vc318

School-reform bill advances in Florida Legislature - Legislature - MiamiHerald.com

School-reform bill advances in Florida Legislature

Teacher tenure legislation was among three education measures passed by the Senate on Wednesday in a push that may transform schools if it becomes law.

TALLAHASSEE -- The governor who brags about coming from a family of educators said he's ready to sign a bill bashed as a union-busting assault on public school teachers.

The so-called ``teacher tenure'' bill, which makes it easier to fire teachers and ties pay increases to student test scores, is so controversial it passed the Senate on Wednesday in a 21-17 vote. No Democrats voted in support of the measure.
It still must pass the House before it goes to the governor.

``This is a bill that really focuses on trying to help children and encouraging better teachers,'' Gov. Charlie Crist said hours after the Senate took what Republican lawmakers called a historic vote for education reform. ``It pays better teachers more, and that just seems like the right thing to do to me.''

The tenure legislation was one of three education measures passed by the Senate in a conservative push to transform public schools. Under the package of legislation, students could face tougher graduation requirements, more money could be directed toward private schools and a slew of teacher benefits could be eliminated. Crist has said he would sign each bill.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, said drastic changes are needed to transform failing public schools and prepare students for the global economy. ``It's about our children and the future of our children and what is best for our children,'' said Thrasher.

But Broward Superintendent Jim Notter called state Senate Bill 6 ``a crushing blow against our most important employees, our teachers.''

``This is just a bold attack that's going to be devastating to our schools,'' Notter said.

He said he fears the legislation will make it more difficult to recruit teachers in areas where there is already a critical shortage, like high school math and science, even as lawmakers consider making high school graduation requirements more rigorous in those areas.

``You now say, `Come to Florida to teach -- and oh, by the way, you get a one-year contract,' '' Notter said. `` `We don't recognize any [advanced] degrees. You're going to be rated on something we're not sure of yet.' ''

That last reference was to end-of-course exams, which would be required under the Senate's proposal. To Notter, that means revamping teacher training -- which for the past 10 years has emphasized the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test -- to the new exams, which districts would have to create from scratch.
Notter said House lawmakers should hear from teachers and administrators before taking up the Senate bill.

The vote will likely be equally partisan in the House, where speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, said Crist's blessing and the Senate's early focus on education have removed any hurdles that might have prevented the measures from becoming law this year.

Even so, union officials haven't surrendered. Shortly after the Senate vote, a message went out directing opponents to send their complaints to House members.

Miami-Dade teachers' union president Karen Aronowitz encouraged teachers to speak out against the bill.

``Senate Bill 6 says that teachers can have no payment based on credentials,'' Aronowitz said. ``Graduate degrees, National Board Certification, the professional growth and development we do -- that is all completely obliterated by this bill.''
She added: ``How can you tell students that education has value when their teachers' education counts for nothing?''


I am just outraged by this article - especially by this:

Really?! So teachers should be held accountable for what goes on in each student's life after they leave at the end of the school day?! Why should teachers be punished when it's the parents' responsibility that their kids don't know basic skills or that they choose to beat their kids and flat out neglect them?! I wouldn't be too surprised to see teachers leaving the profession or going to better schools if this comes into effect. What a nice way to thank teachers for educating lives on a daily basis.

sunnykerr

This is really preposterous. They can't do that. If you pay the "better" teachers more and fire the ones who aren't "performing" as well, sooner or later you're gonna run out of your so-called good teachers.

Plus it's a really callous and cruel thing to dangle better pay in the face of teachers like that when everybody knows that economic conditions have a lot to do with student test scores. Not all the time, but that correlation has been made. So you're also ensuring that teachers will try to get out of the regions where their presence is probably most needed.

Wildfire Girl

Well said Sunny. It's sad, because the way the system is set up ... good and bad teachers all get the same pay, good and bad teachers still get similar test scores with studetns ... it's all in the impact a good teacher has on a student.

sunnykerr

And another part of the problem (up here anyway, but I'm assuming it must be the same in the United States) is classroom size. And that's because there is no direct return on the investment made by governments into the education system. We all know that, in the long run, it makes sense.

So it's easy for governments to justify cutting investments in the education system. Because they can hide between test scores and the like. When, in fact, bad test scores probably mean classrooms are too big, teachers overworked, resources too scarce and students underfed and undermotivated.

But, again, that's a complex answer. And I'm only scratching the surface. It's so much easier to blame bad test scores on bad teachers.

And there are bad teachers. But not that many. Seriously. Not that many.

