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Birmingham Board of Education votes 5-4 to hire 60 teachers through Teach for America

I don't know the members of the Birmingham Board of Education. But I have met Virginia Volker, and I know of her history of standing up for Birmingham students. It's good to know she still stands firm. Besides all the other negatives, note this one: TFA teachers come with a cost of $5,000 per teacher, per year beyond the standard starting teacher's salary.

by Marie Leech

The Birmingham Board of Education approved a plan tonight to hire 60 Teach for America teachers over the next three years.

After a closed session to discuss the legal ramifications of approving the contract, the board voted 5-4 to hire the teachers. Board members Virginia Volker, Edward Maddox, Tyrone Belcher and Emanuel Ford voted against the contract.

Board member Alana Edwards, who was the swing vote on the issue, voted in favor of the contract after requesting the closed session.

After more than an hour of discussion and public comment, the board first tabled consideration of the item, then decided to go into the closed session.

The board members who voted against the contract said the school district can't afford to hire 60 teachers through Teach for America because they come with a cost of $5,000 per teacher, per year beyond the standard starting teacher's salary. The fee to hire 60 teachers through Teach for America for two years each would be $600,000.

The school district is facing a $30 million deficit in fiscal 2012.

But other board members say Superintendent Craig Witherspoon's plan to employ the teachers is innovative and will be good for the city's under-performing schools.




— Marie Leech
Birmingham News
2011-01-25
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/01/birmingham_board_of_education_20.html

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