Priority Schools (ETO) label does not override our contractual rights
Nowhere in the UTLA-LAUSD contract are Priority Schools recognized. They are an internal LAUSD program that should not be conflated as agreed-upon language. The labeling of a school via a district’s initiatives shall not circumvent our contract.
This means there should be:
NO: Micromanaging of instruction and curriculum
You are the credentialed professional in the room and any arbitrary and unreasonable demands to upend or change your teaching practice or materials should be reported ASAP. Instructional goals and approach should be a collective effort that includes department/grade level and all other relevant interest holders. The Educational Transformation Office (ETO) does not prescribe implementation of instructional approaches. Working with ETO should not feel like working with the “gotcha police.”
NO: Intrusive or disruptive classroom visits
Classroom visits should be related to impact reviews and should last no more than 5-7 minutes. Interrupting ongoing instruction is not allowed and should be reported. Only constructive feedback if applicable should be provided. If the visitor or the feedback questions why you are not implementing instruction, report it. There should be limited Special Education class visits due to the disruptive nature of such visits.
NO: Co-opting of professional development
Our contract guarantees that 50 percent of PD is designated by the LSLC (more at Community Schools) and any attempt to use the label of Priority Schools to circumvent this CBA statute should not be allowed and addressed immediately.
NO: Punitive or disciplinary feedback
ETO coaches are UTLA members — not administrators — and per our contract they cannot evaluate other UTLA members. ETO resources are provided as supports and should not be prescribed, required, or mandated. As the professional educator, you choose what supports your instruction and ignore what does not. If someone challenges you on this, report it. According to ETO, principals know it is not prescriptive.
To assert your contractual rights as outlined above:
