Klein: Make 'em Earn It
Tighten Teacher Tenure Process

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

The Department of Education has pushed past ongoing criticism of its school reform plans and implemented a more rigorous process for Teachers to obtain tenure.

JOEL I. KLEIN: Wants careful assessment.

The new procedure makes good on a promise by Mayor Bloomberg in his January State of the City address to toughen the tenure system. A computer-alert system will send out monthly notices to all Principals who have Teachers in their schools eligible for tenure within 12 months. DOE will also require Principals to personally certify that a Teacher deserves tenure.

UFT Downplays Change

Officials at the United Federation of Teachers said the new system harkened back to a previous one and that DOE had agreed to their primary demand - not to use student test scores to evaluate Teachers.

"Most of the old school boards had a process where Superintendents and Principals focused on any Teacher who completed probation and did an affirmative evaluation," said UFT President Randi Weingarten in a statement. "It appears that is precisely what the Chancellor [Joel I. Klein] is re-creating."

RANDI WEINGARTEN: Change not so onerous.

The new computerized system will allow Principals to enter information about whether a Teacher is performing adequately. If a Principal indicates that a Teacher is not on track for tenure, the system will tell Principals what steps to take to document poor performance.

"I hope and assume that our Principals have been working with their probationary Teachers to help them become the best Teachers they can be," said Mr. Klein in a statement. "Not everyone is going to be a good Teacher, however, and it's up to school leaders to carefully assess each candidate and determine whether he or she deserves the substantial job protection afforded by tenure."

Few Turned Down

Teachers must work for three years before applying for tenure, and about 98 percent of Teachers who apply for tenure have it granted. But about 35 to 40 percent of new Teachers leave within the first three years, suggesting a weeding out process before reaching the formal tenure procedure.

"We want tenure to be meaningful," said Ms. Weingarten, "and our issue has always been that student test scores should not be used to evaluate Teachers because that is counterproductive, unreliable and a huge deterrent to Teachers taking tough assignments."

DOE officials said they were currently reviewing the standards for tenure and would be seeking input from city education "stakeholders" over the next few months, including the UFT. The new criteria will be implemented in the 2007-08 school year.

"We want to ensure that all of our children have great Teachers; we cannot afford to let ineffective teachers remain in our system," said Mr. Klein. "The new Tenure Notification System will help Principals make thoughtful tenure decisions."