This story appeared on the blog of Patrick Hayes’ EdFirstSC.
In Charleston, South Carolina, Principal Jake Rambo was ordered to evaluate his teachers based solely on the test scores of their students. Not multiple measures. Standardized tests.
He refused.
He was told that he was being transferred to another school because of his school’s test scores.
He said he didn’t want to leave his school.
He was told to tell the school community that he requested a transfer.
He said he wouldn’t lie.
He resigned rather than lie.
Dear Ms. Darby and CCSD Board of Trustees, Ms. Belk and District 2 Constituent Board,
It is with a heavy heart and out of a sense of moral obligation that I write to share with you my concerns about our District, its students, the James B. Edwards community, and specifically the events that have occurred over the last month. Alongside my wife, I have prayed about the decision to compose this letter and have acknowledged my fear continuing to work in a district that seems to often misrepresent the truth and punish those who question anything about its direction. It is my hope that you are truly unaware of what’s occurring in CCSD.
On the evening of April 24, I received a call from the Executive Director of the Elementary Learning Community, informing me that although I would receive a “Principal” contract for 2017-18, it would not be at JBE. I was shocked, as my tenure as principal of the school began less than two short years prior.
Not one time throughout this school year has any CCSD administrator, including the Superintendent, the Associate Superintendent of Schools, the Executive Director of the Elementary Learning Community, or the Director of the Elementary Learning Community visited our building. Neither had any leader shared with me a single concern about my performance, the performance of our teachers, or the performance of our students. Not one time, if it existed, were any community concerns conveyed to me, and not one time was even the “threat” of a potential move shared with me privately, publicly and/or in a group setting.
I was devastated, as I love our community, its parents and most importantly, its students. While we have lots left to accomplish, during my 1 ½ years at the school, we have increased student enrollment, put community programs in place to close the opportunity gap, increased physical activity opportunities, and improved parent, teacher, and student satisfaction.
The following morning, April 25, I met with the Executive Director of the Elementary Learning Community. The first thing he did was take a torn half-sheet of paper on which several rows of numbers were scribbled, handed me the paper and said, “Pick which scores are yours.” After asking for further
clarification about his request, I identified JBE students’ winter MAP scores. He then said, “That’s why you’re being moved.”
Perplexed again, I remained silent. My study of the NWEA website suggests that the intent of MAP is not to penalize students, teachers and/or principals. Instead, its purpose is to be used as a formative tool to help teachers know in what areas they need to focus their instruction throughout the following semester to grow students.
I sat silent, much as I had less than a month earlier on March 29, after being told in a principal allocation meeting that I should use testing data to place educators on improvement plans. I later spoke honestly to the teachers at JBE about my hesitation to do this and indicated that I would never use
student test scores in isolation to place teachers on improvement plans. Make no mistake: teachers and principals welcome accountability, but they want it to be fair, consistent, and student-centered.
After my meeting with the Executive Director on the morning of April 25, I met with the Superintendent later that day, per my request, after which I was more stunned than ever before. She indicated that the school’s data supported I did not have experience working in a “low income” school and said, “You are a young guy. You’ve not had experience working under a strong principal leader, have you?” Raised to respect authority, I did not respond that the principal underneath whom I worked for several years and who mentored me is currently appointed by the Superintendent herself as the Interim Director of Administrator Hiring and Leadership Development for CCSD.
I shared with the Superintendent that no one had visited our school or shared with me any performance concerns throughout the school year and that I was baffled why all of this was occurring. She indicated that because I received a principal contract and wasn’t being “demoted,” this wasn’t an issue. I remained silent. I was shocked to hear that such could actually happen in a school system where due process, best practice, and mentorship should exist for all teachers and administrators.
I changed the subject and shared with the Superintendent that I believed my work at JBE to be unfinished. As a result, I indicated that my community would likely be upset when it learned of this decision.
