. It was so distressing. Is there some way you can convince Senator Stephenson that in America every single child should be publicly educated at the very best public schools possible, not with vouchers and private schools. School is not a business — we deal with special individual students each day — far too many of them — and all of the teachers I know and have worked with in the past 32 years feel that way, or they soon quit. If we have “mediocre education” in a few of our schools, work with them. The great majority of schools in Utah are over-populated, have huge classes and still turn out amazing college ready and career ready young people. Yet the legislature keeps cutting funds, even though the number of students and class sizes continue to increase. Convince Senator Stephenson, whose opinion seems very elitist to me and not democratic at all, that most teachers, if paid a fair wage with fewer students, would do an even more superb job than we are doing already. Thanks again for listening.
Good luck senator. We teachers are not the problem. You have probably enraged some powerful Senators by going against their agendas. Thanks for the positive effort, but honestly I think you are about to be steamrolled by the big boys and the status quo will continue. Do I sound cynical, discouraged, unhelpful? For 25 years I have busted my back in a classroom of 14 year olds. For the third year in a row my salary has actually declined, and I have the largest class sizes I have ever dealt with. I go up against measurements for evaluation that are designed for much smaller class sizes, so I am dinged for not having enough “hands on” activities and getting kids into group work situations. I listen to blowhards with agendas (follow the money) treat us like dirt. Your darned right my morale is low. So I wish you the best in your efforts, but I think you will find out soon enough what I am talking about.Thanks anyway for at least trying.
Senator Osmond,
Thank you for writing Lessons Learned and Next Steps. It was encouraging to feel someone is listening to educators in the attempt to create the best possible learning environment for students. Thank you!
Kay Quealy
6th Grade Teacher
Thank you so much for meeting with teachers and for listening to our concerns. Thank you for summarizing teacher concerns so well. I know that relations with some legislators has been strained in the past but I know that teachers are committed to their profession and would gladly support a champion for public education. You met over 1000 teachers, administrators, and classified educators who would support a legislator who would help raise the support in our state for our schools, teaches, and students.
Dear Senator:
Thank you for the candid conversation we had prior to the Tuesday meeting at Granite School District. It was certainly the best 10 minutes of the evening for me. Your attention to the concerns of public educators is commendable. Your thoughtful approach to public education reform is refreshing. Unlike other lawmakers, you are asking the education professionals for help in crafting meaningful change in Utah. We consider ourselves professional, education experts. Respecting everyone’s opinion is essential, however, getting the facts and truth from those in the trenches is the right place to start. Thanks again for engaging Utah’s educators in the legislative process.
Senator Osmond,
This gives me hope–this whole attitude and situation with interacting and open discussions is a REAL possibility for change and improvement. We all agree there are ways we can improve, but I appreciate your willingness to work together to build a better state, not just parry thrusts from attacks!
Senator Osmond,
I greatly appreciate your patient and understanding approach to researching the issues prior to submitting legislation.
The tone of inclusiveness that was apparent in the meetings will help us re-establish the trust that is vital to move forward in a meaningful way.
Thank you so much for your refreshing approach,
Roger Pate
Senator Osmond,
I can’t thank you enough for taking this issue to the educators of our state. I am so proud to be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem and I believe you have clearly identified the problem. I am excited as a State Board Member to help you move toward the right path to help us prove we value teachers, administrators and all who work tirelessly to help educate all students of our state. I will do anything I can to help you move your plan forward.
Thank you for listening and hearing what teachers have to say.
Senator
I have been in education for 19 years. It is a great profession and I love it and will continue in it.
It is appreciated that the sentiments of educators and educational issues in our state have been accurately expressed by you. You get an A grade for listening. However, I can see that what I have read is just that, a summary of educational issues with the promise of more listening. What we all want to know now is, will any legislation you put your name to reflect the summary of educational issues posted here, or were these forums simply for appeasement of teachers?
I do not subscribe to the emotional comments posted here by my sappy fellow educators for having felt “listened to.” …and I hope they haven’t set themselves up for disappointment. I am skeptical of what you and the legislature actually will do to education in this state regardless of how many educators are heard.
