New York State Website Tracks Educator Evaluation Progress

With the introduction this week of a new state-sponsored website that tracks each New York school districts progress on implementing teacher evaluation, Governor Andrew Cuomo once again puts the pressure on to get teacher evaluation implemented across the state.

The new website tracks progress in each district showing a checked box next to each of the steps a district completes.  Steps include submitting a new teacher evaluation plan to the state education department and approval of the plan by the department.

In a statement, Governor Cuomo said “I hope the countless parents and advocates who have been demanding accountability in our schools will use www.nystudentsfirst.com to get involved in our efforts to put students first and reform our education system.”

Just a few months ago, New York State’s Education Commissioner threatened to withhold tens of millions in school improvement grants and Race to the Top funds from districts that were running up against a deadline by which they needed to submit a teacher evaluation plan.

Here in Massachusetts, progress on implementation of educator evaluation has been slow.  In our Year One Race to the Top Progress Report that showed in the area of educator evaluation the State is not on track to meet the goals of Race to the Top, MBAE called for the state to make this its highest priority.  It’s interesting to watch as New York does just that.