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January 15, 2010

Rush to enact — 01/17/10

Bill will hold administrators, teachers more accountable

Anonymous The Daily Independent Fri Jan 15, 2010, 04:30 PM EST

There is nothing quite like the chance to apply for up to $200 million in federal funds for school improvements to convince the 2010 General Assembly to take only nine days to enact the law necessary to qualify for those funds.

During a period when bills in the General Assembly typically move along at an exceedingly slow pace, House Bill 176 was filed on Jan. 5, endorsed by the House Education Committee the next day, approved by the entire House of Representatives on a 96-0 vote on Jan. 11, approved by the Senate Education Committee on Jan. 12, and by the entire Senate by a 38-0 bill on Jan. 13. It was signed by Gov. Steve Beshear on Jan. 14, and since the General Assembly had declared it an “emergency,” it took effect immediately.

Why the rush? Well, the federal government had established a Jan. 19 deadline for states to apply for federal funds of up to $200 million over four years. While approval of the law is no guarantee that Kentucky will receive any of that money, it is a certainty that the state would not have received a dime unless the required state law was on the books by Jan. 19. Thus, the state beat the federal deadline by four days.

So what does HB 176 do? Well, among other things, it holds teachers and principals in “persistently low-achieving schools” more accountable for the academic performance of their students. It would make it easier for administrators and teachers in schools whose students consistently perform poorly on statewide tests to be terminated or reassigned. Even teachers and administrators who have tenure protection could face removal from the classroom if their students continue to perform poorly on tests.

The law is a good one — and not just because of the possibility of the state receiving more federal dollars for enacting it. How better to judge the abilities of teachers and principals than by the performance of their students? If a teacher’s students consistently perform well below grade level on statewide tests, then maybe a change in the classroom is in order.

At least the federal government thinks so. That’s why it encouraged states to enact laws like HB 176 by offering additional federal dollars for them that did so.

Why the rush? Well, the federal government had established a Jan. 19 deadline for states to apply for federal funds of up to $200 million over four years. While approval of the law is no guarantee that Kentucky will receive any of that money, it is a certainty that the state would not have received a dime unless the required state law was on the books by Jan. 19. Thus, the state beat the federal deadline by four days.

So what does HB 176 do? Well, among other things, it holds teachers and principals in “persistently low-achieving schools” more accountable for the academic performance of their students. It would make it easier for administrators and teachers in schools whose students consistently perform poorly on statewide tests to be terminated or reassigned. Even teachers and administrators who have tenure protection could face removal from the classroom if their students continue to perform poorly on tests.

The law is a good one — and not just because of the possibility of the state receiving more federal dollars for enacting it. How better to judge the abilities of teachers and principals than by the performance of their students? If a teacher’s students consistently perform well below grade level on statewide tests, then maybe a change in the classroom is in order.

At least the federal government thinks so. That’s why it encouraged states to enact laws like HB 176 by offering additional federal dollars for them that did so.

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Editorials

Charles Chattin
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Bill will hold administrators, teachers more accountable

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