Rethinking Teacher Evaluation in Chicago

The Consortium On Chicago School Research At The University Of Chicago Urban Education Institute just released an interesting report on the Chicago teacher evaluations rubric. We bring this to our readers attention because their process includes elements such as observations, that will surely be included in the forthcoming Ohio evaluation rubric. The conclusion begins

Our study of the Excellence in Teaching Pilot in Chicago reveals some positive outcomes: the observation tool was demonstrated to be reliable and valid. Principals and teachers reported they had more meaningful conversations about instruction. The majority of principals in the pilot were engaged and positive about their participation. At the same time, our study identifies areas of concern: principals were more likely to use the Distinguished rating.

Our interviews with principals confirm that principals intentionally boost their ratings to the highest category to preserve relationships. And, while principals and teachers reported having better conversations than they had in the past, there are indications that both principals and teachers still have much to learn about how to translate a rating on an instructional rubric into deep conversation that drives improvement in the classroom. Future work in teacher evaluation must attend to these critical areas of success, as well as these areas of concern, in order to build effective teacher evaluation systems.

Though practitioners and policymakers rightly spend a good deal of time comparing the effectiveness of one rubric over another, a fair and meaningful evaluation hinges on far more than the merits of a particular tool. An observation rubric is simply a tool, one which can be used effectively or ineffectively. Reliability and validity are functions of the users of the tool, as well as of the tool itself. The quality of implementation depends on principal and observer buy-in and capacity, as well as the depth and quality of training and support they receive.

We would add that this kind of tool could be very dangerous absent due process collective bargaining protections.

Rethinking Teacher Evaluation in Chicago

Time for Governor Kasich to listen

We became aware of the Governor's office standing up some central Ohio teachers yesterday, for what was supposed to be a meeting to discuss new school funding formulas.

Columbus teachers who were present have a great write up of the incident. More troubling that some meeting mix-up however is the ongoing pattern of trying to avoid real meaningful teacher input

While the anatomy of the new school funding formula has yet to be determined, the governor’s spokesperson has gone on record saying the new model will be contain the “over-arching principal of driving more money into the classroom.” Mattei-Smith scheduled five meetings over a two-week period inviting teachers, superintendents and principals, but failed to include teacher-leaders from the Ohio Education Association or the Ohio Federation of Teachers until much later in the process.

This meeting information was initially only shared with administrative groups and not with the teacher organizations (OEA and OFT). Information about these series of meetings was only received after “prodding” Barbara Mattei-Smith for it.

What is currently passing for education policy and its development is a shambles. There simply cannot be any meaningful progress without serious consultation with teaching professionals. Attempts to craft policy without broad consultation is going to lead to terrible policy being made that is harmful to public education in Ohio, and the students who are served by it.

It's time for the Governor to personally meet with teachers associations and spend some time listening to professionals who are on the front lines of delivering quality public education every day. He then needs to take what he hears seriously.

Fighting for the future, today

A guest post from Central OEA/NEA President Scott DiMauro

By now you have, no doubt, read about all the reasons why Senate Bill 5 is bad news for public employees. We educators, along with state and local firefighters, police officers, and other public servants, are under attack. We are being blamed for problems we didn’t create and targeted for “reforms” that will silence our voices in decision-making and weaken our professions.

As damaging as this bill is for us, it’s worse for our students. Taking away collective bargaining rights means taking away the ability to negotiate for needed classroom resources and professional support for teachers and other school employees. Weakening the union gives control of educational decisions to bureaucrats and politicians.

This will almost certainly lead to less pay, diminished healthcare benefits, greater pension costs, and weakened job security. Worse, we’re on the verge of losing a meaningful voice at the bargaining table, a voice over our working conditions and our students’ learning conditions. In short an erosion of our profession, a race to the bottom.

Like you, I didn’t go into education for the money, prestige or union support. I became a teacher because I wanted to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people and help shape a brighter future for our country. I’m angered that we have become scapegoats for economic woes not of our own making. While we all know shared sacrifice will be needed to balance the state’s budget, I fear the extreme approach taken by Governor Kasich and many majority party legislators will diminish our ability to attract the best and brightest to the classroom in the future. Too many politicians and business leaders want to make it easier to move teachers through the “factory model” of education. How can that possibly be good for our students? How can our communities possibly be helped by this? What on earth does this do to create jobs?

Ultimately, attacks such as this one will undermine the very system of public education that has been the hallmark of America’s greatness, if we were to stand idly by.

As difficult as the fight over collective bargaining has been these past few weeks, it has also given me hope for our future. Never before in my 20 years of teaching have I seen so many friends and colleagues standing so strong. Your phone calls, emails, and letters may not have killed Senate Bill 5 yet, but the message is being sent loudly and strongly that we care too much about our students, profession and public education system to let our voices be silent. Standing with tens of thousands at the Statehouse and across our communities has made me exceedingly proud to be a member of this union and given me hope that our best days are still ahead of us.

It’s not yet clear where this fight will take us. Whether it’s to another showdown in the legislature, a referendum at the ballot box, or the streets of our communities, I’m confident that we’ll be in it together, and we will prevail. Our students’ futures and our profession are depending on it.