As you have learned, a school is what comes to it. Schools are forums of human nature, not forums for political experimentation and/or social engineering. Human nature must be understood in context and worked with, not against! Teachers do this every day. Parents do this every day. Religious leaders understand this and work with people as they are. …Are you and the legislature capable of working with this reality rather than trying to force unrealistic agendas upon education? Your comments say as much. However, I am skeptical. Please prove me wrong.
I would love to hear from you.
Senator Osmond,
I am truly impressed to read your summation of the issues facing education and teachers. For the first time, I know what it feels like to be understood by a Utah state legislator. At the risk of being too dramatic, I had tears come to my eyes as I read your first section about the morale problem. You expressed my feelings so succinctly. Thank you again for the time you spent to inform yourself and for the willingness to see a different viewpoint. WOW!
I cannot express how moved I was by your comments. As an educator in Utah for 25 years, your willingness to listen to what we have to say is a breath of fresh air. I have hope that we can work together as partners with the legislature to make Utah the best education system possible. This is at least a start! Thank you!
Dear Senator Osmond, I am proud to be one of your constituents and look forward to making Senate District 10 the leader in Education Reform. It has been many years since I could say that I was proud to come from that district. I will do anything to help at any time with this and the other pressing issues of our time.
Thank you for your comments on this blog – you bring tears to my eyes. This entire experience with you has reminded me about the importance of communication – listening and speaking. Thanks for having the courage to take this on and for caring enough about the students and teachers in our state to make a difference. I tell my students every day that it just takes one person to stand up for what is right to start the ball rolling. Thank you so much, Karen Smith
Thank you.
Thank you Senator Osmond for truly listening! This could be the first step in making Utah’s Public Education the finest in the nation!
Dear Senator Osmond,
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen and especially to summarize. Wow, that’s very impressive….I really do appreciate do your time and effort. But, most of all, I appreciate your willingness to address the issues.
Sincerely,
Peggy Clark
Senator Osmond,
For the first time in months, i feel like there is hope up on the hill. I’m impressed with your efforts to connect with public educators and to hear of our concerns for the future as educators. I’m a product of public education and still believe in the system, but we need to know that our concerns are not being ignored. Thank you for being such an open minded person!
Senator Osmond,
When I began teaching in 1972, the state board proposed a motto: “If you expect more, respect more.” You have shown the teachers of our state some meaningful respect. That respect has been returned by all who have written back to you, including current and former UEA leaders and Dixie Allen from the state board. We are on one team. We do care deeply about Utah’s students. I believe most legislators do too, but the voices of a few legislators brand the institution negatively. You have a strong, intelligent voice that will change much of that image. Along with all the rest of those who replied, I sincerely thank you and wish you success with this new and higher level of dialogue.
Senator Osmond– I believe your insights are right on the mark. You’ve taken the first important step in turning things around in Utah education. But you will undoubtedly come across some strong opposition. Truly transforming schools will take a lot of time and effort. Innovative ideas are nothing without an action plan. I would love to be a part of the improvement team. When it comes time to put together such a plan, please consider contacting me. I’m familiar with the research and could bring some great ideas to the table.
Thank you!
Dear Senator Osmond, as a member of the USEA State executive board and President of our local here in Cache County it has been with great interest I have followed your journey. I am impressed with your insight and agree with your observations.I applaud your genuine concern for the needs of our educators and ESP’s, Thank You! for your efforts in our behalf.
[...] Link HERE to Senator Osmond’s proposal. [...]
Dear Senator Osmond,
When I first started reading your detailed report on Utah educator attitudes, I was prepared to be incensed with what I expected to read. All I had heard about this proposed legislation had made me extremely concerned that frustrated legislators were poised to throw away an entire system that had been honed over many years to protect teachers, students, and other public education stakeholders.
What I found was a nicely balanced and accurate portrayal of real educator concerns. Your report pretty accurately represented the “lessons learned” over my 33+ years as a Utah teacher. I was extremely impressed that you have understood working with all stakeholders – including UEA – is the only truly wise way of finding answers to any of the problems we face.
I commend you for an insightful and level-headed approach. Like many of the other respondents here, I am skeptical that the rest of your colleagues will foreswear demagoguery and snappy solutions to the problems we face. Nonetheless, I wish your efforts the best of chances as you move forward with deliberation and thoughtfulness.
Senator Osmond,
Thank you for providing this forum of listening to teachers. It’s a step in the right direction that will benefit education of students in our great state. I look forward to more of these in the future.
