Council of School Supervisors & Administrators
local 1: american federation of school administrators, afl-cio
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Member Headlines
CSA President Calls 33 School Closings Unsound Educational Policy
In a letter sent to New York State Education Commissioner John King, CSA President Ernest Logan urged the Commissioner to reject a plan by the NYCDOE to close 33 struggling schools through a model entitled tunraround. This model would replace half of the current teaching staff and ultimately disrupt learning. Read the entire article from Gothamschools HERE.
You can also read the full letter that was sent HERE.
Diane Ravitch Tell CSA Audience Principals Shouldn't Fear Speaking out
During CSA's 50th Anniversary kickoff event, education historian Diane Ravitch took isse with many of the city's education practices including the lack of equality in education and teacher evaluations.
For more coverage of the lecture, click HERE to read an article from Gothamschools.
CSA’s 50th Anniversary Kickoff: Have a question for Diane Ravitch?
Education historian Diane Ravitch will kick off CSA’s 50th anniversary with a lecture and Q&A on education unions – while the house may be sold out, you can still participate in the event by submitting a question for her online! Submit your question on our CSA Facebook page (if you are not a fan yet, click on the “like” icon) at http://www.facebook.com/followcsa. We will select a few questions from the Facebook community to ask Diane via video Q&A, which will be posted on our CSA Facebook page shortly after the lecture.
Excerpts from Ms. Ravitch’s lecture and Q&A will also appear on CSA’s website, Facebook page and in the CSA News.
How Will We Keep the Principal Pipeline Flowing?
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The job of the Principal has lost some of its luster.
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By Ernest Logan
“Out with the old and in with the new” is a New Year mantra that makes us think of forgiven sins, fresh starts, clean slates. We feel the same way when a new leader takes over a troubled state or city. That’s how it was for many NYC school leaders after Mayor Bloomberg took over the school system and we gradually got used to the idea... |
CSA President Ernest Logan Urges the DOE to Negotiate a New Teacher/Principal Evaluation System for SIG Schools
“Today (December 30, 2011), the DOE informed CSA that it terminated its negotiations with the UFT over a new teacher evaluation system for schools receiving School Improvement Grant (SIG) funding. As a result, the DOE canceled its negotiations with CSA over a new Principal evaluation system. Today would have been only the third negotiation session between DOE and CSA.
“It was critical that today’s negotiations took place as the State Education Commissioner set a deadline of December 31, 2011 for the parties to come to an agreement. Failure to complete these negotiations by the deadline places the SIG funding at risk and we urge the DOE to return to the negotiation table with the UFT and CSA for the benefit of students.”
Youth Communications Journalism Program Creates Unique Writing and Learning Opportunities for Teens
By Chiara Coletti
Teenagers nationwide are finding a valuable resource in publications written by NYC public high school students. The articles that chronicle students’ challenges and triumphs are written for the magazine New Youth Connections – recently renamed YCteen. The stories have also been anthologized in books used by middle and high school teachers thousands of miles from the buzzing Youth Communication newsroom on West 29th Street.
The magazine has been popular in NYC’s secondary school classrooms since 1980 and Youth Communication, the magazine’s parent organization, has been turning the work into books with teachers’ guides since 1997. Some 486 public high schools currently order YCteen.
“We always distributed the magazine in...
City Plans to Cut Millions from Out-of-School Time Program
The NY Times reports that the city's Out-of-School Time program, a program created by the Department of Youth and Community Development in 2005, could face a $20 million dollar cut in the next school year. Officials at DYCD are not sure how many students could be affected by the cut, but community advocates estimate that 23,000 children of elementary and middle school age will lose access to the program.
Read the full article on the NY Times HERE.
CSA President Ernest Logan Responds to the Mayor's State of the City Speech
CSA President Ernest Logan issued the following press statement In response to the education reforms laid in Mayor Bloomberg's State of the City speech today.
“At first glance, in the public eye, the Mayor’s remarks about schools may seem reasonable, but when you dig down, you realize how many of his proposals do little to help struggling schools. These schools are likely to continue struggling, not because 50% of the educators are supposedly incompetent, but because of the DOE’s student enrollment policies that place students who are over-age, under-credited, in temporary housing or dealing with involved special education needs in schools that are said to be low-performing. We must stop this kind of warehousing and give these children what they need to succeed.
“Hopefully, when the city presents this plan to us and...
City Council Approves Legislation that Requires More Transparent Reporting from the NYC DOE
On Wednesday, June 29th, the City Council passed a $66 billion dollar budget that averted teacher layoffs and preserved firehouses. In addition to the passage of the budget, City Council also voted on two very important pieces of legislation that will require the New York City Department of Education to report the number of students discharged by individual schools and systemwide (bill 354-A) as well as report on the fate of students at closing schools (364-A); whether they are discharged, drop out, or are given credit recovery to graduate before the school closes its doors.
Click on the bill numbers to read the full legislation.
NYC Department of Education to Terminate Teacher Bonuses
The city Department of Education recently announced the discontinuation of a teacher bonus program citing a study that found the bonuses had no effect on student performance or teacher attitude towards the job. You can read the full article HERE.
In light of this announcement, CSA has the following position:
While the DOE and the UFT mutually agreed to suspend the bonus program for teachers and school leaders, the DOE initiated no such discussions with CSA. We expect the program for Principals and Assistant Principals to continue or DOE to negotiate an appropriate alternative with us. We have filed a grievance against the DOE and made a demand for arbitration. This matter is also scheduled for a meeting at PERB (Public Employment Relations Board) and we will...
City-funded Day Care Directors Prepare for Major Overhaul of Public Day Care System
New York City is embarking on an ambitious plan to improve early childhood education by requiring city day care and family care programs to apply for funding to meet more demanding educational standards.
Judge Rules in Favor of the NYC DOE to Close Schools
Judge Paul Feinman ruled that the city can go ahead with the closing of 22 low-performing schools and place 15 charter schools in the buildings of traditional public schools. The judge declined to rule on the lawsuit’s claim that the school closures and charter school co-locations would introduce inequities or unfairness regarding resources and shared space.
Click HERE to read the full story from the NY Times.
CSA President Ernest Logan Applauds City's Effort to Support African American and Hispanic Youth
This morning, August 4th, at a breakfast co-hosted by the Council of Urban Professionals and the New America Alliance at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Mayor Michael Bloomberg along with Philanthropist George Soros and key city officials announced a new initiative to support at-risk African American and Hispanic Youth. CSA President Ernest Logan also attended this announcement. Below is a statement from Mr. Logan.
“In a breathtaking announcement, Mayor Bloomberg said that he and George Soros would contribute personal funds to launch a program that addresses the way our education and employment systems interact with disenfranchised young African American and Hispanic men. This is an admirable first step toward addressing what has been an intractable and tragic problem. At the same time, we are...
