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2010-07-25 Home Front: Culture Wars

[Iran Press TV Latest] The District of Columbia schools chancellor has dismissed 241 teachers who had formerly received poor appraisals under a new evaluation system.

"Every child in a District of Columbia public school has a right to a highly effective teacher; in every classroom, of every school, of every neighborhood, of every ward, in this city," Michelle Rhee said on Friday. "That is our commitment."

Under the new evaluation system, the performance of every adult is carefully monitored and measured by multiple yardsticks. For teachers, that includes evidence their students meet or exceed predicted rates of growth on standardized tests -- a metric known as "value-added."

Rhee also noted that an additional 737 employees were put on notice and warned that they could be fired next year if they don't shape up and improve their performance.

Since taking up her post as chancellor of Washington D.C. public schools in June 2007, the forward-looking Rhee has been making earnest attempts to control how educators are managed, paid, and even sacked.

The teachers dismissed due to low ratings make up about 5 percent of the district's total. Only about 16 percent of the school district's 4,000 classroom teachers, who were evaluated on test-score growth, could fall into the "highly effective" category.

Posted by Fred 2010-07-25 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top

#1 Only about 16 percent of the school district's 4,000 classroom teachers, who were evaluated on test-score growth, could fall into the "highly effective" category.

Only? That's about what you'd expect under the Pareto principle.

Only 3,759 to go.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2010-07-25 07:52|| 2010-07-25 07:52|| Front Page Top

#2 It's an election year and Rhee's attempts to clean up the schools are a central issue in the campaigns. The unions are livid.

Posted by lotp 2010-07-25 07:57|| 2010-07-25 07:57|| Front Page Top

#3 Gotta be some real winners in that group...

Posted by M. Murcek 2010-07-25 08:23|| 2010-07-25 08:23|| Front Page Top

#4 No worries, unemployment insurance currently has no expiration date.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-07-25 11:55|| 2010-07-25 11:55|| Front Page Top

#5 Besides, yesterday's WaPo culled this from Iran Press - or maybe the other way around? No matter, it's not likely the Iranians will come looking for us for copyright violations.

Right?

It's considerabley shorter than the WaPo piece,too.

Posted by Bobby 2010-07-25 14:00|| 2010-07-25 14:00|| Front Page Top

#6 We live in strange times, folks, when the Iran Press is more believable than the WaPo. It's like one has fallen into a wabbit hole.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2010-07-25 14:53|| 2010-07-25 14:53|| Front Page Top

#7 The District of Columbia schools chancellor has dismissed 241 teachers who had formerly received poor appraisals under a new evaluation system.

And the union you rode in on, too.

Posted by gorb 2010-07-25 15:04|| 2010-07-25 15:04|| Front Page Top

#8 ...and 240 of 'em will be back in classrooms next year after the inevitable lawsuit.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2010-07-25 17:38|| 2010-07-25 17:38|| Front Page Top

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