MINUTES
EDUCATION REFORM COMMISSION MEETING
July 28, 2015 --- 10:00 A.M.
Department of Early Care and Learning – Oak Room
Sloppy Floyd Building
Atlanta, Georgia
The following Commission Members were in attendance:
Madelyn Adams, Matt Arthur, Greg Beadles, Brooks Coleman, Mike Dudgeon, Kent Edwards, Mike Glanton, Barbara Hampton, Tyler Harper, Hannah Heck, Jack Hill, Kylie Holley, Bonnie Holliday, Amy Jacobs, Audrey King, Charles Knapp, Chairman; Cynthia Kuhlman, Fran Millar, Hunter Pierson, Freddie Powell Sims, Noris Price, Elizabeth Rhodes, Will Schofield, Valencia Stovall, Lindsey Tippins, Tony Townsend, Alvin Wilbanks, and Dick Yarbrough.
The following Commission Members were absent:
Brad Bryant, Tom Dickson, Terry England, Tina Fernandez, Nels Peterson and Pam Williams.
The Meeting was called to order by Dr. Charles Knapp, Chairman.
Welcome by Dr. Charles Knapp
Dr. Knapp welcomed commission members and guests.
Approval of Minutes from June 23, 2015 by Commission Members
The minutes from the June 23, 2015 Education Reform Commission meeting were disseminated. A Motion was made to approve the Minutes as presented. It was Moved and unanimously approved.
Report from Sub-Committees
- Funding Subcommittee – Charles Knapp
Dr. Knapp commenced with a briefing on recent events. Two major topics discussed during the last meeting: 1) How should the State allocate funds to local districts to compensate teachers and 2) What earnings should be included in the new base amount and how should the weights for student characteristics be determined?
Why Move to New Compensation Models?
- Current teacher salary schedule is based on years of experience, degree or certification.
- Research shows advanced degrees do not generally translate into more effective teaching (except advanced science and math degrees). Heartfelt messages have been received regarding master’s degrees. There are arguments indicating the master’s degree has made an impact in the classroom. Likewise, some research will lead one in the direction that experience makes a difference, while other research does not.
- Districts should have more flexibility to determine compensation for their employees.
- Proposal #1
- The state will continue to calculate and distribute T & E to districts
- Current teachers may remain in current system
- Education Reform Commission Meeting
- IE2 and Charter Systems may develop their own models and submit for approval
- For teachers who begin service after the effective date, districts could use the money earned in a flexible manner
- State would develop compensation models from which districts may choose
- All new models would contain teacher effectiveness as one element
Proposal #2
- Calculate state average teacher salary (currently $50,767).
- Current teachers may remain in T & E system or opt-in to new system.
- Districts would earn funding based on the state average salary times number of teachers.
- Some districts would earn more than current T & E earnings which could be used flexibly and some would earn less than current T & E earnings.
- The districts earning less would be made whole through a Hold Harmless allocation (estimated at $88M using current average teacher salary).
- IE2 and Charter Systems may develop their own models and submit for approval.
- State would develop compensation models from which districts may choose.
- All new models would contain teacher effectiveness as one element.
Student Weights in the Base
- Items to be weighted: K-3, 9-12, CTAE, SWD-Cat 1, SWD-Cat 2, SWD-Cat 3, ESOL, Economically Disadvantaged and Gifted.
- Items to be added separately: T & E, Teacher Retirement and State Health Benefit.
- Weighting of Student Characteristics
- Staff shared model of sample weights and how those weights relate to each other.
- Constraints on model included using FY 16 funding amount.
- Added two new student characteristics -- K-3 literacy and Economically Disadvantaged (currently not funded).
- Items for Continued Discussion
- Staff will present a spreadsheet showing a detailed comparison of current funding to new formula components.
- Staff will also present the rationale for how proposed weights for student characteristics were derived.
Other Issues:
- Equalization, Sparsity, Schools for the Deaf and Blind, Dept. of Juvenile Justice Schools, Virtual Schools, Charter System Supplements, State Charter Schools, Residential Treatment Centers, GNETS and RESAs.
- The funding Committee will meet again on August 27, 2015. All are welcomed to attend.
- Early Childhood Education Subcommittee – Amy Jacobs
- Ms. Jacobs reiterated the Governor’s charge to “study and make recommendations for expanding early education options.”