Dear Senator Osmond,
I applaud you for taking the time to listen and analyze the dire situation that educators like myself, have been dealing with for many years. I have worked in affluent schools and in Title I schools. I have taught many different elementary grades, gifted/talented magnet and pull-out programs. Due to the stresses placed on me emotionally and financially, I am reaching the point of leaving the profession. I am a highly qualified teacher and love what I do, but looking to the future, I feel that public education is not valued and is dying. The push to grade schools based on test scores will only hasten this death. When you add performance based or merit pay, teachers will no longer want to with students in low income neighborhoods. My greatest love is to work in Title I schools. I feel they need excellent teachers more than any other student. Their needs are huge and I feel we work miracles with very little support. However, I spend at least 10% of my income on my classroom and school. I stay after school to tutor students in Science and help students prepare award winning Science Fair projects. I, like most in this profession, go above and beyond to meet the diverse needs of students. When grading the schools begins, no matter how talented, hardworking and diligent the teachers are at my Title I school, we will carry that grade on our resume like a scarlet letter. I know that if I applied for a job at a school that has a higher grade than mine, it will be considered. I wish you all the best and hope that you are able to stand your ground in support of teachers. Unfortunately, I feel that one voice of reason is not enough.
Thank you for taking the time to truly listen to teachers!! Your insights could not be more accurate and I truly hope other Legislatures will follow your lead to make some desperately needed changes in this state. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Seantor Osmond,
After reading your blog I felt like I could breath again after holding my breath for an over extended period of time. Thank you so much for taking the time to really explore and research the educational problems we are facing today. I’ll never understand the lack of respect I have felt for my position in education. People in general, from many walks of life, have expressed to me the lack of effectiveness they see in Utah’s educationsl system. The legeslative bodies in this state have acted, in many cases, with hardly any real research or inquiry. The concerns and solutions offered by teachers have been largely ignored. Teachers have more education in education than anyone else, their input is extreamly valuable and should be sought after in the resolution of educational problems in schools today. Again thank you so much for being a real representative of the people and spending your time in fact finding and searching for real solutions. If I can be of any service to you please allow me.
Michael Royall
Art Teacher
Emery High
B.S Art
MEd. Instructional Technology
Dear Senator Osmond,
As an of 22 years, I appreciate your listening to the voices of teachers and recognizing the difficulties of education. This year in particular I have heard more teachers state they are looking for work outside of education. Discouragement is the norm. I love my profession and respect my colleagues’ dedication to their careers; however, you are correct that retention is going to be a significant issue for the state of Utah is something does not change. I would invite any legislator to spend a day in my classroom or in any school to have a clear perspective as to the challenges that we face daily. Thank you for your interest and concern.
Thank you senator. Your comments hit the nail on the head. It does feel like educators, legislators, and maybe others are not on the same team.
Thank you, thank you for listening to educators! You really did hear us! What a breath of fresh air! During my 34 years of teaching, this is the first time I have felt that someone in the legislature was really interested in a meaningful solution to many of the real problems in our system. I look forward to working with you in any way I can to help the process. I wish that I could vote for you!
Dear Senator Osmond,
First I want to thank you for really listening. Your article shows you really do understand all the issues we have been dealing with. This is my 21st year in education and there are days I have wondered why I teach. Then I look around at all the students and am reminded it is for them that I come to school everyday. It is for them that I do the best that I can to provide an environment where learning can take place– despite all the challenges. We are all concerned about the future and would really like to feel that we ALL are in this together. We want to feel that the legislature is our partner to make education better,an ally, not an enemy. I hope that this is true. We ALL live in this state and want the best for our children. Thank you again for listening.
Dear Sen. Osmond,
Thank you so much for your willingness and time to listen to the educators of Utah. We have GREAT teachers in this state who want the best for their students. In what other profession are the licensed professionals considered to be the LEAST knowledgeable about their job? After 27 years of teaching, I feel that someone in the Legislature really cares about our problems. Teachers DO want to be part of the solution.
Thanks for your posting your perceptions and comments about education. Thanks also for being a politician willing to adjust your plans based on what is best. Too many politicians have an idea of what they want and they continue with their course until it’s too late and they realize that their course of action wasn’t the best one. Aaron Osmond for president!
Thank you for expressing these ideas. This is the first time I have ever heard a politician so accurately address the realities of our public education system.
- a 7th grade teacher
Senator Osmond,
Thank you for your willingness to just listen to both sides and ponder this issue a bit more. I am a 4th year math teacher who is concerned that the success we do have in our public schools is not recognized or seen in its true light. There are incredible things happening in my own school with limited resources. And are not the majority of the schools in Utah having some great success on limited resources??? Do I want to improve? Of course I do! When I Improve my teaching effectiveness, my students learn, they are happy, I learn, and I am happy, my job becomes more rewarding and exciting. It is insane to actually think that more than a few teachers here and there would be in the classroom each day just to flip on a random movie or throw busy worksheet at the kids!!! If you do this they will eat you alive!!! These kids are a generation of engaged learners!!! 95 plus percent of their teachers are also engaged learners and ever-improving teachers!!! Extremely rare are the teachers who can actually stand a day with thirty five to fourty 12 to 14 year olds, and just get by on crummy teaching. The large majority of teachers I have encountered as a rookie in the profession are incredible learner teachers who are willing to grow. They are teachers who would go nuts not being able to constantly improve themselves and see there students improve. I agree there is a construed view as to what is and what is not in our current certified teachers hearts and classrooms.
do the classified people not count. Address some positive issues that we can hold onto not just the educators. Or are we just the chaff. easily discarded.
Thank you so much for being willing to actually work with education professionals to help work through this. It is wonderful to see someone in the Legislature actually taking time to talk to us teachers about public education instead of just “telling” us how we should do our jobs. I hope more will follow your example.
Dear Senator Osmond,
I am an educator from New Mexico and I am profoundly thankful for your thoughtful and insightful letter. I am forwarding your letter to my colleagues, friends, family and school community. It is so powerful to read a piece that has what is best for children as the top priority. Thank you.
Dear Senator Osmond,
Thank you for working hard to truly understand public education in Utah. Now, please help the rest of our legislators to understand the needs and solutions to improve public education. We have a huge work force of educators who care deeply about our children. We just need the legislature to support us.
Senator Osmond,
I appreciate your courage in wanting to do your best in your job and to understand all sides and perspectives in public education. You display integrity and commitment to your office and I am happy to see that you are willing to investigate and learn about important issues that come up in the Legislature. Knowledge is power and you have proven to many that you desire to have the knowledge needed in order to use that power given to you as a public servant. Thank you for wanting to be fair and true to your charge/
Senator Osmond
I was very encouraged to read the lessons learned by you from dialog with educators in Utah. The concerns you’ve listed are spot-on! Please follow through with what you’ve learned; become an friend and an advocate for education in the future for Utah. We need an informed, intelligent voice in the legislature! Once again, thank-you for coming to the grass-roots and trying to see education problems from the view-point of those who are in the trenches every day!
Karl Wagstaff
Dear Senator Osmond,
I want to thank you for listenting to what we as teachers have to say. It is refreshing to have someone listen to our concerns. It is so hard to do everything that is expected of us with little to no funds. I whole heartedly agree that is time for the legislature to reengage in the classroom and find out what is really taking place. I would love for a legislature member to do my job for a week, and see if they say the same things they are right now about education. Thanks you so much for listening and for your support.
I too appreciate the time you’ve taken to address the challenges faced by educators. I agree that the moral of our educators is OUR most important challenges. As a parent my biggest concern with my children’s educations lie with teachers that are asked to do to much with to little help and support. Especially in my Jr.High I see teachers that are worn down by a lack of respect from students, parents and legislators. I seems amazing to me that we expect miracles from teachers who consistently have 30+ students in every class. Miracles that I believe would occur if our educators were able to educate our children and not stress about satisfying standards and requirements in conditions that make that education nearly impossible. I wish you luck in your journey, along with any support I could be. It’s time that we give our educators the respect and support they deserve for trust we have given them by sharing the responsibility of our children’s future with them.
Dear Senator Osmond,
There is HOPE!!! Thank you so much for your time and efforts on identifying the problems in education. The last several years has been pretty rough when it comes to funding and support for education. I think everyone in the state should read your letter since you really “hit the nail on the head”. Some of your fellow legislators should probably read it two or three times (and they probably should read it sitting down). I have a hard time expressing how I really feel right now after reading your letter, but it is kind of like in the Lord of the Rings, when Frodo finds out that Gandalf is still alive. I do realize that this is just a start and that actually fixing the problems will be very difficult, but at least you have put it out on the table. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Brad Shuler
Dear Senator Osmond,
I am the New Mexican who wrote you yesterday. I think you should consider running for President.