CSA President Ernest Logan Testifies before NYS Senate on Budget Proposals
On Monday, January 23rd, CSA President Ernest Logan testified before the New York State Senate about Governor Cuomo's education budget proposals. During his testimony, Mr. Logan highlighted a few key points around teacher and principal evaluations, the missing link of responsibility between superintendents and school boards, the need to focus on early childhood education, and the need for effective teachers to be trained, nurtured and supported.
Click HERE to read the full testimony.
CSA Endorses Candidates for the September Special Elections
Due to the resignation of 5 elected officials in recent months, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for Special Elections on Tuesday, September 13, 2011. In addition to the Primary Elections for the political parties, there will be Special Elections to fill the unexpired terms of the legislators who have left office. All of the endorsed candidates were interviewed by President Logan and his decision to endorse them was ratified by the Advisory Board. All of these candidates have excellent records of public service and have pledged support for positions on the issues that are most important to CSA. Click HERE to view the full list of endorsements.
The DOE Slashes Budgets of 51 Struggling Middle Schools
On Friday, September 2, the NY Daily News reported that struggling middle schools that were part of a Middle School initiative supported by the City Council continue to seen their budgets slashed by an average of more than $125,000 a year for the past two years. Click HERE to read the full article.
The Children Were Safe: A Tribute to Leadership on the Anniversary of September 11th
Thanks to the calm heroism of school leaders, the city’s children were shielded from harm on 9/11. In memory of the 10th anniversary, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators presents this video tribute to the Principals, Assistant Principals and other school leaders who looked after thousands of children as they evacuated their schools, and protected more than one million children, keeping them calm and getting them home across all five boroughs.
Here, in the words of our school leaders are recollections of that indelible day in the life of New York City’s public schools. Watch the video HERE.
President Obama Calls for Billions to Preserve Education Jobs and Repair Schools
In a speech addressing Congress on Thursday, September 8th, President Obama called for billions in new money to repair schools and colleges around the nation and avoid teacher layoffs.
Click HERE to read more from Education Week.
Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries Addresses CSAs Legislative District Coordinator Training Session
 Last night, CSA held a training session for Legislative District Coordinators (LDC) and Retiree Chapter Legislative Coordinators (RCLC). CSA President Logan and Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries discussed the upcoming legislative session and the importance of member involvement. LDCs and RCLDs are volunteer members, who work closely with CSA staff to lobby elected officials and advance the Union’s legislative agenda at the local level. For more information on how to become an LDC, please contact Herman Merritt, Director of Political Affairs at Herman@csa-nyc.org.
AFSA President Diann Woodard Calls for New Ideas to Repair US Education System
In a letter published in The Hill yesterday, American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA) president Diann Woodard sounds the call for "serious ideas" to repair the U.S. school system. As she points out, only 3% of our country's budget is allocated to education. Rather than closing schools in favor of private and charter schools, we need to shift our values and better prepare our schools for success. Read the full response here http://www.AFSAadmin.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/01/AFSA-Letter-in-The-Hill.pdf
CSA Support OWS's First Amendment Rights & Efforts on Behalf of Public Education
On October 26th, the Executive Board of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators unanimously voted to pass a resolution supporting Occupy Wall Street's right to free speech, assembly and its efforts on behalf of public education. You can read the resolution below.
Be it resolved that:
CSA supports the Occupy Wall Street movement's right to free speech, its right to assemble, and the general principles of financial inequality that it challenges local, state and federal government to address.
CSA further supports the movement's efforts to address the increasing inequities in the funding of public education.
CSA President Says Interests of Public Education Intersect with Those of Occupy Wall Street
By Ernest Logan
Who would have imagined that schools would make Occupy Wall Street (OWS) a field trip destination or teachers would be planning to “Occupy Tweed”? Let’s face it: There’s a direct relationship between a healthy public school system and the survival of our middle class and our democracy. NYC has suffered continuous budget cuts to education over the last three years, with the Mayor promising another 2 percent in January and another 6 percent in June. Meanwhile, billionaires continue to invest in our schools, as de facto leaders of reform. Even the Mayor is taking money out of his pocket to subsidize an initiative for black and Latino male students.
This fashionable trend to pour private money into public education is no substitute for public funding. There are risks attached to giving free rein to rich folks...
City Principal Receives Prestigious Mayor's Award for Embracing the Arts
On Nov. 1st at a gala at Alice Tully Hall, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Actor Alec Baldwin presented the 2011 Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture. Amongst the six honorees this year was M094 Principal Ronnie Schuster for brilliantly incorporating visual and performing arts into the education of special needs students. A public school is recognized every year, but this was the first year the award went to a school for special education students.
Click HERE to read more from the NY Times.
NAEP Releases Nation's Report Card in Reading and Math
Today, November 1st, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) published its annual report card for reading and math scores. Results for New York students were disappointing according to NYSED Commissioner John King.
Click HERE to read his full statement.
Click HERE to access the full report from NAEP.
Ohioans Make History and Repeal Bill that Would Have Destroyed Collective Bargaining Rights
Last night, November 8th, Ohio voters overwhelmingly repealed Senate Bill 5, heavily pushed by Gov. John Kasich’s, which took away the right of public employees to collectively bargain. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka joined working families to get-out-the-vote against the law. The AFL-CIO pieced together a short video summing up the powerful energy that went into this. We hope you’ll take a moment to watch. Click HERE to see video.
Happy Thanksgiving - A Message from CSA President Ernest Logan
Dear Colleagues:
After days of shopping and planning, most of us will sit down tomorrow with friends and family to give thanks for all that we have and to take pleasure in each other’s company. Others among us will serve the less fortunate at our places of worship and at soup kitchens across the city. There will be more among the less fortunate than there have been in years.
No matter how we celebrate this quintessentially American holiday, we will be paying tribute to our families for sustaining us with their love; to a country that allows us to live in relative freedom; and to those who defend our liberty by protecting our first amendment right to speak out when equal opportunity is not fully honored or by defending our freedom with their lives at home and on fields of battle.
I thank God for all of you who tirelessly lead our children’...
School Spending to be Re-Examined Years After Campaign for Fiscal Equity Lawsuit
Michael Rebell, a New York City lawyer who pushed for a government spending increase of billions of dollars for education in 2006, is taking a close look at how recent cuts to the state’s education budget are affecting the quality of education available in our schools. There is an ongoing debate between policymakers and educators about how much money is needed to properly run a school and how many sacrifices administrators should be expected to make in order to function within the constraints of the budget.
To read the full article from the Wall Street Journal, click HERE.
