Ojinaga

by Michael Douglas Carlin

Lobo, my Federale friend, was responsible for killing Pablo Acosta. Since Pablo’s body had more than one bullet, it is possible that others also can claim that they had a hand in his death. The word came down from the top that he was to be put down–not arrested. I think we all know why. Dead men don’t talk. When the corruption is inherent in the system, people tend to want to protect themselves. Taking care of loose ends keeps the people in power happy and productive.

Pablo Acosta used to frequent Ojinaga. He was the head of the Juarez Cartel and chose to run the operation from the middle of nowhere, where it was easy to get drugs into the United States. Ojinaga sits on the Texas border across from Presidio. I needed footage for a documentary that I am working on. So, I thought I would travel to Presidio and find someone to take me on a tour.

I arrived In Presidio at about 10 pm. There are only two motels in town. I chose to stay at the one with a restaurant next door. I checked into my room and walked into the restaurant. I ordered food and sat for a few minutes at a table by myself. There was a long table along the wall. The Mexican Nationals were at one end, the Mexican Americans were in the middle and the Americans were at the other end.

A few minutes after I arrived, I was asked to join the Americans, and they bought me a beer. They asked what I was doing in Ojinaga—I guess not too many tourists wander in. I told them I was going to attempt to shoot some video and asked them if they knew someone who could take me on the Pablo Acosta Tour. At the mere mention of his name, the entire restaurant was suddenly silent, and all eyes were on me.

I shrunk inside. I felt like the biggest dumbass in the world. How could I be so careless? The Mexican-Americans immediately came down and told me that I should not travel to Ojinaga, because it was far too dangerous.

Rudolfo, who was born in Juarez but lives now in Houston, gave me a stern warning. "Mister, I don’t know why you are here but do not go into Ojinaga. There is no reason that is worth losing your life."

Others especially warned me about ever mentioning the name of Pablo Acosta in these parts. I took their advice seriously and told them that I would not venture over the border. I thanked them for looking out for me. Soon, the restaurant was back to normal activity, and I turned to one of the Americans who was there as a construction worker helping to build a new school. I quietly asked him how he would go about finding someone to take him over the border if I theoretically wanted to go there. He told me to go to the El Patio Restaurant and ask to speak with the owner. The owner would make the arrangements.

In the morning, I did just that. I got the camera ready early in the morning, and I loaded four duffle bags of medical supplies into the car. The Knights of the Order of Humanity collect single-use medical supplies from hospitals in the United States and take them to war-torn countries.

I arrived at the restaurant to order food and to make my inquiry. The call was made and my driver was on the way. I excused myself, because I wanted to retrieve my camera from the car. When I walked in with the high-definition camera, the owner looked slightly surprised.

The driver was a thirty-something-year-old woman driving an unmarked Suburban. She didn’t bat an eye at the camera. I asked her in my broken Spanish if we could also take in some medical relief to a local clinic, and she looked confused.

I took her to my car and opened up the hatch. I unzipped a duffle bag and showed her the contents. She agreed that we could take them with us to Ojinaga. On the way, she began making calls to find the right place for the supplies.

Mexican Customs was so preoccupied with the video camera that they paid little attention to the bags in the back. As soon as we cleared customs, I asked if she knew any of the history of Ojinaga and Pablo Acosta. She immediately made the Catholic sign of the cross and pretended not to know anything about this person, "whoever he is." I saw immediately that I had hit a nerve, and she was now uncomfortable with the trip. Her imagination was swimming, and I could see her thinking, "Who is this, and what am I involved in now?"

We got to the clinic. We waited for at least twenty minutes. Out came two women, a nurse and a doctor. They looked really confused as we began to explain to them what we wanted to do. They were also distracted by the video camera. These two beautiful women struggled to understand why an American with a video camera and a driver had arrived with medical relief. We took them out to the car and showed them the duffle bags. They got it, and immediately welled up inside.

Then doubt took over. "What do you want for these supplies? How much?"

I told them that they were a gift from America to the people of Mexico, and tears began streaming down their faces. As we carried the bags from the Suburban to the clinic, I’ll bet they said "Thank you" a thousand times.

