November 10, 2011
Teacher evaluations should not be watered down
By Jocelyn Huber
(From The Tennessean, November 10th, 2011)
Excellent teachers and excellent education are inseparable. In fact, teacher quality is one of the most important determinants of whether a child succeeds in school and continues to college.
A handful of states have been working hard to recruit and nurture great teachers -- starting with strong, effective evaluation systems. Tennessee has led the charge.
When it comes to improving public schools, ideas can only take us so far. It's effective implementation of those ideas that yields results. Last year, the state passed bold, bipartisan legislation, the First to the Top Act, to create a rigorous teacher and principal evaluation system that has the potential to set an example for the rest of the country. The legislation was supported by the teachers' union, the business community and a wide range of education stakeholders.
Then, the state passed legislation earlier this year linking tenure to teacher performance evaluations, further strengthening First to the Top. But now, as Tennessee begins to put the new system into place, the strength of the evaluation model is in jeopardy. Weakening the strong framework by watering it down or delaying its implementation would be a tremendous disservice to Tennessee's children, teachers and principals.
Tennessee's evaluation system is designed to broadly improve and maintain teacher quality. It specifically outlines the process by which local districts assess teachers and principals, which includes five effectiveness categories and the requirement that 50 percent of the criteria be based on student achievement. That means teachers and principals are responsible for success of their students.
The benefits of the system for children are obvious; better teachers mean better education. However, what has often been overlooked during policy debates in Tennessee and elsewhere in the country are the benefits for teachers and principals. Every outstanding educator deserves to be treated like a professional and rewarded for his or her hard work and excellence. A strong evaluation system allows school districts to identify, reward, and support strong teachers, aid those who are struggling, and replace those who are consistently letting our children down.
Democrats for Education Reform recently released a report ranking new state teacher evaluation systems. Of the 19 states included in the report, Tennessee came out on top in the teacher rating and performance measures category. The state will move the needle in the right direction considerably if, and only if, it's implemented effectively.
An effective, sustainable evaluation system will only be attainable with the collective input of principals, parents, elected officials, advocates and, most importantly, teachers. As with all evaluations, there should continue to be improvements based on this input to ensure that the system is meaningful.
For the sake of every public school student, teacher and principal in Tennessee and, indeed, across the country, we hope we see the state fulfill its tremendous potential.
Jocelyn Huber is director of teacher advocacy for Democrats for Education Reform.