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Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today unveiled a comprehensive education reform bill, including many initiatives the Governor previously proposed to the legislature, that would improve Minnesota’s education system, enhance student achievement, and help the state compete in round two of the federal Race to the Top initiative. “While Race to the Top has focused attention on the need for reform, we should be taking these steps regardless of the financial incentives,” Governor Pawlenty said. “There is a national, bipartisan consensus on many items regarding education reform. The time for action is now.” The Governor noted state legislatures around the country are enacting or considering education reforms in response to Race to the Top. For example, in Maryland last week the legislature passed a compromise between the governor and teachers unions that reforms tenure, uses student test scores in evaluating teachers, and strengthens math and science requirements. The bill is intended to enhance Maryland's Race to the Top application. Tennessee and Delaware were the only two states awarded funds in the first round of Race to the Top. Earlier this year, Tennessee enacted a measure, backed by their Governor, to strongly weigh student testing data in teacher evaluation. The Tennessee Education Association initially opposed the measure, but later agreed to the new standards. Tennessee’s new law also allows the state to intervene in failing schools. Delaware passed a new law that includes the ability to have teachers rated as “ineffective” for three years removed from the classroom, even if they have tenure. Both Tennessee and Delaware also had the support of their state teachers unions. “Minnesota has a proud tradition leading the way in education reform. We were the first state to enact open enrollment and charter schools,” Governor Pawlenty said. “The national education reform landscape is changing and leading reform states are adopting these kinds of changes. Eventually these measures will be enacted here, too. The only question is whether Minnesota will lead or be late to the game.” Governor Pawlenty’s Race to the Top education reform package includes seven major areas:
Teacher Quality and Effectiveness
Alternative Pathways to Teacher Licensure
Tiered Licensure for Teachers and Principals
Statewide Teacher and Principal Evaluation System and Enhanced Q Comp
Professional Development and Continuing Tenure for Teachers and Principals
Authority to Intervene in Persistently Low Performing Schools
Allow Successful Charter Schools to Open Additional Sites Many of these initiatives were proposed by Governor Pawlenty more than a year and a half ago, in September 2008, and were introduced as legislation in the 2009 session and again in the 2010 session. Governor Pawlenty called for the passage of these important education reforms in his 2009 and 2010 State of the State addresses. Minnesota’s first round Race to the Top application received good marks for our charter school environment, strong standards and assessments, our Q Comp performance pay for teachers system, and our focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects. The federal reviewers docked Minnesota’s application for failing to have alternative pathways to teacher licensure, not strongly linking student achievement to teacher evaluations, failing to define “highly effective teachers,” incomplete teacher preparation programs, an inability to intervene in failing schools, and lack of support from teachers unions. |