Key Questions for the Oakland Teacher Convention

April 5, 2011

In Issues Blog, News Blog

On Thursday evening, over 200 of Oakland's best teachers will be attending Oakland's first Teacher Convention. OUSD's Effective Teaching Task Force organized this two-and-a-half day convention, where teacher leaders will collaborate to define the priorities for a five-year strategic plan that will address teacher evaluation, compensation, site-based conditions, recruitment, retention, and professional development.

To help inform the critical conversations that will be taking place at the convention, GO Public Schools Information Center staff, board members, and policy fellows, in collaboration with members of the GO community, compiled the guide below with key questions, research, and data.

We acknowledge that:

• Funding stability and adequacy are arguably the most important conditions to support our teachers.
• Many conditions necessary to support teachers are not discussed in this guide.
• OUSD has many good policies and practices that support effective teaching that should be continued.
• The teachers who participate in the convention this week will bring a wealth of perspectives, knowledge, and understanding far beyond what our small group of educators and community have compiled.

Teachers are Leaders and Share Decision-Making

• In which school-site decisions should teachers be involved?
• What teacher leadership roles should exist at each school site?
• What is the role of a teacher in determining professional development at school sites?
  

Teacher Evaluation and PD are Supportive and Data-Driven

• What is the purpose of teacher evaluation?
• How should teacher evaluation support teacher professional development?
• How should teacher evaluation inform professional development decisions at the site and district levels?
• How should data and evidence about student learning inform evaluations and professional development?

Schools and Teachers Choose Each Other ("Mutual Consent")

• What are the roles of parents, teachers, and principals in selecting a teaching team?
• When should candidates outside of the district be considered to fill vacancies at schools?
• How can schools with high teacher turnover attract and retain quality teachers?
• What should be the role of seniority in teacher placement?
• What are the consequences of resignations, vacancies, or new openings at different points in OUSD/OEA hiring timeline?

Every School Has a Great Leader

• What is a school leader's role in creating conditions to support teachers?
• What qualities and skills must school leaders possess to support great teaching?
• How much autonomy must school leaders have to lead great schools?
• How important are a school leader's expectations of teachers? Students?

A System that Works for Teachers

• How can OUSD's central office services support effective teaching?
• How can OUSD's salary schedule be modified to help retain teachers?
• What conditions, inside and outside of school, support effective teaching?

The teachers who participate in the convention this week will bring a wealth of perspectives, knowledge, and understanding far beyond what our small group of educators and community has compiled. We look forward to hearing about the conversations that emerge from a successful convention, and to partnering with teachers and the district to turn the ideas from the convention into actions to support teachers and students. Congratulations to the Oakland Unified School District and the Oakland Education Association for creating this opportunity for Oakland teachers.

Click here to download the full PDF. If you would like a print copy of this guide, please let us know!

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Tags: Teacher Effectiveness