Better ways to evaluate educators

This November voters will be asked to vote on Constitutional Amendment 3, the proposed initiative that will require Missouri teachers ("certificated staff") working at schools funded by state or local taxes to be evaluated "based upon quantifiable student performance data." This data will be used to determine whether an instructor should be dismissed, retained, demoted or promoted. Teachers will not be allowed to collective bargain over the terms of these evaluations. Schools failing to implement this measure would jeopardize their state and local funding. If approved, this will become part of the Missouri Constitution.

Educator quality is of utmost importance, but it is unfair, however, to link compensation (or employment) simply to student achievement. Teachers are not in complete control of student outcomes. Many other factors come into play in determining how well a student will perform at school. Parental involvement, health and well being (physical and emotional), discipline factors in the classroom and the support of school administration are only a few.

The National Education Association (NEA) points out that using student achievement to determine teacher salaries "only [measures] a narrow piece of the teacher's work."

Another study, a 2010 literature review by the Kamehameha Schools' Research and Evaluation Division, noted that "The most promising systems are based on a collaborative effort from teachers and administrators that honors multiple perspectives and builds trust."

There are many ways of evaluating educators. Fair evaluations should originate in the local district and consider more than one variable.

Vote "no" on Amendment 3.

ESTHER BOHNERT, Jackson