QUESTION
Can pay incentives for teachers in high poverty schools retain them despite external challenges?
1:20:51
·
166 sec
Superintendent Khalek Kirkland suggests that while pay incentives might help, external safety concerns due to crime significantly influence teachers' decisions to stay in high poverty schools.
- Khalek Kirkland uses the safety challenges faced by schools in the 73rd precinct as an example.
- He highlights Project Pivot's success in reducing absenteeism by proactively engaging with students.
- Despite Project Pivot's effectiveness within schools, external safety issues remain a concern for teachers.
- Kirkland expresses worry about losing quality teachers due to external safety concerns, regardless of initiatives like Project Pivot.
Rita C. Joseph
1:20:51
Thank you, council member, superintendent Kirkland, in your testimony, you mentioned a fear of teaching shit teachers shifting from high poverty schools to low poverty schools.
1:21:00
Right?
1:21:01
Since the law prioritize students in higher need schools, do you think a policy that offers pay incentives teachers in high poverty schools like schools in your district can combat this?
Khalek Kirkland
1:21:11
Maybe.
1:21:13
However, let me give you a real life scenario.
1:21:17
You know that I'm a part of the 73rd precinct, and the 73rd precinct is doing everything they can to combat
Nina Kubota
1:21:26
crime.
Khalek Kirkland
1:21:27
Right?
1:21:28
However, there's not a week that goes by that one of my schools does not have a a drill because of an activity that's happened outside of the building.
1:21:42
And we call that other show.
Rita C. Joseph
1:21:43
Project Pivot.
1:21:44
Dan loves project Pivot.
1:21:45
Where's project Pivot in this situation?
1:21:47
Good quality.
Khalek Kirkland
1:21:47
Remember, project Pivot is the first of all.
1:21:49
Project Pivot is doing an amazing job.
Amy Tsai
1:21:51
Mhmm.
Khalek Kirkland
1:21:52
I congratulate our chancellor for that initiative.
1:21:54
It's been doing amazing things.
1:21:56
So you've blown up project pivot.
1:21:57
Let me tell you how project pivot has helped us.
1:22:00
Project pivot has helped us dramatically by decreasing absenteeism and chronic absenteeism because they're actually going in and knocking on project doors.
1:22:09
And saying, I need you to get up and you're coming to school.
1:22:12
So they've done an amazing job.
1:22:13
I'm not talking about problems inside of the building.
1:22:16
I'm talking about problems outside of the building.
1:22:19
So approximately a 1:30, the principal gets on the PA system and says, we have a shelter in drill because of activity that's happened outside of the school building.
1:22:29
And everybody knows what that means.
1:22:31
That means that crime is going on somewhere and no one can get in and no one can get out.
1:22:36
So if I'm a teacher, I'm twenty five years old, I'm a single woman, and I'm thinking, wow, I drove to school, my car is outside.
1:22:46
Is it safe for me to go outside, or is the 70 3rd precinct still outside?
1:22:53
So now I'm starting to make decisions about where I'm gonna go to work every day based on that.
1:22:59
I love my school.
1:23:00
I love my children.
1:23:02
I love my families.
1:23:04
But, wow, wouldn't I wouldn't I probably prefer to go to a school that I don't have to deal with that, that neighborhood.
1:23:12
That's what I'm afraid of where we lose people and lose quality teachers.
1:23:16
From Brownsville.
1:23:17
In addition to what you said, no one likes high class size, but we also wanna make sure that we're working in districts, and we work very hard.
1:23:25
Very hard.
1:23:25
At pleasing our teachers and doing whatever we can, but that's a reality that is beyond the control of the principal project pivot or even the superintendent.
1:23:35
When something is happening outside