2-15-2011 Public Hearing on HB 1609 at 1:30 PM

http://dlr.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/default.aspx?Bill=1609&year=2011

HB 1609 - DIGEST
Addresses school employee workforce reductions and assignments.

Brief Summary of Bill

#1 .. Instates a new performance based framework and procedures for reductions in force due to declines in enrollment or revenue losses.

#2 .. Provides for a school based hiring process that requires the mutual consent of both principal and teacher.

#3 .. Puts in place a displacement process governing situations in which a teacher or educational staff associate is displaced due to transfer, a drop in enrollment, phase out or reduction of a program, reductions in a building, or implementation of an accountability intervention model.
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The Math Underground Analysis:

HB 1609 is a shockingly naive attempt to solve a problem. HB 1609 plans to use tools that are completely unreliable. The enactment of this Bill will enable administrators to get a far more compliant workforce but hardly an improved one. The near and long term effects will be a complete disaster.
Who would wish to teach under incoherent education leadership at nearly every level of government? Welcome to life in WA State.

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My story: Hired by Fife SD to improve a math program at Fife HS in great need of improvement.

Created a highly effective program that greatly improved student learning (according to WASL math test data) and participation.

Fife wanted to abandon this program. I was encouraged to leave. Fife planned on implementing the OSPI WASL math modules the following year and did so.

Was there improvement? Of course not but they got someone a lot more compliant with OSPI math nonsense than me.

Here are the Scores for 5 years.... the 2 years before, my year, and the 2 years* after.

Educational decision making in WA State is an absolute fiasco. Look for the Feds to do even worse.

WASL all student pass rates grade 10 MATH Fife high school:

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. District .:. State :: diff from State
2001 .:. 41.70% .:. 40.30% : 38.90% :: +2.8
2002 .:. 45.10% .:. 44.50% : 37.30% :: +7.8
2003 .:. 54.70% .:. 53.20% :39.40% :: +15.3
2004* .:. 44.60% .:. 44.60% : 43.90% :: +0.7
2005* .:. 47.90% .:. 47.70% :47.50% :: +0.4

Students scoring at level 1 far below standard by percent + no scores.

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. State
2001 .:. 40.30% .:. 40.60%
2002 .:. 29.30% .:. 40.10%
2003 .:. 24.80% .:. 39.20%
2004* .:. 32.50% .:. 36.90%
2005* .:. 32.00% .:. 33.50%

Students scoring at level 4 above standard by percent.

10th Grade Math Fife High School
Year .:. School .:. State :: compare FHS results
2001 .:. 14.60% .:. 19.00% :: -4.4
2002 .:. 17.40% .:. 15.60% :: +1.8
2003 .:. 25.50% .:. 18.80% :: +6.7
2004* .:. 21.30% .:. 21.90% :: -0.6
2005* .:. 17.00% .:. 18.00% :: -1.0

* years OSPI Math modules used at Fife.

To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data.

There are no short cuts via fairy-tales. It does not matter who tells the tales.

Without a significant improvement in instructional materials and practices (via Hattie's effect sizes in Visible Learning and using Project Follow Through results) ... look for hundreds of Millions of dollars to be misspent in WA state and Billions nationally.

Common Core Standards approach and Race to the Top are not based on an intelligent analysis of relevant data ==> They will not produce improvement.

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According to the Seattle Schools website, where they describe their strategic plan, "Excellence for All:" "Excellence for All is focused on what matters most: every student achieving, everyone accountable." Say what?

Checking the remediation data ... it seems they have a ways to go.

Fall 2009: Recent high school graduates enrolled in remedial pre-college courses..

North Seattle CC
English 51%
Math .... 66%

Central Seattle CC
English 31%
Math …. 69%

South Seattle CC
English 72%
Math …. 83%

Every student achieving, everyone accountable...... Sure thing spinners of baloney. How does forgery by likely the Seattle Schools Superintendent and the CAO enter this mix?