Greetings!
When the LA Times published data on third-fifth grade teachers in the LA Unified School District, it caused quite a stir in the education world. Here, we highlight some of the conversations among Oregonians that were sparked by the LA Times' piece.
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Oregonian on Teacher Effectiveness
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On August 19th the Oregonian Editorial Board joined the dialogue around the LA Times article. Calling for a conversation about teacher effectiveness to take place in Oregon, the Board writes:
"In Oregon, teacher pay and evaluation are getting more scrutiny amid layoffs and funding reductions. Parents jockey to find the schools they believe will most suit their children. Yet the link between student and teacher performance is a charged subject. It's time to change that. It must be defined and made consequential by school districts statewide -- with full teacher involvement -- if we are to find sustained success."
Read the full editorial.
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PSU Dean on Pay for Performance
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Randy Hitz, Dean of the School of Education at Portland State
University, agrees that teachers must be involved. Dean Hitz recently shared his thoughts in a guest column in the Oregonian. He states:
 "Educators have not rejected pay for performance out of hand. A closer
look reveals that educators and teacher unions are open to new ideas
and can be productive partners in education reform. ... Without input from teachers, no school reform stands a chance. When
teachers are treated with respect and made partners in reform
initiatives, they become fully invested in educational success."
Read Dean Hitz's full column.
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Oregon Teacher Perspective
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Indeed, the teacher voice is important in this conversation.  ChalkBlogger and North Clackamas School District teacher, Ruth Wallin, also offered her perspective on the pros and cons of the LA Times' article. For Ruth, "The real issue...is the public cry for quality teaching at a time when public money
is tight and every student/teacher interaction is at its most valuable."
She recommends focusing not on punitive measure, but on moving toward a collaborative culture of improvement and offers five suggestions for doing so. Read Ruth's full post on ChalkBloggers.
Each of these pieces offer an important perspective on teacher effectiveness and what types of dialogue should take place in Oregon. We encourage you to engage in the discussion, both online and with your colleagues and friends.
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