MOLLY BECK
A recent vote by the Springfield School Board would eliminate her position, and those of six other literacy teachers in the district. To reduce a $9 million budget deficit, School Superintendent Walter Milton proposed reducing the district’s literacy model by seven positions.
100 students a day
McMenamin is a literacy teacher for children at Butler Elementary School, 1701 S. MacArthur Blvd., who may be struggling with reading or are reading at a higher level than most students their age. She and literacy coach Sandy DeNotto see a steady stream of first- through fifth-graders in a classroom the two share. McMenamin estimates they both see more than 100 students per day. Their job is to help classroom teachers handle multiple levels of reading abilities within their classrooms. With some class sizes at Butler reaching 27 to 30 students, it’s welcome assistance and a chance for students to get some extra attention in small groups.
“Our classroom teachers provide the first tier of instruction, but many children need a second and sometimes a third dose of small-group instruction to make progress. Children thrive in a small group setting,” McMenamin said. She and DeNotto are busy throughout the day attempting to meet students’ needs with personalized lessons for each group they see, in order to improve the school’s reading scores on standardized tests. DeNotto also trains teachers, develops materials for students and monitors student improvement.
But the board’s vote in April would leave DeNotto on her own next school year. Three literacy teachers will be reassigned as classroom teachers, one position will not be filled, and three other positions — McMenamin’s included — will be eliminated through attrition. Though she’s retiring, McMenamin appealed to the school board to reconsider.
“In elementary school, we don’t have sports teams to rally support from the community. But we do get to appear every year in the news when they post (test scores),” McMenamin told the board at a recent meeting. “If we care about test scores, if we care about children, we cannot make this cut to our elementary literacy program.”
Less state aid
Seven elementary schools will have one fewer literacy teacher next year, saving the district about $400,000. That’s a needed savings in the journey to balance the budget — a goal that may not be reached until at least 2015. To address students’ needs, and because the district is required by law to devote resources to improving their word skills, 22 literacy positions will be retained. In most of the affected schools, the literacy coach who works with teachers as well as students will take on more work with students.
The Springfield School District receives federal literacy funding for Title I schools, or schools who have a significant percentage of low-income students. But In 2010, Gov. Pat Quinn canceled $68.5 million once allocated for reading-improvement grants for school districts. The Springfield School District received $567,916 the last year it received the grant, which funded six reading positions, professional development and materials.
“The district picked up (funding) the literacy teachers that that grant had funded,” Mary Jo Bangert, the district’s literacy and social science coordinator, said. “These are the schools that we helped with. Yes, it’ll be a loss for the school and it’ll be a loss to students in those buildings, and to teachers because the (literacy) coach will not be able to provide on-site professional development.”
Where to cut?
Cindy Baugher, principal at Dubois Elementary School, 120 S. Lincoln Ave., said her school will lose one literacy teacher, but her hope is that there will be fewer students in need of extra help because of how effective the literacy program has been. That success is why McMenamin asked the board to reconsider. Currently, only three of the district’s three dozen elementary schools are meeting required standards, or Adequate Yearly Progress. Two of those schools, Hazel Dell, 840 West Lake Shore Drive, and Owen Marsh, 1100 Avon Drive, will lose one literacy teacher next year. “All reading lessons are prepared by me,” McMenamin said. “A lot of classroom teachers don’t have the time. (Reading specialists) have the time and the expertise to target what these kids need.”
The school board could reconsider, vice president Bill Looby said. At the May 7 meeting, member Judith Johnson said she would be interested in finding the savings elsewhere. “I really care a lot about the reading programs, and I am concerned about these cuts,” board president Susan White said. “I’ve heard from a majority of principals about how much of a negative impact that will be on their students, and that bothers me a lot.”
Elementary schools losing one literacy teacher position:
Wilcox
Butler
Owen Marsh
Sandburg
Lindsay
Dubois
Hazel Dell
Estimated savings: $400,000
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 