Report: R.I. should tie compensation to teacher effectiveness

LIKE MOST OF THE NATION, Rhode Island requires student growth as part of its teacher evaluations, according to the National Council on Teacher Equality. / COURTESY NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER EQUALITY
LIKE MOST OF THE NATION, Rhode Island requires student growth as part of its teacher evaluations, according to the National Council on Teacher Equality. / COURTESY NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER EQUALITY

PROVIDENCE – A report from the National Council on Teacher Equality regarding how states are evaluating teachers says Rhode Island should develop compensation structures that recognize teachers for their effectiveness.
It also states that Rhode Island should base tenure decisions on evidence of classroom effectiveness, instead of the number of years in a classroom, and that ineffectiveness should be grounds for dismissal, so that districts do not feel they lack the legal basis for terminating teachers who consistently perform poorly.
In addition, it said Rhode Island should make teacher effectiveness the basis for granting licenses to out-of-state candidates, and that school-level data about teacher performance should be available publicly.
Six other policy areas – professional development, improvement plans, layoffs, licensure advancement, student teaching placements and prep program accountability – already are connected to teacher evaluations.
The report said only seven states in 2015, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada and Utah, directly tie teacher compensation to teacher evaluation results.

It also said Delaware, Florida and Louisiana lead the nation on connecting teacher evaluations to policies of consequence.
The report said that more rigorous policies are “continuing to take root across the states,” with 43 states, including Rhode Island, requiring that student achievement and growth be included in teacher evaluations.

“Implementation challenges remain, but today nearly all states are working on evaluation systems that put a spotlight on classroom practices and student results,” NCTQ Senior Vice President for State and District Policy Sandi Jacobs said in a statement.

No posts to display