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State schools chief rejects rules plan

Proposed changes would tie teachers’ licenses to performance evaluations

MARK HICKS
/ The Detroit News

The state's superintendent of public instruction said he won't approve proposed rules that would tie teachers' licenses to annual performance evaluations.

"I do not want to have a teacher certification system that threatens an educator's license on the basis of annual evaluations," Mike Flanagan said Wednesday in a message to educators statewide.

"Inasmuch, I want to assure educators in Michigan that before these proposed rules are approved by me, I will have any language removed that revokes or prevents teacher certification licensure based upon annual evaluations. I have the final authority on this matter."

The Michigan Department of Education is holding public hearings next month on proposed rules for teacher and administrator certification.

Those were part of measures signed into state law last summer. The legislation allows school districts to more easily fire poor-performing teachers.

Under the current language in the proposed rules, Flanagan said, teachers would lose certification after a number of years of not being evaluated as "highly effective" or "effective."

One of the proposed rules indicates teachers with a provisional certificate would not be eligible for certification after not having three consecutive annual evaluations.

That worries some educators who say a teacher could be vulnerable if an administrator, for example, misses an evaluation. "We're going to recommend that the (state) not go down that path," said Doug Pratt, director of public affairs for the Michigan Education Association, which represents some 155,000 members.

A hearing on the changes is scheduled for 3-6 p.m. Nov. 16 at Wayne RESA, 5454 Venoy, Wayne. Another hearing is 3-6 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Ramada Lansing Hotel and Conference Center, 7501 W. Saginaw Highway, Lansing.

mhicks@detnews.com

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