Gwinnett: Free us to fix schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools is seeking freedom from the state to overhaul its methods for improving student performance.

The proposal, which includes flexible teacher pay, increasing class sizes and using aides as stand-ins for teachers, is being crafted by Gwinnett school administrators to give the state’s largest school district the flexibility to opt out of restrictive state education mandates.

Some school officials view the mandates as hindering the system’s ability to significantly raise standardized test scores.

School administrators have submitted a 104-page draft proposal to the state that details how the system could restructure and reassign teachers with the goal of closing the achievement gap between white, black and Hispanic students by 10 percent annually and improving participation in high-level academic courses.

“We are looking at a number of factors that may be outside the box of what the current rules in the state say,” Gwinnett school board member Louise Radloff said. “The key is making sure students are more successful. Having flexibility would allow us to try some things differently.”

The draft is a first step toward entering into a formal state contract promising academic improvement in five years or incur penalties if the district doesn’t meet performance objectives. Gwinnett is the first district in Georgia to begin seeking this authority under the state’s Investing in Educational Excellence or IE2 legislation, which allows school systems more freedom to use creative methods including opting out of some state rules in exchange for greater accountability for student achievement.

Gwinnett’s plan, obtained by the AJC through an open records request, has been criticized by some teachers and parents because of the cloak of secrecy under which it is being developed and for some of the ideas it embraces.

According to the proposal, the school district could grow class sizes and give principals the flexibility to hire more support staff such as social workers instead of more certified teachers when enrollment swells. Pay and lunch breaks for some teachers also could be changed to meet school district needs.

The school system of nearly 160,000 students employs nearly 12,350 teachers and support staff.

Teachers say they have been left in the dark about what to expect.

“The county has not been willing to share the plan. It’s like we are hiding something here, and that really bothers me,” said Susan Dietz, co-president of the Gwinnett County Association of Educators.

Gwinnett Schools officials say it is too early for an open dialogue on the flexibility plan and that parents and teachers will be given an opportunity to voice their opinions soon. “We continue to negotiate with the Department of Education, and significant changes continue to be made,” said Sloan Roach, spokesperson for Gwinnett Schools. “We expect that Gwinnett’s proposed contract would be presented and reviewed by the Gwinnett board in December. At that time, the district will hold a public hearing on the proposal.”

One of the main intents of giving districts more flexibility is to attract ideas from teachers and parents and administrators about how schools should change to increase student performance, said state Rep. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), vice chair of the Education Committee. “People don’t want any more excuses … that you can’t do this or that. They want results,” Millar said.

Tailored programs

Under its flexibility proposal, Gwinnett vows to use targeted instruction to improve performance in reading, language arts and math for all students. The proposal also aims to increase the opportunities available for college preparatory Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses by expanding the programs to more schools.

Leniency from state mandates on funding educational programs could allow Gwinnett to expand services for gifted students. Programs similarly could be tailored to meet the specific needs of immigrant students still struggling to learn English.

Leniency on teacher certification could allow Gwinnett to use teachers credentialed in one area to also teach other subjects on occasion. The school system also is considering allowing several classes to share one certified expert teacher who provides lessons broadcast through a monitor while a teacher’s aide would supervise classrooms and help students with work.

The mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, however, could stifle that idea. The act requires that students have a teacher in the classroom who is certified in the subject they teach.

“We can waive state rules, but we can’t waive federal rules,” said Dana Tofig, spokesman for the state Department of Education. “That is something we will have to discuss during the process.”

Members of GCAE also have their questions about video teaching: “What would happen to individualized instruction?” asked Barbara Wilson, GCAE co-president. “How would you keep up with the grading, the planning … It’s going to be more work with the same pay.”

Performance measures

Gwinnett also is looking to operate outside of the traditional salary step schedule to pay teachers more who work in critical needs areas —- math, science and special education —- or tie pay upgrades to performance. Another proposal would scale back mandatory work-free lunch breaks for elementary school teachers in favor of more instruction time.

Wilson of the GCAE says that could drive teachers out of Gwinnett or keep them from joining the system. “Would you come to Gwinnett County as a new teacher if you find out the person next door to you is coming from business and is making twice as much as a new teacher with certification?” Wilson said.

The plan must be approved by the Gwinnett school board before it is considered by the state.

Gwinnett intends to track its performance by measuring gains on the SAT, state and national standardized tests, and by comparing results against 25 high-performing districts across the nation. Gwinnett Schools has recommended its own punishment —- conversion of schools to charter status for the ones that fail to meet “performance standards” or maintain them within the five-year contract.

Parent Aqueelah Brun of Stone Mountain said she had no idea about the movement for flexibility, but she is concerned about how it could grow class sizes. “If they are trying to think outside of the box, if parents are involved we can advocate what we feel are the areas that need improvement,” Brun said.