When we got back in the car, my driver turned to me and told me what a great thing I had done for these women. She told me that we had made their day. A few minutes later, she brought up Pablo Acosta, Amado Carillo Fuentes, and El Chapa Guzman. She agreed to take me on my tour. She also explained to me that these men were heroes in this community and had provided jobs and money to the inhabitants. They had built clinics, schools and churches and had fed the people of Ojinaga. She warned me that I was not allowed to get out of the car where she was taking me. Her warning continued by telling me never to mention these names in this community if I wanted to live. People here would kill me to protect the memory of these sacred druglords.

We drove past homes that had belonged to the men. We also drove around the downtown area. I was allowed to get out briefly in the town center. It didn’t take long to shoot video of the entire village. On our way back, the driver asked me if I minded her stopping at the market for a few groceries. Now my imagination raced. I did mind but trusted my instincts not to let it show. She pulled up to the grocery store and exited the vehicle, leaving the keys in the ignition and the engine running. She disappeared around the corner and I sat in the idling vehicle. My senses were heightened for those fifteen or twenty minutes. I watched every mirror with great interest. I was prepared to jump over the hump and get into the driver’s seat to battle my way back to the border. I tried to be calm, but my heart was racing.

My driver emerged from around the corner carrying a couple of bags of groceries. She jumped into the vehicle, and off we drove to the border and safety…or so I thought. She took me back to the El Patio Restaurant and dropped me off at my car. She told me that I had done a great thing for those women but that it was now time for me to leave, because my life was in danger. From the way that she said it I knew she was telling me the truth. I wasn’t going to wait to find out. I got in my car and headed straight for El Paso.

I was followed the entire way from Presidio to El Paso by an unmarked blue van. When I got to the Lomaland exit, I got off and pulled into the Whataburger parking lot. I took a bunch of papers with me and my cell phone and started making calls and conducting business like I had not noticed the man following me. He was shorter than me, with a long ponytail, tattoos, and a pock-marked face. I pretended not to notice, and when he went to refill his drink I was out the door in a flash. I jumped in my car and disappeared down an alley. I had lost him, and I hope that I never see him again.

Border Mexico is dangerous enough right now without mentioning the wrong names. We may have freedom of speech here, but that doesn’t mean that saying the wrong thing might not carry with it consequences–severe consequences.

© 2013 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.

U.S. Begins Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria

U.S. Begins Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria By Claudette Roulo DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2014 - U.S. and partner nation forces have begun airstrikes inside Syria against terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Adm. John Kirby said in a statement today. The strikes are being undertaken through a mix of fighter and bomber aircraft and Tomahawk Land Attack missiles, he said. "Given that these operations are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide additional details at this time," Kirby noted. U.S. Central Command has conducted a total of 190 airstrikes across Iraq in the battle against ISIL forces. The decision to begin the airstrikes in Syria was made earlier today by Centcom Commander Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, the admiral said. The strikes are being made under authorization granted by the commander in chief, President Barack Obama, as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.   (

Remarks by the President at Signing of America's Promise Summit Declaration

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  All right, don’t knock anything over.  (Laughter.)  It’s always a little hazardous.

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome the leadership and some of the key participants in America’s Promise.  I think as many of you know, this is something that the Powell family and others helped to initiate, and a number of Presidents have participated in it.

The concept is simple -- that our greatest asset are our children.  And it is absolutely critical for us as a nation to continually find ways in which we can make sure that they are safe; that they are getting the kind of education they need to succeed in the 21st century; that they’re healthy; that they are on the track not only to be successful but also to be good citizens.  And the companies and organizations and non-for-profits that are represented behind me, under Alma’s leadership, have contributed in so many ways, but this is just a small sampling of the hundreds of organizations around the country that are doing great work every single day and are learning from each other, and creating a network of concern and nurturing for our children in every walk of life. 

And so I’m very proud to be the latest President to sign on to America’s Promise.  It is consistent with a number of the initiatives that we’ve been putting forward in the administration, whether it’s through our efforts in Race to the Top and the Department of Education or, more recently, the work that we’re trying to do around My Brother’s Keeper, and making sure that every young person in America gets a chance at success. 

And so in addition to the symbolic act of signing on to this declaration, this also gives us an opportunity to collaborate and learn more about some of the great work that’s being done out there and figuring out how the government, private sector and non-profits can all work together to achieve the same goal.

So thank you very much for your outstanding work, all of you.  And I will now affix my name to this.  There you go.

Thank you, guys.

Q    Do you still have confidence in the Secret Service?

