Updated 05/11/2010 02:05 PM
Teacher Evaluations To Be Tied To Student Test Scores
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
The New York State Department of Education has reached a deal with the teachers’ union to link teacher evaluations with student test scores.
In the current system, teachers are rated either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. But the new ranking system would be point based and rate teachers as highly effective, effective, developing or ineffective.
While the change would not impact pay, it would make it easier for schools to get rid of bad teachers.
However, the changes would only affect teachers in grades that have annual tests.
The deal would help make the state eligible for the second round of the Race to the Top competition, which is offering up about $700 million in federal funding.
The agreement still needs approval from the state Legislature.
Obama administration officials have said they will reward states that have pushed major reforms – like new evaluation processes and lifting caps on charter schools.
The State Senate has voted to raise New York's charter gap although the Assembly has not.