June 18, 2012, District 150 School board members unanimously approved a new four-year contract for the Superintendent, with a salary increase of 2.5% (from $198,000 to $203,000 a year beginning July 1, 2012). The Board also approved a $5,000 performance bonus.
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| The Board increased the Superintendent’s salary by 2.5% The Reading scores decreased by 2.7%. Did the Board use I Can Read incentive Bucks to pay the Superintendent? |
The Board also agreed that the Superintendent could receive an additional $5,000 bonus in the fall depending on the District's results on Illinois Standard Achievement Tests.
 Well, does the Superintendent get the additional bonus?  |
| Reading and Math scores if the District continues on the current trend. |
30 comments:
Didn't the board say something to the effect that they believe in Lathan and like the direction she is taking the district?
Sure she should get the bonus!! 5,000 water bottles!! (Kudos to the "Anon" who reminded us all of that ever-so-uplifting gesture!)
I thought that the terms for delaying the rest of the bonus were dependent on the scores. I don't agree with the premise that blame should be placed on anyone or that any kind of pay should be based on student scores, but if those were the terms, then perhaps in the spirit of honesty, Lathan should be asked to give up the bonus this year. Next year set up different criteria for giving the bonus--if there must be a bonus.
Size Matters!
Attended back-to-school night at my child's new school. Even though the high school has over 3000 students (something that we were initially very concerned about), I learned each of her classes has only 20 students in it!!!!
Each teacher described discussions, lessons and learning opportunities that they employ, which IMO can only be delivered in a smaller controlled environment.
My RHS grad went along with me last night (her college has not yet begun) and she was definitely in awe of the learning opportunities available to her sibling that simply were not offered to her.
So . . . I would say it is the lack of books, its the lack of staff professionalism and commitment(in some cases), it is the lack of resources, . . . but MOSTLY it is the chaos at the District.
For all the command and control Dr. Lathan appears to WANT to wield the execution is extremely flawed.
Not having read her contract, if this is indeed true, and, Emerge, you know I trust your honesty...(I just say it because I MYSELF have not read the agreement) then the true integrity of D150 Administration will be revealed loudly....I can bet the family farm what will happen....the board will say something to the effect of "Oh, but that's not what we meant!"...just watch..and don't be surprised (I won't!!!)
...and when I say TRUE INTEGRITY of D150 Administration, that certainly INCLUDES principals, assistant principals. I'm not just looking at the School Board and Ad. Building...this will be indicative of ALL ADMINISTRATION under Lathan. Not teachers. If this indeed happens, and Emerge, I'm sure you can find in your archives the exact wording (please do...AND POST IT!!) this is one mother/advocate who will be looking at every single face of each principal and assistant principal and saying, "You're just as much at fault for not speaking out when you know this is not right." My respect for every principal and assistant principal will be dependent on the very outcome of this...for what my respect's worth...and I've been keeping my mouth shut about this next thought: I will indeed start telling parents I'm still connected with in Peoria to start leaving the district, and give them many ideas HOW, regardless of income...hope I don't have to resort to that...
Also, don't anyone in ADMINISTRATION give the ol' "job security" excuse...you knew FULL WELL what you were getting into when you decided to sign your contract this year...this does NOT apply to teachers, because I KNOW first hand how you are treated like TRASH! I never thought I'd resort to naming names, but this example is called for: if the likes of Mary O'Brian can get rehired by the State and a private business, then any huckster with a sheepskin (valid or not) can get on the dole! I'm a parent, so I'll say it and I stick by it!!!
One more thing, anyone who questions MY integrity by naming Mary O'Brian, be brave and call me at 309-453-8238 and I'll tell you exactly why I named her...don't "diss" me in a comment here...ANYONE whom I've offended in any way in this district knows FULL WELL I've gone to their face to make amends, or made SEVERAL REPEATED attempts...Honestly Emerge, if this DOES happen, (the 5,000 water bottles, if indeed they were worth 1 dollar..it may be 10,000..) it will take all I have in me not to start revealing some pretty hefty things that happened to my family. I don't intend on doing that because I believe in rising above such people, but like you say, "I'm just sayin'...."
Did anyone else notice that neither Dunlap High School nor Dunlap District 323 made AYP this year? Of course, this was not front page news - it was buried in an article about D150's test scores (Wed. PJStar - "Schools See Lessons in Standardized Test Scores". I would provide a link, but I'm not that savvy.) Dunlap admin blamed their "subgroups" - yes, African-American students and students with disabilities - for the schools not making the grade.
I too noticed that Dunlap blamed their subgroups for not making the grade.
What does this do to the theory folks have about economics, environment and the ability to learn?
I agree that IF performance is the standard, NOBODY should be getting a raise. I think that would be fair.
If it really is all about the children, why would a person even take a "bonus" in the current environment?
As a parent of two on IEP's, I can tell you that only one child of the two will pass the "math" section of the standardized test, and they will both fail all the rest. Has happened for years. I've known as their parent that these tests NEVER reflect their true abilities, and that fact was confirmed FINALLY this year when the principal (the PRINCIPAL..GASP!) in our new district actually looked at my son's ISAT scores and made phone calls to the rest on the IEP team that "There's no way this kid is at this percentile! He's showing much higher skills than this!" It's always been a wonder to me why, with so many learning styles, standardized tests only address one style...which makes them very flawed, in my opinion. I don't put stock in them at all because only two of my three kids will pass, even though they've clearly demonstrated their knowledge to me in other ways through "hands-on", visuals, etc. It's too antiquated, in my opinion.
