Public schools; teacher contract and evaluation policies. (HB576)

Introduced By

Del. Dickie Bell (R-Staunton) with support from 6 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Del. Tag Greason (R-Potomac Falls), Del. Gordon Helsel (R-Poquoson), Del. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond), Del. John O'Bannon (R-Richmond), Del. David Ramadan (R-South Riding)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Public schools; teacher contract and evaluation policies.  Makes several changes to the processes by which teachers and certain administrators are evaluated and retained, including the replacement of continuing contract status with annual contract status for teachers and principals; a mandatory, two-year probationary status for teachers and principals; allowing termination of annual contracts for just cause; requiring that annual evaluations of teachers, principals, and superintendents include student academic progress as a significant factor; and requiring that force-reduction measures consider performance rather than seniority. The bill also defines the standard 10-month contract as 200 days, of which a minimum must be 180 days of instructional time. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2013. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2012Committee
01/10/2012Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12 12103766D
01/10/2012Referred to Committee on Education
01/18/2012Assigned Education sub: Teachers and Admin. Action
02/08/2012Reported from Education with substitute (13-Y 8-N) (see vote tally)
02/08/2012Committee substitute printed 12104986D-H1
02/09/2012Read first time
02/10/2012Read second time
02/10/2012Committee substitute agreed to 12104986D-H1
02/10/2012Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB576H1
02/13/2012Read third time and passed House (55-Y 43-N)
02/13/2012VOTE: PASSAGE (55-Y 43-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2012Constitutional reading dispensed
02/14/2012Referred to Committee on Education and Health
02/23/2012Reported from Education and Health with substitute (8-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2012Committee substitute printed 12105581D-S1
02/23/2012Passed by for the day
02/24/2012Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/27/2012Read third time
02/27/2012Reading of substitute waived
02/27/2012Committee substitute agreed to 12105581D-S1
02/27/2012Passed by for the day
02/28/2012Read third time
02/28/2012Passed by for the day
02/29/2012Read third time
02/29/2012Passed by for the day
03/01/2012Read third time
03/01/2012Passed by for the day
03/02/2012Read third time
03/02/2012Passed by for the day
03/05/2012Read third time
03/05/2012Passed by for the day
03/06/2012Read third time
03/06/2012Passed by for the day
03/07/2012Read third time
03/07/2012Passed by for the day
03/08/2012Read third time
03/08/2012Passed by temporarily
03/08/2012Motion to recommit to committee agreed to (23-Y 17-N) (see vote tally)
03/08/2012Recommitted to Education and Health
03/08/2012Pursuant to Senate Rule 20(g)
03/08/2012Continued to 2013 in Education and Health

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 1 hour.

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: SB438.

Comments

robert legge writes:

Brilliant. Make teachers jobs dependent on their student's SOL pass rate. That'll make 'em lern.

Ed writes:

RIF that doesnt count seniority..why sure..I'd like that pilot with one year of experience over that veteran with 30 years anytime..he is younger and more up to date!

Martha writes:

As a teacher I cannot find words to express how disgusting this is! Where does Delegate Bell propose we get the money to fund these ideas like "professional development"? The fact that education has become the puppet show du jour is evidence that although Virginia lawmakers talk a good talk, they don't walk the walk. They are so out of touch with real classroom experiences, parents that don't care, poverty and all the other battles we face each day ( and never give up on!) All I can say is I am thankful he is not in my district and if he were, I'd be on a huge campaign to make sure he does not get re-elected. That is, when I have finished my 60+ hour work week! This bill is proof positive that teachers do not matter in Virginia. I hope we all start looking to other states for employment. This bill will make sure that no new, innovative teacher will want to teach in the Commonwealth.

J.R. Hoeft writes:

This is a fantastic bill. Finally, a commonsense approach to education - and an end to the old saying, "those who can't teach." Now those who truly can will be rewarded and advanced. Only the truly liberal and afraid will think this is a bad bill.

Almost everyone is evaluated, and their jobs depend upon those evaluations. There should be no exception for teachers.

librarybookgrl writes:

I'm about sick and tired of hearing people say that it's only fair that teachers be evaluated and that teachers should want to be evaluated, because it's obvious that they're just repeating our Governor's sound bites! For those of you who are uninformed albeit the spin you feed yourselves, here's a newsflash: TEACHERS ARE EVALUATED EVERY YEAR. This bill changes some things like RIF, continuing contract, and ties evaluations to performance and so forth. Whether you think those things are fair or not is not my point. But for the love of all that's holy, people, stop showing your ignorance by saying that teachers currently aren't evaluated and that this bill will change that.