Though widely viewed as a critic of teachers and their unions, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has begun reaching out to both in new ways, writes Linda Shaw in The Seattle Times. It is putting less emphasis on test-score metrics, and it strongly supports the notion that a fair evaluation of teachers requires multiple measures. About five years ago, Gates thought the best way to improve teachers was to "get rid of 10-20-30 percent of the bottom and just keep doing that," said Jeanne Harmon of the Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession. Now the message is one of supporting teachers so they can improve. But the foundation also is known for searching out and backing people who can help advance its efforts, raising questions about whether all its teacher-courting is simply a way to gain more clout. Anthony Cody, a former California teacher and blogger for Education Week, sees Gates's softer stances as an effort to mitigate "a tremendous backlash to his unfortunate ideas." He'll believe the foundation is changing, he said, when Gates apologizes for setting in motion some of the very policies the foundation is now criticizing. He'll believe the foundation is listening to teachers when there's evidence it is working with a wide range of teachers, not just those involved in Gates-funded projects. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

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