Many Opinions Voiced on NEA's Evaluation Proposal
Delegates offered a variety of opinions on the National Education Association's teacher-evaluation policy statement at an informal "open hearing" this afternoon in Chicago, with many, though certainly not all, praising it as an important move for the union.
"This is a great step forward in defining what it means to be a great educator, a standard we can start to work toward," said Frank Laurinec, a Michigan delegate: "We have a chance in these times to act, or be acted upon."
The generally favorable reaction can probably be partly explained by a small but significant addition that the union's board of directors made to the proposal. It notes that all tests must be scientifically validated for judging both students and teachers if they're to be included in teacher evaluations.
In reviewing the proposal at the hearing, NEA Secretary-Treasurer Becky Pringle made it exceedingly clear that the union feels that few if any tests currently in operation meet those requirements.
"There are not many of you who know much about high-quality standardized tests," she said, earning chuckles