- Education Reform Commission Meeting
Recommendation One
Increase Pre-K startup funds
- Address increased cost of new classroom set-up
- Would support continued high quality program
- Amount of start-up funds never increased
Recommendation Two
Develop a pay structure based on Pre-K lead teacher’s years of experience and credentials
- Align Pre-K pay with K-3 pay
- Retention of lead teachers impacts quality
- Would address teacher retention
- Further study needed to develop teacher effectiveness
Recommendation Three
- Increase Assistant Teacher Salary
- Assistant teachers are integral to the classroom
- Would address assistant teacher retention
Recommendation Four
- Reduce class size to 20 children with a lead and assistant teacher
- Addresses Governor’s charge to “expand pre-K in Georgia”
- Reduction would improve quality of classroom instruction
Recommendation Five
- Combine Benefits and Non-instructional costs into a single, budget line item known as “Operating Costs.”
- Allows for program flexibility to use funding for additional teacher salary based on performance, benefits, non-instructional and administrative costs
- Would reduce average financial loss reported by providers per class by 30%-50%.
Recommendation Six
- Provide bond funds for a pilot project to expand Georgia’s Pre-K classes in public schools where the need is the greatest.
- Current bond funds do not include Georgia’s Pre-K
- Limited space is one reason local school systems do not offer Georgia Pre-K
- Grant process between DECAL and local school systems
- Strategies to Increase Access to Quality
- Tax incentive when quality rated
- Business investment tax credit
- Occupational tax credit
- Increase tiered reimbursement
- Match private dollars raised to support a comprehensive marketing and public relations campaign to promote awareness
Questions/Comments:
Matt Arthur: For all the districts that are growing, space will always be part of the problem for allocations.
Amy Jacobs: We have heard input from many superintendents.
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Charles Knapp: Pre-K salary is below the national average. Experience does matter. Let’s review the data.
Dick Yarbrough: Experience and training are important factors.
Will Schofield: Looking at the data is very important. A research shows that if we find other ways to provide incentives for teachers such as respect; will work as well as paying a higher salary.
Charles Knapp: Over time we need to get to a point in this country that we treat teachers as true professionals in terms of pay.
Dick Yarbrough: It is respect that is the major reason for teaching. I have three teachers in my family. They did not go into teaching thinking they would get a paid a lot of money. Teachers want what is fair.
Freddie Powell Sims: It is climate, environment and circumstances that we look at when compensating teachers.
Alvin Wilbanks: I would recommend that when we give research we need to provide the source of the research, especially if we’re using it for recommendations.
Move on When Ready Subcommittee – Matt Arthur
Charge to the Move on When Ready Subcommittee – A seamless system for moving on students to the next educational level when they are ready requires:
- Additional options for demonstrating competency
- Additional opportunities for internships and applied learning
- Smooth and efficient collaboration among Georgia’s K-12 education system, the College and Career System, and the University System
Proposed Action Items: Grades K-5
- Action Item #1: Reading by Grade 3
- K-3 grade cross grouping. An example is a 1st grader in a 3rd grader’s classroom; although not specifically all day.
Action Item #2: Flexible programs
- More opportunities for students to learn
- Homeschool and public school students
- Proposed Action Items: Grades 6-8
Action Item #1: Need for competency-based education
- Competencies are the cornerstone of personalized learning
- Learning takes place inside and outside the classroom
Action Item #2: Need for Flexibility with End-of-Year Assessments
- Limited flexibility of student progression
- Students has autonomy to move quickly or slowly as content is mastered
Action Item #3: Need for Flexibility in Seat Time and Funding
- Allocate funding based on weighted value per student, not based on segments of time
- Proposed Action Items: Grades 9 – Post secondary
Action Item #1: Build bridges from high school to postsecondary education and workforce by creating career pathways.
Education Reform Commission Meeting
Pathways Options include:
- A college and career-ready “double-purpose” option
- A career-ready certificate program
Opportunity for students to explore career and college options by creating 9th grade exploratory courses
Action Item #2: Expect all students to graduate and be ready for college and careers.
- Work with GA DOE, USG, TCGS and leading employers
Action Item #3: Select assessment of technical and workplace readiness standards that offer long-term value.
- Establish an advisory council comprised of business and industry partners, TCSG, GA DOE, and USG to identify technical and workplace readiness standards
Action Item #4: Support all career pathway teachers, especially new teachers from industry, with the professional development and fast-track induction programs.
- Partner with an external agency to provide extensive professional development to instructors in the area of literacy and math strategies
- Seek support from the GA DOE to drive literacy and math strategies into middle grades instruction
- Provide professional development to career pathway instructors and partner academic teachers in students’ home high schools and discuss ways to redesign career pathway assignments around real-world problems
- Partner with employers in Georgia’s high-demand career fields to help TCSG instructors periodically refresh their skills through summer industry externships and work experiences.
