The Kansas City Star reports that State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro collaborated with anti-public education forces to draft legislation to eliminate teacher tenure. Emails obtained through the state’s Sunshine Law revealed the commissioner’s relationship with the group.
The group is associated with Rex Singuefeld, a local hedge fund manager who co-founded a firm that manages more than $310 billion in assets. He is president of the Show-Me Institute, a public policy research organization that promotes libertarian, conservative, and free-market ideas.
If the proposed bill should pass, teacher retention would depend on student test scores. The bill would require the creation of many new tests. When asked to estimate the additional costs, the commissioner declined.
The article says:
“The commissioner is already being pulled in several directions over her recommendations to keep Kansas City Public Schools unaccredited and bring in the charter-school-supporting consulting agency CEE-Trust to develop a plan for the future of the district.
“The emails show Nicastro was trading information with Kate Casas, the state policy director for the Children’s Education Council of Missouri, which was developing the ballot initiative petition. It aims to give voters the chance to take away teacher tenure and require schools to use student performance data in determining teacher pay and promotions.”
The Department routinely advises legislators and lobbyists about pending legislation, but the commissioner seems to have been directly involved in writing legislative language that will hurt teachers. This is far from routine.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/11/22/4643022/education-commissioners-emails.html#storylink=cpy
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Far from routine? Sounds like what’s happening across the country to me. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to become a teacher anymore. Why spend 4 years on a degree that will give you a job where: you can’t expect to be treated fairly, will be low-paid, will be treated like dirt by everyone, you don’t have any job protections, and if you complain, you’re a selfish, greedy union-hack who should have known what you were getting into. I’d rather make $10 as a bank teller!
It’s not a bad rationale . . . . I am fortunate in my district,because we are treated with so much respect and professionalism compared to the public schools in New York City . . . .
Still, our evaluation systems stemming from RttT (not my district!) are unfair and catastrophic, and there’s no reason for them other than to destroy public education.
Teaching as the deformers would like it to be:
Good morning, class. I am Common Core teacher model 2847J. Pull my string to begin the lesson on CCSS.ELA.RI.9.3a.
Let’s get real, here. Once inBloom is up and running, they can fire all of the teachers, sell off all of the school buildings and just put kids right in front of computers with programs tailored specifically for their data set. Just think of all the profit. WAKE UP, AMERICA!
Your description may be more prophetic than fanciful.
lol..:-)
So True!!
Our governor is even worse. Check out him in the post embedded below as he gleefully states to other governors that he took a highly controversial teacher tenure plan and went around the legislature. He had a “coalition of the willing”.
http://missourieducationwatchdog.com/missouri-education-today-common-core-teacher-evaluations-the-coalition-of-the-willing-and-the-nuclear-option/
Thanks, Gretchen, for that information!
I disagree that he’s worse. Nixon is not a fan of KC schools but he at least supports funding education across the state. This is the line in the sand between progressives and conservatives concerning education. Many of us agree about Common Core and are willing to work together to get rid of it, but conservatives in MO and elsewhere have consistently voted AGAINST the funding that our schools need to survive. We can’t educate our kids without increasing funding. Nixon at least understands that.
With all due respect, the video shows that in the Winter or 2013, he was in favor of implementing a teacher tenure plan which circumvented the legislature through a “Coalition of the Willing”. That coalition included him, Nicastro, Sinquefield, Casas and 100 schools with the pilot testing.
He is the governor of the state and he should be held accountable for this circumvention of the legislature.
There’s more: she changed the statement of financial impact (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ekh1zmhn505kvee/NICASTRO%20handwritten%20changes%20Initiative%20Petition%20Attachment%20.pdf?dl=1&token_hash=AAF5zxOZqiDd5O5duzPLJFlKdZ1r1kMNP37QfGUupPuD_Q) and told an aid to distribute the document to the state board members, but to keep it off of the agenda.
And Missouri does have some fairly strict “sunshine” laws. Wonder what might be done on that front!
The mayor of St. Louis, MO defends Nicastro via his twitter account.
She claims it’s business as usual. (Doesn’t understand why that is so alarming to democrats–with a lower case “d.”)
I taught for 33 years and I am now happily retired. Looking at the direction education is going now, you’d have to be nuts to go into education!!
Unfortunately the edudeformer beast has made its way to the middle of the country with the usual suspects coming into play. They couldn’t get their ideologies passed in the legislature so they are attempting to do it surreptitiously. I’ve been telling folks for many years now that this is the end game as previewed around the country and exposed by the likes of Diane, schoolfinance101, Mercedes, Pelto, Crazy Cajun Crawdaddy, etc. . . . Very few listened and most derided me as a crazy conspiratorialist.
