Chamber president: The next step in improving the state's public education system

Commentary

The quality of teachers, second to parents, is the top predictor of student success. Minnesota's new alternative teacher licensure law represents one piece of the puzzle to ensure we have effective teachers in every classroom -- and more must be done.

The next logical step is passage of "Effectiveness Matters" (HF 945/SF 636). This bill will protect the most effective teachers and, among other things, eliminate "last in, first out" hiring practices.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce was part of a broad, bipartisan group that helped pass the alternative licensure law. We're now part of another coalition of diverse groups that shares a common goal of ensuring student success.

That's critical for employers who depend on a world-class workforce to compete in the global economy.

Minnesota historically has had one of the most educated populations in the country, and that is one reason our unemployment rate has stayed below the national average in the last few years. But it is changing.

Three dynamics are converging that will determine Minnesota's future success:

•Minnesota has one of the widest gaps in the United States in achievement among racially diverse and low-income students.

•"The only growth in Minnesota's student population is among racially diverse students.

Effective teachers can help us change this collision course. This legislation is all about making the educational system accountable for the academic progress of all students and ensuring that every student coming to school will have effective teachers in their classrooms.

On the federal level, President Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan are leading the charge. Laws in Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C., require that teacher effectiveness is the primary factor when schools make layoff decisions.

Similar legislation is pending in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Washington.

This legislation's overriding focus is to place effective teachers in all classrooms. That will be accomplished through effective professional development, effective teacher evaluation and effective employment decisions.

Some educators will term these ideas radical; others will embrace them. Those opposing these measures will likely have worked their entire professional careers in a system based on seniority and not on effectiveness.

Let me be very clear that Minnesota has many amazing teachers. However, these teachers are not protected appropriately during layoffs.

Thousands of highly effective teachers have been laid off early in their careers simply due to the seniority system. The ideas advanced in this bill are reasonable and practical.

For example, rising stars who are deemed "highly effective" could be protected by their superintendents during layoffs. In essence, this would eliminate the "last in, first out" approach that has cost us far too many effective teachers.

They will cite the subjective nature of evaluations. It is for these reasons that student achievement will be measured on academic growth, not level of achievement.

This bill underscores that targeted professional development and regular feedback are needed to improve the effectiveness of teachers and to help them grow as professionals, no matter how long they have been in the classroom.

Everyone in the system, from teachers to the superintendent to parents, must be focused on student progress. This legislation ensures that our schools have the necessary information to build the strongest and most effective instructional teams at every school.

David C. Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

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