Dive Brief:

• Facing up to mounting backlash, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Thursday that states can have more time before incorporating student test scores into teacher evaluations.  
• Interested states must apply with the U.S. Department of Education if they want to receive a one-year pardon on using test-informed evaluations.  
• Duncan acknowledged the complaints of his biggest critics saying, “I believe testing issues today are sucking the oxygen out of the room in a lot of schools.”

Dive Insight:

Duncan and his team tied test-based teacher evaluations to both No Child Left Behind waivers and Race to the Top applications, incentivizing many states to adopt the policy. Thus far, 40 states have agreed to tie teacher evaluations to student test scores. While the states are doing it for funding and flexibility, many teachers have been frustrated with the news and pushing back, arguing that test-based evaluations will really limit curriculum and make standardized tests the focal points of all American classrooms.

Duncan's decision to backtrack and give a little leeway is welcomed by many of his critics, however some are hoping he will move beyond the one-year delay.  

What is perhaps most fascinating about all of this is the fact that just a few months ago, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation called for a delay in test-based teacher evaluations. Gates has been a major financial supporter and advocate for the Common Core State Standards that Duncan has also heavily promoted. And while Gates also believes in test-based teacher evaluations, he announced the delay after much pushback and a somewhat critical Washington Post article titled, "How Bill Gates pulled off the swift Common Core revolution." People were curious how Duncan would react to the The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's announcement. There has been plenty of talk about how wealthy individuals dictate policy, and some were curious to see if Duncan would change his mind to heed to the advice of billionaire Gates. While he didn't at first, two months later, it looks like he agrees.  

Recommended Reading:

The New York Times : States Given a Reprieve on Ratings of Teachers