THE PRESIDENT:  The Secret Service does a great job, and I’m grateful for the sacrifices that they make on my behalf -- and my family’s behalf. 

Thank you very much, everybody.

END 
2:37 P.M. EDT

Remarks by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice on Southeast Asia at the Brookings Institution

Good afternoon everyone.  It’s great to be back at Brookings.  This was my place for six years, and since my mother and I both worked here for so long, it really has the feel of home.  This is where I met so many gracious and insightful colleagues, whom I still turn to for guidance and support.  And of course, working here was the last time I got a full 7 hours of sleep.  So I’m especially nostalgic.  Strobe and Martin, thank you for inviting me to participate today. 

I’m honored to be here with Foreign Minister Shanmugam. President Obama and I met with Prime Minister Lee at the White House a few months ago to affirm the excellent partnership between Singapore and the United States.  And, I think it’s fitting that Brookings’ new Chair in Southeast Asian Studies is named for Singapore’s founding father, a man who has played such a key role in shaping the region’s growth, Lee Kuan Yew.

In many ways, Singapore embodies the arc of development that nations across Southeast Asia are achieving.  The people of Southeast Asia are increasingly connected—to each other and to the global economy.  Entrenched dictatorships have given way to new democracies, and throughout the region, citizens are playing a greater role in their government and civil life.  As President Obama said in Malaysia earlier this year, “perhaps no region on earth has changed so dramatically” during the past several decades. 

With this change comes growing influence and greater opportunities to engage on the world stage.  Asia’s rise in global affairs is due in no small part to Southeast Asia’s contributions.  That’s why the nations of Southeast Asia are and will remain a central focus of America’s rebalance to Asia.  We see the nations of Southeast Asia as equal partners in our mission to advance a vision that promotes growth and development, bolsters the security of nations, strengthens democratic governance, and advances human rights for all people. President Obama will continue this work when he visits the region again in November, including stops in China to participate in APEC, Burma for the East Asia Summit, and Australia for the G-20 meeting.

Southeast Asia and its markets are critical to America’s prosperity.  Together, ASEAN comprises the seventh largest economy in the world and the fourth largest trading partner for the United States.  ASEAN nations draw more U.S. investment than any single country in Asia.  And, with some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, ASEAN will only become more important to our economic future.  That’s why we’re committed to completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.  One-third of TPP participants are from ASEAN, including members like Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia, for whom the high-standard agreement means making serious new commitments.  But, this agreement will deliver tremendous benefits to all our economies, and we are committed to helping our partners meet TPP’s requirements and realizing the opportunities for greater trade and investment that come with it. 

We’re working to deepen our trade and investment ties with the region.  In June, Secretary Pritzker led a delegation of American business leaders to the Philippines, Vietnam, and Burma to explore new commercial opportunities.  Ambassador Froman met with all his ASEAN counterparts in Burma last month.  Together, we’re promoting growth that is broad-based and sustainable, so that economies can compete on an equal footing and prosperity is shared among citizens at every level of society.  Equally, Southeast Asia plays a vital role in maintaining peace and stability throughout Asia.  We have long-standing alliances with Thailand and the Philippines, as well as an important security partnership with Singapore.  In April, President Obama and President Aquino announced a new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that will strengthen cooperation between our militaries.  We’re also enhancing our security cooperation with nations like Malaysia and Vietnam, including by improving their capacity to contribute to maritime security. 

We continue to work with nations in the region on challenges that none of us can meet alone.  This includes addressing borderless threats like climate change, responding to humanitarian crises like last year’s super typhoon, countering violent extremism, and peacefully resolving maritime disputes among neighbors.  To support cooperative solutions to these challenges, the United States has made historic investments to strengthen the region’s institutions, including ASEAN.  President Obama hosted the first U.S.-ASEAN leaders meeting in 2009, and it’s now an annual event.  The President sent our first resident ambassador to ASEAN, and the Senate just confirmed Nina Hachigian to fill the post in the coming years.  This increased engagement with ASEAN has already delivered substantial benefits, including improved coordination in responding to natural disasters, growing investment in developing the region’s infrastructure and green energy sources, and rapidly expanding cooperation on maritime safety and security.

