Governor Cuomo's address today on the 2012-13 state budget promised a 4% increase in education aid on condition that teachers accept a controversial evaluation law. The governor will withhold education aid increases in districts that do not have an evaluation plan in place by January 2013. He promised to impose his own teacher evaluation plan if pending union lawsuits are not dropped in 30 days.
"The equation is simple at the end of the day," said Governor Cuomo. "No evaluation, no money, period."
State Education Commissioner John King said: "The next 30 days will be a big test for NYSUT."
At stake is one billion dollars in federal aid to New York's schools.
The Cortland Contrarian would like to open a related discussion on this blog, and encourage readers to leave responsible, objective comments. Readers will need to establish a Google account. Post a comment with your name, or a pen name. Visit the Albany Times-Union website for a briefing on the governor's remarks about teacher evaluation: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Education-aid-to-increase-4-under-Cuomo-budget-2581184.php
The New York Times has an article on this subject: http://www.nytimes.com/schoolbook/2012/01/18/inching-closer-to-agreement-on-evaluations-for-teachers/?hpw
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has a specific case study about a veteran teacher in trouble who can't be fired:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120225/NEWS/302250030/Valerie-Yarn-teacher?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
The Syracuse Post-Standard has an editorial on this subject: http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2012/01/evaluate_or_else_rating_teache.html
The Atlantic has an interesting article about Buffalo's teachers and plastic surgery covered by their contract: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/01/why-does-buffalo-pay-for-its-teachers-to-have-plastic-surgery/251533/
Lobbying set record: http://m.democratandchronicle.com/news/article?a=2012303270037&f=1024
Veteran Albany news reporter Fred Dicker has an article on teachers' unions in the New York Post: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/ending_unions_occupation_of_albany_yKlq8HRJK3rUjDEmIgTGwI
Question: Does the proposed teacher evaluation plan consider student suspension or other absences which may affect student test results?
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Does the current lack of teacher evaluation consider teacher ability or effectiveness which affects student test results?
ReplyDelete