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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Partial win for state union on evaluations, but appeal is likely | GothamSchools

Partial win for state union on evaluations, but appeal is likely | GothamSchools:

Partial win for state union on evaluations, but appeal is likely

A State Supreme Court Judge partially sided with the state teachers union today over how big of a role standardized test scores should play for teacher evaluations.

Overturning a key state regulation that was approved by the Board of Regents in May, Judge Michael Lynch ruled that local districts could only double the weight of test scores in evaluations – from 20 percent to 40 percent – if the local union signs off on the arrangement.

The New York State Education Department criticized the decision and pledged to appeal it, further complicating the future of an evaluation system that was originally slated to take effect this year.

The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by New York State United Teachers in June. In the suit,