Legislature 2020 action alert: Hear SB 59 (Teacher evaluations) in committee--See update!

January 20, 2020

UPDATE: Friends pointed out to us that HB 1002 removes the requirement that teacher evaluations be based, in part, on objective measures of achievement. This has been passed by the full House and is now in consideration in the Senate. Please contact your state senator to encourage them to vote in favor of it. (Reasons include those given below.)

CALL TO ACTION

Message: Hear SB 59, Teacher evaluations (sponsored by Senator Leising), in committee!

What SB 59 does:
It limits the use of state test scores in teacher evaluations. Provides that objective measures of student achievement and growth, including student results on a statewide assessment, may not account for more than 5% of the total performance evaluation score or result.

Why SB 59 is needed:
Tying scores to teacher evaluations is harmful because:

• They are unfair. Test scores track income level across all school types, whether public, charter, or private. Using test scores to evaluate teachers punishes teachers who work in high poverty schools.
• It increases pressure on teachers to narrow the curriculum and teach to the test instead of providing hands-on learning, projects, and exploration by students.
• The tests are stressful to kids and send the wrong messages about education.

For these same reasons, we should get rid of the A-F system of grading schools and districts, which is based on test scores. But this bill doesn’t do anything about that.

Where SB 59 is in the process: SB 59 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development, but has not been heard.

Who needs to hear from us about SB 59: Members of the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development:

Please call the committee chair, Senator Raatz, at 800-382-9467, and ask him to hear this bill in committee. Also, you can email committee members at the addresses below.
 
Republicans: Raatz, Crane, Buchanan, Donato, Freeman, Kruse, Leising, Rogers, Spartz
Democrats: Melton, Mrvan, Niezgodski, Stoops

Senator.Raatz@iga.in.gov, s24@iga.in.gov, Senator.Buchanan@iga.in.gov, s18@iga.in.gov, Senator.Freeman@iga.in.gov, Senator.Kruse@iga.in.gov, Senator.Leising@iga.in.gov, Senator.Rogers@iga.in.gov, Senator.Spartz@iga.in.gov

s3@iga.in.gov, s1@iga.in.gov, s10@iga.in.gov, s40@iga.in.gov    

Thanks for advocating for kids and teachers!