Most NYC Teachers Get High Ratings in New Evaluation System

More than 90 percent of New York City's public school teachers got high marks in the first year of a new evaluation system. Just 1.2 percent were considered "ineffective" while another 7 percent were "developing," the two lowest ratings.

The evaluation system has caused many teachers concern because 20 percent of the final score relies on their students' test scores. Still, classroom observations account for 60 percent of the rating and the rest derives from locally determined measures. It was approved by the state legislature in 2012 in exchange for federal funds although it took longer for New York City because of disagreements between the teachers union and then Mayor Michael Bloomberg. (Education Commissioner John King eventually intervened.)

Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said the fact that 90 percent were effective or highly effective under this new system proves teachers have nothing to fear from the new system.

“We are moving forward with an evaluation system that actually is here to try to help, which was our goal,” he said. “A lot of the schools now have turned evaluation into this constructive process which we really never had before, we only had it if an individual principal decided.”

The new system gives principals four different ratings for teachers, instead of just two. Fewer than 10 percent of city teachers earned the top rating of highly effective. The vast majority – 82 percent – were rated effective. In other school districts in the state, 39 percent were effective while more than half were highly effective.

State Education Commissioner John King said he was concerned that some districts have “a tendency to blanket everyone with the same rating” which would defeat the purpose.

While it’s not clear why the numbers were so different in New York City, King noted that the city invested in training the evaluators, and in using coaches to prepare the principals. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña also credited professional development.

“At the same time, a well-developed evaluation system – with four, much more nuanced ratings, instead of only two – helps us identify and provide specific support to struggling teachers, as well as identify those who do not belong in the classroom,” she said.

She said the city's new contract with the teachers union would provide even more support. 

Eric Hanushek, the Stanford University professor who’s one of the leading proponents of measuring teachers with student test scores, said he’s not surprised to see most teachers in New York State getting high marks under the new system.

“If you look across the country most of our teachers are working very hard and they’re doing very well,” he said, adding that the challenge is retaining the best ones and figuring out how to remove the small number of ineffective teachers.

But the group StudentsFirstNY, which has been critical of teachers unions, said the fact that more than half of all teachers throughout the state were rated as highly effective suggests the system needs improvement.

“Albany must act to strengthen the system to live up to its promise, and Mayor de Blasio must develop a plan to reward our best teachers and improve the worst immediately," the group said in a statement.

City principals were also evaluated according to a new system and the pattern was very similar, with the vast majority getting good ratings.

Families may ask to see the evaluations of the principal and teachers who currently serve their children. The Department of Education said it would issue guidelines for requests in the coming weeks.