Board of Regents Vote for 4-year halt in using student test scores to rate teachers

Posted: 
Tuesday, December 15, 2015

In a triumph against the destructive educational policies of Governor Cuomo, the New York State Board of Regents voted on Monday, December 14 to stop the clock for 4 years on the use of standardized test scores in teacher evaluations.

Read more about the Board of Regents vote in the articles below:

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) issued the following statement in response to the Board of Regents’ vote: “The Common Core Task Force responded to parents and educators’legitimate concerns about the harmful effects of overtesting on student and the misuse of state tests in teacher evaluations. It issued many important recommendations aimed at reducing testing and the resulting pressure on students, while calling for the development of New York standards by New York teachers that would benefit New York students.

Those recommendations opened the door for substantive change and an end to the state’s test-and-punish mentality. Today’s vote on one of those recommendations is an initial step. However, more hard work lies ahead and further changes are necessary to properly implement all the task force’s recommendations. Working collaboratively and constructively, we expect the Regents and State Education Department to make policy changes that restore the joy of teaching and learning to our classrooms.”

Leader of the Long Island Opt-Out movement, Jeanette Brunelle Deutermann, posted the following statement on her Facebook page: “Here is where we stand on evaluations tied to test scores. If the Education Transformation Act is not repealed, rating teachers primarily on student performance remains. The current definition on student performance is through assessment. Does the current moratorium help?

Yes, because the State Assessments were the most egregious of all student performance assessments. However, we believe teacher assessments should not be dominated on student performance measures in assessment form. So why isn't this piece coming out altogether but rather switching from one assessment to another? Because it's the law, and until our legislators take responsibility and fix their mistake, changes will be insignificant and prices for that will be paid in full next November. The door was opened last week. Now let's kick it down.”

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