School Board Candidates Offer Views on Tenure, Teacher Evaluation

Few issues in New Jersey are as contentious as the debate over the teacher tenure system, created in 1909 as a way to safeguard teachers from politics in education. A century later, many say the system is broken and the taxpayers cannot afford a system that rewards based on longevity and not merit. Teachers and proponents say tenure affords a quality relationship with the community, as well as autonomy.

One of the scripted questions drafted by the League of Women Voters for Thursday night's Candidate's Night forum centered on the tenuous subject of tenure and the question of how teachers can be properly evaluated.

In the third part of our four-part series, we visit the thoughts of the three candidates vying for two three-year seats on April 27.

• Goodman

Goodman, who responded first, said she had "concerns" that utilizing a wide range of tests will be expensive. "Who will pay for it all?" she asked, also wondering how more subjective subjects like art, history, music would be evaluated.

The last time the state came up with a test, it was so poorly designed that kids failed in sweeping numbers, Goodman said. "Not because the students didn't learn biology but because the test was so hard."

She also said it would likely promote "teaching to the test" and cheating, along with other workplace ineffectiveness.

"So while I agree that effective teachers are the key to student success, I also believe we as a society need to stop treating teachers like interchangable machines in a widget factory."

Goodman said the system does need to be changed and wants to be part of the process, telling the audience that she had signed on to be a member of Christie's taskforce, but was not given a call back.

In terms of tenure, she said the system "needs an overhaul" though specifics were bare during her initial response. Goodman, when questioned by a resident, did not answer whether a gym teacher and science teacher should be paid differently as one is inferred to be a more challenging position.

Goodman cited her role in negotiating teachers contracts as cause for her lack of response. She later said when told she was 'skirting around the issue' by resident Joseph Alvaro: "What you're asking is so culturally alien" because it places heirarchy on subject importance.

"I think that would be a real hard process to go through," she said.

• Krauss

Krauss said that New Jersey's system for tenure evaluation doesn't make sense when looking at the numbers. "Less than one percent of teachers are rated 'unsatisfactory' in the entire state," she said.

"Although I think we have the best teachers anywhere, I don't think you can go into any organization, study it and determine that less than one percent of its members are doing a less than satisfactory job."

While the challenger said Ridgewood is 'always' on the outside of damning statistics when it comes to measures of teacher aptitude, the parameters of evaluation "need to change".

She took note of Education Commissioner Chris Cerf's plan to add more levels of evaluation with greater penalties to those deemed ineffective. Krauss herself said student performance should be part of teacher evaluations but not the whole package. There are many different things that go into evaluating teachers, she said.

"It's not just one number."

She said the idea that longevity determines a job 'guaranteed' for life is absurd and recommended a combination of standardized test score evaluations paired with more rigorous in-classroom observation. She also said she supports the idea that teachers in varying subjects be paid the same (for instance, a gym teacher and a science teacher) when questioned by resident Joseph Alvaro.

• Brogan

Fifteen-year veteran of the school board said an evaluation of teachers should include performance testing data, but it should play "a supporting role, not a leading role" in overall evaluation.

Brogan emphasised the idea of requiring teachers to have a portfolio with instructional work and demonstrated student achievement growth under their watch, as well as parent perspective. It was the only concrete example provided by any of the three candidates for evaluation. She also advocated for multiple observations by a principal or supervisor.

Regarding the tenure system, Brogan said the legislature should make it easier and less costly for districts to rid their payrolls of bad teachers. She also said that layoffs made to teachers should not be based on the last-in, first-out policy.

In terms of some teachers making more than others (science teachers over gym teachers), Brogan said "it would be a big change" for districts though she said in Ridgewood teachers with experience are often hired to fill those more specialized roles, which increases costs.

Citizens will cast their ballots on Wednesday, April 27 while also approving or rejecting the school board's $86.77 million general budget, which would increase taxes for the average homeowner by $191 but not include any programming or staffing cuts.