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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES: An Analysis of Selected Federal An Analysis of Selected Federal Legislative Issues and Court Decisions Legislative Issues and Court Decisions Impacting Public Schools Impacting Public Schools Presented by: Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association New York State Association of Management Advocates for School Labor Affairs, Inc. (M.A.S.L.A.) 37 TH Annual Summer Conference July 21, 2014 Lake Placid, NY

Presented by: Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

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New York State Association of Management Advocates for School Labor Affairs, Inc. (M.A.S.L.A.) 37 TH Annual Summer Conference July 21, 2014 Lake Placid, NY. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES:   

An Analysis of Selected Federal An Analysis of Selected Federal

Legislative Issues and Court Legislative Issues and Court Decisions Impacting Public Decisions Impacting Public

SchoolsSchools Presented by:

Jay WoronaGeneral Counsel

New York State School Boards Association

New York State Association of Management Advocates for School

Labor Affairs, Inc. (M.A.S.L.A.) 37TH Annual Summer Conference

July 21, 2014Lake Placid, NY

Page 2: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

FEDERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS:

THE RACE TO THE TOP

Page 3: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), historic legislation designed to stimulate the economy, support job creation, and invest in critical sectors, including education. ARRA provided $4.35 billion for the Race to the Top fund, of which approximately $4 billion was used to fund comprehensive statewide reform grants under the Race to the Top Program.

Page 4: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data

Districts were encouraged (or required—if they were Race to the Top award winners to develop teacher and principal evaluation systems which took into consideration the performance of the students of such educators as part of each educator’s own performance evaluation.

This has resulted in a multitude of serious collective bargaining/

negotiations issues

Page 5: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data

This new reform movement has not come about without its critics. For example, Linda Darling-Hammond of Stanford University has repeatedly expressed her view that research demonstrates that the system that rates teachers on student performance is fundamentally flawed and results in evaluations which contain “huge margins of error.”

Page 6: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data The development of new teacher effectiveness

policies across the United States over the past five years has been dramatic. For example:

Annual evaluations. In 2009, only 15 states required annual evaluations

of all teachers, with some states permitting teachers to go five years or more between evaluations. In 2013, 27 states and DCPS now require annual evaluations for all teachers.

Page 7: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data There is little doubt that the landscape is changing

rapidly. In just the last year (between Fall 2012 and Fall 2013) about a third of all states adopted evaluation policies requiring teacher evaluations to include objective measures of student achievement as a significant or preponderant criterion.

Page 8: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Linked to Student Performance Data Let’s break this down. . . . . . .

Page 9: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report

The National Council on Teacher Quality reports: “As of September 2013, 35 states and the District of Columbia Public Schools now require that student achievement is a significant or the most significant factor in teacher evaluations. To date, only Alabama, California, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Texas and Vermont have no formal policy requiring that teacher evaluations take some objective measures of student achievement into account in evaluating teacher effectiveness.”

Page 10: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Multiple measures. Twenty-seven states and District of Columbia

Public Schools (DCPS) require teacher ratings to be based on multiple measures of student growth and achievement and 44 states and DCPS require classroom observations to be incorporated into teacher evaluations.

Page 11: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report

System structure. In 11 of those 27 states, the state provides an

evaluation model that districts have the option to adopt wholesale rather than design their own.

State oversight. In the 39 states where districts have design

discretion, fewer than half (15) require state review and approval of these locally-developed systems.

Page 12: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report System structure. States have adopted a diverse set of approaches to

balancing state and local interests in teacher evaluation design and implementation. Overall, 11 states and the District of Columbia Public Schools mandate a statewide (or in the case of DCPS, a district-wide) teacher evaluation system; 10 states provide a statewide evaluation model from which districts can opt out, typically if they are approved to use a comparable system;

Page 13: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report System structure. and 27 states provide criteria or guidelines that

districts can adopt, which typically includes flexibility for districts to design their own evaluation systems consistent with state policy principles. In 11 of those 27 states, the state provides an evaluation model that districts have the option to adopt wholesale rather than design their own.

