Rethinking Principal Evaluation

Ed Week

In an era of high-stakes testing, more-rigorous federal and state accountability programs, and intense interest among taxpayers and government…

Let a new teacher-union debate begin

By Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Michael J. Petrilli / November 1, 2012

Everyone knows that teacher unions matter in education politics and policies, a reality that is never more evident than at election time. In recent weeks, for example, state affiliates have been pushing forhigher taxes on businesses to boost education spending in…

New Teacher-Evaluation Procedures in Colorado

In this New York Times article, Motoko Rich reports on the reaction of some Colorado educators as the state rolls out a new teacher-evaluation process. Half of teachers’ ratings will be based on test scores, the other half on classroom observations. The centerpiece of the new observation protocol is a 24-page rubric designed to give teachers detailed information on the quality of their lessons. U.S.…

Push-Back on Using Test Scores to Evaluate Teachers

In this forceful New York Times op-ed piece, Deborah Kenny crystallizes the current debate about teacher evaluation by telling why one of her Harlem charter schools didn’t renew the contract of a teacher despite the fact that his students were doing exceptionally well on state tests. “We kept hearing directly from students and parents that he was mean and derided the children who needed the most…