High Quality Education Starts With Pre-K

Numerous studies show that early childhood education has positive effects on children long after they finish their education. From their first day of kindergarten, children who attended prekindergarten perform better academically in a classroom setting and do better socially with their peers. But it doesn’t stop there—in long-term studies, children who had high-quality early childhood education were more likely to graduate from high school, attend college and even own a home.

So, how do we expand pre-K programs and give all children the opportunity to succeed? You can start by writing your members of Congress, urging them to support the Strong Start for America’s Children Act.
Right now, parents have access to early education and child care programs that range in quality, but not all parents are able to afford high-quality early education and care. We must reclaim the promise of public education by ensuring that all children have access to high-quality early learning programs.

Urge your elected officials to support the Strong Start for America’s Children Act. It is the first step in making sure our children have access to high-quality public education.
The introduction of this historic early learning bill, which has bipartisan support in Congress, provides an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. When we invest in early learning, we invest in our children, our economy and America’s future.

The promise of public education starts early, with high-quality early education. Write your members of Congress today.
In unity,
Tor Cowan
AFT Legislative Director

November 14, 2013July 14, 2014

Scholarships for RRU Members!

Scholarships for Red River United members and the children of Red River United members pursuing post-secondary studies are available. More will be posted as they surface:

NBA Internship Program:

Offers college students an exciting opportunity to use their skills and classroom learning within a national sports environment.

More information here.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program

A 10-week, full-time, paid summer work opportunity for deserving students with an interest in the NASCAR industry.

Learn more here.

Black Enterprise Internships

Designed to provide real-life work experiences for college students interested in a career in the media industry.
Learn more here.

NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship

Offers an opportunity for a minority, female college student to be chosen for a unique two-year internship program.

Learn more here.

Minority Access Internship Program

Offers spring, summer and fall internships for college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduates and professionals.
Learn more here.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Internships

Available for college students pursuing undergraduate associates or bachelors degrees.

Learn more here.

Essence Communications Internship Program

Open to undergraduate, graduate students, or recent college graduates interested in a career in the media industry. Applicants must have a strong interest in issues pertaining to African American women.
Learn more

BET Networks Internships

Provides paid internships for both undergraduate and graduate college students at five different locations.
Learn more here

UNCF/NAACP Gateway to Leadership Internship Program

A 10-week paid summer internship for undergraduate students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Learn more here

The White House Initiative’s Year-round Internship Program

Offers an exciting experience for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in improving education outcomes for African Americans.
Learn more at

November 12, 2013June 21, 2015

Overcrowding on the Bus: Know Your Rights!

Bus Drivers are responsible for the critical task of making sure that our students get to school and back home safely. That being said, there are laws and policies in place in order to ensure student safety on buses. There is no set maximum number of students who can be transported on a single bus, and how many kids you can legally transport depends on the size of children.

Federal law states that the number of students transported in a school bus must be compliant with the bus manufacturer’s instructions. The bus manufacturer states that in order to ensure maximum safety, all students must fit fully within their seats.

That means that every student must be fully covered by the seat back in front of them.

Hands, feet, and bodies can NOT be in the aisles. Students can NOT sit on the floors of buses (yes, we’ve heard about this happening).
If your bus is overcrowded, call Red River United IMMEDIATELY at 318-424-4579 before beginning your route.

November 8, 2013November 27, 2013

School Board Meeting Update: 11/5/13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujK9OrCd21E&feature=c4-overview&list=UUhOyHPx3_l84v0k9zj-HTog

View the entire press conference here.

At the November 5, 2013 Caddo Parish School Board meeting, the Recovery School District revealed its Partnership Agreement with the Caddo Parish School Board. This “agreement,” among other things, essentially forces the Caddo Parish School board to close down Newton Smith 6th Grade Center and Linear Leadership Academy, and gives the Caddo Parish School Board the option to choose between contracting a management or charter corporation to have complete control of curriculum, hiring, and daily operations of Atkins, Midway, Fair Park, and Woodlawn, or having a service provider provide these services under the control of a CPSB appointed principal. If the Caddo Parish School Board chooses to do neither, the Recovery School District can take over, and do with these schools as they please.

