NCTQ Gives Kentucky a D+ in Retaining Effective Teachers

NCTQ's 2008 Yearbook gives Kentucky a D+ when it comes to the state's policies regarding
1) identifying effective teachers,
2) retaining those deemed effective and
3) exiting those deemed ineffective.

NCTQ says,

There is no shortage of data that show a significant percentage of teachers leave just when they are becoming consistently effective. However, at the same time, too many teachers who have not become consistently effective achieve permanent status, also referred to as tenure. It is our hope that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers could make improvements that would affect teacher quality and student achievement.

Kentucky’s best performances are in its effective induction for new teachers (KTIP), its support of differential pay in shortage subject areas and high-needs schools (Really?), and its requirement of multiple formal evaluations for new teachers (KTIP again).

The state has the most work to do in ensuring only factors that advance teacher effectiveness are required for permanent licenses, ensuring its pension system is neutral, articulating consequences for teachers with unsatisfactory evaluations and closing loopholes that allow teachers who have not met licensure requirements to continue teaching.

How is Kentucky Faring?

Area 1: Identifying effective teachers = D+

Kentucky’s efforts to identify teacher effectiveness often fall short. Although the state has all the elements of a student- and teacher-level longitudinal data system, Kentucky does not use this system to provide value-added evidence of teacher effectiveness. Its teacher evaluation system uses classroom observations but fails to require evidence of student learning through objective measures such as standardized test scores. Kentucky’s probationary period for new teachers is a reasonable four years, but the state lacks any meaningful process to evaluate cumulative effectiveness in the classroom before teachers are awarded tenure.

Area 2: Retaining effective teachers = D+

Although Kentucky’s policies for new teacher induction are commendable, the state’s requirements for permanent licenses have not been shown to advance teacher effectiveness. With the exception of support for differential pay for teachers working in high-needs schools and shortage subject areas and performance pay, the state’s policies regarding teacher compensation need improvement. Kentucky neither gives districts full authority for how teachers are paid nor supports retention bonuses or compensation for relevant prior work experience. In addition, the state provides only a defined benefit pension plan for teachers. Kentucky’s pension polices are not portable, flexible or fair to all workers. Further, retirement benefits are determined by a formula that is not neutral, meaning that pension wealth does not accumulate uniformly for each year a teacher works.

Area 3: Exiting ineffective teachers = D+

Kentucky’s policies regarding the exiting of ineffective teachers leave room for improvement. Although the state requires the equivalent of two formal evaluations of new teachers, with the first occurring in the fall, the state does not address whether teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations must be placed on improvement plans or whether consequences result from having multiple unsatisfactory evaluations. In addition, Kentucky also issues renewable emergency certificates, allowing new teachers who have not passed licensing tests to remain in the classroom for more than one year.