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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > April > 15 > Entry
Scott Elliott: Unions missing chance to shape teacher evaluation
If you’re a fan of the way teachers are evaluated in most school districts today, you’re a rare breed.
So far, my informal survey of teachers, school administrators and policy makers has identified exactly zero people who think the process typically works well.
The usual methodology — an annual principal visit or two resulting in a generally benign review of the teacher’s work — has failed to improve instruction or address low performers with any significant success.
If there is, indeed, a consensus that change is needed, Ohio’s superintendents and teachers’ unions ought to be jumping at the chance to build new, better systems. But, so far, a majority of them have taken a pass.
Some local unions complain that the federal Race to the Top program — offering up to $400 million to Ohio — could force teachers to be evaluated solely on test scores. Those scores, they say, are affected by so many factors outside of the classroom that judging teachers entirely by student scores would be unfair.
If that’s what Race to the Top actually required, they might have a reason for concern, but it doesn’t. The federal grant — part of the Obama administration’s stimulus plan — merely requires that “student achievement” be a part of the evaluation process. How big a part is up to the local school district and the union to work out in collective bargaining.
Here’s what’s odd about union resistance to new types of evaluation — a big change is coming anyway because of revisions in state law. Through Race to the Top, unions could help shape new, better evaluation systems and grab some stimulus cash at the same time.
Gov. Ted Strickland’s signature education reforms, approved last year as House Bill 1, include a complete overhaul of teacher certification, which proposes a new process for evaluation of teachers coming into the profession beginning next year.
Not only is the new process built on good ideas, it just so happens that some of those ideas were incubated by none other than teachers’ unions themselves.
The basic framework looks like this: In 2011, new teachers will have to undergo a four-year “residency,” during which they are mentored by an experienced “lead” teacher. The resident teacher can progress through three other license levels: “professional” teacher, “senior professional” teacher and, finally, “lead” teacher.
Already, the law calls for a review — which will include student test performance as a factor — before a teacher can progress to the next certification levels during a seven-year trek toward tenure. The exact nature of the review is still being developed. Questions about the additional duties and responsibilities of higher- level teachers, and the possibility of extra pay, are being worked on, too.
Models for this system can be found in cities like Cincinnati and Toledo, where teacher unions helped invent the peer-review evaluation processes now in place.
Take Cincinnati. Reviews there are done annually and an extensive comprehensive review every five years. The district already has a career ladder with lead teachers reviewing less experienced peers who teach their subjects (as opposed to principals reviewing everyone, regardless of whether their expertise matches the teachers’).
OFT President Sue Taylor, former head of Cincinnati’s union, said data showed this system was more effective at removing underperforming teachers from the classroom than when administrators alone handled the task.
“A number of our locals are engaged in outside-of-the-box activities and we are anxious to move in that direction to bolster House Bill 1,” she said.
The two statewide teacher unions — the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Education Association — both are supportive of House Bill 1’s teacher-evaluation reforms. They’ve also backed efforts by local unions to apply for Race to the Top. So it’s odd that many local unions have so far backed away. They should see Race to the Top as an opportunity to embrace and shape reforms that are good for teachers and that are coming one way or the other.
It’s just a bonus that signing on could lead to some federal stimulus money coming their way, too.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Columns, Education, Scott Elliott
Comments
By guy geiger
April 15, 2010 9:44 PM | Link to this
I have been an educator for forty some years; four in Cincinnati (junior high math), 30 at NCR, 10 at Sinclair, 6 as a Special Edu Attendant, and now volunteer at the Barnes Kettering GED program and with the Dev classes at Sinclair. I understand the teachers concerns; I quit volunteering at the our high school because of the disruptive students that consumed most of the teachers time and caused the serious students that were there to learn to “shut-down”. We have GED programs for students that cannot or will not follow the rules of the classroom and yet we continue to enforce inclusion and place them in classes with “skills level students” or English Second Language. Some questions; who are the lead teachers and how do they become lead teachers? We need more interactivity with Principals and school administrators, more involvement in classrooms to know what is going on and what teachers are facing. Until the disruptive students are removed and until teachers can be teachers; not disciplinarians, not police officers, but teachers, helping students achieve their educational goals. No one has stated how this money will be used, what will be accomplished by throwing money at this problem? Will disruptive students be removed? Will Principals be more involved in student class activities and not just student discipline? If teachers are the problem/solution, then prove it by moving “excellent school” teachers to schools in jeopardy; no need to bus students and we would know for sure if teachers are the problem/solution. I agree with George Will that we have a social problem; not necessarily an educational problem.
By JCalvin
April 16, 2010 10:54 AM | Link to this
When I see Scott Elliot getting his education certification and having spent 2 years in Dayton Public Schools teaching, then his criticisms might, might, have some validity. Otherwise he’s just one of the “educated” class that Obama is expanding that have all the answers and get the high pay, but have none of the real world workable solutions. The problem is the behavior of the kids and their parents. The problem is NOT the teachers and how they’re evaluated. If any district wishes to dismiss a teacher, with or without tenure, all they have to do is document the ineffective procedures and abilities of the teacher.
