Support teaching, but not status quo

Star Tribune Editorial

Second of two editorials on education issues and the 2011 Legislature. The first editorial, published Sunday, focused on funding.

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In Minnesota and other states, dozens of legislative debates have focused squarely on teachers and their powerful unions.

Outraged educators argue that these are purely political efforts to promote an ultraconservative education agenda, kill collective bargaining, and restrict or eliminate unions in the process.

Countering those claims, frustrated school administrators and lawmakers believe that entrenched unions create major obstacles to hiring, work rules and teacher quality practices that would improve student achievement.

In our view, there are elements of truth in both perspectives.

Thousands of educators and other union supporters demonstrated at the Wisconsin State Capitol after Gov. Scott Walker proposed (and later passed) legislation severely restricting collective bargaining for teachers.

That went too far, as do similar legislative proposals under consideration here in Minnesota. For example, the E-12 plan adopted by the Senate last week would eliminate teacher tenure and prevent educators from striking over wages if their salaries were raised as much as per-pupil funding.

And the House bill would make teachers essential employees (like police and firefighters) and end their right to strike.

A wholesale attack on educators and collective bargaining in Minnesota will not solve our most intractable education issues any more than would protecting ineffective teachers and programs.

The state must attract and retain the best and brightest teachers while also giving administrators the tools they need to meet budgets and improve teacher and school performance.

So it's essential to assess teacher effectiveness and change or adopt rules that help with state and district budgeting, improve instruction and achievement, and create a more equitable balance of power between unions and school administrators.

In previous editorials, for example, we supported alternative teacher licensure to remove some of the roadblocks to getting additional talented educators licensed. That provision was passed and signed by the governor.

And to address school and state budget issues, the Editorial Board agreed with a plan to temporarily freeze teacher salaries for two years, similar to what many public and private employers are doing to balance their books.

It's also sensible, as the House recommends, to repeal union-friendly contract negotiation deadlines and penalty provisions. Currently, school boards and unions must settle their agreements by Jan. 15 every two years or pay a fine.

Those penalties have cost schools more than $3 million since 2006, taking precious dollars away from classrooms. The January deadlines and fines also give union negotiators an unfair advantage at the bargaining table.

Finally, if we expect better performance from more teachers, it is imperative to define what that means. Gov. Mark Dayton and the House and Senate rightly agree that a statewide teacher evaluation system should be created.