 | Unjustified Target in Teacher Retention
8/22/2012 4:14 PMStorti defends principals.
From the MN 2020 Blog: When it comes to education cuts, it could take a generation to see the final outcomes on an economy. However, in Minnesota we’re already starting to see subtle deterioration of a great education system—near annual mass teacher layoffs, 4-day-weeks, and a wide achievement gap.
A recent report out from TNTP, an education research and training organization, downplays nationwide education funding declines, however, and lays blame for struggling schools at the feet of principals and a system, it says, designed to protect seniority.
The report notes that many principals don’t encourage the best teachers to stay. TNTP claims principals seem to have no incentive to keep the best and counsel out those who struggle...Fred Storti, long-time principal and head of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association says the report casts too much unjustified blame on principals and fails to account for how education cuts have hamstrung principals.
It also takes too dismissive a view of staff development. He agrees that principals are definitely responsible for setting the culture of high expectations in a school building. High expectations and a positive culture motivate teachers and other support staff. However, Storti says there are a number of factors that work to undermine even the highest expectations and standards.
Read the entire article on the MN 2020 Blog.
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