BC Government, Carbon Offsets, and School Districts

(Excerpts from the debate on education in the Legislative Assembly, School district carbon offsets go to private corporations . May 17, 2010)

R. Fleming: I wanted to ask the minister if she's had discussions with her colleagues about how the Pacific Carbon Trust might be modified so that instead of money flowing from public sector organizations like schools, hospitals and other entities — the 130 PSOs that there are — to the private sector, whether the Pacific Carbon Trust might be modified over time in the coming years to actually invest public sector moneys, pooled moneys from the SUCH [public] sector into greening the infrastructure of schools, for example. Has she had those kinds of discussions?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: …starting this year they do have to purchase offsets, and it's at a cost of $25 per tonne of emissions. The estimate this year is that it will be about 235,000 tonnes, and that will mean that they will be spending about $5.9 million on offsets.

R. Fleming: …wouldn't it be a better idea to allow school districts, along with health authorities and other public sector organizations, to apply and receive money to retrofit their own buildings, to actually reduce their carbon footprints and their emission levels

I mean, the whole point of this exercise should be to green schools, but here we have, under the current system, the prospect of 60 school districts, most of which are in deficit right now, most of which are looking at losing teaching and learning resources and face a three-year funding horizon that is very challenging and difficult for them.... They're not in a very good position to set aside money for minor capital improvements and to replace things like fossil fuel–based heating systems that they may use, which they should do if we care about the environment. That is the goal here.

In fact, as the minister is aware, the carbon offsets are actually.... Pacific Carbon Trust gets $25 a tonne from school districts for these offsets. I don't know how much they then buy them for in the private sector, but they're literally transferring money to things like Lafarge cement fuel-switching projects or greenhouse growers in the Fraser Valley where they're putting up energy curtains.

There are a number of spas. I don't know if the minister is aware of all of them, but Westin Whistler Resort and Spa will be receiving money from school districts, from classroom resources, from trustees that are figuring out budgets and paying this money, which is then transferred over into the private sector. The Marriott in Whistler is another one. Sun Peaks Lodge, Coast Hillcrest. Hotels have done very well by this system. It's literally money coming from schools going in to green hotels rather than to green school buildings.

Mandate of the BCCT 'Fact Finder'

The fact finder will consider and make recommendations regarding the B.C. College of Teachers in fulfilling its mandate under the Teaching Profession Act. The fact finder will consider:

a) Whether the College of Teachers is fulfilling its mandate under Section 4 of the Teaching Profession Act: “It is the object of the college to establish, having regard to the public interest, standards for the education, professional responsibility and competence of certificate holders and applicants for certificates of qualification and, consistent with that object, to encourage the professional interest of certificate holders in those matters.”
b) The college’s role and performance respecting teacher pre-service and in-service training and regulation of member competence.
c) The college’s role and performance of its duties in comparison with other self-regulating professions.
d) The college’s teacher certification practices in comparison with those of other jurisdictions.
e) The effectiveness of the college in carrying out its mandate with regard to complaints concerning teacher conduct or competence, including investigation, disciplinary action and public reporting.
f) The effectiveness of the council of the college in carrying out its mandate to govern and administer the affairs of the college.

Worthwhile newsletter to read...

The newsletter of the Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association (VESTA) is usually well worth reading. The current month - May 2010 edition is spectacular. It has articles on the public's feelings toward the funding of public education in BC, it has a great article on the role of a Staff Rep., VESTA's audited financial statements (their budget is 1.2 million dollars, and they are proposing a 0.04% increase in dues (as in dues will go from 0.80% of salary up to 0.84% of salary) which will result in a mean annual dues amount of just under $600/year, and finally a grievance update from their local.

Here is the website: www.vesta.ca Go to it, then on the left hand menu, select 'news archive' then from the list that appears on the right hand side, choose "May 2010" (in red).

Job opportunity!

Continuing Full-Time Learning Assistance Teacher at SK’AADGAA NAAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Haida Gwaii, in Northern British Columbia, is an archipelago of more than 150 islands. The islands have gained a reputation for outstanding natural beauty and a remarkable First Nations culture. Haida Gwaii can provide something of interest to everyone: history, archeology, fishing, boating, hiking, cycling and more.

Located 80 km west of Prince Rupert, School District No. 50 (Haida Gwaii) is comprised of six (6) schools serving approximately 680 students. Please visit our website for additional details: www.sd50.bc.ca.

The Board of Education of School District No. 50 (Haida Gwaii) is seeking a continuing full-time (1.0 FTE) Learning Assistance Teacher effective September 1, 2010 at Sk’aadgaa Naay Elementary School.

Requirements:

A university teaching major, or its equivalent, directly related to the teaching position;

Successful teaching experience;

The ability to write clear and effective reports;

The ability to use technology effectively and efficiently;

Knowledge and skills in the identification procedures and program planning for students with special needs including autism, other developmental disorders, learning disabilities, and behavioural disorders;

Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, instruct and evaluate learning activities;

Have the ability to interpret the results of testing to develop appropriate educational strategies;

Collaboratively assess the level of support required and interpret each learner’s disability and its implications and have the ability to develop, implement and evaluate IEPs in consultation with teachers, parents and district and community;

Proven interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with students, teachers, special education assistants, parents and administrators;

Working knowledge of and experience in Aboriginal education;

Applicants must be eligible for BC College of Teachers certification.

If you are interested in assuming this role and are a community minded leader who enjoys the outdoors and is seeking a new challenge, please submit a teacher application complete with comprehensive resume and supporting documents, along with three (3) professional references by Thursday, May 27, 2010 to

Human Resources
School District 50 (Haida Gwaii)
Box 69
Queen Charlotte, BC
V0T 1S0
E-mail ssansome@sd50.bc.ca
fax: 250-559-8849

New York "Agreement"

Agreement Will Alter Evaluations Of Teachers, The New York Times, Tue May 11 2010. Jennifer Medina (excerpts for space)

The State Education Department and New York's teachers' unions have reached a deal to overhaul teacher evaluations and tie them to student test scores, .....

The agreement, ..... would scrap the current system whereby teachers were rated simply satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Instead, annual evaluations would place teachers in one of four categories -- highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective. While the deal would not have any immediate effect on teacher pay, it could make it easier for schools to fire teachers deemed subpar.

"We believe that if done correctly this will change the landscape dramatically," said David M. Steiner, the state education commissioner. "This is not a gotcha system. This is about creating professional development that can really improve education."

Teachers would be measured on a 100-point scale, with 20 percent points based on how much students improve on the standardized state exams. Another 20 percent would be based on local tests, which would have to be developed by each school system. After two years, 25 percent would be based on the state exams and 15 percent would come from the local tests.

The remainder of the evaluation will come from observations from principals and other teachers, and other measures. If teachers are rated ineffective for two consecutive years, they would face firing through an expedited hearing process that must conclude within 60 days. Currently hearings can drag on for several months.
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Testing data would be used for only a fraction of the teachers in the state, because many teachers instruct in subjects or grades that do not have an annual exam. Mr. Steiner and Ms. Tisch have criticized the state exams, saying they may have become too easy and predictable in the last several years. But Mr. Steiner said that they were "not useless," and that the department was taking steps to improve them, including changes this year that broadened the material covered by the tests.
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New York City began evaluating teachers based on test scores three years ago. But in 2008, the Legislature banned the use of student test scores in teacher evaluations, a move that was backed by the union.
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