Establishes the confidentiality of annual professional performance reviews of individual classroom teachers and building principals

BILL NUMBER:S6798A

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the confidentiality of annual professional performance reviews of individual classroom teachers and building principals

Purpose

This legislation will establish the confidentiality of annual professional performance review of individual classroom teachers and building principals.

Summary of provisions

Section One - amends 3012-c of the education law by adding subdivision 2-a, which states the portion of each annual professional performance review of a classroom teacher or building principal which are utilized to evaluate the performance and/or rating for purposes of the continued employment, promotion or training requirements for such classroom teacher or building principal shall be deemed to be confidential and shall constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy for purposes of article six of the public officers law; provided, however, that any person in parental relation to a pupil who attends the school at which a classroom teacher or building principal is employed shall have unrestricted access to the annual professional performance review of such teacher or principal.

Section Two - This act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

The newly adopted APPR teacher evaluations were created as a tool to identify and improve areas of teacher performance, not to shame or humiliate educators.

The purpose of student evaluations is to enhance student learning and support educators in improving their effectiveness and productivity. Public release of these evaluation tools is not only a violation of our teacher's privacy, but it will not improve the education system, or the quality of education our students in New York receive.

Legislative history

New Legislation.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.