Union poll gives Gist dismal approval rating from RI teachers
March 27th, 2012 at 4:34 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
Education Commissioner Deborah Gist has plenty of fans in Rhode Island, but few rank-and-file teachers are among them if a new poll commissioned by the state’s teachers unions is accurate.
Just 16% of public school teachers in Rhode Island had a favorable view of Gist’s job performance in January while 82% had a negative view, according to a survey of 401 teachers conducted by Fleming & Associates for the National Education Association Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.
The commissioner was particularly unpopular with long-tenured teachers. Those with 20 years or more experience in the classroom gave Gist a favorable rating of only 9%, significantly below the 23% favorable rating she received from teachers with less than 10 years of experience. (Fleming also conducts polling for WPRI 12.)
The two unions did not provide the full survey results but said its margin of error was plus or minus 4 points. It emerged less than a week after NEARI’s Delegate Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling on Gist to delay the full implementation of the state’s new teacher evaluation system.
The basis of the evaluations are student test scores, and in 2014 Rhode Island is switching those examinations from the familiar New England Common Assessment Program (NEPAC) to the new Partnership for Assessing Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), which follows new curriculum standards adopted by most states.
“The transition from NECAP to PARCC requires remodeling curriculum, instructional units, classroom materials, and classroom assessments,” the union’s resolution noted. “Using NECAP to measure teacher effectiveness while simultaneously expecting teachers to reconstruct curricula, instruction, and assessment in accordance with PARCC is unwise, inefficient and unfair.”
Elliot Krieger, a spokesman for Gist, acknowledged teachers are being asked to continue teaching based on the NECAP curriculum even as they learn the new PARCC standards, but said the department is doing its best to help them manage. He dismissed the idea of taking more time to roll out the new evaluation system.
“We’re totally committed to this,” Krieger told WPRI.com. He said nearly a third of the state’s roughly 15,000 teachers have been trained in the PARCC test curriculum, known as the Common Core State Standards, and the evaluation system is being used in every district this year with NECAP scores.
“There are challenges, there’s no doubt it, but it’s happening,” Krieger said of the curriculum transition. “We’ll learn from this year and we’ll do more next year, and it’ll improve each year. We’re moving forward with it.”
An earlier version of this post said the January Fleming & Associates poll of teachers was commissioned by the National Education Association Rhode Island alone; it was commissioned by NEARI and the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.
Tags: curriculum, deborah gist, education, joe fleming, neari, polls, ri department of education, teachers
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
Poll means nothing unions are greedy and all about whats in it for me.Did you really expect Gist to get great numbers.Keep up the great work Deb
The best thing for RI to do is closed down all the public schools and move in all charter schools. The kids and the parents can all bid on schools, will be given more quality and diversed education by more qualified and professional teachers. Also, open more vocational schools around the state so kids can learn real skills and trades. Unlike Obama seems to think (Like Santorum says “What a Snob”!) not all kids need or want to go to college, not all are book smart–but should be able to know the basics (like a 10th grader able to read at a…..10th grade level!)–some poeple are better working with their hands than their minds–Empower all kids and offer to them what the need to reach goals! Not just segregate and cater to certain groups. REVAMP AMERICAN EDUCATION!
I concur.
This poll was from the same group who promoted Liedecker for keeping his mouth shut.
Well actually, if Gist is supposed to be leading these people, she obviously is failing in her mission.
No, Puke fish your membership is very passive agressive and is resistance to change. Public school teachers and their unions never looked at the kids scores as the end result. All you and your puke brethern were interested in was working 180 days and having the summers off.
you tell ‘em Ed!
Too bad these public school/public sector union pukes don’t understand they don’t matter. It is time Debbie start looking out for the best education for the kids. Even if that means school vouchers! Rhode Island’s public schools are as pathetic or worse than the public schools in Anacostia which is a really nasty neighborhood in Washington, DC. It is the area that gave DC the title murder capitol of the world. Even parents in Anacostia had school vouchers couresty of the Republican congress. Every child rich, poor, whatever race, creed, deserves the best education with money collected from taxes for education. No parent should be forced to be stuck with public schools like the people of Rhode Island which are feces. The public schools are being dictated by the public school teachers unions who have no interest in educating the children but ripping off the taxpayers. The taxpayers have said no more and are voting with their feet and wallets. That is how the come Rhode Island is in such a finanical mess. People have had it with the taxes.
