NASHVILLE – State senators this morning delayed until later this afternoon debate on an overhaul of Tennessee’s teacher tenure and evaluation laws that Gov. Phil Bredesen says are necessary to help the state compete for as much as $485 million in federal Race to the Top grants.
Senate leaders attributed the delay to changes the House made in the measure.
“We’re got to look at what the House amendments are,” Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, said. “We’re not really interested in passing a bill that is radically different from what the House is passing and then go to a conference committee that can be very cumbersome.”
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said, “I just know there are some major differences” and referred additional questions to Sen. Kyle.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner, D-Nashville, said the issue appears to be language inserted in the House Education Committee’s version of the bill with regard to the composition of a 15-member teacher evaluation advisory committee.
The panel would make recommendations to the State Board of Education about some of the testing or performance measures that can be used to evaluate teachers and principals.
A House amendment to the bill provides that “membership of the committee shall appropriately reflect the racial and geographic diversity of this state.”
The Senate bill, according to administration and Senate aides, provides for one “minority” and one person over age 60 to serve on the comittee. Rep. Turner said the bill doesn’t allow for adequate “African-American representation on the committee” and that is “unacceptable.”
“I think they’ll come along with it … Everything’s fine,” Rep. Turner said.
The House bill also allows the speakers of the House and Senate three appointments each compared to the governor’s original bill and the Senate measure. Moreover, the House bill provides that eight educators must be named to the panel. The Senate provides for five educators.
House Finance Committee members are scheduled to start considering the bill shortly.