Seven NYS Regents Reject New Teacher Evaluation Changes

In an unusual show of dissent, seven members of the 17-member Board of Regents have signed a statement opposing the recently enacted new teacher evaluation law and the State Education Department's proposed regulations that would make student test scores the most significant factor in teacher evaluations.

Citing their accountability to the public and their review of research, the seven Regents say the current amendments "are based on an incomplete and inadequate understanding of how to address the task of continuously improving our education system."

In order to "remedy the current malfunctioning" teacher evaluation system, they call for a delay of implementation; a significant reduction in the weight given to student standardized test scores, a reduced role for "external" evaluators, and consideration of the developmental needs of English Language Learners and special needs students. Click here to read all six of their "essential" proposed amendments.

The Board of Regents is elected by the Legislature and charged in the State Constitution with the power to set P-12 education policy. The new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) law, enacted by the Legislature and Governor as part of the State Budget on April 1, set key parameters but left it up to the Regents to interpret the details through regulations.

Among the signers of the opposition statement is Regent Judith Johnson, who was elected in March by the Legislature to represent Scarsdale and other communities within the 9th judicial district (Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Orange and Rockland). Back in April, as a participant on the Scarsdale Forum panel discussion on the Common Core held at Scarsdale High School, Regent Johnson received a standing ovation from the audience when she called for a reconsideration of the new teacher evaluation system.

The position of the seven Regents is similar to that expressed recently by 40 area superintendents, who created an online petition to "Suspend and Amend" the NY teacher evaluation law. As of the date of this writing, the on-line petition had 20,450 New York signers, with over 200 from Scarsdale, including Superintendent Dr. Thomas Hagerman.

The NYS PTA also wants the law delayed and revised with input from parents and teachers. The Assembly has already passed a bill to delay implementation of the new teacher evaluation law; however, with the Legislative session about to end on June 17, the Senate has yet to take action.

The NYS PTA is now urging members to send a message to their Senators: "Time Out on Educator Evaluation Provisions".

NYS PTA education coordinator Catherine Romano writes: "As the recent opt-out movement showed, parents are concerned about over-testing and over-reliance on student test results to evaluate teachers and principals. Assessment is important, as most parents and teachers realize, but the new system goes too far and makes a single test at a single point in time the predominant factor in educators' evaluations."