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Tenure Clarification Language

Level of Government: State

As an educator and constituent, I am writing for your support of NYSUT's proposed tenure language that clarifies accountability provisions put into place last year by the Legislature and the governor.

These amendments clarify accountability provisions put into place last year by the Legislature and the governor to establish a statewide foundation for granting tenure which helps standardize the tenure process. Local districts are still free to negotiate requirements based on their own community needs.

These amendments are not anything new. As always, tenure decisions continue to be made at the district level by administrators, superintendents and school boards. In fact, the current bill language broadens the scope of administrative options.

The language makes it clear that teachers can be evaluated on how they use student test scores to adjust and improve instruction. It says tenure decisions can include "an evaluation of the teacher's successful use of student performance data when providing instruction." This can include evaluating how a teacher uses available student data -- such as state test results, student work, school-developed assessments and teacher-developed assessments -- to provide and adjust instruction.

These tests were not designed to evaluate individual teachers. Using student test scores as a blunt instrument to evaluate teachers would penalize educators who take on difficult teaching assignments and those who work in the neediest, most hard to staff schools.

The new amendments do not make it harder to deny tenure they were established The standards established by the Legislature are part of the state's multi-year commitment to providing additional resources and quality instruction to close the achievement gap for students in need. The Legislature should be praised for raising the bar and following through on that commitment."

The process set by the Legislature last year also calls for peer review when possible - one of the highest standards available.

"The standards established by the Legislature are part of the state's multi-year commitment to providing additional resources and quality instruction to close the achievement gap for students in need. The Legislature should be praised for raising the bar and following through on that commitment."

As my elected representative, I strongly urge you to support this important legislation that protects teachers' rights by maintaining a fair tenure determination process.

Thank you.

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