Governor Cuomo to Appoint Education Commission Focused on Teacher Accountability, Student Achievement and Other Key Areas
This afternoon (Wednesday, January 4th), Governor Cuomo delivered his second State of the State address. The Governor addressed many key issues including establishing an education commission to recommend reforms on teacher accountability, student achievement, and management efficiency.
To read key highlight from the Governor Cuomo’s speech, click HERE.
NYC Department of Education Matches Restart Schools with Educational Partnership Organizations
Today, the DOE announced the matching of 14 public schools with Educational Partnership Organizations (EPO) in what is known as a “restart” school model; however, the chancellor will retain final authority over those schools and the collective bargaining agreement for the employees in those schools will remain fully in place. The DOE announcement pertains to schools on the state’s Persistently Low Achieving Schools list. The DOE also identified 8 new transformation schools. Under state education laws, both types of schools receive School Improvement Grants.
We understand that state education law mandates that schools identified as “restart” be matched with an EPO, but we find it curious that public schools would be removed from what should be the responsibility of school superintendents and placed under the management of private...
Take the Speak Up Survey on Classroom Technology
Represent school administrators around the U.S. in Project Tomorrow’s annual Speak Up survey. The survey is used to promote the use of technology in schools. In recent years, there's been a lack of representation from school administrators. Your participation in this survey will provide important information on how administrators believe technology should be used to prepare students for the workforce.
The case-sensitive access code: AFSA
Project Tomorrow will provide all results from Speak Up to specific districts to help them develop appropriate technological initiatives. Information is organized locally so that schools can benefit from results. Speak Up impacts national policies funding regarding educational technology.
The survey ends on Dec. 23, 2011 and results will be available in early 2012.
Click HERE to access the...
CSA President Ernest Logan Responds to the Latest Announcement of School Closures
CSA President Ernest Logan put out the following statement in response to Deputy Chancellor of Portfolio Planning Marc Sternberg’s announcement on school closures.
“Yesterday evening, Deputy Chancellor of Portfolio Planning Marc Sternberg announced to the press the pending closure of 25 more struggling schools. This is in addition to the 117 the DOE has already closed since Mayor Bloomberg took over the school system more than ten years ago.
“Those opened under Bloomberg have been touted by Sternberg ‘as better than those they replaced.’ Tweed’s own failed schools number in the double digits, although the DOE sheepishly avoids making public an exact number. But in today’s and tomorrow’s round of closings alone, 11 schools were opened during the Bloomberg administration.
“The NYC public school system is not a...
City Office of Labor Relations Announces Open Enrollment for Age 26 Coverage
The NYC Office of Labor Relations has announced open enrollment periods for those employees and retirees wishing to have a dependent child, not otherwise eligible for health benefits, added to his/her plan. All coverage will be effective July 1, 2011.
The open enrollment period for retirees with children eligible for coverage on their health plan is April 1 through April 30. The open enrollment period for active, in-service employees is May 1 through May 31. It is critical to comply with these open enrollment periods. The city can deny coverage to an existing dependent, over 18 years old and not eligible for coverage elsewhere, if enrollment is not done during the open enrollment period. Necessary forms and instructions will be posted on the Office of Labor Relations website at the beginning of the open enrollment period. They will also be available on the Fund’s...
New Report Reveals City Gives Billions in Loopholes and Tax Breaks to Millionaires and Big Banks
On Thursday, May 05, 2011, the May 12 Coalition, a group comprised of community groups, union leaders, advocacy organizations and human service groups, released a report detailing the sweetheart deals that the city makes with big banks and corporations. The report also outlines steps the city can take to save millions and restore funding to vital services and programs such as senior centers, schools, child care, homeless services, etc. The coalition is also hosting a “teach in” in the Financial District on May 12th at 4pm to demand that Mayor Bloomberg and NYC ensure a stronger economy for all.
To read the full report, go HERE.
More and More City-funded Day Care Centers Facing Cuts
Gothamschools.org reports on the funding issues facing day care centers city wide under the ACS EarlyLearn program.
Click HERE to read the full story from Gothamschools.org
Ernest Logan Commends NYC Mayor, NYC Schools Chancellor and Private Donors for Coming together and Raising Funds for January Regents
Today, August 3rd, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Walcott announced that through private donations, January Regents Exams will take place. CSA President Ernest Logan commended the Mayor, the Chancellor and private donors in a statement late this morning.
"CSA commends the donors who have come together with Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Walcott to provide the vital funding that will allow New York City public school students to take the January 2012 State Regents Exams – exams that provide our students with an opportunity to graduate early or re-take exams they failed in the past. Nevertheless, we’ve come to a sad state of affairs in New York State when we have to raise private funds to support public education. We urge the legislature to work with the Governor to find a long-term solution to this serious problem...
CSA Members and President Ernest Logan Support Verizon Workers and Join the Picket Line in Downtown Brooklyn
On August 10, CSA members and President Ernest Logan picketed with Verizon workers in Brooklyn Heights. Verizon employees went on strike after contract negotiations failed on Aug. 7. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represent more than 45,000 Verizon Communications employees on the East Coast.
To view more images, visit the CSA Photo Gallery HERE.
Principals Speak Out on Budget Sacrifices
NY Times reporter Fernanda Santos writes an in-depth piece on Principals around the city and the ways in which they are dealing with budget cuts.
Read the full article HERE.
CSA Subway Ads Welcome Students and Parents to a New School Year
Beginning Sept 5th, CSA's "Welcome Back to School" subway campaign will appear in subway cars across the city marking the eighth year of the popular campaign. In addition to the subway ads, CSA will also run ads on NYC buses and in community papers increase awareness of the union and its membership.
The four supervisors featured in this year's campaign are Assistant Principal Freddy Budde, (MS 322, Manhattan); Principal Rashid Ferrod Davis, (PTECH, Brooklyn); Education Administrator Sandy Kassan, (Office of Student Enrollment); and Day Care Director Stephanie Lee, (Chung Pac Chrystie School-Age Day Care Center, Manhattan.)
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Chancellor Walcott Unveils Major Middle School Campaign
“Chancellor Walcott is to be commended on refocusing the school community on the plight of middle schools, a plight not confined to NYC but common to schools all around the nation. We are pleased that he intends to breathe life back into the Campaign for Middle School Success, which was begun in 2008 and then nearly abandoned. For years, middle schools in this country have been the weakest link in our education system. CSA looks forward to working with the Chancellor on this vitally important effort.”
If you would like to read the speech that Chancellor Walcott delivered this morning, click HERE.
CSA Contract Negotiations with City Are at Impasse
CSA filed for impasse with the NYS Public Employment Relations Board in October over the city’s failure to negotiate a new contract with the union. On Nov. 1, PERB agreed with CSA that negotiations with the city are, indeed, at an impasse. By declaring an impasse over the city's objections, PERB concurred with CSA's position that the assistance of a neutral third party mediator would be beneficial to advance the collective bargaining process between the parties.
