For some republicans tenure for public school teachers is ideological blasphemy. Representative Scott Dieckhaus (r) sponsored HB 2463 which appears to replace public school teacher tenure with a curious mix of legislative micromanaging.

HB 2463 Establishes the “Teacher Continuing Contract Act”

Sponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott (109) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2010

CoSponsor: Nieves, Brian D. (98) ……….etal. LR Number: 5441L.03I

Last Action: 04/06/2010 – Read Second Time (H)

HB2463

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar

For instance, this (from the current statute):

….160.045. 1. Each public school shall develop standards for teaching no later than June 30, 2010. The standards shall be applicable to all public schools, including public charter schools operated by the board of a school district.

2. Teaching standards include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Students actively participate and are successful in the learning process;

(2) Various forms of assessment are used to monitor and manage student learning;

(3) The teacher is prepared and knowledgeable of the content and effectively maintains students’ on-task behavior;

(4) The teacher uses professional communication and interaction with the school community;

(5) The teacher keeps current on instructional knowledge and seeks and explores changes in teaching behaviors that will improve student performance; and

(6) The teacher acts as a responsible professional in the overall mission of the school.

3. The department may provide assistance to public schools in developing these standards upon request….

Is replaced with this:

….160.045. 1. Each public school shall develop standards for teaching no later than June 30, 2010. The standards shall be applicable to all public schools, including public charter schools operated by the board of a school district.

2. Teaching standards for purposes of teacher evaluation under section 168.1026 shall be the Teacher Advancement Program standards contained in the “framework for teaching” rubric as developed by Charlotte Danielson…..

Who died and made Charlotte Danielson God? Shush. Nobody tell the folks who advocate for local control of their schools.

You’ve got to love this little piece of micromanagement:

….168.1026. 1. The board of education of each school district shall maintain records showing periods of service, dates of appointment, and other necessary information for the enforcement of sections 168.1000 to 168.1030.

2. In addition, the board of education of each school district shall cause a comprehensive, performance-based evaluation for each teacher employed by the district.

3. All teachers shall be evaluated regularly and shall be evaluated twice annually in the final year of their continuing contract by a qualified administrator, who may be an employee of another accredited district. Advance notice of evaluations shall not be given. All evaluations shall be on a scale of 88, based on the four achievement levels of the twenty-two standards adopted in section 160.045 so that scores are comparable. No more than sixty percent of a building’s teachers shall receive a score in the top two quartiles combined…..

[emphasis added]

Because inflexible quotas always work out for the best when you believe that a significant number of public school teachers are incompetent. If there’s only one teacher in a building does King Solomon have to get involved? Just asking.

There’s also an interesting clause at the tail end of the bill:

….168.1030. No teacher shall take part in the management of the campaign for the election or defeat of members of a board of education by which he or she is employed. Any teacher who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to termination of his or her employment by the district with the right of a hearing as heretofore provided.

[emphasis added]

Really? We want to restrict some individuals’ ability to fully participate in the civic life of their community?

The bill is co-sponsored by some of the usual suspects.