OFT Denounces DoDEA cuts to vital school positions

ANKARA, Turkey—The Overseas Federation of Teachers, which represents educators in public schools on Department of Defense military bases in Italy, Spain, Bahrain and Turkey, today denounced the agency’s plans to cut essential school personnel who help students learn in a digital age and access crucial services.

Positions eliminated include all school-based educational technologists (ETs), all speech-language assessors and all special education assessors in DoDEA schools—more than 450 jobs throughout the Department of Defense Education Activity system.

DoDEA’s plan calls for school-based ETs to be replaced by district-level ETs—only two for the entire Europe South district, providing only remote support. OFT President Linda Hogan said, “That’s just not enough. Nearly every curriculum series DoDEA uses has multilayered technology components, which have to be mastered by students and teachers alike. These cuts will hurt our students and tarnish the educational quality that DoDEA schools are known for.”

Hogan added: “DoDEA is sending our students back to the Victorian age educationally by cutting these vital positions. ETs and assessors are not add-ons to a school staff; they are central to the education and services our students depend on. DoDEA made these cuts without talking to classroom educators or to parents—the people who know what kids need.”

DoDEA has said it is about to launch a new “Blueprint for Continuous Improvement” and has adopted the ISTE Standards for Students and Teachers, a framework that offers guidance in using technology. “How do we accomplish that without essential educational technologists?” Hogan said.

She said that the cuts to speech-language and special education assessors will be equally damaging. She noted that assessors identify and support students with learning and behavioral needs: collaborating with educators, families and support teams; making recommendations for special education services; and helping to create individualized education programs.

“We don’t know DoDEA’s plan for replacing these vital staffers,” Hogan said. “If special education teachers fill the gap, then their students lose crucial teacher time and energy. If school psychologists take on assessments, they’ll be stretched even thinner to handle their other casework, from threat assessments to child abuse cases.”

Hogan said, “DoDEA is hands-down a top-notch school system. That is in no small part because teachers can work alongside critical support staff, including educational technologists and assessors. They aren’t expendable. They are crucial to students’ success in school and in life. We urge DoDEA to reverse this shortsighted decision.”