Discussion on the state's new principal and teacher evaluation system brought several questions to the table of the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education on Tuesday.
Teacher and principal evaluations in New York state are being revamped this year. Evaluations will be based 40 percent on student performance on state and local exams and 60 percent on measures like direct observation and new initiatives like peer and parent evaluations, though the exact makeup has been challenged by the New York State United Teachers because the approved system was too reliant on state tests.
"They will be more comprehensive and involved than ever," said Daniel Kathman, district superintendent.
Board member Paul Abbot brought his concerns forward.
"What will it mean for teachers and principals to get a rating of (developing) or (ineffective)?" asked Abbot. "And for a teacher or administrator that might not have the motivation to work to achieve something greater, what are we going to do about that? I can evaluate the Buffalo Bills every day, ... I can give them an F and they're still going to collect a paycheck."
The answer, according to Tina Sandstrom, Jamestown Public Schools director of elementary and remedial education, lies in increased accountability that a teacher will have for their students' performance, which will be based on state and local exam scores.
"Teachers are now going to be directly accountable for the growth of the students in their classrooms," Sandstrom said. "And a lack of growth will trigger a process in which the school has to come up with a plan to help that teacher improve."
Kathman said that while the evaluations are going to be used to foster a teacher's improvement, "It's still going to be difficult to dismiss a teacher."
"There's also going to be a formal appeal process should you be graded as 'developing' or 'ineffective," Kathman said. "But as Tina said the primary intention here is to develop and improve teacher and principal improvement."
The grading system is based on a four point scale, highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective. Ratings of developing or ineffective will indicate a teacher or principal's need to improve.
Another question was brought up by board member Timothy Thomas.
"If we're going to be using state tests as a measure of a teacher's effectiveness," Thomas asked, "are we talking about incremental improvement or are we talking about the scores?"
"And what if," he continued, "an ineffective teacher is given a classroom of overachievers, while a highly effective teacher is given a group of students with disabilities and otherwise challenged students? Is there going to be some sort of subjective formula that's going to allow us to level the playing field?"
Sandstrom responded that improvement will be based on a student's incremental performance, and there will be several components to the evaluations designed to do just that, and students with disabilities will also continue to receive classroom services designed to give them extra assistance that is not otherwise available.
Kathman added that while measures to "level the playing field" will be part of the full evaluation, they are examples of several measures not yet worked out by the state, and those question marks are creating a "rather awkward" situation for districts statewide.
"It is awkward at best," Kathman said. "We're to adopt a plan prior to having all the details of the plan defined."
Implementation of the evaluations is scheduled for districts statewide based on teacher contract expirations, which varies district to district and will occur in June for JPS.
Comforting to Kathman is the hope that, due to a lack of guidelines from the state thus far, it will be "understanding and recognizing of the situation faced by districts."
UPDATE ON?FLETCHER ELEMENTARY?SCHOOL?CAPITAL?PROJECT
Also discussed at Tuesday's meeting was the state of the parking lot expansion currently underway behind M.J. Fletcher Elementary School.
"Within the upcoming weeks, Kathman said, "parents and school faculty should expect to see the parking lot relatively completed and available, however they should expect with construction going on that the parking is going to occur, for the immediate future, more distant from the school."
According to Kathman, M.J. Fletcher Principal Mike Mansfield will be sending out a letter to all district parents encouraging those driving to school to park in front of the school on the side streets, and use the front doors for entry.
"His idea is that all the construction is located mainly behind the school in the parking lot, so he's trying to have the vast majority of pedestrians use the Cole Avenue side of the building," Kathman said. "Bus pickup and dropoff is going to happen on Myrtle, and to the extent he's able he's going to try to keep parent and student traffic in and out of the building's front."
Also stressed during the meeting was the fact that, with school starting Tuesday, Sept. 6, those driving through school zones should stress extra caution.
"It's the beginning of a new year," said Board member Joseph DiMaio. "We need to be watching out for our students."
