Why the new evaluation plan is good for teachers
Wednesday, May 12th 2010, 4:00 AM
Yesterday's announced compromise on teacher evaluations between teachers unions and New York State is a win for teachers, although many don't see it that way. The deal, which makes students' test scores count for 40% of a teacher's effectiveness rating, marks the first time that test data will influence teachers' ratings or job security.
The concept of tying teacher evaluations to test scores - an idea endorsed so emphatically by President Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan that it's a prerequisite for states' applications for the Race to the Top billions - is moving with the momentum of a bullet train. As trains go, you're either onboard, on the sidelines or getting run over.
At the risk of being further castigated for obstructionism, teachers needed to climb on that train. And they did.
Teacher evaluations were long overdue for an overhaul. Last year, fewer than 2% of New York City teachers were rated "unsatisfactory." You can practically count on one hand the number of city teachers fired for incompetence over the past two years. That's crazy, and it reflects poorly on all teachers to have such a softball system in place. There is dead weight in the system and, via speedy due process, it needs to go.
It's a loser to argue against accountability. Since the current system for evaluations was indefensible, the blame inevitably fell - fairly or not - on teachers for appearing to protect their own interests over all else. The unions should have been out in front of this, and they've endured major collateral damage for not being more proactive.
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