MONROE - Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, co-sponsored a bill Tuesday to allow school districts to use student achievement information to evaluate teacher performance.
Davis said the bill, co-sponsored with Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, would allow Wisconsin to compete for $4.35 billion in federal money as part of the Race to the Top program.
The federal education program was proposed in July by Pres. Barack Obama. The program provides $5 billion in grants to the nation's schools. Broadly speaking, the president wants states to do four things he considers to be reforms - toughen academic standards, find better ways to recruit and keep effective teachers, track student performance and have a plan of action to turn around failing schools.
The program wouldn't be available for states that don't allow student achievement data to be used to evaluate teachers.
Wisconsin statutes currently prohibit school districts from using student achievement date to evaluate teacher performance.
Davis said, in a press release Tuesday, he'd like to see the bill passed soon.
"Increasing accountability and funding for public education shouldn't be a partisan issue," he said. "I hope the leaders in the Senate and Assembly will recognize our legislation as a priority and join us in calling for a committee hearing as soon as possible."
Under the Davis-Hopper proposal, Wisconsin would lift its prohibition on using state testing results to evaluate teachers.
Brodhead school district superintendent Charles Deery said there needs to be more details in the proposed legislation before he would support it.
"The devil is in the details," Deery said.
Deery said he wouldn't support the legislation if student achievement was measured only by the Wisconsin Knowledge Concepts Examination (WKCE) tests, which are given in fourth, eighth, and 10th grades, or any other one-time examination during the school year.
Deery said one test doesn't give the school district or the teachers an accurate measure of a student's progress.
"Some students do better on standardized tests than other students," Deery said. "You can't judge the kids or the teachers based on one test on one day."
Kelly Burns, who teaches at Monroe High School, is co-president of the Monroe Education Association, said sophomores are given the WKCE tests in early October, but there are a lot of variables that could affect the test.
Burns pointed out her comments are her own opinion and not a statement from the teachers' union.
Besides the fact some students don't do as well as other students on standardized tests, students could simply have a bad day. The one day of the year they may not be completely focused to take a test could have an impact on how teachers were evaluated.
"Would I like to be judged on one test? Heck no," Burns said. "I wouldn't want the students to be judged by one test."
Deery said he would like to see student achievement measured over a longer period of time.
Davis said his goal is to help the state receive federal money, which will benefit school districts in Wisconsin. He said the bill would allow districts to determine student achievement and teacher evaluations. Districts could use one test or several tests or even a student's progress throughout the school year.
The proposal will have to be assigned to Assembly committees. After it's assigned to a committee, a public hearing and discussion of the bill can take place.
Davis said he hopes public hearings for the bill might be held in September.
Davis said the bill, co-sponsored with Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, would allow Wisconsin to compete for $4.35 billion in federal money as part of the Race to the Top program.
The federal education program was proposed in July by Pres. Barack Obama. The program provides $5 billion in grants to the nation's schools. Broadly speaking, the president wants states to do four things he considers to be reforms - toughen academic standards, find better ways to recruit and keep effective teachers, track student performance and have a plan of action to turn around failing schools.
The program wouldn't be available for states that don't allow student achievement data to be used to evaluate teachers.
Wisconsin statutes currently prohibit school districts from using student achievement date to evaluate teacher performance.
Davis said, in a press release Tuesday, he'd like to see the bill passed soon.
"Increasing accountability and funding for public education shouldn't be a partisan issue," he said. "I hope the leaders in the Senate and Assembly will recognize our legislation as a priority and join us in calling for a committee hearing as soon as possible."
Under the Davis-Hopper proposal, Wisconsin would lift its prohibition on using state testing results to evaluate teachers.
Brodhead school district superintendent Charles Deery said there needs to be more details in the proposed legislation before he would support it.
"The devil is in the details," Deery said.
Deery said he wouldn't support the legislation if student achievement was measured only by the Wisconsin Knowledge Concepts Examination (WKCE) tests, which are given in fourth, eighth, and 10th grades, or any other one-time examination during the school year.
Deery said one test doesn't give the school district or the teachers an accurate measure of a student's progress.
"Some students do better on standardized tests than other students," Deery said. "You can't judge the kids or the teachers based on one test on one day."
Kelly Burns, who teaches at Monroe High School, is co-president of the Monroe Education Association, said sophomores are given the WKCE tests in early October, but there are a lot of variables that could affect the test.
Burns pointed out her comments are her own opinion and not a statement from the teachers' union.
Besides the fact some students don't do as well as other students on standardized tests, students could simply have a bad day. The one day of the year they may not be completely focused to take a test could have an impact on how teachers were evaluated.
"Would I like to be judged on one test? Heck no," Burns said. "I wouldn't want the students to be judged by one test."
Deery said he would like to see student achievement measured over a longer period of time.
Davis said his goal is to help the state receive federal money, which will benefit school districts in Wisconsin. He said the bill would allow districts to determine student achievement and teacher evaluations. Districts could use one test or several tests or even a student's progress throughout the school year.
The proposal will have to be assigned to Assembly committees. After it's assigned to a committee, a public hearing and discussion of the bill can take place.
Davis said he hopes public hearings for the bill might be held in September.