Nevada Aims for Education Reform

Nevada lawmakers are the most recent group attempting to change the state of education in this country. Two measures have been approved by the Senate Education Committee. The first amendment would require that at least fifty percent of teacher evaluation criteria is based on student academic achievement; the second reform would require all school districts to institute pay for performance programs for public school teachers. According to reports, the committee also voted to “extend a mandatory probationary period for new teachers to three years and send teachers back to probation if they receive unsatisfactory evaluations two consecutive years.”

Unfortunately, several reform efforts stalled in the committee, which voted down an amendment to end “last in, first out” practices of teacher layoffs. That system requires that the most recent teachers to be hired are the first to be fired if districts are forced to institute layoffs, instead of other factors like performance, classroom absence, disciplinary history, or a criminal record.

The article, while certainly promising, highlights the political difficulties inherent in education reform proposals. The Senate Education Committee is comprised of four Democrats and three Republicans. On many of the most “controversial” measures, like the last in, first out policy, members of the committee voted strictly on party lines, with the four Democrats defeating the proposals. Education has become a “Democratic issue” in this country, but upon closer investigation it is clear that this does not refer to the passage and proposal of good policy. Democrats garner some of their most reliable and massive political support from teachers and union officials. They risk losing money, man power, campaign support, and votes if they vote in favor of amendments that put quality education above the entrenched interests of teachers (good or bad). In order for education reformers to successfully leap these political hurdles, Democrats in state and national legislatures must chose to put the needs of America’s students ahead of job security for bad teachers.

More information can be found here: http://www.lvrj.com/news/teacher-tenure-reform-bills-advance-to-senate-vote-122381909.html?ref=909