Urgent: Is your school on this list?

Please distribute widely!

The deadline for voting for the merit pay program in schools is this Thursday, November 6th.

Paying teachers to raise test scores is damaging to our kids, our schools and our entire educational system!

Below is a letter you can use to create conversation around the issue of merit pay. Below the letter is the list of schools that are voting this week. If you know ANYONE at any of these schools please forward this email to them.


Dear Colleagues,
The offer to have our school participate in the merit pay pilot program was thrown at our school community without giving us enough time to carefully consider the consequences. Here are some thoughts to consider before making this important decision.

Some Things to Consider Regarding Merit Pay:
- The proposed plan implies that the most reliable measure of a school’s success are the student’s test scores.

- By accepting this plan we are encouraging the use of high stakes testing and encouraging teachers to teach to the test.
(You get money only if students perform well on a test!)

- This plan diverts our attention from the real questions we should be asking our union and our city government: why isn’t this money going to reduce class size, increase teacher salaries in general, and increase arts and other enrichment programs.

- This plan creates a situation where the principal, someone the principal designates and two UFT members sit behind closed doors and decide how the money will be divided. This has the potential for some inequitable decisions as well as for creating a divisive atmosphere in our school.

- Merit pay implies that the problem in our schools is that teachers are not working hard enough. “If only those teachers would try a little harder, our students would succeed”. It does not address any of the larger issues that we know impact our students’ success.

- By accepting merit pay, we are sending the message that we agree with the analysis that teachers are the problem.

- We have to meet 100% of the goal to get the money.(We still do not know how the goals will be set, or who will set them). If we vote for this plan, and only reach 99% of our goal, we only get 50% of the money ($1500).

- If we vote for this plan, and reach 74% of our goal, we get nothing.

-With all of the issues to consider and unanswered questions, why are we being rushed to make such a hasty decision.

- Finally, what we do in our school will impact what happens in New York City, and what happens in New York sets a precedent for the nation. We have a responsibility to carefully weigh this decision.

P.S. 015 Roberto Clemente (Manhattan)

P.S. 188 The Island School (Manhattan)

47 The American Sign Language and English Dual L (Manhattan)

Coalition School for Social Change (Manhattan)

Unity Center for Urban Technologies (Manhattan)

J.H.S. M044 William J. O'shea (Manhattan)

M.S. 256 Academic & Athletic Excellence (Manhattan)

P.S. 007 Samuel Stern (Manhattan)

J.H.S. M045 John S. Roberts (Manhattan)

P.S. 050 Vito Marcantonio (Manhattan)

P.S. 096 Joseph Lanzetta (Manhattan)

Tito Puente Education Complex (Manhattan)

P.S. 146 Ann M. Short (Manhattan)

P.S. 155 William Paca (Manhattan)

The Bilingual Bicultural School (Manhattan)

Park East High School (Manhattan)

Central Park East High School (Manhattan)

Academy of Environmental Science Secondary High Sc (Manhattan)

Heritage School, The (Manhattan)

P.S. 046 Arthur Tappan (Manhattan)

P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman (Manhattan)

P.S. 161 Pedro Albizu Campos (Manhattan)

P.S. 194 Countee Cullen (Manhattan)

Bread & Roses Integrated Arts High School (Manhattan)

Duke Ellington (Manhattan)

P.S. 005 Ellen Lurie (Manhattan)

P.S. 018 Park Terrace (Manhattan)

P.S. 028 Wright Brothers (Manhattan)

P.S. 048 P.O. Michael J. Buczek (Manhattan)

P.S. 098 Shorac Kappock (Manhattan)

P.S. 115 Alexander Humboldt (Manhattan)

P.S. 128 Audubon (Manhattan)

Juan Pablo Duarte (Manhattan)

P.S. 153 Adam Clayton Powell (Manhattan)

P.S. 173 (Manhattan)

21st Century Academy (Manhattan)

P.S./I.S. 278 (Manhattan)

City College Academy of the Arts (Manhattan)

M.S. 319 - Maria Teresa (Manhattan)

M.S. 321 - Minerva (Manhattan)

M.S. 324 - Patria (Manhattan)

