By ELizabeth Ling and Jocelyn Huber
(From the New York Post, May 15, 2011)
Gov. Cuomo yesterday wrote Merryl Tisch, chancellor of the state Board of Regents, urging a drastic change of direction as the state Education Department develops a new teacher-evaluation system. The governor’s right: The first draft of that system deserves an F.
It seems Tisch got the message. Soon after the governor’s letter went public, she released a statement committing to an overhaul of the evaluation system.
Cuomo’s recommendations address many of the problems and offer a good starting point to build upon. Now it’s up to Tisch and the Regents to adopt them in earnest when they meet Monday.
The basic goal is clear: Just as schools send report cards to parents to alert them about their children’s performance, we need to make sure our teachers and principals are also making the grade. Once districts can determine which teachers and principals are most effective, they can reward them — and replace those who aren’t up to the job.
New York’s promise to develop such a system was one key to winning $700 million in school funding last year in the federal Race to the Top program.