Proposed law: Lay off teachers based on performance over 3 years
Lawmakers are taking aim at teacher performance in a new bill.
Georgia House education leaders have introduced a bill that bases all teacher layoffs primarily on performance, something that most districts already consider. But HB 257, sponsored by Democrat Alisha Thomas Morgan of Cobb and Republican Ed Lindsey of Atlanta, makes it a statewide requirement.
The law mandates school districts create workforce reduction policies that “provide that when selecting positions to be eliminated, the local board shall consider as the primary factor the performance of the teacher over the past three years. Such performance shall include documented job performance, classroom management, absenteeism, tardiness, handling of extra school responsibilities, and student academic performance. Secondary factors may include length of service and other factors as determined by the local board. For teachers that have not completed three years of service, such teacher’s performance shall be extrapolated from the service that he or she has completed.”
I am not sure of the necessity for this law as districts are able now to consider performance. For example, Atlanta’s policy says: Factors that may be considered in the reduction-in-force plan for prioritizing employees within each job classification for reduction include, but are not limited to, the professional expertise, effectiveness/student performance growth, the employee performance evaluation, the employee record of attendance and the employee professional discipline record. Where demonstrated competence and expertise are determined to be equal among employees, other factors such as tenure status, level of certification, length of continuous service with the district and random tiebreakers may be considered among others in order to make recommendations for the termination or downgrading of employment.
I understand that bills such as 257 are laying the groundwork for performance pay, but wonder about whether any school systems here religiously follow what Michelle Rhee disdains as the “last in, first out” policy of teacher layoffs? Are talented young teachers being ousted in favor of longtime veterans who are far less effective?
Take a look at the bill. It is not much longer than what I copied here.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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78 comments Add your comment
Ed Johnson
February 25th, 2011
1:29 pm
The correct link… http://tinyurl.com/2agttj8
Or, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/07/AR2010100705078.html
caveat
February 25th, 2011
1:51 pm
@ Interested Educator
Good post – I remember those days as well – as fondly as you do. However, our nation looks vastly different than it did then. We are quickly headed in a direction where there will be no turning back. This is something people really need to think about before we decide we want to continue trying to rescue and welcome everyone. Public education has grown by leaps and bounds and has finally reached a breaking point. We really aren’t digging deep enough or covering all the issues to solve the problems that we will continue to face.
Booklover
February 25th, 2011
2:22 pm
Good experienced educators are worth every penny! I would NOT want to work in a building full of young, inexperienced teachers and here’s why:
I had years of tutoring, small class teaching, and substituting experience before I became a public school teacher 4 years ago. In other words, my teaching fundamentals and content knowledge were sound. What I struggled with were, frankly, issues that transpire when you teach full time in public education, especially in lower-SES schools: how to manage a class of 30 when many don’t want to be there and half read below grade level; how to get at least some of those kids learning; how to deal with parents who, frankly, are mentally ill; how to deal with incompetent administrators, etc.
As a new public school teacher who already knew how to teach, the group who helped me more than any other were the highly experienced and skilled “older” teachers. Those young, fresh, energetic teachers? Well, they tried hard, and occasionally they had good ideas, but frankly a lot of it is “pie in the sky” crap from education professors whose experience was teaching 3rd grade back in 1986.
And why are those new teachers so “energetic”? Because they have to be! The first year teaching is incredibly draining. I typically slept only 4 hours a night and I even had some teaching experience to draw on! Many new teachers only make it through that first year because of Diet Coke and Monster Energy drinks.
My “school mamas” as I call them are calm, experienced, knowledgeable. A few worked in private industry before becoming teachers. They have tried and true advice for every teaching issue, they have great lesson ideas that WORK, and they are much better at applying real life to the classroom because guess what? They are old and know stuff!
I see this rampant stereotype of old teachers as reflective of our society and our students–disrespectful of elders and unaccepting of the fact that experience matters!
Mikey D
February 25th, 2011
2:43 pm
@Booklover:
Great points. Unfortunately politicians and frauds like Rhee seem interested only in painting with very broad brushes. Everyone is always looking for and claiming to have the next simple solution to our problems, and no one wants to admit that they don’t exist. Because the problems are very complex, so must the solutions be. But our wonderful “leaders” seem only interested in photo ops and sound bites. They go on and on bashing those of us who, day in and day out, are actually DOING the work of educating kids. Politicians and educrats keep pushing and pushing. I wonder how long it will be before teachers finally say “Enough!” and start pushing back?
MS teacher
February 25th, 2011
4:10 pm
I would like to see a more detailed explanation of some of the vaguely mentioned accountability factors, but I am in favor of counties and schools having more freedom to dismiss ineffective or, worse yet, harmful teachers. I teach lower performing students, in a high stakes subject, at a title 1 middle school. I have no issue with anyone evaluating me based on my students’ performance. I have seen a number of incompetent teachers slip through because of sonority. I have also seen teachers with promise and skill become less effective and lackadaisical because of the lack of accountability. I would like to know in detail the evaluation tools they have in mind, however. Not just anyone can judge a teacher’s effectiveness.