Wildfire Girl

There are some laws here governing classroom size, but they always find ways around them.

sunnykerr

It's either the same thing up here or we don't have laws like that.

A very significant portion of my family has gone into education as a profession, so while it's not my personal experience, I feel I speak with some sort of know-how when I say that classrooms are overcrowded.

Either way, though, test scores are the bane of the educational system. It's to the point where teachers teach according to what will appear on tests so that they're students can do better on said tests.

But there's so much more that should be taught. And a test should be a reflection of general knowledge, not the whole thing.

vc318

You said it right, Sunny. Gee whiz, I just can't imagine why teachers could be leaving the profession or moving out of Florida to where this sort of thing isn't going on.

Absolutely true. And that's another thing on their list that they're trying to get rid of.

Wildfire Girl

Research on class sizes from about 10 years ago ...


Archived: Reducing Class Size: What Do We Know?, Revised Full Text

sunnykerr

Oh, that's an interesting study. I particularly found the part about reduction not being really a reduction really enlightening.

It seems opinions are mixed on the issue of class reduction, but the evidence seems to support the fact that it's a preferable situation.

What do you guys thinks?

vc318

Well, of course it passed:

Florida legislators approve teacher pay bill - Legislature - MiamiHerald.com

Florida legislators approve teacher pay bill

TALLAHASSEE -- The outcome was clear going in, but lawmakers in the state House of Representatives still debated a controversial teacher pay bill until nearly 2:30 a.m. Friday.

After more than nine hours, they voted.

Ultimately, the vote was 64 for and 55 against the measure, which would overhaul the way teachers are evaluated, compensated and fired in Florida.
Eleven Republicans joined Democrats in voting no.

The bill's next stop: the desk of Gov. Charlie Crist. And what he does with it is anyone's guess.

``There are things about it that I like and things about it that give me some concern,'' the governor said Thursday. ``I just want to weigh it out and continue to listen.''
That's a long way from his initial strong support of the bill, leaving opponents of the proposed law optimistic.

``Gov. Crist holds the power to do what's right for students and teachers of Florida,'' said United Teachers of Dade President Karen Aronowitz. ``When he vetoes this bill, he stands up not only for the well being of teachers, but for the stability of local communities.''

The measure passed the Senate last month in a 21-17 vote. Republican leaders pushed the bill through the House with no amendments to send it straight to Crist. Although legislators debated the pros and cons of the bill into the wee hours of Friday morning, the only question about the outcome was what time everyone would go home. Enough Republican votes were locked by the time discussion started at 5 p.m. to easily pass the bill.
Hailed as a way to reward the state's best teachers, the proposed law would base half a teacher's evaluation on students' test performance. Instead of the current system, which rewards teachers based on years of experience, advanced degrees and extra certification, proponents say newer teachers could make more money earlier in their careers if their students are successful.

``What is unacceptable is the status quo -- telling a beginning teacher that no matter what you do in the classroom, there's nothing you can do to increase your pay,'' said Rep. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican.

She voted in favor of the bill.

But opponents -- many teachers, unions, Democrats and some Republicans -- say the bill would abolish job security, discourage new teachers from working in Florida and prompt existing educators to leave.

Said Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo: ``This is a very dark day for education and teachers in general.''

New teachers would be placed on annual contracts that would not be automatically renewed. Teachers who are already working would not be guaranteed extra pay for future advanced degrees; the program that awards bonuses for National Board Certification would be eliminated for teachers who aren't certified by 2010.

``This bill is totally unnecessary,'' said state Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie. ``Also, this bill is just bad.''

He added: ``What good public policy mandates is that this terrible bill dies a very quick death.''

Thousands of educators, parents and students around the state have picketed, e-mailed, called and traveled to Tallahassee to vent their ire.
Thursday, as House members debated the bill, hundreds of Broward teachers marched in protest in Tamarac. At Coral Park High in West Miami-Dade, 1,000 students walked out in opposition to the bill.

While many opponents agreed the measure has some good qualities, most complained about how quickly it had been steered through the Legislature.


What a horrible day for teachers. I hope anyone seriously thinking about becoming a teacher will reconsider. This is just awful. I hope our governor will veto this bill. He still has another week to decide.

sunnykerr

That sucks!

Wildfire Girl

Oh well ... thanks for the news, I guess.

dsfsd

edit

Wildfire Girl

Edited the above post for spam

vc318

Well, the last step will be for our governor to sign this bill or veto it. With the way his approval ratings are right now, I would suggest he not tick off any educators who happen to be registered voters. Apparently he has until this Friday to make a decision.

And thank for editing that post for us. Those darn spammers.