Teacher evaluation lawsuit hearing begins Tuesday
In a case that could transform teacher evaluations in California, a landmark parent lawsuit aimed at forcing L.A. Unified to use student test scores to review instructors is set for a hearing Tuesday.
The lawsuit demands that L.A. Unified follow a 40-year-old state law, known as the Stull Act, that requires all school districts to use evidence of student learning in job performance evaluations, including state standardized test scores.
But Scott Witlin, attorney for the parents, said L.A. Unified has routinely ignored the law; his legal team's analysis of 599 random teacher evaluations provided by the district found that only three linked teacher job performance to evidence of student progress in meeting state learning targets.
"Teachers are not being evaluated on the reason they have their jobs, which is whether they're helping the kids learn," Witlin said.
The lawsuit demands that L.A. Unified follow a 40-year-old state law, known as the Stull Act, that requires all school districts to use evidence of student learning in job performance evaluations, including state standardized test scores.
But Scott Witlin, attorney for the parents, said L.A. Unified has routinely ignored the law; his legal team's analysis of 599 random teacher evaluations provided by the district found that only three linked teacher job performance to evidence of student progress in meeting state learning targets.
"Teachers are not being evaluated on the reason they have their jobs, which is whether they're helping the kids learn," Witlin said.