Tenure Reform

1. Tenure Reform Linda Mesce, Sue Sylvester, Fatima Sami, and Erin Corby

2. Article • http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_christie_sends_education_r.html • http://video-embed.nj.com/services/player/bcpid619329501001?bctid=903198981001

3. Overview The current system awards tenure to teachers after three years and one day on the job. The new bill would change the way tenure is earned. It proposes that teachers be evaluated on their performance once a year. Only teachers who meet “effective standards” will be given tenure. The scale consists of four measures, “highly effective”, “effective”, “partially effective”, and “ineffective”.

4. Overview Teachers who are given scores lower than “effective” consistently for 3 years or in some cases, less, may lose tenure and/or be removed from their positions. New teachers will receive mentoring from an experienced teacher during the first year of their employment. The new system would not apply to teachers who have tenure before the bill’s effective date.

5. PROS CONS • Protects teachers, provides job security • Encourages people to become teachers • Ensures consistency within the school, less teacher turnover • Ineffective teachers are still present in many schools • Removing tenure from an ineffective teacher is a very lengthy, expensive process (only 17 teachers have lost tenure in the last ten years) Pros and Cons of Current Tenure System

6. PROS CONS • Ensures that teachers are doing their best • Rewards teachers for their efforts • Makes removing ineffective teachers easier and less expensive • “Last in/First out” would become a thing of the past • Standardized test scores play a big role(Teaching for the test) • Teachers may fight to have high level learners placed in their classrooms • Teachers may discriminate against special needs students and ESL students Pros and Cons of Tenure Reform

7. Questions • How would tenure reform affect teacher’s acceptance of diverse students? • Will evaluations for tenure determination end up being the standard for general evaluations – Will schools begin to make termination decisions based upon teacher’s inability to get tenure? • Will schools with smaller budgets be more likely to terminate teachers who earn more? • How would tenure reform effect low performing schools and urban centers?

8. Any questions or comments? Feel free to voice any questions or concerns you may have in regard to tenure reform.

9. References • Work in progress