Thursday, April 18, 2013

They never quit- teacher evaluation proposal back as amendment

The House defeated Rep. Kevin Elmer's bill eliminating teacher tenure by a 102-55 vote last week, but like all bad things in the state legislature, part of the bill has resurfaced.

MNEA issued this legislative update earlier this evening:

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee approved an HCS version of SS/SCS/SB 125 (Jamilah Nasheed) on April 17.  

The HCS for SB 125 includes several additional provisions, including the teacher evaluation mandates and layoff provisions from HB 631 (Kevin Elmer) that were defeated last week on the House floor.  The Association opposes the HCS version of the bill.  Reps. Elaine Gannon, Lyle Rowland and Mike Thomson again joined the minority caucus members in standing up for students and public schools and opposing this language.  

The HCS also adds in a revised and more restrictive version of SB 7 (David Pearce) regarding State Board intervention in unaccredited districts.  The HCS requires the State Board to lapse a district after three years of unaccredited status. 

SB 125 modifies provisions relating to the employment of school personnel in the St. Louis City School District.  The bill revises St. Louis City's specific tenure and renewal laws to more closely resemble the teacher tenure law applicable to all other school districts.  The HCS requires public input and a report of public comment by DESE in the adoption of the scoring guide under the MSIP process.


The layoff provisions referred to in the message require that seniority cannot be used when deciding which teachers have to be let go due to budgetary reasons.

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