BILL NUMBER:S4811A

TITLE OF BILL:  An act in relation to the adoption of a statewide
teacher and principal evaluation system

PURPOSE: To allow for a longer, more ample, public comment period and
report of such comments, which shall be considered in establishing
regulations and guidelines to implement a statewide annual teacher and
principal evaluation and more time for schools to implement the new
system of evaluation.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one establishes the title of this act as Your Voice, Our
Schools Act"

Sections two through six amend section 1 of subpart E of part EE of
chapter 56 of the laws of 2014 to establish the following:

regulations and guidelines to implement a statewide annual teacher and
principal evaluation shall be adopted no later than December 31, 2016

public comments and recommendations regarding the adoption of
regulations and guidelines to implement a statewide annual teacher and
principal evaluation shall last until December 31, 2015

              

the State Education Department shall have a link for such public
comments and recommendations on its website

the State Education Department shall conduct at least one public forum
in each Regents district during the public comment period.

the Commissioner of the Stated Education Department shall report his
or her findings of the public comments and recommendations to the
Governor and the legislature no later than March 31, 2016

all public schools shall implement the commissioner's approved teacher
and principal evaluation system by January 2019.

Section seven states the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION: New York State is home to some of the nation's best
schools and finest teachers. In fact, myriad national news outlets
recently reported on the outstanding academic success of Kwasi Enin, a
resident of Shirley, New York, and a public school student, who has
been accepted by the eight Ivy League schools: Harvard, Yale, Brown,
Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Princeton and
Cornell. As evidenced by Mr.  Enin's achievement, the overwhelming
majority of New York's schools, and dedicated teachers, are making the
grade when it comes to ensuring that every child receives a
first-class education regardless of their zip code. The "Your Voice,
Our Schools Act" is designed to help ensure that New York State
remains a leader in education. The Your Voice, Our Schools Act would
expand and strengthen the public comment process for individuals to
communicate with the State Education Department (SED) and offer their
specific feedback on teacher evaluations. The Your Voice, Our Schools
Act extends the public comment period for New Yorkers to participate


in shaping teacher evaluations until December 31, 2015. This extension
would ensure enough time that public forums could occur within each
Regents district, and ensure busy parents, and teachers, many of who
teach well into June, have ample opportunity to shape this crucial
process, provide greater local control and ensure an evaluation system
that is truly fair, comprehensive and does not give undue weight to
high-stakes testing. The Your Voice, Our Schools Act further mandates
that SED issue a report on all the public comments it receives so this
information is not held in secret. Additionally, this act directs SED
to display the public comment link on its official website to ensure a
more transparent and accountable process, one where the voices of
parents and teachers are heard loud and clear and can help shape the
teacher evaluation process. Finally, the Your Voice, Our Schools Act
allows more time for the new evaluation system to be studied and
adopted by the Commissioner and ample time for the schools to
implement it.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.