Yet More Than 100,000 HISD Students Not Reading At Grade Level
Will Tonight’s School Board Action Save Public Education In Texas’ Largest District?
On January 12, in a widely publicized speech, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called for “A New Path Forward” for the nation’s second largest teachers union – one that would embrace more rigorous systems of teacher evaluation that would “include student outcomes.”
We don’t question President Weingarten’s intent or sincerity, nor do we doubt her assertion that ineffective teachers are a minority of the teaching profession.
But far too often in the past, promises by union leaders for real reform over the airwaves have been squarely contradicted by the positions advanced by union officials in political backrooms. Both national unions have steadfastly treated teaching, despite the high stakes for children and communities, as a right rather than a privilege.
The first test of AFT’s commitment to the principles it outlined last month will begin tonight in Houston, and play out over the days and weeks ahead.
In a vote this evening, the Houston Board of Education is expected to approve a policy put forth by HISD President Terry Grier that would make student achievement a significant factor in teacher evaluations and create a tiered system where ineffective teachers would first be given the opportunity and resources to improve, but which would ultimately terminate their contracts if they continue to underperform.
Recent statistics show that right now, termination of teacher contracts in Houston is a rare occurrence. Last year, in a district where 100,000 students were reading below grade level. only 36 teachers, a miniscule .3% (yes, point 3 percent) of a total teaching force of 12,000 were let go for performance reasons.
Over the last five years only 140 Houston teachers were dismissed for performance reasons, while 240 were fired “mostly” for criminal activity. Could criminal misconduct, sexual abuse, workplace intoxication, and job abandonment really be almost twice as prevalent as poor job performance? It seems about as unlikely as it would be tragic.
During recent school board elections, where the biggest issue of contention was the use of student performance data in teacher evaluation, the AFT flew in staff and members from outside of both Houston and Texas in opposition to reform oriented candidates. Beginning tonight, the AFT can signal that it truly has embarked on a “New Path Forward” by standing with the Superintendent and the School Board rather than, as it had done in the past, actively working against it. The whole school reform world is watching.