She then responded, “Your future in CCSD depends on how you handle this situation.” I sat silent.
She continued, “You could either play the victim, or you could tell your community it was your decision to leave JBE and that you’ve been ‘called’ to lead a school with students who need you more.”
Stunned it would be suggested I misrepresent “my” intentions to a community I love because of what appeared to be student test scores, my speaking out against a plan to put teachers on improvement plans, and my inexperience as a leader-I quickly explained that while I would “always respect my employer, I would not lie.”
She then said, “This is your truth to tell.”
On Thursday, April 27, I met with the Associate Superintendent of Schools. She confirmed the reasons I was being moved as student test data and a lack of diverse experience. During this meeting, she discussed the timeline with me for sharing this information with the JBE community. She approved the letter I had written to send to parents with the exception of a few sentences that identified the reasons for my move as student test scores and level of experiences. She requested that I remove those lines as “people don’t need that much information.”
I complied with her request and removed the information.
It was at this time that I made the one special request I’ve made throughout this process to the Associate Superintendent of Schools, to allow my 7 year old son to transfer from JBE and be placed at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School for 17-18. I explained that his remaining at JBE would be too hard
emotionally on him and our family as the school community and its teachers are very special to us all. This would also relieve a hardship on my wife and me in regards to transportation, as my sister is a teacher at the school.
The Associate Superintendent of Schools quickly and confidently approved this request, indicating it “would be no problem at all.” Afterwards, I spoke to the SIES principal and arranged the transfer.
I then notified my community of the transfer. When parents began sharing concerns with the Board of Trustees and district office, I received a call from the Associate Superintendent of Schools, indicating my 7 year old son would no longer be approved for a transfer and able to attend SIES. Instead, she indicated, “He’s been placed on the waiting list.”
Since then, parents and community members have been told by the Superintendent and Board members that it is because “of an outstanding skill set” that I’m being moved and that it has nothing to do with the aforementioned reasons. They even told a select group of parents in a closed-door meeting
that my transfer was unequivocally not about test scores.
If this decision was indeed based on an “outstanding skill set,” which would benefit students at another school, why could it not benefit the students at JBE, the most diverse elementary school in Mt. Pleasant? Who is advocating for all of these children in our community?
When the Associate Superintendent of Schools visited JBE for the first time this year, Friday, May 5, to meet with the faculty without me present, she, once again, informed staff that this decision was not about test scores. After the meeting, she said to me, “The Superintendent is NOT happy with this.”
Meanwhile, all of our students sit silent and wait. They wait for us to value them over test scores. They wait for us to value things like learning through play and physical activity. They wait for us to value real-world experiences over test preparation. They wait for us to empower their teachers to be creative and engage them in meaningful learning. Most of all, they wait for us to value doing what is right.
After nearly 10 years in CCSD, it is apparent that I now have a fundamental, philosophical difference with its leadership. Therefore, please accept this as my official letter of resignation, effective June 30, 2017.
Sincerely,
Jake Rambo
Principal
James B. Edwards Elementary School
I now place the name of Jake Rambo on the blog’s honor roll for his principled resistance to unconscionable policies that harm teachers and students.
Principal Rambo’s experience is not isolated to him or just a few Teachers and Administrators. It is happening all across America and helping to lead to the destruction of the American Public Education System as we have been so blessed to have for so long. Good luck Principal Rambo.
Do you have any sources for “Principal Rambo’s experience is not isolated to him or just a few Teachers and Administrators.”?
I’ve not seen any other administrator do what Rambo is doing. He is the only one.
And as Diane puts him on the honor roll of this blog, I take him off my list of adminimals. He is a true administrator (at least from what I can tell from this post).
From what you say, it sounds like your adminimalist is very long.
Is that one of them oxymorons?
Hmmm, new term “adminimalist” as a descriptor of adminimal behavior. I like it! And yes my adminimal list is quite longer. So far only one-Rambo, well, make that two for the other being an AP who wouldn’t follow the orders of the principal to file false sexual harassment charges against me.