Thanks, Janet--I wonder how long it's going to take the whole country and District 150 to realize that these tests are very, very faulty. NCLB has destroyed or is destroying the public school system (I believe by design). The damage in District 150 has already been done. How many families do you think have left District 150 due to AYP scores? Obviously enough to close several primary and middle schools and a high school. Common sense should tell us that one test a year should not be the measuring stick of a school's (or a student's) worth. But common sense has not prevailed and many, many people have gotten rich on this whole scheme--all those fly-by-night companies from which District 150 has purchased all the cure-all programs designed to raise NCLB scores--and they haven't worked.
I wish that all the administrators, board members, parents, etc., had to take the high school tests--they would soon realize how unfair they are.
Yes, I know that there are students who do well on SAT tests--but they are the top students in the district (as was always the case).
As to the bonus--I don't know what the contract stated, but I was at the board meeting when Lathan was awarded the first $5,000, and the statement was made that the other $5000 would be given, after test results came out.
As to the scores themselves: Please note that scores for all three years are in the same "ball park." There are minimal differences in scores--not differences of 10 or more points, etc. These 0 to 5 point differences do not show any real gains or losses (especially since each year a different group of students is tested).
Rarely have any schools made the real leaps that were expected of NCLB efforts. The scores have been a constant up and down within a very predictable range. Each school has its own range, above and below which the scores rarely go).
NCLB has not and will not make a difference--I hope someday soon everyone will realize the futility of and damage done by this very, very expensive effort.
Why is providing facts considered "blame"? Dunlap didn't blame subgroups. It explained why they didn't meet AYP - and acknowledged that they need to work more with those subgroups.
Test scores across the state have made an annual consistent increase each year, going from 60% meets/exceeds in 2002 to 77% in 2011. Peoria had been making similar, albeit smaller, annual increases - from 51% in 2002 to 65% in 2011 (all tests) though it has stagnated the past couple of years.
Further, the achievement gap (between black and white subgroups) has consistently been reduced in this time period - from 42 points differential to 24 points.
http://iirc.niu.edu/State.aspx?source=Trends&source2=Achievement_Gap
There is no question that the goals of NCLB are unrealistic. But there is also no question that significant gains have also been made.
Jon. I couldn't agree more with your assessment of nclb. It created a paradigm shift away from always thinking (and believing) that we are doing an awesome. I love how those involved with underperforming schools are more interested in focusing on the laws final goals then on simply improving there performance.
But hasn't NCLB forced schools to put all their eggs in two baskets (math and English)? What about other subject matter--is proficiency going down in science, social studies, etc., because all the emphasis is going to material that is tested.
The only teachers whose success or failure can be tied to NCLB are math and English teachers. How can all teachers be held accountable when only two subject areas are tested--especially at the high school level where other subject areas are important?
There are many flaws with NCLB. Obama provided his "Blueprint" for changes to the law in 2010, but as usual Congress didn't act. One of the many proposed changes in the Blueprint was to address a more complete education (STEM, arts, foreign language, etc. See the link:
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/index.html
Since Congress didn't act, Obama/Duncan have granted waivers to parts of NCLB to those state who provide plans to improve student achievement much in the ways provided in the Blueprint.
Back to the original topic - I don't think Lathan should get the rest of her bonus - and I think she should voluntarily give back the first portion.
Sharon, THANK YOU! You have set the example for advocacy and it's an honor to receive a compliment from you. Sometimes I wonder if I sound off too much, yet a lot of what people write about, our family has actually experienced, along with those who contribute who've actually experienced it also, from WHATEVER angle! Emerge wanted me to keep sharing, and I felt honored by that, yet I hope I'm not running off at the mouth too much...it's really, really sad what my kids went through the past 11 years...I'm grateful to have this blog to indeed back some of you up and hopefully offer some reasonable and attainable suggestions. Case in point: yesterday I was fed up with my two sons' attitudes toward homework, so guess what? HORRIBLE, MEAN MOM yanked the cord to one particular electronic device in the house and threatened to lock up all the rest until all homework was finished. Yes, they could take breaks in between assignments, yet they could only use it to chill somewhere or read a book (GASP!). It's amazing how fast that homework got finished!!! They scream and holler all they want, yet it doesn't bother me because I'm the one holding the cords to the TV, computer, X-Box, Wii, PSVita, and whatever other stupid device makes its way under my roof.
Rumor has it....Lathan at it again....Last day for Principal Duke at Woodruff and rumor is that a NC person coming in to take over asap. Really two weeks into the school year. What could Duke have done in two weeks...why not last spring when she was cleaning house AGAIN!!! And wasn't Duke a Lathan placement.
No, Janet, you are not writing too much--you are catching up. :) Also, you are providing specifics--always needed.
Was Woodruff awarded any federal dollars in the last 6 months? If so, removing a principal would fit under the federal guidelines for "change" in order to qualify for the money. Does anyone know if they received federal money? Not saying it's right....
I bet Lathan gives back the bonus (dist cost - $10k)as soon as teachers give back pension inflating bonuses - cost to district and taxpayers = untold millions - and counting....
So my pension is a bonus? Hmmmm. That's interesting. I have no option but to pay into it. I can't cash it in unless I switch occupations or retire. Can't use it as collateral for loans. Exactly what is it I would be giving back? I suppose that currently my contributions are funding the retirement(s) of other teachers. Honestly, I don't see any of them living extravagantly on their teacher's retirement. Comfortably, maybe. But I'm cool with that. Most of them worked their asses off and earned it. Adkins-Dutro
Damn, right Dute-man.
"I suppose that currently my contributions are funding the retirement of other teachers" - you'd better start understanding that YOUR contributions and YOUR match should be funding YOUR retirement. The bonuses of 20% (now 6%) that grossly overinflate pensions are much of the reason why the state is broke. There is now way in hades that the contributions and matches for public sector employees rise to the level of benefits received. That's the fact. It is also part of the reason why the deficit grows.
no way
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