NEWARK SCHOOLS CHIEF WANTS TEACHER PERFORMANCE INCLUDED IN LAYOFF CRITERIA
Union leaders leap to defense of long-established contractual practice of basing job cuts on years of experience
- Credit: Howard Best/NPSNewark Superintendent of Schools Cami Anderson
In an unprecedented move, Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson has asked Christie administration to waive seniority rules that dictate how planned teacher layoffs in the state-run district are to be conducted.
The request essentially seeks the state’s permission for Anderson to consider teacher performance in determining the future layoffs of potentially hundreds of the state-run district’s teachers to fend off a looming budget crisis.
“In short, NPS must address its fiscal crisis while increasing teacher quality,” reads a draft of the letter Anderson is expected to release today.
”The only way to do this is to be granted an equivalency to base layoff decisions on both length of service and performance in order to remain competitive and offer quality schooling options for all Newark families. “
But the request, filed on Friday, faces long political and legal odds – and already loud protests -- in the face of a so-far unbendable state law that requires staff reductions to be based solely on years of experience, under a policy known as “last in, first out.”
Anderson already faces intense public criticism of her “One Newark” plan for