Elementary Preparation Time Task Force

The Elementary Planning/Collaboration Time Task Force met again yesterday afternoon.  Each person had made a proposed schedule for incorporating preparation time into the elementary school day.  Everyone approached this assignment differently, so there were lots of ideas.  Basically, to have one licensed specialist teacher (computer, art, music, P.E., etc.) per 28 classes who would teach the students while teachers have preparation time would cost between $2.5 and $3 million.  Bevan Wasden and I will make a report for the Joint Committee.  It is good to have the idea for the ideal, but money will be an issue that will make elementary preparation time something that will not happen in the near future.

Elementary Preparation Time Task Force

The Elementary Preparation Time Task Force met to discuss our research.  Each group had talked with other districts and some charter schools on if and how they are providing preparation and/or collaboration time for elementary teachers during the school day.  It was a good discussion.  The task force is working on various ways to provide prep time for elementary teachers. 

Elementary Preparation/Collaboration Time Task Force

This negotiated Task Force met for the first time last evening.  We broke into groups of two to investigate what other districts are doing for preparation and/or collaboration time in elementary schools.  If you know an elementary teacher in another district, please send their contact information to me, so we can find as many options as possible to explore.

Meeting with Superintendent Johnson

Wednesday, Cindy and I met with Dr. Johnson for our monthly meeting.  We discussed items for our upcoming Joint Committee Meeting.  One of those items is an Elementary Prep/Collaboration Time Task Force to study options of how to include time during the elementary contract day for preparation and collaboration.  The Task Force will study what other districts do, as well as brainstorm ideas.  These ideas will then be presented to the Joint Committee in April.

Dr. Johnson talked about the SMARTER Balanced Consortium assessments that are being developed.  These assessments are going to be for the Common Core of State Standards.  She also said that there could be a change in evaluation systems to go to using a valid and reliable assessment (from SMARTER Balanced Consortium) of student growth as part of teacher evaluation for performance pay.  This will take several years, and Dr. Johnson has said she wishes to be collaborative with JEA, so teachers have a voice in what changes to the evaluation would be.

We also discussed JEA, District Administration, and the School Board being trained in Interest Based Bargaining (IBB).  This is a different model of negotiating than has been used in Jordan School District.  Dr. Johnson said she has been trained and used IBB as a member of the District Negotiations Team in Clark County.  School Board President Rick Bojak told me that the School Board is interested in going to IBB also.  This is a paradigm shift.  Last year during mediation, the mediator suggested IBB training.  JEA was interested, but the District was not.  We see the District's willingness to be trained in IBB as a positive step toward a smoother negotiations process in the future.