APPR:
Annual Professional
Performance Review or
Ability to Publicly
Persecute Recklessly?
APPR still lacks clear
definition, as evidenced by the changes that have been made by the State since
its onset. For example, as discussed at
Wednesday’s RVCTA Question and Answer session, on August 13, our administration
received another guidance update on APPR.
The RVCTA Cabinet believes that
an annual evaluation should not be developed so that it brings fear to our
educators. We have worked on our 80% of
the APPR (20% local measures, 60% other measures) with our members in mind. These efforts, and all efforts on behalf of
our members in negotiating, represented a team approach for all instructional
levels. We have had many discussions
internally within the cabinet, as well as with NYSUT local and statewide
representatives, brothers and sisters from neighboring districts, and, of
course, Central Administration. We have
actively trained (individually and with the entire Executive Council) to
understand what would be best for our membership. Conversations with administration were clear
that the proposed document that you will vote on this week is a “living
document,” one that will be in effect for 2012-2013 school year, to be modified
and adjusted once again in the spring.
This proposed document was created with you in mind, based on survey
results, APPR roundtable discussions, Executive Council meeting conversations
and small group talks at prearranged off-campus locations. We relied on you for input and feel that the
proposed document reflects a fairly negotiated concept to be used in the
evaluation of our educators over the course of the 2012-2013 school year, given
guidelines provided by the State.
It has been said that the
implementation of APPR is a vehicle that will help in eliminating tenured
teachers and breaking tenure. Is this an
attempt to circumvent tenure? While we
are sure that we will hear this stated, NYSUT says:
“Once granted
tenure, a teacher/TA is guaranteed a system of due process, but is not
guaranteed a job for life. The tenure law protects teachers/TAs from arbitrary
or capricious dismissal. For example, it prevents a school district from firing
a competent teacher/TA so that it can hire someone else who may have better personal
or political connections.”
For facts about tenure, please visit our website or head over to
NYSUT’s new member guide, found at http://nysut.org/newmember/survival_tenure.html .
Under our APPR plan, a teacher who has received a Teacher
Improvement Plan (TIP) two years in a row will rely on the Superintendent of
Schools for a final decision on his/her retention. If the Superintendent ultimately determines
that the member should not be retained, that member is still entitled to due
process in a separate 3020A hearing.
Will APPR fail on the statewide level? Time will tell. In the meantime, know that our plan has been
created with you in mind, and was clearly supported through Tuesday’s
unanimous “Yes” vote from our Executive Council.
On Wednesday, September 12, you will vote in the morning from your home
school. Please make sure that you vote,
since an abstention will count as a “no”
vote. We want everyone to vote,
despite inclusion in APPR or lack thereof. To vote in any other manner would differentiate
between our members and be contrary to your union leaders’ goals for our
membership.
In unity,
RVCTA Cabinet
Viri Pettersen Chris
D’Ambrosio Joanne Wojdylo Chris Figaro
Michael Maschio Lena
Cobia Lesli Deninno Jenn Cino