Will be sending this to the staff tomorrow, and will be waiting for the “Duane, do you have a minute” moment. Ultimately the joke will be on them.
These idiots will not be happy until they have utterly destroyed K-12 education! @##%@&#@&%*!!!!
Let’s make teaching as onerous, as low paid, as directed from the top, and as insecure as possible. That’s how to attract the most compassionate, the most creative, the best and the brightest!
Morons.
All my friends who are still teaching are counting the days until retirement. Several of my daughters’ friends who wanted to become teachers have left the field. If there is no tenure then you’ll either have school hopping, a whole crop of new teachers each year, or a dreadful teacher shortage, especially in the hard to fill slots like math and science – or, all of the above. Then the schools will have to give signing bonuses to attract certified teachers which will end up costing them big bucks.
And none of this will improve scores .
Most teachers I have talked to are now saying..
“I don’t give a d*mn about the scores.”
Im sure most of you are democrats who supported elected officials who brought about this change.
I’m sure most of us would NEVER support elected officials who would deign to bring about this horrific practice (“change” is just too light of a term), but correct me if I’m wrong–the commissioner had a hand in writing legislation which is not in her job description unless she has been elected as a lawmaker. It’s up to the legislature to stop it.
Knock it off Michelle…
Have seen your dem vs repub comments popping up on all the boards…
Bush..was he a repub? Who cares..????
He started this whole mess anyway..
Nicastro is a right wing republican. Why would any Democrat support her?
Are you serious? Where did you get THAT information? Is that your opinion or fact? She IS an appointed commissioner by the Democratic governor. I wouldn’t think Jay Nixon would appoint a right wing republican.
As a parent in the Kansas City Public Schools who has been fighting from the trenches the last 3 years, I’m thrilled to see Missouri on your blog. Dr Nicastro’s true stripes are starting to show.
Below is the letter I sent on September 10th after realizing the selection of CEE-Trust (paid for by private foundation funds) to “study” KCPS’ and St Louis’ unaccreditation problem was really a well-orchestrated attempt to dismantle the schools and district my daughters attend.
Dear Commisisoner Nicastro and Members of The State Board of Education,
My name is Jennifer and I am the parent of two elementary children in the Kansas City Public Schools. I have been involved with KCPS since 2004. I am writing to you because I feel the voices of KCPS parents are being marginalized and cannot let this go unaddressed anymore. To me it feels as if more weight and value is being placed in the opinions of a small group of influential Kansas Citians (Civic Council, Kauffman and Hall Family Foundations) versus those of us actually utilizing our public schools; those of use who see and experience first-hand how changes which began 5 years ago are finally starting to bear fruit.
I can only assume you would want to listen to ALL affected stakeholders in order to make balanced, reasoned and well-informed decisions related to the accreditation status of the Kansas City Public Schools.
As a parent leader, I have personally witnessed the transformation of the last 5 years and only wish to share my experience with those in a position to make a decision affecting my city, district, schools, classrooms, teachers and my children. I can attest that we (the Kansas City Public Schools) ARE on the right track; a board well-versed in policy governance, a stable superintendent, a financially sound house AND 2 years of sustained improvement in academic achievement with a well-defined plan to deliver again in SY14. As such, I wholeheartedly support Dr Green’s assertion that KCPS has earned the right to seek provisional accreditation now.
What I am most afraid of is that the voices of a few have already influenced you to seek the consultation of an organization such as CEE-Trust. It’s no secret what sort of recommendations they will likely make based upon their funding sources and some of their previous work. In my mind their selection is tantamount to putting the fox in charge of the hen house. But more importantly, the reforms they are likely to recommend have been shown to exacerbate the racial and economic achievement gap AND negatively impact student achievement for students in Chicago, New York, DC and New Orleans.
I seriously question the underlying motive of any decision to alter the current proven course of improvement for something as unproven as that which CEE-Trust is likely to recommend. In my opinion as a parent, such a decision is nothing short of wanton neglect.
Respectfully,
Jennifer
I participated in one of the parent CEE-Trust focus groups to get an insider’s view and am now working with a dedicated group of parents, teachers, administrators and community members to derail the reform train in Missouri and specifically Kansas City Public Schools.
Jennifer,
Did you receive a reply? If so what did it say.