I can state that my district did it to my principal – not at the end of the year, but in the middle. One day they were there – the next gone. No explanation to the children. While no reason was ever given. It is widely understood it was over evaluations although the temporary Principal could find no deficiencies in the evaluations that were given.
This also was not an isolated incedent in the district. We now have Principals that are resigning rather than be moved. They work at the pleasure of the Superintendent. Do as I say or we will force you out.
This is a common tactic employed in the charleston county school district. It is used against principals, teachers and just this past fall on food service employees. It is do what i say, or you will be transferred or demoted. Ccsd has a reputation for acting in a punitive manner against its people.
Now, the spin doctors are trying to make Mr. Rambo appear as a disgruntled employee. It happened just the way he stated. Of course since only two people were in the room, the superintendent says she didn’t threaten him. Who isn’t telling the Truth? In ccsd you can be assured the central administration is twisting things trying to get out in front of a mess of their own making by saying it’s a personnel issue.
The school board passed a “coherent governance” plan in which they abdicated all responsibility for any decision to the Superintendent who is the ceo. Schools are built on relationships. This is a concept which is totally lacking in the central administration because the superintendent, herself, hasn’t established any relationships with the employees. She introduced herself via ted talk and is not seen around the district.
Employees are not invited to give input. To find out what is going on in the district, they must read it in the morning newspaper because they are not valued enough to get a memo, unless, ccsd has slipped up and things backfire, which is the current situation.
Thus, you can be assured that this young principal would not risk his career and the welfare of his family by lying about what happened in those meetings. He is a whistle blower, and he deserves better. This situation needs to be investigated by the SC department of education and SLED.
Sorry to read that you have to tolerate that kind of daily environment. Been there and know what it is. We’ve gone from collaborative management of schools with teacher input being valued to a militaristic top-down insanity of management. For me that top down crap shows a lack of knowledge and skills in the “top leaders” who are too afraid to interact (as your supe adminimal) with the staff so that their ignorance won’t be known.
It has happened to multiple principals in our district. We have also had many teachers who have been not only a teacher of the year for their school,l but in the top five for our district put on remediation plans or not had contracts renewed based on test scores. How could you not applaud a principal for standing up for his teachers. And, teachers were never told that our evaluation system was being changed until contracts were issued. God bless the parents of children with disabilities. Who is going to work with those students if it means you might lose your job?!? And forget the fact fact that state testing was a disaster this year. I had students sit through three different testing sessions who could never log into the system. I am sure their scores will be an accurate reflection of their ability and mine.
I do applaud him. Notice I will call him an administrator and not an adminimal. By standing up and doing what is right by the teachers and by extension the students, and then being willing to take what the powers that be determined to be his “punishment” he has done what very few adminimals have done. Yes, he is to be applauded.
Have you pointed out the problems with the system, documenting them and letting your AP or principal know. I say that not so they can “improve” the system as there is no improving a completely invalid system, but so that you can cover your own ass when they try to come down on it. I sure hope so! And any other little problem should have been documented. Play their documentation game better than they do because the adminimals don’t give one lick about you, only their own selves.
I can’t know what that Superintendent is thinking, but I know I would think twice before I would cross Rambo.
My thoughts exactly :0).
This is a very troubling situation and strangely it mirrors the crazy events in Washington. I wonder if we are powerless to save ourselves.
An exception to Yeats’s “The best lack all conviction.” Too often educators who sacrifice themselves due to conviction find themselves convicted without chance of parole in the employment market. Here’s hoping that Principal Rambo is an exception to this rule as well.
“Perplexed again, I remained silent. My study of the NWEA website suggests that the intent of MAP is not to penalize students, teachers and/or principals. Instead, its purpose is to be used as a formative tool to help teachers know in what areas they need to focus their instruction throughout the following semester to grow students.”
