Education blueprint not well-received at Iowa City forum

UPDATE: Local teachers had a bone to pick with the state's proposed education reform this weekend.

The town hall on the state's “One Unshakable Vision” education blueprint allowed teachers, and others who work during the week, a forum to address their concerns to Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass and Linda Fandel, Governor Terry Branstad's special adviser for education.

But the response was far from unshakable, as the questions and comments from teachers were at times tense and contentious. By the end of the event at 3:30 p.m., the audience's sentiment could best be summed up in the words of Iowa City High School teacher and education association Vice-President Colleen Davis.

“I feel like you're trying to fix us, and there's nothing wrong with us,” she said.

The 1 p.m. town hall at Iowa City West High School originally was supposed to end at 2 p.m., with both Fandel and Glass offering to remain and talk to anyone who still had concerns, but the crowd loudly objected during the attempt to wrap up the forum. The man next in line for the microphone shouted that he felt the blueprint was an attempt to get rid of teacher unions and accused the Branstad administration and other Republicans of “teacher bashing.”

Following this, both Glass and Fandel returned to take questions, and Glass confronted the accusation by saying he felt assertions that he was attacking teachers to be “ridiculous.”

“My parents are teachers, my wife is a teacher, I was a teacher,” he said.

This wasn't the only time Glass and Fandel found themselves having to address their personal background in education, as several other attendees commented on their lack of classroom experience. The two steered away from the subject for the most part, saying that their background was irrelevant and asking the audience to focus on the blueprint itself.

Most of the attendees did, with several repeating that the blueprint is far from union-friendly. Cedar Rapids Education Association President Tammy Wawro said elements of the blueprint relating to salary scale would require a change in Iowa law that would hurt teacher's rights.

“I want to hope that's not their intent,” she said.

The salary scale would put new teachers in a system with apprentice, career, mentor and master level teachers, but many voiced concern over the level of time master teachers would spend in the classroom, and that the system does not offer enough opportunities for advancement.

After changes to teacher pay and evaluation, the call for higher student standards also was poorly received. Several teachers voiced opposition to the plan's call for more student assessments, with a planned third grade retention exam based on a state of Florida model drawing much of the fire.

Teacher Jeanine Redlinger came armed with a large scroll of responses to the blueprint from her AP government students from City High School, along with three students, all of whom commented on not wanting more standardized tests.

“The plan provides nothing that motivates students, and I can tell you they're definitely not motivated by tests,” she said.

Glass responded that he felt standardized tests could be a lot better than they are today, but that measuring and assessing students was still vitally important.

“I think we all realize there's a reaction against standardized testing, but I think it's an over-reaction,” he said.

The cost of the blueprint was another point of contention. Fandel said there would be more details, including the funding, would come with the the final proposal that Governor Terry Branstad would release prior to the convening of the Legislature, and that it would include both a re-appropriation of existing as well as new funds.

But many remain skeptical despite assurances.

“Given his past history, the governor has not fully funded education to the level this blueprint is offering,” said Tuyet Dorau, an Iowa City school board director. “I can draw you a blueprint of the Taj Mahal, but the resources need to be there.”

Fandel and Glass said they would take all the recommendations into account and asked the audience to continue to give feedback.

The forum was recorded by the Iowa City school district. Superintendent Steve Murley said the full version would be available on the district's cable TV channel.

Replay reporter Patrick Hogan's live coverage of the town hall meeting below.