During this past Board meeting, we discussed the idea of RUSD becoming a District of Choice (DOC). This is a new opportunity that is provided by legislation that was enacted in January of this year. We hope to bring further information and a resolution forward for further action and discussion at our May 3rd Board meeting. The idea of District of Choice (DOC) is that such a district can allow parents from anywhere in California to choose to come to that district. Unlike the “normal” interdistrict transfer requests in which the “home” district can restrict the potential exit of students, DOC essentially does not allow restriction of parents going to their "district of choice."
Obviously DOC would provide potential income beyond current funding. However, the real reason for such a declaration is that it would allow parents to choose schools/districts for their children. There are provisions where the DOC can set standards of how many students they will/can accept, but none of that can be done in a discriminatory manner. At the heart of a DOC decision is the notion that a district would have a philosophy that we live in a competitive environment where clients have choices, rather than in a monopoly where students must go to particular school/districts based on their neighborhood. In an era of choice for every other component in our lives, it would seem that choice in education is an idea whose time has come.
Why would parents want to transfer their children to a district where class sizes are larger than surrounding districts and teachers are undervalued. If RUSD wants to become a real District of Choice, then the district administration should first expend every possible resource to save teachers and programs thus making RUSD competitive otherwise most would choose somewhere else as their District of Choice.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, I would choose (and have chosen) to put my children to the public schools that have demonstrated the best results in terms of student achievement outcomes. I do not believe that it is the number of teachers at a school that matters most. It has more to do with the quality of the teachers, as represented by their ability to achieve results with the students the get each year.
ReplyDeleteAdding to the above comment...
ReplyDeleteWhen we were designing our "brochure" to advertise our school, we were told that the teachers need to be on board and ready to promote the district/school. It's kind of difficult to promote a district that has let me down in so many ways. I feel betrayed by my employer and the way they have reacted to the current budget crisis. I feel they have not treated their employees with any kind of loyalty, respect, or empathy. They have played games and showed favoritism while people's livelihood hangs in the balance. This makes it kind of difficult to get out there and promote a district that I do not believe in at the current time. I am not willing to put my reputation on the line to promote a district when I do not stand behind many of the decisions they have made or will make. Many of you will not agree, but I know there are others out there who feel the same.
The DOC idea is indeed an interesting one, but as previously stated, why would parents choose RUSD when it chooses to lay off many of its' best teachers? Yes, it is true that many teachers are not technically laid off yet, but many of these "best and brightest" are out looking for jobs, as well as districts that might treat them better in the future.
ReplyDeleteI personally like the idea, but wonder how RUSD would fare. I also wonder about some of our schools that might not be looked upon so favorably. How would they fare, especially when many of the teachers that have worked so hard to make gains have been let go?
"I feel they have not treated their employees with any kind of loyalty, respect, or empathy."
ReplyDeleteThis previous statement definitely sums up my feelings as a pink-slipped teacher. It seems as if my whole life is being put on hold, and in many ways it actually is. There doesn't seem to be one shred of concern for what all the game-playing and delays in negotiating actually mean for us teachers. This is the kind of damage that is very difficult to undo.
As the parent of two now-grown children who attended RUSD K-12, I find, among the comments already posted, the one from a fellow parent to be the most interesting and the most relevant to the topic. When my children were school-aged, I did have choices. My husband and I chose RUSD, and there was no such thing as twenty-student classrooms! We chose RUSD and would gladly do so again. Our children are happy, productive adults who also have choices and the skills they need to make them. Thank you RUSD.
