ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE – Gov. Phil Bredesen said a final agreement on how to use student test scores in teacher evaluations was needed by late Wednesday to keep the state’s application for nearly half a billion dollars in federal “Race to the Top” money on track.
The Democratic governor said in a speech to the state’s education boards that he’s confident an arrangement can be worked out with the teacher’s union, which has fought efforts to use student testing scores for evaluations and tenure decisions.
“I don’t want to do this butting heads with the teachers, who I feel so strongly are the core part of the system,” Bredesen said.
He nevertheless put pressure on the Tennessee Education Association to come to an arrangement.
“Five o’clock today is kind of the deadline,” he said.
Bredesen has argued that at least half of evaluations and tenure decisions should be based on objective data, while the TEA has said it should be no more than 35 percent. No student testing data is currently used for teacher evaluations or tenure decisions.
The State Board of Education passed a resolution endorsing the 50 percent approach, with a minimum of 35 percent coming from value-added scores that track students’ progress on standardized tests over time. Other data, like grade point averages, could account for the remaining 15 percent.
Earlier Wednesday, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Leader Mike Turner of Nashville said officials were close to working out a deal and that the two parties would hold caucus meetings to discuss the matter.
Tempers flared briefly when Republican Rep. Gerald McCormick of Chattanooga rose to question who had struck a deal when most lawmakers weren’t involved in negotiations.
“I thought that was a legitimate question,” McCormick said afterward. “He said a deal had been worked out, and I wanted to know who had worked it out.”
Turner, who wasn’t given an opportunity to respond from the well, was held back by several fellow Democrats as he rushed down the chamber’s main aisle to confront McCormick.
McCormick said Turner had calmed down by the time they spoke, and explained that the agreement to be discussed was struck between the TEA and the governor.
Turner later had a book of religious proverbs called “Ancient Wisdom” delivered to McCormick’s desk that he inscribed with “To my friend Gerald, I love you.” McCormick said he planned to return the gesture.
The books had been distributed to each House member by Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin.
“It was just a little joke,” Turner said.