The plan also encourages Caddo Parish to partner with “alternative certification teacher pipeline programs” (their words, not ours), and school board members explicitly mentioned Teach for America. Teach for America recruits recent college graduates to teach in classrooms for 2-3 year periods. Over 50% of all Teach for America teachers nationwide leave teaching after 2 years, and more than 80% leave teaching after 3 years. These teachers enter the classroom with only five weeks of teacher training, and absolutely no live classroom experience. School districts also pick up some of the costs of training these teachers, who replace qualified, certified, and experienced teachers in the nation’s toughest classrooms. That this plan wants to bring TFA into Caddo Parish is a slap in the face of Caddo Parish teachers. Instead of supporting Caddo’s excellent teachers, this new plan wants to PAY to train college graduates with no education experience to take the place of a certified, experienced teacher.

Red River United believes that students are best served by community controlled schools, and that the Caddo Parish School System is best equipped to raise academic standards. Red River United does not believe turning our students over to the RSD, a management corporation, a service provider, or a charter school corporation meets the promise of providing a quality public education to our students. This is a question of civil rights. All children deserve a stable, quality education. The RSD does not have a proven track record of turning around AU schools. Parents and students are demonstrating a lack of confidence in the RSD through participation in community actions and petitions.

Sign our community petition asking the RSDs to leave our public schools alone. Like our Reclaim Caddo Parish Facebook cause page, and check out links to articles about the RSD on the page. Remember, the threat of an RSD takeover is still lurking on the sidelines.

This is how Red River United proposes to improve Caddo Schools:

• Caddo should focus on creating K-8 models. They are stabilizing for students and have provided academic success in our district.

• Caddo should focus on choice. One area proven successful has been our programmatic magnet schools. These schools should be standalone, and not part of any existing school.

• Caddo should concentrate the focus on where we can be the most effective in overall student achievement – we should provide Pre-k for every student in our district, with wraparound services for at-risk youngsters.

• Caddo should focus on strong professional development for all of our teachers. TAP, for example, has proven successful in other districts and in Caddo Parish where it has been implemented in several schools.

• Caddo should focus on academic standards and disciplinary codes of conduct in all of our schools. Teachers cannot teach, and students cannot learn in an atmosphere full of disruption and discord.

• Caddo should be willing to reach out to the community, the public for their help and input. After all, it is the Public’s Education.

Red River United believes in the promise of a public education, which needs to be safeguarded against moves to undermine by outside corporations seeking to make a profit. What is the promise of public education? Public schools provide transportation to and from school, provide healthy breakfasts and lunches for our children, a clean and safe environment to learn, a certified classroom teacher, and a promise to provide services to ALL children, even those with special needs. These are all promises of public education. Will we be able to keep these promises once we have torn apart our Caddo Parish Schools, relinquished community control of our schools, and parsed control of our schools to private- monied and political interests?

November 7, 2013November 11, 2013

November 9 New Teacher Academy CANCELLED

The Saturday, November 9 New Teacher Academy has been CANCELLED.

We will be broadcasting the class as a live webinar soon, so keep posted for updates.

Red River United also offers after-hours tutoring on Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays by appointment only. Call 318-424-4579 to schedule an appointment!

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

November 7, 2013June 21, 2015

PSRP Conference November 16: RSVP Now!

(Click to RSVP)

Red River United’s local PSRP committee is hosting its local PSRP conference on November 16, 2013 from 9am – 2pm. All PSRPs in Caddo and Bossier Parishes, member or non- member, are invited to come!

