By keeping the teacher distribution sy stem and refusing to discuss it now on the school board level, the school district is violating a section of the Civil Rights Act
\nthat prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs, Clara argues.
\nSuperintendent McKell Withers could not be reached for comment, but district spokesman Jason Olsen released a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are disappointed that [Clara] feels the need to seek solutions by contacting federal officials in Denver instead of working collaboratively with the board of
\neducation and the district,\u201d the statement reads. \u201cWe believe Mr. Clara\u2019s complaints can and should be addressed through established board protocol. We are
\ncommitted to advocating for all students.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the board\u2019s Feb. 19 discussion of student achievement, according to his letter, Clara asked why there appeared to be a disproportionate number of teachers
\nlabeled \u201cineffective\u201d in west-side schools.<\/p>\n
Christine Marriott, a data coordinator, gave this response, according to his letter:
\n\u201cOne of our big problems with our distribution sy stem for teachers, is that we have a lot of new teachers in west-side schools every single y ear. \u2026 The rubber
\nreally hits the road when you are looking at whether our west-side disadvantage[d] students are with the most effective teachers we can put in front of them.\u201d
\nShe added: \u201cWe need to do something to turn around that very pattern that you can see.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Feb. 20, Clara asked for the issue of equitable distribution of experienced teachers to be placed on the board\u2019s Feb. 24 agenda, he said. The school board
\npresident, Kristi Swett, rejected the request, explaining it would require \u201ca rapid realignment of agenda priorities,\u201d he wrote. He then filed the complaint.
\nClara said in an interview the data he cites on \u201cineffective\u201d teachers in west-side schools is preliminary and notes he was not allowed access to all the district\u2019s
\ninformation. The ratings are based on a student growth model, which gauges teachers from \u201chighly effective\u201d to \u201cineffective\u201d based on student test scores.<\/p>\n
Two examples he noted:
\n\u2022 At the west side\u2019s Meadowlark Elementary School, 497 N. Morton Drive, \u201cas high as 67 percent of teachers… were classified as \u2018ineffective.\u2019\u201d
\n\u2022 At east-side school Dilworth Elementary , 1953 S. 2100 East, 0 percent of the teachers were classified as ineffective within the subject of science.<\/p>\n
The schools\u2019 principals and Mike Kelley , Utah Education Association spokesman, could not be reached for comment Tuesday .<\/p>\n
Clara said the school board was alerted to the disparities a year ago, citing a report presented at a January 2012 meeting that noted, \u201cStudents in Title I schools
\nhave a five times higher chance of being with a marginal or ineffective teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEqual educational opportunity requires that the quality of schooling provided to students be similar across schools,\u201d he wrote. \u201cIn particular, it would require
\nthat students in high-poverty schools have access to teachers and principals of similar quality to those in schools serving more-advantaged students.<\/p>\n
Link To Article<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Education\u2022School board member Michael Clara files complaint with federal civil rights office, concerned about disproportionate numbers of effective,experienced teachers in eastside schools.BY SHEENA MCFARLAND AND RAY PARKER THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 26, 2013 11:38AM UPDATED: FEBRUARY 26, 2013 05:48PMA Salt Lake City School Board member filed a complaint Tuesday with the federal Office of Civil Rights asserting there are too many ineffective and inexperienced teachers in west-side schools.Michael Clara, who represents the city … Continue reading