A four-year moratorium on use of state standardized test scores to rate — or penalize — the job performance of schoolteachers and principals gained overwhelming preliminary approval Monday from the state Board of Regents.
The policymaking board passed the “emergency regulation” in a 15-1 vote, with the only “no” cast by Chancellor Merryl Tisch.
The catch?
They're still using test scores to rate you, just not "state" test scores:
Under a complex four-year transition, teachers would receive new “transition scores” calculated by the state, based on information provided by local school districts. Such ratings would come from results of classroom observations and tests selected locally by school districts.
So don't believe the hype - Regents vote for moratorium on state test scores in teacher evaluations blah blah blah.
Means nothing so long as "local" tests will be used on you because in the end, whether the voodoo VAM is based on local test scores or state test scores, it's still voodoo.
So call the Regents on their manipulation here and spread the word - the Endless Testing regime and voodoo VAM is alive and well in APPR.
QUESTION: How much weight will the "local" tests count toward teacher ratings? Is it 50% or will it go back to 20%?
ReplyDeleteMy hunch is, since the budget law around APPR was not changed, it will be 50%. But that's only my hunch.
DeleteIf it is 50% then in reality not a SINGLE thing has changed for teachers regarding this "win".
DeleteNope. But the pols, educrats and union heads all think were dopes and won't notice if they just keep saying otherwise.
DeleteMeryl Tisch is Sheldon Silver's Frankenstein.
ReplyDeleteShelly?
My kids don't care about the local tests either. The scores do not count for them. Many of my students admitted they didn't even read the passages before answering the questions. They were so tired of testing by that point they finished in record time.
ReplyDeleteThat's right. Which makes this "win" on test scores all the more dangerous for teachers.
DeleteSounds like Meryl Tisch wants teachers to be rated by locally developed exams...so a teacher's career will depend on equally invalid measures. Thanks for the moratorium. No student should take a single test that becomes the basis for a teacher rating! My kids will be instructed to opt out of every test! More nonsense!
ReplyDeleteI do not disagree about the shadiness of the "moratorium". However, 3-8 ELA and Math teachers are better of under the more controllable and predictable SLO process than the VAM. It still stinks and is unacceptable from a union perspective, but if I were one of those teachers, especially in a tough school, I would be somewhat relieved.
ReplyDeleteNo one is better off. NYSED will rig the "matrix" so enough teachers are "developing" and "ineffective."
DeleteWe already know what the matrix is. It still is awful, but SLO nonsense is preferable to being subjected to the VAM.
DeleteThanks Mike Mulgrew and thanks Andy Pallotta and NYSUT. How you guys look in the mirror and keep cashing checks backed by our dues is beyond me. You have failed every step of the way.
ReplyDeleteToday the Regents did absolutely nothing. Out on LI I will still have to prep my students for the pre and post SLO's, still be subject to scores for students that cannot read or write English and still face an observation from an independent observer, etc.
Some people here on this blog want to know why I want to withhold my dues and hope the Supremes allow me to do just that. I think NYSUT needs to be brought to its knees, not by Cuomo and Tisch but by us, the members. We need to rid ourselves of all of those who have repeatedly either proven to be incompetent at what we pay them to do or total sellouts.
Agreed.
DeleteRegents HS teachers will mnow have to ADD the local exam on top of their Regents test. Students will know that the local test is used primarily to evaluate their teachers. This will not end well.
ReplyDeleteYOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME PRINCIPAL
ReplyDeleteHow is it that these immigrants from all around the world are coming here and setting up shop implementing non traditional US culture???? Why is this allowed to happen??? Forget political correctness but if you must then note that if ANY immigrant comes to this country to live then they should live by the culture set forth here in America!!! If you live and work in the US then stating the pledge of allegiance should not only be used but it should be mandatory!!!! Who gives a shit if you come from Uganda or China or the Dominican Republic, middle east muslim or not EVERYONE should abide by the American culture if you live here!!!! The politicians are destroying this country!!! Our douse bag politicians are such fagots that they are allowing these immigrants to not only enter our country but then change our culture???? The statement that "not all of our families celebrate our traditions" is a bunch of bull shit people. Bottom line, if you want to come to this country to live and work then you need to follow the AMERICAN way and not your dead end country you come from - or fled from. This story about this asian principal is so disturbing in so many ways. First of all, this woman is not even qualified to become principal with hardly no experience teaching and none as an assistant principal. Second, this immigrant principal comes into our schools and erases years and years of history by covering them with flat screens??? You have got to be kidding me politicians. Is it any wonder why Donald Trump is leading in the polls?? With the Trump wagon on the horizon the immigrants are shitting bricks and the illegal immigrants are packing the bags.
Yeah I especially love the ones who drive around with their cars draped with flags from their country, i.e. puerto rico is one i see all the time....guy driving around with puerto rican flag draped on his car and blasting loud music....but the one constant that always blurts out in our minds is if you love your country and your culture that much than why don't you go back there and live....we do not need puerto rican flags flying around draped on cars in our neighborhoods.....get it...good...
ReplyDeleteSurprise! Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Back to civics class for you!
ReplyDeleteSurprise! Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Back to civics class for you!
ReplyDeleteA good substance regarding penalizing of job credentials and it will continue to influence to other respective authorities to prove this as good as it considered to be.
ReplyDelete