Comments on: Education Reform — the House Version http://willbrownsberger.com/index.php/archives/3228 State Senator -- 2nd Suffolk and Middlesex -- Democrat Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:18:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: LynneDoblin http://willbrownsberger.com/index.php/archives/3228#comment-750 LynneDoblin Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:03:47 +0000 http://willbrownsberger.com/?p=3228#comment-750 Thank you, Will, for supporting the bill. I don't want to do anything to harm district schools, but I do think it's time to shake things up and try something different in urban education, which many Boston charters (and some in-district pilots)are doing to great success. I'd gladly spend more on education if it could be linked to more and better-spent classroom time, wraparound student support and teacher development/accountability. I would go even further and support incentive pay for good teachers willing to teach in underperforming schools and measures that make it harder to grant tenure to ineffective teachers. I think this bill (and the federal dollars that it will hopefully help us attract) is a step in the right direction. Thanks for your leadership in this area. Thank you, Will, for supporting the bill. I don’t want to do anything to harm district schools, but I do think it’s time to shake things up and try something different in urban education, which many Boston charters (and some in-district pilots)are doing to great success. I’d gladly spend more on education if it could be linked to more and better-spent classroom time, wraparound student support and teacher development/accountability. I would go even further and support incentive pay for good teachers willing to teach in underperforming schools and measures that make it harder to grant tenure to ineffective teachers. I think this bill (and the federal dollars that it will hopefully help us attract) is a step in the right direction. Thanks for your leadership in this area.

]]> By: Will Brownsberger http://willbrownsberger.com/index.php/archives/3228#comment-747 Will Brownsberger Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:03:44 +0000 http://willbrownsberger.com/?p=3228#comment-747 Thanks, Lynne. As it turns out, for precisely the reasons you indicate -- that the amendment would have too broad an effect -- it is a non-starter and I don't expect to press it. I do expect to support the overall bill nonetheless. /w. Thanks, Lynne.

As it turns out, for precisely the reasons you indicate — that the amendment would have too broad an effect — it is a non-starter and I don’t expect to press it.

I do expect to support the overall bill nonetheless.

/w.

]]> By: LynneDoblin http://willbrownsberger.com/index.php/archives/3228#comment-746 LynneDoblin Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:17:08 +0000 http://willbrownsberger.com/?p=3228#comment-746 Will, I support lifting the cap on charter schools in underperforming districts, and I hope that your amendment will not have the practical effect of limiting an expansion of school choice in these districts. We have to listen to parents and students in these districts and put the needs of children first. Teachers are not the enemy here, but I am not sympathetic with the union's opposition to merit pay based on gains in student achievement (the former is based on adult needs, not what kids and America need). I also support any measure that would remove obstacles that prevent innovative school leaders from doing what they know it takes to support high achievement among disadvantaged children: more instructional time (longer days, summer learning), student support, a disciplined school culture and teacher accountability. Where these conflict with collective bargaining, kids should come first. We should be willing to spend more to get more, but additional resources should be targeted to the aforementioned, evidence-based measures that we know work, not just more of the same. I know you represent the suburbs, but here is one suburban, voting mom that knows that the children in urban MA communities deserve better than they are getting, and their success is our success. Will, I support lifting the cap on charter schools in underperforming districts, and I hope that your amendment will not have the practical effect of limiting an expansion of school choice in these districts. We have to listen to parents and students in these districts and put the needs of children first. Teachers are not the enemy here, but I am not sympathetic with the union’s opposition to merit pay based on gains in student achievement (the former is based on adult needs, not what kids and America need). I also support any measure that would remove obstacles that prevent innovative school leaders from doing what they know it takes to support high achievement among disadvantaged children: more instructional time (longer days, summer learning), student support, a disciplined school culture and teacher accountability. Where these conflict with collective bargaining, kids should come first. We should be willing to spend more to get more, but additional resources should be targeted to the aforementioned, evidence-based measures that we know work, not just more of the same. I know you represent the suburbs, but here is one suburban, voting mom that knows that the children in urban MA communities deserve better than they are getting, and their success is our success.

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