SOME OF AMERICA'S BEST TEACHERS ARE BEING FIRED
In school, having a great teacher is the single most important factor in determining a student's success. Giving America's kids the best education in the world is only possible with the best teachers in the world.
States are being forced to make major cuts in education, with 45 states and the District of Columbia predicting huge budget shortfalls totaling $125 billion. And with these cuts our nation is at risk of losing some of our brightest, most effective teachers.
Right now in schools across the country, the last teacher hired has to be the first teacher fired, regardless of how good they are. A teacher's performance plays no role in who stays and who goes. This policy, based on seniority rather than effectiveness, is referred to as LIFO (Last In, First Out) -- and it is crippling our schools.
That's why we've launched the Save Great Teachers Campaign. Watch our video to learn more and pledge to get involved now:
http://studentsfirst.org/saveteachersvideo
We can't afford to pull highly effective teachers out of America's classrooms. This is just the beginning of a very important campaign. In the next few weeks, we will ask you to take specific actions to engage with your legislators. We need your help to save great teachers.
Thanks,
Michelle
Michelle Rhee
CEO and Founder
StudentsFirst
States are being forced to make major cuts in education, with 45 states and the District of Columbia predicting huge budget shortfalls totaling $125 billion. And with these cuts our nation is at risk of losing some of our brightest, most effective teachers.
Right now in schools across the country, the last teacher hired has to be the first teacher fired, regardless of how good they are. A teacher's performance plays no role in who stays and who goes. This policy, based on seniority rather than effectiveness, is referred to as LIFO (Last In, First Out) -- and it is crippling our schools.
That's why we've launched the Save Great Teachers Campaign. Watch our video to learn more and pledge to get involved now:
http://studentsfirst.org/saveteachersvideo
We can't afford to pull highly effective teachers out of America's classrooms. This is just the beginning of a very important campaign. In the next few weeks, we will ask you to take specific actions to engage with your legislators. We need your help to save great teachers.
Thanks,
Michelle
Michelle Rhee
CEO and Founder
StudentsFirst
Hey Siebra:
I have to respectfully disagree with you on this one.
Seniority layoffs are reasonable and legitimate. Senior teachers have one thing young teachers do not--experience. They have been through the ringer and know how to succeed.
Here is some data. In New York City, according to the NYC Department of Education, fully 40% of the newly hired teachers do not remain in the teaching for profession for 3 years.
IMagine the consequences of laying off a senior teacher who has certainly survived all kinds of professional situations--and now he or she is gone in favor of a yougner teacher who is highly likely to walk out the door very soon.
It is how a school shoots itself in the foot.
Experienced teachers are the backbone of a school.
Base retention and layoffs on merit? Sounds like a terific idea. The problem comes in when we talk about the method for determining merit. If a school board can come up with an effective and accurate way to measure it, then it will certainly be a serious consideration. But judging a teacher's performance by student test scores alone is totally bogus and unfair.
It would be much better to focus on supporting teachers and giving them the resources they need to be successful rather than figuring out ways to lay them off.