Wednesday, March 16, 2011

KIPP, Teachers Unions Go Toe to Toe in Baltimore

Mary Ann Zehr
KIPP, Teachers Unions Go Toe to Toe in Baltimore
Education Week
Published Online March 15, 2011
Complete URL: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/03/16/24kipp_ep.h30.html?tkn=YXVFYOzDNm%2FLrnbqYK6Ix7IXlzb8gfUaSAg1&cmp=clp-edweek

**With our upcoming guest speaker from the union, I thought this might be an interesting read.**

KIPP is a charter school network that has 99 schools in 20 states. Currently they are having contract disputes with their schools in Baltimore. In Baltimore the school day is 9 ½ hours long – 1/3 longer then the contractual school day. Three important pieces of this puzzle are: KIPP can’t afford to pay teachers the full hourly rate for the extra time, KIPP believes longer days are key to student academic success, and Maryland requires charter school teachers to be union members. Belief in longer days contributing to success, but not enough money to adequately compensate teachers. So there’s the rub.

Out of all the charter schools in Baltimore the two run by KIPP have the longest hours. This could be part of the problem. KIPP is threatening to shut down the schools if some sort of agreement can’t be reached. I am thinking you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip. If the budget doesn’t have the money to fully compensate teachers – possibly the length of the school day should be revisited. To me keeping the school open, even with shorter days, is more beneficial then simply closing the doors. Check Spelling

This article is relevant because it is highlighting issues we could potentially face. Teaching contracts cover all sorts of things – one being the hours we are contracted to be at school. With all the other concerns about teaching I have – I haven’t given much thought to this.

The intended audience for this article is current and future educators. Charter schools are only growing in popularity, and chances are one of us could end up working in one. Oregon doesn’t currently require teachers from charter schools to join the union. I think there are pros and cons to that – maybe best saved for a different discussion.

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