By Stu Johnson
Richmond, KY – Legislation that standardizes evaluation for Kentucky's public school teachers and administrators faces a vote by the full House. The measure creates a statewide evaluation system. Michael Daily, who directs the state Division of Next Generation Professionals, says a series of evaluations throughout the year promotes growth.
"It formally engages teachers throughout the year rather than having a assumptive evaluation at the end of the year and secondly it says we move away from having a each district having its own evaluation system," said Daily.
The measure today won a vote in the House Education Committee. State Representative Linda Belcher, who's a retired educator, says any good evaluation must take numerous factors into account.
"So many times when you have those really good teachers, that's the teacher that you sometimes give the student who is a challenge. And we need to recognize that that student may not move ahead as much as other students cause he is a challenge. So that teacher should not be penalized because they are good teachers," said Belcher.
Mike Daily says such a system would help identify an educator's strengths and weaknesses.
"The system needs to be robust and provide the evidence to support a teacher's professional growth but also help local schools make the decisions if necessary to remove someone," added Daily.
By evaluating teachers throughout the year, Daily says, they would receive more guidance on their work in the classroom. If approved by the General Assembly, the new evaluation system would is expected to go into affect during the 2013-2014 school year.