That right there was his mistake. Taking them at their word.
I do worry about him, though. They don’t seem real tolerant of dissenters in Data Driven World. Will he ever work again? Won’t they just replace him with someone who recites the acceptable line?
The data craze will pass. We are going to get a new crop of district leaders who were teachers during this punishing phase of VAM and test-mania.
If your district promotes teachers to become district leaders then you are truly fortunate. Many districts consider teachers to be unqualified for leadership – they want people with business experience.
At the same time those who are promoted from the teaching staff usually have been chosen precisely for their malleability and ass kissing expertise. Those who question things won’t be chosen. And I actually think that my business supervisory experiences and age also hindered my being chosen. I’ve not seen any district that wanted people with business experience, they want those “malleable” staff who are a known entity (known for ass-kissing that is).
Yes, it’s technocrats, opportunists and monsters they’re looking for, and if they’re “lucky” (to the sorrow of students, parents and teachers) they get all three.
I think you ar engaged in wishful thinking. Test scores are the weapon of choice for destroying public education and in all schools that resceive ESSA funds they are still front and center as if the same as “accountability.”
No, we’ll win the struggle against the profiteers.
A Care 2 petition for Jake Rambo can be found on the internet by searching his name and the word, petition. There are almost 1500 signatures. The school board president is Kate_Darby@charleston.k12.sc.us. Kevin_Hollinshead@charleston.k12.sc.us is a second board member to contact.
If this incident reflects the city caring more about oligarch-imposed testing than honorable school leadership, Charleston’s image as a tourist and commercial city is tarnished.
What a strong, principled decision. Integrity always wins in the long run, and those who exhibit -or demand -integrity breaches may not experience immediate repercussions, but the breach often reveals other flaws that will eventually be unveiled. Principal Rambo, may your stand for integrity soothe your soul, even as you leave the community you cherish. Yours,
The test-based “Value-Added Method” (VAM) of evaluating teachers has been “slammed” — quoting The Washington Post — by the very people who know the most about data measurement: The American Statistical Association (ASA). The ASA’s authoritative, detailed, VAM-slam analysis, titled “Statement on Using Value-Added Models for Educational Assessment” and has become the basis for teachers across the nation successfully challenging VAM-based evaluations.
Even the anti-public school, anti-union Washington Post newspaper said this about the ASA Statement: “You can be certain that members of the American Statistical Association, the largest organization in the United States representing statisticians and related professionals, know a thing or two about data and measurement. The ASA just slammed the high-stakes ‘value-added method’ (VAM) of evaluating teachers that has been increasingly embraced in states as part of school-reform efforts. VAM purports to be able to take student standardized test scores and measure the ‘value’ a teacher adds to student learning through complicated formulas that can supposedly factor out all of the other influences and emerge with a valid assessment of how effective a particular teacher has been. THESE FORMULAS CAN’T ACTUALLY DO THIS (emphasis added) with sufficient reliability and validity, but school reformers have pushed this approach and now most states use VAM as part of teacher evaluations.”
The ASA Statement points out the following and many other failings of testing-based VAM:
“System-level conditions” include everything from overcrowded and underfunded classrooms to district-and site-level management of the schools and to student poverty.
A copy of the VAM-slamming ASA Statement should be posted on the union bulletin board at every school site throughout our nation and should be explained to every teacher by their union at individual site faculty meetings so that teachers are aware of what it says about how invalid it is to use standardized test results to evaluate teachers — and teachers’ unions should fight all evaluations based on student test scores.
Fight back! Never, never, never give up!
Thank you, Mr. Rambo, for your courage. It is not easy to go against the grain and tell the truth to the community and the teachers know the TRUTH. The deformers are good at muzzling others. because for them the stakes are high…their egos, pocketbooks, and perks.
Only my best goes out to you and hope you find a job in the public schools and put them to shame for their lies and hideous treatment of you.
