Louisiana House Bill HR133

Louisiana 2021 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/26/21
• Passed: 6/2/21

Caption

Requests that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education take all necessary actions to provide that no measure of student growth be used in the evaluation of teachers for the 2020-2021 school year

Impact

HR133 aims to provide relief to teachers by acknowledging the unique circumstances they faced due to the pandemic and other natural disasters that affected schooling. The bill underscores the importance of adapting educational assessment frameworks to account for extraordinary situations that could lead to misleading evaluations of teacher effectiveness. By preventing the use of student growth measures, the resolution seeks to ensure a fairer assessment process in light of the difficulties experienced across various parishes, thereby protecting teachers from potential punitive evaluation outcomes related to factors beyond their control.

Summary

House Resolution 133 (HR133) urges the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in Louisiana to take action to ensure that no measure of student growth will be utilized in the evaluation of teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. This resolution reflects concerns regarding the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely disrupted education and resulted in varied instructional methods, impacting the consistency and reliability of student performance metrics across the state. Proponents of this resolution argue that using growth measures, which may be flawed due to these irregularities, would unfairly evaluate teacher performance during an unprecedented and challenging academic year.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding HR133 appears to be supportive among educators and advocates who recognize the challenges imposed by the pandemic. By advocating for a pause on certain evaluative measures, stakeholders indicate a collective understanding of the complex realities of teaching during a public health crisis. Conversely, there may be critics who argue that any permanent alteration to teacher evaluations should be approached with caution, to ensure that educational standards and accountability measures are upheld in the long term.

Contention

Despite broad support, there may be contention regarding the implications of HR133 on future evaluation practices. Some legislators and educational policy experts could argue that removing growth measures entirely may hinder the ability to gauge long-term educational outcomes and teacher effectiveness, thus necessitating debates on the balance between flexibility in evaluation during crises and maintaining rigorous standards in accountability. Overall, the resolution emphasizes a need for thoughtful discussions on how to support educators while ensuring educational integrity.