Recently the nation’s largest teachers’ union, the National Education Association, changed their position on including student performance in teacher evaluations. In passing the new policy, the union hopes to take a leadership role in the national movement towards revamped teacher evaluation methods.
However, the union also made it clear that it continues to oppose the use of existing standardized test scores to judge teachers, a core component of many teacher evaluation overhauls across the country. “N.E.A. is and always will be opposed to high-stakes, test-driven evaluations,” said Becky Pringle, secretary-treasurer of the union.
NEA’s stance exemplifies the delicate situation now faced by the nation amid budget crises and attempts to curtail collective bargaining rights in several states. The union is now focused on closing ranks and encouraging members, even those outraged by the current situation, to embrace calls for change—on their own terms.
The union also made early moves to decide whom to support during 2012’s presidential election. In spite of the union’s anger at the Obama administration’s promotion of charter schools and high-stakes testing, the assembly voted by secret ballot to give President Obama an early endorsement for his re-election run. The endorsement did not come without doubts, however, and has left many questions on the new direction of the NEA.
To read the full story, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/us/05teachers.html?_r=1
