FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2020
DENVER – Statement from Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association, on Gov. Polis’ executive order to pause teacher evaluations for 2019-20 academic school year:
“We applaud Governor Polis and his recommendation to suspend teacher evaluations for the 2019-20 school year in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its profound impact on the state’s public education system. However, he has ultimately deferred to school districts to make decisions on how to proceed on the evaluation process.
“Colorado law currently requires that 50% of an educator’s evaluation be based on student growth as determined by Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments, which have been suspended by the Colorado Department of Education for the 2019-20 school year.
“Because a large percentage of an educator’s evaluation is based on state assessments that will no longer will take place this year, it only makes sense to pause teacher evaluations as well. Unless evaluations were completed prior to the Governor’s Executive Order to close schools, we call on school districts to suspend evaluations for the 2019-20 school year. Districts should negotiate with the local education association in order to come to an agreement on educator evaluations.
“Our top priority is supporting our 39,000 members and equipping them with resources so that every student thrives during this unprecedented time of disruption and distance learning. Educators are resolutely focused on making distance learning a success for their students. This includes not just their academic success, but also their social-emotional and physical health and safety. Educators need to be given the time to maintain relationships with their students, not worry about evaluations during this challenging time.”
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