This is excellent.
At the same time, the structure of our current education system has significant issues that smaller class sizes and more money will not fix.
My wife is a new middle-grade teacher of four years, and while there are many good things in the system, I’ve been flabbergasted at the lack of clear objectives and effective job training. I’ve been dismayed that a number of teachers have no criteria for performance. If you look at the best-run service companies, the lack becomes clear.
Morale is important. But it’s a by-product of a winning system. And there are things in this system that need to be fixed.
More members of the legislature need to spend time in a classroom;really get a feel for what is going on in this state and education. There is great work being accomlished even in these times of attack! Maybe we need a law that says if anyone wants to run for a state office, they need to spend two weeks in a classroom before they can discuss and vote about educaiton.
Dear Senator Osmond,
I am very grateful to you for your open-mindedness and willingness to listen to educator’s viewpoints. Your comments give me hope that Utah can change a trend of underfunding education and turn towards rebuilding and improving our educational system. I believe that for the most part we have well qualified, hard-working and dedicated teachers who put in their very best efforts teaching the wonderful students of our state. With your efforts I am hopeful that we can build our education system into something better than it is today. I am an educator who would like to spend his career working to make our public education system one of the best in the nation.
Thank you,
Mel Ralph
Thank you for taking the time to listen and understand many of the difficult issues faced by educators throughout the state. We all want our education system to work well and for the students to be well served. I hope other legislators listen to your insights because I feel like they hit the nail on the head.
Thanks for taking the time needed to really listen to educators. A step in the right directions. Thank you for your support.
Thanks for taking the time needed to really listen to educators. It’s step in the right direction. Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your research. I’d like you to especially remember some key points:
1) Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, entrepreneurs, and taxpayers. We need to do our best for all students in public education.
2) We DO have a system for evaluating teachers and removing the ones who aren’t up to reasonable standards. Nobody likes to be responsible for firing employees, or to go through the extra work required. Principals and administrators need to be encouraged and educated to help teachers improve, to conduct meaningful, frequent evaluations framed to support teachers who want to improve, AND to take proper steps to terminate teachers who aren’t doing their jobs.
3) Although merit pay, on the face of it, seems like a logical and attractive option, there’s not much reason to believe it will change student achievement – and there are many ways of applying the concept of merit pay that would further damage teacher morale. Many good teachers are already working as hard as they can – financial ‘incentives’ couldn’t make them work harder.
4) You will need to build solid coalitions with other legislators who are willing to try for practical solutions, and face down those who believe public education should only be for second-class citizens.
5) One of the issues coming up that needs your attention: SB65 needs to be repealed or significantly amended. It is one of those demoralizing factors – taking money from local high schools in ways they really can’t plan for, and making taxpayers (through the school districts) pay far more for students to take online classes than the actual cost to the state of current, state-sponsored EHS classes. It is preventing students from taking extra classes, and pressuring districts to contract with out-of-state, for-profit providers in an attempt to stem the hemorrhage of funds.
May I congratulate you for being one of the first legislators that has ever sounded the least bit interested in the REAL world of education. You have given me the first ray of hope that I have felt in my 28 years of teaching. I will be watching closely and standing ready to help turn this mess around. THANK YOU for being there and willing to lead the way. I know that TEAMING TOGETHER WE CAN LEARN AND SUCCEED!
Dear Senator Osmond,
I really appreciated your insightful post of the concerns of Utah Educators. I too echo the comments of the others when I say thank you for listening. You did a great job articulating many of the concerns of teachers in the state of Utah. I too have been frustrated over the past years and have been disappointed by the adversarial position of the legislature. I have always felt that the legislature and the teachers should be working together to do what is best for Utah kids. I hope that you are able to help affect change in the legislature. Good luck Senator and thank you for taking the time to listen and discover for your self what is going on in education in Utah.