Page 14: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report

Although many states are still in the early stages of rethinking and implementing new teacher evaluation policies, it is not too early for states to be building the policy framework for how they will use evaluation data in meaningful ways. The critical parts of such a framework address the question of how evaluation results will inform tenure decisions, improving instruction, consequences for repeated ineffective performance, compensation, better targeting professional development, improving teacher preparation and assigning effective teachers to work with the students who need them most. To what extent are states connecting the dots?

Page 15: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Tenure and licensure advancement. Teacher evaluations that truly measure effectiveness — and

identify classroom ineffectiveness — ought to be used to determine teacher tenure, making it a significant milestone in a teacher’s career. As of fall 2013, only about half of the states with ambitious evaluation designs (18 and DCPS) require that tenure decisions must be informed by teacher evaluation ratings. And in only 8 of those 35 states are teacher evaluations used to determine licensure advancement.

Page 16: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Professional development. About half of the states with ambitious evaluation systems

(19 and DCPS) specifically require in state policy that teacher evaluation results be used to inform and shape professional development for all teachers.

Page 17: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Ineffectiveness. Most of the states with ambitious teacher evaluations (25

and DCPS) require that teachers with poor evaluations be placed on an improvement plan. And almost as many (22 and DCPS) ensure in state policy that persistent classroom ineffectiveness is grounds for a teacher to be dismissed.

Page 18: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Teacher compensation. In most other professions, performance matters and good

performance is rightfully rewarded with promotions and salary increases. But not in teaching. Unfortunately, across the United States, there is little movement to base teacher salary on performance. While there are 10 states that are making some moves in the right direction by supporting some performance pay initiatives, just Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Utah and DCPS directly tie teacher compensation to teacher evaluation results.

Page 19: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Layoffs. Today, the overwhelming majority of school districts use

seniority as the only determinant of teacher layoff decisions. Not even half (14 and DCPS) of the states with ambitious evaluation policies require districts to use improved evaluations to make better staffing decisions when and if layoffs become necessary.

Page 20: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Teacher preparation. To date only a small handful of states (8) — Colorado,

Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee — have adopted policies connecting the performance of students to their teachers and the institutions where their teachers were trained.

Page 21: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report Lessons and Recommendations While a handful of states such as Delaware, Florida, Rhode

Island and Tennessee are now at least a year or two into full-scale implementation of new teacher evaluations and already engaged in efforts to connect the dots between evaluation and related teacher policies, most states are just beginning or have yet to begin, with some timelines reaching as far out as 2018-19. For the benefit of the vast majority of states still in the process of designing teacher evaluation systems, the paper offers states advice based on the experience of early trailblazers.

Page 22: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 1. States need to connect the dots. Overhauling evaluation systems is expensive and time-consuming

work — not using the results in meaningful ways is counterproductive and wasteful.

2. Differentiating teacher performance isn’t going to happen just because states and districts have a new evaluation rubric.

Some policymakers and reformers have naively assumed that because states and districts have adopted new evaluations that put a much stronger emphasis on student outcomes, evaluation results will inevitably look much different. But that assumption has proven incorrect.

Page 23: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 4. There must be annual evaluations for everyone. Teacher evaluation policy should reflect the purpose of helping all

teachers improve, not just low-performers. And if teacher effectiveness evaluations aim to help all teachers get better — including going from good to great — then all teachers need feedback.

5. Training is a huge undertaking. The majority of states recognize that evaluator training is needed. But

fewer are implementing practices that could help ensure the quality of the training evaluators receive. For example, there are just 13 states and DCPS that require a certification process for their evaluators and only three — Indiana, New Mexico and New York, along with DCPS — that require that evaluators are effective teachers.

Page 24: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 6. States and districts should use multiple evaluators or

observers where possible. The Gates Foundation MET study found having multiple

evaluators to be important for high-quality evaluations of teacher effectiveness but just 5 states require multiple evaluators or classroom observers.

7. Surveys have emerged as an important source of data and feedback on teacher performance.

It is important for states and districts not to underestimate what it takes to design a high-quality instrument, and adopt validated instruments or get expert help writing, testing and implementing surveys

Page 25: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 8. Good measures make good evaluations. Strong evaluation measures and tools will make or break new teacher

evaluation systems. State of the States: Connect the Dots – October 2013 www.nctq.org 9. States must use caution with including schoolwide measures of

growth in individual teacher evaluations. While states may see a place for collective responsibility for school

performance in teacher evaluations, it cannot be a substitute for individual measures of performance applied only to those teachers without direct classroom measures.

