Teacher Evaluation PED’s Public Hearing
For the third time NMACT attended the PED’s public hearing on the new teacher evaluation system. We explained the pitfalls of relying on one “high stakes” test and using observation evaluators that were not the teacher’s supervisors. As in previous hearings our concerns were not heeded. It was interesting to hear from members of the Secretary’s New Mexico Teach Committee, you know the committee that was created by the Secretary to develop the new evaluation system. Members of that committee spoke out against the proposal saying that it went against their recommendations. It is clear that the Secretary has an agenda and educator input is not respected.
Now more than ever we must remain strong and together. There will be many issues going forward and we at NMACT are in this for the long haul. While we must accept this directive from the PED we can also continue to point out it’s shortcomings. Other state’s that have constructed similar systems have already modified them, relying less on test results. We will be okay and I believe this unjust approach, that will not improve public education, will fail but I am just One New Mexico Teacher.
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I attended the hearing re: the new teacher evaluations. I teach Social Studies at SFHS and I spoke for 2 minutes to make the point that the evaluations are biased against academics and that our evaluations should be made by principals who see our teaching more than once or twice. For outside administrators to evaluate us rather than principals who run the school where we teach are breaking the state requirements. It is breaking the system to give more authority and power to the PED. Their intentions is to break down the public school system and sell off pieces to private interests. It means vouchers, expanded virtual education run by companies like KIPP. If you don’t believe it look into actions being taken in Wisconsin or North Carolina. Our governor is acolyte of the Jeb Bush agenda and Hannah Skandera is his agent. There is nothing original of the steps being taken by the Martinez Administration and we teachers are doomed. If she is re-elected start looking for other work. AK