By Patrick Donges
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-975478.mp3
Pittsfield, MA – The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the new rules Tuesday in a 9-2 vote that will make student performance data, including scores on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS tests, more of a factor in evaluating the performance of teachers and administrators.
Proposed by Massachusetts Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester in April, the new regulations would place teachers whose students get lower grades on the tests on "improvement plans," while rewarding those whose students show improvements with the possibility of, "additional roles, responsibilities and compensation."
Laura Barrett is a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Teacher's Association, the largest teachers union in the state, which supported the measure.
"The MTA did support these regulations, although we acknowledge they are not perfect and there's going to be a lot of work to make sure they are implemented correctly. Not 100 percent of our local affiliates support going in this direction."
In addition to some local union affiliates opposing the policy, a Boston Globe report on the vote quoted board member Ruth Kaplan, who voted against the proposal, saying she feared the regulations would result in more "teaching to the test."
Those sentiments were not shared by school administrators in Western Massachusetts. Dr. Alan Ingram is superintendent of Springfield Public Schools.
"Evaluations are an important part of a school system and any system; (they're) a way to hold employees accountable and make sure things are getting done to a level that you want and that our children deserve."
"I support the changes; I think the state's done everything possible to prepare us for that transition. It's not a perfect system, but it will be a huge step in the right direction."
Dr. Peter Dillon, superintendent of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District, agreed that the new measures will be positive for the district.
"The most important thing we can do in education is create the context for rich conversations, and I think this will create really good context for teachers and administrators and students and parents to talk about what's significant."
"The evaluation is not only for teachers, but it's also for administrators, principals and superintendents. We're all in the same boat together, and I look forward to a lot of conversations will all stakeholders."
Dillon said the successful implementation of the new policy will rely on how each district approaches the establishment of their own evaluation criteria. The requirements leave room for districts to come up with their own measures for both educator and student performance based on state guidelines, here's Dillon.
"The challenge in implementing new policy is always in the details. MCAS scores are significant and play an important role, but when you look at the whole totality of teachers only a small percentage are actually teaching classes that culminate in MCAS exams."
"The challenge is going to be the districts, either individually or collaboratively to develop other significant assessments that have reliability and significance."
The new state regulations also requires student feedback be expanded as a factor in educator evaluations. All Massachusetts schools are required to implement evaluation systems consistent with the new policy by the 2013-2014 school year.