Gee! As I remember it, there was a cheating scandal about DC during Gists tenure. (ha, get it) there too. Seems to be a patern.
That was with the public school teachers in the public schools puke fish.
Go on Arizona’s web site. They have build an excellent choice and freedom method of education. Gotta love that JAN BREWER! Chafee should take lessons from her and NJ’s Chris Christie on how to run a state!
Keep up the great work Deb.Unions will try everything to get rid of you.
That’s rich, the teachers unions took a poll and found out Deb Gist is unpopular with their members. Duh no wonder the kids in RI can’t read. She’s trying to make these tenured union pukes actually work for a living. Anybody who is unpopular with the unions is good in my book. Go Deb!! Keep up the good work. Union lackeys insert comments here.
Union lackeys = your child’s teacher? wow, I guess teachers are right about Gist creating a toxic atmosphere….
Puke fish take away you and every other public school teachers pukes tenure and then if you are not compents fire your nasty A$$ see how quick the test scores go up.
Union lackeys = my teachers. Sons and daughters of union lackeys=my children’s teachers. And Deb Gist didn’t create the toxic atmosphere, it was union folks extorting more pay and benefits from the taxpayer for 180 days of work than they are worth that created the atmosphere.
You must live on a very high, ivory tower and wear rose colored glasses.
Hey Fish–Ask how many public school teachers in RI send their own kids to private schools? There’s A LOT! They don’t even have faith in the system they work in to teach their own kids!
Evaluating teachers based on student test scores will truly turn schools into the factory-model that reformers already fear. Rote memorization and lack of creativity will be rewarded.
Isn’t is ironic how some of the cities (E.Providence & Woonsocket) were among the ones accused of fudging on student aptitude tests? Hhhmm..Seems it was out of desperation to justify the teachers and unions getting overblown salaries and benefits–Which have done nothing but bring these cities financially to the ground.
Such high costs to pay for so little!
um, you must read the Journal to have your fact so wrong. Both of those communities pay their teachers near the bottom. Oh, the irony….
Oh, the stupidity..Funny, when I attended EP schools, MANY of the teachers owned summer homes=2 houses.
Yeah, they make near bottom salaries.
Not bad for having 3 months of the year off, all major holidays, half days/full days for “meetings”, and a week off in Dec. Feb and April!
Mr. Fish you cannot fix stupid. Most here are just uneducated jealous nut cases, ignore them. They all had the opportunity to become teachers, state workers ect… They didn’t. Student scores are down because of the wonderful parents in RI.
Boy for food, Fish and Oreos are leaving some bad taste with their postings. “Everyone has the chance to be a teacher?”—Ever hear of diversity, OREO? Ever hear that poeple have different talents and skills? That’s like saying all teachers have the chance of becoming morticians and cow milkers! Not everyone is made to do the same type of work. But, when you’re paid too much for not doing quality work, nor are you willing to sacrifice like everyone else during tough times and your selfishness crumbles a city’s or state’s financials and want to jack up taxes on poeple who are getting less and you want more but give ho-hum education to children’s tax payers is not being a “jealous nut case”–It’s being real. People are ticked off for the teachers around here don’t care out the kids are how much the kid’s parent’s struggle to pay bills AND TAXES. They see the kids as walking dollar signs to line their pockets yet fill their heads with liberal gibberish rather than substance and skills needed to succeed at college, trads schools are to even read at appropriate age levels! And with the state jobs in RI? It’s who you know. Sorry, but many of us like to obtain jobs and earn our money HONESTLY–Without having to be a kiss A** and feel like we owe poeple all the time. It’s called having class.
People with your thought-process is what makes the world the cesspool that it is.