ReplyDeleteI am a 21 year veteran teacher and also have grown children who went through school with larger class sizes. Education is dramatically different now than it was years ago. Class size does matter and larger class sizes (kindergarten classes can have up to 34 students), will affect what a teacher is able to do and student learning. Just because we used to have 30+ students in the first, second and third grade classrooms doesn't mean it was right. If RUSD wants student achievement to continue to progress, then some form of reduced class size in the primary elementary grades should be preserved. RUSD does provide a good education for our students. I'd like it to stay that way.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds very ignorant to blame RUSD for having to lay off teachers. I am a pick slipped teacher, and my life is on hold. There is NO money. Blame California. We at least have time to plan for our job being lost. Most do not get such notice. There are always going to be complaints, but let's be real. ALL surrounding districts are going through this. Tell your legislator.....You cannot MAKE people take less money to save jobs; look at San Juan Capistrano. RUSD has to maximize what they have. That is why class size limits exist. They HAVE to use them. Every dollar counts.
ReplyDeleteI was in an elementary classroom of 32 or more students as a child. I never felt I could not get the attention I needed from my teacher or any of my academic needs met. I also had a family structure that would have had my hide had I misbehaved or not taken responsibility for myself at school. That was the case with all of my classmates. No one ever got in any serious trouble that I remember in elementary school. This is not always the case in today's classrooms. Students are not always given a sense from their family structure that they must represent their family in a respectable way by always behaving themselves and taking responsibility for their education. Sometimes parents even run to their children's defense if work is not turned in on time or a test is failed. Students today do not hold teacher's in high esteem as they should with any adult in a position of leadership over them. When children do not have a respect for education, they do not behave appropriately in the classroom. When this is the case, a classroom of 34 is very different then a classroom of 20 or 24. Behavior issues or students that just simply do not care create havoc in the classroom. Even if this is a small minority in the classroom it can affect the entire group. I understand both sides of this issue but I am convinced that a classroom of 32 or more students is not what is best for our kids.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great to think of creative ways to increase revenue. But….what about educational choices within our own district? Is open enrollment solving any problems or just creating different ones. I am afraid that families are moving to different schools to chase test scores creating a bigger gap between the have’s and have not’s. Real choice would be to give our current population options for different kinds of education that suit their interests. For example, charter or magnets schools should be looked at that could have different theme-based curriculum, such as, Montessori, science and technology, and fine and performing arts. Perhaps these innovative schools could be opened in place of struggling ones. Let’s be creative for those who are already trying to support RUSD!
ReplyDeleteSan Juan Capistrano settled on temporary furlough days and pay cuts amounting to 10.1% in order to save jobs. They picketed over the cuts being temporary. Jurupa took cuts, LA took cuts, San Diego took cuts, Rialto took cuts. All the surrounding districts have taken cuts. Only Riverside refuses to negotiate cuts.
ReplyDeleteI feel blessed to have a job in this horrible economy, but it does hurt to think that I am taking a 20% pay cut next year to continue to help the children I love. Since only certain classified positions are receiving these cuts, it now makes it hard to be in favor of further cuts or furloughs which will increase that 20%. I wish we could have had a very small cut across the board instead of these targeted cuts, but I have to stay positive or I'm only hurting myself. At least I didn't get pink-slipped. I feel for those teachers. I hope when the May revise comes through that the district will rethink the pink slips and the targeted cuts in favor of something easier for people to absorb. I hope we all survive this and hope the public will see that we are dedicated to helping the children in our community achieve their goals.
ReplyDeleteThe managers and some Classified employees in RUSD have already taken cuts. That just doesn't seem to matter to some in the district because it is rarely mentioned. People at all levels, management, certificated and classified have been laid off. Also, my children all attended RUSD schools and have become very sucessful adults. The truth of the matter is that it shouldn't be only about test scores. That would be appropriate if children were robots and all had the same abilities and environments, but that is not the case. Each human being is an individual and just because you don't score well on state testing doesn't mean you won't succeed in life. Education needs to revert to what it used to be and not just be about testing and every child being at the same level.
ReplyDeleteAs a new teacher I do not feel that I am supported by my employer. Whether new or veteran, every job and every student matters. I paid thousands of dollars to receive a great education. Learning the skills needed to serve the students of today. For what? The only thing that RUSD cares about is test scores and their own personal and financial agendas.
