June 11, 2002 - Baltimore City Public Schools

Board Meeting Minutes
Page 12 of 41
Baltimore. In fact, many of us believe that MSPAP, the one-size-fit-all statewide educational test
program, hinder teachers from employing the kind of instruction they feel would optimize students'
academic growth. Best practices were subverted by MSPAP, and the anticipated scale results were used
against us with the threat of takeover. For the purpose of this presentation, we're not going to repeat all
the reasons why the student performance-based evaluation by portfolio is wrong for teachers. Those
reasons have been outlined in the full text of the 2000 and 2002 Magna Carta for Baltimore City
teachers. The Research and Development Committee of the Baltimore Teachers Union recently
conducted a survey of teachers throughout this City regarding the portfolio and the PDP and the IEP. To
further illustrate why the portfolio is considered punishment for teachers, this survey would result in our
realization that any change of significance are going to occur in the School System.
MR. DALE: If this School System were run like a business, which seems to be the trend, the
cost/benefit analysis of portfolio construction would have been forewarned of its impending uselessness.
The survey revealed that the bulk of the portfolio preparation, 85 percent, approximately 58 hours per
teacher, were performed outside the work hours of the contractual days. This means that time spent in
the portfolio production either took time away from planning, grading papers, and other routine school
responsibilities, or it took time away from the time needed for family responsibilities. A teacher's time
available for employment responsibilities are not unlimited. Ninety-nine percent felt that the portfolio
impacted their family or themselves negatively. The survey revealed that only a small percentage of
teachers, less than 3 percent, felt that the DSA portfolio lead to improvement in the instruction. Portfolio
creation has produced a tremendous cost from many perspectives, which yields only negligible results.
More than 60 percent of the teachers indicated that they would have selected somewhere else to teach if
they had known about the DSA portfolio. The DSA portfolio discourages experimental and innovative
and instructional techniques for two reasons: First, planning and instruction is geared to the end result
that our portfolio's not utilizing the most effective learning modality for the students. Secondly, no one
will want to risk failure because their shortcomings will be highlighted in the portfolio. Additionally,
teachers should be teaching, using academic needs of their students, not the employment requirements of
a document that does not represent the full scope of practice. In response to the question that if the
portfolios are dropped, what should replace them? We ask what are the grounds for them in the first
place? Where a variety of causal interactions, casual interactions and traditional nondestructive, informal
and formal observations are revealed; items that teachers are required to maintain on their students. Any
content alerts administrators, can distinguish between a teacher who is effective, or has the potential to
be an asset to the School System. And one who might need more assistance to become successful. Some
evaluators are not even capable of applying professional objective judgment about traditional
evaluations, with use of power and vindictiveness of administrators, which remain ramped in the School
System, hinders positive growth. The remedy is not to punish teachers as though they were children.
Portfolios do just that. It is the sum total of these reasons presented here today and others outlined in the
Magna Carta of Baltimore City teachers that give rise to the Baltimore Teachers Union position that
portfolios are punitive and must end. The New Board of School Commissions must seriously consider
and address both legitimate concerns and suggestions that teachers have made that will improve many
aspects of the School System. None of these changes listed below inquire blaming or penalizing those
individuals for actions or nonactions of others, which they should not be responsible. It will not cost
taxpayers additional millions of dollars, and outside studies will not be needed. Regardless of the extent
of the violence in the surrounding communities, schools must be a safe place and a haven for all
occupants. Support for the schools must come from the School Board. The School System must hire
teachers who are knowledgable in their field and are kind and respectful towards students. The System
must value and support efforts of the community on teachers and respect their work with its veteran
teachers. The incredible amount of paperwork of teachers must be reduced. The Board can't act as
though it was indifferent to their important piece, unfortunate circumstances. All teachers must be
provided the appropriate resources to teach classes in which they were assigned, and those resources
need to be equitably distributed and sustained throughout the school year. Instructional support without
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9/23/2002