#hb1234

[politicalsmokeout]

The ghosts of HB 1234

Voters may have rejected Referred Law 16, but parts of that omnibus reform package are making their way back before the Legislature this year.

First there was Senate Bill 187, letting school districts opt out of "continuing contract" or teacher tenure.

Now Sen. Tim Rave is sponsoring Senate Bill 233, creating a scholarship for teachers in critical-needs fields.

[notdistrictdialogue]

New bill seeks end to teacher tenure

For teachers, the most problematic component of last year’s House Bill 1234 was the eventual end to continuing contract rights (read: tenure).

But most school administrators liked that part of the bill, which would have made it much easier to get rid of veteran teachers.

A bill filed today -- Senate Bill 187 -- would go further, allowing school boards to end those job protections right away.

I expected some pieces of HB1234 would return this session, but I’m a bit surprised this is one of them. As I wrote in November:

GOP lawmakers might choose their next K-12 battles more carefully. No matter the input teachers are given, a plan to turn continuing contract status for teachers with three years of experience from a statewide mandate to a local option is certain to inflame the union.

Melmer said the state probably should set that issue aside to focus on more important reforms.

"I don't know if it's a hill worth dying on any longer," he said. "I do think it's somewhat of an outdated model ... (but) maybe it gets us off topic on what we really should be talking about."

Harrisburg Superintendent Jim Holbeck said the phase-out of tenure was the most divisive part of the proposal, and on the heels of state funding cuts that suppressed teacher salaries, the timing couldn't have been worse.

"The problem with tenure at this point is as teachers are 51st in the nation in pay, and they've kind of been beat down the last few years ... this was another kick in the stomach," he said.

Another bill, HB1166, would provide $1 million in incentive pay for teachers who work at schools where a low number of college-bound graduates need remedial coursework. The money would go to the best 10 percent of schools according to this calculation.

I see some glaring fairness problems with this bill, but I'm sure that'll come out in committee, if it's not amended before then.

[notdistrictdialogue]

S.D. fails Michelle Rhee's school reform report card

StudentsFirst, Michelle Rhee's education reform outfit, issued an F grade to South Dakota and 10 other states today in its first ever state policy report card.

With B-minuses, Louisiana and Florida got the top grades. So much for grade inflation.

StudentsFirst contributed $50,000 in defense of Gov. Dennis Daugaard's reform bill, HB1234 or RL16, which voters rejected last year.

Here is their summary of South Dakota education policies:

Currently, South Dakota's education policies do not prioritize great teaching, empowering parents with quality choices, or using resources wisely to raise student achievement. The state legislature enacted legislation in 2011* to strengthen efforts to attract and identify excellent teachers, but that legislation failed to pass a voter referendum. Unfortunately, South Dakota educators are still without meaningful evaluations and their performance does not play a role in any personnel decisions, including tenure, dismissal, and salary decisions. Seniority still drives layoff decisions, leaving effective teachers at risk. South Dakota also does not provide parents with meaningful  information regarding school or teacher performance, and parents have no educational options when their children are trapped in  low-performing schools. Finally, South Dakota should establish state authority to intervene in low-performing schools and districts and should offer teachers a more attractive, portable retirement option.

* That should say 2012. They also identify the state as North Dakota twice on the report card.

Notably, South Dakota gets an F on empowering parents to get their kids out of low-performing schools. It's hard to compare policies across all 50 states, but you'd think Students First would have recognized and given credit for South Dakota's open enrollment policy.

Another thing to consider is South Dakota generally supports local control, so it's rare - although less so in recent years - for the state to get involved in things like teacher compensation policy or class size mandates. Reformers would like to see the state legislature step in and say, "We know what's good for you."

The New York Times quotes Richard Zeiger, California’s chief deputy superintendent, as calling its F rating a “badge of honor.”

“This is an organization that frankly makes its living by asserting that schools are failing,” Mr. Zeiger said of StudentsFirst. “I would have been surprised if we had got anything else.”

[notdistrictdialogue]

S.D. ballot money from NEA small potatoes?

If the $523,000 the National Education Association has given to the South Dakota fight against Referred Law 16 (HB1234) sounds like a lot, consider Idaho, where teachers also are fighting the introduction of performance pay and the loss of job protections.

