Teacher seniority debate continues
For teachers, seniority would be all but eliminated as a factor in layoffs under
House File 1870, authored by Rep. Branden Petersen (R-Andover).
The bill would require districts to lay off or demote teachers according to multiple levels of teacher "effectiveness" instead, with "ineffective" teachers dismissed first.
At present, there is no cut-and-dried method of categorizing teachers by effectiveness. Last year's teacher evaluation law has yet to be fleshed out, a process that's under way at both the state and local levels.
The House Education Reform Committee will discuss the bill but won't take additional testimony this week.
Several local teachers union leaders testified last week that the bill would undercut promising labor-management efforts in their districts to improve evaluations and teacher quality.
"I implore you, slow down," said Peter Eckhoff, president of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers. "Allow us to do the work you asked us to do with last year's [evaluation] bill."
Also testifying against the bill in the House Education Reform Committee were the following:
- Mary Cathryn Ricker, president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers.
- Jim Smola, president of Dakota County United Educators.
- Louise Sundin, president emeritus of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.
- Education Minnesota chief lobbyist Jan Alswager.
February 03, 2012