My hope is that sanity returns and public schools are once again NOT managed by monied interests, and classrooms are about our young and curriculum based on what we know theoretically and pedagogically, not KA-CHING.
It’s like “close reading” and David Coleman…totally DUH, but some get rich.
Last comment: The SCREEN is making a nation of dummies because of KA-CHING ($$$$$$$$$$$$$). It’s about CONTROL by the oligarchy and the new money.
I failed to emphasize an important aspect of this story. Primary responsibility lies with Superintendent Gerrita Postlewaite, but people don’t usually act this way unless they feel like they have permission. Please see comments from board member Todd Garrett’s, below:
Teachers on performance plans were told that the board’s original intention was to fire them outright:
“It was told to faculty the next day after we were told that the board’s original plan was to fire us and not give us contracts!”
The same disturbing comment pings back repeatedly from people at every level of the CCSD food chain. It has been denied vehemently by Board Chair Kate Darby.
Now where would anybody get the crazy idea that the board is eager to see mass firings quicky-quicky?
How about these recent public comments by board member Todd Garrett?
“What motivates me the most is that in April teacher/principal contracts go out.
If we don’t clean house…then there’s no hope of ever changing anything….In the next month, we need to know that every principal in every school is committed to ensuring that we have a highly effective teacher in every classroom.
If they won’t keep that standard, then they need to go. We need to know that no level 1 teacher is rehired as a teacher.
“Level 1” is a performance rating from the EVAAS value-added system. It takes a technique designed to compare crop yields and applies it to student test scores.
..After we’ve identified the empty seats that we need to fill, then we need an all out blitz to ensure that we hire highly qualified replacements by fall…”
So, at least one board member believes that teachers should be held personally responsible when outcomes falls below expectations. I’m told it’s more than one (but less than nine).
An exact count is impossible, since this policy was never even shared with the whole board, much less voted on.
Yet numerous credible sources report that performance plans were not Plan A. The first wave of principals was offered a choice of terminating teachers or putting them on Formal Evaluation. When they balked, the district backed down.
And people wonder why teachers are leaving the profession? It takes a dewy-eyed idealist to enter the profession, and even they seem to be in short supply. I admire Rambo’s integrity; integrity doesn’t seem to be on the short list of admirable employee characteristics.
Research on the subject of the likelihood of “better” replacement hires, must have eluded the superintendent. More’s the pity for Charleston.
Duane, time for your Wilson rant!
When will these fools learn THERE IS NO SUCH THING as a “STANDARDIZED” test–SBACs, CCRAP & whatever other %$#@ scantrons & worthless materials flying around out there to make LOT$ of $$$ for companie$ $uch as$ Pear$on (oh, btw, I found an interesting little article in the biz section of one of the vacation papers I was reading–I’ll find it & post it on this blog–that the CEO of Pear$on was receiving his millions comp., despite the fact that Pear$on $tock$ have, as of late, been dropping).
The never-ending race continues, & the Pineapple question (not that exact one, but many of its ilk) goes on & on.
From: https://dianeravitch.net/2017/05/19/anthony-cody-activists-fight-corporate-media-with-short-videos-and-powerful-message/#comments
Anthony Cody, co-founder of the Network for Public Education and retired teacher, describes the day nearly three weeks ago when education activists from across the nation met in a grimy warehouse in Brooklyn to tape videos about the fight for better schools and against privatization.
From: http://www.livingindialogue.com/education-activists-craft-viral-videos/
… In this way, we can elevate the voices of the parents, students and activists in these films, and spread important reports. We can get the kind of support the billionaire’s money cannot buy – that which comes from our hearts.
In the same vein, we would have:
“Teachers, parents and students” can get the kind of support “Superintendent and school Board” cannot bully/order – that which comes from our hearts.
If students and parents unite behind “local” teachers and principal, no other teachers or principal can possibly take over their beloved teachers’ and principal’s places.
