The Maine Education Association has worked hard in Augusta to try and create a fair evaluation system for teachers in Maine. Finally, the hard work is beginning to pay off. MEA is happy to report a bill the Association advocated for passed the first hurdle with a 9-4 vote in the Education Committee. The proposed legislation removes any requirement to use test scores or student learning objectives to evaluate teachers.
The new proposal allows evaluations to be based entirely on standards of professional practice. In addition, the bill, LD 92, would reconstitute the local evaluation steering committee so it must be comprised of a majority of teachers appointed by the local association, and decisions must be reached by consensus. This provision allows local association to have a much greater voice in the evaluation process. The MEA supports the amended version of LD 92.
The bill still requires a vote on both the floor and the Maine House and Senate and then a signature from the Governor before the proposed changes become law. MEA is hopeful these changes are possible, and finally Maine educators will have an evaluation process that is fair and helpful to their professional practice.
It is critical lawmakers, who will be voting on these
proposed changes to the law, hear from educators who are impacted by the
evaluation process. Click here to contact the Education Committee in support
of LD 92. It is time to make teacher evaluation about professional
practice, not student measurements and standardized tests.
