February 26, 2014

Defense for tenured administrators and faculty rated "ineffective" based on “Common Core”student performance proposed


Defense for tenured administrators and faculty rated "ineffective"  based on “Common Core”student performance proposed
Proposed Action: Amend 8 NYCRR 82-1.10(j) with respect to hearings on charges of tenured school employees [I.D. No.EDU-08-14-00020-P]

The following summarizes a proposed amendment to 8 NYCRR 82-1, Hearings of Charges Against Employees on Tenure

Purpose: To allow, under certain circumstances, tenured teachers and principals to raise as a defense in a section 3020-a hearing that their school district failed to timely implement the Common Core in the 2012-2013 and/or 2013-2014 school year.

Summary of the text of proposed rule: Subdivision (j) of section 82-1.10 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is added, effective May 14, 2014, as follows:

(j) Where an expedited hearing brought based solely upon a charge of a pattern of ineffective teaching or performance of a classroom teacher or principal, or a hearing brought on a charge of incompetency, is based on an ineffective rating on the state growth and/or locally selected measures subcomponents of the teacher’s or principal’s annual professional performance review resulting from student performance on the Common Core state assessments administered in the 2012-2013 and/or 2013-2014 school years, the employee may raise as a defense an alleged failure by the employer to timely implement the Common Core by providing adequate professional development, guidance on curriculum or other supports to the employee.

The notice of this proposed amendment in the State Register explains that "the proposed amendment would thus protect tenured teachers and principals from termination based on an ineffective Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) rating resulting from student performance on the Common Core assessments where they can prove that the district did not provide the professional development, curriculum materials or other supports needed for Common Core implementation during the 2012-2013 and/or 2013-2014 school years.”

The text of proposed rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from: Mary Gammon, State Education Department, Office of Counsel, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12234, (518) 474-6400, email: legal@mail.nysed.gov

Data, views or arguments may be submitted to: Peg Rivers, State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Room 979 EBA, 89 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12234, (518) 486-3633, email: regcomments@mail.nysed.gov

Public comment will be received until 45 days after publication [February 26, 2014] of this notice.
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