We’re also working with governments, institutions and people to strengthen the democratic foundations of the region and fortify protections for human rights.  We’ve seen significant successes, as in Indonesia, which demonstrated the strength of its democracy through successful elections and peaceful arbitration.  President Obama is looking forward to meeting with President-elect Widodo in November.  We’ve seen hopeful steps in Burma, but significant challenges remain as we continue to work with the government and people as they pursue their democratic transition.  Unfortunately, we’ve also seen troubling setbacks, as in Thailand.  We remain committed to our alliance with the Thai people, but we want to see the country return soonest to an inclusive and democratic government. 

We’re also building partnerships directly with the people of the region.  We’re doing this through programs like the Lower Mekong Initiative, which helps strengthen communities’ ability to provide for their own healthcare, educate their children, and protect their environment.  In Cambodia, USAID is working with local authorities to improve school enrollment among young children.  In Indonesia, the Millennium Challenge Cooperation is helping villages raise incomes while reducing their dependence on fossil fuels.  And, through President Obama’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, we are helping young people across the region build their skills and connect them to the resources they need to serve their communities, create new businesses, and become the next generation of leaders. 

President Obama hosted a remarkable town hall with many of these young people in April in Malaysia.  There were entrepreneurs and activists and advocates, all of them impressive and thoughtful young people, and each determined to forge a brighter future.  They wanted to know not just how they could become stronger leaders, but how to bridge gaps of culture and language and belief in order to unite a region as diverse as Southeast Asia so that it can to achieve its full potential. 

That’s a goal we share—because Southeast Asia is brimming with enormous potential.  It’s also facing serious questions about how to adapt as several major powers become more active in the region.  China’s rise, Japan’s reemergence, India’s revival, and, of course, America’s rebalance—these dynamics are real, and they converge squarely in Southeast Asia.  But, these trends ought to be an opportunity for greater cooperation, not just competition.  Southeast Asian nations should not have to choose sides among major powers, particularly when it comes to the United States and China.  Preserving the independence and sovereignty of all our partners in the region is at the heart of our policy toward Southeast Asia. 

To be sure, America’s relationship with China is important to the future of both our nations, to the region, and to the world.  I just traveled to China a couple weeks ago and met with their senior leaders.  In November, President Obama will meet again with President Xi to continue deepening our cooperation on major regional and global challenges—building a relationship that allows us to work together on shared interests, and to talk frankly about areas where we disagree, including human rights. 

At the same time, we continue to build stronger bilateral relationships with the nations of Southeast Asia and to work together as equals in multilateral fora so that individual nations can preserve their independence while fostering a group dynamic that reinforces collective norms and prevents large states from pressuring smaller ones.  That’s another reason we’ve focused on strengthening Asia’s regional institutions, like the East Asia Summit.  We want to build and reinforce habits that encourage collaboration—to establish a common set of rights as well as responsibilities that ultimately ensures a level playing field for all. 

All of the challenges I’ve discussed today require sustained attention, and even in the press of world events—ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, heightened tensions with Russia over Ukraine, an Ebola epidemic ravaging West Africa—the U.S. commitment to Asia, and to Southeast Asia in particular, remains a priority.   

The United States is a Pacific nation.  Our shared future is as certain as our shared past.  And, the people of the United States and the people of Southeast Asia share a common vision for that future—a future where daughters and sons can go to school and reach confidently for their dreams; where anyone can start a business and have a fair shot to succeed; where fundamental rights can never be restricted or denied.  That’s what we’ve been building toward for the past five years.  That’s why we’ve worked so closely together in pursuit of shared goals—whether we’re securing the sea lanes of the Pacific or delivering relief in the wake of natural disasters. 

With each year, the ties between our peoples grow stronger.  And, as we continue working together toward our shared future, the United States will remain a reliable partner and a true friend to all the people of the region.  Thank you. 

LAKERS SIGN WAYNE ELLINGTON

 

 

EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers have signed shooting guard Wayne Ellington, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

 

The five-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists over 312 games (35 starts) with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, and most recently, the Dallas Mavericks. Last season in Dallas, Ellington shot career-bests from the field (.437) and three-point range (.424), appearing in the postseason for the first time in his career.

