Should teachers be held accountable for student test score gains even if the students don't show up for class? Yes says the NYC DOE and the State Education Department but the teachers in Buffalo are putting up a resistance to the absurd notion that teachers have to drag kids out of bed and into class.
Teachers already worry about our evaluations because one never knows how kids will act when we are observed. We don't control many of the variables that are involved in rating us. It will be much worse under the new system and there will be weakened due process.
We salute the teachers in Buffalo, and their supporters in the press, for fighting back against the ridiculous new proposed system and of course we are following closely what the Long Island principals are doing to oppose basing our rating in part on student test scores too. It should be the UFT leading this fight.
In other news, Jamaica High School teachers and former teachers can certainly write.
Marc Epstein's latest piece on Bloomberg's legacy packs a mean punch. You can read it at Huffington. By the way, Marc is no longer a ronin teacher as we grieved his excessing and won. He is back at Jamaica at least for this semester.
Also, former colleague Brett Rosenthal wrote a fine piece for the Washington Post. Brett currently is an assistant principal working for Carol Burris. She is the woman who is leading the fight against the new evaluation system.
If you read the latest from Leo Casey, he is now making an argument against the LI Principals basically accusing them of wanting all the power to evaluate. Carol Burris of course responded.
ReplyDeleteYet, no mention how 2 bad testing reviews in a row can get a teacher fired.
Basically two bad testing reviews will get a teacher fired. Try proving yourself competent. The presumption is you are incompetent after two ineffectives. That will be backed up by a validator. You are finished unless there is a miracle.
ReplyDeleteSorry to go off topic: Question about the 13% appeals process.
ReplyDeleteLeo wrote the panel will be made up of 3 people--but the vote has to be "unanimous".
My question: If 2 out of 3 people vote in favor of the teacher (let's say the DoE rep votes NO), what happens??
I didn't read that the vote has to be unanimous.
ReplyDeleteI would wholeheartedly agree with anonymous Wed March 14th 11:39pm who said.."You are finished unless there is a miracle". You are absolutley right!
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