Ohio to Retest Teachers Under New Law

[proud2BlibKansan]

As soon as next year, approximately 7,000 educators in Ohio's poorest-performing public schools may be required to retake teaching exams under a new law passed by the state.

Math and English teachers who work at schools ranked in the lowest 10 percent of the state will be required to retake and pass Ohio's teacher licensure exams. If the teachers pass, they will be exempt from retaking the test for three years. Each district's school board will have the option to fire teachers who don't pass the test.

Patrick Galloway, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education, says the earliest the changes will be implemented is prior to the 2012-2013 school year, and that the criteria for ranking schools is still being developed. Meanwhile, the state's education department is developing a new teacher evaluation system that will be piloted later this school year in certain districts.



Galloway says that by holding schools and teachers accountable for student achievement, underperforming schools will hopefully improve."The whole purpose here is to help our most persistently struggling schools by working to provide the best instructors possible," he says. "We're doing this to lift up those students."

more . . . http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2011/09/05/ohio-to-retest-teachers-under-new-law

[LWolf]

1. So the $$$$$ for tests to prove subject matter competency

they already took and passed will "expire," and they will have to re-take, re-pay, and re-pass tests to prove the same competencies every three years?

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. That's it in a nutshell

Unless we believe that teachers who were once competent enough to meet state standards have somehow grown incompetent. :shrug:

[LWolf]

5. We already have plenty in place to keep us "current."

We have to continuously take more classes in order to renew our license every few years. That's already an expense.

Honest question, since I don't know the answer:

Do MDs have to take classes, take tests, and pay $$$ to renew their medical licenses every 3 years?

Do lawyers have to do so to renew their license to practice law?

[MissB]

10. Engineers don't.

Once you pass the grueling state boards, your license is good for the length of your career, assuming you earn the appropriate continuing education credits and pay fees.

This is so wrong- it penalizes teachers for working at schools with a large disadvantaged population of kids, whose home lives are likely impacting their schooling. Wugh.

[RKP5637]

3. I wonder where the money trail leads as to those that get the testing $$$'s. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. One word - Pearson

Just a hunch. :)

[RKP5637]

8. Yep! n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I called a stock broker

I want to know how much Pearson stock is going for and if I can afford it, I'm in. No raise in three years - may as well make some money somehow.

[mackdaddy]

6. All the Legislators should have to take a yearly Compentency test, too!

I mean one other than at their ALEC conference.

Make them actually read the US and Ohio constitutions, and pass a comprehension test.

And then basic Math skills for the budgeting and statistics for the real joblessness rates.

Random Drug testing and a background check for legislators seems like a pretty good idea too.

Finally publish these scores next to their names on the ballots like we do calories on a can of Koch er Coke.

[Pisces]

7. I really don't see the outrage. Fitness instructors have to be restated every 2 yrs???

Many industries require retraining. The computer technicians in our building retrain year round. Concepts change, people forget and need refreshers. Why must everything be a manufactured controversy when a teacher in involved on this board?

[FarCenter]

12. IT Certification and Career Paths - Recertification Overview

How to Recertify

Renewal requires certification holders to register for and pass the appropriate Cisco recertification exam(s). In order to recertify, exam requirements must be met prior to the certification expiration date. Individuals with an expired certification(s) must repeat the entire certification exam process in order to regain their certification(s). Visit the Cisco Certifications Tracking System to check the status of your certification(s).

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_recertification_training.html

Of course IT is a fast changing occupation, while teaching changes very slowly, so I doubt that recertification every three years is needed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. How many times do we need to prove we can read, write and compute?

I mean come on. It's not like any of these skills are different now than when we were in college where we were initially tested for competence. I've taken the test 4 times. Twice in college, once for the state and once more for a different certification. It's basically a 5th or 6th grade level competency exam. Unless I come down with a brain wasting disease, I will always know how to perform basic competency skills.

This is just one more effort to 'prove' teachers are the problem and a chance for a testing company to make a mint by charging every teacher $200 to take this test - after working for how many years without a raise??

If basic math changed over time, you'd have a point. But 8x7 is still 56. :)

[Pisces]

16. I would think teaching methods and philosophies would change not the basics.

A fitness instructor gets rectified to learn the new methods and discard old methods that were not yielding results or that were detrimental. It would seem to me that all children do not learn the same and that many methods should be employed in the classroom. As new methods and the psychology behind them are developed, wouldn't teachers need to be updated on these?

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. But that's not what they test.

[MissB]

14. State board tests aren't refresher courses.

[Starry Messenger]

9. How much does the test cost?

I'm sure the teacher has to pay for this silliness out of pocket.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Couple hundred dollars here

[Starry Messenger]

15. Wow, couple hundred times 7000.

That takes some brass ones.

[dembotoz]

17. so teacher will teach for the test--more bullshit