Starting next year, those who want to teach in Hamilton County schools will have to pass one more test.
Despite concerns over the $300,000 price tag, the Hamilton County Board of Education recently agreed to buy an online system that will allow administrators to screen teacher, principal and support-staff applicants for their potential effectiveness in schools.
“If this could ensure that we have not only highly qualified, but highly effective teachers in the classroom, I can assure you [$300,000] would be well worth it on the student achievement side,” said Connie Atkins, Hamilton County’s assistant superintendent for human resources, as she presented the item to the board.
Officials say passing the assessment won’t be mandatory for new hires. But information from the program provider, Gallup, says that principals and teachers who score 67 or 68 points on the test are much more likely to be effective in the classroom.
The screening process takes about 35 minutes to complete. It includes statements with which applicants must agree or disagree on a scale of one to five, as well as multiple-choice questions about the attitudes, beliefs and practices of successful teachers and principals.