Huff totally in charge of teacher evaluation methods; board votes to give up approal

In an ironic turn of events, the Joplin R-8 Board of Education approved a resolution opposing Amendment 3 tonight because it would take away control from local boards of education, then later in the meeting, without a word of discussion, handed over all control of the teacher evaluation process to the C. J. Huff Administration.

Those who attended the meeting and those who watched it on Jet 14 or on the Turner Report never knew that was coming up for a vote because, like so many other important items, the change in board policy was voted on as part of the consent agenda.

In the past, teacher evaluation processes had to be approved by the board of education. Not any more. The changes, which were approved 7-0 by the board, now leave those processes Now it says "the superintendent or designee in consultation with the teaching staff will develop procedures and instruments for professional staff evaluation."

Unlike policy changes up for first reading, this one was not posted on the district website until today. Another policy that was approved and was discussed at an earlier meeting regarding staff conduct and including the employee dress code was supposed to have some changes made in it, but was not even posted on the district website.

While this change slipped through and is now part of board policy, other policies which would have put the hiring and firing of non-certified personnel completely in C. J. Huff's hands and allow him to set salaries for administrative staff and were scheduled to come up for a second reading, were not included on this month's agenda.

The consent agenda, as noted in an earlier Turner Report post, contained over half a million in spending, as well as first readings about policies covering the teaching of religion and discipline reporting and records.