Campaign finance disclosures in Idaho show the national teachers union has given $1.83 million so far to oppose Props 1, 2 and 3.

Interestingly, the state of Idaho is suing the NEA and other groups over their disclosures in an attempt to force them to identify their individual donors.

[notdistrictdialogue]

Michelle Rhee has $50,000 on RL16, HB1234

I haven’t spend much time digging into campaign finance reports yet, but I see Students First has $50,000 into Referred Law 16, Gov. Daugaard’s education reform law.

Students First was formed in 2010 by Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of the Washington D.C. school district – she’s also a former Teacher for America and is married to Sacramento Mayor and ex-NBA’er Kevin Johnson.)

Rhee instituted very reformy teacher contracts while she was in D.C., stripping job protections for teachers while handing out big cash prizes for the best ones. She’s now spreading the gospel, encouraging more states and school districts to do the same.

Along with President Obama, Rhee is a high-profile Democrat who favors the sort of education reforms generally associated with Republicans, like Daugaard.

Sioux Falls Superintendent Pam Homan is not a fan. She told a story about Rhee during an Augustana Thought Leader event one month ago, starting at 2:15

Also giving significant money to the Committee for South Dakota Students, in favor of RL16, are:

Bill Byrne, $15,000

Harvey Jewett, $10,000 (Board of Regents)

Ron Moquist, $5,000 (Raven Industries)

Dana Dykhouse, $5,000 (First Premier)

Dan Kirby, $5,000 (Kirby Financial)

Joe Kirby, $5,000

Garry Jacobson, $5,000

Thomas Huegel, $5,000

... Which is nowhere near the $523,000 the National Education Association has given to the No on 16 campaign.

[politicalsmokeout]

New anti-RL 16 ad attacks merit pay: A new ad from the group opposing Gov. Dennis Daugaard's education reform law. Transcript:

Fran Linn: If only a small percent of teachers are going to get merit pay, it hurts them being able to share ideas, to work collaboratively.

Nicole Tarr: Merit pay has been tried in other states, and it hasn't worked.

Kate Hanson: New York, Chicago, Nashville. Why in South Dakota would we try merit pay, knowing that it has failed.

Pam Oberemt: Teachers will compete for dollars rather than sharing what they know is best for kids.

Nicole Tarr: Please vote no on Referred Law 16. It's the wrong answer for South Dakota's children.

[politicalsmokeout]

Yes on 16 is on the air: The group supporting Referred Law 16, Gov. Dennis Daugaard's education reform program, is running the following ad featuring 2011 Milken Family Foundation National Educator of the Year Nicole Keegan, a Rapid City middle school teacher.

The ad glosses over one important aspect of HB1234/RL16: The law sets up a framework for teacher bonuses and scholarships, but doesn't actually include any funding for them.

Here's the transcript:

NICOLE KEEGAN: As a South Dakota schoolteacher, I've seen firsthand how hard our state's educators work. And I believe they deserve to be paid more for their efforts. That's why I'm supporting Referred Law 16: one that rewards good teachers for being great teachers, no matter their tenure. Referred Law 16 also provides scholarships that will keep our new teachers right here in South Dakota. Join me in voting yes on Referred Law 16. Let's invest in our state's educators.

[politicalsmokeout]

Send 'No on 16' back to English class

A reader sent in a copy of a postcard opposing Referred Law 16, Gov. Dennis Daugaard's education reform law.

And as I was converting it into a format to upload to this blog, I noticed an error on the postcard that's particularly embarrassing given its presence on a campaign literature attacking a law as bad for education:

Did you catch that on the bottom half of the postcard? According to "No On 16", Referred Law 16 "let's politicians take over our schools" -- or, written out, "let us politicians take over our schools," which is probably not the message "No On 16" wants to sent.

Lower down on that same postcard, the contraction "let's" is used correctly.

"No On 16" is run by officials of the South Dakota Education Association, according to its campaign finance reports with Secretary of State Jason Gant. The group's chair is SDEA president Sandy Arseneault and the treasurer is SDEA executive director Bryce Healy.

Typo aside, how effective is this postcard?

Remember, keep sending me your political postcards. If you’re getting them, email or send them to me at the Argus Leader, 200 S. Minnesota Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104. I won’t identify the people who send me the postcards (unless you want to be identified).