50 Redondo Union Teachers Say No to IB
Teachers cite expense of program in a time of budget cuts, and say students who aren't qualified for advanced coursework would get overlooked.
About 50 teachers from Redondo Union High School attended Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting in opposition to the International Baccalaureate program scheduled for implementation at the high school in 2012.
The teachers, including department chairs, said they oppose the cost of the IB program during a time of continued budget cuts. They also said it wasn't needed at a school with an award-winning Advanced Placement program.
Several teachers who addressed the board told Superintendent Steven Keller that they reject his characterization of them as a small group of teachers who are afraid of change.
“My colleagues and I are most definitely not afraid of change,” said Amber Keller, who teaches AP world history and modern world history. “We know how to make change happen and are fully in support of it when we are convinced it would better serve our students.”
Julie Ferron, RU's social studies department chair, said IB targets “a student group whose academic needs are already being successfully addressed through a diverse and highly respected AP program, which has open enrollment.”
Bringing in an alternative diploma program like IB is ironic considering that Redondo Union was recognized this week for increasing AP scores and enrollment, teachers noted.
IB follows coursework mandated by the International Baccalaureate Organization. AP courses follow curriculum mandated by the College Board.
The students that need more attention are those who are not able to take advanced coursework such as AP or IB classes, said Ferron, who was critical that a collective discussion with all staff over IB has not taken place.
The Board of Education and the school administration support bringing the IB program to the high school because they say a demand exists.
For every student who attends a district school, the state pays the school district $5,500. Administrators have said that about 225 students from North Redondo choose to attend Mira Costa High School each year, and an IB program at Redondo Union, which decreased in overall enrollment this year by 50 students, would attract enough additional students for the program to pay for itself, and perhaps even make money in the long run.
The IB program costs between $100,000 and $150,000 a year.
About 15 teachers addressed the school board. The 50 or so teachers in attendance represented nearly half the instructors at Redondo Union, which has about 110 teachers.
Mary Little, principal at Redondo Union, listened to the teachers' concerns about IB at the school board meeting.
After the meeting, Little said, “I still believe IB would be an excellent program to enhance educational opportunities for the students at Redondo Union. And I acknowledge our teachers have some concerns about financial issues and perhaps some other issues. We’ll have to continue to evaluate and work on the process of implementation.”
Little said the first part of the application process has been completed. The second part is due April 1. Then an IB team will visit the school sometime in the next year before the program is scheduled to go into effect in 2012.
Cynthia Leathers, the foreign language department chair at RU, said that bringing IB to the school is not appropriate while increasing class sizes, proposing unpaid furlough days and requiring all district employees to contribute more to their health insurance.
“What fiscally responsible organization implements expensive programs when there’s not enough money for the basics?” Leathers said.
“I know that our board and our superintendent want Redondo to shine in every way and they think IB will bring more students here. This is a risky proposition, considering the cost and the impact on the school and the fact that the staff is not on board,” Leathers said.
Tim Baumgartner, a mathematics teacher at RU, chronicled course changes he has overseen and implemented during his career, as other teachers did.
“I am at a loss trying to understand the superintendent’s behavior in saying that IB is only opposed by a few teachers who are afraid of change. Dr. Keller, you owe us an explanation.”
Keller responded: “Sure, I’m happy to meet with you.”
During a brief recess of the board meeting, Keller said that the IB program enjoys strong support from other teachers in the district as well as parents “who see it as a good fit for their child.”
Roberta Clark
1:36 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Very interesting -- I agree with Mrs. Ferron's statement wholeheartedly. The AP program is top-notch and is open to any student who wishes to take AP classes. The kids in the middle (OK, but not great students) are the ones who need focus. They need help staying on track and need to understand which classes will qualify them to apply to a 4 year university. A recent Daily Breeze article noted that a very low percentage of RUHS students (52%, I believe) took the correct mix of classes (the A-G requirements) to apply for Cal State and UC schools. That percentage was way below other area schools. This isn't even about GPA -- too many RUHS students are taking only what's required to graduate, which isn't enough to apply to a 4 year shcool. So, do you need an IB program? Sounds more like RUHS needs to address the basic needs of the larger student population.
Mary Barnes
4:43 pm on Sunday, March 27, 2011
Less words. Ever notice those on a soap box talk alot. Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty. Please send your tea party to Mexico. They support guns. Nuff said. Darn, forgot about Texas, is it legal to drink, drive and carry a shot gun?
Natural selection. Swim with a whale, and fall into the ocean.
Mary Barnes
4:45 pm on Sunday, March 27, 2011
Michele Bachmann, Saturday night Live is ready, with jokes and drinks. Give it a rest. Minnesota, has decided not to give you or Tim any more air time or print time.
