The New Process and Timeline for Tenure Attainment

1. Title 18A: Education Law In New Jersey Amended Teacher EvaluationPresenter: Hurisa Guvercin

2. The New Process and Timeline for Tenure Attainment • For all teaching staff members employed prior to August 6, 2012 the tenure acquisition remains the same • However: • For all teaching staff members employed on or after August 6, 2012, to receive tenure, they must work for 4 consecutive calendar years, four consecutive academic years plus employment at the beginning of the next succeeding academic year, or the equivalent of more than four academic years within a period of any five consecutive academic years before earning tenure. • Must complete a district mentorship program during the initial year of employment • “All teachers, as well as principals, assistant principals, and vice-principals must receive a rating of effective or highly effective in two annual summative evaluations within the first three years of employment. • For principals, vice principals and assistant principals the first effective rating must be received on or after the completion of the second year of employment. “

3. Teacher Mentoring and Professional Development • “The board of education shall implement a research-based mentoring program that pairs effective, experienced teachers with first-year teachers to provide observation and feedback, modeling, support, and guidance in accordance with the Professional Standards for Teachers and evaluation rubric” • “The mentoring program shall enhance teachers’ knowledge on CCCS, identify exemplary teaching skills and assist first-year teachers in the performance of their duties and adjustments to the challenges of teaching.” • To the greatest extend feasible mentoring activities shall develop in consultation with the school improvement panel • A board of education, principal, or superintendent shall provide additional professional development for any teaching staff members who fails or is struggling to meet the performance standards established by the board.”

4. The Role of New School Improvement Panels • “To ensure the effectiveness of its teachers, the Act requires that “each school shall convene a “school improvement panel” • “A panel shall include the principal, or his designee(who is serving in a supervisory capacity), an assistant principal or vice principal, and a teacher.” • The panel shall: • “Oversee the mentoring of teachers” • “Identify professional development opportunities for all instructional staff members” • “Conduct evaluations of teachers, including the annual summative evaluation.” • “The teacher on the panel shall not take part in the evaluation process, except in those instances in which the majority representative has agreed on the contrary.”

5. The Process for Filing and Pursuing Tenure Charges • “The new law requires a superintendent to file tenure charges of inefficiency against a teaching staff member who is rated ineffective or partially effective in two consecutive annual summative evaluations”. • Tenure charges are transmitted to the Commissioner • The commissioner randomly selects an arbitrator from the panel to decide the case • All tenure hearings must be held within 45 days of the assignment to the arbitrator and the arbitrator must then issue a decision in the case within 45 days. • After inefficiency charges are filed, the arbitrator is required to decide in the board’s favor and dismiss the employee, unless the employee can show that: “(1) his or her evaluations failed to adhere to the evaluation process; (2) there was a mistake of fact in the evaluation; (3) the charges were brought due to considerations of political affiliation, nepotism, union activity or discrimination; or (4) the district’s actions were arbitrary and capricious .” • The arbitrator shall then determine if any of these factors “materially affected the outcome of his or her evaluation.” • The costs of the arbitrator are to be paid by the State of New Jersey, and are $7,500 per case

6. The Required Components for District Evaluation Rubrics • A school districts will use evaluation rubrics to assess the effectiveness of its teachers, principals, vice-principals, and assistant principals, and other teaching staff members. • A school district shall submit annually the evaluation rubrics to the Commissioner. • The evaluation rubric must be based partially on multiple objective measures of student learning and achievement, taking into account student growth from one year to the next. • “The new law establishes four categories of effectiveness: (1) ineffective; (2) partially effective; (3) effective; and (4) highly effective.” • The evaluation process must consider multiple measures

7. Developing Corrective Action Plans that Comply with the Law • “A “”corrective action plan means a written plan developed by a teaching staff member serving in a supervisory capacity in collaboration with a teaching staff member to address deficiencies as outlined in an evaluation.” • “The corrective action plan shall include timelines for corrective action, responsibilities of the individual teaching staff member and the school district for implementing the plan, and the specific support that the district shall provide.”

8. Resources • http://education.state.nj.us/broadcasts/2012/NOV/13/8425/Educator%20Evaluation%20Update.pdf • http://www.cedargrove.k12.nj.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Teacher-Evaluation-Comparison-of-4-Models-1-31-12-FEA.pdf