Who wins? The lawyers!
Feb 7
2010
I don’t know…It seems to me that the new education reform proposal from NYSED is going to result in a HUGE potential for litigation. As you may know, I am a lawyer turned teacher. Perhaps I will jump ship and return to my prior profession if things get as wild as I think they may get?
As I have mentioned in prior posts, if you are not aware of the new proposals for New York, I think you should take a look at them if you teach in New York. I am following them at my new site www.hybridhighschool.com along with the Virtual High School proposal.
One of the many proposals includes evaluating teachers based on student improvement data. (See more on this in my prior posts) Below is a preliminary list of factors that might be used by attorneys in representing teachers who are being penalized by performance (or possibly let go) as a result of differentials in student performance data..
I would love you to add to this list. Register and post your comments as well!
Things beyond the teachers control…
Student attendance
My students are less motivated than other teachers
My class sizes are different from other teachers
I have different tools– ie computers, smartboards, etc.
I have a co teacher in an inclusion class who teaches part of the time and may not be as familiar or effective as I might be if I were teaching solo?
The students come to my class with fewer skills as a result of teachers effectiveness in prior grades? I cannot get the improvement that another teacher with students with more underlying skills
Student make up– more behavior issues than other teachers
Family situation and personal issues impacting student performance
Course content– more difficult at one grade level than another
Differential opportunities for professional development
Differences in skills as a result of evolution of teacher training programs
Time of day of class being different and impacting student performance
Different physical space impacting learning
Inclusion versus gen ed class impacting overall interaction within the classroom
Differences in teacher schedules– more or less time for extra help
Differences in total numbers of students being taught– less time per student
Differences in testing ability– is the test really measuring the student knowledge or test taking skill?
Differences in student schedules
And the list goes on…..These are just a few I have come up with while typing this post!
Don’t get me wrong…I am all for improving education, student learning and teacher performance. I just see this approach lining the pockets of the lawyers and causing the rest of us to paper our files.
I guess I can always return to the lawyer lady gig if things get too crazy—perhaps retire early thanks to NYSED? Is there a better solution?
What are your thoughts? Add to the list! Visit the www.hybridhighschool.com site for more updates and info.
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