A sense of resignation has set in as I've gone through the details of state RTT applications. States, including the finalists, are not proposing the bold, game-changing reforms this program deserves.
Massachusetts is just the latest finalist with a timid approach and plenty of delayed decisions.
[quote]Rather than using student learning data as a specific and significant portion of measures of teacher effectiveness, the state will convene a task force to sort through these issues. Rather than taking the steps necessary to change antiquated policies, it will begin a "statewide conversation" with unions and others on the reform of tenure, benefits, and compensation.
Rather than launching a new and robust statewide evaluation system, 10 LEAs (4 percent of participating districts/ 3 percent of all districts) will create pilot evaluations of their own.
Four LEAs (2 percent of participating/1 percent of all) will??pilot compensation reform--and there's no indication how reform-oriented the pilots will be.
Three??LEAs (1 percent of participating/< 1 percent of all) will work with the state to develop ways of using effectiveness to influence personnel decisions like induction, PD, pay, promotion, tenure, and removal. Again, there is no guarantee of how reform-oriented these pilots will be.
In total, then, the state--a RTT finalist--is planning to discuss major policy changes instead of make them. And instead of rolling out new programs across the state, stunningly small percentages of LEAs will pilot ill-defined reforms.
(Insert "very, very high bar" reference here.)
--Andy Smarick