Despite the clear link between quality instruction and student achievement, Minnesota schools generally do a mediocre job evaluating how well instruction is being delivered.
That's in part because Minnesota is among about half the states that do not require annual evaluations for tenured teachers. That means many educators stop receiving regular appraisals after just three years on the job.
The National Council on Teacher Quality, the Center for American Progress and the American Enterprise Institute all recently gave Minnesota a D on its teacher evaluation systems.
And one of the reasons the state missed out on Race to the Top federal funds was because of poor instructor assessments.
That must change.
To improve instruction, teachers must receive regular, meaningful assessments and support to help them improve. They should also be rewarded for excellence and counseled out of their jobs if they prove ineffective.
Pending legislative proposals would wisely address those issues. One Republican-sponsored bill would require annual teacher evaluations that are at least 40 percent based on student growth.
Teachers would be rated based on effectiveness, and those confidential ratings would determine whether they received bonuses or kept their jobs. Another proposal from House DFLers is less prescriptive, but still calls for regular reviews.