By JCalvin
April 16, 2010 11:06 AM | Link to this
The money coming for a little bit has a lot of strings. Those strings will cost much more money in the future. It’s just like the push for a silly 39 mph train C-D-C-D and pointing out a little bit of business might come to a Riverside location and lot of money would be wasted building a station in downtown Dayton and would help the City of Dayton spend its money on other things it would rather waste money on. Those strings give control to the feds of a state education system. ‘Nough said. The example of kids and the problems is the video of the sheriff trying to protect citizens in Jefferson Twp. Those kids might have attended Jefferson Twp. schools. Can you imagine what the fights that are so common in the school are like watching how the two kids refused to follow instructions of the deputies? Scott Elliot and Ellen and Martin can get teaching certification and teach in Jefferson for free. It would help them lower their high cost per student. Then report back to us in a year or two.
By guy geiger
April 16, 2010 1:34 PM | Link to this
My other question/concern; I am betting that the “lead teachers” will be the ones with seniority and they are teaching the upper echelon academic classes where there are virtually no student disruptions. These are the students with great support groups including parents. The teachers that face the challenges don’t spend that much time in the profession; they move on to other professions. Let’s make our schools about education, not a supplement to a broken social system. In athletics, in educational competitions (Science Olympiad), in performing arts; we don’t play everybody. There is a selection process and only the competent get to “play”. Find another solution for the students that impede the progress of others. Inclusion, at the level we implement it, dilutes our classrooms and pulls down the overall educational environment in the classroom. I have seen this over and over again. A free and proper education is an opportunity, not a mandate. I left volunteering because I did not want to deal with the disruptive students; I am sure they drive many teachers and frustrated students out of the classroom.
By Laura
April 16, 2010 11:33 PM | Link to this
Again, with so many “incompetent” teachers drawing huge salaries, from where will the thousands of lead or master teachers come? There are thousands of would-be teachers going through teacher education programs all over the state. How do they plan to identify these master teachers? How will they be compensated? Those in the schools already know the answers. They will be identified by the principal, who will fill out a form identifying why they are master teachers. Anyone can slant things to look a certain way. I once taught with a “teacher of the year”. She did absolutely nothing that the rest of us didn’t do on a daily basis, but she wrote it up in such a way that made her sound incredible. A better starting place would be with teacher education programs that allow a student to progress through the classes when there are clearly problems. They hold some responsibility in allowing a student to spend 4-5 years in college, graduate and then send them into the schools knowing they aren’t prepared or even teacher material. I’ve seen several student teachers in the past who should never have gotten as far as they did. But, for the colleges, it’s all about the tuition. They have no responsibility once the student graduates.
By Laura
April 16, 2010 11:33 PM | Link to this
Again, with so many “incompetent” teachers drawing huge salaries, from where will the thousands of lead or master teachers come? There are thousands of would-be teachers going through teacher education programs all over the state. How do they plan to identify these master teachers? How will they be compensated? Those in the schools already know the answers. They will be identified by the principal, who will fill out a form identifying why they are master teachers. Anyone can slant things to look a certain way. I once taught with a “teacher of the year”. She did absolutely nothing that the rest of us didn’t do on a daily basis, but she wrote it up in such a way that made her sound incredible. A better starting place would be with teacher education programs that allow a student to progress through the classes when there are clearly problems. They hold some responsibility in allowing a student to spend 4-5 years in college, graduate and then send them into the schools knowing they aren’t prepared or even teacher material. I’ve seen several student teachers in the past who should never have gotten as far as they did. But, for the colleges, it’s all about the tuition. They have no responsibility once the student graduates.
By guy
April 17, 2010 10:22 AM | Link to this
That is a good point. Many principals are so bogged down with discipline problems they don’t have a chance to get into the classroom. I think many of the “teachers of the year” are awarded based on what they do outside of the classroom, special programs that highlight the merits of the school. These do not have the problems with “skills” level students, the ones that really need to work to learn the basics. Not to dismiss their accomplishments, but the teachers that have to really push and improvise in the class to get the students to a basic knowledge level, these are the champs. And these are the classes containing the “trouble makers” INCLUDED with the ESL students and the ones that really struggle with a subject. That is where the principal should be to insure the disruption ends.
By guy
April 17, 2010 10:29 AM | Link to this
Be sure to watch CNN tonight or Sunday evening and see the “solution” presented by Arne Duncan and our Govt.
By Rick
April 18, 2010 12:25 PM | Link to this
I agree with your second post but not your first. Scott Elliott has spent a great deal of time studying educational matters. The DDN sent him on a sabbatical of 6 to 12 months during to study education. While I disagree with him sometimes, he has a solid background.
By guy
April 20, 2010 11:09 PM | Link to this
Studying educational matters is not a substitute for being in the classroom and experiencing first hand what is going on. If you are a parent of a child in a skills level class…look into it.