The state Superintendent of Schools says lawmakers need to stay focused on what is best for the state’s students during the debate, in the coming weeks, on Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s education reform bill.
“West Virginia will not fall off the map because of these changes. Teachers’ rights will not be diminished by these changes,” Jim Phares said of the bill on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline.
“Students will become the focus and that’s what I hope happens, that we all look at this (as) these are good things for students and these are good things for improving student achievement.”
The Governor’s proposed bill, covering 179 pages, was introduced in the state Senate and state House of Delegates on Monday. The legislation’s first stop will be the Senate Education Committee.
(You can read the education reform bill here.)
In general, the bill would do the following:
– Expand four year old preschool to an optional full day program.
– Require 180 days of instruction.
– Provide flexibility for school calendars.
– Address the lack of course transferability between public education and colleges.
– Provide loan forgiveness for teachers in critical need areas.
– Improve hiring practices to employ the most qualified candidates.
– Allow Teach for America to fill teacher vacancies in critical need areas.
Parts of the bill are already running into opposition.
West Virginia American Federation of Teachers President Judy Hale says she thinks the proposed bill makes the hiring of teachers, administrators and even superintendents too subjective.
“My biggest concern has to do with, basically, the hiring criteria, the hiring practices, the kinds of safeguards that we have put in place for the past 30 years,” Hale said.
She is opposed to Teach for America in particular. “That lowers standards for professionals,” she said on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee says the solution to the state’s education issues is not reducing teacher requirements, which he claims the bill will do.
“The problem is, with our pay being 48th, the teachers are going out of state, teachers that have experience are going out of state,” Lee said.
The state Constitution says the state must provide a thorough and efficient education. “We have to do better,” Phares says of how the state is meeting that Constitutional requirement right now. He says he thinks the legislation will change that.
The 2013 Regular Legislative Session continues through Saturday, April 13th at the State Capitol.