The union will keep you apprised of meetings with the assigned mediator and looks forward to continued negotiations to deliver our members a fair and equitable contract. The last contract expired on March 5, 2010. The 1982 Triborough Amendment to the state’s Taylor law mandates that the terms of an expired contract remain in force until a new contract is approved.
CSA President Ernest Logan Delivers Powerful Remarks at the CSA Annual Meeting
At CSA's annual meeting last night, CSA President Ernest Logan shared some powerful remarks: “For over 50 years, this union has continued to ensure a decent living, health care and a viable pension. Unions sent children to college, provided medical care, bought homes. Unions created the middle class. All of these benefits and protections are now under attack, unions are under attack in America – not because of your benefits and pensions, but because the union was the last independent voice in America. But we won’t be stripped of our dignity and protections. We won’t let children down that way. We’ll fight for them, and fight for the ability to replace teachers we lose and to create a pool of future Assistant Principals and Principals. In the current economic climate, it may take us a little longer than we’d...
Blue Ribbon Schools Ceremony
Congratulations to Principal Jack Spatola of the Beacon School of Excellence, PS 172 in Brooklyn! His school was named a 2011 Blue Ribbon School, and he is one of seven Principals nationwide to receive the Terrel H. Bell Award for outstanding work in fostering successful teaching and learning.
City Council Passes Student Safety Act
On Monday, December 20, the New York City Council passed the Student Safety Act. This Act will require the Department of Education and New York City Police Department to produce regular reports on student arrests, suspensions, and expulsion data.
Click HERE to read more from the NY Times.
Deputy Chancellor Rodriguez Says Special Education System Wasn't Working
In July 2009, Chancellor Joel Klein appointed Laura Rodriguez to the first cabinet-level special education position. Deputy Chancellor Rodriguez came up through the ranks in NYC’s public schools, beginning as a high school teacher, and has worked for four chancellors at DOE headquarters. Today, Ms. Rodriguez leads the campaign to build system-wide capacity to accelerate the achievement of all students with disabilities, a plan she and then-Chancellor Joel Klein announced a year ago. The mission: to ensure that all children with disabilities attend their community schools alongside their peers without disabilities when possible. Ten networks – 265 schools – were selected to participate in the reform’s Phase One. To give you an idea of Phase One progress and challenges, CSA Communications Director Chiara Coletti met with Ms. Rodriguez at Tweed Courthouse.
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2008-2009 Performance Differentials for Office-Based CSA Members
The Department of Education has identified the 2008-2009 Performance Differentials for office-based CSA members (Education Administrators, Supervisors of, etc). Eligible winners should receive their differential payment in the December 30th payroll. Since the Department of Education did not reach its citywide achievement goal, only CSA members in the top LSOs and ISCs were eligible for the award. Congratulations to the Empowerment SSO and the Queens ISC.
CSA Responds to DOE Plan to Take 30% of Rolled Over School Funds
Monday, March 7th, the Department of Education announced that instead of taking 50% of the funding Principals saved from FY 2011 to use in FY 2012, they will only take 30%. CSA members responded to the announcement with disdain, calling it a capricious compromise and bad business decision.
Click HERE to read the story from the NY Daily News.
DOE Continues Recruiting Teachers as Mayor Threatens Teacher Layoffs
Even as the city threatens to layoff thousands of teachers, the city's Department of Education is looking to recruit and and train new teachers through a five-year contract to fund the New York City Teaching Fellows.
Read the full story in the NY Times or Daily News.
Governor Cuomo Looks to Quickly Introduce New Standards for Teacher and Principal Evaluations
This morning, March 2, 2011, the NY Times reported that Governor Cuomo is looking to introduce legislation that will alter teacher and principal evaluations state wide. Click HERE to read the full article.
"We Are the Super Heroes" - CSA President Ernest Logan Delivers this Message to Conference Attendees
Click HERE to view President Logan's speech from the 46th Annual CSA Leadership Conference on school leaders who act as heroes to our public school children everyday.
CSA Warns of DOE Layoff Scare Tactics
Friday, February 25, CSA sent a notice to members warning of the Department of Education's scare tactics on teacher layoffs and last-in/first-out. See below to read the message that was sent.
You have been reading recent news reports about a bill introduced by Long Island Republican state Senator John Flanagan that would strip teachers and supervisors of their current seniority and tenure rights. Teachers would be laid off if they have had an unsatisfactory rating in the last 5 years, have been faced with a fine or suspension, have been the subject of an SCI, OSI or OEO investigation, have been in excess for more than six monthsor meet one of several other criteria. The criteria in this bill also apply to Principals and Assistant Principals. In terms of seniority rights, it puts you in the exact same boat as teachers.
In addition, in the very near future, you may receive...
CSA President Ernest Logan Responds to the City's Proposal to Eliminate Over 16,000 Child Care Slots
“Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed FY 2012 budget paints a grim picture for all of New York City, especially for poor working parents and their children. Among many cuts proposed by the Mayor, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) will eliminate 16,624 subsidized child care slots due to insufficient federal funding. Nearly 4,000 of those slots, or 197 classrooms, will be taken from community Day Care Centers where the Directors who run these programs are certified educators who provide high-quality early childhood education. This is only the latest in the constant assault on city-funded Day Care. The Mayor has closed 52 Day Care Centers since 2002.This latest proposed cut will effectively reduce the capacity of the entire day care system by almost one third. Though the Mayor has positioned this cut as a fiscally responsible measure, the...
CFE Study Reveals Flaws in School Capacity Numbers
In a report released Tuesday, December 7, following an extensive study on school capacity, the Campaign for Fiscal Equity exposed serious flaws in DOE reports, which hide overcrowding. Click HERE to read the release from CFE.
A Slap in the Face for Fiscally Responsible Leaders
By Ernest Logan
March 2011 CSA News
In one of its worst business decisions in memory, the DOE announced in the Feb. 14 Principals’ Weekly that schools had to use all the funds saved in Fiscal Year 2011 (for spending next year) or lose 50 percent to Tweed. This Valentine preceded the Mayor’s budget proposal which hit three days later, complete with the cruel threat of some 5,000 teacher layoffs. To spice things up, the Mayor and Chancellor also pleaded for the state to overturn Last-in/First out, thus stripping educators of seniority and tenure rights, even though they said this wouldn’t save a penny.
As for the rollover funds, CSA members began contacting us immediately. With budgets shrinking again, you had exercised restraint so that next year you could hang onto a teacher and keep down class sizes or replace a retiring teacher or retain a program to...
Nearly 1,400 members and guests attend the 46th Annual CSA Leadership Conference
We thank all our CSA members and friends who made our 46th annual leadership conference such a joyful, productive gathering last Saturday, November 13!
