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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

School districts pass resolutions against TEACHNJ Act - NorthJersey.com

School districts pass resolutions against TEACHNJ Act - NorthJersey.com:


School districts pass resolutions against TEACHNJ Act

WEDNESDAY APRIL 4, 2012, 6:46 PM
TOWN JOURNAL
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School districts in the Town Journal area have officially voiced their opposition to a proposed Senate bill that would remove school boards and superintendents from personnel decisions by establishing a school improvement panel in its place.
The proposed S-1455 bill, sponsored by Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), would look to adopt different teacher and student evaluation methods as a way of raising student achievement.
Dubbed the TEACHNJ Act, the bill would give sole authority to appoint or remove instructional staff to the principal, in consultation with a "school improvement panel," which would consist of a principal, vice-principal and a district teacher, whom would oversee the mentoring and evaluations of district teachers. However, the bill would also remove the local board of education (BOE) from personnel decisions as it states that "a chief school administrator may not recommend a person to the board of education without consent of the principal," and both the superintendent and principal would have to