I don't blame the teachers for not removing the clause, which would have chronically absent students count on their evaluations. Basically, they are saying, you can't evaluate the academic progress of students who are never in class. The state and the Buffalo News are saying, just go along with it, we need the money.
That's not the teachers' fault. Students who are chronically absent should not count against their evaluations. And I don't feel it's the teachers' job to get them in school (like some are saying). It's the parents' job to get their kids to school...
The Buffalo News editorial in favor of counting the absent students is another one of their all time classics. Apparently written by one of the failing students themselves, the title of the editorial is Absentees Should Count.??? I love this excerpt, where they tell the teachers to count the absent students because it will only count towards 20% of their evaluation...
For one thing, this part of the state's new evaluation template accounts for only 20 percent of a teacher's rating. That's not an insignificant amount -- nor should it be -- but that still leaves 80 percent based on other factors. Indeed, 60 percent is to be based primarily on classroom observation.
20% isn't a significant amount? Tell that to someone who just lost their job based on an evaluation. I think most statisticians would disagree. 20% is very significant. I wouldn't vote for counting absentee students if it counted towards 1% of my evaluation. Buffalo teachers are not responsible for the district's fiscal woes. Amber Dixon's threatening of layoffs is way too predictable. How about focusing on getting these students in school and having them not act like animals when in the classroom? Do that and you won't need any more money.
Absentees should count
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