ReplyDeleteLA Unified saved their teachers...Murrieta saved their teachers..Colton Unified saved their teachers..Capristrano made a compromise before it was too late! WHAT IS RUSD waiting for? I am appauled that they are willing to waste money on subs, when things could be done. All other districts are taking furloughs..it's our turn! Rise above leaders!
ReplyDeleteI'm really afraid how the students attending school now will fare in several years. The push right now is so very, very narrow. Testing, testing, testing. We are eliminating much of the breadth and depth of the curriculum because of the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND emphasis on doing well on STAR testing. This is one reason charter schools look attractive. Where is the music, art, PE? Where is taking the time to study a topic in depth? Where is the time to slow down a little to be sure that the class understands the topic. Look at our math calendar. It's a new lesson every day -- push on even if the children don't get it. ENVISION is a terrible math program pushed on us by one person even though the schools voted it down. This person came to the schools after we voted down and told us we just didn't understand it and that is why we didn't like it.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree about the math. Why do you continue to push a Pre-Calc math program that students are unable to keep up with and many have to drop? Your own teachers feel this curriculum should be taught in TWO years, not one, yet every year it is the same thing.
ReplyDeleteThese are your best & brightest in this program. Yet, you push on with a program that does not provide any meaningful education for these kids (they can barely keep up) and you don't seem to care that kids have to drop this class in order to preserve their GPAs so they can get into a good college.
Now you want to open the doors to anyone to come to RUSD? And why?
To raise more revenue. So now you will have even mores students with reduced educational choices and the arts will be the first item to suffer.
As a parent of two children in RUSD I oppose this move. I live in a specific area because of the high performing schools. If others want to utilize RUSD schools, then let them move into the district and pay the taxes that fund those schools.
As a pinked slipped veteran teacher I am saddened at what is going to happen to my students next year. To increase the class sizes and expect the teachers to teach the current CA standards & get the same testing results as they do now is absurd. Yes, class sizes used to be 30:1 twenty years ago, however the expectations of what the students needed to learn were very different. Teaching was whole group/whole language. The pace was much more relaxed then. If a student didn't master the concept then the teacher was able to spend more time on it. Learning was "fun." I have former students in my previous district tell me all the time what "fun" things that we did in class then. It's amazing to hear what my former students who are now in college & high school remember from 1st & 2nd grade. It certainly isn't the testing that occurs now. I do try to incorporate "fun" activities now, but it is hard due to the accelerated time line of everything that needs to be taught. I love my job and do not want to be unemployed in the next month & a half. Reality is I will. I won't be able to teach since there is nothing available. If the surrounding districts can save teachers why can't RUSD? If I could go back to my previous district I would, but they're not hiring either. (I left for family reasons for those that are going to ask why did you leave). I'm praying for a miracle each day that RUSD manages to come up with an agreement that shows that they do care about their employees and the students.
ReplyDeleteYou said it is important for parents to have a choice in education. That is true.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is equally important for TEACHERS to have a choice in education. They should be required to teach the standards, without a doubt.
Teachers now are required to follow the blasted pacing chart for reading, writing, and math. There are pacing charts for social studies, science, and art. Expectations are unrealistic because it is presumed that the school day is 9 hours and that all childred are bright enough to get everything the first time it is taught and that they remember it. Of course, the other assumption the pacing charts presume is that all students speak, read, and comprehend English at grade level -- something that is fiction for both our EL and ELL students. One final assumption that is presumed in the pacing charts is that all student want to learn...and that they don't need a sprinkling of "fun".
District of choice (DOC)- ADA - income, freedom to choose where to send your students. Remember, the academically bright are welcomed, also, those students from other districts who are below grade level, have personal "issues", those who are a discipline problem, those who may see our district as somewhere they can continue to receive "freebies", school lunches, athletic participation, free AP testing due 'financial hardship'. As Dr. Miller shared, the DOC system cannot be discriminatory. We have enough students who fall into the above category, do we need more to drain our already depleated budget, I think not.
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