Midtown Teacher
February 25th, 2011
5:27 pm
Maureen,
A friend of mine taught special ed students in Fulton County and was fired after her second year despite her special ed students achieving a 100% pass rate on the reading CRCT. Another friend was fired by the district after being named teacher of the year for very high student achievement and the principal was left frustrated figuring out how he was going to replace this great environmental science teacher.
If you think for a second that districts will fire a poor veteran teacher over a good junior teacher you are mistaken. Seniority permeates every decision districts make and this adult centered practice needs to be changed to a student centered practice of retaining your best teachers regardless of seniority.
Ole Guy
February 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
This proposal only validates the complete disconnect of lawmakers from the real world realities we see every day. Paragraph 2 speaks of eliminating positions, which is entirely different from the stated intent of establishing guidlines for layoff. Is this simply a mis-statement, Maureen, or yet another gem from our esteemed gold dome crowd?
Obviously (as indicated by my biting words), there is not much faith in this bunch of clowns, nor much credence held toward the intended results of these proposals. Perhaps people will see fit to think a little before removing all doubt as to the publics’ perception of our “leaders’” fitness to “serve”
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
February 25th, 2011
5:58 pm
Hmmm. Booklover, I wonder if those experienced “School mammas” would have been as helpful had they been in direct competition with those “young energetic” teachers. Are older teachers going to be willing to show younger teachers the ropes and mentor them, helping younger teachers achieve their best, if at the end of the year the older teacher then is going to be competiting for a job with those younger teachers? Are teachers going to be as willing to collaborate and share great ideas, if they are going to be forced into competition with each other?
I doubt it.
Tony
February 25th, 2011
6:58 pm
We can already do this. No new laws are needed. It does take a little work on the part of the principal, but poor performing teachers can be fired. It really is not that hard.
Ed Johnson
February 25th, 2011
7:52 pm
@ Maureen (”@V, Wish everyone could have heard the Blank Foundation panel Monday night …. I will see if it is online now.”):
It’s currently online, at http://www.blankfoundation.org/news/SpeakerSeries.html
However, it runs for only about half the event, then abruptly ends after showcasing Baltimore schools CEO Andres Alonso. I was there, too.
Maureen Downey
February 26th, 2011
12:26 am
@Ed, I heard your question. Not sure anyone really answered your question.
Maureen
Cast the old teachers out
February 26th, 2011
6:48 am
Hello young teachers wherever you are
you’ll have a chance now to be a superstar
But you’ll find out really soon
all your benefits have been shot to the moon
In Igbo tradition, once you got too old, you were left in the evil forest;
It was too much to feed you and care for you.
Westerners came to Nigeria and condemned this practice and that of leaving twins to die.
As an older teacher, I feel like those old people. I am being cast out to try and fend for myself in a hostile economy that does not look kindly on hiring us old people 50 and older.
Shame on you America for what you are doing to older teachers. Shame on you.
Elizabeth
February 26th, 2011
8:54 am
Fulton County Teacher– Thank you.
Elizabeth
February 26th, 2011
8:55 am
FultonCountyparent– Thank you for expressing the truth better than I hacve been able to do..
Elizabeth
February 26th, 2011
9:01 am
Booklover– you are absolutely correct.
Midtown Teacher– you are absolutley wrong. I know because it happened to me in another system.
Cast the old teachers out__ Amen! That is exactly what is happening.
I love teaching I hate what teaching is becoming– I am with you. Will teachers have time or energy to mentor? I doubt it. Furthermorfe, if i am in competition with them for my job, I will not share. Neither will anyone else.
Richard
February 26th, 2011
11:33 am
I am a teacher of 30 years, with dozens of formal accolades to enhance the personal satisfaction I’ve gotten from my chosen career. I’ve gladly mentored new teachers, assisting them in avoiding the problems that their lack of experience in the classroom will inevitably bring, so that their students would not be adversely impacted. But, when my job and compensation becomes conditional on a competitive environment, my mentorship of younger teachers will cease immediately. I have always been concerned about students, but with this proposal I will focus just on MY students. Not surprisingly, this legislative proposal follows and reinforces the current trend in our country of focusing on ME, and to hell with YOU. If the legislature wants competition in schools, then they will get it, along with the mandatory losers that competition must, by its nature, generate. Unfortunately teachers will be again be blamed for the failures wrought by myopic legislators and administrators.
Just Another Teacher
February 26th, 2011
2:57 pm
I was a third year teacher who lost my job because of budget cuts. I had really good performance evaluations, sponsored two clubs, and showed up on time every day ready to work and be a team player. While I was devastated and so upset to have lost my job; I accepted it. I did not have enough seniority. There were several teachers at my school that could have retired, but I did not feel bitter towards them. Who am I to tell someone to stop teaching, to stop doing what they are passionate about, to stop shaping the minds of our youth?? I was privileged to work with amazing veteran teachers and they DESERVED to be there over me. They taught me so much, I can only hope to be as great as so many of them were.