Senator Osmond,
I am a high school geology teacher and I just wanted you to know….YOU ROCK!!! Thank you so much for your article. I have taught for 25 years in which I have led many students to International Science & Engineering Fairs. I have been recognized as the National Science Teacher of the Year for Utah, the Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education, and the Teacher of the Year for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. In the past five years, I have considered seriously about leaving the teaching profession because of the very items that you wrote about, namely, the teacher becoming the enemy and the lack of respect that is increasing in education. Thank you for taking a step-back and listening to teachers. Not many people have the courage to do what you did.
Gratefully,
Ty Robinson
When I first read through your proposal, I will admit, that I was frightened as well as discouraged. I felt that one more “outsider” was coming in to fix a system that, in all reality, may not be so broken. I was infuriated by the idea that someone who had never been in a classroom was going to invent solutions by further degrading professionals who work their hearts out for their students. Taking away our due process and throwing another band aid on the situation was nothing less than a disrespectful slap in the face. To say the least, your proposal made me feel devalued, and defeated.
After reading your thoughts and summaries I was shocked to find that a public official had actually listened. I found hope once again. It was refreshing to read what you learned, and to find that you appear to care for the educators of this state. I love my job, and the children I work with. I am encouraged that you may be the first in a long line of legislators to acknowledge what we do. We are not asking for the moon, just some common courtesy and respect. Please be prepared to keep the promises you have easily made, as there are thousands of educators who are now counting on you, and WILL remember if you fall short. Thank you again for listening.
Senator Osmond, you really hit the nail on the head. I appreciate you being open-minded enough to question what the status quo claims is happening in the public education sector. If I were in this for the money, I would have left the profession long ago. I stick with it because I truly love being an educator, and it breaks my heart, and angers me, when I see how my profession is being blackballed by people who have not even stepped foot inside a Utah classroom. I thank you for your time and trouble. Fight the good fight!
Semper Fi,
Matt M.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Your comments were such a breath of fresh air. We need more legislators who care enough to do the research required to know what it’s really like inside the classroom and to understand the concerns of the state’s educators.
Thank you for listening. I feel like someone is finally trying to understand the challenges of being an educator instead of blaming us for all of society’s ills. I am a third generation public school educator and I must admit that in recent years I have discouraged students and my own children from entering the profession, primarily because of the political atmosphere which makes our jobs increasingly difficult. I hope you can change the tide because I truly believe teaching is one of the most noble and important careers anyone could choose.
Thank you, Senator Osmond. I was in attendance at the Educational Interim Committee meeting on November 16th. I was so impressed with how you reviewed and summarized what you learned as you went out and spoke with educators. I found it sad that you felt the need to apologize to your fellow legislators for gathering opinions from the people the bill would most affect. It seems that approach should be commended by your legislative peers instead of frowned upon. I was encouraged, however, when some of your fellow committee members thanked you for your hard work and it gave me hope that more legislators will follow your lead and really listen. Thanks again for your willingness to adjust your proposal so that it accomplishes your goal without causing more harm than good.
Thank you for doing some research into the issues we face. I can echo all that is said in your article that you heard other teachers say and this is just my third year in. Please speak up for us. We need someone to hear us out.
It is refreshing to hear that a legislator ACTUALLY listened to teachers comments about the state of Education in Utah instead of pretending to know all about it without having set foot inside a classroom since high school. For many years I have wondered if legislators feel they HAVE to legislate something just because they are legislators. “Fixing education” has been a popular objective of legislator initiatives for many years. I have been teaching school in Utah for 32 years and have seen many of these initiatives come and go. However, since about 2003 I have seen more progress in improving education made by EDUCATORS themselves, than resulting from anything that has been legislated.
In your comments about the Lack of Support for New Teachers, I feel you hit the nail on the head with several of your comments. It is nice that you made the effort to listen because your comments show a level of understanding about education that I have not seen manifest by very many legislators for over 30 years. I wanted to highlight a couple of your comments and give some evidence:
You said “Due to the morale issues we face in public education, . . . we are now losing our new teachers at a rapid rate. I understand that we lose 45 percent or more of our new teachers within their first three years in the system.”
In my own family, THREE of my sons were teachers but TWO of them left the profession already. Two other children have expressed an interest in education but chose not to pursue it because they knew their income would not be adequate.
You also said, “Even more serious, our current teachers in general do not encourage or recruit potential teachers into the system. Instead, they are discouraging potential teachers from considering the profession. Unless we step up to this reality, we are facing a potential crisis in our ability to staff our public education system over the next decade.”
