Things have changed. When we first considered Q-Comp, our choice was between a new project and the status quo. That is no longer the situation. Since our vote last March, the Minnesota legislature has passed a law requiring annual teacher evaluations by the 2014-2015 school year. About a third of those evaluations need to be based on some measure of student achievement, most commonly some kind of test score. No new funding was dedicated to cover the cost of that law.
Our choice now is implementing the items we came up with in our Q-Comp proposal with funding or implementing them without. That’s a very different choice.
What will be new by the 2014-2015 school year?
Without Q-Comp
Without Q-Comp
· Annual evaluations for all educators
· Part of evaluation based on test scores
· Staff hired to complete evaluations
· If our teachers and the district can’t agree on a plan, we use one now being written by a state committee
· Funding for additional staff taken from district’s general fund, which could result in higher class sizes
With Q-Comp
· Annual evaluations for all educators
· Part of evaluation based on test scores
· Staff hired to complete evaluations
· Use a collaboratively-designed plan that has already been approved by the State of Minnesota
· Funding for additional staff taken from state Q-Comp funds, which will not impact class sizes
· Incentive pay of up to $2100 for educators
What are our options?
If we choose to reconsider Q-Comp, we could vote again on our proposal at the end of the year. If it were to pass, we would use the next school year to build the infrastructure to support the program. We would begin the observations, goal setting, and incentives in the 2013-2014 school year - the year before the new teacher evaluation law goes into effect. Just like before, it would take 75% of our members to agree before proceeding with any alternative pay plan. If w the vote fails, we could lose access to state funding because it would be allocated to other districts who choose to implement Q-Comp plans.
Next Steps:
At Monday's Representative Assembly meeting, members agreed to hold a vote of our membership the last week in May. They further moved to recommend a "yes" vote to the membership. More information will be coming in the coming weeks and members will have the chance to weigh in on this new decision.
