D.C. school chancellor Michelle Rhee fires 241 teachers
Posted by Scott "The Piper" St. Clair - July 24, 2010Leaders who lead and take action attract attention and respect. Last Friday,
Washington, D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee (pictured right) fired 241 teachers who had received poor performance appraisals under a new evaluation system that held teachers accountable for student standardized test results.
Washington, D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee (pictured right) fired 241 teachers who had received poor performance appraisals under a new evaluation system that held teachers accountable for student standardized test results.Another 737 teachers were rated "minimally effective" and given one year to get their performance up to snuff or face termination. There are approximately 4,000 teachers in the D.C. school system.
Not unexpectedly, the Washington Teachers' Union put up a stink saying that it would challenge the terminations.
Rhee justified the actions based upon the results of a standardized evaluation system for teachers that intensively monitored both their performance and that of their students on standardized tests.
This follows closely after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's aggressive challenge of the teachers' union in New Jersey where he laid down hard fiscal-markers against the union.
Sometimes when you want to make progress and shake up the orthodoxy you have to take a hard stand and risk rather than pander to to the very people who are a large part of the problem.
We will keep an eye on both Rhee and Christie and let you know how things turn out.
The Piper
Thoughts? Add Comment -
jim the realtor said on Jul 24 2010 at 3:29pm
If only Seattle and Washington state could be graced with such courage. I don't have much HOPE it will happen here.
km said on Aug 13 2010 at 11:48am
Scott: Would be very interested in the components of this "standardized evaluation system". Will withhold judgement until I've been able to see the system. Since it's highly relevant to the validity and continuity of this issue, can you provide any help with that?