I AGREE with this and have said and heard some comments of this kind as well. I love education and my wife and I have been willing to live on a modest salary. However since I entered the profession teacher compensation has not kept up with inflation or the cost of living.
On the other hand, I also agree with the comment above asking “were these forums simply for appeasement of teachers?” It is understandable that teachers are skeptical.
I hope you will continue to listen and thanks! You are welcome to visit my classroom at any time!
Thanks you for listening, it is truly refreshing to have someone propose major changes to education and then to actually take the time to talk to the group of people it impacts the most with an open mind. It is appreciated!
Thank-you for listening.
Thank you so much! This is so true. It is so hard to be a teacher. After reading this, I have hope.
Thank you Senator Osmond. Your willingness to listen to the teachers showed that you do care what happens to education. Please continue to listen to your constituents as needed. It’s nice to know that the “voice of the people” still has the power we were granted within our Constitutional rights.
Please help all those who are not educators but believe they know how to do our jobs better than we do to really think through several questions.
1. Is the dentist responsible for your cavities if you refuse to brush and floss? Likewise, is the teacher resonsible for the students who refuse to:
attend class every day
come prepared to learn
ask for help when needed
do every assignment to the best of their ability?????
Most systems that base pay on “merit” standards have ONE innate flaw. Are you going to pay based on judging teacher behaviors or student behaviors? I have never met a good teacher who was afraid to have his/her TEACHING behaviors evaluated. But we find it grossly unfair if we are being judged on LEARNING behaviors. Those are outside the realm of our control. Students control themselves, they decide if they want to participate in the educational process or if they are going to “sit and breathe” waiting for the dismissal bell. Please judge us on what WE do not what students do!
People seem to be listening to you so maybe you can help them see the logic in these critically important points.
THank you for all you do
Teachers are being blamed for so many things that actually go back to poor work on the part of universities and poor “scientific research.” Think about it:
1) When the National Reading Panel released its recommendations for early reading instruction (Grades K-3), one of the panel members (Dr. Joanne Yatvin) wrote a Minority View warning Congress NOT to translate the recommendations into education policy. She pointed out a multitude of serious flaws with the “scientific” Panel’s work. The Panel’s recommendations became the framework for Reading First, the cornerstone of No Child Left Behind and Congress’s “solution” to improve reading ability nationally. Well, guess what? Dr. Yatvin was right. Explicit, systematic instruction in “basic skills” has NOT improved student reading ability. Did you know that the Read First Impact Study Final Report documents that more teacher training in basic skill instruction and more time spent teaching basic skills produced absolutely NO improvement in reading comprehension for children in any of the grades…Grades 1, 2, or 3?? Teachers have been blamed for the failure. They didn’t fail. The National Reading Panel’s “scientific” recommendations failed!!
2) Universities are telling our schools that the secret to academic improvement is to test, test, test students until they achieve success on the tests. Early reading instruction is another great example. What are they testing for in the early grades? Phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, and individual word identification — NOT sentence reading. The assumption: If students master decoding and word identification, they will eventually become excellent readers. Bologne!! There is absolutely NO scientific evidence documenting that excellent word identification skills guarantees that students will make the leap to higher-level reading ability. Sentence reading requires complex cognitive processing and implicit procedural learning–terms that are relatively foreign to K-3 teachers because Read First eradicated them in favor of “basic skill instruction.” This means that Read First forced a focus on individual word identification, rather than sentence reading. Where’s the logic in that??
If you have harsh words for me about what I’ve shared, you probably fall into two categories: (1) You are an elementary educator who still believes that basic skill instruction is transforming the majority of students into successful readers (it isn’t–the Reading First Impact Study Final Report and absolutely no gain for a DECADE in the percentage of students attaining the level of proficiency on the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test provide the evidence)or you are closely aligned with and/or work for a university whose very existence DEPENDS upon the idea that universities know what they are doing when it comes to advising America’s educators on the shaping of our children’s minds.
Teachers have not let us down. Poor work on the part of universities and “scientific research” HAVE let us down, at least in the area of reading. Support your local school and teacher. Get universities OUT of reading instruction.