I went back to school to get my master’s and also became certified in other subject areas. I am hopeful that this spring with my new resume and teaching experience I can get back into the classroom.
s2k
February 27th, 2011
10:18 am
When I left college with my Masters in education, I knew educational trends would continue to pendulum back and forth, because that’s what trends in education do. Like all new teachers, I thought I could ride the tides, since I was noble in my spirit and intentions for entering the classroom.
What I realize now is that I’m in the pit, and so are thousands of other teachers like me, and the pendulum slicing back and forth above our heads has lowered and lowered until quite soon, it will behead us.
I wish – I SO WISH – that I could be like the Green Knight, picking up my head and laughing, and jauntily continuing on. But I’m sick and I’m sad and I’m heartsore. I think when my head is off, it will remain off.
NBCT teacher
February 27th, 2011
11:39 am
Ed Lindsey was one of the masterminds who took away the National Board stipend. He thinks teachers “are lucky to have a job.” Why would anyone think he has credibility as an advocate for public education or for formulating a fair plan for merit pay and then honoring that commitment? Dream on. He will not seek the input of teachers on anything.
teacher&mom
February 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
I think this proposal is a great idea….ONLY if the following is attached to the bill…
Limit the terms of Representatives and Senators to 2 terms. After that, they can no longer run for public office in any capacity. The reason? They are either too expense, too old, too entrenched in the “status quo” of their party’s ideology, and/or have made too many connections with lobbyist.
In other words, let them dedicate a few years of their lives to their life’s work and then show them a door. Oh, and if it happens to be a fiscal depression/recession….feel free to change the limits to one year, while decreasing their pay. I’m sure we can find a research study or a “Michelle Rhee” to go around and back the idea. Seriously…anyone can be a legislator….right? Wasn’t there a study that said the average legislator was in the bottom third of their graduating class?
btw….I have sent a few very nice emails (from my home email address) to Rep. Lindsey and have yet to get a reply. Not even an automated response….:(
teacher&mom
February 27th, 2011
3:18 pm
Perhaps if Rep. Lindsey would like to improve education, instead of introducing bills that are unnecessary if the administrator is doing his/her job….he should be introducing bills that protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
Case in point… the principal mentioned in today’s AJC article.
Just A Teacher
February 27th, 2011
7:15 pm
I bet many of us will think twice before taking on student teachers. If they can’t graduate without their internships, they can’t take our jobs away.
HS Math Teacher
February 27th, 2011
9:10 pm
Merit Based Pay? Merit Based Evaluations? Sure. How bout Merit Based Promotion for students in all grades? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
Private school guy
February 27th, 2011
9:59 pm
Until administrators face dismissal for poor performance nothing is going to change. Principals need to know that they need to keep effective teachers in order to keep their own jobs.
HS teacher
February 28th, 2011
8:00 am
Yes, wonderful first and second-year teachers have been let go, in order to keep teachers who have years of experience, but who not effective. There is nothing that holds administration accountable for their decisions on who to keep and who to let go. There is no way to prove that a teacher is ineffective if that teacher is a close friend of the principal. There is no way to prove that a teacher is amazing if that teacher is not liked by the principal. There are no checks and balances in Georgia’s public schools. It is an old time game of who you know and who you chew tabaccy with. Ummm…maybe that’s why we’re on the bottom of the pile.
ken
February 28th, 2011
7:39 pm
Can we send Chip Rogers and his voucher buddy, Eric Johnson, to a private middle school far away? Chipper has got an infatuation with vouchers. Someone please vote this guy out of office. He won’t stop until he’s destroyed public education.
ken
February 28th, 2011
7:49 pm
can we lay off right wing wack jobs and voucher sisters, Chipper Rogers and Eric Johnson?
Cobb History Teacher
March 1st, 2011
5:47 am
@teacher&mom
“I think this proposal is a great idea….ONLY if the following is attached to the bill…
Limit the terms of Representatives and Senators to 2 terms. After that, they can no longer run for public office in any capacity. The reason? They are either too expense, too old, too entrenched in the “status quo” of their party’s ideology, and/or have made too many connections with lobbyist.”
I agree totally. Even though education is a state and local issue cronyism and corruption start at the top. Bottom line school systems could just look at the bottom line and hire all new teachers with bachelor’s degrees and save a lot of money, so why can’t we do this with the General Assembly and Congress? Freshman legislators cost a lot less than legislators who have been in office for 20+ years. Oh but the hue and cry from congress would be “we need experienced legislators who know the ropes”, and “that’s not fair they didn’t do anything wrong.” It’s funny what’s good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.