Read CSA President Ernest Logan's speech from the Conference luncheon.
Click HERE.
View pictures from the event HERE.
NYC Department of Education Announces More School Closures
On Monday, December 6, the NYC Department of Education announced the phaseout and closure of 11 public schools and 1 charter school. Gothamschools.org was the first to break the story.
CSA President Ernest Logan Reacts to DOE Policy that Penalizes Fiscally Responsible Schools
On Thursday, Feb 17, CSA President Ernest Logan sent a notice to members about the DOE's latest policy which penalizes schools for being fiscally responsible. Read below.
Dear Colleagues,
In this week’s Principals’ Weekly, the Chancellor announced that schools that saved funds in FY 11 will be credited for only half the amount of their savings in FY 12. Their other option will be to spend all saved funds right now. We have heard from many of you regarding your dismay over this announcement. In effect, it means that if you exercised budgetary restraint this year, you will be penalized by losing 50% of your savings next year unless you spend everything now. Your students would really be the losers if you chose not to spend the money; they would not benefit from these funds in the future. In addition to...
CSA President Ernest Logan Applauds the Efforts of Those Who Helped Contribute to the Restoration of Some Funding for Subsidized Child Care
Dear Colleagues,
Thanks to the efforts of CSA’s Day Care, DOE and Retiree Chapter members as well as the efforts of DC 1707 members, elected officials, children’s advocates and women’s advocates, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that he will restore $40 million to prevent some of the devastating cuts that had been slated for city-funded day care. We are grateful to our members and all other New Yorkers who raised their voices on behalf of supervised child care and early childhood education. We are pleased that some genuine progress has been made.
This step will allow many pre-school children to be nurtured and educated while their parents go to work. Jobs...
First Vice President Randi Herman Speaks Out on School Lunch Money
Due to your standing strong, the DOE has once again delayed the collection of lunch money from school budgets. The parents and children of this city are grateful for your consistent display of principled values. We here at CSA continue the fight as well. On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, CSA First Vice President Randi Herman testified before the City Council’s Education and Contracts Committees on The Department of Education’s School Food Policies and Procedures. In her testimony, Dr. Herman spoke of the conflict Principals are forced to face when asking parents for unpaid money. She pointed out that you are advocates for children and families, not adversaries. Dr. Herman also questioned the legitimacy of using instructional funding to balance the budget for food and nutrition. Click ...
New IBO Report Reveals Charter Schools Housed in Public Schools Get More Public Funding per Student than Traditional Public Schools
A recent IBO review of public financial support for general education services reveals many NYC charter schools housed within traditional public schools receive more public funding per student than traditional public schools. Click HERE to read.
CSA Establishes Scholarship for College-Bound NYC Public School Students
CSA is pleased to announce that a scholarship has been established for college-bound students. This scholarship is open to all students graduating from a NYC Public School who will be attending any college, including community college, in the fall. The scholarship is intended for a student who shows leadership in school or outside school, who may have had to overcome hardships to reach graduation. The award is not based on the GPA or SAT scores of the student. CSA would like a student chosen who shows potential and academic promise.
Each school may submit up to three (3) applications. One per borough will be awarded and presented at a dinner at Russo’s On the Bay on June 15, 2011. Each award is $1500.
Further information and the application forms are HERE...
Get the Real Facts about State and Local Government Pensions
The National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA) has put together a telling fact sheet on state and local government pensions. You can download a copy of the factsheet by visiting the CSA Web site and clicking on DOE Members and then Member Benefits. You can also view a copy of the facts HERE.
CSA Joins Legislators, Union Leaders and Other Education Advocates for a Press Conference on School Cuts
On Wednesday, June 1 at 9 a.m., CSA President Ernest Logan joined with Councilmember Robert Jackson, Comptroller John Liu, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, UFT President Michael Mulgrew, parents and teachers on the steps of city hal. They gathered to protest the Mayor’s proposed teacher lay-offs, over crowded classrooms, fewer arts and after-school programs.
CSA President Ernest Logan Reflects on the Ups and Downs of a Turbulent School Year
A Roller Coaster of a Year for NYC School Leaders.
By Ernest A. Logan
What a wild year for educators and the rest of organized labor. In the short run, we lost the struggle over a union’s right to organize in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Collective bargaining rights withered as unions were blamed, preposterously, for the nation’s economic woes. Yet a new solidarity gripped blue and white-collar workers. “We are one!” became our mantra and labor began to build a new momentum.
During this school year, we saw many examples of how disparate groups can work together to reform the system, even while chancellors played musical chairs and a state education commissioner resigned. This was also the year NYS Raced to the Top. Unions and government officials – led by State Education Commissioner David Steiner...
CSA President Ernest Logan Responds to Quinn/Recchia Proposal to Prevent Teacher Layoffs
Early this afternoon, CSA President Ernest Logan released the following statement in support of Speaker Quinn and Finance Chair Recchia's proposal to prevent teacher layoffs.
“On behalf of CSA’s entire membership, I would like to say that we are pleased that Speaker Christine Quinn and Finance Chair Domenic M. Recchia Jr. have made recommendations to prevent teacher layoffs. We have long thought that the city should examine more efficient ways of structuring the central Department of Education so that services to children in their classrooms wouldn’t be reduced because of a challenging economy. Without question, the loss of classroom teachers would have had a disastrous effect on our students. Today’s proposal from the Speaker and Finance Chair is a fine start that should be further examined and pursued. We hope and trust that Mayor Bloomberg will hear...
CSA Communications Department Wins Several Metro NY Labor Communications Council Awards!
The CSA Communications department won seven awards in the Metro NY Labor Communications Council’s annual Journalism Awards Contest. The awards were presented at Metro’s annual conference on June 17.
The Conference program included a panel discussion entitled “Framing the Public Sector” that explored aspects of how unions need to frame their message in fighting back against corporate interests set on destroying unions in this country. The panelists were: Barbara Bowen, President of PSC CUNY; Amy Goodman, Executive Producer of Democracy Now; Bill Hohlfeld, Editor, The Lather, Metallic Leathers Local 46; Janine Jackson, Program Director, FAIR; and Chris Policano, Director of Public Affairs, AFSCME. The moderator was Ed Ott, Distinguished Lecturer, the Joseph S. Murphy Institute, CUNY.
The MNYLCCincludes editors, writers, artists, photographers,...
President Logan Congratulates School Leaders on Graduation Rates and Sets Agenda for Closing Gap
Delivered at Mayor Bloomberg’s March 9 press conference on graduation rates.
First and foremost, I would like to applaud our Principals and Assistant Principals for their full-out efforts to keep our students in school through graduation day. Without our school leaders, the gains that the Mayor and Chancellor are announcing today wouldn’t be possible. CSA’s members should be very proud.