We will have people from the Louisiana State Retirement systems, TSRL and LSERs, talk about and answer questions about retiring as a school employee. We will have people from our national affiliate talk to you about dealing with workplace bullying and workplace stress. We will have our RRU lawyer discuss and answer questions about your rights in the workplace and as a member of a union. Jackie Lansdale, the President of Red River United, will speak on what we are working on locally for PSRPs and answer questions that you might have, and Red River United staff will teach you about the resources and ways in which Red River United can help you advocate for yourself at your worksite. We have a fun and informative event, and want to fill our office.

If you want to RSVP or have any questions, please contact Summer Lollie via cell phone (318-453-1671) or email (slollie@redriverunited.org) or fill out this quick and simple form.

Red River United welcomes members to showcase and sell their products at this conference. Email redriverunited@redriverunited.org or call the office at 318-424-4579 if you are interested.

Don’t forget to attend our regularly scheduled PSRP committee meetings. All PSRP committee meetings are scheduled the second Saturday of each month at 11 am at our office on 1726 Line Ave, Shreveport, LA 71105.

November 4, 2013November 27, 2013

Press Release for 11/5/13: Reclaiming the Promise of Caddo Parish

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jackie Lansdale – 318-424-4579

WHERE: Caddo Parish School Board Office – 1961 Midway Ave., Shreveport, LA 71130

WHEN: 4:00 PM Tuesday, November 5, 2013

WHO: Jackie Lansdale, President, Red River United

WHAT: RECLAIMING THE PROMISE OF CADDO PARISH – DOING WHAT WORKS – REJECTING WHAT DOESN’T – RED RIVER UNITED’S PLAN FOR CADDO PARISH.

On November 5, 2013 at 4:00 PM at the Caddo Parish School Board office on Midway Avenue, Red River United will be holding a press conference encouraging the Caddo Parish School Board to look beyond the Recovery School District (RSD) as a solution. Red River United believes that students are best served by community controlled schools, and that the Caddo Parish School System is best equipped to raise academic standards. Here is how we can improve our Caddo Schools:

Caddo should focus on creating K-8 models. They are stabilizing for students and have provided academic success in our district.
Caddo should focus on choice. One area proven successful has been our programmatic magnet schools. These schools should be standalone, and not part of any existing school.
Caddo should concentrate the focus on where we can be the most effective in overall student achievement – we should provide Pre-k for every student in our district, with wraparound services for at-risk youngsters.
Caddo should focus on strong professional development for all of our teachers. TAP, for example, has proven successful in other districts and in Caddo Parish where it has been implemented in several schools.
Caddo should focus on academic standards and disciplinary codes of conduct in all of our schools. Teachers cannot teach, and students cannot learn in an atmosphere full of disruption and discord.
Caddo should be willing to reach out to the community, the public for their help and input. After all, it is the Public’s Education.

Red River United does not believe turning our students over to the RSD meets the promise of providing a quality public education to our students. This is a question of civil rights. All children deserve a stable, quality education. The RSD does not have a proven track record of turning around AU schools. Parents and students are demonstrating a lack of confidence in the RSD through participation in community actions and petitions.

What is the promise of public education? Public schools provide transportation to and from school, provide healthy breakfasts and lunches for our children, a clean and safe environment to learn, a certified classroom teacher, and a promise to provide services to ALL children, even those with special needs. These are all promises of public education. Will we be able to keep these promises once we have torn apart our Caddo Parish Schools, relinquished community control of our schools, and parsed control of our schools to private- monied and political interests?

October 31, 2013June 20, 2015

Local Member Discounts

Paula’s Educational Supplies

http://shop.paulased.com/

302 Ockley Drive

Shreveport, LA 71105

Paula’s Educational Supplies is offering 15% discount for all Red River United

Across the Pond and Beyond – Tours to Ireland

This business was founded by a former teacher and RRU member.

$100 off tours to Ireland for all Caddo and Bossier school employees.

Information Brochure

Contact 318-658-3738 or brianonounain@hotmail.com for more information.

More will be coming shortly!

