Monday, May 18, 2015

StudentsFirstNY Calls Evaluation Plan With 10 Minute Observations "Thoughtful"

Jessica Bakeman at Capital NY on the NYSED/Regents evaluation plan:

Districts would use the same rubrics they’re using now for observations. The duration and length of the observations would be locally determined, but there would have to be at least one observation from each the principal and “independent” evaluator, and each would have to be 20 minutes long for non-tenured and previously low-rated teachers and 10 minutes long for previously high-rated tenured teachers. At least one of the observations would have to be unannounced. Short “walk-through” observations of five to 10 minutes are also permissible under the regulations.

Observations could be performed live or through live or previously recorded video.

10 minutes for an observation?

Seriously?

Oh, yes - seriously.

Some members of the Board of Regents pointed out this is absurd:

Some regents argued that 10 to 20 minutes was not long enough, depending on the grade level and subject.

But StudentsFirstNY loved the plan:

StudentsFirstNY, an education-reform group that has pushed for stricter evaluations, called the proposal “balanced” and “thoughtful.”

A 10 minute observation twice a year is "balanced" and "thoughtful."

Wow.

They're not even trying to make it look like they're trying to improve stuff, are they?

3 comments:

  1. If test scores over-ride observation scores, it probably doesn't matter.

    ReplyDelete
  2. One ten minute observation over the course of a 180 day school year is the same as a reviewing movie after watching a random 15 second clip.

    And they can't stop digging.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You can't even read a rubric like Danielson in ten minutes, much less apply it properly, I want to cry.

    ReplyDelete