Smart idea
After the embarrassingly ineffective process of evaluating teachers and administrators in our state’s schools was brought to light, the state recently announced that it is implementing a new teacher and principal evaluation pilot program.
Under the old method, a literally unbelievable 99.4 percent of all teachers and 99.2 percent of all principals received a satisfactory rating. If you believe that any profession has less than one percent of members below satisfactory, we’ve got some swampland in Florida to sell you.
After all, how can virtually 100 percent of educators be evaluated as satisfactory, yet, based on statewide assessments, one-in-four students are scoring below proficient in reading and one-in-three are scoring below proficient in math? It just does not add up. Which is why we were pleased that Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis announced that 104 K-12 entities, including nine career and technical centers, nine charter schools and nine intermediate units, have signed-up to participate in the new pilot program.
Of course, our enthusiasm was diminished when we discovered that not a single Fayette County or Greene County school was taking part in the program. The Belle Vernon Area School, which is located in Westmoreland, but includes a small portion of Fayette County, is taking part. The only school in Washington County taking part in the program is the Western Area Career and Technology Center.
This is a missed opportunity for our school districts to have a role in improving education in our area. Of course, it’s not all that surprising considering their propensity to drag their heels on other important education reforms like anti-nepotism policies.
Still, at a state level, this is a positive step. It’s encouraging that the state is taking this issue seriously and is seeking a better way to rate teachers and administrators.
It’s an initiative that teachers and administrators should be behind, too. After all, those teachers and administrators who truly are good at their job shouldn’t be lumped in with those who aren’t. It simply isn’t fair.
Since the current evaluation method for teachers and principals is comprised solely of two categories, an educator is either “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory,” there simply isn’t enough nuance to be effective. Plus, it is solely based only on observations, does not factor in student achievement and does not adequately assess a teacher’s instructional method.
The Department of Education began developing a new, comprehensive educator assessment system two years ago with an $800,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. With guidance from a steering committee, comprised of representatives from across the educational spectrum, the business community and three research entities, the first round of the pilot program took place during the 2010-11 school year.
Participants who have signed-up for the second round of the pilot program will receive training this fall on how to administer the new assessments. Beginning in January 2012, participating pilot schools will use the new evaluation method and provide feedback to the Department of Education. This new evaluation will not be used to determine an educator’s official 2011-12 assessment.
Under the pilot program, 50 percent of an educator’s evaluation would be comprised of multiple measures of student achievement. The remaining portion, classified as traditional practices, would include areas such as classroom observations. An essential part of a student’s education is being held accountable for the quality of their work, so a new evaluation program will go a long way to ensuring that teachers and administrators have the same standards applied to them.
Overall it can’t do anything but improve the education system in Pennsylania, which should be the goal of everyone.