PS 230 Teachers Slam Governor Cuomo’s Proposed Education Reforms

Kensington educators from PS 230 are joining the chorus of voices from throughout Brooklyn, and beyond, that are slamming the education reforms spelled out by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his State of the State address in January.

With particular vitriol for the governor’s plan to boost the number of charter schools and significantly increase the weight of students’ standardized test scores in teacher evaluations, the teachers called for help from the public in a letter posted on the school’s website.

In the letter, the teachers say:

Governor Cuomo has proposed major changes to education in his State of the State address. He wants to keep 2 billion dollars that is due to New York City Schools, increase the number of charter schools in NYC by adding 100 more, make the state and not principals more involved with teacher evaluations, put struggling schools in receivership instead of giving them support, and make 50% of teacher evaluation based on how their students do on state tests. (Currently it is 20%)

The reference to the $2 billion dollars is in regards to a recent report by the Alliance for Quality Education, which last week issued a document saying that “Cuomo’s chronic cuts to education and his noncompliance with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity” lawsuit  has resulted in the state owing about $2.5 billion to the city’s public education system – an average of about 2,667 to every student in the city’s public education system.

For example, the AQE said PS 230 in Kensington is owed $3,264,305.01 from the state.

The AQE unveiled their report with the help from numerous elected officials, including Assembly Education Committee Chair Catherine Nolan, of Queens, the United Federation of Teachers, New York Communities for Change, Make the Road New York, and others.

To see how much the Alliance for Quality Education says the state owes your school, go here.

As for the charter schools, the UFT has asked Albany to cap the number of charter schools in the state at 460, while Cuomo has proposed that number to be 560. There are currently 248 charter schools operating in New York state.

It is the role of standardized tests in teacher evaluations, however, that seems to have garnered the most opposition when it comes to criticism for the governor – which, according to a recent Siena poll, is significant.

According to the poll released today, 48 percent of voters statewide say they generally side with the teacher’s union when it comes to education issues, compared to 36 percent for the governor.

Teachers in other Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Park Slope and Bensonhurst, too are lashing out against Cuomo’s proposed reforms.

In their letter, PS 230 educators slammed the role of standardized tests, writing:

Making teacher evaluations based on standardized tests will mean that teaching in all public schools will focus on test prep even though we don’t believe in the standardized tests. Many states and President Obama are trying to deemphasize standardized tests because it is clear the tests do not give an accurate picture of student learning, or the effectiveness of teachers. But instead of acknowledging standardized testing is doing damage to students and teachers, Cuomo wants to make them count more.

Time spent on test prep will mean less time for real learning and real curriculum study. All too often the first things that are cut from student’s schedules are the arts – music, dance, art and school performances, like the Character Parade, the Nutcracker, or the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration. Probably most of the “extra” things we do, for example field trips and publishing celebration, would have to in favor of test prep.

Cuomo issued harsh words for the state’s two-year-old teacher evaluation system, calling it “baloney” during the State of the State and noting that fewer than 1 percent of educators were found to be ineffective under the current system, while students’ reading and math levels, as well as graduation rates, are not where the state wants them to be.

The PS 230 community is inviting parents and neighbors to the school’s PTA meeting on Thursday, February 26 at 6:30pm at the Upper School to learn more about the opposition, as well well as to sign a petition calling for an end to Cuomo’s reforms. The petition is also available at the school if you’re unable to attend the meeting.

Other steps of support that 230 educators spell out include:

• Sending a letter of disapproval to the governor by emailing gov.cuomo@chamber.state.ny.us.
• Voice your opinion by calling 518-474-8390.
• Go here to a sign a letter to let your local legislators know you disapprove.

What do you think of the governor’s proposals? Are you against them? For them? Somewhere in between?