Legislation Brings Needed Changes to Educator Evaluation Laws

KOMORN LAW

STATE and FEDERAL
Aggressive Legal Defense
All Criminal Allegations / DUI / Drugs
Since 1993

October 10, 2023

LANSING – Senate Bills 395-396 bring needed changes to Michigan’s time-intensive educator evaluation system and will allow teachers and school administrators to spend more time focused on students, according to the Michigan Department of Education.

“This legislature has accomplished a great deal this session in terms of much-needed investments in education funding and in addressing flaws in education policy,” saidState Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “Improving educator evaluation laws will be the next major legislative effort to improve public education for students.”

This effort to improve educator evaluation laws is critical for at least two reasons, both associated with time—for children to learn and teachers to teach, Dr. Rice said.

“First, it is vitally important because we have spent so much time evaluating staff, not to thebenefitof children but rather at theexpenseof time that could and should have been spent educating children,” Dr. Rice said. “Bottom line–we need to pour more time into teaching children.”

The second reason according to Dr. Rice is that the state legislature will likely not revisit this topic for several years. “What we do on this topic now will affect our children for a decade,” he said.

The bills before the Senate Education Committee would provide the opportunity for effective teachers to be formally evaluated every three years instead of annually or biennially, but would permit more frequent evaluation if necessary; and provide school administrators time to have a more significant focus on the needs of inexperienced and otherwise struggling staff who require more assistance to become effective teachers of children.

Have you been charged with a crime?
Have your rights been violated?
Have your driving priviledges been revoked?
Has your professional license been suspended?

Call our office to see if we can help
Komorn Law  248-357-2550

Dr. Rice said that the committee is making strong progress in improving educator evaluations in Michigan, and that he appreciated the continued work being done in having a measure of student growth or student learning objective included in the educator evaluation process. 

“Although the state summative assessments should never have been part of educator evaluations and should be removed from the evaluation process, we believe strongly that some portion of educator evaluations should be associated with a student growth or student learning objective measure, locally determined between teacher and administrator, based on the teachers’ subjects, grade levels, and individual goals,” Dr. Rice said.

“This is a matter of student growth as well as the professional growth of educators,” he said. “We have to get it right.” 

The Senate Education Committee heard testimony on Senate Bills 395-396 today and is expected to take action on the legislation soon. 

More Posts

Seattle settles case involving – the rights of nature

Seattle settles case involving – the rights of nature

The Rights of NatureSeattle settled a lawsuit brought by the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe on behalf of salmon harmed by dams on the Skagit River. This is one of the first "rights of nature" cases in the US, and the tribe argued that the lack of fish passage measures violated...

read more
NY judge fines unlicensed cannabis shops $15 million

NY judge fines unlicensed cannabis shops $15 million

It's their corner now“This punishment should serve as a clear warning for all unlicensed cannabis stores in the state: we will enforce the law and shut down your operations,” state Attorney General Letitia James saidThe owner of seven unlicensed cannabis shops in New...

read more
When Cannabis Businesses Are No Longer Subject to IRS 280E

When Cannabis Businesses Are No Longer Subject to IRS 280E

IRS 280E and Cannabis BusinessesWhat is IRS Section 280E? Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code restricts businesses from deducting typical business expenses from their gross income related to the distribution of Schedule I or II substances per the Controlled...

read more
Vehicle Forfeiture in Canada – The Process of Taking

Vehicle Forfeiture in Canada – The Process of Taking

Thank You... and have a nice day eh!Disclaimer: We are not Attorneys in Canada.  This is an article of information obtained from various sources and presented here. We can only assume they are accurate.  If you ever find a reason to go to Canada and need a lawyer...we...

read more
Alcohol, Drugs, Kayaking – It could be a problem

Alcohol, Drugs, Kayaking – It could be a problem

Can I drink alcohol and smoke cannabis if I'm canoeing or kayaking or tubing or paddleboarding or just floating around?While Michigan law doesn't explicitly forbid consuming alcohol on non-motorized vessels like canoes or kayaks, it's strongly discouraged for safety...

read more
Michael Komorn-Criminal Defense Attorney

About Your Attorney

Attorney Michael Komorn

Categories

Other Topics

Driving Under the Influence

Michigan

Your Rights

Michigan Court of Appeals

Law Firm VIctories

Share This