Hit restart on teacher evaluations

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said a curious thing recently, that the state's standardized tests in math and ELA are "meaningless" for students. He couldn't figure out why tens of thousands of parents refused to let their kids take the tests.

One reason that the tests are meaningful is that they are being used in a state formula to grade teachers and principals. This evaluation system was poorly conceived and is widely disliked by educators for its simplistic, unrevealing and punitive nature.

Declining morale in neighborhood schools is one big reason that many parents boycotted the state tests. How can Cuomo not see the connection?

Take a stand

Now our leaders are racing to fix the system, but are likely to make it worse. Cuomo and legislative leaders, as part of their budget agreement, gave the state Board of Regents until June 30 to re-create the evaluation system, setting strict rules that tie the Regents' hands.

Stop it. It's time for the Board of Regents to take a stand – and stand up to Cuomo. The board should declare that it can't slap together a viable evaluation system. New York should keep its current system in place and use at least the rest of 2015 to design a system that would promote classroom instruction and hold teachers accoutable.

Judith Johnson, the Lower Hudson Valley's new representative on the Board of Regents, has the right idea. "What the governor has put in place makes no sense," she said. "If you want a scholarly system, you can't throw it together in 30 to 60 days. If we ignore the science behind teacher evaluations, it's just a political decision."

We spoke to 11 local educators and others with a stake in what's happening and no one could see how a viable system can be drawn up by June 30. "We have to get a delay and change it – and not let the governor do this to us," Valhalla Superintendent Brenda Myers said.

Myers: Legislation 'changes the definition of quality teaching and learning'

Breaking the June 30 deadline would require an act of the Legislature. Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, said that legislators might act if the Regents offer a new vision.

"We would need the Regents to use the energy (of the opt-out movement)," she said. "Declare this system to be ineffective and figure out how we can do it better."

Way too narrow

As of now, the Regents are required to devise a system that would grade teachers on only two measures: how their students grow on tests; and at least two classroom observations. And that's it. This absurdly narrow system would not measure most elements of teacher quality or give districts enough information to improve instruction. School districts would be prohibited from considering other evidence of student development, like portfolios of student work, student and parent surveys, or ongoing classroom observations.

This is nuts.

School administrators fear that the emphasis on tests will inflame a test-prep mentality. Some teachers are already talking openly about finding ways to reduce the concentration of potentially poor test-takers in the classes – including students with disabilities and English-language learners.

"You're reducing teaching to gaming the test," said Harry Leonardatos, principal of Clarkstown High School North.

Educators and parents remain unconvinced that the state's new, Pearson-created math and ELA tests are valid, reliable assessments. A reboot of the evaluation system would have to acknowledge this fundamental concern. "How can it be that no one has assessed the assessments?" said Susan Elion Wollin, president of the Westchester Putnam School Boards Assocation.

Wollin: 'Any parent ... knows each of her children learns differently'

A key issue completely lost in the evaluation debate: Only a quarter of teachers have students who take the math and ELA tests. The majority of teachers are judged by how their students progress on a hodgepodge of state, third-party and locally created tests, which vary in quality and produce little meaningful information. It's time to review these results.

How many classroom observations are enough to grade a teacher? More than two scheduled "dog-and-pony shows." Let's review how observations are done best.

Parent involvement

As of now, the Regents will hold a single hearing in Albany, on Thursday. Dozens of experts will offer opinions that neither the Regents nor their overworked staff in the state Education Department could possibly have time to seriously consider before their June 30 deadline.

Then school districts have until September to figure out how to implement the new system through collective bargaining with unions. They could lose state aid if they don't make the deadline, an incentive to produce crummy work that the Regents should denounce.

The Regents should call on the Legislature to freeze the current system and appoint a group of educators and evaluation experts to recommend the best possible system or, better yet, several models. And talk about setting aside time to pilot them.

Harrison Superintendent Lou Wool, who has pleaded with legislators and Cuomo's staff to put education before politics, said that parents who boycotted the state tests could focus their frustration by demanding a new evaluation system. "It's simple," he said. "Amend these policies now."

Wool: 'Testing, tenure and teaching have all been damaged'

A viable system

The Journal News/lohud.com Editorial Board consulted with the following people about how the Board of Regents should deal with the teacher-evaluation system:

• Kerry Broderick, president of the White Plains Teachers Association.

• Jonathan Brown, principal of Longfellow Middle School in Mount Vernon and a community member of Editorial Board.

• Kathleen Fox, president of the Edgemont Teachers Association.

• John Gross, a partner at Ingerman Smith, a law firm that represents 54 school districts in New York.

• Judith Johnson, who represents Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange and Dutchess on the state Board of Regents.

Johnson: 'Focus on outcome'

• State Sen. George Latimer, D-Rye, a member of the Senate education committee.

• Harry Leonardatos, principal of Clarkstown High School North.

• Valhalla Schools Superintendent Brenda Myers, co-chair of the teacher-evaluation committee of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents.

• Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, a member of the Assembly education committee.

• Susan Elion Wollin, president of the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association.

• Harrison Schools Superintendent Lou Wool, co-chair of the teacher-evaluation committee of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents.