Senate Passes Senator Mayer Bill Revamping Teacher and Principal Evaluations

(Albany, New York) – On Wednesday, May 14, the New York State Senate unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Chair of the Senate Education Committee, Senator Shelley B. Mayer, to create a new framework for conducting professional performance reviews of teachers and principals. Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, sponsored the bill in the Assembly, which passed a few hours prior that Wednesday. Now, the bill heads to the Governor's desk for a signature.

Through Mayer’s legislation (S.9054), over the next eight years, every district in New York State will be required to collectively bargain a new framework for teacher and principal evaluations. Districts will have the opportunity to design an evaluation process that fits the needs of their students and communities within certain parameters in a new section, 3012-e of the education law.

Evaluations must be holistic, include classroom observation, and prioritize helping teachers and administrators grow in their roles. Teachers and building principals who receive level 1 or 2 ratings must receive personalized professional development plans. Parents will have a right to know their child’s teacher and building principal’s most recent composite evaluation score, providing transparency and accountability. 

Importantly, this legislation decouples evaluation scores from decisions about teacher tenure and does not require districts to consider test scores. Parents should know that test results will no longer be a determinative factor for their teacher’s future. 

Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am proud to say that the bill we passed yesterday reflects an agreement between our teachers and school communities about how to move forward with teacher and principal evaluations in a way that prioritizes educator growth and our students' well-being and success. Over the next eight years, every district will be required to collectively bargain a new process for evaluating teachers and principles that will meet the needs of their individual school community. This bill is the culmination of many months of good-faith engagement by our stakeholders and many years of advocacy by teachers, administrators, and our school communities. I want to thank Commissioner Rosa and her team at the State Education Department, NYSUT, SAANYS, NYSCOSS, the Big 5, NYSPTA, NYSSBA, and ASBO for their partnership and collaboration, and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousin for her support in advancing this legislation.”

Assemblymember Michael Benedetto said, “It is my honor to celebrate the passing of the APPR bill, which puts teacher and principal evaluations back at the local level. ⁤⁤This victory was a long time coming and the result of years of advocacy. ⁤⁤It will ensure our educators are treated as the professionals they truly are, allowing them to focus on what matters most in our schools, teaching and inspiring students.”

State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, “After years of discussion, debate, and contemplation, I am pleased that we and the New York State Educational Conference Board were able to deliver a renewed teacher evaluation system that focuses on professional development. Teacher evaluations should be formative in nature, with the goal of providing educators with meaningful feedback and assistance to help them develop in their profession and fulfill the needs of all students. I thank Senator Mayer and Assemblymember Benedetto's efforts to get this vital legislation passed in their respective houses this year.”

NYSUT President Melinda Person said, “We thank our allies in both chambers for overwhelmingly passing bipartisan legislation that would return teacher and principal evaluations to local control. This has been a decade-long fight, and we are relieved to see it near the finish line. It would not have been possible without the tireless advocacy of our members, our legislative supporters and our statewide education partners. This is a win for students, educators and communities, because it will allow instruction to focus on a love of teaching and learning, and it will treat our educators like the professionals they are. We look forward to the governor swiftly signing this important bill that will allow the focus in our classrooms to be on what matters most: the essential work of educating the next generation.”

New York State PTAs Executive Director Kyle Belokopitsky said, “NYS PTA is thrilled to see movement away from the current flawed and punitive system of evaluation, towards a model that truly supports educators in meaningful ways and recognizes the professionalism and work teachers and principals do each day in the classroom and school building. We are exceptionally proud of the work that Educational Conference Board members have accomplished this past year, working hand in hand with the State Education Department and Senator Mayer, to craft a new system that supports teaching, learning, and most importantly — our students. We look to Governor Hochul signing this important legislation, and know that parents and families will continue to partner with educators to make every child’s potential a reality as we Support Kids, Raise Awareness, together.”

New York State Council of School Superintendents Executive Director Charles Dedrick said, “We thank Senator Mayer and Assemblymember Benedetto for their work on this long overdue legislation to fix how teacher and principal evaluations are conducted in New York’s public schools. Superintendents across the state overwhelmingly see the current system as a waste of time or worse. In our survey, only 10% of superintendents across the state regard evaluations now as having a positive impact on efforts to improve teaching; four times as many (44%) see a negative impact and the balance (46%) see them as having little or no impact for all the time and expense they require. This legislation will restore local control, eliminating damaging parts of the current system and giving districts flexibility to negotiate plans that will best fit their local circumstances. We urge Governor Hochul to sign this legislation.”

New York State School Boards Association Executive Director Robert Schneider said, “NYSSBA supports this APPR legislation borne out of collaborative stakeholder input which prioritizes local control, teacher development, and continuous improvement, while eliminating the requirement that test scores be used in performance evaluations. The legislation provides flexibility that allows BOCES and school districts to use evaluation systems that work for them. It supports a teaching and learning growth model, which, given the teacher shortage New York is dealing with, will, no doubt, support a stronger and needed teacher pipeline.  

School Administrators Association of New York State Executive Director Kevin Casey said, “SAANYS whose membership includes over 4000 principals across the state, is very appreciative of the Senate’s strong support to revise the Annual Professional Performance Reviews (APPR). The timely passage of S.9054 yesterday is encouraging, in that as early as the next school year, districts will be able to revise their current evaluations to redesign principal and teacher evaluations based on the highest levels of professional practice and meet the unique needs of the student in the local school district and community.”

Conference of Big 5 School Districts Executive Director Jennifer K. Pyle said, “The Conference of Big 5 School Districts applauds Senator Mayer for her unwavering commitment to the establishment of a meaningful teacher and principal evaluation system that supports educators and is focused on what is best for schools and the students served. We are truly grateful for her leadership and steadfast dedication to ensuring that all voices were heard. We were pleased to have the opportunity to work with Senator Mayer, Assemblymember Benedetto and Commissioner Rosa, as well as our Educational Conference Board partners, on this critical legislation that will have a far-reaching and overwhelmingly positive impact on our classrooms. The new system will afford school districts the flexibility to create a system that promotes excellence and opportunities for all students.”

This legislation fully decouples teacher evaluations from decisions about tenure. Under current law, teachers must achieve a specific rating during their probationary period to be eligible for permanent appointment. Under this bill, districts will still be able to consider evaluation results, but teachers will not be required to achieve a specific rating. Further, this legislation will eliminate the provision in current law that provides an expedited disciplinary process for teachers who receive multiple ineffective ratings in a row. 

School districts will be required to submit their plans negotiated under section 3012-e to the State Education Department for review. They will also have to make their plans available on their district website.