And these gains wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of our students, their teachers and parents. They are all unsung heroes. The Chancellor, the Mayor and their staffs have also worked hard to provide the resources to help our schools make these gains. Congratulations to all of you as well.
With all my heart, I wish that these graduation rates were as high for our children of color. But the gap has not closed...
New IBO Report Reveals that Schools Slated for Closure Serve a Larger Special Needs Population
The Independent Budget Office has compared the 25 schools slated for closing with other schools across the city. The report compares demographic, performance, and resource measures. Click on the following link to access the full report http://bit.ly/h3j3bg. The IBO has requested comments be sent to iboenews@ibo.nyc.ny.us
CSA Presents Scholarships to 5 Promising Students
CSA recently awarded scholarships to five promising NYC high school seniors – one from each borough – as a result of a competitive process that attracted more than 200 applicants. The $1,500 individual awards were given to students who showed leadership, community service and the ability to overcome some of life’s hurdles.
CSA President Ernest Logan praised each of the winners as he presented them with a certificate and a check during a presentation on June 15 at Russo’s on the Bay, Queens. Relatives and the students’ Principals were invited to attend the dinner as guests of CSA.
The winners, in alphabetical order, are:
- Dejanique Howard, who is graduating from Louis D. Brandeis High School and will attend Northwest Missouri University this fall.
- Kelly Garay, who is graduating from Susan E. Wagner High School, and will attend Dowling College.
- Jennifer...
Thousands March to Wall Street and Demand Action from Mayor Bloomberg
On Thursday, May 12, CSA members and thousands of working class New Yorkers took to the streets of lower Manhattan to demand that Mayor Bloomberg restore funding to education and other vital city services. CSA members were among the thousands of protesters who marched from Broadway to Wall Street holding signs that read "Save Public Schools" and "Save Public Day Care".
To view pictures from the rally, click HERE.
CSA Joins Early Education Advocates to Rally and Save Public Day Care
 On Wednesday, May 11th, CSA members joined parents, early education advocates, community
activists and prominent labor leaders at City Hall to reject the mayor’s budget proposing to cut millions
of dollars in child care services. CSA First Vice President Randi Herman passionately expressed her
solidarity telling the crowed: “Let us call this issue what it is – It is a women’s issue – those most
dependent on subsidized day care are women, single mothers from the working poor, who cannot be
treated like second-class citizens relegated to unemployment and poverty and despair."
To view pictures from the rally, click...
Bloomberg to Layoff Thousands of Teachers and Restore Some Child Care Slots
In his budget presentation today, Mayor Bloomberg continued to call for teacher layoffs. While the mayor intends to eliminate thousands of teaching jobs through layoffs and attrition, the city is expected to preserve 4,400 of the 16,000 child care slots that were slated for elimination.
To read more, click HERE.
CSA President Ernest Logan Highlights New Teacher Evaluation System
Bigger, Broader Shoulders of Assistant Principals
Producing Teacher Evaluations Will Be Labor Intensive
By Ernest A. Logan
Just when you think there couldn’t be more turmoil, new Schools Chancellor Cathie Black steps down and State Education Commissioner David Steiner announces his resignation all in one day. In comes Dennis Walcott, a veteran public servant and former Board of Education President with a masters in education. Without supervisory certification, Mr. Walcott had to rely on Mr. Steiner for a waiver, which he received with no controversy as was expected. Meanwhile, as always, you carry on educating the children and implementing new programs. For starters, there are the Common Core State Standards, the city’s special education initiative and the new performance evaluations. The work involved in the evaluations...
John King Appointed the New State Education Commissioner
After a unanimous vote by the New York State Board of Regents, Deputy State Commissioner Dr. John King has been appointed the new state education commissioner. Dr. King, a former teacher and principal, will replace David Steiner at the end of the academic year.
To read about the background of the new commissioner, click HERE to read the NY Times.
CSA President Ernest Logan Responds to Chancellor Walcott’s Outrage Over UFT Lawsuit
Late this afternoon, May 18, CSA released the following statement in response to Chancellor Walcott's outrage over a lawsuit filed in court today by the UFT and the NAACP to halt the closure of 22 public schools.
“Chancellor Walcott is understandably outraged because students in our lowest-performing schools don’t have better options. But the underlying outrage should be, not that the UFT has filed suit to keep 20 schools open, rather that the DOE long ago chose to close schools rather than fix them. Over the last nine years, the city has systematically neglected many schools, usually in financially disadvantaged neighborhoods, offering them little supervision and support, then encouraging the Office of Student Enrollment to dump formerly incarcerated students, English Language Learners,...
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Tells Lawmakers to Stand Up for Labor or Else
On Friday, May 20th, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka threatened to abandon the Democratic Party in the 2012 elections, if they don't push harder to halt attacks on labor and worker rights.
Click HERE to read the full story from the Huffington Post.
Arbitration Victory for Temporarily Assigned Assistant Principals
CSA filed a grievance that led to a victorious arbitration decision on Friday, May 20, for Assistant Principals temporarily assigned to schools. These employees are now eligible to receive performance incentives if the schools in which they work earned incentives for student progress. This decision applies to employees who have held temporary positions for at least 5 months and were rated satisfactory during a year when their school qualified for a performance incentive. CSA maintained that these employees contributed to the progress of the school. We are pleased that their rights have been protected.
CSA Remembers the Workers of the Triangle Factory Fire -- 100 Years Today
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 Then and Now, Outrage! - Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
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By Anne Silverstein |
Today, March 25, hundreds gathered to pay their respects to the 146 victims of the Triangle Waist Company factory fire near Washington Square 100 years ago. At a time when labor is under attack across the nation, CSA urges its readers to take a moment and remember that unions formed in response to... |
CSA President Ernest Logan on the Gradually Improving Graduation Rates and Common Core Standards
At a press conference this afternoon, CSA President Ernest Logan made the following remarks about the citys high school graduation rates and moving forward with the Common Core Standards.
“I congratulate our school leaders, teachers and students on these improved high school graduation rates, which show that we’re gradually moving towards, though not yet achieving, a high level of college readiness. The full implementation of the Common Core State Standards -- including high levels of professional development for our school leaders and teachers – will get us where we need to go and I encourage the DOE to continue to work on the Common Core.”
CSA Joins Thousands of Union Members in a Show of Union Solidarity at the We Are One Rally in Times Square
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On Saturday, April 9th, CSA members and their families joined thousands of union workers and supporters at the WE ARE ONE rally in Times Square to stand up for worker rights and show support for Wisconsin and other states where worker rights are under attack.
View more pictures from the rally HERE.
