SENATE VOTES TO STRENGTHEN TEACHER EVALUATION RULES

Posted: June 18, 2013 | Senator Millett

Measure caps use of standardized test scores 

AUGUSTA—Earlier today the Senate voted 21-14 to amend current rules on teacher evaluations.

“While this measure is no one’s ideal for teacher evaluation, it is a strong compromise,” said Senator Rebecca Millett of Cape Elizabeth, the Senate Chair of the Education Committee. “It ensures educators have a seat at the table, and limits the role of standardized test scores in teacher evaluations.”

The measure requires that members of a local education association be part of the initial group of stakeholders developing the evaluation system, and that educator effectiveness ratings may not be used for removing teachers unless all educators in the school district have received a rating.

In a vote of 22 – 13, an amendment was adopted that caps the amount of standardized test scores used to evaluate teachers to 20 percent, and only for those teachers who  teach in subjects that are measured by standardized tests, i.e. not physical education or art teachers.

Millet added, “Using standardized tests can be a useful tool but we need to be mindful that is only a snapshot in time and is not an accurate or fair tool to evaluate a student’s performance or a teacher’s effectiveness.”

Earlier this week, the Florida legislature just passed a law making it illegal to evaluate teachers based on standardized test scores for students they’ve never taught. Two years ago, under a Florida school reform measure, teachers were evaluated based on the test scores of students they had never seen nor taught.

The measure is based on other state models that have already received approval from the federal Department of Education to be in compliance with the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver system.

The measure, LD 1542, “Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 180: Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Systems, a Late-filed Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Education,” faces further votes in the House and the Senate.