ERIC Number: EJ1008195
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Apr-24
Pages: 2
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0277-4232
EISSN: N/A
Union Sues over Basis of Appraisal
Sawchuk, Stephen
Education Week, v32 n29 p1, 15 Apr 2013
The National Education Association, on behalf of three affiliates of its Florida chapter and seven teachers, last week filed suit against the Florida education department. They contend that some teachers are being judged against students or subjects they don't teach, in violation of their constitutional rights. The groups seek a federal court injunction against a Florida law that outlines teacher-evaluation procedures, and against three districts' specific implementation policies. If granted, it would essentially throw out evaluation results from the 2011-12 school year, and for future years until a new system could be devised. The 2011 Florida law requires all teachers to be judged in part on the progress of their students. The growth formula was developed for teachers of those subjects for which the state administers standardized tests: grades 4-8 in math and 4-10 in reading. But because only a fraction of teachers are teaching those subjects, the suit contends, districts, with state approval, essentially fudged the formula for other teachers. As a result, the unions allege that the seven teachers were evaluated based on students they don't teach, or in subjects they don't teach.
Descriptors: Court Litigation, Federal Courts, Evaluation Criteria, Teacher Evaluation, State Policy, State Standards, Unions, School Law
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A