Yes, Betsy Devos confirms that individual student’s choice and parents’choice will supersede superintendent and school Board = people’s choice will supersede any command from institute/board/group/buildings…
Here is the extract from Betsy’s speech:
[start quote]
This experience led me to the following conclusions:
First, parents know what is best for their kids. No parent should be denied the opportunity to send his or her son or daughter to a school with confidence that he or she can learn, grow and be safe.
Secondly, good teachers know what’s best for the students in their classrooms. Teachers deserve more respect than many give them, and more opportunities than the system affords them today.
And thirdly, state and local leaders are best equipped to address the unique challenges and opportunities they face, not the federal government. Locally driven innovation and customization are far more likely to generate meaningful results than are top-down mandates.
I’m simply in favor of giving parents more and better options to find an environment that will set their child up for success.
Our nation’s commitment is to provide a quality education to every child to serve …individual children, not in institutions or buildings.
…
If we truly want to improve education for children, we need to come together.
[end quote]
In short, Principal Rambo should have his son to learn at any school/district that he prefers. And last but not least, if we truly want to improve education for children, we need to come together. Ah hah, come on people, come together for what you truly want for your children, and your community.
In Charleston, South Carolina, all parents, students and Teachers in the James B. Edwards community shall apply their demand or wishes as per Secretary of DOE, Mrs Betsy Devos’ command , as in “If we truly want to improve education for children, we need to come together.” Back2basic
Alert!
Finally, I can twist Betsy’s words into the advantage for teachers, parents and students.
Yes, we need to come together if we truly want to improve education for children.
We can make their lives/commands as misery as they try to make ours to be. Please be creative and unite to fight back privatization peacefully = apply saint Gandhi’s successful “long term” passive strategy. Back2basic
Unfortunately Mr. Rambo is not alone here.There are teachers that are routinely victims of this kind of treatment from administration as well. I know as I fall into that category. Rather than tolerate this any longer, I retired. It is the children who are suffering. No longer is it about the student’s success. People need to realize that ALL of the children comprise our future and not a select few. I totally applaud Mr. Rambo for I too loved my school and hated what was happening to the students. For my entire career I taught at an inner-city, Title One school and wouldn’t have taught anywhere else! Mr. Rambo, I would also avoid Richland County School District One for the same reasons as was your experience in the Charleston School District.
BTW and FYI for one individual. For all employees of the state, counties, and municipalities of South Carolina, this is a right to work state. Is is actually against the law to form and/ have a union. The best we have is the SCEA. They were a great support when I was dealing with the district.
I am right behind you Mary, 22 years at the same school here in Nevada. I had hoped to teach a bit longer, but any menial job plus my pension equals what I make now and relieves me of a great deal of stress. I will not be part of testmania since we failed to get rid of it. I have refuse to administer it, but for the last several years it has been computerized. I hope the network crashes, and I would be glad to help crash the net.
This site needs an edit key, refused not refuse,,,,bad keyboard.
Hello Ms. Ravitch. My name is Sharon Rambo and love in Charleston, SC. I was wondering if you’ve heard of any of the gross injustices occurring in our very large, very wealthy district? There is currently a petition going around with more than 30 infractions that our superintendent has committed. It’s moving quite slowly, but starting to gain momentum. A few months ago, you took interest in a principal from this district who wrote a resignation letter detailing what had happened to him personally (Jake Rambo). More and more of those stories are coming out from other administrators. We need help from someone such as yourself to help gain signatures and spread the word. Most of our school board members have proven to be lame ducks and passed over as much of their power to the Super as possible. Things are only getting worse. Could you please give me any other ideas as to how we can demand change? Thank you so much.
https://www.change.org/p/kate-darby-charleston-k12-sc-us-demandchange-for-ccsd-students-educators-now?recruiter=778144672&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition&utm_content=nafta_copylink_shortlink_1%3Areal_control