My Point of View by Joseph E. Brown Sr.

It is disappointing to see that one of the first “reforms” that legislative Republicans want to enact into law is to remove teacher tenure from Minnesota public school teachers.

Now more than ever before we need to attract highly qualified and well-educated college graduates into the teaching profession. Eliminating teacher tenure will reduce the number of college graduates seeking teaching careers.

During my 20 years of service as a school administrator, this is the first year I have had to hire non-certified teachers to fill teacher vacancies due to retirements.

This is not an uncommon occurrence in south central Minnesota. This is due to three issues:

• The recession of 2008-2014 prevented many students from attending or graduating from college.

• The increased student-loan burden where graduates end up with $30,000 to $50,000 of college debt after four or five years of study.

• The low starting wages of first-year teachers around $34,000 with only single health insurance.

The charge that it is almost impossible to terminate a tenured teacher is also a myth.  Principals who are provided the time and training to properly evaluate teachers can ensure that only quality teachers remain in the classroom.  Certified teachers expect and deserve that due process is followed. We should not discriminate against experienced teachers just because they are near the top of the salary schedule.

Currently 50 percent of teachers quit teaching during their first five years in the classroom. Teaching is hard work, and it has become even more challenging over the past 40 years with the increased socioeconomic diversity of students, the increased number of broken households and the growing poverty rate of students.

Minnesota has taken great strides toward promoting the professionalism of the teaching profession. Fairmont Area Schools and Albert Lea Area Schools are both Quality Compensation (Q Comp) schools.

This is a form of merit pay for teachers where all teachers are evaluated multiple times annually. Teachers actively participate in professional learning communities. Teachers develop and implement an annual improvement plan. The Legislature mandates that 2 percent of the school districts operating budget be dedicated for staff development for teachers.

New teachers are assigned mentors for up to three years while they are still probationary teachers.

The Minnesota Legislature passed two laws that took effect this school year. One requires that all teachers are evaluated on an annual basis. Prior to this law, only non-tenured teachers were required to be evaluated on an annual basis by a certified administrator.

The Legislature also passed the anti-bullying legislation. Both of these laws are good for schools. However, to fully implement these laws additional administrators need to be hired.

To prepare for the implementation of these two laws, Fairmont employs a principal, assistant principal, dean of students, nurse and social worker in each of our two schools that serve a total of 1,700 students. The principal and assistant principal are focused on teaching and instruction. The dean of students, nurse and social worker are focused on student issues. The principals work directly with 110 teachers or 27-28 each.

A non-tenured teacher is officially evaluated nine times during their first three years of teaching and is unofficially evaluated many more times through periodic visits by the principals. All tenured teachers are evaluated a minimum of once each year by a principal and three times each year by a colleague if they are a Q Comp school.

Teachers who are not performing at a proficient standard are placed on the Teacher In Need of Assistance program.  Teachers who do not achieve adequate professional growth may be terminated by the school district.

Minnesota needs to encourage more individuals to enter and stay within the teaching profession. Schools only have students 15 percent of the year.  The Legislature should concentrate on the 85 percent of the time students are not in school and promote stronger families and a higher quality of life for all.

 

Moscow Township resident Joseph E. Brown Sr. is a former two-term Iowa state senator. He currently serves as the superintendent for Fairmont Area Schools.