Thank you for proving my point. Yes, you reak of “class”. HAHAHA
A CUT ABOVE THE REST…..how many teachers do you actually know? you have NO clue what a teacher does all day….have you ever been in a public classroom as an adult? We don’t care about the parents struggles?? Well, I certainly don’t care about the so called “struggling parent” whose kid gets free lunch and breakfast AND school supplies while they roll up to my school in a MERCEDES and get out and scream for their kid to get ya A$$ over here all while chatting on their IPHONE and dripping with gold jewelry. No I dont care to hear about their struggles with their GROSS neglect of our welfare system. Teachers are NOT the reason the state is in the dismal financial status it is….that my frienf would be the crooked politicians and judges who get 100% of their pensions while NEVER paying into it. They are all WELL AWARE of the financial hardships going on however, I have yet to hear of ONE judge or politicialn give up THEIR $$$$, or make ANY concessions so why should teachers?? They at least PAY into their pensions. As a teacher I EARNED my job by getting good grades in highschool, going to college, and passing a NATIONAL test to certify me. So what’s your problem?? Do not put all teachers into one category. Yes, there are bad teachers….and bad cops, firemen, plumbers, doctors, state workers, etc. Excuse my typos but I have two small children that I take care of on my own with no freebies whatsoever….gotta go!
and you reek of ignorance and stupidity!
Keep proving me correct, thank you
I agree with OREO. For someone to continuously refer to someone else as “puke”, that just shows their immaturity. Come up with something new other than 180 days a year. Teachers owned 2 houses?? When was that? back in the 70′s or 80′s? I’m on top step and can barely afford the 900 sq foot house I live in with my 2 children. NO OTHER PROFESSION is required to reach 100% proficiency, but teachers are expected to thanks to NCLB. It is nothing more than a set up for failure so corporate America can take over “public” education. Guess what, you charter school fiends?? If my classroom had an endless suppy of material and technology and my school was nice and clean (and not 100 years old and falling apart with mice, lead and asbestos) I bet my kids would want to come to school and learn too! We don’t get to pick and choose our “clients” like a business does…we take EVERY child given to us…homeless, abused,learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, speech impaired, etc,…ALL children are welcome in public education and they are entitled to a free and appropriate education. They can’t get kicked out for a bad attitude, or attendance or failing to keep up their grades, unlike at the infamous “charter school”. If a kid isn’t adhering to their rules and regulations? out the door they go!! Certainly can’t let the charter school reputation get smeared now can we?? So if teachers are held to 100% proficiency of ALL students, lets hold ALL workers to the same…cops, NO MORE crime by 2014!! Doctors…NO MORE illnesses by 2014!! Dentists….NO MORE cavities or root canals or extractions or braces by 2014!!! So teacher bashing NITWITS….get the picture now???
How many teachers do I know? I have them in my family, thank you. BUT, they teach in private school. I have one that teachers K, yet she hates kids AND does own two houses–in MA, and guess where else? FLORIDA!! I also know a public school teacher who thinks he’s owed something for being a teacher.
You’re not owed SH *T when you decide on a job. As a teacher, your are supposed to want to teach kids, and have some sensibility.
Like Gov. Chris Christie told a big mouth cow, self-righteous teacher that felt she was owed something to teach when he cut funds—”Then you don’t have to teach then.”–Find another job somewhere else–lets just see how much you’ll be paid then!
Why can’t these standardized tests be used as diagnostic and prescriptive
tools to help remediate academic deficiencies rather than as a draconian tool
to blame teachers for a student’s academic deficiencies?
Should teachers be blamed for low standardized test scores when most school districts statewide allow failing students to be socially promoted? Ms Gist and the Board of Regents are aware of this serious problem but offer no positive solutions to resolve it. This policy cheats failing students of a good education.
[...] which is one of the main ways Rhode Island is using its $75 million federal Race to the Top grant, hasn’t made Gist popular with many public-school teachers in Rhode Island. The National Education Association Rhode [...]
Do we blame oncologists because many of their cancer patients die as compared to patients a general practioner has? No, of course not! So why are we blaming all the teachers who work with urban children.? Come on people!!! The rules,policies and crap that we as teachers are are given to do in the classroom doesn’t help either. And remember, special needs children,s scores are included in our test scores. In other countries children with special needs and children not up to going to university are sent to a different hs ( vocational hs) so the numbers used non math and reading scores are not comparing apples to apples! There are bad teachers ,SURE , just as there are bad doctors, bad plumbers, bad builders! Let’s stop blaming teachers and start getting local and federal govt out of the way!
So, you think that, in places like Woonsocket, it’s OK to raise taxes 13% more so your standard of living isn’t effected? You don’t give a darn about the kids–or their parents–many I am sure have lost jobs in the economy and have to make financial adjustments. Heaven forbid teachers to the same! For many of you think your better than everyone else.
I hate to break it to ya, but we all eat, sh*t and die the same way!