Voters will select representatives to fill the two remaining open seats on
the DCCCD Board of Trustees in a runoff election scheduled for Saturday, June
18, 2016.
"The most important election in the last 40 years of the DCCCD is only
half-finished," said Fred Newbury, president of the Dallas Community
College Faculty Association (DCCFA). "All DCCCD retirees; current faculty,
staff and administrators; and current and former students, need to remain
involved and engaged through June 18."
Trustees represent the community in the oversight and
governance of the DCCCD and are elected to six year terms to represent
single-member districts, as depicted on this map. Terms for Districts 1 (currently represented by Sonny
Williams) and 7 (Charletta Rogers Compton) expire in 2018. Terms for Districts
5 (Wesley Jameson) and 6 (Diana Flores) expire in 2020. Phil Ritter was elected
May 7 to represent District 2 to succeed Trustee Bob Ferguson.
"Past runoff elections often generate no more than a few hundred votes.
Working together, we have an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of
the DCCCD," Newbury said.
In District 3, which covers the northeastern quadrant of
Dallas County, including Sachse, Garland, Rowlett, Lake
Highlands and other parts of Northeast Dallas, Dorothy Zimmermann and Tommy Reed will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee
Jerry Prater.
In District 4, which covers the southeastern wedge of Dallas
County stretching from Lakewood and parts of East Dallas and Pleasant Grove to
Mesquite, Sunnyvale, Seagoville and Balch Springs, Monica Lira Bravo and Martha Jo Talbot will compete in a runoff to succeed Trustee
Bill Metzger.
Early voting will be available from June 6 to June 14. The Dallas
County Elections Department has published a PDF
document with all of the early voting polling places. You also can see a Google
Map of the early voting locations at this link. For early voting polling
places, hours vary by day. Those who choose to vote early can do so at any of
the early voting polling places.
For the June 18 Joint Runoff Election
Day, polling
places can be found at this link. If you choose to vote on June 18, you
must vote at the polling place assigned to your precinct. Election Day polling
places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 18 only. You can find your precinct at this link.
Voters who live in District 3 or District 4 who wish to vote absentee by
mail may complete an Application for Ballot By Mail form, and return that
completed form to the address indicated on the form. Application forms must be
received by the Dallas County Elections Department, by Friday, June 3, in order
for a voter to receive an absentee ballot before election day, June 18.
"Even if you are not registered to vote or do not live in District 3 or
District 4, you can get involved by sharing information with your friends and
family who do, and explaining the importance of the vital role the DCCCD plays
in improving lives and growing the economy," Newbury said.
More information is available from The
Dallas Morning News.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
Patti Burks: Faculty Issues, Concerns, and Solutions regarding the DISD Collegiate Academies
EDITOR'S NOTE: Patti Burks, Brookhaven College professor of computer technology, and faculty representative on the DISD Early Collegiate Academies Steering Committee, drafted this document to express faculty issues and concerns - and solutions - regarding the DISD Collegiate Academies. The Faculty Council generally supports these statements. Statements in Red are updates as of May 18, 2016.
Based on past experience working with the Early College High Schools and dual credit programs, the DCCCD faculty identified the following issues and concerns.
These items need be addressed and documented in writing in
an operating agreement with DISD to ensure that all parties involved currently as
well as those who will be involved in the future are working under the same set
of expectations and guidelines and to ensure the success of the program and the
students in the academies.
Response: Operational guidelines will be developed and
presented as a working draft to the June 16th joint DCCCD/Dallas ISD
Steering Committee.
Scheduling
For courses that will be taught by DCCCD faculty (full-time or adjunct), course scheduling should match the standard college schedule and should be consistent throughout the semester. This will enable college instructors to teach multiple courses.
The high school will be responsible for coverage of the high school class meetings that are outside of the standard college schedule including days before or after the college semester start and end dates as well as days where course meeting times are changed due to testing, assemblies or other high school priorities.
College faculty teaching high school courses should be informed of any scheduling issues or interruptions prior to the beginning of the semester.
The high school should provide the college with the following at least 3 months prior to the start of the semester:
For courses that will be taught by DCCCD faculty (full-time or adjunct), course scheduling should match the standard college schedule and should be consistent throughout the semester. This will enable college instructors to teach multiple courses.
Response: The eight Dallas ISD Collegiate Academies
will follow a consistent semester schedule that aligns with the standard
college schedule to the extent possible.
The 9th grade dual credit (college) courses will be scheduled
for 90 minutes, M/W or T/R for 48 or less contact hours and M, T, W, and R for
classes with 96 or more contact hours.
The days and times of the courses will be negotiated by the College and Collegiate
Academy representatives.
The high school will be responsible for coverage of the high school class meetings that are outside of the standard college schedule including days before or after the college semester start and end dates as well as days where course meeting times are changed due to testing, assemblies or other high school priorities.
Response: Dallas ISD understands and accepts
responsibility for coverage of the high school class meetings that are outside
of the standard college schedule.
College faculty teaching high school courses should be informed of any scheduling issues or interruptions prior to the beginning of the semester.
Response: Dallas ISD Executive Directors and Collegiate
Academy Principals and DCCCD College administrators are sharing academic
calendars, assessment/event schedules and planning in advance how to address
differences between the DCCCD academic calendar and the Dallas ISD high school
calendar.