 

The 26-year-old Ellington played three seasons at the University of North Carolina (2006-09), leading the Tar Heels to the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship in 2009 while being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

 

Florida Home Health Care Company and Its Owners Agree to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for $1.65 Million

A Plus Home Health Care Inc. and its owners, Tracy Nemerofsky and her father, Stephen Nemerofsky, have agreed to pay $1.65 million to the United States to settle allegations that A Plus paid spouses of referring physicians for sham marketing positions in order to induce patient referrals, the Justice Department announced today. A Plus is a home health care company located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“Kickback schemes undermine the integrity of our public health care programs,” said U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer for the Southern District of Florida. “The settlement announced today holds A Plus accountable for its submission of false claims, including restoring funds paid as a result of the false claims to Medicare. We will not relent in our efforts to combat these kinds of fraudulent schemes.”

“Kickback schemes drive up the cost of health care and cause physicians to make decisions based on their own bottom line instead of what is in the best interest of their patients,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joyce R. Branda for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold any health care company, and the individuals that own those companies, responsible for using kickbacks to line their pockets at the expense of taxpayers and federal health care beneficiaries.”

The United States filed a complaint against A Plus and Tracy Nemerofsky alleging that, beginning in 2006, A Plus engaged in a scheme to increase Medicare referrals in the heavily saturated home health care market in southern Florida. The company allegedly hired at least seven physicians’ spouses and one physician’s boyfriend to perform marketing duties, but required the spouses and boyfriend to perform few, if any, actual job duties. Instead, the spouses’ and boyfriend’s salaries allegedly served as an inducement and reward for the physicians’ referrals of Medicare patients to A Plus. According to the complaint, Tracy Nemerofsky fired at least two spouses when their husbands failed to refer a certain number of patients to A Plus. Tracy Nemerofsky allegedly reaped large rewards for the scheme, receiving a salary of $685,000 from A Plus in 2010, when A Plus’ business increased as a result of Medicare referrals generated from the sham marketer scheme.

“Home health care company owners who engage in such blatant, aggressive kickback schemes to get physicians to refer Medicare patients for the company’s services will instead pay for their improper conduct at the settlement table,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We will continue to crack down on such illegal, wasteful business kickback arrangements, which undermine impartial medical judgment, corrode the public’s trust in the health care system and divert scarce Medicare funding.”

The settlement resolves allegations that were originally brought by William Guthrie, a former director of development at A Plus, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for the submission of false claims and to receive a share of any recovery. The False Claims Act authorizes the United States to intervene in such lawsuits and take over primary responsibility for litigating them, as the United States did here. Guthrie’s share of this settlement has not yet been determined.

The United States previously settled with five couples that allegedly accepted payments from A Plus: Steven and Fortuna Hornreich, Mark and Meredith Rogovin, Sam and Christy Sareh, Gary and Stacy Wolfson, and Keifer Wyble and Nuria Rodriguez.

This settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud and marks another achievement for the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) initiative, which was announced in May 2009 by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The partnership between the two departments has focused efforts to reduce and prevent Medicare and Medicaid financial fraud through enhanced cooperation. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Since January 2009, the Justice Department has recovered a total of more than $22.4 billion through False Claims Act cases, with more than $14.2 billion of that amount recovered in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.

The investigation of this matter reflects a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, HHS-OIG and the FBI.

The lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Guthrie v. A Plus Home Health Care, Inc., 12 CV 60629 (S.D. Fla.). The claims settled by the lawsuit are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Colorado Teachers Helping Build State’s Educator Effectiveness System

System focuses on continuous improvement to better prepare students for success in college and careers.

Lisa Rossi is a fifth grade teacher at Bethke Elementary in the Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has taught elementary school in the same district for 25 years and, for 20 of those years, has served as a mentor for her colleagues, helping them hone their craft.

The Colorado State Model Evaluation System is used to provide annual performance evaluations for teachers.

Three years ago, as a member of Bethke’s School Improvement Team, she took on a larger challenge: leading an effort to help her school district develop a new system for evaluating and supporting teachers. Her work has focused on implementing a framework for teaching and learning that provides a shared definition of what it means to be an effective teacher as well as the tools to measure this. The framework, which was developed by the Center for Educational Leadership at the University of Washington, is being used to help all teachers in the district analyze and improve their practices. Among the framework’s elements are student engagement, classroom culture and assessing student learning. “We all have areas we’re really strong in and areas we need to grow in,” Rossi said. “Now, we can be much more specific about what our growth areas are.”

