[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1724-E1725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TEACHERS COLLEGE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: PUTTING THE NEEDS OF OUR 
                             CHILDREN FIRST

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to your attention a crisis 
which is before many of our public schools today--the shortage of 
highly skilled teachers in our city's worst schools. This problem has 
not only affected schools in my state of New York, but is nationwide.
  Excellence should be expected of every child. And the opportunity to 
excel must be guaranteed to every child. The right to a free, world-
class public education has been the birthright of Americans for well 
over a century. It is a moral imperative that forms the foundation of 
democracy, the underpinning of the economy, and the cornerstone of 
America's greatness.
  To provide every child the opportunity to excel, America must ensure 
that qualified, caring teachers educate and inspire their students in 
an environment that supports a love of learning. That means a vibrant 
classroom in a safe, modern school building equipped with the best 
learning technologies; supported by active, involved parents; and 
driven by a collective passion for educational excellence.
  This opportunity must be guaranteed within the Nation's public 
schools and these sentiments are echoed by the outstanding staff and 
leadership at Teachers College at Columbia University. I commend them 
for not only seeing that the problem exists, but in advocating that 
something be done to address it.
  I'd like to take this opportunity to submit to the Congressional 
Record, an article written by Arthur Levine, President of Teachers 
College at Columbia University and Darlyne Bailey, Vice President for 
Academic Affairs and Dean of the College which speaks to this issue and 
what our priorities should be.

    Bringing Great Teachers to Struggling Schools: The Moment Is Now

                 (By Arthur Levine and Darlyne Bailey)

       We live in a time when people rightfully have become 
     skeptical about the political process and the possibilities 
     for moving beyond rhetoric to action. Yet every now and then, 
     like the inverse of a perfect storm, forces align themselves 
     in ways that permit substantive change.
       In New York City, we have just such a moment before us 
     right now--an opportunity to dramatically improve our public 
     school system by addressing the issue that, more than any 
     other, has limited the hopes and prospects of vast numbers of 
     low-income and disadvantaged children.
       That issue is the dearth of highly skilled, experienced 
     teachers where they are needed most: in the city's worst 
     schools. Some 60 percent of our city's low-performing 
     students are concentrated in just one-third of our schools, 
     nearly all of them in high-poverty areas such as Bedford 
     Stuyvesant, Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx. 
     The prospect of failure in these schools is so overwhelming 
     that teacher turnover is constant, with even the best and 
     most dedicated decamping for districts where the pay is 
     higher and working conditions allow them to be more 
     effective.
       Back in April, a special commission of the New York City 
     Council outlined highly detailed recommendations for righting 
     these wrongs. In addition to calling for system-wide caps and 
     reductions in class sizes, the Commission recommended that 
     all teachers to be awarded salary incentives of 3 percent (to 
     be added to any negotiated increases) in order to align local 
     salaries with the regional labor market. To increase the 
     number of qualified teachers in low-performing, high need 
     schools, teachers in the most challenging schools would 
     receive as much as an additional 23 percent if they teach in 
     target schools that adopt an extended-year (11-month) 
     calendar. Teachers whose skills qualify them for a newly-
     instituted designation of ``Master Teacher'' would receive a 
     further 10-percent increase, and Master Teachers who chose to 
     work in targeted high-needs

[[Page E1725]]

     schools would join the ranks of the most highly paid teachers 
     in the state.
       This is not a giveaway to teachers. To assure high quality, 
     these changes would be directly tied to rigorous performance 
     assessments. In fact, the entire structure of reform would be 
     subject to ongoing review by an Independent Office for 
     Research and Accountability that would identify target 
     schools for augmented support and determine whether the 
     Commission's intensified strategies are producing desired 
     results.
       What hope is there that these ideas will be acted upon? 
     After all, similar proposals have been floated in the past.
       The answer is that at this particular moment, we are 
     blessed with a rare opportunity that combines a potential 
     multi-billion dollar windfall for the city's school system 
     with contract renewal negotiations between the United 
     Federation of Teachers and the city and an upcoming 
     Mayoral election.
       Clearly the biggest barrier to school reform has been 
     money. For decades, the city has been unable to offer the 
     kind of teacher salaries found in the suburbs and upstate 
     because it has not received a proportionate share of funding. 
     More recently, under the provisions of the federal No Child 
     Left Behind Act, city schools have been asked to meet clear 
     and specific targets for student achievement even as they 
     have been denied the wherewithal to do so. Now the courts 
     have recognized that this amounts to a violation of our 
     children's Constitutional right to a sound, basic education. 
     A panel of special judges has recommended that the state make 
     amends by providing the city with an additional $14 billion 
     in operating and facilities funds over the next five years. 
     That decision is being appealed, but many believe that within 
     the next year, money will actually change hands.
       That's a huge step, and certainly little else can happen 
     without it. But it is only the beginning. Plaintiffs have won 
     similar lawsuits in other states, gotten their money, and 
     still were unable to enact meaningful reform. Usually this 
     was because they failed to bring together all school 
     stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue.
       In New York City, the City Council commission began such a 
     dialogue with the public hearings it held during this past 
     year. But obstacles remain. One of the long-standing bones of 
     contention has been the seniority system that allows the most 
     experienced teachers to essentially choose their placements. 
     Given the low pay and working conditions in struggling 
     schools, most elect to work in higher-performing institutions 
     where they can make a decent living and be effective. Not 
     surprisingly, the union has fiercely defended this system.
       The city government, for its part, has responded--with 
     justification--that its hands are tied.
       Lately, however, there have been encouraging signs. Both 
     Randi Weingarten, the UFT president, and Joel Klein, the city 
     schools chancellor, have said that in principle, they believe 
     the key to turning around struggling schools is to populate 
     them with excellent, experienced teachers. Mayor Bloomberg, 
     who has made education reform the centerpiece of his first 
     term, is running for a reelection. It is a moment, in short, 
     when promises are being made; when compromise is in the air; 
     and when unprecedented new financial resources seem likely to 
     come our way.
       That said, the beginning of the new school year is almost 
     upon us. The teacher contract talks are at a critical point. 
     So let's make the most of our opportunity. We have identified 
     a clear priority--to put great teachers in the schools that 
     need them most, as rapidly as possible. We have the political 
     will to do so, and soon we will have the money. If we fail to 
     deliver, history--and our children--will judge us harshly 
     indeed.

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