State ignoring federal school mandate

July 15, 2013

studentCalifornia school officials have largely disregarded the Obama Administration’s direction for education, marking a rare state departure from adherence to federal policy. (Los Angeles Times)

At issue is the practice of grading performances of teachers, and rewarding or punishing individuals based on those performance reports.

California’s reluctance to conform has resulted in the administration’s withholding of a waiver from requirements of the No Child Left Behind program, exposing local schools to federal discipline.

A heavy hand by the California Teachers Association is at the center of the disagreement; the CTA is at the forefront of opposition to teacher evaluation by one-size-fits-all testing standards.

Gov. Jerry Brown and State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson back the union’s efforts.

“We think the federal government is foolish to keep insisting on this,” Richard Zeiger, Torlakson’s chief deputy, told The Times. “It just doesn’t fit with the style of reform we are pursuing in California.”


Loading...
22 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

people work to their comfort level


Funny how the public school system and administrators spew how parents are “partners” in their childrens’ education, but completely excludes them in education, except for when administrators and teachers have their hands out or parents have to finish “their” work at home administering homework after putting in their own full day of work.


Don’t they test kids with a one size fits all testing standard? Why should teachers be any different?