Hundreds of teachers like Rossi across Colorado have been similarly engaged, working with their local districts on the details of new evaluation and support systems designed to give teachers better feedback on how to help prepare their students for success in college and careers. Thousands more have participated in surveys, feedback sessions and focus groups, or served on a statewide advisory council.  By listening closely to feedback and proactively enlisting key stakeholders in the design process, Colorado has created an evaluation system by educators for educators.

A 2010 State law, Senate Bill 10-191, required districts to develop new systems for strengthening the connection between teachers’ performance and student learning. Like other States, Colorado used part of its Federal Race to the Top grant to develop and implement its new system and conduct extensive stakeholder outreach.

Engaging Teachers Increases Support

Colorado teachers were invaluable partners in leading the development of the new model for evaluating and supporting teachers, and, because of that, they are now becoming invaluable partners in implementing the system they designed. Katy Anthes, executive director of educator effectiveness at the Colorado Department of Education, said collaborating with educators, districts and statewide education organizations is a top priority for the State and the system will be more effective and transparent because teachers were involved. “Because we worked so closely with our educators and partners to build the system, and they see us taking their feedback seriously and making changes based on their suggestions, it goes a long way toward creating understanding and engagement,” Anthes said.

The new evaluation model was used throughout the State for the first time during school year 2013–2014. The Colorado Education Association (CEA), a union that represents 40,000 educators, also worked with the State to ensure teachers had opportunities to shape the system.

“I tell the teachers, ‘This system isn’t about you, it’s about your practice,’” Linda Barker, director of teaching and learning for the CEA, said. “In the past, evaluations were almost like a personal judgment, not about professional practice and how to improve. The new system has really changed the culture of how we look at professional practice.”

A Culture Focused on Continuous Improvement

Carrie Harper, a second grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary School in Durango, helped pilot the new model at her school beginning in school year 2012–2013. She said she is excited by the focus on continuous improvement and higher expectations for great teaching and learning.

“[It has] really raised the bar,” she said. “It’s not just about a teacher lecturing in front of the room. It’s about student engagement and getting kids to take ownership of their learning.”

Harper is pushing herself to create a learning environment that encourages her students to be more active thinkers and group problem-solvers. During a recent lesson on root words, for example, she introduced the concept and asked groups of students to research the words’ meaning. Students could decide whether to use dictionaries, other print materials, or online resources to find the information they needed. The goal is to have students take more ownership of their learning.

Teachers Take Ownership of Professional Learning

Just as students are being encouraged to take greater ownership of their learning, teachers are taking more ownership when it comes to their professional growth.

“We’re really encouraging teachers to be strong advocates of their professional practice,” Barker said.  This means reflecting honestly on their strengths and weaknesses, setting goals for professional growth and asking for support.

Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Education

This has led to a more collaborative relationship between teachers and principals. “There’s a real mental shift that’s happening,” Paul Jebe, former principal of La Junta Junior/Senior High School who now works for the state on implementation of the evaluation model, said. “Teachers used to just teach and then get an evaluation at the end of the year. Now, my teachers are much more proactively engaged in their own professional growth.” He says his teachers now ask him to come into their classrooms to observe and provide feedback on a particular practice or skill they are trying to develop, such as daily learning targets. Feedback is much more specific and targeted as a result, says Jebe.

Teacher leadership in the design and implementation of the new evaluation system has been crucial for creating that culture, said Lisa Rossi. “Teachers feel empowered when they can have a voice,” she said. “I think this can help teachers be the best that they can be.”

Collaborative Discussions of Teaching

Curtis Garcia, a principal in the Centennial School District, a small district near the New Mexico border, said the new approach to evaluation and support is leading to rich, productive professional interactions. “We now have a process that’s based on continuous growth, ongoing collection of evidence and lots of points for conversations around what’s being observed in teacher practice and what areas teachers can improve upon,” he said.

Garcia recently had a discussion with a fourth grade teacher who was struggling to integrate reading and writing into science, social studies and other subjects. “By us conversing about her challenges, we were able to generate some really good ideas,” he said. “Integrating multiple disciplines then became the basis for her professional growth plan.” These types of interactions are happening all over the state as a result of the new evaluation system, says Linda Barker. “We’ve seen incredible, deep conversations between teachers and principals around how to bring their practice to a higher level. These conversations have been really powerful.”

Teachers say they appreciate the emphasis on greater collaboration and open dialogue. “I support this, I think it’s a great idea,” Andrew Burns, who teaches eighth grade U.S. history and civics at West Middle School in the Cherry Creek School District, said. “These conversations are the key to this process—making it a meaningful conversation and giving it enough time so it can happen several times in a school year.”