High School for International Business and Finance (Manhattan)

P.S. 001 Courtlandt School (Bronx)

P.S./M.S. 029 Melrose School (Bronx)

P.S. 156 Benjamin Banneker (Bronx)

P.S. 161 Ponce De Leon (Bronx)

P.S. 179 (Bronx)

M.S. 203 (Bronx)

P.S. 220 Mott Haven Village School (Bronx)

South Bronx Academy for Applied Media (Bronx)

Academy of Public Relations (Bronx)

Academy of Applied Mathematics and Technology (Bronx)

Mott Haven Village Preparatory High School (Bronx)

Samuel Gompers Career and Technical Education High (Bronx)

P.S. 062 Inocensio Casanova (Bronx)

P.S. 093 Albert G. Oliver (Bronx)

James M. Kiernan (Bronx)

P.S. 146 Edward Collins (Bronx)

M.S. X201 (Bronx)

Gateway School for Environmental Research and Tech (Bronx)

Millennium Art Academy (Bronx)

New School #2 @ P.S. 60 (Bronx)

The School for Inquiry and Social Justice (Bronx)

Banana Kelly High School (Bronx)

School for Community Research and Learning (Bronx)

BRONX ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL (Bronx)

Jane Addams High School for Academic Careers (Bronx)

P.S. 053 Basheer Quisim (Bronx)

P.S. 055 Benjamin Franklin (Bronx)

P.S. 058 (Bronx)

P.S. 073 Bronx (Bronx)

P.S. 090 George Meany (Bronx)

P.S. 109 Sedgwick (Bronx)

P.S. 126 Dr Marjorie H Dunbar (Bronx)

P.S. 132 Garret A. Morgan (Bronx)

P.S. 230 Dr Roland N. Patterson (Bronx)

I.S. 232 (Bronx)

P.S. 236 Langston Hughes (Bronx)

Urban Science Academy (Bronx)

New Millennium Business Academy Middle School (Bronx)

I.S. 339 (Bronx)

Ryer Avenue Elementary School (Bronx)

P.S. 032 Belmont (Bronx)

P.S. 046 Edgar Allan Poe (Bronx)

P.S. / I.S. 54 (Bronx)

J.H.S. 080 The Mosholu Parkway (Bronx)

P.S. 085 Great Expectations (Bronx)

P.S. 159 Luis Munoz Marin Biling (Bronx)

P.S. 246 Poe Center (Bronx)

P.S. 306 (Bronx)

Bronx Dance Academy School (Bronx)

P.S. 310 Marble Hill (Bronx)

P.S. 315 Lab School (Bronx)

The Bronx School of Science Inquiry and Investigat (Bronx)

M.S. 390 (Bronx)

M.S. 391 (Bronx)

M.S. 399 (Bronx)

Belmont Preparatory High School (Bronx)

P.S. 041 Gun Hill Road (Bronx)

P.S. 068 Bronx (Bronx)

P.S. 112 Bronxwood (Bronx)

J.H.S. 142 John Philip Sousa (Bronx)

J.H.S. 144 Michelangelo (Bronx)

Bronx Academy of Health Careers (Bronx)

Christopher Columbus High School (Bronx)

P.S. 044 David C. Farragut (Bronx)

P.S. 057 Crescent (Bronx)

P.S. 061 Francisco Oller (Bronx)

P.S. 066 School of Higher Expectations (Bronx)

P.S. 092 Bronx (Bronx)

J.H.S. 098 Herman Ridder (Bronx)

P.S. 150 Charles James Fox (Bronx)

PS 195 (Bronx)

P.S. 211 (Bronx)

Business School for Entrepreneurial Studies (Bronx)

East Bronx Academy for the Future (Bronx)

Fannie Lou Hamer Middle School (Bronx)

Morris Academy for Collaborative Studies (Bronx)

The School of Science and Applied Learning (Bronx)

BRONX REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL (Bronx)

High School for Violin and Dance (Bronx)

High School of World Cultures (Bronx)

Bronx Coalition Community High School (Bronx)

Wings Academy (Bronx)

Monroe Academy for Business/Law (Bronx)

