The quality of teachers, second to parents, is the top predictor of student success. The new alternative teacher licensure law represents one piece of the puzzle to ensure we have effective teachers in every classroom. More must be done. The next logical step is passage of "Effectiveness Matters" - HF 945/SF 636, a bill aimed at protecting the most effective teachers.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and its network of local chambers were part of a broad-based, bipartisan group that helped pass the alternative licensure law. A similar coalition is at the forefront of this legislation. Simply put, employers of all types and sizes depend on a world-class workforce to compete in our increasingly complex and global economy.

Minnesota is facing a convergence of disturbing trends:

·     Nearly 70 percent of all jobs in Minnesota by 2018 will require postsecondary training that will require a high school diploma. Today it's 40 percent.

·     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 play a vital role in helping Minnesota to avert these colliding dynamics.

Minnesota is far from alone in advancing such legislation. President Obama and U.S. Education Arne Duncan are four-square behind strengthening measures to improve teacher quality and protect effective teachers. 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.

In contrast, Minnesota recently received Ds from three organizations for its teacher evaluation system - the National Council on Teacher Quality, Center for American Progress and American Enterprise Institute.

Let me be very clear that Minnesota has many amazing teachers - and yet many are not protected appropriately during layoffs. From my perspective, 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.

We are sensitive to the arguments that teachers cannot be held accountable for the numerous influences in a student's personal life. Teachers are likely wary of the subjective nature of evaluations including the use of student data. It is for these reasons that student achievement will be measured on academic growth, not level of achievement.

The bill also underscores that student success is a team effort. Everyone 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 - and to help districts hold school leaders accountable for supporting each teacher's development.

Minnesota has established the momentum to help every child succeed. Let's take the next step.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit the Web at www.mnchamber.com.