By Andy Sher
asher@timesfreepress.com
Leaders of the 55,000-member Tennessee Education Association voted Saturday to oppose Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposal that student achievement, as measured by testing, account for 51 percent of decisions involving teacher tenure.
The move puts TEA, which represents teachers, on a collision course with the Bredesen administration during the special legislative session on education, to start Tuesday.
TEA officials in a statement thanked Gov. Bredesen for his previous support on education issues, but said “Tennessee’s teachers tell us that basing more than half of a teacher’s annual evaluation on student performance is excessive.
“In trying to help the governor reach his objective, TEA will support 35 percent of teacher and principal evaluation being based on student performance,” the TEA statement continued. “We believe the weight of 35 percent student performance, with the backing of Tennessee’s teachers, makes the state very competitive in applying for federal funds.”
Gov. Bredesen has demanded the changes, saying they are necessary if Tennessee is to compete against other states for a share of $4 billion in federal Race to the Top funds. The state has until Jan. 19 to get its application in for the Phase I competition.
Administration officials say other states have used figures of 50 percent or more in their applications for Race to the Top funds.
TEA statement
Here is the statement Tennessee Education Association leaders issued Saturday afternoon after the TEA’s board of directors voted to oppose Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plan to let student test scores count for 51 percent of teacher evaluations.
“The Tennessee Education Association thanks Governor Bredesen for his overwhelming support of public education. His support for funding pre-K classrooms, additional funding for at-risk students and full funding of the Basic Education Program has undoubtedly strengthened public education in Tennessee.
“TEA supports the governor’s legislative initiative to position Tennessee to compete for Race to the Top funds. However, Tennessee’s teachers tell us that basing more than half of a teacher’s annual evaluation on student performance is excessive.
“In trying to help the governor reach his objective, TEA will support 35 percent of teacher and principal evaluation being based on student performance. We believe the weight of 35 percent student performance, with the backing of Tennessee’s teachers, makes the state very competitive in applying for federal funds.
“We believe 35 percent is reasonable because:
* Good teaching does not occur in a vacuum, and depends on student effort and parent support as well as teacher expertise.
* A child is more than a test score. Focusing the evaluation of teachers and students primarily on test results limits learning to only what is tested.
* A teacher’s performance should be measured on more than how students score on one multiple-choice test on a single day.
“We look forward to working with Governor Bredesen, the General Assembly and the State Board of Education to improve public schools and student learning in Tennessee.”