Board Of Regents Look Like They're Caving To Cuomo On APPR

Looks like Merryl Tisch got the message from Andy Cuomo on APPR:

The full state Board of Regents had second thoughts about the most high-profile proposed reform to the Common Core implementation as announced on Monday: a mechanism that would allow teachers whose evaluations are imperiled by low student test scores (20 percent of a teacher’s score) to claim that the deficient scores were due to improper professional development and materials — that, to paraphrase “West Side Story,” the student score is depressed ’cause the teacher’s deprived.

That proposed creation of a get-out-of-your-evaluation-free card prompted a brutal response from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who called it yet another delaying action for teacher evaluations and a sign that the Regents’ capacity and performance needs to be examined. The overall package of Common Core reforms didn’t receive a much better review from teachers unions, which want a total de-linking of evaluations and student testing related to the Common Core until the standards are fully implemented.

That initial proposal was tabled until the Regents’ April meetings — at which time it could still be adopted and take effect on July’s round of teacher evaluations.

Board of Regents Vice Chancellor Anthony Bottar said at the meeting the evaluation change “has raised a great deal of discussion regarding its implications and consequences from teachers, the Legislature and the Governor’s office. To give everyone a chance to better understand and gauge the correct path to follow, we are putting that recommendation out for comment. This recommendation does not require immediate action and allowing for public comment will enhance the public deliberations.”

It's not a mistake that the one part of the Regents CCSS implementation reform package that didn't get voted on today was the APPR provision that sent Cuomo apoplectic yesterday.

Chancellor Tisch got the message that Sheriff Andy wants no changes to APPR - not even a little itty bitty one.

We'll have to see how this plays out because there is going to be pressure on the legislature to force through changes to the APPR system around CCSS tests if the Regents decide ultimately not to do anything and cave to Sheriff Andy's wishes.