Wolfman
3:00 pm on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Try to give all our students a good education in these trying times should be number one priority
IBClever
10:17 am on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I agree with Wolfman, our priority should be good education for students. The key is proper implementation of whatever curriculum/program we choose.
http://ibclever.com/ibresources/
Lisa McLoughlin
2:48 am on Thursday, March 24, 2011
BRAVO REDONDO BEACH TEACHERS!!!!
http://truthaboutib.com/
Lisa McLoughlin
9:06 am on Thursday, March 24, 2011
Part B of the IB Application requires an additional $9,500 payment by April 1. (April Fool's Day, how appropriate). Once your district has paid that sum, IB authorization is guaranteed after you pay another $3,500 for the IB team's "site visit". There is absolutely no evidence of a single school in the U.S. (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) being denied IB authorization - as long as the checks are good.
Sara Pritzkat
11:16 am on Thursday, March 24, 2011
The best way for RUHS to draw more students is to be the #1 school in the South Bay for percentage of students matriculating to a four-year school. This cannot be accomplished through an IB program. The students that IB will address are already having their needs met by an outstanding AP program that graduates students to the top school in the country every year. However, the kids in the next "tier" of achievement are not having their needs met in attaining the proper classes or the appropriate preparation to apply to four-year schools. Many have the classes yet don't believe they can get in to Cal States or UC schools because so much emphasis at RUHS is placed on the top students, leaving the others feeling like they have no options. If the district spent even half what an IB program costs on intensive college-prep activities (not simply in the classroom), the rate of kids going to four-year schools would sky rocket. Wouldn't parents want that for their kids in making a choice about high schools? IB only serves the most elite students ans surely our target audience at RUHS will have a variety of backgrounds. Look at Costa: a matriculation rate well over 80 percent? Wake up School Board, that's the number you need to be reaching for, not the number of IB kids you have.
Dennis Tarrant
3:55 pm on Thursday, March 24, 2011
It sounds like RU has achieved some lofty goals. I am glad to read what has been achieved since 1998. My family and I lived in Redondo Beach from 1994 to 1998. Our realtor and locals suggested we visit RU and Mira Costa (Deemed the better of the two). We found both schools wanting. We moved from a top-rated school district (in which we deliberately chose to build our house) in suburban Chicago (Naperville District 203). Our sophomore son was a half year ahead if he attended either school.When he enrolled in Chadwick, he was a full year behind. He studied and graduated with great grades, with accaptence letters from Purdue, which he chose, Lehigh, and Vanderbilt.
We pulled our daughter from tan overcrowded 1st grade at Alta Vista and enrolled her in Cardon Dominion. She finished school in Colorado. Our school district here offers AP programs at all high schools and IB at select high schools. Interstingly, they are evaluating whether to continue the IB programs, due to costs and success artes that don't exceed the AP students' achievements on college accepatnce and state assessments.
Lastly, I think Dr. Keller owes teachers an apolgy, not just an explanation. No well run business commits to changes like he is proposong without feedback and participation from the professional staff charged with implementation.
Dennis Tarrant
A. Santa Cruz
6:38 am on Friday, March 25, 2011
Go online to www.rbusd.org - Departments - Board of Education –Board Video Archives-Meeting 3-22-11- tab to minute 56:46 and you can see the statements made by the RUHS teachers.
Lisa McLoughlin
12:01 pm on Friday, March 25, 2011
It used to be that supporters of IB only demeaned parents and taxpayers who objected to IB. Now it appears IBlovers are taking the Delphi Technique to an entirely new level by labeling dedicated, veteran AP teachers as "afraid of change".
I would like to give a standing ovation to the teachers who took time out of their personal lives to show solidarity in support of academic freedom. Teacher after teacher described the IB application process in Redondo as being conducted without staff input and being "forced" upon them.
Listen to the teachers, not a Superintendent who only wants to add the IB gold star to his resume'. Thank you to Amy Santa Cruz, for sharing the above link. I will be featuring the school board video at Truth About IB.
Lisa McLoughlin
12:29 pm on Friday, March 25, 2011
http://truthaboutib.com/breakingnewsopinions.html
Jane
5:06 pm on Saturday, March 26, 2011
The real issue ought to be having to be 100% fully funded in the teachers' pension plan. Until people realize we're paying $150K a year or more for each teacher when we factor in the long term unfunded pension liab ility, we have no way to even begin to fix the problem. The state of California has an unfunded pension liability of upwards of $750B dollars. The entire state payroll is only $50B. it's clear, each public sector worker, on average, sucks up way, way, way more money than just the payroll hit that we pay in the current budget year. This MUST STOP.
IB is rounding error. Let's do the program.
Lisa McLoughlin
9:51 am on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
IB is simply wasteful spending - it isn't even an "unfunded mandate". You're never going to get concessions on pension contributions from teachers as long as agenda driven administrators attempt to force expensive, wasteful, ideological programs on students, staff and taxpayers while increasing class size and eliminating positions.
John St Croix
6:59 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
There is only one purpose behind IB -- to change students' attitudes in preparation for the centrally managed society as envisioned by the United Nations. This is treason and brainwashing at best. How can parents allow this? Do they not believe in American independence anymore?