Teacher performace to trump seniority

WWLP TV

Updated: Jun 21, 2012 6:19 PM

BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) — The Senate has passed legislation that makes sure hiring, firing and tenure for teachers is based on how well they teach rather than how long they’ve taught. 

“What this legislation does is it changes that order where we first look at the quality of a person’s work and then we can show respect to how long they’re been there,” said Jason Williams, the executive director at the Massachusetts branch of Stand For Children, a child advocacy group.

The bill is a compromise between the state’s largest teacher’s union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association and Stand For Children.  If the legislation is approved this session (July 31), Stand For Children will drop their campaign to get a November ballot question out that will let the state decide on several other matters affecting teachers. 

“The ballot question is not an option,” said Paul Toner, president of the Massachusetts Teacher’s Association.  “It was going to eliminate Professional Teacher Status for part-time teachers, it was going to really blur the distinction between non-professional teachers and professional status teachers.”

The compromise bill allows unions and school districts to keep their collective bargaining power in layoff decisions.  It also requires principals to consult with superintendents in “good faith” when a teacher is transferred to another school, with performance outweighing seniority in their talks.

“The work that out teachers do everyday it matters, it makes a difference and it should count,” said Williams.

“Experience should be an important factor as well, it just shouldn’t be the first factor that is looked at,” said Toner.

The bill must pass the House of Representative and be signed by the governor.  If it accomplishes that, teacher performance will begin trumping seniority by 2016.

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