RVC teachers get flying colors on APPR

The Rockville Centre School District had no poorly rated teachers, according to evaluations released by the state late last month.

The evaluation scores are the result of the Annual Professional Performance Review, or APPR, enacted by the state to grade teachers, principals and administrators. Teachers receive one of four grades: Ineffective, Developing, Effective or Highly Effective. None of Rockville Centre’s teachers were graded at either of the two lowest levels.

“I think we have effective and highly effective teachers,” said district Superintendent Dr. William Johnson when asked why the teachers did so well. “It’s relatively simple.”

The APPR grades come from three places: the rubric, which is based mainly on in-classroom evaluations, makes up 60 percent of the score. The other 40 percent is split between how well students do on state and local standardized tests.

“We work diligently with our administrators to make sure what goes on in the classroom provides the kids in Rockville Centre with effective instruction, and I think we’re successful in doing that,” Johnson said.

But not everyone saw the APPR results as a positive. In Rockville Centre, the results were in line with expectations — the district has excellent graduation rates and exam scores. But statewide, only five percent of teachers were rated Developing or Ineffective. The state Education Department saw that as proof the APPR system needs to be changed.

“Unfortunately, in far too many districts across the state, we see evaluation results that do not reveal the true performance of educators, and annual student growth goals that do not reflect rigorous expectations,”  Acting Commissioner Beth Berlin said in a release. “We have recommended common-sense changes to State law that will ensure evaluation results reflect true differences in teacher effectiveness and student growth.”

As it stands now, each district was responsible for coming up with its own APPR plan that had to meet certain criteria set by the state. The recommendations from the SED would do away with that, creating one set of state-wide standards to be followed.