Michigan teacher evaluations will no longer take into account how their students performed on state tests, under legislation soon to be introduced by state Democratic leaders. The proposal is also likely to call for fewer teacher evaluations during the school year.
Supporters of the bills, long sought by teachers’ unions, contend the formulas used to calculate student growth during the school year are imperfect barometers of teacher performance and place too much emphasis on standardized tests.
Critics say softening teacher evaluations lessens accountability at a time when Michigan students continue to post middling scores on state and national tests. The current system, they say, needs to be better implemented, not replaced.