Page 26: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 10. Nontested grades and subjects cannot be an

afterthought. In most states, a majority of teachers fall into this category —

but in the states with the most ambitious evaluation designs only 18 and DCPS explicitly address how to measure student growth and achievement in nontested grades and subjects.

11. States must develop data systems with the capacity to provide evidence of teacher effectiveness.

To ensure that data provided through the state data system is actionable and reliable, states must have a clear definition of “teacher of record” and require its consistent use statewide.

Page 27: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 12. Avoid the ‘too-many-multiple-measures’ trap. In the court of public opinion, there prevails a sense that high

stakes decisions about teachers are being made in haste based on single standardized test scores. This report shows that perception is wrong. At the same time, states need to require and implement measures that demonstrate a relationship with student achievement — not allow teacher evaluation to become a watered-down process.

Page 28: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 13. What’s in a name? When designing evaluations of effectiveness, precision of

language around defining performance categories is a must. 14. States must address the ongoing challenge of

evaluating special education teachers. Special education cannot be an afterthought in teacher

evaluation and states must ensure that all measures — growth measures, observation rubrics and surveys — are fair to special education teachers.

Page 29: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

From the State of the States 2013 “Connect the Dots” Report 15. Leadership is key. Regardless of laws and regulations on the books, the strongest states are

those providing solid state models for statewide or district adoption. We are at the beginning of a new policy era. For the good of the profession

and students alike, states must stay the course on teacher effectiveness policies. At the same time, states and districts must ensure that evaluation systems are flexible enough to take advantage of what we continue to learn about how best to assess teacher performance. We also must not forget, in all the complicated intricacies of designing evaluations of teacher effectiveness — appraising performance is an activity that involves professional judgment. Teacher effectiveness policies are not about enslaving the profession in arbitrary ways to testing systems and quantifiable data sets that prohibit reasoned judgment; rather, these policies are meant to improve the practice of every teacher in every classroom so that all students have the opportunity to reach their highest potential and achieve their greatest dreams.

Page 30: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

In exchange for over 700 million dollars in Race to the top monies, New York developed an ambitious Race to the Top reform agenda that integrates into other statewide goals, such as the Regents Reform Agenda. As part of New York State’s Race to the Top application, the evaluations of teachers and principals had to be based, at least in part, upon the performance of the students of such educators.

However, the devil appeared to be in the detail.

Page 31: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) In 2010, the New York State Legislature amended

the New York Education Law which established a new evaluation system for teachers and principals which required, in part, that all teachers and principals receive evaluations measuring their performance, at least in part, on their students’ performance.  

Page 32: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) The System was put into place BEFORE the State

adopted the Common Core Learning Standards and BEFORE educators and students were able to get up to speed in the new standards upon which their assessments would be based.

Accordingly, parents and educators loudly proclaimed that the entire system was built upon a unsteady foundation---that assessing students and educators on such higher standards at this time was inherently unfair.

Page 33: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

The new APPR statute went well beyond simply changing the law to require student performance as a criterion for teacher evaluation. The statute fundamentally changed negotiation requirements for teacher and principal evaluations. The statute incorporates a broad overall statutory duty to bargain evaluative procedure. All collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) for teachers and principals entered into after July 1, 2010 must be consistent with the requirements of the new law.

Page 34: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

What Is Required? Evaluations consistent with the new law

and applicable regulations. Evaluations that are a significant factor

for:– All Employment decisions.– Teacher and principal development.

Page 35: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Impact on Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining agreements entered into

after July 1, 2010 must be consistent with the requirements of the new law.

Conflicting provisions in contracts settled before July 1, 2010 remain in effect until successor is reached.– However, nothing prevents negotiations over

evaluation procedures.

Page 36: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Regulations Pursuant to the express statutory requirements,

SED convened a Task Force to advise the Board of Regents how regulations should be developed and promulgated.

