In Missouri, teacher tenure is on the chopping block. Amendment 3 will be on the November ballot.
If approved by voters, this measure would implement teacher performance evaluations that would be used to determine whether a teacher should be dismissed, retained, demoted or promoted.
It would also prevent teachers from collectively bargaining over the terms of these evaluations. Supporters tout its ability to reward teachers based on classroom success, which should lead to better outcomes for students. Many teachers associations object to the use of student performance on standardized tests to determine teacher pay.
Outcomes of the amendment would include teacher pay system which would take into account student performance on standardized tests. Scores go up, pay goes up, in every school someone would be at the top, everyone else would rank somewhere below that.
This post is part of the 30-Day Blog Challenge for Teachers.
The official Ballot
- Require teachers to be evaluated by a standards based performance evaluation system for which each local school district must receive state approval to continue receiving state and local funding;
- Require teachers to be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system;
- Require teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts; and prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the design and implementation of the teacher evaluation system?
- ensure teachers are evaluated based on an objective measure: their students’ academic growth;
- protect great teachers and their students by requiring teachers to be dismissed, retained, demoted, promoted, and paid primarily using quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system;
- end the unfair “last-in-first-out” rule, which often means that effective teachers are let go, while ineffective teachers stay;
- require teachers to enter into contracts of three years or fewer with public school districts, so that their performance can be re-evaluated as it would be in any other profession; and
- protect the rights of educators to collectively bargain for salary, benefits, and working conditions.[4
- The measure will require more standardized testing and, in turn, cost taxpayers more money.
- Under the amendment, the state would tell school districts the best way to evaluate teachers, thus "eroding local control."
- Some students cannot "get into the A-B range no matter what teachers do." Many students from lower income backgrounds may have other issues besides school performance on which they are focused.
- Teachers need protections from extreme levels of scrutiny.
Information from:
http://ballotpedia.org/Missouri_Teacher_Performance_Evaluation,_Amendment_3_%282014%29
Vote NO on amendment 3
If you live in Missouri, please vote NO on this amendment in November. This is a big issue and you need to be informed.