October 31, 2013July 3, 2015

AFT Statement on NCTQ’s 2013 Teacher Evaluation Report

AFT’s Weingarten: “Policy must address what is actually happening on the ground, in classrooms.” WASHINGTON—Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the National Council on Teacher Quality’s report, “State of the States 2013—Connect the Dots: Using Evaluations of Teacher Effectiveness to Inform Policy and Practice.”

“Like the AFT, the National Council on Teacher Quality believes that for the Common Core State Standards to succeed, they need to be implemented properly, with alignment throughout the system, including teacher evaluations. But the AFT also believes that high-stakes consequences of student assessments should wait until the rollout of the standards is complete and successful. We agree with NCTQ that special education teachers need special attention in their evaluations to ensure that all relevant measures are considered.

“There’s a real disconnect between what the ‘powers that be’ want to dictate or proclaim as success, and what classroom teachers and students actually need to be successful. This dissonance is surreal, and it’s why teachers and parents don’t trust policymakers. To really connect the dots between teaching quality and student performance, we must provide teachers with the support and resources they need to improve their instruction and meet the needs of all kids. Policy must address what is actually happening on the ground, in classrooms.

“This report shows that teacher evaluation systems in 35 states and the District of Columbia are driven by tests, requiring that student achievement results be a significant, or even the most significant, factor in teacher evaluations. Yet only 20 states and the District of Columbia require that teacher evaluation results be used to inform and shape professional development for all teachers. We have to stop test-centric evaluations and build systems that will actually improve teaching and learning.”

Follow AFT President Randi Weingarten: http://twitter.com/rweingarten

October 31, 2013July 3, 2015

Teachers, not formula, deserve praise, LFT says

(Baton Rouge – October 24, 2013) Today’s release of so-called school report cards by the State Department of Education affirmed what should have never been in question: Louisiana students reap the benefits provided by teachers dedicated to the education of children.

On the other hand, as to the value and validity of this political gimmick initiated by Jeb Bush, the report card evokes a quote from Shakespeare. The report card itself is “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” That is the verdict issued by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

“These school letter grades won’t and will never tell us what we need to know about our schools,” said LFT President Steve Monaghan. “When Superintendent White said in his press release that changes in the formula used to compute the grades ‘have led to real increases in student achievement,’ he spoke the simple truth. He who controls the formula controls the fate of our public schools.”

In the past, Monaghan said, low-graded school report cards were used to justify seizure of schools by the Recovery School District and to make more children eligible for vouchers at private and religious schools.

“This adjustment to the formula to grade our schools is just the latest in a series of tweaks to the so-called education reforms of the last several years. It’s a cliché, but it’s true; this airplane is being built while fully loaded and in flight.”

Monaghan said that the imposition of a single letter grade on schools ignores the vast differences in school missions, populations and priorities.

“We use the same measuring stick for all schools, whether they are selective admission magnet schools rated among the best in the nation, or alternative schools for our most challenged students,” he said. “Note that these letter grades don’t distinguish among schools that are technology-oriented, language immersion, college prep or career-readiness.”

Just as student report cards reflect achievement in a variety of subjects, school report cards should tell the whole story of an institution’s standing by multiple measures, Monaghan said.

“A child comes home from school with grades in English, math, science, social studies and other subjects,” he said. “That gives parents an idea of where the student is doing well and where improvements are needed. This single grade stamped on a school tells the public very little.”

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers has pushed for the creation of a learning environment index for each school. The index would not simply reflect test scores, but would assess and inform the public of the condition of school facilities, whether the school is safe and orderly, the health and economic vitality of the surrounding community, the availability of instructional materials in the school, teacher and staff retention, and the physical and emotional health of the student population.

“Stamping a label on a school does nothing to improve education,” Monaghan said. “Schools with a high letter grade learn nothing about their achievement. In those labeled F, children are stigmatized, teachers are frustrated and communities are defamed.”