The high school should provide the college with the following at least 3 months prior to the start of the semester:
o
High school faculty requiring credentialing
o
Courses where a college instructor is needed
o
High school course schedules including days and
times
Response: DCCCD College representatives
were notified at the May 12 joint DCCCD/Dallas ISD Collegiate Academies Joint
Steering Committee meeting of the courses and projected number of sections that
would need to be scheduled. No high
school faculty are currently credentialed to teach these courses, so the
Colleges will identify credentialed faculty to teach the Fall courses at the
high school campuses.
Classroom Management
Many college faculty have experience teaching adult learners only and no experience teaching minors. Professional development should be made available to assist instructors teaching high school cohorts for the first time to assist with legal, disciplinary and classroom management concerns. This applies to courses taught at either the high school of the college campus.
The role of the college faculty teaching high school courses is to provide instruction in the subject matter and not to provide discipline. A clear and consistent code of conduct and disciplinary actions needs to be developed and understood by faculty, school administration and students. Support for college faculty in disciplinary matters should be available and clearly documented.
Additional reporting, requirements and procedures required by the high school (attendance, failing grades, periodic grading reports, etc.) that are not standard for college instruction must be clearly identified and provided to the faculty 1 month prior to the beginning of the semester.
Response: High school requirements that need to be conveyed to college instructors will be included in the Operational Guidelines and within the orientation and professional development of the assigned faculty
Many college faculty have experience teaching adult learners only and no experience teaching minors. Professional development should be made available to assist instructors teaching high school cohorts for the first time to assist with legal, disciplinary and classroom management concerns. This applies to courses taught at either the high school of the college campus.
Response: Orientation and
professional development for the faculty who are assigned to the 9th
grade dual credit (college) courses at the Dallas ISD Collegiate Academies will
be developed by DCCCD faculty. Ideas for
topics and content can be sent to Patti Burks and Ginnette Serrano-Correa.
The role of the college faculty teaching high school courses is to provide instruction in the subject matter and not to provide discipline. A clear and consistent code of conduct and disciplinary actions needs to be developed and understood by faculty, school administration and students. Support for college faculty in disciplinary matters should be available and clearly documented.
Response: Dual credit
students must follow the same guidelines as other DCCCD College students,
including following the same curriculum, syllabus, course rigor, attendance expectations
and classroom behavior. Reference to the
DCCCD College Code of Student Conduct and its enforcement will be included in
the Operational Guidelines.
Additional reporting, requirements and procedures required by the high school (attendance, failing grades, periodic grading reports, etc.) that are not standard for college instruction must be clearly identified and provided to the faculty 1 month prior to the beginning of the semester.
Response: High school requirements that need to be conveyed to college instructors will be included in the Operational Guidelines and within the orientation and professional development of the assigned faculty
Curriculum
The college curriculum will be taught in all dual credit courses.
Course textbooks and software have been an issue in the past with some dual credit courses. Any issues or restrictions on course textbooks or software (cost, adoption cycle, equipment, etc.) must be identified and resolved 3 months before the start of the semester.
Courses in subjects that require STAAR testing may also present problems in terms of curriculum. In some cases the college curriculum may not cover all of the content required for the STAAR exam.
Discrepancies in the college and high school curriculum need to be identified prior to the scheduling of any STAAR related dual credit courses. The high school will be responsible for devising a plan to provide any supplemental instruction that will be required for students outside of the regular college curriculum.
Agreed*
Many of these issues need to be resolved and documented before the start of the Fall 2016 semester. A few of them may be deferred until next year – such as the STAAR curriculum issue since those courses will not be scheduled for the 2016-2017 school year.
Agreed*
The DCCCD faculty believe that these are critical issues and that formal documentation and distribution among the high school and college faculty and administration is vital.
The college curriculum will be taught in all dual credit courses.
Response: A dual credit
course is a college course, equivalent with respect to curriculum, student
learning outcomes, materials, instruction, and method/rigor of student
evaluation, no matter where it is offered.
Course textbooks and software have been an issue in the past with some dual credit courses. Any issues or restrictions on course textbooks or software (cost, adoption cycle, equipment, etc.) must be identified and resolved 3 months before the start of the semester.
Response: Fall, 2016 9th
grade courses and estimated textbook costs were conveyed to the DCCCD Colleges
and Dallas ISD personnel on 5/13/16. The
orders will by placed by Dallas ISD as soon as the College administrators and
faculty confirm the selected textbooks and software.
Courses in subjects that require STAAR testing may also present problems in terms of curriculum. In some cases the college curriculum may not cover all of the content required for the STAAR exam.
Discrepancies in the college and high school curriculum need to be identified prior to the scheduling of any STAAR related dual credit courses. The high school will be responsible for devising a plan to provide any supplemental instruction that will be required for students outside of the regular college curriculum.
Agreed*
Many of these issues need to be resolved and documented before the start of the Fall 2016 semester. A few of them may be deferred until next year – such as the STAAR curriculum issue since those courses will not be scheduled for the 2016-2017 school year.
Agreed*
*Response: The above items have been shared with
Executive Director Usamah Rodgers, who will be taking a leadership role with
planning for the Dallas ISD Collegiate Academies, who agrees that these are
reasonable expectations that will be addressed in joint planning meetings.
The DCCCD faculty believe that these are critical issues and that formal documentation and distribution among the high school and college faculty and administration is vital.
The
DCCCD/Dallas ISD Collegiate Academies Steering Committee agrees and supports
this documentation and distribution.
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