FL legislation proposes teacher tenure begins after 5 years (Steered by Jeb Bush's Foundation)

[seafan]

Jeb Bush is still operating from the shadows to destroy public education in Florida. Via his multiple *educational foundations*, he is dictating policy from the shadows. We MUST stop this extremist behavior by this megalomaniac.



Legislation proposes teacher tenure begins after 5 years

By James Kirley (Contact)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009

It is being variously described as a slam to teachers, a way to ensure every child gets the best education, a way to draw top-quality teachers to Florida and a sure way to scare them off.
Bills working their way through the Legislature would make public school teachers hired after July 1 work at least five years before getting multi-year contracts — equivalent to tenure that protects them from being fired without cause. And they would go through a second evaluation after working 10 years.

Now, kindergarten through 12th grade teachers get contracts and tenure after as few as three years.

Sponsored by state Sen. Thad Altman and state Rep. Kelli Stargel, Republicans from Melbourne and Lakeland, respectively, the bills would create a way to dismiss teachers for "educational insufficiency" if at least three years of data show more than half their students lacked progress. Although spelled out nowhere in the bills, many assume that data come from standardized tests like the FCAT.

Ideas in the bill originated with the Foundation for Florida's Future, a Tallahassee nonprofit organization chaired by former governor Jeb Bush.
"The aim of the entire piece of legislation is so we can attract and retain good teachers in our state," said Kristy Campbell, the foundation's communications director and Bush's press secretary when he was governor. "The quality of education has improved in Florida in the past 10 years under reforms. If we don't continue with reforms, schools could slide backwards."

Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, said averaging student test scores is a bad way to evaluate teachers, because teachers don't get to pick which students are in their classes.
"A teacher may have a tremendous (positive) impact on a student and the improved test grades won't show up for another two or three years," he said. "I think that it's the culmination of former governor Jeb Bush's campaign so they can put a number behind an individual teacher's name, using a standardized test."

.....

"The idea of extending the time teachers are on probation — we are constantly being told that we ought to run schools like a business," Rodriguez said. "I can't think of any business out there where you're on probation for five or 10 years."

Jeb, *the education Governor*. Yeah, he's a sure-fire expert.

Schools still rank near the bottom, St. Petersburg Times, March 6, 2005 (Jeb Bush, Governor)

2005: Florida's public school graduation rate 50th in US. Thanks, Jeb!, October 11, 2006 (Jeb Bush, Governor)

2003: Florida ranks 47th in high school graduation rate

2006: Florida high school students' average scores on the SAT's 49th nationally in math, 40th in critical reading, and 48th in writing.

2006: Average salary of Florida public school teachers sank to 31st in the nation -- down from 29th in 2004.


NICE JOB, JEB. But, in his mind, he is **The Education Governor**. :crazy:



Jeb Bush may be out of office, but he continues to force his ideological agenda onto the Florida Legislature from his hangout in Miami.

[madfloridian]

1. Thanks for posting this. recommended.

Jeb just calls himself that. Ain't true at all.

[RadicalTexan]

2. Off topic, but - why don't the rest of us get tenure?

I work in a university academic department, and, well... it slays me.

[madfloridian]

3. Why don't you?

Teachers organized and worked for it for years.

It is called union busting. And most people here at DU think teacher are very bad for wanting it.

That's just the way life is.