Page 37: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Intervention by Governor Just two days before the Regulations

were unveiled, Governor Cuomo wrote a letter to the State Education Department the Board of Regents (NY’s State Board of Education) to strengthen the requirements in the Regulations to ensure that teachers and administrators who scored poorly on student achievement results would not receive an overall effective rating. Such changes were made and NYSUT sued.

Page 38: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

NYSUT’S LAWSUIT

On August 24, 2011, Albany County Supreme Court Justice Michael C. Lynch handed down a decision largely in agreement with the legal position which had been taken by the teacher’s union

Page 39: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

THE LAWSUIT

On September 14, 2011, the State Education Department appealed and indicated that it would explore every avenue including pursuing new legislation.

Page 40: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Intervention By Governor

Governor Cuomo, in his Budget address gave SED and NYSUT 30 days to settle the lawsuit and put into place an APPR process that is consistent with the Governor’s outlined goals of ensuring that teachers and principals do not receive effective ratings if their students are not performing well.

Page 41: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

On March 14th the Legislature adopted final revisions to APPR as originally proposed by Governor Cuomo in his Budget bill

Page 42: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Collective Bargaining

The agreed upon changes to section 3012-c impose collective bargaining requirements beyond those already included in the original law. The new requirements include, for example, an obligation to negotiate:1. The process by which points are assigned to the local

measures of student achievement and the other measures of effectiveness subcomponents of the evaluation, pursuant to the requirements of the Taylor Law.

Page 43: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Collective Bargaining (cont’d)

2. The selection of the local measures to be used under the locally selected measures of student achievement subcomponent of teacher and principal evaluations.

Regarding the required locally developed procedures for the making of employment decisions, the changes provide that such procedures must be negotiated pursuant to the requirements of the Taylor Law where applicable.

.

Page 44: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: What is the relationship of the statute to existing evaluation provisions in collective bargaining agreements? Does it make a difference whether APPR related provisions are set forth in the collective bargaining agreement

or via a separate document? What happens if the parties cannot reach agreement on an APPR plan? Are signatures and certifications required prior to the Commissioner of Education approving the plan?

 

 

Page 45: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) Immediate issues which needed to be answered: If the parties cannot agree on a plan, can the district

simply impose one? What can a teacher/principal appeal an evaluation? Does the filing of an appeal of a composite score prevent

termination of a probationary employee even at the end of the probationary period when such time is at issue?

What should be included in the APPR Plan with respect to Data Management?

Page 46: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: What would constitute a “teacher of record”?  Which teachers would be considered “classroom teachers” for the purpose of

coverage under the new law? Would special education teachers who co-teach be subject to evaluation? Would “push-in” and “pull-out” teachers and substitute teachers be covered?  Who would be a “building principal” for purpose of the statute?

Page 47: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: How is APPR relevant to a Superintendent’s evaluation?  What is the authority of the APPR police? Does the Plan that is submitted to the Commissioner constitute the District’s entire APPR plan for

teachers and principals under §3012-c? What is the timeline for the 2012-2013 APPR plan approval process? (Note if a district did not have

an approved plan by January 17, 2013, that district would not have been eligible of a state-aid increase)

 

Page 48: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: How can changes be made to an APPR plan after it has been approved by the Commissioner?  What if a district has not reached agreement with the union as to items which require collective

bargaining? What is the relationship between APPRs and the termination of probationary employees? What about terminations before the end of a school year and the development of a composite score?

 

Page 49: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) Immediate issues which needed to be answered: Assuming a composite score is issued at the end of

year one that forms a sufficient basis for a decision to terminate a probationary employee, can the employee be terminated at that time even if an appeal has been filed?

Does an appeal automatically stay all terminations? When does the right to appeal commence?  Under what circumstances must a TIP or PIP be

created?

Page 50: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: What is the difference between a Teacher/Principal Growth Score

and a Value Added Growth Score? What was available for 2011-2012 evaluations and what will be available for 2012-13?

What is the difference between a Teacher/Principal Growth Score and a Value Added Growth Score? What was available for 2011-2012 evaluations and what will be available for 2012-13?

