Are they Serious or are they trying to put the pressure on

Okay. So my district is now shifting their focus from being an Exemplary district to getting their students "college ready". Apparently, many of the colleges in Texas are complaining that their incoming freshmen don't know a whole lot. Okay, so I have several issues with the concept of putting every student on a specific college ready plan. But I can get into that later.

So, today in my grade level planning meeting it was announced that from now on we were going to have to bring our lesson plans to the meetings with all of the activities that go along with the week long lessons. Now, let me explain a couple of things. The state adopted new items to be taught in Language Arts. This has created some interesting issues. My teaching partner, who teaches Reading/LA, has had to add things to her lesson plans that I personally think are stupid. It has no bearing on student learning, and it takes away time that she could spending getting to really know the lesson. With all things considered, she is doing an EXCELLENT job. But, now it takes her 3 hours to write her lesson plans (which she shouldn't have to do since she's already taught one year). She has to look back at the TEKS and see when it should have been introduced and when it should have been mastered. This often takes her away from her family and friends. Besides all that she has to grade and take care of other things. This frustrates me because that's not what teaching is all about. Now, math plans are taking on a life of themselves now. I'm sure that I, too, will have to do all of this adding in of TEKS. But the even more interesting thing is that not all the schools in the district have to do what our Language Arts teachers are being asked to do. At a meeting the other day, the other teachers were aghast by the lesson plans of my teaching partner in the detail and what was expected of her. Even the presenters were like, "Ooh. Um, I guess that's a building decision."

Now here's the other interesting part, I think. We will have to explain our lesson plans and the activities to the group. Because now, not only will it be the principal and the instructional specialist, but our principal's boss. That makes me think there's something else going on. I mean, why should I have to explain my lesson plans. They're in education, they know how to read, AND my activities come off of the district's sharing website. So all they have to do is look it up. So now, here's another instance of making people do extra paperwork that really doesn't benefit the kids, it just creates a paper trail and takes a ton of time. My only truly happy time is when I'm teaching the kids. the time before school and after school is what kills me.

So my question is: Are they really serious about all this extra work or are they trying to put the pinch on my principal hoping she gives in and leaves before they have to move her. She's been there 8 years which, in Richardson, is a very long time. Sad, but true.