ASSEMBLYMAN LAVINE BACKS PLAN TO DELAY TEACHER EVALUATIONS TO 2016 

Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) offered his support of the Board of Regents’ directive to the state Education Department to push back the deadline for implementation of new teacher evaluations to September 2016. The original plan called for school districts to fully implement the teacher evaluations by November 2015 thereby ensuring school districts would not jeopardize funding for this year.

Assemblyman Lavine said “It is vital that school districts have the funding they need to continue providing a quality education to students. This remains a top priority.”

During budget negotiations, the Assembly Majority fought to put the teacher evaluation system into the hands of the Board of Regents in an effort to ensure that decisions would be made by dedicated education experts.

The Board of Regents has the authority to administratively extend the deadline for school districts to approve new teacher evaluation systems to September 1, 2016. The plan included in the budget called for the Regents to adopt regulations on issues such as how much weight to give state-based tests under the new evaluation system by June 2015.

“The legislature elects a Board of Regents for a reason: to ensure that qualified education experts not politics are directing the education system in our state,” Assemblyman Lavine said. “Extending the deadline will relieve some of the unnecessary pressure to rush through new teacher evaluations. The Assembly Majority continues to stand with teachers to fight any unfair attacks against them, and will keep working to make our schools the best they can be so our children can succeed.”