Posted: 8:00 a.m. Monday, June 30, 2014

New teacher evaluation process to take effectthis school year

By Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

BUTLER COUNTY — 

    An Ohio law that changes howadministrators will evaluate teachers would reward educators consideredhigh-performing by eliminating yearly formal evaluations.

    Gov. John Kasich signed into law earlierthis month House Bill 362,which among other things, will allow teachers who receive ab “accomplished”rating to be formally evaluated once every three years, and those that receivea “skilled” rating to be evaluated once every two years.

    But all “accomplished” and “skilled” teacherswill still be required to have regular annual observations and conferences withadministrators.

    The new standards will take effect inSeptember.

    “The previous law was simply too much of aburden, not only on the teachers but also on the administration,” said Rep. TimDerickson, R-Hanover Twp. “They simply don’t need a formal evaluation eachyear. This bill allows teachers more time to do what they want to do, and thatis to teach the kids. And this will allow our administrators to manage andadminister in our schools.”

    Derickson and Rep. Gary Scherer,R-Circleville, were the joint-sponsors of the bill, which was initiallyaddressed STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education forcommunity and charted nonpublic schools. When the legislation went to the OhioSenate, the new teacher evaluation language was added. The House concurred withthe Senate’s changes on June 3 and Kasich signed the bill on June 12.

    As a part of the Race to the Top Grant, theMiddletown City School District piloted the newevaluation process during the 2013-2014 school year, said Carolyn Mack, Middletown’s director ofProfessional Development and Gifted.

    She said each building principal conductedtwo formal evaluations and four walk-throughs for every teacher. The districtused the Middletown Model, iObservation tool to manage the process. Thedistrict used the shared attribution for student growth measure.

    “The change in the legislation allows thedistrict to provide support to the teachers and more time for the administratorsto monitor growth of staff and provide tool to improve student achievement,”Mack said.

    As the changes were expected, “the newpotential changes did not take us by surprise,” said Roger Martin, FairfieldCity Schools assistant superintendent. He said the district administrators willwork to have the new evaluation language in place before the beginning of the2014-2015 school year.

    “Our current language regarding memberevaluation is in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding between the (FairfieldCity School Board) and the Fairfield Classroom Teachers Association,” he said.

    Martin said representatives from the boardand the teachers’ union will work this summer to draft any needed changes tothe memorandum of understanding, and any proposed changes will need to beapproved by both the entities.

    Hamilton City Schools spokeswoman JoniCopas said, “Our district is looking into the options available, but have notmade a decision at this point, given how new the changes are.”

    The Journal-News contacted some of theteacher union presidents, but was unable to reach anyone for comment.

    The Ohio School Boards Association, BuckeyeAssociation of School Administrators and Ohio Association of School BusinessOfficials, in a joint statement, supported the new law that made revisions tothe Ohio Teacher Evaluation System.

    Officials with the three state educationassociations said the changes will allow districts increased flexibility inconducting the formal teacher evaluations.

    “While we understand the importance ofconducting teacher evaluations on an annual basis, we have been hearing frommany districts across the state with regard to the increased administrativeburdens being placed on them in fulfilling the (Ohio Teacher Evaluation System)requirements,” said Damon Asbury, OSBA director of legislative services.

    “The changes made by the legislation willallow for more flexibility without jeopardizing the effectiveness of theteacher evaluation system,” said Thomas Ash, BASA director of governmentalrelations.

CHANGES IN TEACHER EVALUATIONS

TheOhio General Assembly approved new teacher evaluation requirements, which weresigned into law by Gov. John Kasich. Supporters of the changes say this willallow teachers and administrators more time to worry about educating children.Here are the summary highlights of the bill:

·                      Teacher evaluates Permits a school district or school toevaluate any teacher who received a rating of “accomplished” on the teacher’smost recent evaluation once every three years, so long as the teacher’s studentacademic growth measure is “average” or higher.

·                      Permits a school district or school to evaluate any teacher whoreceived a rating of “skilled” on the teacher’s most recent evaluation onceevery two years, so long as the teacher’s student academic growth measure is“average” or higher.

·                      Provides that in any year a teacher is not formally evaluated,as a result of receiving a “skilled” or “accomplished” rating on that teacher’smost recent evaluation, that teacher must still receive an observation and aconference.

·                      Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, authorizes a districtor school to choose not to evaluate a teacher who was on leave from the schooldistrict for 50 percent or more of the school year or has submitted a notice ofretirement that was accepted not later than December 1 of the school year.

·                      Permits a district or school, beginning with the 2014-2015school year, to use the alternative framework, as prescribed by the bill, forteacher evaluations.

·                      Requires a district or school that chooses to use thealternative framework for the 2014-2015 school year to calculate ratings basedon (1) the teacher performance measure (42.5 percent of the evaluation), (2)the student academic growth measure (42.5 percent of the evaluation), and (3)one component selected by the district or school from among student surveys,teacher self-evaluations, peer review evaluations, or student portfolios (15percent of the evaluation).

·                      Requires a district or school that chooses to use thealternative framework for the 2015-2016 school year, and for each school yearthereafter, to calculate ratings based on (1) the teacher performance measure(42.5 percent to 50 percent of the evaluation), (2) the student academic growthmeasure (42.5 percent to 50 percent of the evaluation), and (3) one componentselected by the district or school from among student surveys, teacherself-evaluations, peer review evaluations, or student portfolios (the remainingpercentage of the evaluation).

·                      Requires the Department of Education to compile a list ofapproved instruments for districts and schools to use when evaluating studentsurveys, teacher self-evaluations, peer review evaluations, and studentportfolios. Requires each district or school to choose one approved instrumentfrom the Department’s list to evaluate the applicable component selected bythat district or school.

Source: Ohio General Assembly