Should Evaluations Weed Out ‘Bad Teachers’?
Hatboro-Horsham School District officials recently discussed new legislation that will change the way teachers, principals and non-teaching professionals are evaluated.
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Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year Pennsylvania public school teachers will be graded on student performance as part of evaluations. Instructors deemed to be “failing” could be fired more easily, officials said.
And, while the new evaluation system is nearly a year away – and the state has yet to finalize aspects of it – Hatboro-Horsham School District officials discussed some of the challenges that come with its eventual implementation during a meeting last month.
The big change, according to Superintendent Curtis Griffin, is that if a teacher receives two “failing” ratings within a 10-year period, he or she could be fired. Currently, teachers must receive two unsatisfactory ratings back-to-back, he said.
“That’s a big change in the whole process,” Griffin said.
Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, similar evaluation systems will be put in place for principals and non-teaching employees.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has until June 2013 to finalize specifics of the new teacher evaluation system, but another challenge, Griffin said, is that the legislation “supersedes any collective bargaining agreement.”
Since Hatboro-Horsham School District officials and the Hatboro-Horsham Education Association – the union representing the district’s 390 teachers – are set to begin contract negotiations in January, the new legislation could pose some obstacles in finalizing a new contract before its June 30, 2013 expiration.
“There’s so many unknowns. It’s an unknown for everybody,” Union President Eric Shea told Patch. ““The state and (Pennsylvania State Education Association) haven’t said anything about what pieces are going to be bargain-able.”
One of the major sticking points in the recently resolved Chicago teacher strike involved evaluations being tied to student performance.
For Pennsylvania teachers, the state legislation, which was approved in the last budget cycle, would base 50 percent of teachers’ evaluations on student performance, including pupil performance on assessments; attendance; graduation rate; advanced placement course participation; and scholastic aptitude tests, in addition to other yet-to-be-determined factors devised by each school district.
State Rep. Todd Stephens (R-151) of Horsham, said the intent of the law is to help good teachers improve and “to weed out those teachers who habitually, who are just unfortunately bad teachers.”
“There was pretty broad concern over the fact that 98 or 99 percent of all teachers were rated satisfactory,” Stephens said, adding that the end goal is to have “better teachers for our students.”
Shea, a health and physical education teacher, said he fears that a teacher who struggles with classroom management in his or first year and seven or eight years later has a “tough group of kids” could lose their job under the new evaluation system.
“That seems extreme,” Shea said. “What happens in the classroom isn’t just what the teacher is doing.”
Shea said he’s unsure how the state would regulate the evaluations, or “how enforceable” the regulations would be.
Stephens said the Pennsylvania Department of Education would oversee the new evaluation system and ensure compliance.
Once the missing details are made available, Shea said he would have a better understanding of how the new evaluations would be put in place.
“There’s so many variables that we don’t know about in terms of what assessments they’re going to use and tests they’re going to use,” Shea said. “It’ll be a plus for everyone if it’s done well.”
Tell us in the comments if you think teacher evaluations should be based on student performance, as well as their own individual performance.
Mott1
8:51 am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
I think this is a healthy dialogue to have. Good teachers are invaluable. A fair evaluation system is something I think we should all be a part of. In fairness to teachers, I don’t think we can expect them to be 100% accountable for every aspect of student performance and attendance. The parents have an equally responsible role to play as well. One thing is for sure, Todd Stephen’s being involved in the discussion is a good thing because, if I am not mistaken, his parents were teachers so he brings a lot to the table on this topic.
Liberty 1
11:30 am on Thursday, September 20, 2012
The ideal situation would be to have school choice where the parents and the market place are the true evaluators. That is the best and fairest way to evaluate. BUT this being a staunchly union state where common sense is lacking (especially in the classroom) that will not happen. In my lifetime anyway. So ANY evaluation is better then none. But they will be manipulated like everything else the government wishes to run. Not much will change.
Beth Allen
12:20 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
In 9 years with kids in the HHSD, I cannot say I have encountered any "bad" teachers. There have been a handful that were lack luster. They lacked enthusiasm. creativity and the ability to challenge and inspire. Good people but maybe not the best teaching can offer. As in the private sector, the best should be rewarded for going beyond the expectation. I support merit conditions as long as systems are in place to measure the teachers output. You cannot hold teachers responsible for lack of child's potential, lack of parental support and other outside influences. Reward those who don't just show up - but shine and hit the ball out of the park!
Concerned in Horsham
12:24 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
I think that a comprehensive evaluation system for teachers is needed. However, there are many aspects that go into the education of our children. A teacher cannot create the desire to learn and succeed. Unfortunately, there are many children who choose not to learn or choose not to do well in their academics. Will teachers push these students through as to not get a poor evaluation and have their job put in jeopardy? Can parents ever have their opinions of teachers count towards the evaluation?
On a final note, I wish that our AD would get evaluated and fired. He is killing the athletics at HH and it is really sad for the youngster who are coming up into programs that are not supported or have a chance succeed.
James Kephart Jr.
12:52 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Evaluations should also be much different for elementary, middle and high school kids.
Denise Fleming
9:32 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
Should a doctor be evaluated on the number of patients who followed his/her advice and lost weight, exercised, stopped smoking, etc? Most teachers truly care and do their best everyday to help each child but there are some issues that they cannot control.
Dolores Forget
10:23 pm on Thursday, September 20, 2012
That is a very good analogy! I think the teaching profession is much like any other profession in the sense that the peers know who the underperformers are. The unfortunate part is the schools don't have the same freedom to simply have a mass layoff or "downsizing" to get rid of them.
Jason G
8:46 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
I still have nightmares thinking back on some of the teachers I had in school, their uninspiring attitudes, poor teaching ability ect. I then think back to the amazing teachers I had to shaped who I am today and still inspire me. It still amazes me that some of those teachers I had were even allowed to teach let alone be near our future generations. So yes some sort of concrete evaluations are needed.
With that said, what makes a child successful isn't just the teachers, its many different aspects that are overlooked and quite frankly not pushed in our lazy society. How do they spend there time out of the classroom, are sports more important then grades? Are the parents connected and do they even care? Are they sitting in front of a tv for hours on end? Just passing is really accepted in our society, so just blaming teachers isn't the whole story.
I still like Florida's idea, a grading system for parents!
bill barber
9:04 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
How can a teacher be evaluated on student attendance? What about parent evaluations? Giving all of the power to administration is just a vehicle to cut the highest paid teachers to trim the budget. If you are a teacher in an underperforming area (low SES) be scared... they are going to blame you for all the issues. This will force the better teachers to transfer or refuse to work in the poorest most needing schools... once again the poor will suffer..ala NCLB!
Suzanne
11:43 am on Friday, September 21, 2012
It is unfortunate but I believe your predictions may be well-founded. Teachers, regardless of skill level, are only a small part of the education equation. A poor home life, undiagnosed neurological conditions, student personality types and motivations, differences in learning styles, inefficient school administration, and many other factors may determine a student's educational success. It would seem that teacher performance evaluations only skim the surface.
Cora Rowe
4:16 pm on Sunday, September 23, 2012
No matter how good a teacher is, he or she cannot make all children do well in school. As others stated, there are so many factors in life to contend with. If a teacher is not performing well it is up to their principle to step in and get the teacher the help they need. A good principle would be overseeing teachers and should recognize these problems