Teachers face new job performance criteria

The components of the new Education Transformation Act of 2015.

Courtesy Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

After months of wrangling, New York state finally has a budget, and with it come some major changes in the state’s educational system. Among them is the Education Transformation Act, which institutes new practices for recruiting and evaluating teachers, and will affect both the Oceanside and Island Park districts.

The spending plan provides funding for full scholarships to State and City University of New York colleges for students who commit to teach in New York for five years.

A statewide, uniform admissions standard for college teacher prep programs will be established, and the State Education Department will have the authority to close programs that fail to properly prepare students for the profession.

Teachers will have to pass a standardized exam, complete an additional 100 hours of continuing education and recertify every five years, or lose their license.

Teachers will be rated in two categories: student performance and teacher observations. For student performance, the district can use the state standardized tests or a state-approved district test as criteria. Teachers who are rated ineffective based on the results of either exam cannot be rated effective or highly effective overall.

There are two subcomponents to the observation category: observations by a principal, and independent observations. As is the case with student performance, teachers who are rated ineffective in either category cannot be rated effective or highly effective.

Teachers will be evaluated on a four-point scale. The state education commissioner must have the system in place by June 30, and local districts must have their own systems in place by Nov. 15 in order to be eligible for increased aid for the 2015-16 school year.