Bill Text: NJ SR114 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Commissioner of Education to extend the piloting of the educator evaluation system through the 2013-2014 school year.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-06-24 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [SR114 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-SR114-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Commissioner of Education to extend the piloting of the educator evaluation system through the 2013-2014 school year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging the Commissioner of Education to extend the piloting of the educator evaluation system through the 2013-2014 school year.
Whereas, New Jersey's historic "Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey (TEACHNJ) Act," P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-117 et al.), which was unanimously approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor in 2012, mandates many requirements for a new Statewide educator evaluation system and links tenure decisions to evaluation ratings; and
Whereas, Engaging educators directly in developing and implementing the new evaluation process is especially critical at the local level; and
Whereas, In response to New Jersey educators, the Department of Education expanded the piloting of the evaluation process during the 2012-2013 school year to 30 districts, and incorporated principal evaluations; and
Whereas, The teacher evaluation process was substantially changed between the first and second years of the pilot program, including changes regarding the requirement for student surveys of teacher performance, the number of required student growth objectives, and the status of student achievement measures as a proportion of the final teacher evaluation rubric; and
Whereas, Feedback from pilot school districts and the State Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee helped shape draft regulations proposed by the department to the State Board of Education on March 6, 2013; and
Whereas, These regulations will not be adopted prior to the commencement of the 2013-2014 school year, leaving significant uncertainty concerning the final parameters of the educator evaluation system, designated Achieve NJ, that is to be used by all school districts in the State in the 2013-2014 school year; and
Whereas, It is both necessary and prudent to extend the piloting of the educator evaluation system through the 2013-2014 school year and delay the requirement that all school districts use the Achieve NJ system until the 2014-2015 school year; and
Whereas, This extension will allow for the final adoption of regulations and the opportunity to more fully analyze the results of the Statewide pilot program. The extension will also allow local boards of education to adopt student growth objectives and budgets that reflect the full costs associated with the ongoing work involved with the implementation of the Achieve NJ evaluation rubric; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the Commissioner of Education to extend the piloting of the Achieve NJ system through the 2013-2014 school year and delay the full implementation of the system in all school districts in the State until the 2014-2015 school year.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the Governor and the Commissioner of Education.
STATEMENT
This Senate Resolution urges the Commissioner of Education to extend the piloting of the educator evaluation system, called Achieve NJ, through the 2013-2014 school year and delay the full implementation of the system in all school districts in the State until the 2014-2015 school year. Current law at N.J.S.A.18A:6-123 requires all school districts to implement an approved, adopted evaluation rubric beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. However, regulations concerning the system proposed by the Department of Education to the State Board of Education on March 6, 2013 will not be adopted prior to the commencement of the 2013-2014 school year, leaving significant uncertainty concerning the final parameters of the system. The extension of the pilot program for an additional year will ensure that the educator evaluation system is well-designed to promote educator effectiveness and thus enhance student achievement.
