A great teacher can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
While studies have consistently shown that teacher quality is the greatest influencer of a child’s academic success, few systems exist in New York State to influence teacher quality. As a result, it’s difficult to identify, encourage, promote and retain top educators. Teachers are left without constructive feedback regarding their performance, and administrators lack effective measurements for highlighting and rewarding excellence.
To address this problem, a new teacher evaluation system is being negotiated in school districts across the state. District leaders and local unions must reach an agreement on the system before January 17, 2013, or forfeit 4% of their education funding from the state. For New York City, that means a loss of nearly $300 million at a time when our schools need resources the most.
