Students First
“Save Great Teachers - Let's End Last In, First Out”
Audio/Visual Transcript
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpdIQXq2FsI&feature=player_embedded
AUDIO VISUAL
We’re in the midst of one of the worst financial Animated chalkboards with red arrows going down
crises our country has seen. and sad music playing. Then a sketch of the United
States appears on one of the chalkboards.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “The worst financial crises”
As a result almost every state will cut education The camera zooms in on the sketch of the U.S. with
spending. an arrow pointing to Missouri.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “Every state will cut education
spending.”
These cuts put American students at risk of losing Shows two blue cartoon students smiling at the
great teachers. camera standing on the sketch of Missouri then the
sketch of Missouri is cut in half.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “’ These cuts put American
students at risk”
In some cities as many as one out of every five White and red writing on the chalkboard.
teachers could lose their job.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “1 out of every 5”
The situation is bad but even worse because of how
we lay off ours teachers Shows blue cartoon teachers in a row with red text
behind them
TEXT ON SCREEN: “worse because of HOW we
lay off teachers”
Most school districts lay off teachers according to an Shows multiple blue cartoon teachers on the
outdated system called “last in, first out” chalkboard with white and red writing.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “LAST IN FIRST OUT”
It means that the last teacher hired has to be the first Shows the cartoon teachers in a row with the last
teacher fired regardless of how good they are. teacher walking out of a door, frowning.
Seniority based layoffs don’t make sense, Same frowning cartoon teacher with white writing.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “Seniority based layoffs don’t
make sense
And they’re bad for our students. Blue cartoon characters of students on the
chalkboard with white and red writing.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “BAD for our students”
Here’s why. First, when we determine layoffs by White and red writing on the chalkboard.
seniority the research shows that we end up firing
some of the best teachers in the district.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “First,”
“Research shows we FIRE the best teachers”
Second, because junior teachers are paid the least we Blue animated teacher on the chalkboard with white
have to fire more teachers in order to fill the budget and red writing above her. Then money signs show
deficit. on the chalkboard and the word “BUDGET
DEFICIT”.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “second,”
“Junior”, “Budget deficit”
And third, low performing schools get hit the hardest Cartoon school pops up with a “D-” on it and cartoon
since typically they have the largest number of newer teachers lining up next to it.
teachers.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “third,”
Here’s why we need to save great teachers Smiling blue cartoon teacher on the chalkboard with
white text next to her.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “Here’s why we need to save
great teachers”
If a child in the first grade has an ineffective teacher Shows a smiling blue cartoon character of a child
in the first grade for just one year, she’ll only learn with a blue line going upward labeled
half as much. If she has an ineffective teacher for two “Kindergarten”, the line dramatically drops at the
years in a row, she’ll probably never catch up “first grade” mark and changes color to red. The
camera follows both the blue and red lines, the red
dramatically decreases as the blue increases.
By contrast, a highly effective teacher can move a Then a lighter blue line comes onto the chalkboard
student through twice the amount of expected with the dark blue and the red line and shoots higher
learning each year. than both.
So a great teacher can produce three times more than Go back to blue cartoon teacher on the chalkboard,
a low performing teacher. This can change a kid’s and then a cartoon student with a graduation cap
life. Making them more likely to graduate from high takes the teachers place.
school and go to college.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “X3”
So why wouldn’t every school district identify and Shows rows of teachers then circles a few. Then red
save great teachers? It should be illegal not to. and white text shows on chalkboard.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “Save great teachers”
“It should be illegal not too”
We can do something about this if we act now
White and blue writing on chalkboard
TEXT ON SCREEN: “if we ACT NOW”
Tell your governor and State legislator to change Shows white papers with “Dear elected official”
these laws and policies in your state laws and written on them
policies in your state.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “CHANGE these LAWS and
POLICIES”
A save great teachers before they lose their jobs and
students lose great teachers Shows cartoon teachers and students smiling at the
camera with text above them.
TEXT ON SCREEN: “SAVE GREAT TEACHERS”