Annapolis High Staff Must Reapply for Jobs

Goal Is to Meet 'No Child' Standards

Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell might be trying to give Annapolis High School a "leg up" on meeting federal testing standards, a state official said of the restructuring. (By Mark Gail -- The Washington Post)

Anne Arundel's school superintendent told Annapolis High School teachers yesterday that all employees at the campus will have to reapply for their jobs -- a drastic move to restructure the school after it failed to meet federal No Child Left Behind guidelines for four years straight.

The wholesale reconsideration and possible replacement of a school's staff are among the most drastic actions local officials can take when a school is flagged as consistently failing. A few in Baltimore took similar action in 2005; Prince George's County had employees at six schools reapply in 1997, before the passage of the No Child law.

Yesterday's announcement at Annapolis High by Superintendent Kevin M. Maxwell sparked anger among teachers, surprise among parents and sadness in the school's principal, who said he closed his office door and sat alone for the rest of the day trying to figure out what he could have done differently.

Annapolis High has struggled with incidents of violence, low graduation rates and failing scores among its low-income students. The school has had three principals in four years -- including one who filed a race discrimination lawsuit against school system officials.

After failing to make "adequate yearly progress" for four years, the 1,600-student campus was added last fall to a list of more than 50 schools needing "corrective action." The decision to force the school's entire staff to reapply -- including custodians and secretaries -- is called "zero-basing" and is one of many options for local reform outlined by the state. Other options include changing the curriculum, hiring an outside expert, and extending the school year or school day.

Many Maryland schools in similar positions have been criticized for hiring turnaround specialists, an easier and less-intrusive option. "But there have been questions whether that's enough," said state education spokesman William Reinhard.

If Annapolis High fails to meet standards for a fifth year, the school's restructuring could be overseen by the state. By taking drastic action now, Maxwell could be attempting to change the school on his terms and give it a "leg up" on making adequate yearly progress in the future, said state Deputy Superintendent Ronald A. Peiffer.

Maxwell announced his decision yesterday by calling an impromptu meeting of the school system's union leaders at his office at 11:45 a.m. At noon, he informed the Annapolis High staff in the school cafeteria, and he called a news conference less than an hour later.

"The teachers are uniformly angry," said Tim Mennuti, president of the county's teachers union. "Many have been in the building a long, long time, trying their hardest, and this gives the appearance that the teachers are responsible for all the problems."

Many of the students failing the mandated tests are chronically truant, he said, and much of the school's trouble mirrors larger social problems in Annapolis.

The school has one of the most diverse populations in the state -- with affluent students and academically rigorous Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, as well as students from public housing, some frequently absent and struggling to pass state-mandated tests.

Because this was exam week at the school, classes ended early, and few students or parents knew of the decision. Some applauded the action when they learned of it. Others defended the teachers and worried about the disruption from a large-scale staff replacement.