News

Members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers joined more than 3,000 union delegates from around the country in Minneapolis July 18-21 for the American Federation of Teachers’ biennial convention. Interim President Ivy Bailey and Executive Vice President Terrence Martin were part of a delegation of 10 DFT members attending the national gathering.

Click above for a PDF document on the section on teacher evaluation in the new law. A link to the full bill can be accessed by going to:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2009-2010/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2009-SFA-0981-S.pdf

The nature of our roles as union and management is that we may disagree on issues, but never on focus. Our mutual focus is to provide the best learning environment for all of our students, at every school, in every neighborhood across the district. We jointly, with all of our resources, commit to transform the Detroit Public Schools through this historic and evolutionary contract. This contract will include:
· Peer Assistance and Review
· Meaningful jointly-determined professional staff development
· Best practices at Priority Schools
· Shared decision-making
· School-based performance bonuses
· Comprehensive teacher evaluation system

We understand that to achieve what we set out to do we must eliminate bureaucratic impediments to allow flexibility, creativity, entrepreneurship, trust and risk-taking to become the new reality in our schools.

We mutually agree to transform our schools. We challenge ourselves each day to improve student learning, based on academic rigor, newfound flexibility, meaningful assessments, and true accountability of administrators, teachers and staff, parents and students. The standards we hold for our students must never be lower than those we hold for our own children. To accomplish this, we must focus on each instructional and each operational change to support the children and adults in schools, whom we expect to meet these rigorous challenges. 

The academic reforms and increased level of accountability for all those responsible for instruction and instructional support of our students are meaningless unless we simultaneously ensure a comprehensive education with adequate books, supplies and technology for students and staff.
We must also guarantee a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.

Change must be service-oriented, supportive and sufficiently flexible so that each school’s educational vision becomes a reality. Change must be practical, possible, efficient and timely. Respect for each other and for each student must be unconditional. 

Together we will transform DPS. Our students deserve no less!

At the Nov. 12 General Membership meeting, a bylaw change was approved by unanimous vote. The change saves money by reducing the number of delegates to the American Federation of Teachers Convention and the AFT Michigan convention. DFT membership has declined from 12,500 members a decade ago to 7,200 members. The amendment reduces the number of elected delegates from 50 to 20 and the number of alternates would be reduced from 25 to 10. These changes do not affect the number of votes cast at either convention because our delegation's votes are based on our total membership, not the size of our delegation.

Educating. Organizing. Mobilizing. That’s how Detroit Federation of Teachers members have spent the last few weeks. And our work is making a difference. Let’s stand together and keep our union strong.

A group of about 35 teachers, parents and community activists gathered at the Fisher Building Monday afternoon to present Detroit Public Schools Transition Manager Judge Steven Rhodes with “The Public Schools All Detroit Children Deserve,” a platform document that outlines a community-driven vision for public education. You can read the community platform here in English, or Spanish.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers May membership meeting provided an amazing evening of solidarity and information sharing. Read more for meeting notes and volunteering opportunities from Interim President Ivy Bailey.