"Self-governed schools" -

[mzteris]

just ran across this reference. Have you guys heard of it? What do you think?


Minnesota Teachers Now Have New Opportunity to Start and Run District Schools

In our newsletter last week, we heard from teachers that they will accept accountability when given the authority to manage the school. This can happen in a Teacher Professional Partnership model* of school governance.

The new legislation authorizes creation of a new type of district public school which seeks to incorporate the autonomy, flexibility and accountability of charter schools into what are called "Site-Governed District Schools." These new public schools must be approved by their district school board. Their teachers remain district employees and teachers union members. And any deviations from the district master contract must be explicitly waived through agreements between the district board and teachers union. See this brief summary of the bill, and other "NewSchools" initiatives adopted by the Minnesota Legislature in 2009. http://www.educationevolving.org/enewsletter_archived.asp?id=25


*Teacher professional partnerships (TPPs) are formal entities, organized under law (partnerships, cooperatives, limited-liability corporations, etc.), that are formed and owned by teachers to provide educational services. TPPs may enter into contracts to manage entire schools, a portion of a school or to provide some other educational service. Teachers are in charge and they manage or arrange for the management of the schools and/or services provided. The school district is not managing the school; nor is a district-appointed single leader in charge (e.g. a principal).
http://www.educationevolving.org/teacherpartnerships/what_is_tpp.asp

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". . . In structure, Minneapolis' first self-governed school would resemble teacher-led programs in the Milwaukee public schools, where the teachers in charge of the new schools retain their union seniority and district benefits like their colleagues but work under a contract that makes them responsible for their schools.

At the moment, education policy nationwide is focused on improving the quality of teaching. One way to do that, Education Evolving's researchers believe, is to give teachers more control over the strategies they use to reach kids who are struggling.

The organization likens schools where teachers run the show to the professional partnerships enjoyed by lawyers, accountants and doctors. (More information about teacher-owned schools can be found in an article I wrote last year for Education Next, an education policy journal.)

"We need to make teaching a better job," said Wedl. "We think this model, where the teacher has more control over their work, is key."

http://www.aftacts.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=109

[Hannah Bell]

1. yes, i think it's another trojan horse from the privatizers.

if anyone wanted teachers to run schools, they could do it in the context of public ed, not in the context of charters.

the fact is, no one important really wants teachers to run schools; they want schools to become profit centers for private corporations, & this trojan horse is just one of the methods they're employing to accomplish their goals.

more feel-good bullshit from the "alliance of charter teachers and staff," & "education evolving," another charter school front.

they spring up like mushrooms in shit.

[mzteris]

2. no one? No one has any comments?

It sounds like an interesting innovation. I'm curious as to what teachers think of it.