A proposed constitutional amendment that would tie teacher evaluations to standardized student testing and get rid of tenure will remain on the November ballot, even though the primary proponent has now dropped its campaign in support of the measure. Because Missouri voters can still approve it, those who oppose the amendment plan to inform the public and move forward with efforts to defeat the measure.
If Amendment 3 passes in November, a number of changes in state testing procedures, along with the way teachers are evaluated, may occur.
Currently, kindergarten through second grade students are not tested, but if all certified staff end up being evaluated by test scores, standardized tests likely would be given to them. That means an increase in testing materials, costing more money to produce and distribute.
A problem generally seen with standardized tests is that not all students learn the same way. Some students who are academically successful in their normal classroom setting may be challenged when it comes to the standardized test format and not perform as well. Lower test scores would equal a less than stellar teacher evaluation.
The amendment not only ties teacher evaluations to student test scores, it also allows contracts of no longer than three years. Teachers would be considered "at will employees." That would end tenure.
Generally, in the current system, a teacher reaches tenure after completing five years in one school district, then receives a sixth contract. Even then, however, a teacher must be an effective educator.
Teach Great, the anti-tenure group leading efforts to pass Missouri Amendment 3, issued a statement Tuesday, saying that the timing isn't right, and that it had decided not to continue its campaign.
The group had spent several days traveling across the state, trying to build support for the measure, which has faced strong opposition from teachers' unions, administrator groups and school boards. It is unclear if another group supporting the amendment will take Teach Great's place.