I have my Master’s degree, and have taught 33 years, 30 of them in Layton, Davis County. I loved teaching, and want to pay tribute to Lynn Stoddard who allowed me to teach my own method of beginning reading – which would never be allowed today. Lynn writes about it in his book, Educating for Human Greatness. At the age of 84 Lynn is still organizing, lecturing, writing, etc. etc. to try to bring back, essentially common sense, in education.
Teaching was fun, lots of fun, and I have the feeling that this is no longer true, and I’d never could teach as I did during my career spanning, roughly 1952—to about 1985
On looking back I find it very interesting that supervisors, making big salaries compared to teachers, never once, in my entire career, did they ever talk to a teacher about ways to improve education. Nor does the media ever contact rank and file teachers to ask for ideas. Who should know better than a teacher?????
Talk to Mr. Stoddard who lives in Farmington, Utah. for the answers. HE HAS THEM.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to teacher’s concerns. I am a fairly new teacher having only taught for six years. I have come to learn that there are really no easy answers to education. I worry that some in the legislature will continue to think that we are just whining. Our needs as teachers are varied and complex. We are not only representing our own needs, but those of the children we service each day.
We are eliminating some of the very things that made school bearable for children. Last year, one of my fellow teachers agreed to let the lower grades have extra tutoring help to improve reading scores at my school. But then she stipulated that we could not use any time for music or art. Music and art are learning tools for young children. If she can forget the needs of our young children when she sees them each day, how much easier would it be for a legislator to forget how little some of our children really are. When making changes to our schools, would you also remember that some of our students are little children. They still have magical thinking. Their brains are not the same as adult brains and should not be expected to function as such. While education is a serious bussiness, they need and expect to have a little fun while learning. You wouldn’t function well in your job either if it wasn’t enjoyable.
I wanted to thank you for taking time to talk to teachers.
Basing teacher pay on student improvement is a huge concern for me. How will this be measured? By more tests? How will those teachers do, the ones who accept the “challenging” kids? Will they get a pay-cut because they are willing to accept the Special Ed kids, ESL kids, the kids who are bored because their interests (art, music, physical ed, etc.) have been all but eliminated. Will these teachers get a pay cut? Will schools loose more of their talented, underpaid, undervalued teachers? Will our kids loose more of the teachers who have the capacity and motivation to reach them and help them succeed? It is tragic. We can’t afford to loose these teachers. We can’t afford to minimize the value of each child and each subject.
I am also highly concerned with our school buildings. How can we justify building a high school that costs $71 million? or grade schools costing $40-$50 million. Have you entered Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs? It is beautiful. The first time I walked in it took my breath away. The foyer is about 3 stories tall with two cascading staircases leading up the the second story. I can’t imagine that it cost less than $1 million to build. These schools remind me of the over-placticized woman who is trying to hid the less than stellar person inside. We seem to be more about the show of education than the education. What is that $70 million school could have been well built for $40 million? That $30 million would have made an incredible difference for the music, art, history, foreign language, English, math, and science departments. It could benefit the kids far more than a set of cascading stairs.
Thank you for your time. I hope the legislation can truly listen to teachers, not lobbyists, not people in education to make money (like those who benefit from private and charter schools). I hope the future of Utah children will be benefited and will be the supreme goal of any education reform.
Thank you so much for actually spending time to discuss these issues with our teachers. It gives me hope that some of our legislators might actually do something about education in this state. I doubt very many of our them have spent any time in classrooms, and they are trying to fix the problem without understanding both sides of the equation. They don’t really have any idea what teachers are dealing with or the burden that new legislation often places on them. The lack of resources to meet the needs of our ever more diverse student population is appalling.
I am an School Community Council member at two different schools, and when I volunteer in the classroom (on a regular basis) I am shocked at what our teachers are dealing with- my son has 35 kids in his fourth grade class. No wonder our teachers are struggling- both to teach effectively and to ENJOY teaching. Just disciplining and keeping order with that many children is a huge undertaking. We need to find some way to provide more resources to our schools. I’ve been very discouraged to lose some amazing teachers to other professions- and we are in a high achieving school with tons of parent support.
I think one way would be to allow school districts to charge impact fees on new construction- schools seem like necessary infrastructure to me- and that would help provide some money for buildings without raising taxes for everyone else in the district by bonding.
I’m so glad that I found this essay. I have been very discouraged when my personal legislators will not even respond to a letter with my concerns- I wish I was in your district so I could vote for you! :)