New Jersey Brings In Rutgers Officials To Evaluate New Teacher Review System
By David Madden
NEW JERSEY (CBS) -- New Jersey education officials will bring in experts from Rutgers to independently evaluate a pilot program meant to pave the way for a new teacher evaluation system.
The plan, which the teachers union does not like, replaces the "satisfactory" verses "unsatisfactory" ratings with a four-tiered grading system, from "ineffective" to "highly effective." It's based half on classroom inspection, and half on student performance.
Rutgers University will look at how things are working out in 11 districts, and there are three in our area that are trying it out. One concern is getting administrators and teachers up to speed.
"This is really the first time that they're having these deep, meaningful evaluations, observations and conversations. So we want everyone to know exactly what to expect," explains Education Department Spokesman Justin Barra, who also says everyone is supposed to get a couple days of training.
The Rutgers study is hoped to get some of the kinks out of the plan before its statewide implementation in a year and a half.
