Teaching kids takes so much effort, staffers at John Dewey HS in Brooklyn have found a quicker way to fix persistent failure rates...
Schmuck. Principal Elvin and her APs set up a fear factory and set policy and force people to adhere to it, especially the untenured - which Carl and his paper are so opposed to. Double schmuck.
Oh, la di da -- some "staffers" decided they didn't want to put effort into teaching children and out of the blue came up with a scheme. Triple schmuck.
When the DOE, which has been informed about these schemes for over a year or more -- but only when contacted by the press - and the Post is not the only one doing a story on this -- did they act like it was news to them.
Here are just a few Ed Notes posts on the Dewey and Elvin story -- in case Carl Campanile and the rest of the press want to really know what's going on.
Mar 07, 2015Dewey has one of the highest number of ineffective rated teachers by Elvin while at the same time she claims enormous success due to fraudulent credit recovery schemes. Red flag anyone? Here are the latest comments:Dec 25, 2014Based on the comments, a major issue is a phony credit recovery scheme and some ridiculous work rules imposed by the Elvin administrators, some of whom seem to be so awful. Hearing about how these slugs continue to ...Dec 10, 2014Gerard Papa, 61, who runs Flames, a basketball tournament and mentoring program for 700 kids ages 8 to 19, says Kathleen Elvin, the principal of John Dewey High School, closed off the school's secondary gym last ...Sep 26, 2014Are Elvin and Creveling the local version of ISIS, using this teacher as a hostage in retaliation for actions taken by the union - beheading the teacher, economically, by taking her job. The actions of Principal Elvin, along with ...
The Post story below the break.Sep 25, 2014“We're sorry you won't have health insurance for your child and thank you for serving your country. You're fired!” • Single Mother • Iraq War Veteran • Teaching for Only Four Months This is who Elvin and the AP of English ...Jun 26, 2014Kathleen Elvin was sent into John Dewey HS as a closer a few years ago - to make sure to drive the final nail in Dewey's coffin and remove many of the teachers, mostly senior. But the UFT lawsuit stopped that process over ...Dec 17, 2014Mrs Elvin, who was behind the non-stop attack on this teacher all last year and this year, was suddenly eulogizing her over the loudspeaker, and making sure everyone knew she was so deeply, deeply saddened by the loss of ...
http://nypost.com/2015/03/23/high-school-accused-of-massive-grade-fixing-scheme/
Investigators are probing accusations of a massive grade-fixing scheme by educators desperate to boost the graduation rate at Dewey, The Post has learned.
Multiple sources claim Dewey is cutting corners by passing kids with the help of a shady “credit recovery” program that students sarcastically call “Easy Pass.”
The system allows failing pupils to get passing grades by playing games, doing work online or taking abbreviated programs that critics argue lack academic rigor.
In one alleged grade-booster, kids got science credit for watching “Jurassic Park,” sources said.
“It’s a bogus way of improving the graduation rate,” said Martin Haber, the former teachers-union rep at Dewey and a retired special-education teacher.
“The teachers have been under heavy pressure by their assistant principals to pass as many students as possible,” he added.
Among the accusations against Dewey is that teachers who are licensed in one subject, such as English, were passing kids for recovery programs in math, a violation under state education law.
Sources also claim make-up “academy” programs were set up during winter and spring breaks when kids were awarded credit for doing little work.
“Kids who saw the movie ‘Jurassic Park’ were given credit for their Living Environment course,” an insider said.
Other students were given a packet of work to complete in the computer room, but actually played games instead.
There were also blended “Project Graduation” courses, where kids were given an opportunity to earn credit for a variety of subjects. But teachers were stunned when students who failed to pass those courses ended up on the graduation rolls anyway after assistant principals and department changed their grades, sources said.
“It’s academic fraud,” a Dewey insider said.
Teachers and principals face strong penalties if their schools fail too many students. Top administrators could be fired or reassigned; and during the Bloomberg administration, when the “Easy Pass” system allegedly began, failing schools could be closed.
On the other hand, administrators that meet graduation goals can get cash bonuses.
The chancellor’s Office of Special Investigations interviewed Dewey teachers and administrators last fall, sources said.
The city Department of Education confirmed the ongoing probe, but declined to elaborate.
Dewey’s graduation rate has improved significantly under the four-year tenure of Principal Kathleen Elvin. In 2009, Dewey’s graduation rate was 56 percent, according to the state Education Department. By last year, the rate had steadily climbed to 74 percent, state data show.
The city’s own figures — which include students who graduate over the summer — reported Dewey’s graduation rate increased seven points since 2012, to 79 percent from 72 percent.
Elvin did not return requests for comment. The probe has staffers on edge.
“This is a major investigation,” an insider said. “This involves a large number of staffers and student grades.”
Norm, you are SO correct! The Post can't help themselves- they HAVE TO twist everything they are told into some form of teacher-bashing. This guy IS a schmuck! I spoke to him and he twisted my words, failed to empahisize WHO was at fault...Elvin!!! But maybe the chicks are comin home to roost finally...
ReplyDeletehttp://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/23/so-called-easy-pass-grade-fixing-scandal-rocks-john-dewey-high-school-in-brooklyn/
ReplyDeleteWow, those folks at.the NYPost are sloooow on reporting a story. Twisted, you bet. And the same schemes are going on at almost every high school in the city, financed by the principal, executed by his/her patronage pool. Teachers who comply can take home an extra eighty a day. I think they should be thrown out of the sysrem for fraud, malpractice, and child abuse, but only after the principals lacking principles are fired. By the way, it was the administration downtown that negotiated a cheaper rate for Apex and encouraged principals to use it.
ReplyDelete