Fellow Show Me Stater
Duane
Duane,
I sent my letter via email to the addresses I was instructed to use for Dr Nicastro and the State Board. All I heard was crickets…not even an auto reply acknowledging receipt.
I also sent my letter to the Kansas City Star hoping they would write more about the conflict of interest involved.
Jennifer
As a parent in the Kansas City Public Schools who has been fighting from the trenches the last 3 years, I’m thrilled to see Missouri on your blog. Dr Nicastro’s true stripes are starting to show.
Below is the letter I sent on September 10th after realizing the selection of CEE-Trust (paid for by private foundation funds) to “study” KCPS’ and St Louis’ unaccreditation problem was really a well-orchestrated attempt to dismantle the schools and district my daughters attend.
Dear Commisisoner Nicastro and Members of The State Board of Education,
My name is Jennifer and I am the parent of two elementary children in the Kansas City Public Schools. I have been involved with KCPS since 2004. I am writing to you because I feel the voices of KCPS parents are being marginalized and cannot let this go unaddressed anymore. To me it feels as if more weight and value is being placed in the opinions of a small group of influential Kansas Citians (Civic Council, Kauffman and Hall Family Foundations) versus those of us actually utilizing our public schools; those of use who see and experience first-hand how changes which began 5 years ago are finally starting to bear fruit.
I can only assume you would want to listen to ALL affected stakeholders in order to make balanced, reasoned and well-informed decisions related to the accreditation status of the Kansas City Public Schools.
As a parent leader, I have personally witnessed the transformation of the last 5 years and only wish to share my experience with those in a position to make a decision affecting my city, district, schools, classrooms, teachers and my children. I can attest that we (the Kansas City Public Schools) ARE on the right track; a board well-versed in policy governance, a stable superintendent, a financially sound house AND 2 years of sustained improvement in academic achievement with a well-defined plan to deliver again in SY14. As such, I wholeheartedly support Dr Green’s assertion that KCPS has earned the right to seek provisional accreditation now.
What I am most afraid of is that the voices of a few have already influenced you to seek the consultation of an organization such as CEE-Trust. It’s no secret what sort of recommendations they will likely make based upon their funding sources and some of their previous work. In my mind their selection is tantamount to putting the fox in charge of the hen house. But more importantly, the reforms they are likely to recommend have been shown to exacerbate the racial and economic achievement gap AND negatively impact student achievement for students in Chicago, New York, DC and New Orleans.
I seriously question the underlying motive of any decision to alter the current proven course of improvement for something as unproven as that which CEE-Trust is likely to recommend. In my opinion as a parent, such a decision is nothing short of wanton neglect.
Respectfully,
Jennifer
I participated in one of the parent CEE-Trust focus groups to get an insider’s view and am now working with a dedicated group of parents, teachers, administrators and community members to derail the reform train in Missouri and specifically Kansas City Public Schools.
This is not draft legislation, but rather language for an initiative petition to change the state Constitution. The ballot language approved by the Secretary of State follows.
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
•require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system for which each local school district must receive state approval to continue receiving state and local funding;
•require teachers to be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system;
•require teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts; and
•prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system?
If enough signatures are gathered this could appear on the ballot in November of 2014.
Removing teacher tenure? “Forgive them … They know not what they do”. Or do they? Whatever, the result is the same.
Indeed, why would anyone encourage our brightest and best to enter the teaching “profession”? What has already been said above can only begin to understand the problem. As Dr. Ravitch said way in the beginning, they now have the power to destroy the public school system. Not her exact words but at least some of the general idea. This is the system which has been the true melting pot of America, has helped produce a country unequaled in human history but now faces the real possibility of the historical decline and “fine'” which seems to have plagued most of the great nations in history. Monetary gain and power supersedes humanitarian needs. Even our children becoming the grist mill for those who seek never ending accumulation of financial gain.
The truly sad part is that tenure was developed to protect college level teachers from the political whims of the administration. It was designed to keep the focus on academics. Now it is thought of as permanent job protection, yet the one thing it doesn’t seem to protect k-12 teachers from is the political forces working on public education. Teachers are threatened with losing their jobs if they speak out against common core. Ah the irony.
The state takeover of Normandy School District means all teachers in the district must reapply for their jobs and lose tenure. They will not have tenure for at least five years because the district I will be considered “new. It is too late in the calendar year to find many jobs in other districts. Those very dedicated teachers who taught in this district, some for over twenty years, must start over and hope they are rehired. His is wrong on several levels. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/normandy-teachers-brace-for-state-intervention/article_75c79b50-e22d-5a58-94cd-0bf1bb03c45c.html