OXFORD — Assistant Superintendent Patrick Hartnett said the Oxford Hills School District is poised to implement a statewide teacher supervision evaluation process.
“My feeling is the system we have in place should align pretty well with what I predict will be outlined (by the state),” Hartnett said Wednesday.
Earlier this month the Legislature enacted a bill that it says will help teachers grow professionally by requiring regular, fair and constructive performance evaluations based on consistent, statewide standards.
“It holds teachers to a higher degree for their effectiveness,” Hartnett said. The bill requires evaluations of teachers and principals, something that the Oxford Hills School District already does.
The bill, known as LD 1858, caused some controversy particularly among teachers who were concerned that they could be fired with no recourse if they had a bad review, even if they were on a continuing contract.
Under the terms of the new law, both probationary and continuing contract teachers might not have their contract renewed if their teaching is considered ineffective through an evaluation process. A continuing contract teacher may challenge the non-renewal only if they can prove “bad faith” has been shown in the evaluation.
Hartnett said it is somewhat unclear what defines “bad faith.”
Hartnett said the desire is to work with a teacher, regardless of whether they are probationary or continuing contract teachers, rather than not renew their contract.
While there are many good teachers, Hartnett said there are also some who need assistance in certain areas. “The goal obviously is that their performance improves,” he said.
The new law provides probationary teachers with three years, rather than the current two, to prove their effectiveness, something that Hartnett says is a plus. Many novice teachers will not show their true ability until the third year of teaching, he said.
Hartnett told the Oxford Hills School Board on Monday night that the majority of teachers in the system are effective teachers who work hard every day to improve the performance of their students.
“It’s a validation of that,” said Hartnett of the evaluation system.
Hartnett said a statewide working group, which he hopes to be a part of, will be formed to develop the specific guidelines for the teachers’ and principals’ evaluations. Those guidelines will be brought to a local group to implement them.
Although local school boards will decide what evaluation system will be used, it must be approved by the Department of Education, Hartnett said.
He said the evaluation system used by the Oxford Hills School District, that was updated last year, should be sufficient to meet the state standards.
“It’s very complex. There has to be fairness in the process,” he said.
Pilot evaluation programs will be run in all school districts in the 2014-15 school year. An evaluation procedure will be adopted the following year.
ldixon@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
