What a 'balanced' tenure system might look like

A new brief from The New Teacher Project envisions what it is casting as a "balanced" teacher-tenure system. Under this system, teachers would be eligible for tenure after five years. Tenure would be awarded for sustained strong performance, and could be revoked for ineffective performance. Appeals could contest process and bad faith, but not judgments about performance. Hearings would be limited to a single day, and appeals processes limited to 90 days. Arbitrators would be independent and salaried, such as administrative law judges. There would be zero tolerance for abuse or sexual misconduct. Teachers who were replaced could apply to other schools, except in cases of egregious misconduct. Currently in teaching, a formal dismissal of a tenured teacher for performance reasons could mean the revocation of the teacher's license or, at a minimum, an employment record that renders the teacher unemployable. Instead, districts should reset their perspective on due process so it aligns with virtually every other profession: protections against egregious actions, such as dismissal based on political beliefs or legal conduct outside of work. Due process should no longer be a means for second-guessing school leaders' professional judgment about a teacher's job performance, which is its primary function now. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

Published by LEAP

Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.