Monroe Academy for Visual Arts & Design (Bronx)

P.S. 093 William H. Prescott (Brooklyn)

Dr. Susan. S. McKinney Secondary School of the Art (Brooklyn)

P.S. 270 Johann DeKalb (Brooklyn)

Academy of Business and Community Development (Brooklyn)

ACORN Community High School (Brooklyn)

M.S. 571 (Brooklyn)

P.S. 120 Carlos Tapia (Brooklyn)

P.S. 196 Ten Eyck (Brooklyn)

P.S. 297 Abraham Stockton (Brooklyn)

Automotive High School (Brooklyn)

The Bergen (Brooklyn)

P.S. 015 Patrick F. Daly (Brooklyn)

I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey (Brooklyn)

P.S. 172 Beacon School of Excellence (Brooklyn)

New Horizons School (Brooklyn)

Secondary School for Journalism (Brooklyn)

Metropolitan Corporate Academy High School (Brooklyn)

P.S. 025 Eubie Blake School (Brooklyn)

P.S. 028 The Warren (Brooklyn)

Whitelaw Reid (Brooklyn)

P.S. 243 Weeksville (Brooklyn)

P.S. 262 El Hajj Malik Shabazz (Brooklyn)

M.S. 267 Math, Science & Technology (Brooklyn)

P.S. 304 Casimir Pulaski (Brooklyn)

P.S. 309 George E. Wibecan (Brooklyn)

P.S. 335 Granville T. Woods (Brooklyn)

Boys and Girls High School (Brooklyn)

P.S. 012 (Brooklyn)

Adrian Hegeman (Brooklyn)

P.S. 167 The Parkway (Brooklyn)

P.S. 191 Paul Robeson (Brooklyn)

I.S. 246 Walt Whitman (Brooklyn)

M.S. K394 (Brooklyn)

Stanley Eugene Clark (Brooklyn)

School for Human Rights, The (Brooklyn)

Paul Robeson High School (Brooklyn)

I.S. 068 Isaac Bildersee (Brooklyn)

Canarsie High School (Brooklyn)

P.S. 072 Annette P Goldman (Brooklyn)

P.S. 108 Sal Abbracciamento (Brooklyn)

P.S. 149 Danny Kaye (Brooklyn)

P.S. 158 Warwick (Brooklyn)

P.S. 213 New Lots (Brooklyn)

J.H.S. 302 Rafael Cordero (Brooklyn)

W. H. Maxwell Career and Technical Education High (Brooklyn)

P.S. 109 (Brooklyn)

P.S. K315 (Brooklyn)

P.S. 041 Francis White (Brooklyn)

Rachel Jean Mitchell (Brooklyn)

P.S. 155 Nicholas Herkimer (Brooklyn)

P.S. 156 Waverly (Brooklyn)

P.S. 184 Newport (Brooklyn)

P.S. 298 Dr. Betty Shabazz (Brooklyn)

Rose B. English (Brooklyn)

Newtown High School (Queens)

R. Vernam (Queens)

I.S. 053 Brian Piccolo (Queens)

P.S. 197 The Ocean School (Queens)

P.S. 253 (Queens)

August Martin High School (Queens)

Samuel Huntington (Queens)

P.S. 034 John Harvard (Queens)

Humanities & Arts Magnet High School (Queens)

P.S. 092 Harry T. Stewart Sr. (Queens)

P.S. 111 Jacob Blackwell (Queens)

P.S. 018 John G. Whittier (Staten Island)

P.S. 020 Port Richmond (Staten Island)

Horace Greene (Brooklyn)

P.S. 075 Mayda Cortiella (Brooklyn)

P.S. 086 The Irvington (Brooklyn)

P.S. 106 Edward Everett Hale (Brooklyn)

P.S. 123 Suydam (Brooklyn)

P.S. 151 Lyndon B. Johnson (Brooklyn)

J.H.S. 291 Roland Hayes (Brooklyn)

I.S. 347 School of Humanities (Brooklyn)

I.S. 349 Math, Science & Tech. (Brooklyn)

Bushwick School for Social Justice (Brooklyn)

Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellen (Brooklyn)

P.S. K077 (Brooklyn)