Senators Show Up for Michelle Rhee, Leave for Bill
Stephen WiseHide
While Michelle Rhee got most of the attention during her presentation Wednesday at the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee, it is the legislation discussed afterward that will have the most lasting impact on Florida’s education.
Most of the reporters and senators, some of whom are not even on the committee, left along with the controversial former chancellor of the Washington, D.C., School District, leaving just three senators to deal with legislation that will tie teacher pay to performance.
Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, who chairs the Education Committee, filed Senate Bill 736 last week, which would create teacher evaluations that would determine their salary and in some cases, whether they remain employed as a teacher.
The evaluations would be developed by the Department of Education, but would be based