[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

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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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