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CSA Files Complaint Regarding Day Care Contract Negotiations
CSA has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the NYS Employment Relations Board concerning the stalled Day Care contract negotiations. The complaint was filed on Dec 2 and the union has filed charges against the city and the Day Care Council.
At the crux of the complaint is that the city is the true employer of CSA’s Day Care Directors and Assistant Day Care Directors because the city provides the funding to those centers and is in charge of contract negotiations. The Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Labor Relations, and not the Day Care Council, also handle the talks, as anyone who has been present during talks can see and hear.
In the complaint, CSA summarizes the problem: “DCC has engaged in surface bargaining with CSA under the premise that they have no control over the funding for the contract. The City, as the “funding partner” with...
Transformational School Reform Model Touted by US DOE Not Panning Out as Initially Proposed
On February 8th, the NY Times reported on the current status of Principals whose schools were labeled failing by the US Department of Education in 2009. Click HERE to read the full story.
We Are One With Public Employees
On March 16, 2011, CSA's Executive Board unanimously passed the following resolution:
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators stands proudly with the public employees of Wisconsin and other states whose collective bargaining rights are under siege. We are one with our fellow public school educators and all the public servants of Wisconsin who have sacrificed their personal lives in the short term to defend their right to bargain collectively in the long term. Without that right, they stand to lose salaries that are commensurate with their service, working conditions that make professionalism and productivity possible, and benefits that foster family security and a dignified old age. They have been struggling for all of us, the current and future workforce of every state in the union, setting an example that has brought working people together now and far into the future.
NYC Public School Student Makes Film About 9/11 and is Featured in the Tribeca Film Festival
Peter Brooks, just a kindergartner when he witnessed the attack on the World Trade Center at the age of 14 has made a film to help remember 9-11. The film includes Ada Dolch, the recently retired executive director of CSA’s Educational Leadership Institute and a former principal at Ground Zero.
Read the story HERE.
CSA Responds to the Latest Round of Progress Reports
Today, CSA President Ernest Logan made the following statetment about the latest round of Progress Reports
“Progress Reports have been a work-in-progress since their inception and the DOE has consistently made adjustments to ensure that progress is what is really being measured. This year, due to changes in the state benchmarks, the DOE is making additional modifications to ensure that progress isn't overlooked because of those changes. It's important to bear in mind that as the tests are made more rigorous over the next four years, this volatility could create confusion about which schools are improving. While benchmarks have changed, most schools are continuing to move forward."
CSA President Responds to Gov. Cuomo’s Budget Address
“In the face of extraordinary fiscal challenges, Governor Andrew Cuomo has put forward a budget that asks all NYS stakeholders to be part of the solution. For public education in fiscal year 2012, and in the foreseeable future, he has painted a very grim picture. Once again, public school educators will be asked to do more with far fewer resources.
“Particularly in NYC, we must be careful that the Governor’s proposed budget does not entail draconian cuts to school aid, which would make it near impossible to serve the needs of our children. We will have to wait to see how Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Department of Education plan to implement education cuts before we decide what kind of advocacy is needed. Hopefully, when all becomes clear, CSA will work with NYC DOE to advocate on behalf of our students.
“Before taking...
CSA President Responds to Scapegoating of Public Servants & Their Benefits
Live on Stage at the St. George Theatre: The State-of-the-City address
By Ernest Logan
As we struggle through a demoralizing recession, financial and corporate power brokers often seem determined to blame middle class employees with pensions and benefits for breaking the bank. Last I looked it was bankers who were breaking the bank.
This scapegoating – which often targets educators – was sometimes suggested in Mayor Bloomberg’s State-of-the City speech on Jan. 19, which he gave at Staten Island’s St. George Theatre. During his speech, I heard several recommendations I could stand behind, but I also heard him offer an agenda that could protect exceptionally rich New Yorkers while turning portions of the middle class against each other. On the national level, this scapegoating is reaching the...
CSA President Responds to Transformation School Announcement
The Department of Education has indicated that 11 of the 34 schools listed as persistently lowest achieving will be chosen for the transformation model. CSA President Ernest Logan released the following statement in response to the proposal:
“Each school on this list has a different story. Some have Bs on their school report cards; some have Principals with strong Principal Performance Reviews; at least one is on the list of Newsweek Magazine’s best public schools of the year. All things considered, it makes no sense to suggest removing the Principals of these schools while retaining teachers. It is foolish to assume that the Principals of these schools bear sole responsibility for their presence on NYS’s list of 'persistently lowest achieving schools'. If the Chancellor removed these Principals and retained the teachers, he would be participating in a transparent political shell...
CSA President Ernest Logan Applauds the Recent Appointment of Dennis M. Walcott as NYC Schools Chancellor
CSA applauds the appointment of Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott as NYC schools chancellor. For more than 30 years, Dennis has been deeply involved in the education community having begun as a kindergarten teacher in a child care center. In addition to his many other contributions to the community, he served with great distinction as President of the New York City Urban League. Throughout the years, he has contributed to the school system and the community in a variety of admirable ways. In his role as deputy mayor, he has been the Mayor’s chief advisor on most issues related to the Department of Education. Some months ago, I recommended that Dennis be named chancellor and I am delighted that this has happened today.
All of us at CSA hope that Dennis Walcott will bring stability to NYC public schools, uniting educators, families and the general...
When Did Educators Become the Public Enemy? -- CSA President Ernest Logan Speaks About the Current Anti-teacher Climate
'My Teacher, My Hero'
This column is dedicated to Rose Alpert,
my fourth-grade teacher.
July 24, 1918 - March 4, 2011
On Feb. 28, CSA members joined UFT members to speak out against threatened teacher layoffs. No one from CSA asked why we stood with the teachers. I knew you wouldn’t. We were there because I know you are fed up with the ridicule teachers are facing coast to coast. Most school leaders are taking this personally because we are teachers, too. You can become a chancellor, a commissioner or a secretary of education, but once a teacher, always a teacher.
Layoffs, never a good thing, are sometimes necessary for financial reasons. However, the 4,600 threatened teacher layoffs in NYC aren’t necessary; the...
CSA President Ernest Logan Travels to Washington with Mayor Bloomberg
On Wednesday, June 23, CSA President Ernest Logan joined Mayor Michael Bloomberg and UFT President Michael Mulgrew on a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC to visit key legislators about procuring emergency funds for the state and city. .
To read the full press release, click HERE.
CSA President Speaks Out on the Need to Reform Day Care
From the April 2010 CSA News
Our early childhood education system is a crazy quilt of separate providers, of various sizes, shapes and quality, stitched together by different state and city agencies. We need to grab hold of this irregular hodge-podge, shake it out and turn it into something all of one piece and of the highest quality. As President Obama advocates, we must create “a seamless and comprehensive set of [educational] systems and supports for children, from birth to age five.” And until that is done, we must keep the programs we have as safe and sound as possible for our tiniest citizens.
