Education \u00bb Response to Michael Clara\u2019s complaint has centered on its wording, rather than the district\u2019s data on west-side teachers. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Ray Parker| The Salt Lake Tribune \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0March 14, 2013 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Link To Article<\/a><\/p>\n

Salt Lake City School Board member Michael Clara\u2019s federal complaint about ineffective and inexperienced teachers in west-side schools has sparked outrage \u2014 not about the issues he raises, but about his word choice.<\/em><\/p>\n

Teacher union officials and educators who packed the board\u2019s recent meeting demanded an apology, angered by Clara\u2019s use of \u201cineffective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know we\u2019re effective teachers,\u201d said Becky Bissegger, a teacher at Meadowlark Elementary, on the west side of Salt Lake City, for 15 years. \u201cA great portion [of teachers] have chosen to be in west-side schools, including me.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the \u201cineffective\u201d label \u2014 and the data cited by Clara in his complaint to the Office of Civil Rights \u2014 was created and is used by the Salt Lake City District in school improvement plans.<\/p>\n

A report presented to the board in January 2012, before Clara was elected to represent the west side, noted students in schools in poorer neighborhoods \u201chave a five times higher chance of being with a marginal or ineffective teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ratings are based on a student growth model, which gauges teachers from \u201chighly effective\u201d to \u201cineffective\u201d based on student test scores. They are part of teacher and administrator evaluations required by SB64; districts must enact the teacher assessments by the 2014-15 school year.<\/p>\n

Clara\u2019s complaint to the U.S. Department of Education noted that in science testing at Meadowlark Elementary, \u201cas high as 67 percent of teachers… were classified as \u2018ineffective.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he used the word after reading it in Meadowlark\u2019s school improvement plan, available on the district website. \u201cI did not make up this data,\u201d he said. The label is \u201cnot even my issue,\u201d he said. \u201cMy issue is the revolving door of teachers that are constantly cycled through [west-side] schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

His complaint claims the board\u2019s refusal to discuss teacher distribution puts the district in violation of a section of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs. The Office of Civil Rights is expected to reply in two to three weeks.<\/p>\n

The subject has not been placed on upcoming board agendas. President Kristi Swett and Vice President Heather Bennett declined to discuss the board\u2019s response.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder normal circumstances, we would be happy to speak with members of the press about Salt Lake City School District\u2019s consistent, collaborative and ongoing efforts to improve teacher effectiveness,\u201d they said in an e-mail. \u201cThe way this issue has been framed, however, makes it impossible for either of us to comment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Board member Rosemary Emery, who has taught math for 38 years, said she does not think the district deliberately puts particular teachers in west-side schools.<\/p>\n

\u201cI resent the words \u2018ineffective teacher\u2019 to describe the quality of work a teacher does solely based on test scores,\u201d Emery wrote in an e-mail.<\/p>\n

But she added: \u201cWe do seem to have some west-side schools with more provisional teachers then the east-side schools.\u201c<\/p>\n

Emery said she has tried, without success, to convince the board to discuss her related concerns. \u201cMy issue is the high schools where we have a 62 percent to 68 percent drop-out rate,\u201d Emery wrote. \u201cWith half of our Hispanic students dropping out of high school. I know the board is aware of this issue but [members] have not been willing to have the courageous conversations and really deal with this issue in depth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emery said she agrees the board needs to keep good teachers in high poverty schools, suggesting bonuses, changes to teacher contracts and a new definition of effectiveness.<\/p>\n

After talking to more than 20 educators, Clara said he wants to discuss four solutions:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Include the community and\u00a0teachers\u00a0in interviews with future principals, who have the biggest impact on staffing. This is done at some schools, but not consistently, Clara said.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Extend the one-year provisional contracts for new teachers to three years, with a provision to dismiss after two years.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Hire earlier in the spring, to be in sync rather than behind other districts.<\/p>\n

\u2022 To help support teachers, provide low-income schools with additional counselors and family-involvement specialists.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose points are very valid,\u201d said Bissegger, a Salt Lake City Teachers Association board member, adding, \u201cthose are points that could have been made without saying there are ineffective teachers on the westside.\u201d<\/p>\n

rparker@sltrib.com<\/p>\n

Twitter@rayutah<\/p>\n

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