P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

NJSBA Comments on Educator Effectiveness Task Force Report

TRENTON, March 3, 2011 —Marie S. Bilik, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, made the following comments in response to today’s release of the Interim Report of the New Jersey Educator Effectiveness Task Force:

“NJSBA looks forward to examining the task force report in detail. Upon first reading, we appreciate the direction of many of the group’s recommendations. They could serve as the base on which we can build an accurate and consistent statewide evaluation process that also includes local education goals.

“Certainly, student achievement should be the major factor in evaluating teacher performance, and its measurement must consider each student’s academic starting point. It is also critical that a local school board’s goals be reflected in the evaluations. Education goal-setting has played an important role in the success of many local school districts.

“Nothing is more important to education reform than a fair and effective evaluation system. It will be a critical component of needed changes in the areas of tenure, seniority and compensation.

“Also critical is the perspective of the local school districts, which will be implementing the new system. That local viewpoint must be an element in the development of the evaluation system. The New Jersey School Boards Association will convey that needed perspective as this initiative goes forward.”

The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of 588 local boards of education and includes 44 charter school associate members. NJSBA advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.