CSA’s long-term interest is focused on the well-being of all pre-school children; our immediate interest is on those in our city-funded Day Care system whose capable Directors and Assistant Directors we represent. City-funded Day Care is just one piece of the quilt that includes, among...
NY State Passes Legislation on Charter Schools & Educator Evaluations
As the deadline to apply for Race to the Top federal grants winds down, the New York State legislature passed two bills that will increase New York’s chance of qualifying for a grant. On Friday, May 28th, the state legislature passed a bill that could double the number of charter schools in the state. The measure will raise the maximum number of charter schools to 460 from 200 and will be phased in over the next four years. In addition, the legislature also passed a bill that will implement a comprehensive evaluation system for school districts designed to measure teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance, including measures of student achievement.
Click HERE to read the full charter school legislation...
CSA Wins Lawsuit against NYC Conflicts of Interest Board
On Friday, July 2nd, the State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department, decided in favor of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) in the matter of Rosenblum v NYC Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB), rendering a decision that protects all tenured NYC public school administrators from prosecution by the NYC. Furthermore, the decision protects all tenured public school teachers and other city employees who are entitled to disciplinary proceedings under state law.
In the lawsuit, argued by CSA attorneys Bruce Bryant, David Grandwetter and Charity Guerra, the court held that "the exclusive avenue to discipline" a tenured educator is state education law 3020-a, and it would violate that law to allow COIB to independently prosecute a tenured administrator.
“This is an important victory not only for our own union members but for tenured teachers and for all city...
New ELI Video Debuts! Watch to Learn More about ELI's Premier Professional Development
Watch the new Executive Leadership Institute video and learn more about the high-quality professional development opportunities available to New York City School Leaders.
Click HERE to watch the video.
New IBO Report Reveals Rising Costs and Shrinking Funds in NYC's Subsidized Child Care System
A new report released by the New York City Independent Budget Office reveals that despite a decline in the number of children being served by subsidized child care, spending continues to rise. The brief, which was released in October, also analyses enrollment, spending, funding trends and cost cutting efforts of the Administration for Children's Services.
To read the report in its entirety, click HERE.
CSA President Tackles the Question of Imagination in Education
By Ernest Logan
November 2010
Two very different recent experiences have turned my thoughts to that beautiful word: imagination. One was reading Jennifer Medina’s Oct. 11 New York Times story “Red Flags on State Tests” and the other was meeting Scott Noppe-Brandon, Executive Director of the Lincoln Center Institute, and a co-author, with Eric Liu, of Imagination First.
Ms. Medina swiftly tore back the curtain on the sad truth about New York State standardized tests and Mr. Noppe-Brandon reminded me that there is a deep well of imagination in every one of us, which can deepen over the years. Ms. Medina’ story and Mr. Noppe-Brandon and Mr. Liu’s ideas intersect: giving lots of mind-numbingly predictable tests is one of many ways we drain the well of imagination in our children and, by the way, in our school leaders and teachers, too.
These...
CSA Respects Commissioner David Steiner's Decision on Chancellor Appointment
Commissioner Steiner and the advisory panel made the right decision about the appointment of Cathie Black as Chancellor of NYC Public Schools. Although by all accounts, Ms. Black is a highly successful publishing executive, there is no indication that she has the kind of background required to be a successful education leader of the nation's largest school system. We respect Commissioner Steiner for deciding that Ms. Black not be granted a waiver at this time.
CSA prefers a more transparent selection process and a Chancellor with a strong education background. Ms. Black's appointment, without the benefit of an experienced education partner, would have undermined the stature of American educators, suggesting that not one among them has management experience equal to that of Ms. Black and that education experience doesn't matter at all...
NYC DOE Announce High School Progress Reports
CSA President Ernest Logan joined Chancellor Joel Klein this morning to announce the results of the Progress Reports for 422 NYC high schools. Although the City raised the bar for high schools to reach higher standards, both Mr. Logan and Chancellor Klein expressed optimism about the schools’ consistent progress.
You can view 2009-2010 Progress Reports for all public schools, HERE.
CSA President Ernest Logan Shares his Concerns about the New Teacher/Principal Evaluations with Commissioner Steiner
In April, CSA President Ernest Logan shared his deep concerns about the swift manner in which the Board of Regents reviewed the Report of the Regents Task Force on Teacher and Principal Effectiveness and other issues concerning the new evaluation guidelines.
Click HERE to read the letter sent to Commissioner Steiner.
Click HERE to read a supplmental letter covering 2 additional issues.
Co-Located Schools Can Run Successfully When Everyone Works Together
By Ernest Logan
Some words arouse so much rage that you wish you could invent new ones so you could have a civil conversation about the concepts behind them. In education, there are so many hot-button words, it’s hard to have an adult conversation about most anything. Just try “charter school,” “testing,” “social promotion,” and “co-location.” Say “co-location” and eyes go red with visions of space grabbing, deregulation, exclusion, privatization and even the destruction of the entire American public school system.
No question the DOE tends to neglect big schools then shut them down as failures and tends to give many charter schools preferential treatment, but neither tendency makes the collocation of schools intrinsically evil. Sometimes co-location just has to do with shifting populations. A neighborhood that has far...
It's Not About Large HS Versus Small HS
In the debate over traditional large high schools versus the new wave of small high schools, CSA President Ernest Logan takes a look at the inner workings of large high schools making a difference. Click HERE to read the full article from the upcoming Oct. issue of the CSA News.
2009-2010 Performance Differentials Announced
The Department of Education has released the list of schools eligible for the 2009-2010 Performance Differentials, which CSA negotiated on your behalf. This includes elementary, middle and high schools, as well as District 75 and District 79. This list also includes Transfer and Early Childhood schools for the 2008-2009 school year. Principals and Assistant Principals whose Progress Reports scores are in the top 20% citywide are eligible. Awards range from $7,000 up to $25,000 for Principals, and from $3,500 up to $12,500 for Assistant Principals. Multiple year winners (those who have won Performance Differentials two years in a row or three in a row) will also be included in the payment. Payment will appear beginning with the January 30th payroll.
The DOE has also released the list of eligible winners for the school performance bonus under the UFT program. Principals of schools that met 100...
CSA Congratulates NYS Blue Ribbon Schools
CSA is proud to congratulate all of the New York State Blue Ribbon winners. A special salute to the NYC Public School winners, P.S. 335 in Brooklyn and P.S. 254 in Queens. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are either high performing or have improved student achievement in a remarkable way, especially among disadvantaged students. Schools will be honored at an awards ceremony Nov. 15-16 in Washington, D.C.
Look HERE for a complete list of NYS winners.
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