Action Item #5: Work with GA DOE, USG, TCSG and employer partners to design a framework of strategies to restructure chronically failing schools around academically and technically rigorous career pathways
Action Item #6: Harness the Move on When Ready initiative to create early advanced credential programs that align curricula, instruction and technology across home high schools and TCSG
- Develop flexible school schedules
- Scheduling options may include extended school years, extended school days, and 13th year programs
Action Item #7: Double the percentage of career pathway students who earn certificates, credentials, and degrees in Georgia’s high-demand career fields.
- Increase access to TCSG career pathways for students who not initially meet readiness benchmarks for consideration
- Support high school and postsecondary TCSG career pathway students with supplemental tutoring, skill labs and individualized support.
Questions/Comments:
Bonnie Holliday: To what extent are we responsible for implementation?
Charles Knapp: I do not think it’s the Commission’s job to get down in the implementation.
Matt Arthur: We are talking about innovations and providing broad examples.
Education Reform Commission Meeting
Commission Member: The recommendations will be given to the Governor and the General Assembly.
Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Compensation – Mike Dudgeon
The Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Compensation Subcommittee has received input from stakeholders. They have talked to HR professionals (GSSPA) and The New Teacher Project (TNTP). They are excited about getting a new model. There’s a strong consensus from input groups that teacher compensation should be more dynamic than just experience and degrees.
Moving towards Recommendations
- Started brainstorming phase for recommendations
- Group looking at success stories
- Must coordinate with Funding Subcommittee
Compensation Brainstorms
- Minimum salary is $33,400 – should that be higher?
- The model should demonstrate that you value teachers
- Allow faster route to the median salary
Recruitment Ideas
- Service Cancellable Loans for USG grads who stay to teach in Georgia
- Full year clinical practice model for our colleges instead of ½ year student teaching
- Pay teachers to host student teachers
- State pays for or refunds GACE exit exam for college
- Higher entry level salary / signing bonuses for tough fields
Retention Ideas
- Better mentoring of new teachers
- Protect the planning period
- Return to “normal” on the curricula change cycle
- Slowdown / stop of “new things” piled onto teachers legislatively or by SBOE rule
- Find extra burdensome things to repeal; sunset new “things” we put into education
- Longer curricula adoption cycles
Questions/Comments:
Mike Glanton: In terms of recruitment, what is being done for substitute teachers? They have to fill in long term.
Mike Dudgeon: We will take this back and discuss with our committee.
Lindsey Tippins: Have you talked to Fulton and Marietta City Schools?
Mike Dudgeon: Yes, we have heard from these systems.
Dick Yarbrough: What are you proposing to look at in terms of retirement?
Mike Dudgeon: Right now, we are exploring ideas and are just talking.
Will Schofield: Is the $33K enough for new teachers? Are we giving new teachers an option of pay vs benefits?
Charles Knapp: There is data that suggest new teachers will value higher starting salary vs benefits package.
Fran Millar: When we talk about anything, it will be for new teachers, not current teachers.
Mike Glanton: When you bring a new teacher in there’s a 15% to 21% placed on their base salary.
Jack Hill: Teaching is a unique profession. We need help in marketing our message to teachers.
Expanding Education Options – Hannah Heck
Hannah Heck mentioned the following next steps:
- Subcommittee members draft proposed recommendations
- Draft recommendations will be published on the Commission website
- Subcommittee meeting will be held to elicit public comment
- Following public hearing, subcommittee will revise recommendations as appropriate and have a subsequent meeting to finalize and approve recommendations for submission to the full Commission.
- Public Comment
Jane Howe (Administrator at Tragic) - I want to commend the reform commission. However, I would like someone to help me understand why only math and science master degrees are valued.
Carolyn Akrinde (Administrator at Tragic): I would like to find research as far as getting the message out there about educators. Educators need to be on the Committee. As I listened today some things I agree with and some things I do not agree with. A hybrid model would be great. Teachers need to be involved in the discussions. We feel that we are not part of the conversation.
Margaret Chicarelli (PAGE): PAGE sent a statement. It is important to include practitioners in the discussion about teacher compensation and salary proposals. Redistribution of state salary may create winners and losers. Both groups must be adequately compensated. We appreciate your work and look forward to working with you.
Dr. Knapp mentioned the next meeting is August 25th at 10:00 a.m.
The meeting was adjourned.