Page 51: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) Immediate issues which needed to be answered:

When will the percentage of the composite score based on the Growth Subcomponent increase from 20 to 25%? Is there a minimum number of students with growth scores required in order for SED to calculate a teacher/principal growth

score? What are Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)? Is there any duty to bargain over SLOs? How do you treat teachers who teach several courses?

 

 

Page 52: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing)

Immediate issues which needed to be answered: Under what circumstances can State assessments be used for the Local Subcomponent? How can State assessment data be used in a different way for the Local Subcomponent? Can student portfolios be used as a local measure of achievement for the local subcomponent? Are individual “teacher-created” assessments a permissible option for the local subcomponent? Can a district use a 3rd party assessment that is not on the State’s approved list?

 

 

Page 53: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (Less Than Smooth Sailing) Immediate issues which needed to be answered: Must districts/BOCES disclose APPR data to the public?  Must the Commissioner of Education disclose APPR

data to the public? Are INDIVIDUALS’ APPR results subject to release

under FOIL? Are districts/BOCES obligated to notify/disclose

individual information to parents/guardians?  How must the APPR data be provided to parents/legal

guardians?

Page 54: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New York State Experience (ess It ain’t over yet!!! Assembly aims to delay Common Core teacher

evaluations 1 m ago By Yancey Roy ALBANY – Going against Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, state Assembly

Democrats are drafting a bill that would delay teacher evaluations conducted under the new Common Core curriculum for two years.

  The Democrats are expected to discuss the proposal behind closed doors Monday and perhaps vote on it later in the week, said a source who wished to remain anonymous.

 

Page 55: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

The Common Core Implementation Reform Act- Chapter 56 Part AA of the Laws of 2014

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Plans

Data Dashboard Systems Parental Assistance Professional Development Students Assessments

– Students with Disabilities and ELL Assessments

– K-2 Standardized Students Tests

– Testing Time Limitations

Page 56: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

The Common Core Implementation Reform Act- Chapter 56 Part AA of the Laws of 2014

Students Assessments– Testing Transparency Report

– Test Questions

Student Promotion and Placement Student Records Chief Privacy Officer Parental Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security Data Collection Transparency and Restrictions

Page 57: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

The Common Core Implementation Reform Act- Chapter 56 Part AA of the Laws of 2014Breach of Security and Unauthorized Release of Personally Identifiable Information

Page 58: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Bills Waiting Delivery to the Governor

• Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) (p. 14)

A10168 would establish temporary provisions for the recalculation of the APPR score of a classroom teacher and building principal who receives an overall composite rating of ineffective or developing for the 2013-14 and/or 2014-15 school years. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Assembly leaders have agreed on a bill to throw out Common Core-based scores on a teacher’s evaluation if the teacher is deemed “ineffective” or “developing.” The bill would remain in effect through the 2014-15 school year.

Page 59: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praises Cuomo’s teacher-evaluation bill

19 June 2014, 5:12 pm by Jon Campbell in Uncategorized - 2 Comments

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Thursday praised a New York bill that would hold teachers harmless for poor Common Core-based test scores through next school year, saying it maintains “New York’s commitment to be leaders in education reform.”

Page 60: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

New Regulations Student Records

8 NYCRR §104.3 consistent with Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2014 prohibits school districts and BOCES from including a student’s individual score on State administered standardized English Language Arts (ELA) and math assessments in grades 3-8 in the student’s official transcript and permanent record between 4/1/14-12/31/18.

Teacher Certification

8 NYCRR §§ 52.21(b)(1)(xv), 80-1.1(b)(42), 80-3.3(c)(3) and 80-35 helps to address the existing and anticipated demand for teachers with specific technical and career experience to obtain a transitional teaching certificate in their area of expertise.

Page 61: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Future APPR Changes?

A proposed amendment to the Regent’s Rules (Section 30-2.1) was introduced during June 2014 to define “performance” for purposes of termination decisions relating to probationary teachers.

The proposed rule would clarify that, where a district has not yet completed an APPR for the probationary teacher or principal, it may terminate for any statutorily or constitutionally permissible reason, which may include quality of instruction or service based on evidence other than the APPR rating. (NOTE: This language was removed from the original June 20 Regents item as the Board voted on the “revised” June 24 item.)

