The Displaced Plainsman catches Education Secretary Melody Schopp's announcement of the educators and other citizens picked to do the dirty work of HB 1234, Governor Daugaard's ugly education reform bill. The teacher evaluation group faces the difficult task of resolving the all the difficulties of hanging unreliable, excellence-crushing, for-profit standardized test scores around specific teachers' necks. The Local Teacher Reward Plan Advisory Council will cobble together at least one model plan that schools can use to beg the Governor for permission to manage their own payroll rather than submitting to the state's wrong-headed, research-rejected default policy of competitive merit bonuses.
Secretary Schopp turned down my application to participate in the LTRPAC. The Governor and Legislature still need to name the members of HB 1234's three other committees, so I still may get a chance to bring some horsesense to this legislative madness.
The HB 1234 committees are supposed to start work on July 1. But all of these committees need to hold their horses: their mandate to machinate hinges on the petition drive to refer HB 1234 to a public vote. If we teachers and friends submit 15,855 signatures by June 18, HB 1234 is put in stasis until the November election.
I would love to know how many of the committee members named below have signed a petition to refer HB 1234.
Teacher Evaluation Work Group
Teachers:
- Candy Ballard, Lead-Deadwood
- Nicole Keegan, Rapid City
- Paul Kuhlman, Avon
- Pat Moller, Mitchell
- Kristin Skogstad, Sioux Falls
- Sharla Steever, Hill City
Principals:
- Kyley Cumbow, Pierre
- Kym Johnston, Lennox
- Kevin Lein, Harrisburg
Superintendents:
- Don Kirkegaard, Meade
- Shayne McIntosh, Parkston
School board members:
- Pam Haukaas, Colome Consolidated
- Rebecca Reimer, Chamberlain
Parents:
- Pete Anderson, Rapid City
- Amy Blum, Chamberlain
- Shauna Hogland, Dell Rapids
- Stacy (Bauer) Jones, Brandon Valley
Representing:
- South Dakota Education Association: Steve O'Brien, Watertown
- School Administrators of South Dakota: Executive Director
- Associated School Boards of South Dakota: Wade Pogany
Principal Evaluation Work Group
Principals:
- Rob Coverdale, Pierre
- Melinda Jensen, Brookings
- Lisa McNeely, Aberdeen
- Jay Nelson, DeSmet
- Mark Rockafellow, West Central
- Brad Seamer, McCook Central
Teachers:
- Janelle Farris, Rapid City
- Andrew R. Johnson, Hamlin
- Heather Whetham, Meade
Superintendents:
- Pam Homan, Sioux Falls
- Deb Johnson, Chamberlain
School board members:
- Denise Lutkemeier, Wilmot
- Tom Morris, Dell Rapids
Parents:
- Jane Klug, Spearfish
- Shelly Munson, Tea
- Amy Policky, Rapid City
Representing:
- South Dakota Education Association: Mary McCorkle, Mobridge-Pollock
- School Administrators of South Dakota: Executive Director
- Associated School Boards of South Dakota: Wade Pogany
Local Teacher Reward Plan Advisory Council
Principals/Superintendents:
- Nick Gottlob, Lead-Deadwood
- Tami Hummel, Dakota Valley
- Tim Mitchell, Rapid City
- David Pappone, Brandon Valley
- Jarod Larson, Timber Lake
- Tim Pflanz, Tri-Valley
Teachers:
- Tanya Czepull, Brandon Valley
- Brett Distel, Douglas
- Becky Lockwood, Brookings
- Mary Schneider, Armour
- Joann Stephens, Belle Fourche
- Amber Stout, Pierre
School board members:
- David Haagenson, Baltic
- Neil Putnam, Mitchell
- Mary Williams, Wall
Where was this committee or public review a year ago? Why did we not heed Bernie Hunhoff's advice(and others) that we put HB1234 on hold and have serious public input on what really matters in public education? As to your ? about these committee members signing on to refer HB1234-that will be public knowledge once the petitions are filed with the SOS in mid-June.
Looks like it takes an awful lot of people to put together justification for an unsupportable, unfunded plan.
Nobody from Yankton on the list? In fact, the entire southeast corner of the state is barely represented at all. Dakota Valley is it for the entire section south of the Sioux Falls metro area until you get as far west as Avon. Also, just one from Aberdeen?
Not enough Daugaard supporters in the schools around your neighborhood, Chris?