Backdrop to contract talks: 163 new teachers are emergency-certified
by Dale Mezzacappa
As the District and the teachers’ union try to finalize a new contract, talks may be shaped by a budget crunch, evidence that the city is still having trouble attracting enough qualified candidates, and an intensifying national conversation about new compensation models.
Data provided by the District in mid-November showed that 163 of the record crop of 1,734 teachers hired for September – more than 9 percent – held emergency certifications. That means they either lacked a degree in education, did not major in the subject they are teaching, or did not pass the teacher exams, called the Praxis.
Another 287 of the new hires were from Teach for America or the Teaching Fellows programs. These teachers have intern certifications; while they do not have education degrees, they majored in the subject they are teaching and passed the Praxis test in their field. Considered “highly qualified” in Pennsylvania, these new teachers often come out of top colleges.
A coalition called The Campaign for Teacher Effectiveness has been pressing the District and union to take steps in a new contract to create a more stable, skilled workforce, including incentives for high-quality, experienced teachers to go to the highest-poverty schools. The new data suggest that this task is still difficult. More than a quarter of new hires are emergency or intern-certified.
The District had the most trouble recruiting certified math teachers and counselors. There were 29 emergency-certified secondary math teachers hired, as well as 31 high school counselors. Superintendent Arlene Ackerman initiated the hiring of more than 200 new counselors for middle and high schools this year to reduce the student-counselor ratio.
Substantial numbers of the emergency certifications are in traditional shortage areas such as special education, Spanish, and English as a Second Language. But emergency certifications also show up in areas that generally have gluts: high school English, physical education, and elementary grade teachers.
The District did not provide a breakdown of where the emergency-certified teachers were assigned. It did report that 85 new teachers have left since the start of the school year.
Leaders of the campaign have said that for Philadelphia to attract and retain better teachers, it needs to provide incentives, such as support staff, experienced mentors, and collaboration time, to help those who take on more challenging assignments.
The District is pursuing an opportunity to tap into federal funds to design better teacher evaluation and compensation systems. Philadelphia is working very closely with the state on an application for the Race to the Top Fund, Ackerman said.
The Obama administration’s $4 billion fund seeks to promote “building a workforce of highly effective educators” through reform in teacher pay and evaluation; improve state academic standards and student assessments; and encourage efforts to turn around low-performing schools.
The chance to compete for Race to the Top money creates an incentive for the District and union to revamp pay structures as a way to secure funds that could help boost teacher salaries. Applications are due in early 2010.
Besides Race to the Top, there are also new federal innovation funds and teacher incentive funds the District can pursue.
Ackerman downplayed concerns that District budget constraints are making it difficult to fund a new contract. “We’re hopeful that we’re going to be able to come up with a win-win for everybody,” she said.
The District never tips its hand about how much money is available for raises; officials maintain that nothing is set aside in the budget. Teacher salaries consume around 40 percent of the District’s budget.
Comments (6)
Submitted by dkbog (not verified) on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 13:40.
Face it! Teachers deserve raises and if they don't, more will leave this district. The PFT has been fighting for years to get equitable teacher pay between them and their suburban counterparts. When will the SRC and Ackerman get it!!! New teachers quit because classrooms are overcrowded, get no support (especially from principals), and are paid lower than the surrounding counties. If the teachers don't get a contract they deserve, I hope all 9,000 walk. They can't strike but if they go out for a set amount of time---the district will never be able to get 9,000 teachers to replace them. Go PFT!!!!!
Submitted by Nikki (not verified) on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 19:48.
Is this supposed to be surprising? Yet again, aspirations come dashing against hard reality: It is tough teaching in urban schools and many who are experienced and qualified simply choose easier places to teach. This is why the district has to struggle each year just to get a teacher, any teacher apparently, in the classrooms.
That said, I understand that there is no additional money for raises. It's just not there. I'd love to earn more but I also chose to teach in Philadelphia. I know that there are many who struggle more than I do. Unfortunately, the United States embraces a backwards school funding formula that ensures that wealthy districts get the mosrt, while poor districts get the least.
Submitted by ConcernedTeacher (not verified) on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 20:13.
I hear that the majority of the budget actually goes to contractors who manage (mismanage) the Empowerment schools. Philadelphia teachers are underpaid in comparison to our suburban counterparts. It is understandable in these "tough economic times" that an overpaid corporate leader like Ackerman would not want to even the playing field to attract teachers who may actually stay long term and do a great job in the classroom. Why bother when she can pocket the money herself?
I haven't been teaching for many years, but one thing I can say during my short time with the SDP is that principals make all the difference. Why not start holding them more accountable? Not only for test scores, but for their treatment of teachers, their level of professionalism, etc. I've worked in Empowerment and AYP schools. The difference has been the principal! Empowerment, or failing, school principals typically are unprofessional, constantly threaten teachers with memos and 204s, promote caddy, backstabbing behavior amongst teachers and foster a hostile environment. One in which teachers constantly feel under assault and as though their jobs are in jeopardy. I'll admit that there are teachers who should not be in the classroom, but there are far more who are doing a great job! A principal who fosters a safe, secure, professional atmosphere with team building typically gets a team of teachers who give 100%+ and students who score high enough to make AYP. The other above mentioned principals get nothing but a transfer to ruin another school somewhere else and fail to make AYP.
I'll never understand the disrespect that teachers get from all sides, administrators, students and parents. It's absolutely ridiculous. In other countries, teachers are treated like prophets, with great respect. I think the contract should demand not only higher salaries but respect. A school will never make AYP if the principal does not respect his/her teachers. Teachers are the heart and soul of the school. It's about time the SDP realizes that!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 21:09.
Yeah, sure, Go PFT...
PFT is like Solidarnosc...or the Wobblies...
Please understand the PFT and the district work hand in glove...the same institution...the same peas in the same pod...that explains the horrible working conditions most Philly teachers endure...
Submitted by Chris Lehmann (not verified) on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 22:51.
Some of the emergency certifications come from teachers who move from other states and need some time for Harrisburg to process their permanent state certification. The SDP Human Resources folks do an amazing job of helping teachers navigate the state certification process. PA does not have true reciprocity with other states which means that many people need to get emergency certification for a year while they check all the boxes that PA requires.
Submitted by Philly neighborhood HS teacher (not verified) on Tue, 12/01/2009 - 07:00.
While this may be true for a small number, the vast majority of Teach for America, Teaching Fellows and other emergency certified teachers are in neighborhood schools. In general, they need more support than teachers who have student teaching experience. This is especially true with those assigned to special education and ESOL classes. While magnet school are suppose to have a small percentage of students with an IEP, neighborhood school's percentages are much higher and often have students with issues beyond a learning or physical "disability" such as socialization and mental health issues. I have worked with teachers assigned to ESOL whose only qualification is they speak, write and read English. (One defined his job to inculcate the recent immigrant students with an "America First" version of history and maybe teach English.) Placing inexperienced, uncertified teachers in struggling schools compounds the strain on veteran teachers and administrators.
Post new comment