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Page 62: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

But Wait—The Guidance Document was Just Amended

C13. May a school district/BOCES terminate a probationary teacher or principal during the middle of a school year or before the composite evaluation score becomes available?

Prior to completion of the APPR in the first year of the probationary term, a probationary teacher or principal may be summarily dismissed for any constitutionally and statutorily permissible reasons. Accordingly, where a board of education has not yet completed an APPR for a probationary teacher or principal, it may terminate the probationary teacher for any statutorily and constitutionally permissible reasons. Those reasons may include the quality of the instruction or services provided by the probationary teacher or principal based on evidence other than the composite APPR rating.

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Page 63: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

But Wait—The Guidance Document was Just Amended

C13. May a school district/BOCES terminate a probationary teacher or principal during the middle of a school year or before the composite evaluation score becomes available? (Cont’d)

Once it has completed an APPR, the board of education must consider the APPR rating as a significant factor to retain or terminate the employee, unless the employee is being terminated for statutorily and constitutionally permissible reasons other than the teacher’s or principal’s composite APPR rating, such as misconduct, insubordination, time and attendance issues and other performance issues and the like.

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Page 64: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

UFT Now Opposes Common Core Standards

By STEPHANIE SIMON | 7/11/14 6:52 AM EDT The American Federation of Teachers will open its annual

convention Friday morning with a startling announcement: After years of strongly backing the Common Core, the union now plans to give its members grants to critique the academic standards — or to write replacement standards from scratch.

It’s a sign that teachers are frustrated and fed up — and they’re making their anger heard, loud and clear.

Page 65: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Unions Under Attack

From Alabama to Wyoming, state legislatures across the nation are either adopting or proposing legislation aimed at narrowing teacher tenure and seniority rights.

Page 66: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Vergara v. State of California et. al. (June 10, 2014).

Citing to the United States Supreme Court’s historic Brown v. Board of Education decision which declared racially segregated schools to be unconstitutional, the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles upheld a challenge by nine California public school students to the constitutionality of five statutes in the State of California affecting the tenure and seniority rights of teachers. In this case, the Court found that the contested statutes violate the students’ fundamental rights to equality of education by adversely affecting the quality of education they are constitutionally entitled to receive by the state.

Page 67: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Vergara v. State of California et. al. (June 10, 2014).

In mid-June of 2014, it was announced that a lawsuit similar in nature to the one brought in California would be brought in New York State by a nonprofit group known as the Partnership for Educational Justice led by former CNN anchor Campbell Brown. The fact that a multitude of students do not receive educational opportunities enabling them to be college and career ready is unquestionable. However, attributing “uber” due process rights on the part of teachers as THE reason why student constitutional rights are being violated is certain to be an uphill climb.

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Page 68: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Mymoema Davids et. al. v. The State of New York et. al. (Filed June 30, 2014-New York State Supreme Court-County of Richmond)

On June 30, 2014, a lawsuit similar in nature to that of the Vergara case was filed by parents groups in the State Supreme Court, County of Richmond. In this lawsuit the parents assert that New York State’s tenure statute as well as provisions of law requiring that teachers be excessed in accordance with last-in-first-out” requirements are unconstitutional in that they deny students their constitutional rights to a sound basic education.

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Page 69: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

Harris v. Quinn, U.S. Supreme Court June 30, 2014)

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment prohibits the collection of agency shop fees in the particular case of home health-care aides, or “personal assistants (PAs)”. who, under Illinois law an employer-employee relationship is secured between the person receiving the care and the person providing it—not the state. Accordingly, the Supreme Court ruled that the employees in this case should never have been required to pay mandatory union fees required of other workers.

Page 70: Presented by:  Jay Worona General Counsel New York State School Boards Association

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the CONTEMPORARY ISSUES in the UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES:   

An Analysis of Selected Federal An Analysis of Selected Federal

Legislative Issues and Court Legislative Issues and Court Decisions Impacting Public Decisions Impacting Public

SchoolsSchools Presented by:

Jay WoronaGeneral Counsel

New York State School Boards Association

New York State Association of Management Advocates for School

Labor Affairs, Inc. (M.A.S.L.A.) 37TH Annual Summer Conference

July 21, 2014Lake Placid, NY