But scheduling the time for observations and feedback has been difficult to do, he said. He’d like more. “That’s where I’ve done some of my best professional growth.”

Challenges Ahead

Principals acknowledge time is a significant challenge. “To get into classrooms and observe teachers multiple times, and then to capture my thinking and give teachers feedback—it’s a huge time commitment,” Jebe said. “But it’s definitely the right thing to do.” State officials are well aware that time is a challenge, and are developing a number of resources to support evaluators. “We’re putting together a variety of toolkits and systems, such as a rubric guide for principals, an online professional development platform, and an online performance management system to help with data collection and performance reports,” said Katy Anthes.

Determining measures of student learning to be used in combination with State assessments has also been a challenge. “We’re trying to start from ‘What are you already doing in your classroom to measure student learning, and what is it you need to do to get your students to mastery?’” Barker said. “When districts let teachers and principals build a common understanding of what assessments they already use, teachers are much more relaxed. This is much more helpful than starting from a big overview of data and metrics.”

 

Takeaways

• Invest in Stakeholder Engagement: Create multiple channels for gathering input from teachers and other key stakeholders.
• Engage Educators in Building the System: Create ongoing opportunities for teachers to be actively involved in the design and implementation process.
• Focus on Continuous Improvement: Clearly communicate that the evaluation process is about improving professional practice, not about judgment.
• Take Time to Build Relationships: Building teacher trust requires ongoing communication and meaningful feedback.  Strong relationships between teachers and principals are critical.

 

Q & A with Linda Barker, Director of Teaching and Learning, Colorado Education Association

Q: What has worked well in the design and implementation of the new evaluation model?

A: We’ve really been strategic about working with our members across the State. We’ve run trainings where teachers, principals and school board members come together around the professional practice side of the evaluation. Now we’re focusing on learning measures. We’ve seen incredible, deep conversations between teachers and principals around how to bring their practices to higher levels. Those conversations have been really powerful.

Q: Where are you experiencing the biggest challenges?

A: In some cases, the feedback conversations are not happening. If there isn’t time for those feedback conversations, it quickly becomes a checklist rubric, and that isn’t helpful at all. Also, the student learning measures side is harder to grasp because there’s less clarity around what these should be. We need to be thoughtful and take small incremental steps to figure out how to measure student learning. When a district builds common knowledge of what it’s currently doing to measure student learning, teachers are much more relaxed. This is much more helpful than starting from a big overview of data and metrics.

Q: What advice do you have for other States about educator evaluation and support?

A: I have several pieces of advice:

• Go slow, and focus on the professional practice side first.
• Build a collaborative relationship with the State. I meet with the Colorado Department of Education staff frequently to make sure we’re on the same page. I attend their trainings, and they attend ours. I think that’s helped a lot.
• Make sure teachers have a common understanding that it’s about continuous improvement. I truly believe that if you focus on practice, the measures of student learning will match the professional practice side.
• Engage teachers early and often.

 

Q&A with Lisa Rossi, Bethke Elementary, Poudre School District, who has taught for 25 years and served as a mentor to her colleagues for 20.

Q: What is the biggest difference you see in the new evaluation system?

A: Now, we can be much more specific about what our growth areas are.

For example, I know what it will take to be considered highly effective in engaging students. I know when my principal is evaluating me, it’s very targeted and objective. To hit bulls-eye, I know this is where I have to be. It takes the questioning and guessing out of it.

Q: Are you seeing any changes in teacher practice as a result of the new model?

A: Yes. I’m seeing that teachers are much more intentional about the kind of learning environment they’re creating because they know this is a dimension on which they’re being evaluated. I notice them asking themselves questions like ‘ how are my desks arranged?’ ‘Are kids afraid to speak up in class, or do they feel safe and respected?’

Q: Building a positive classroom environment can very challenging. Are teachers receiving any support in this area?

A: Yes. This is a topic we’re talking a lot about in our teacher in-service days. Our Professional Development coordinator is also offering a class on all of the sub-dimensions of classroom environment and culture this year. And, as a mentor, I work with my teachers on climate and culture issues too.  All of the little routines have to be taught at the beginning. Some teachers who struggle in classroom environment often haven’t had the support at the outset to develop these routines.